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Olight has long been a maker of high-end flashlights, and now Olight's put their distinctive style into a bigger light running off a rechargeable 26650 cell, with a micro-USB charging port built in. With over 1000 lumens on High, the R40 packs a big punch.
Thanks to Olight and GoingGear for providing the R40 for review.
I'll be reviewing the R40 in two sections: first, I'll discuss the light objectively (the facts about the light itself), then I'll discuss the light subjectively (my impressions about the light's performance when used for specific applications). If you have any other specific applications you'd like the light tested for, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Video Review
Below is a video review of the R40. Due to my old image hosting site closing down, I've got new restrictions on image uploads and have replaced the "Construction" section of my reviews with a more detailed video review.
This video is available in 1080p HD, but defaults to a lower quality. To select the playback quality click the settings button (looks like a gear) after you've started the video.
Objective
Manufacturer's Specifications
Price: 120 USD
Dimensions
Plus, here's a few shots with some good detail.
User Interface
The R40 has a simple user interface, controlled only by the side switch.
To turn the light on, click the switch once, and it will turn on in the brightness mode you used last. Once the light is on, hold the switch for about a second to rotate through the mode sequence Low -> Medium -> High. Click the switch once to turn the light off.
At any time (on or off) you can double click the switch to activate the Strobe mode. From Strobe, holding the switch turns the light back to a brightness mode or clicking the switch turns the light off. The Strobe mode is not memorized.
When the light is of, holding the switch for several seconds activates the lockout mode, to prevent accidental activation when not in use. Holding the switch several more seconds removes the lockout.
Action Shots
You can click on any of these shots to see them full size.
Light in Hand
White Wall (Low, Medium, High)
ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/20"
BeamSlice
MugShot
Indoor Shots (Low, Medium, High)
ISO 100, f/3.5, 1"
Outdoor Shots (Low, Medium, High)
ISO 100, f/3.5, 2.5"
Long-Range Shots (High)
ISO 100, f/3.5, 5"
Performance
Submersion: I submersed the R40 under a foot of water for about an hour, clicking the switch several times, being sure the USB plug was secure. I found no evidence of water entering or damaging the light.
Heat: On High, the R40 gets pretty hot within 10 minutes, and stays hot for about another 20 minutes before the output decreases enough for the heating to slow down.
PWM: I can detect no pulse width modulation on any mode of the R40.
Drop: I dropped the R40 from about a meter onto various surfaces (including grass, carpet, dirt, and hard wood), and found no cosmetic or functional damage.
Reverse Polarity Protection: As far as I can tell, Olight makes no claim of reverse polarity protection on the R40, and it seems even more important in this case to be sure of correct orientation due to the special battery design. However, due to the battery and charging port being included with the light, it should only be necessary to change the battery after years of use.
Over-Discharge Protection: The R40 features a charge indicator under the clear plastic around the charging port that turns red when charging and turns green when the battery is fully charged. Also, when in use, a red light under the switch will begin to flash when the battery begins to get low. This is your signal to re-charge the battery soon.
Spectral Analysis
All light that we see as white is actually made up of several different colors put together. The relative intensities of the different colors in the mix are what determine the tint of the white we see. For example, cool white LED's have a lot of blue, and warm white LED's have more red or yellow. This measurement was done on a home made spectrometer. The plot below the picture is corrected for the spectral sensitivity of the human eye. Note: the peak in the 900nm region doesn't really exist, it's a piece of the second-order spectrum that's showing up here because of the high intensity of the light source.
Output and Runtime
ANSI FL-1 runtime ratings are the time it takes for a light to fall to 10% of it's original output (counting from 30 seconds after turning the light on).
The vertical axis of the graphs below represents a relative brightness measurement using a home made light box. The horizontal axis is time in hours:minutes:seconds. Runtimes are stated in hours:minutes:seconds. These graphs may be truncated to show detail.
Mode Comparison
High
Medium
Throwing Distance
ANSI FL-1 standard for stating a light's throwing distance is the distance at which the peak beam intensity (usually at the center of the beam) is 0.25 lux. I calculate throwing distance and candela (lux at 1 meter) by measuring peak beam intensity at five different distances and using the formula lux*distance^2=constant.
