Lumintop Tool AAA Copper 'Shipping version' (Nichia 219B, 1xAAA) Review

[candle lamp]

Lumintop has released the Tool AAA Copper version, compatible with AAA sized Ni-MH, Alkaline and Lithium battery. The packaging is special. I found the light in vacuum-packed, cute plastic case with two o-rings and keychain. There is a small thin pad for protecting the body against scratch due to the pocket clip. As expected, the main reason for the light in vacuum-packed is to prevent oxidation of the body surface. This is almost the final production pack.
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Manufacturer Specifications from user manual :
• Utilizes High CRI Nichia 219 LED or CREE XP-G2 (R5) LED with 50,000-hour lifetime
• Output mode/Runtime :
- CREE-Type :
High : 110 lumens / 30 Minutes, Mid : 32 lumens / 10 hours, Low : 5 Lumens / 60 hours
- NICHIA-Type :
High : 80 lumens / 30 Minutes, Mid : 18 lumens / 10 hours, Low : 3 Lumens / 60 hours
• Modes : Mid-Low-High ; Two ways to change modes: press the clicky switch or tighten/loose the head
• Runs on : 1 x AAA (NOT included) (10440 Not Supported)
• Dimensions : Length : 3.2" (81.5mm) ; Head Diameter : 0.57" (14.5mm) ; Body Diameter : 0.57"(14.5mm) ; Weight : 1.06oz(30g) (excluding battery)
• Max Beam Intensity and Distance
- CREE-Type : 553cd, 47 meters
- NICHIA-Type : 304cd, 32 meters
• High-efficiency digitally regulated circuit to maintain a constant brightness as battery life diminishes
• Solid billet ultra conductive pure copper construction with polish finish, and packed in vacuum package preserve polished finish
• Glow in the Dark front O-ring around reflector
• Precision micro-textured reflector creates smooth, optimized beam
• Double-side AR coated, tempered window resists impact and thermal shock, maximizes light transmission (99% light transmittance)
• Reverse polarity protection to protect from improper battery installation
• Multi-Function, clicky switch provides one-handed operation and easy access to all functions
• High quality detachable stainless steel reversible clip makes it durable and keeps a firm grip on your pocket or hat
• Impact resistance to 1.5 meters and waterproof in accordance with IPX-8 (submersible to 2 meters)
• Market applications include, but are not limited to everyday carry, keychain, gift, emergency, security, hardware/tool and many other uses
• Operation : Click the tail switch to turn on/off; when the light is on, press the switch to select brightness (Mid-Low-High) ; or tighten/loose the head to change modes

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The whole body is pure copper with polishing finish and no flaws on my sample. The head was nicely engraved with manufacturer and model name. The knurling is present over the head, body tube and tailcap. The light has a tail switch. Fit and finish look good.
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The light has 3 parts. The pocket clip works as a good anti-roll device as well.
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The head has a clean looking cylindrical design with a knurling band. The light has no reverse polarity protection function to protect from incorrect battery installation (i.e., you should be careful when inserting battery into the body tube). There is a GITD green o-ring present in the head, along with a orange peel reflector. You will see the nicely engraved model name on the head.
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The light uses AR coating lens where the purple hue is reflected on it.
The light comes with a textured reflector (OP) and uses a Nichia 219B emitter. Centering of the emitters was pretty good on my sample. Note that you can choose Cree XP-G2 R5 version as well.
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The pocket clip looks sturdy and hold onto the light very securely. It is reversible, allowing both head-up or head-down. Note that the head and tailcap are reversible on the battery tube, so you can switch the direction of the clip by simply exchanging the head and tailcap. There is no risk the light might catch on something and be pulled off.
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The battery tube is mostly covered in typical diamond shaped knurling. With the pocket clip attached, overall grip is acceptable. The wall thickness of the body is 1.1mm, which is not so thick for the class.
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The screw threads are triangular-cut of good quality. As supplied, threads are not lubricated. But, screw threads action is smooth with no cross-threading or squeaking in my sample.
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The light uses a reverse clicky. The silicon switch cap protrudes out the tail end. The switch has stiff tension with average travel. The light has two attachment points for lanyard or split-ring. which prevents tailstanding.
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User Interface

Turn the light on-off by the reverse clicky switch (i.e., click and release to turn on-off). You can advance through modes by a partial soft-press of the switch (or rapid off-on). Alternatively, you can loosen-tighten the head to move through modes when switched on at the tailcap.

