Magicshine MJ-872, (4) CREE LED Light
By: Stollman
About the Author:
I have been using sports lights for over twenty years for various applications including bike riding at night and caving. I am also familiar with higher-end lighting systems manufactured by Princeton Tec, StenLight, Petzl, NiteRider, Light & Motion, and most recently MagicShine. I am always looking for bright light systems to support my other hobby of shooting video at night using a helmet camera. Shooting video at night requires a bright light source, since most helmet cameras today use a CMOS chip and are configured to record video during normal daylight hours.
Review:
One day as I was Googling the Internet for lighting systems, I came across the Magicshine MJ-872, which is new for 2011. I decided to pick one up to see how well it performed. The basic kit comes with the Light Head, Lithium Battery, Battery Charger, Manual, and rubber O-Rings that are used to attach the light head to your handle bars. Other available accessories include O-Rings, Lithium Battery, Charger, 3' Extension Cable, Tail Light, Y-Cable, and two different types of Helmet Strap Mounts. If you plan on wearing the light on your helmet, you'll need to purchase the 3' extension cable and one of the Helmet Strap Mounts.
Light Head
The light uses (4) XP-G ultra-bright LEDs that can generate a maximum output of 1600 lumens. The front lens design creates a nice flood pattern with no lighting artifacts (i.e. light rings). The light color could be described as "white", which I prefer over other competing LED lights that have a "blue" tint. The light case is made of a premium Type III hard-anodized aluminum that is resistant to abrasions and scratches. The head is 42mm wide by 49mm long. The light is operated by a button on the back of the light head. The button provides on/off operations, and allows you to change the light's power settings. The button is also illuminated and glows a different color based on the remaining battery capacity (Green: 100-75%, Blue: 75-50%, Yellow: 50-30%, Red: 30-5%, and Blinking Red: less than 5%). When you run the light on high for a long period of time, it can get very warm to the touch. The light has a built-in safety circuit that if the light gets too hot, the power level will automatically drop down to protect the system from overheating. I compared this light to my older Light & Motion Arc Ultra, which is an HID with a maximum output of 675 lumens. Needless to say, the MJ-872 is much brighter.
Switch Colors and Designations:
O-Ring Mounting Design – Bike Mount Application:
To wear the light on your bike helmet, you'll need to purchase a separate Helmet Strap Mount and the 3' extension cable. The O-Ring will hold the Light Head to the Mount pretty well. This O-Ring design works fine for this application since your body absorbs much of the vibration. If the light is mounted to your handlebars, the vibration than emanates from the bike will cause the light to vibrate thereby jostling the light beam a little. The guys at Bike Empowerment have developed a solution for this problem, and offer a nice rigid mount for the light. Their website link is listed below.
http://www.bikeempowerment.com/
Battery & Run-Times:
The light kit comes with a battery pack that appears to be well made, and has a meter on top of it that shows the battery's charge level. The battery also comes with a built-in light feature so you can see the battery meter at night. The battery uses (4) 18650 lithium batteries that provide very reasonable run-times. There are other battery configurations for your consideration, which an on-line retailer can recommend based on your application.
· 1600 Lumens (100%) – 2 HRs
· 1200 Lumens (75%) - 3 Hrs
· 800 Lumens (50%) - 4 HRs
· 480 Lumens (30%) - 9.5 Hrs
Water Proof – Ingress Protection (IP) Rating:
The MJ-872 lighting system has an IP64 waterproof rating. This means the light system is dust tight (6) and can handle splashing water (4). You can use the light in the rain, but do not go swimming with it or expose it to a dynamic water environment.
Reference Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code
Final Comments:
LED lights have been catching up to HID lights regarding lumen output, and are much more energy efficient. I really like the MJ-872 for its high output, light color, and light pattern. The light head is very compact, and the battery provides long runtimes. It can be used in wet environments, and is very easy to operate. It offers several features on the light head and battery that allows the user to monitor battery power levels.
MJ-872 Light System Specs:
· Light source: 4×CREE XP-G
· Lens: Optical lens (toughened glass)
· Luminous flux: 1600LM
· LED lifespan: Above 50,000 hours
· Case material: 6061-T6 Aluminum alloy
· Surface treatment: Type Ⅲ hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish
· Switch: Click Switch
· Working modes: 100% (est 1600 lumens), 75% (est 1200 lumens), 50% (est 800 lumens), and 30% (est 480 lumens) brightness
· Battery: 4×18650 Li-ion batteries (8.4V 4.4AH)
· Battery life: 500 times cycle
· Runtime: 2.2 hours(100% brightness)
· Charging time: 3-3.5 hours
· Waterproof grade: IP64
· Size: 42×49MM
· Accessories: Battery Pack, Charger, O-rings, Helmet Strap Mount
· Working temperature: -10℃~40℃
· Storage temperature: 10℃-25℃
Magicshine Warranty:
* Light head - 1 year, all other accessories - 180 days
Reference Links:
Magicshine Website: http://www.magicshine.com/
Online Retailers:
On-Line prices range from $149.00 - $209.00
Note: When ordering from on-line retailers, make sure you understand their return policy. You want to avoid re-stock fees and you should have at least 14 days to evaluate the light. Most require you to pay the return shipping unless the light system is defective.
Misc Links:
Rigid Bike Mount - Youtube Video
Light Evaluation - YouTube Video
My home-made mount for a Petzl rock climbing helmet:
I made a right-angle bracket and attached it to a Helmet Strap. I then purchased the Helmet Strap Mount for the MJ-872, cut off the elastic straps and zip tied it to the right-angle bracket.
09/05/11 - I ordered a Contour HD Plus and plan to test it with this lighting system over the next few weeks. I'll either post additional pics on this thread or add a YouTube Link regarding the results.