Peak Beam Intensity: 31767 cd
Throw Distance: 356 m
Subjective Review
Quick break down:
+ Very high output
+ Olight signature style
+ Simple user interface
+ USB charging port
+ Battery included
+ Heat dissipation fins
+ Perfect size for comfort
+ Stainless steel bezel
+ Good grip
+ Solid tailstand
+ Well regulated on Medium and Low
- Specialized battery
- High not regulated
The R40 Seeker is a bold move by Olight, using the non-conventional 26650 battery size, and I think it was a good decision. The 26650 battery is not as widely used as the 18650 battery, in flashlights or in other applications. Due to the use of 18650's in laptop batteries, great work has been done to create high capacity 18650 cells with all the latest technology. Because other lithium ion sizes aren't as popular, they take longer to get the upgrades in chemistry that lead to higher capacity. The result is that for the increase in size from a 18650 to a 26650 cell (about 18mm more in diameter) you only go from a capacity of 3400mAh (current best 18650) to about 4000mAh. I've seen some 26650's claim higher capacities, but not by any reliable manufacturer. However, I'm of the opinion that for many lights, the increase in size is negligible, and thus worth it for the increase in performance. For example, say you want a flashlight with moderate or better throwing capability. For that, you need to focus the light well, so it has to have a large reflector. If the reflector is already large, it doesn't do much good to make a narrow body, other than to minimize weight or possibly fit it into some standard holster. Thus, you might as well increase the body size by enough to fit a 26650 cell and get the extra capacity. I grew up using a C cell light, so the size feels just right in may hands. The drawback is that 26650 cells aren't as common, so even if you have a substantial flashlight collection, you're less likely to have extra 26650 cells laying around, and buying the new batteries and larger charge can be impractical. Olight's negated most of this drawback by including the 26650 cell with the purchase of the light (and so far I'm happy with the quality of the battery) and the built-in USB charging port. Thus, you can get this light as a standalone system, and not worry at all about the power source, just plug it in and charge whenever you need to. I appreciate the choice of a usb charging port, as opposed to some other style port, because of it's widespread use (you probably already have several micro-USB cords around, but one is included anyway). The only down side is that because the battery is specialized for the charging port, (two contact points on one end, one contact point on the other) you have to get Olight's special battery if you want to replace yours or have a spare. Thankfully, it's reasonably priced.
So, obviously one of the good points for the R40 is it's high output. More and more lights are claiming >1000 lumen output, but still fairly few can reach it with a single emitter, and this is one of them. The other other modes of the R40 are well chosen, with Low being good for not completely ruining your night vision, and Medium being plenty for most general use. I actually haven't yet found a use where I actually need >1000 lumens, other than to frustrate my neighbor by making flashlight videos and taking beamshots late at night. The Medium and Low mode are regulated exactly how I like to see (constant output for the full run time, followed by a brief period of reduced brightness at the very end so you're not left completely in the dark when the battery dies). I would like to see some regulation on High, but at >1000 lumens I can't really expect it to stay their for long with current LED tech. However, as a matter os semantics I'd call this mode Turbo instead of High, because Turbo implies the level can only be sustained briefly, which is the case here.
Other than that, Olight continues to live up to the high standard it's set for itself. The R40 includes all the little details that pull together a light that just feels good to use. Stainless steel bezel, signature red o-ring, rectangular and smooth knurling, hex pattern at head for grip, LED voltage indicators under clouded plastic in the switch and charging port, double-hole in tail for lanyard attachment without disrupting tailstand, etc.
Overall, the R40 is an excellent light for mid- to long-range use. It's high output put's it above much of the competition, and the attention to detail keeps it there. The battery choice is non-standard, but with the battery and charging port and cable included, there's no reason for that to discourage you. If you're looking for a high-output and high quality light with a built-in charger, the R40 is certainly an excellent choice.
Long Term Impressions
I'll fill this part in after carrying the light for a while. If nothing get's added here, either I find nothing else worth noting about the light, or I end up not using it often.
6.13.2014: A few pictures that didn't make it into the initial review:
Low voltage indication.
Specialized battery and tail.
Felt-ish material holds battery in body.
Another nice mugshot.
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