Olight SR90

Dead_Nuts

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Those beamshots show that while this light has Light Saber like beam, the spill is tremendous. Just look at the trees down the side of the drive. Mine is supposed to be waiting for me at home (still in the office).
 

stallion2

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i've toyed w/ mine a fair amount over the last couple hours, haven't takin it outside yet but will shortly, its finally dark. first off, the case was smaller than i expected. they make rather efficient use of the available space and since the light fits in disassembled it does not to adequately convey the monster lurking within. this thing is a tank, inspite of the extensive milling to fin the head it still has a lot of mass to draw heat.

i will post some beamshots later tonight but right off the bat i can tell Matt was right on the money w/ his "think Catapult on steroids" analogy. there is a subtle yellow tint, nothing like cool tint in the Olight promotional shots. its "low" mode resembles the Cat's high mode, possibly a little brighter but i'll know better once outside. pics to help w/ size reference below...the 2nd pic really gives you an idea of how imposing this thing is.

LightsA.jpg

SR90frameofreference.jpg
 

Databyter

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i've toyed w/ mine a fair amount over the last couple hours, haven't takin it outside yet but will shortly, its finally dark. first off, the case was smaller than i expected. they make rather efficient use of the available space and since the light fits in disassembled it does not to adequately convey the monster lurking within. this thing is a tank, inspite of the extensive milling to fin the head it still has a lot of mass to draw heat.

i will post some beamshots later tonight but right off the bat i can tell Matt was right on the money w/ his "think Catapult on steroids" analogy. there is a subtle yellow tint, nothing like cool tint in the Olight promotional shots. its "low" mode resembles the Cat's high mode, possibly a little brighter but i'll know better once outside. pics to help w/ size reference below...the 2nd pic really gives you an idea of how imposing this thing is.

LightsA.jpg

SR90frameofreference.jpg
I think the "artistic" beamshots posted originally (I notice that those original pics are dissapearing ) were maybe designed to make the unveiling of this new light look mysterious, a teaser, just enough to make you want more information.

But in their choice of pictures, they did this light disservice, or at least didn't do it justice.

I'm pleased to hear about the tint you are seeing, and some other beamshots coming out now show a very useable tint. Now I am interested again.
I think I'll wait till Battery Junction is back up and running (and until I have the funds) so I can give them the business post -fire.

I'm also wondering if the price might come down in say six months. The current price though is admittedly extremely good for a light in this form factor with an LED that can handle the load and put out. Still it's alot of dough for me personally..
 
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stallion2

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i'm still LOLing about this. i took it outside w/ my Catapult, walked around shining one then the other at pretty much anything i pleased. less than 10 minutes later i stuck the Cat in my front pocket and continued on for another 20 minutes. i didn't realize the Cat was still in my pocket until i tried to sit down!!! thats just plain weird. i might start EDCing the Cat.
 

hivoltage

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i'm still LOLing about this. i took it outside w/ my Catapult, walked around shining one then the other at pretty much anything i pleased. less than 10 minutes later i stuck the Cat in my front pocket and continued on for another 20 minutes. i didn't realize the Cat was still in my pocket until i tried to sit down!!! thats just plain weird. i might start EDCing the Cat.


So, for somebody who lives out in the boonies and just likes to have bright lights to light up the woods, you think I would be happy with this puppy huh? The Pilot Whale is my brightest LED right now, and I have a 35 watt HID.
 

Swedpat

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stallion2

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here are the bulk of the beamshots i've compiled. please note that my photography skill, at least on land, are of minimal value. i left the camera on auto and shut down the flash. as a result of the auto-mode you'll see that operating the SR90 on low mode vs high mode tends to make whatever beam its being compared to look dimmer when shot w/ the SR90 on high than when it was shot w/ the SR90 on low.
*hoping that sentence makes sense*

the other thing that is note worthy is that my camera does a poor job of picking up spill against the glare of the hotspots...otherwise, i feel that the pics do accurately convey the intensity of the hotspots in terms of comparison (not in terms of absolute output).

SR90beamshots45.jpg


StanleyHIDvsSR90high.jpg


i also took some long distance shots at about 300' w/ the Cat, Stanley and SR90 (low/high) but they didn't turn out too well when i uploaded them. i'll attempt those again tomorrow night.
i hope they help....or at least make ya'll jealous:grin2:


So, for somebody who lives out in the boonies and just likes to have bright lights to light up the woods, you think I would be happy with this puppy huh? The Pilot Whale is my brightest LED right now, and I have a 35 watt HID.

i know little of the Pilot other than what i've read and little about HIDs, my only experience is w/ the Stanley. if the SR90 has the same longterm reliability as other LEDs then absolutely. not sure high mode will be much fun if you're actually IN the woods, especially w/ leaves on the trees. the glare could easily make you squint the whole time. low mode would be fine i should think. if someone can manage to build a light like this while reducing weight and volume by 10-15% then i think 10-25 watt HIDs may be obsolete. it definitely out-throws my Stanley.
 

Dead_Nuts

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I didn't get to do true long distance comparisons last night (in town), but I did get to shine the SR90 and my Boxer 24w across the fairway of the golf course, behind my neighbor's house. With the Boxer's beam focused as tight as possible, the SR90 seems to put more light downrange!

I'll try to get out to my rental house and 50 acres I have in the country this weekend (need to cut firewood anyway). If I can stay until after dark, I'll set them up and let my wife take some pictures. I only know how to use her DSLR on auto, but she says that doesn't give a true comparison from exposure to exposure.