By: Stollman
About the Author:
I have been using sports lights for over twenty years for various applications including bike riding at night and caving. I am also familiar with higher-end lighting systems manufactured by Princeton Tec, StenLight, Petzl, NiteRider, Light & Motion, and most recently MagicShine. I am always looking for bright light systems to support my other hobby of shooting video at night using a helmet camera. Shooting video at night requires a bright light source, since most helmet cameras today use a CMOS chip and are configured to record video during normal daylight hours.
Review:
One day as I was Googling the Internet for lighting systems, I came across the Magicshine MJ-872, which is new for 2011. I decided to pick one up to see how well it performed. The basic kit comes with the Light Head, Lithium Battery, Battery Charger, Manual, and rubber O-Rings that are used to attach the light head to your handle bars. Other available accessories include O-Rings, Lithium Battery, Charger, 3' Extension Cable, Tail Light, Y-Cable, and two different types of Helmet Strap Mounts. If you plan on wearing the light on your helmet, you'll need to purchase the 3' extension cable and one of the Helmet Strap Mounts.
Light Head
The light uses (4) XP-G ultra-bright LEDs that can generate a maximum output of 1600 lumens. The front lens design creates a nice flood pattern with no lighting artifacts (i.e. light rings). The light color could be described as "white", which I prefer over other competing LED lights that have a "blue" tint. The light case is made of a premium Type III hard-anodized aluminum that is resistant to abrasions and scratches. The head is 42mm wide by 49mm long. The light is operated by a button on the back of the light head. The button provides on/off operations, and allows you to change the light's power settings. The button is also illuminated and glows a different color based on the remaining battery capacity (Green: 100-75%, Blue: 75-50%, Yellow: 50-30%, Red: 30-5%, and Blinking Red: less than 5%). When you run the light on high for a long period of time, it can get very warm to the touch. The light has a built-in safety circuit that if the light gets too hot, the power level will automatically drop down to protect the system from overheating. I compared this light to my older Light & Motion Arc Ultra, which is an HID with a maximum output of 675 lumens. Needless to say, the MJ-872 is much brighter.
Switch Colors and Designations:
O-Ring Mounting Design – Bike Mount Application:
To wear the light on your bike helmet, you'll need to purchase a separate Helmet Strap Mount and the 3' extension cable. The O-Ring will hold the Light Head to the Mount pretty well. This O-Ring design works fine for this application since your body absorbs much of the vibration. If the light is mounted to your handlebars, the vibration than emanates from the bike will cause the light to vibrate thereby jostling the light beam a little. The guys at Bike Empowerment have developed a solution for this problem, and offer a nice rigid mount for the light. Their website link is listed below.
http://www.bikeempowerment.com/
Battery & Run-Times:
The light kit comes with a battery pack that appears to be well made, and has a meter on top of it that shows the battery's charge level. The battery also comes with a built-in light feature so you can see the battery meter at night. The battery uses (4) 18650 lithium batteries that provide very reasonable run-times. There are other battery configurations for your consideration, which an on-line retailer can recommend based on your application.
· 1600 Lumens (100%) – 2 HRs
· 1200 Lumens (75%) - 3 Hrs
· 800 Lumens (50%) - 4 HRs
· 480 Lumens (30%) - 9.5 Hrs
Water Proof – Ingress Protection (IP) Rating:
The MJ-872 lighting system has an IP64 waterproof rating. This means the light system is dust tight (6) and can handle splashing water (4). You can use the light in the rain, but do not go swimming with it or expose it to a dynamic water environment.
Reference Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code
Final Comments:
LED lights have been catching up to HID lights regarding lumen output, and are much more energy efficient. I really like the MJ-872 for its high output, light color, and light pattern. The light head is very compact, and the battery provides long runtimes. It can be used in wet environments, and is very easy to operate. It offers several features on the light head and battery that allows the user to monitor battery power levels.
MJ-872 Light System Specs:
· Light source: 4×CREE XP-G
· Lens: Optical lens (toughened glass)
· Luminous flux: 1600LM
· LED lifespan: Above 50,000 hours
· Case material: 6061-T6 Aluminum alloy
· Surface treatment: Type Ⅲ hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish
· Switch: Click Switch
· Working modes: 100% (est 1600 lumens), 75% (est 1200 lumens), 50% (est 800 lumens), and 30% (est 480 lumens) brightness
· Battery: 4×18650 Li-ion batteries (8.4V 4.4AH)
· Battery life: 500 times cycle
· Runtime: 2.2 hours(100% brightness)
· Charging time: 3-3.5 hours
· Waterproof grade: IP64
· Size: 42×49MM
· Accessories: Battery Pack, Charger, O-rings, Helmet Strap Mount
· Working temperature: -10℃~40℃
· Storage temperature: 10℃-25℃
Magicshine Warranty:
* Light head - 1 year, all other accessories - 180 days
Reference Links:
Magicshine Website: http://www.magicshine.com/
Online Retailers:
On-Line prices range from $149.00 - $209.00
Note: When ordering from on-line retailers, make sure you understand their return policy. You want to avoid re-stock fees and you should have at least 14 days to evaluate the light. Most require you to pay the return shipping unless the light system is defective.
Misc Links:
Rigid Bike Mount - Youtube Video
Light Evaluation - YouTube Video
My home-made mount for a Petzl rock climbing helmet:
I made a right-angle bracket and attached it to a Helmet Strap. I then purchased the Helmet Strap Mount for the MJ-872, cut off the elastic straps and zip tied it to the right-angle bracket.
09/05/11 - I ordered a Contour HD Plus and plan to test it with this lighting system over the next few weeks. I'll either post additional pics on this thread or add a YouTube Link regarding the results.
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