rookiedaddy
Enlightened
Olight 2016
(second half, that is...)
Was contacted by local flashlight dealer back in July whether I'm interested to test a couple of flashlights with direct Q&A with the manufacturer Olight, in exchange, to share my user experience with the community... hey, how can I say no to that!? Lucky me... they didn't ask to post only positive review... else... anyhow, I'm glad I get to share my honest opinion as a user.
Below are list of lights that I tested over the past 5 months and what I think of them...
S1A
>>> Single AA flashlight
>>> Support Alkaline, NiMH and LiIon
>>> 600 lumens when using LiIon 14500 battery
>>> Good runtime
S2A
>>> Double AA flashlight
>>> Very good runtime
>>> Strong grip with silicon-wrapped body tube
>>> Highly recommended for around the house use
using 2 x 2 stacked neodymium magnet position to S2A clip size and foam stick to the wall
the light is both easily removable and snap back into position.
S1R
>>> IMR 16340 rechargeable flashlight using included MCC
>>> Very bright, 900 lumens bright
<<< Very hot, 900 lumens hot
<<< Very short, 30 seconds Turbo runtime short
S2R
>>> 18650 (3200mAh) rechargeable flashlight using included MCC
>>> Good runtime, due to 18650 generally has higher capacity
<<< Slow charging using included MCC
S1R Turbo S
>>> Fixed S1R version release with less than a month apart
>>> Added 600 lumens mode
>>> Indirect access to Turbo S (900 lumens) mode - 2 x double-click
<<< Still very hot
X7 Marauder
>>> "Because we can do it" flashlight, run on 4 x high drain 18650 LiIon batteries
>>> Whoopping 9000 lumens which is impressively bright
<<< Heavy to lug around
R50 Pro Seeker
>>> 26650 (4500mAh) customized battery rechargeable flashlight, can charge in light using USB MCC or Dock
>>> Available in Kit (Dock/Cradle) and normal version (USB MCC)
>>> 3200 lumens bright
>>> For home, travelling (with a vehicle), camping and short-term outdoor activities.
<<< no low mode as the lowest mode is 60 lumens bright
<<< designed for LE? I beg to differ. I would recommend LE to look at the M-series tactical light if Olight is your brand of choice
<<< customized 26650 battery is unsafe to be charged in normal cradle charger due to potential shorting of +ve and -ve contact
H1 Nova
>>> One of the smallest CR123A-size headlamp
>>> Available in Cool White and Neutral White
>>> The Neutral White version is highly recommended if you plan to get one
S10R III
>>> Reflector-based 16340 (650mAh) rechargeable flashlight
>>> Included 1A charging MicroDok can fast charge the battery
>>> 600 lumens max
<<< some artifacts may appear at/around hotspot
<<< confusing battery model 163C06 vs S1R 163C05
S30R III
>>> 18650 (3500mAh) rechargeable flashlight using included MicroDok
>>> Very good runtime, due to included 3500mAh 18650 battery
>>> Decently fast charging with the included MicroDok 1A charge
>>> Decent thrower
Issues
~~~ One of the S2A is defective after 4 days of testing. light is constantly in moon mode whenever the tailcap is tighten. modes cycling still works, but timer function is lost.
~~~ H1 Nova Cool White unit is finicky about primary CR123A battery. RCR123 LiIon battery works most of the time, but using CR123A H1 Nova refuse to switch on approximately 40% of the time, and about 80% of the time this happens between battery change. H1 Nova Neutral White unit does not inherit this problem.
~~~ S30R III tailcap is defective, it neither switch on nor charge due to connectivity issues in the tailcap internal.
~~~ Olight electronic switch although is stable most of the time, there are occasions that it misfire
~~~ Olight UI is inconsistent between light releases, hopefully they have experiment enough to settle on a consistent UI
~~~ call me a tint snob, or say "to each his own", or use your weird reasoning, but some of the lights tested do have puky greenish tint! it's just yuck!
My Choice
Olight S1A == very versatile light with commonly accessible battery, good runtime, very EDC-able.
