DQG 4th Tiny 18650

This is 4th​ generation of smallest 18650 flashlight, which I suppose, all of you nave already heard of. Flashlight was provided by Banggood for review.


Package is simplest – just some cardboard and sticker.



There is only flashlight and o-ring.

Flashlight is really, really small. It has the same height as my 14500 powered Xtar sirius WK41 and slightly thicker.




DQG has significantly unusual rough texture. I`ve never met any product with such texture. Knurling is…hm…small, and how it`s described in another review – "aggressive".

Clip is tight, but doesn`t scratch anodizing

Button is small, soft and too inconvenient for any who had no time to get used to it. To be frank, this is one of worst button I met. During 2-3 evening tests, I constantly couldn`t lay my finger on it at the 1st​ time. I hope it`ll take some time to get used to it.


Machining is OK, but dark stains from lubrication on threads make impression of dirt.

There is no button at both ends. Nevertheless, DQG tiny works with all the types of 18650 batteries. As thread is long, there is a opportunity to lock flashlight, simply unscrewed tailcap.



Grip is good



What about LED and driver, i`d better quote BLF post : "The DQG Tiny 18650 series lights use an integrated board that contains both the driver and the LED. Because there is only one board instead of a separate driver and star, this allows for the shortest possible light.
The downside of this arrangment is swapping in a replacement driver isn't so easy. A standard FET driver won't have a place for the LED on it, and there probably isn't room in the light to add a separate star for the LED and still have room for the optic."

This flashlight has TIR optics (though i`m sure you can see it without this my notice-) )

I took photo below from review at Russian flashlight forum. Guy managed to modd DQG with tri!



There is nice glowing ring.



UI.


It is untypical. There is no Strobe\sos at all.
From off
Click once to access Low mode
Click Twice to access Mid Mode
Click 3 times to access High Mode
Hold the switch to access Turbo mode

From on
Hold the swith to circle through modes.
Click 2 times to access turbo mode (then 1 click to return to previous brightness level\2 clicks to turn off)

Here is the amperage.

looks like I made some mistakes in turbo. There should be 2A and I believe it is, because visual difference between max and turbo is significant.


I must admit that 1 minute turbo is not enough to make flashlight too hot. 40 celcium is definitely tolerable temperature for hand. That is good.

There are optional cold and neutral white. I got last one. I agree with other reviewers that this flashlight is something between flooder and longthrower.

I didn`t include 3.5 lumen in this GIF, because 20-40 meters to windows is a way to distant to get any difference, all be dark.


I din`t find any PWM shimmering.

What about stabilization. I didn`t that light is stabilized well, please take a look at the video.


Though, I must admit, for most of cases to use thiis tiny EDC light this is minor misadvantage.
Manufacturer chose good brightnes range. Each of them is useful, from 3,5 to 300.


Overal:
I really didn`t like button. The rest impression are completely positive. It is well build, TINY! and bright (and this is not so-called turbo of small flashlights which will drop brightness down in some seconds to prevent overheating). I assume, that if anyone wants to rise from Convoy or *any-fires to some higher level of non-expensive flashlights, this DQG will be in 1st​ line to choose.

Great review. Thanks! Did not realise that DQG have 18650 lights as well. I always think of their smaller 10180 lights when I see their brand on Gearbest or Banggood.

narmattaru said:

Overal:
I really didn`t like button. The rest impression are positive. It is well build, TINY! and bright (and this is not so-called turbo of small flashlights which will drop brightness down in some seconds to prevent overheating). I assume, that if anyone wants to rise from Convoy or *any-fires to some higher level of non-expensive flashlights, this DQG will be in 1st​ line to choose.

Click to expand...

====if you rotate the clip to point to the button, you can find it easily

====that switch [white rectangle in one of the pictures] will probably break in a few months, mine did at about 9 months
when you press the button it bends the switch over, mine broke all its solder joints and fell off

==i fixed it crudely , and ordered another tiny, it is still my favorite light, due to size

wle

hm
and this is really uncool ( i mean what you wrote about this switch)


what about rotating clip, i did it, some told me in comments to my other review. but anyway, i think this have to be improved.

LeafSamurai said:

Great review. Thanks! Did not realise that DQG have 18650 lights as well. I always think of their smaller 10180 lights when I see their brand on Gearbest or Banggood.

Click to expand...

The DQG 18650 4th is a really nice light. Also comes in a nice natural grey colored anodizing. Overall, I quite like it. However, the interface still isn't perfect. Turning to off from turbo is a little clunky.

Of note this is the smallest 18650 light on the market. It's considerably smaller than a Zebralight SC63w.

narmattaru said:

hm
and this is really uncool ( i mean what you wrote about this switch)


.

Click to expand...

==do you mean the fact that the switch broke, or the fact that i told the world it broke?

==sorry it is the truth, i didn;t mistreat the light other than to use it several times a day

==then it just quit working

==i told ric, the DQG chief, even sent pictures - he doesn't seem to care.

--wle

uncool - the issue with this switch.
and of course i appreciate the fact tha you shared this bad experience with us
i`ll add this note to my russian version of review.

wle said:

==do you mean the fact that the switch broke, or the fact that i told the world it broke?

