Jeffg330
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2014
- Messages
- 126
Thank you for the photo verndog. Interesting that they seem to have gone from blue to white and back to blue?
**NEW** Nitecore TM26
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Timothybil
Flashlight Enthusiast
I think it might be more of a variation between batches of oleds. None of them looked like a real white to me. Yes the one looked lighter than the others, but to my eyes it still had a blue tint to it.
I am more NorthEast of AnnArbor, 40 min N of Detroit, Macomb/ Shelby Twp
thedoc007
Flashlight Enthusiast
+1. Now that I have seen pics of the "white" OLED, I can definitely see the difference (and in fact the one I have now is "white", compared to the one I had before). But both of them are blue, one is just lighter blue than the other.
In any case, the OLED is awesome no matter what color you have/think it is.
Verndog
Enlightened
No, it is whiter then the pic shows...I used a flash. It was advertised and sold as white OLED and that is just what it is. Not sure why so many dispute this? They made the change when the first started shipping the XML2 version possibly to tell those apart. Then after the old versions were sold out, possibly they switched back to blue.
Here is a pic with the blue switch light on...
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NoNotAgain
Flashlight Enthusiast
I think Verndog is correct. Nitecore changed the OLED display to differentiate the 3500 from the 3800 lumen version lights. I guess if you posted some of the serial numbers that theory could be proven out.
As for the change back to blue....I suspect that the TM36 uses the same display and it made business sense to standardize on one display. People liked the blue display, so blue it was.
As for the change back to blue....I suspect that the TM36 uses the same display and it made business sense to standardize on one display. People liked the blue display, so blue it was.
Just wanted to say that the light is great, but it has its buts...
1. My version got all different tint emitters. If my eye's capable to see 4 different tints, I can bet that kelvin meter can detect it too. Question: why to use 4 different LED tints? Looks weird... One's green, one's violetish, and the rest 2 are kinda the same neutral white color... 400$ flashlight and it feels like Chinese quality... Why NITECORE, WHY?
2. Built-in charger charges only to 4.11 volt, while showing that the voltage is 4.20 v.
3. Built-in voltmeter has an error of 0.07 volts.
Thinking about getting a TM06... Gonna keep both, but hoping that at least my new 06 will have the same tints...
1. My version got all different tint emitters. If my eye's capable to see 4 different tints, I can bet that kelvin meter can detect it too. Question: why to use 4 different LED tints? Looks weird... One's green, one's violetish, and the rest 2 are kinda the same neutral white color... 400$ flashlight and it feels like Chinese quality... Why NITECORE, WHY?
2. Built-in charger charges only to 4.11 volt, while showing that the voltage is 4.20 v.
3. Built-in voltmeter has an error of 0.07 volts.
Thinking about getting a TM06... Gonna keep both, but hoping that at least my new 06 will have the same tints...
Funny you say that because those are the exact colours I see on my TM26. Doesn't bother me when I'm out using it though. I wonder if it's the same placement as well.
Mine goes (if you were shining it at something with the button facing up): two left are the neutral white, top right is violet, bottom right is green.
Verndog
Enlightened
I've never noticed this with my NW version. You can see these colors on just a white wall test?
Verndog
Enlightened
Yes, mine are all neutral white with no colors. Best seen about 3 inches from wall where each cell can be isolated and compared on L-1 and L2. Higher modes you just see stars from blinding yourself LOL.
charlieplanb
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2014
- Messages
- 171
:lolsign:
Brightness
Tempted to get a TM26 on sale. Just wondering though how the brightness is. I have the SRT7 and despite it being rated at 960 Lm and my rationalizations
it's no brighter (ceiling bounce) than my older 550 Lm Jetbeam. I've also read Nitecore tends to rate high lumens (LED perhaps?) So anyway, where does TM26 fall on brightness compared to your other lights? Is it really 3800 Lm or more like 2000?
Also am I reading correctly that the onboard charger doesn't charge correctly (fully?) And that the display doesn't show proper charge level for non-2600mAh cells? I wonder if they've fixed this in latest units. If not, that's a big disappointment for a light this old now.
