Olight i3E EOS 6 Colors (Luxeon TX, 1xAAA) Review

[lightmyfire13]

Got my silver one today not tried against the black version yet....very shiny .....makes it look a bit cheap IMHO. ...

 

[jon_slider]

… The light shows no sign of PWM. I notice there is no buzzing sound.

thank you
also:
Olight i3E EOS (AAA keychain light) measurements

Spectral distribution

 

[cancow]

I don't get the popularity of these lights. The L3 L08 is FAR higher in quality imo. As I have said before, these feel like a dollar store checkout item.

Got my silver one today not tried against the black version yet....very shiny .....makes it look a bit cheap IMHO. ...

 

[Rob Babcock]

I don't get the popularity of these lights. The L3 L08 is FAR higher in quality imo. As I have said before, these feel like a dollar store checkout item.

Seriously? Maybe because it's ten freakin' dollars? I just picked on up from Amazon, showed up yesterday. Often I'm behind the times on the little lights since I have been focusing on the Elzetta & Malkoff stuff lately. I can't say much about the long term quality since I just got it but so far I love this light! It does everything I want a keychain light to do and nothing I don't. It's considerably smaller than my Fenix E01 which I've been using for years due to it being one of the smallest AAA lights I've been able to find. The little Olight is vastly brighter than my little Fenix, although obviously run time won't be in the same league. The best part is the tint! It's not as white as my M61 219B Nichia but it's not embarrassed by the comparison.

I'm probably going to pick up a couple more.

 

[wolfgaze]

I don't get the popularity of these lights. The L3 L08 is FAR higher in quality imo. As I have said before, these feel like a dollar store checkout item.

Well no one buying the I3E EOS for $10 is under the impression that they are getting one of the higher quality AAA lights. That being said, you may get a lot of bang for you buck at the $10 price point. You referenced another model - that model is 0.6 - 0.7 inches longer in length and $10-15 more expensive.... I3E EOS was intended to be a budget light (minimal price point)... If someone is looking for a higher quality AAA light with more features - obviously they would look elsewhere. As for my keychain preferences, I want a AAA light that is as small as possible while still providing good performance. A 3 inch light would not work for me as it relates to my preferences. My I3E replaces my Fenix E05 (2013/14 edition). I do not need long runtimes from my keychain lights as I only use them sparingly in short bursts and have a primary EDC used for 99% of my flashlight needs.

If I wanted a high quality AAA light with more features I would opt for the Maratac AAA Rev 3 for $35.... (which I just received recently)...

 

[KeepingItLight]

Seriously? Maybe because it's ten freakin' dollars?

Lol! I can't argue with that.

In the same category, there are now two budget flashlights that feature high CRI Nichia 219B emitters. The BLF-348 costs $7 USD in the group buy at BLF, and sports at 5000K emitter. The Astrolux A01 is around $9 in the group buy at BLF, and has a CCT of 4000K. Of the two, only the Astrolux A01 is a true keychain light. The BLF-348 does not have any attachment point for a keychain.

Thanks, candle lamp, for another excellent review!

 

[magellan]

Seems like a winner... mine is still on the way from China... should also make the world's greatest spare AAA carrier!

Yes. I really like mine and bought a couple of extras including one for the wife who likes hers too (especially the purple color ).

 

[magellan]

A question for the emitter experts, is the Luxeon, being considered to be a "daylight white" tint, warmer than a typical neutral white?

 

[RI Chevy]

A combination inbetween. It is a nice little emitter.

 

[jon_slider]

A question for the emitter experts, is the Luxeon, being considered to be a "daylight white" tint, warmer than a typical neutral white?

The Olight CCT in the graph from Maukka, also posted above:

says the LED tested at 5770K CCT (Kelvin, Color Corrected Tempterature) and 72 CRI. That is in the Cool White and Low CRI categories.

for contrast, here is a 4400K (Neutral White), AND High CRI graph

Notice how much wider the Red spectrum is, and how much taller overall the color bands are. The LED is a Nichia 219b rated for 4500K and 90+ CRI (it actually tested below 90, but specs are allowed 5 points of slop, or "range").

I would not say that daylight is warmer than neutral. Usually people who say daylight, or white, are actually talking about Cool White. Those terms, the way you wrote them are confused, and the terms are not specific, they are just generalizations. Better to know the actual Kelvin Color Temperature.

3000K CCT is Warm, the Olight is definitely not that
4500K CCT is Neutral, again the Olight is definitely not that
5500K+ CCT is Cool, and that is what the Olight tested as.

Tint is not really the accurate term for an LED Color Temperature. Tint is a separate category, it refers to whether the light is tinted green, blue, yellowish or Pink. Tint is separate from Color Temperature, and any color temperature can have a tint shift in any of the shadings above or below the ideal Black Body Curve.

I hope I got all those terms right, or that someone corrects me.

Bottom line, the Olight is a Cool White light.

here are two 3000K LEDs (Warm White). One has yellow tint, the other has magenta tint

here is the color chart with the ideal blackbody curve, and the various CCT. You can see how green tint sits above the curve, and pink or magenta is below the curve.

here is a more basic representation of Color temperatures.. the Moonlight portion is what we commonly call Neutral White, the blue portion is Cool White, and the yellow portion is Warm.

based on that chart, I would say Neutral White is at 4000K, above is Cool White (Blue), below is Warm (golden or orange). fwiw, a Candle is below 2000K.

