for submission in the Reviews forum
This is a mini-review for the Eagletac SX30A4 with a CREE XHP35 HI E2 LED. I received this light yesterday; I also own the Eagletac GX25A3 and Eagletac GX30A3D. All of the lights mentioned are from Eagletac and run on 3 or 4 AA batteries.
I am comparing the SX30A4 to the GX25A3 and GX30A3D. Read the full GX25A3 review to establish a baseline:
GX25A3: selfbuilt's full review of the GX25A3
GX30A3D: This light is almost identical to the GX25A3 in terms of dimensions, but it uses a new two button UI that I think is much better (see Eagletac's site for details about how it works). The total lumen output is also a little bit higher, and the hotspot is much tighter (longer throw) because it uses the domeless CREE XP-L HI V3 (compared to domed CREE XM-L2 U2 in the GX25A3). This light also includes a 'diffuser', which is a separate array of LEDs that are built into the head of the light and can be turned on to create a lantern style light. The diffuser works well as a lantern, and it can be used separately from the primary LED, or in tandem. I find using the main LED and the diffuser simultaneously to be mostly useless. Overall, I enjoy using this light far more than the GX25A3. I do have one significant dislike with this light: The diffuser head (clear head in front of the reflector) spills a lot of light when using the light with the diffuser off. It's not desirable to have a long range thrower spilling a bunch of light right by your face because it makes it harder to see the things far away that you are shining the light on.
SX30A4: I'm reviewing the version with the CREE XHP35 HI E2 LED (also available with a CREE XHP HD E4, which creates more lumens but less throw). This light uses 4x AA batteries compared to the 3X AA of the two other lights mentioned above, which results in an increased battery tube diameter. This light has the same UI as the GX30A3D (minus ability to switch diffuser modes).
The reflector used in this light is also longer and wider than the other two, which makes the light ~.4 inches longer and ~.3 inches wider (head diameter). I bought this light hoping that it would blow away the GX30A3D both in terms of total light output and throw distance. The specs on Eagletac's site suggest that it will do so:
-SX30A4 LED Lumens / CD / Throw: 1,870 / 76,500 / 603 yards
GX30A3D LED Lumens / CD / Throw: 1,330 / 51,000 / 492 yards
I ended up being somewhat disappointed with the SX30A4. It's noticeably brighter than the GX30A3D on max output, but not to the point that it feels like a huge step forward. Also, I was expecting the SX30A4 to have a tighter hotspot than the GX30A3D because its reflector is longer and wider, but the hotspot is almost the exact same size (Eagletac's website is missing the 'Center spot angle' spec for the SX30A4, but my guess is that it's 4*, which is the same as the GX30A3D). I think the hotspot in the SX30A4 is not tighter than the GX30A3D because the CREE XHP35 HI LED die appears to be slightly larger than the CREE XP-L HI (both LEDS say they are 3.45x3.45mm according to Cree, but looking at the two side by side reveals that the XHP35 looks larger; perhaps CREE's measurements include packaging around the die?). This means the SX30A4 requires a much larger reflector to get the same size hotspot as the GX30A3D, which kind of sucks (I appreciate compact lights).
The SX30A4 also has one major disappointment: the ability to lockout the light by slightly turning the tailcap is gone! This ability was present in both the GX25A3 and GX30A3D. I sometimes store my lights for many months without using them, so I want to be able to leave batteries in them without having any standby drain.
The SX30A4 is significantly larger than the GX30A3D, which makes it less comfortable to hold, and the extra AA battery does not provide a very big jump in runtime because each mode is slightly brighter than corresponding GX30A3D mode. The SX30A4 and GX30A3D both cost about ~$100. If I was going to buy one of the two again, I would definitely go with the GX30A3D. It's more compact, puts out slightly less light, has a very useful diffuser mode, and can easily be locked out by a small turn of the tail cap. I would not recommend buying the GX25A3 because both the GX30A3D and SX30A4 are superior; I purchased it before the GX30A3D and SX30A4 were released. If you have any use for the diffuser mode in the GX30AD, or appreciate compact size, then it's an obvious win over the SX30A4. If your only goal is max output, then get the SX30A4.