Tempted to get a TM26 on sale. Just wondering though how the brightness is. I have the SRT7 and despite it being rated at 960 Lm and my rationalizations
it's no brighter (ceiling bounce) than my older 550 Lm Jetbeam. I've also read Nitecore tends to rate high lumens (LED perhaps?) So anyway, where does TM26 fall on brightness compared to your other lights? Is it really 3800 Lm or more like 2000? Also am I reading correctly that the onboard charger doesn't charge correctly (fully?) And that the display doesn't show proper charge level for non-2600mAh cells? I wonder if they've fixed this in latest units. If not, that's a big disappointment for a light this old now.
thedoc007
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Brightness
According to this review, the rating is quite accurate. turboBB actually measured it at 3560 lumens (for the XM-L version, XM-L2 should be higher), versus the rated 3500 lumens. No exaggeration there.
To your other question, SOME users have reported the OLED figures are not accurate (up to about .1 volts off, if I recall correctly), so when it displays 4.2 volts, it isn't actually fully charged. That said, this isn't true for all units, and in any case that is about 93-94 percent of max charge, so unless you absolutely need max runtime, it should hardly be a deal-breaker.
The light has no way of knowing what type of cells you are using. It isn't possible to measure the capacity of a cell, except by fully charging and then discharging it. The published runtimes are based on a Nitecore 2600 mAh cell, no matter what you use. This means the runtime figures will be quite conservative if you are using higher capacity cells. You'll get close to 50% more runtime than indicated if you use a set of four 3400 mAh cells. Again, this is not really a problem, for me. Better to have it be conservative, and last longer than expected, than to use the highest figures, and end up getting less runtime than expected. Others, I am sure, will have a different view, but it isn't a defect by any means, simply a design choice.
I've had a TM26 for over a year now, and it is still one of my absolute favorite lights. If I could only keep one light, this would be it, without question. It can do a huge variety of lighting tasks, is small enough to carry with you, and the OLED is not only cool, but practical and informative as well. Worth every penny...so I'd say go for it!
Tempted to get a TM26 on sale. Just wondering though how the brightness is. I have the SRT7 and despite it being rated at 960 Lm and my rationalizations
Also am I reading correctly that the onboard charger doesn't charge correctly (fully?) And that the display doesn't show proper charge level for non-2600mAh cells? I wonder if they've fixed this in latest units. If not, that's a big disappointment for a light this old now.
According to this review, the rating is quite accurate. turboBB actually measured it at 3560 lumens (for the XM-L version, XM-L2 should be higher), versus the rated 3500 lumens. No exaggeration there.
To your other question, SOME users have reported the OLED figures are not accurate (up to about .1 volts off, if I recall correctly), so when it displays 4.2 volts, it isn't actually fully charged. That said, this isn't true for all units, and in any case that is about 93-94 percent of max charge, so unless you absolutely need max runtime, it should hardly be a deal-breaker.
The light has no way of knowing what type of cells you are using. It isn't possible to measure the capacity of a cell, except by fully charging and then discharging it. The published runtimes are based on a Nitecore 2600 mAh cell, no matter what you use. This means the runtime figures will be quite conservative if you are using higher capacity cells. You'll get close to 50% more runtime than indicated if you use a set of four 3400 mAh cells. Again, this is not really a problem, for me. Better to have it be conservative, and last longer than expected, than to use the highest figures, and end up getting less runtime than expected. Others, I am sure, will have a different view, but it isn't a defect by any means, simply a design choice.
I've had a TM26 for over a year now, and it is still one of my absolute favorite lights. If I could only keep one light, this would be it, without question. It can do a huge variety of lighting tasks, is small enough to carry with you, and the OLED is not only cool, but practical and informative as well. Worth every penny...so I'd say go for it!
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Re: Brightness
To add to the post above, I happen to have both a 3800lm TM26 AND an SRT7. When I turn the SRT7 on to maximum, folks go, "that's pretty impressive". When I turn on the TM26 on Turbo, they go, "Holy S###! That's crazy! Lemme see that!".
If you sit in a room and ceiling bounce the SRT7 followed by the TM26, you may or may not see a huge difference because your eyes will stop down. Go from the TM26 to the SRT7 and you'll notice how much darker it gets.
The real display is outside. The SRT7 lights things up pretty well but the TM26 just throws up a WALL of light. It does an EXCELLENT job of lighting up an entire decently sized backyard (40 yards wide by 80 yards deep) in one go. With double the candela of the SRT7, you'll also see it doing a better job of lighting up trees 100-200 yards away.