Mode sequence is Med. -> Low -> High, in repeating sequence. The light always defaults to Med. if it is off for more than three second or four. There is no mode memory. You can lock the light by loosening the head slightly.

There are no strobe modes.
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From left to right, Panasonic Eneloop AAA (750mAh), Fenix E99 Ti (XP-E2), Ultratac K18 (XP-G2 S2), Skillhunt Ramble-I (XP-E R2). Lumintop Tool AAA Copper (Nichia 219B).
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Measured Dimensions

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The Tool AAA Copper is not a very small and lightweight light, as it has a tail switch with pure copper body. But it's good size to hold and use. You can use it as an EDC light. Overall build quality is very high.
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PWM

The light shows no sign of PWM at all output levels. I notice there is no buzzing sound at any levels.
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Runtime

The runtime to fall to 10% of its initial output from 30 seconds after the point the light is first turned on (i.e., based on ANSI FL-1) for High is as follows :

The light maintains perfectly flat regulation for an extended period, followed by a dropping off. As expected, Eneloop AAA (900mAh) gives you the longest runtime. Note that 10440 li-ion is not officially supported (i.e, working voltage is 0.9~1.5V).
Output-runtime efficiency seems good, as expect for a current-controlled light.
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Beamshot

1. White door beamshot (about 50cm from the white door) on max. output on 1xPanasonic Eneloop AAA (750mAh)
- ISO125, F/8.0, 1/25sec, Auto white balance

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- ISO125, F/8.0, 1/100sec, Auto white balance

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- ISO125, F/8.0, 1/800sec, Auto white balance

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- ISO125, F/8.0, 1/2000sec, Auto white balance'

The light shows good beam quality. The beam has a neutral white tint.
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2. 3.5m Indoor Beamshot on max. output on 1xPanasonic Eneloop AAA (750mAh)
- ISO125, F/2.8, 1/10sec, Auto white balance

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The above pictures make it look like all lights are not brighter than they actually are.
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3. 7.0m Indoor Beamshot on max. output on 1xPanasonic Eneloop AAA (750mAh)
- ISO125, F/2.8, 1/10sec, Auto white balance

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The above pictures make it look like all lights are not brighter than they actually are.
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Overall Impressions

• Build quality is very high
• Heavier than this class of light due to the copper body
• Oxidation will slowly change the body color, but still will be classy
• The light can't tailstand
• Anti-roll indentations on the body
• Physical lockout function (i.e.,head)
• No reverse polarity protection function
• 10440 Li-ion is not supported
• No mode memory (always turns on in Med.)
• True Moonlight mode is not available
• No flickering due to PWM and no buzzing sound at any outputs (i.e., current-controlled circuit)
• Output-runtime efficiency seems good
• Overall beam tint is nice neutral white

Lumintop Tool AAA Copper provided by Lumintop for review.

 

[Phlogiston]

A nice informative review, thank you!

I did notice one contradiction, however:

Manufacturer Specifications from user manual :
[...]
• Reverse polarity protection to protect from improper battery installation
[...]

[...] The light has no reverse polarity protection function to protect from incorrect battery installation (i.e., you should be careful when inserting battery into the body tube). [...]

Overall Impressions
[...]
• No reverse polarity protection function
[...]

 

[candle lamp]

Thanks for your support. You are very good at finding them in my review.

The manufacturer did double check the reverse polarity protection and they confirmed the light doesn't have the function.

A nice informative review, thank you!