 

[magellan]

Hi Jon, great info, thanks. I saw the color temperature on that graph after I posted. Since 6000 isn't that far from 5700, it's in the cool range as you said. I was thinking that daylight might be in between CW and NW. But of course the common English terms aren't very good as you pointed out. But then, how many flashlight users have some knowledge of spectral analysis? LOL

Anyway, please excuse another possibly noob question, but I was wondering what accounts for the narrow peak in the violet part of the spectrum? Could this emitter then be said to have a violet tint?

 

[jon_slider]

please excuse another possibly noob question, but I was wondering what accounts for the narrow peak in the violet part of the spectrum? Could this emitter then be said to have a violet tint?

no need to excuse your interest in learning, I greatly respect that

all our LEDs have that huge blue spike. In their uncoated state, LEDs are basically a blue electric flame. To get more red from an LED, since they do not naturally produce red, a phosphor coating is added. This coating emits red in response to the stimulation from the energy being emited by the LED. The coating increases Color Rendering, but it also lowers the raw brightness.

That is why the Nichia LEDs are less bright than the more typical Cool White LEDs most lights use. Brightness is what marketing promotes to advertise their products, and consumers are trained to compare brightness when considering a flashlight purchase. High CRI is never as bright as low CRI, and Low CRI is never as Red as High CRI.

A Low CRI LED will always be brighter. Olight sells to the brightness specification. They make zero effort to be able to show natural colors that include red. They dont offer High CRI, which is also less bright.

Basically, whatever colors the LED puts out, can then bounce back to our eyes when they illuminate an object. An LED that puts out very little red, will show very little red on an object that normal sunlight will reflect red from. The sun, and incandescent bulbs, are much more full spectrum, including red, than LEDs. That is why I abandoned LED home lighting, in favor of incandescent. It is also why I carry High CRI lights, and avoid Cool White and low CRI.

disclaimer: I am not an expert, just a slightly educated consumer. Some of what I write could be not completely technically accurate, and I invite better education. These are just my current understandings, of a subject I find interesting, and that I have spent time learning about, from others on this forum.

 

[magellan]

Again, thanks for the great info; that really helps.

It sounds like if it weren't for the added phosphor the narrow blue band would be the actual spectrum. And so the phosphor adds a lower range that otherwise wouldn't exist.

As for myself, I have cool, neutral, and warm white lights just to try the different emitters and see what they're like. I don't have a strong preference. Since I'm a bit color blind though like a lot of guys color may not be as big a factor for me as it is for others since I might not notice.

interestingly a very small number of women basically have a fourth color cone in their retinas who can see millions of colors. Even a normal person though can see 2000 different shades of yellow-green which is a human's most sensitive area of the spectrum.

One wonders what reptiles and fish see as they can have up to 7 different cones. That must be one riotous visual field.

 

[phosphor22]

View attachment 2785

The new copper i3E is beautiful - I wasn't sure i would want one when the light first came out in aluminum, but decided to go for it because I love copper lights; it is fun to have a VERY TINY copper light - even the single blast mode is fun.
I3S clip fits it fairly well

 

[khaleeq]

Great review. Thankyou. I bought the red one. It does flicker if I make half-hearted attempt to switch it on. But when I am quick, it never flicker. Simply amazed by the performance of such a tiny light. Put my Fenix E01 and E05 to rest for a while after getting spoilt by the size, quality and output of this red Olight I3E. Ordered a copper one. Awaiting delivery. Thanks again for the awesome review.

 

[candle lamp]

It does flicker if I make half-hearted attempt to switch it on. But when I am quick, it never flicker. Simply amazed by the performance of such a tiny light. Put my Fenix E01 and E05 to rest for a while after getting spoilt by the size, quality and output of this red Olight I3E. Ordered a copper one. Awaiting delivery.

If you twist the head (very) slowly, the light may flicker. Please try to clean the threads on the body tube and head. Also close the circuit board in the head tightly by using the tweezers. These may be helpful to solve the flickering.
Thanks for your support and welcome to CPF. khaleeq! :welcome:

 

[flips712]

Can anyone comment on how these compare to the Lumintop Worm, which I've seen for between $15 to $20?

 

[phosphor22]

Great review. Thankyou. I bought the red one. It does flicker if I make half-hearted attempt to switch it on. But when I am quick, it never flicker. Simply amazed by the performance of such a tiny light. Put my Fenix E01 and E05 to rest for a while after getting spoilt by the size, quality and output of this red Olight I3E. Ordered a copper one. Awaiting delivery. Thanks again for the awesome review.

I think you will really like the copper; still tiny but the weight of the copper gives it a presence and heft. I have a green one and find the copper easier to use, not to mention the cool patina it has developed.

View attachment 3324

 

[khaleeq]

Dear thankyou for your welcome. I did lubricate the threads, now it is butter smooth and does not flicker.

If you twist the head (very) slowly, the light may flicker. Please try to clean the threads on the body tube and head. Also close the circuit board in the head tightly by using the tweezers. These may be helpful to solve the flickering.
Thanks for your support and welcome to CPF. khaleeq! :welcome:

 

[khaleeq]

Dear my copper version arrived today. Sadly I am disappointed with it. The light output looks clearly less than my regular red one. When I looked into the face of the light, compared to my red one, its glass looks hazy. Plus when I shine it on a white wall from about 5 feet away, I can see a sort of black dot near the center.

I think you will really like the copper; still tiny but the weight of the copper gives it a presence and heft. I have a green one and find the copper easier to use, not to mention the cool patina it has developed.

View attachment 3324