BTW, this light is a monster. It makes my boxer seem svelte by comparison. This is NOT a "take a walk with the dog" light by any stretch. What it is, is a huge light by LED standards, that gives compact HID output -- without the HID drawbacks.
 

stallion2

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That's a seriously tight hot-spot. Does the bright ring around the outer edge of the hot-spot appear to the human eye or is it just the camera?

my camera automatically lowers the contrast to adjust to the glare off the hotspot. the result is that the spill is greatly diminished. the hot spot is very bright, very focused, but there is still good spill.

BTW, this light is a monster. It makes my boxer seem svelte by comparison. This is NOT a "take a walk with the dog" light by any stretch. What it is, is a huge light by LED standards, that gives compact HID output -- without the HID drawbacks.

i've already made plans to build a handle for it that projects overhead. something that would clamp on and allow me to carry it like a briefcase. i just gotta figure out something that will suspend it w/ neutral balance, this light is surprisingly head-heavy.
 

Bronco

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The fact that the low power setting is still pretty darn bright confirms my original suspicion that this is a great specific duty light i.e. spot, but fails for anything involving lighting u a wide area, or a close one without losing all night vision.

Of course I am hoping I am wrong...

I apologize if my comments were perceived to contain a confrontational tone that was in no way intended. I responded only because it seemed as if you started off from the point of having a fairly good understanding of the intended purpose of this light, and then in the next breath, stated your hope that it will actually turn out to be something else or something more.

To do so is simply human nature and I understand that. But I think that we, as a group, are too often guilty of wanting every light to be all things to all users in every situation. Certainly there's nothing wrong with this desire. And with the march of technology, we come incrementally closer with each passing year to bringing forth this mythical creation.

Where the SR90 is concerned, however, I think it's reasonable that we acknowledge and appreciate the advance that this particular light represents in terms of closing the gap between LED and HID light performance. No, it won't slip unnoticed into my back pocket, nor will it operate in moonlight mode for several days. But I'm okay with all of that, and on balance, I'm far more excited about what it can do than I am disappointed with what it's unable to do.
 

easilyled

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Where the SR90 is concerned, however, I think it's reasonable that we acknowledge and appreciate the advance that this particular light represents in terms of closing the gap between LED and HID light performance.

This is a very relevant point and for me an exciting landmark.

LED technology is now showing the ability to fill every niche that incandescent/HID portable lighting can.

(with all the additional advantages of much higher power efficiency, never requiring bulb replacement and much greater resistance to accidental falls)
 

HKJ

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LED technology is now showing the ability to fill every niche that incandescent/HID portable lighting can.

I do not believe that. The SR90 can probably match a 24 watt HID now, but it will be some time before it can match a 70 watt HID. Also remember that in each case you have to look at both the size of the light and the beam profile. When I get the SR90 I am going to compare to to some HID's and leds, both brightness, beam profile and size.
 

easilyled

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I do not believe that. The SR90 can probably match a 24 watt HID now, but it will be some time before it can match a 70 watt HID. Also remember that in each case you have to look at both the size of the light and the beam profile. When I get the SR90 I am going to compare to to some HID's and leds, both brightness, beam profile and size.

Perhaps I should have used the phrase "showing the potential to fill every niche" rather than "showing the ability" :)

Even so, you have to admit that a year ago, nobody thought that there would be an led-light with a single emitter that could compete or even overpower a 24W HID.

Its certainly much easier to imagine that in another year's time, there'll be an led light that can compete with even the high-power HID lights.

The point is that the power gap is closing quickly.
 

Swedpat

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I do not believe that. The SR90 can probably match a 24 watt HID now, but it will be some time before it can match a 70 watt HID. Also remember that in each case you have to look at both the size of the light and the beam profile. When I get the SR90 I am going to compare to to some HID's and leds, both brightness, beam profile and size.

But if SST-90 LEDs will be coupled together like a P7/MC-E multi-chip LED it will, I guess?

Regards, Patric
 

HKJ

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Even so, you have to admit that a year ago, nobody thought that there would be an led-light with a single emitter that could compete or even overpower a 24W HID.

Its certainly much easier to imagine that in another year's time, there'll be an led light that can compete with even the high-power HID lights.

The point is that the power gap is closing quickly.

When I started out on flashlight, I did not want any HID's, I expected that LED's would surpass them rather quickly, But I have learned more and this changed my mind and I has started up on HID's.
For my it does not matter if you use one or 1000 leds, it is the final result that counts and led has a heat problem when trying to match a HID. SR90 has a big heat sink and I am looking forward to getting it and comparing it to my Microfire (and a lot of other HID's). Some of the results I already know, the led turns on immediately and has multiple levels, but what about throw, total lumen out and size.
 

Bronco

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But if SST-90 LEDs will be coupled together like a P7/MC-E multi-chip LED it will, I guess?

Regards, Patric

To some extent, but when we begin to discuss the possibility of LEDs lights competing with HIDs and the applications for which they're intended, we must necessarily consider the LED light's ability to throw. And, all other things being equal, when it comes to making a light throw, adding more emitters is not the best solution. Rather than distribute the luminous flux across a larger surface area, we want to see increased luminous intensity or surface brightness in a smaller area.
 

XXXFlasher

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Hey all, FWIIW I have this light and it has PLENTY of spill. Now with the incredible hotspot, it may overshadow the spill, but it is great.
The UltraFire WL1300 (7 SSC P4) has a little more, but this monster has plenty, in fact it can be intimidating.

It is very similar to the Catapult, but about 3 times brighter.
Also, the low of 700 lumens out shines and throws the Catapult on high with SM reflector.
 
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