This is a mini-review for the Eagletac SX30A4 with a CREE XHP35 HI E2 LED. I received this light yesterday; I also own the Eagletac GX25A3 and Eagletac GX30A3D. All of the lights mentioned are from Eagletac and run on 3 or 4 AA batteries.
I am comparing the SX30A4 to the GX25A3 and GX30A3D. Read the full GX25A3 review to establish a baseline:
GX25A3: selfbuilt's full review of the GX25A3
GX30A3D: This light is almost identical to the GX25A3 in terms of dimensions, but it uses a new two button UI that I think is much better (see Eagletac's site for details about how it works). The total lumen output is also a little bit higher, and the hotspot is much tighter (longer throw) because it uses the domeless CREE XP-L HI V3 (compared to domed CREE XM-L2 U2 in the GX25A3). This light also includes a 'diffuser', which is a separate array of LEDs that are built into the head of the light and can be turned on to create a lantern style light. The diffuser works well as a lantern, and it can be used separately from the primary LED, or in tandem. I find using the main LED and the diffuser simultaneously to be mostly useless. Overall, I enjoy using this light far more than the GX25A3. I do have one significant dislike with this light: The diffuser head (clear head in front of the reflector) spills a lot of light when using the light with the diffuser off. It's not desirable to have a long range thrower spilling a bunch of light right by your face because it makes it harder to see the things far away that you are shining the light on.
SX30A4: I'm reviewing the version with the CREE XHP35 HI E2 LED (also available with a CREE XHP HD E4, which creates more lumens but less throw). This light uses 4x AA batteries compared to the 3X AA of the two other lights mentioned above, which results in an increased battery tube diameter. This light has the same UI as the GX30A3D (minus ability to switch diffuser modes).
The reflector used in this light is also longer and wider than the other two, which makes the light ~.4 inches longer and ~.3 inches wider (head diameter). I bought this light hoping that it would blow away the GX30A3D both in terms of total light output and throw distance. The specs on Eagletac's site suggest that it will do so:
-SX30A4 LED Lumens / CD / Throw: 1,870 / 76,500 / 603 yards
GX30A3D LED Lumens / CD / Throw: 1,330 / 51,000 / 492 yards
I ended up being somewhat disappointed with the SX30A4. It's noticeably brighter than the GX30A3D on max output, but not to the point that it feels like a huge step forward. Also, I was expecting the SX30A4 to have a tighter hotspot than the GX30A3D because its reflector is longer and wider, but the hotspot is almost the exact same size (Eagletac's website is missing the 'Center spot angle' spec for the SX30A4, but my guess is that it's 4*, which is the same as the GX30A3D). I think the hotspot in the SX30A4 is not tighter than the GX30A3D because the CREE XHP35 HI LED die appears to be slightly larger than the CREE XP-L HI (both LEDS say they are 3.45x3.45mm according to Cree, but looking at the two side by side reveals that the XHP35 looks larger; perhaps CREE's measurements include packaging around the die?). This means the SX30A4 requires a much larger reflector to get the same size hotspot as the GX30A3D, which kind of sucks (I appreciate compact lights).
The SX30A4 also has one major disappointment: the ability to lockout the light by slightly turning the tailcap is gone! This ability was present in both the GX25A3 and GX30A3D. I sometimes store my lights for many months without using them, so I want to be able to leave batteries in them without having any standby drain.
The SX30A4 is significantly larger than the GX30A3D, which makes it less comfortable to hold, and the extra AA battery does not provide a very big jump in runtime because each mode is slightly brighter than corresponding GX30A3D mode. The SX30A4 and GX30A3D both cost about ~$100. If I was going to buy one of the two again, I would definitely go with the GX30A3D. It's more compact, puts out slightly less light, has a very useful diffuser mode, and can easily be locked out by a small turn of the tail cap. I would not recommend buying the GX25A3 because both the GX30A3D and SX30A4 are superior; I purchased it before the GX30A3D and SX30A4 were released. If you have any use for the diffuser mode in the GX30AD, or appreciate compact size, then it's an obvious win over the SX30A4. If your only goal is max output, then get the SX30A4.
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