Max
P.S. The ONLY light I have that outdoes the TM26 in both area illumination AND distance is the 5000lm Olight X6. THAT thing throws an even wider swath of side illumination and with more than double the TM26's candela, it'll visibly light up a bridge about 1/3 - 1/2 mile away.
Tempted to get a TM26 on sale. Just wondering though how the brightness is. I have the SRT7 and despite it being rated at 960 Lm and my rationalizations
Also am I reading correctly that the onboard charger doesn't charge correctly (fully?) And that the display doesn't show proper charge level for non-2600mAh cells? I wonder if they've fixed this in latest units. If not, that's a big disappointment for a light this old now.
To add to the post above, I happen to have both a 3800lm TM26 AND an SRT7. When I turn the SRT7 on to maximum, folks go, "that's pretty impressive". When I turn on the TM26 on Turbo, they go, "Holy S###! That's crazy! Lemme see that!".
If you sit in a room and ceiling bounce the SRT7 followed by the TM26, you may or may not see a huge difference because your eyes will stop down. Go from the TM26 to the SRT7 and you'll notice how much darker it gets.
The real display is outside. The SRT7 lights things up pretty well but the TM26 just throws up a WALL of light. It does an EXCELLENT job of lighting up an entire decently sized backyard (40 yards wide by 80 yards deep) in one go. With double the candela of the SRT7, you'll also see it doing a better job of lighting up trees 100-200 yards away.
Max
P.S. The ONLY light I have that outdoes the TM26 in both area illumination AND distance is the 5000lm Olight X6. THAT thing throws an even wider swath of side illumination and with more than double the TM26's candela, it'll visibly light up a bridge about 1/3 - 1/2 mile away.
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Re: Brightness
Thank you gentlemen for chiming in. I'm still on the fence but you're helping me over.
As far as measuring state of charge, voltage is more than enough - luckily they have that, but it would be more convenient to translate that into a percentage for example. I'm assuming the indication they have now is just a timer then? That makes no sense, if so. Knowing the voltage, especially at multiple current draws including zero, would quite accurately tell you the state of charge - just use a look-up table in the program. The discharge curve of li-ion is well known. But wait, is it just the runtime figure that's tied to 2600mAh or also the 'battery status' indicator?
I can't help but feel the OLED display on this light is a giant missed opportunity. (I'm only considering TM26 because of the price). It allows for many, many more features, primarily having programmable levels (not that you need a display for that). Maybe that will be in the TM27 - I'm scared that will come out in the 2015 catalog. Also, why is the display sideways? I realize it's easier because it fits between the LED's. But just fit it the other way! What possible use case involves holding the light sideways?
Thank you gentlemen for chiming in. I'm still on the fence but you're helping me over.
As far as measuring state of charge, voltage is more than enough - luckily they have that, but it would be more convenient to translate that into a percentage for example. I'm assuming the indication they have now is just a timer then? That makes no sense, if so. Knowing the voltage, especially at multiple current draws including zero, would quite accurately tell you the state of charge - just use a look-up table in the program. The discharge curve of li-ion is well known. But wait, is it just the runtime figure that's tied to 2600mAh or also the 'battery status' indicator?
I can't help but feel the OLED display on this light is a giant missed opportunity. (I'm only considering TM26 because of the price). It allows for many, many more features, primarily having programmable levels (not that you need a display for that). Maybe that will be in the TM27 - I'm scared that will come out in the 2015 catalog.
Also, why is the display sideways? I realize it's easier because it fits between the LED's. But just fit it the other way! What possible use case involves holding the light sideways?
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NoNotAgain
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Brightness
There is a battery indicator scale, it shows a bar graph of battery remaining. Also displayed is time in hours remaining at current illumination setting.Thank you gentlemen for chiming in. I'm still on the fence but you're helping me over.
As far as measuring state of charge, voltage is more than enough - luckily they have that, but it would be more convenient to translate that into a percentage for example. I'm assuming the indication they have now is just a timer then? That makes no sense, if so.
Not sure how to answer this question. It's no more fraught with error than the trip computer in a new car.
The only other light that I'm aware of besides a couple of HID hand held lights that has a display is the TM36. It works in the same fashion as the TM26.
You can wait around for the next new invention in lighting, but at the end of the day, it's just like purchasing a computer. The next model is going to have more options than what's currently on the market at a cheaper price.It allows for many, many more features, primarily having programmable levels (not that you need a display for that). Maybe that will be in the TM27 - I'm scared that will come out in the 2015 catalog.