==sorry it is the truth, i didn;t mistreat the light other than to use it several times a day

==then it just quit working

==i told ric, the DQG chief, even sent pictures - he doesn't seem to care.

--wle

Click to expand...

Your switch broke? ouch!

It's fixable if you like to mod. Some options:

• Option 1: switch replacement: If the microswitch broke, remove it from the driver board and replace with something similar size. Glue the new switch in place with arctic alumina. If the problem is the switchboot, try repairing or replacing with Sugru.
• Option 2: full conversion: These lights make fun hosts for small triples. Replace the driver, LED and optic and turn it into the world's smallest 18650 sized triple LED light. If you go with a FET driver and triple XPL HI it will output around 3000 lumens, but will get hot ridiculously fast.

Fireclaw18 said:

... Of note this is the smallest 18650 light on the market. It's considerably smaller than a Zebralight SC63w.

Click to expand...

SC63 - DQG 4 -18650
----- ----------------
L: 93.5mm - 87mm = 6.5mm / -7%
W: 24.5mm - 25mm = .5mm / +2%
V: x - y = ? / ?%
M: 38g - 38g = 0g / 0%

Cool light and nice review! I personally will take the 7mm increase in length for a Zebralight sc63w for the better UI and greater output and range of output available.

just received my tiny 4th, and it is no where near 850 lumens. it's just slightly brighter than my xtar wk42. it does throw slightly further but not by much. when my wife gives me back my s1 copper, i'll compare to that also since they have similar optics, and the s1 is supposed to be 500 lumens

Fireclaw18 said:

Your switch broke? ouch!

It's fixable if you like to mod. Some options:

• Option 1: switch replacement: If the microswitch broke, remove it from the driver board and replace with something similar size. Glue the new switch in place with arctic alumina. If the problem is the switchboot, try repairing or replacing with Sugru.
• Option 2: full conversion: These lights make fun hosts for small triples. Replace the driver, LED and optic and turn it into the world's smallest 18650 sized triple LED light. If you go with a FET driver and triple XPL HI it will output around 3000 lumens, but will get hot ridiculously fast.

Click to expand...

a replacement switch is impossible to find, it has to fit EXACTLY several dimensions and footprints...

i did fix it crudely with a couple wires in space behind the button,
but the point is i do not WANT to be fixing the thing!
or 'modding' for that matter.
i just want the thing to WORK forever, by having a thoughtful design..
but NO!

wle

wle said:

a replacement switch is impossible to find, it has to fit EXACTLY several dimensions and footprints...

i did fix it crudely with a couple wires in space behind the button,
but the point is i do not WANT to be fixing the thing!
or 'modding' for that matter.
i just want the thing to WORK forever, by having a thoughtful design..
but NO!

wle

Click to expand...

Agreed. Modding is one thing, but if you're paying more than $5 for a flashlight it should at least work without breaking.

Warning on this light, it is about 2 full millimeters shorter than the original DQG Tiny 18650, so a lot of 18650 batteries will not fit (especially those over 2500 mAh).

Add to this that it's not as bright as the original, despite what is advertised. Grant it, it could just be the luck of the individual emitter draw, but my original DQG Tiny accepts any 18650 cell I have (2400 to 3400 mAh), and is clearly brighter than this new model.

Flight_Deck said:

Warning on this light, it is about 2 full millimeters shorter than the original DQG Tiny 18650, so a lot of 18650 batteries will not fit (especially those over 2500 mAh).
...

Click to expand...

Incorrect.

The original DQG Tiny 18650 (and the Tiny II) used a traditional tailcap spring and indeed was limited on cell types.

In contrast, the tailcap on the DQG Tiny III and IV uses a different system that is is actually very ingenious. There are no springs at all at either end of the tube. Instead the designers added a LOT of extra un-anodized tailcap threads and an extra long area for the tailcap o-ring to slide against. There is a small post at either end of the battery tube and a foam donut to allow tailcap lockout to be used.

If you put in a long cell, the tailcap simply won't screw down as far, but there are still more than enough threads to provide security and the light still works perfectly.

This is the best arrangement ever for an ultra-compact light. There is absolutely no wasted space at all in the battery compartment ... while at the same time it accommodates ANY length 18650 cell. The battery compartment itself changes size to accommodate different size cells. The concept is extremely simple and works extremely well.

This is a much, MUCH better way of making a small light than the "pogo-pins" Zebralight used in the SC63.

I just got a black NW DQG and I am quite impressed with size and grip. Knurling is really... tough. UI is simple and probable was "inspired" by Zebralights. I like the DQG, except for the switch which is really flimsy and it is a bit hard to find the right pressing point. Let's see how long it will work. The beam is good, the light is throwier than I expected, I like the TIR optic. Due to greenish tint and missing moonlight modes, however, this light will probably not climb to the EDC throne for me. But for 30USD it is a good flashlight. They should think about putting a real switch into that light and maybe charge 1-2USD more.

My switch is already getting harder to press. so I assume it is about to break quite soon. what a pity, that a switch will be the spoiler for such a good light.