I did notice one contradiction, however:

 

[applevision]

Excellent review of a very interesting light! Thank you!

 

[Still Of The Night]

Thanks for the great review!

A major thing I noticed as soon as I read through it were the run times with Eneloops on this production/shipping version compared to the pre-production version reviewed here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-LUMINTOP-TOOL-AAA-Cooper-(Nichia-219B-1x-AAA)

There is quite a difference. The pre-production high run times took it off of my list of potential buys but this production version has really wet my appetite again…

As far as I know Lumintop also manufacture the Maratac AAA lights and it looks almost as if they might be using the Maratac AAA light electronics/driver/circuitry (not sure what the right term is – I'm still learning lol) now as this production version Tool seems to have a very similar, excellent regulated output and run time. I guess it would be more clear cut if we had some lumen/run time graphs of the XP-G2 R5 production version Tool to compare. I hope they have indeed used the Maratacs guts as from what I have seen looking at quite a number of AAA lights on here it arguably has one of the best output Vs runtime ratios in the single AAA category. Plus being from the UK the Maratac is much more of a hassle to get hold of and I think overall I generally prefer a clicky.

Edit: Looking at them again its more of a difference in regulation rather than run time and then there are the different mAhs of the batteries to consider. Still, i prefer the production version graph

 

[jon_slider]

Excellent review, very complete and useful. Thanks!

… The pre-production high run times took it off of my list of potential buys but this production version has really wet my appetite again…

As far as I know Lumintop also manufacture the Maratac AAA lights and it looks almost as if they might be using the Maratac AAA light electronics/driver/circuitry… I hope they have indeed used the Maratacs guts… I generally prefer a clicky.

The runtime charts are suprising, but imo, given an AAA battery, lights will perform similarly, if they are at similar brightness. Since the Maratac with 40-1.5-138 lumens is brighter than the XPG2 Tool with 32-5-110 lumens, I would expect the brighter light not last as long, but I dont mind, as I carry spare Eneloops, and I dont use high mode for long periods usually.

the Maratac has a couple differences from the Tool. The drivers look the same, but have different programming. I have not seen a runtime chart of the latest Maratac with the new No PWM driver, nor have I seen any independent confirmation of lumen specs. The Maratac knurling is a little different than the latest Tool. And Maratac has not been offered with N219. Im very happy to report the latest Maratac and latest Tool play lego well together. Both lights work swapped to the other body:

fyi, the Tool in the following pic is the ReyLight group buy N219 version, modes are LMH 1-16-80, not MLH like the stock Tool, but afaict, the knurling is the same as pictured in the review post above. The ReyLight driver looks the same as the Maratac and stock Tool, but the mode programs are different. You see the knurling difference in this pic too. The Maratac head is on the Tool body, and vice versa. Previous runs of Tools and Maratacs did not use the same thread depth, so the Maratac head did not turn on with the prior Copper Tool body. Im very excited that the Tool and Maratac Lego because Ive been wanting a Maratac with N219. .

for reference here is the runtime chart from the other review note it uses a different scale, in lumens, the other chart uses "relative output" (which means you have to multiply whatever number is on the left in the second chart below, by 80 lumens.. )

and here is the current review

 

[Brett H]

Thanks for the review! I bought two of the Nichia 219B and one of the XP-G2's earlier this month through Amazon. All of them arrived by December 17th and all arrived in the packaging you have shown here. I had wondered why mine did not arrive in the presentation case I had seen on another review.

 

[recDNA]

Sounds very nice. Very pretty to look at. Tough to choose it over D25C though considering size weight ui and output.

 

[Ethan_90]

I have the black tool, it doesn't really get that got using efest 10440s. I also have the olight , it gets hot quick.

 

[candle lamp]

I have the black tool, it doesn't really get that got using efest 10440s. I also have the olight , it gets hot quick.

Thanks for your sharing. The Tool AAA Copper doesn't support 10440 li-ion (i.e., working voltage is 0.9~1.5V) as mentioned in my review.