Abstract: A portable electric lamp including a body 1 mounting a lens 2, a lens holder 3, a reflector 5, and a bulb holder 6 is provided with a translucent diffuser sleeve 7 which has slots 8 which extend lengthwise thereof. The diffuser sleeve is coaxial with and surrounds the bulb holder and is associated with drive means 10-13 operable to effect axial movement of the diffuser sleeve relative to the bulb holder between a retracted position at which a bulb held in the bulb holder is arranged to direct a spot beam through the lens and a forward position at which light from the bulb is diffused by passage through the diffuser sleeve.