Olight S30R III == Good build, high capacity battery, good charging dock.
last but not least (no, I'm not among the selected few who receive this limited edition light):
The S Mini == very small, very collectible, very adorable, very sexy! I'm in the strong opinion that every flashaholic should choose to own at least one among the many different finishing/material coating of the S Mini.
2017 ?
With Olight starting to offer better tint (Neutral White my dear), here is hope that in 2017, we will start seeing High CRI offering as the main focus from Olight instead of selected few other manufacturers.
(second half, that is...)
Was contacted by local flashlight dealer back in July whether I'm interested to test a couple of flashlights with direct Q&A with the manufacturer Olight, in exchange, to share my user experience with the community... hey, how can I say no to that!? Lucky me... they didn't ask to post only positive review... else... anyhow, I'm glad I get to share my honest opinion as a user.
Below are list of lights that I tested over the past 5 months and what I think of them...
S1A
>>> Single AA flashlight
>>> Support Alkaline, NiMH and LiIon
>>> 600 lumens when using LiIon 14500 battery
>>> Good runtime
S2A
>>> Double AA flashlight
>>> Very good runtime
>>> Strong grip with silicon-wrapped body tube
>>> Highly recommended for around the house use
using 2 x 2 stacked neodymium magnet position to S2A clip size and foam stick to the wall
the light is both easily removable and snap back into position.
S1R
>>> IMR 16340 rechargeable flashlight using included MCC
>>> Very bright, 900 lumens bright
<<< Very hot, 900 lumens hot
<<< Very short, 30 seconds Turbo runtime short
S2R
>>> 18650 (3200mAh) rechargeable flashlight using included MCC
>>> Good runtime, due to 18650 generally has higher capacity
<<< Slow charging using included MCC
S1R Turbo S
>>> Fixed S1R version release with less than a month apart
>>> Added 600 lumens mode
>>> Indirect access to Turbo S (900 lumens) mode - 2 x double-click
<<< Still very hot
X7 Marauder
>>> "Because we can do it" flashlight, run on 4 x high drain 18650 LiIon batteries
>>> Whoopping 9000 lumens which is impressively bright
<<< Heavy to lug around
R50 Pro Seeker
>>> 26650 (4500mAh) customized battery rechargeable flashlight, can charge in light using USB MCC or Dock
>>> Available in Kit (Dock/Cradle) and normal version (USB MCC)
>>> 3200 lumens bright
>>> For home, travelling (with a vehicle), camping and short-term outdoor activities.
<<< no low mode as the lowest mode is 60 lumens bright
<<< designed for LE? I beg to differ. I would recommend LE to look at the M-series tactical light if Olight is your brand of choice
<<< customized 26650 battery is unsafe to be charged in normal cradle charger due to potential shorting of +ve and -ve contact
H1 Nova
>>> One of the smallest CR123A-size headlamp
>>> Available in Cool White and Neutral White
>>> The Neutral White version is highly recommended if you plan to get one
S10R III
>>> Reflector-based 16340 (650mAh) rechargeable flashlight
>>> Included 1A charging MicroDok can fast charge the battery
>>> 600 lumens max
<<< some artifacts may appear at/around hotspot
<<< confusing battery model 163C06 vs S1R 163C05
S30R III
>>> 18650 (3500mAh) rechargeable flashlight using included MicroDok
>>> Very good runtime, due to included 3500mAh 18650 battery
>>> Decently fast charging with the included MicroDok 1A charge
>>> Decent thrower
Issues
~~~ One of the S2A is defective after 4 days of testing. light is constantly in moon mode whenever the tailcap is tighten. modes cycling still works, but timer function is lost.
~~~ H1 Nova Cool White unit is finicky about primary CR123A battery. RCR123 LiIon battery works most of the time, but using CR123A H1 Nova refuse to switch on approximately 40% of the time, and about 80% of the time this happens between battery change. H1 Nova Neutral White unit does not inherit this problem.
~~~ S30R III tailcap is defective, it neither switch on nor charge due to connectivity issues in the tailcap internal.
~~~ Olight electronic switch although is stable most of the time, there are occasions that it misfire
~~~ Olight UI is inconsistent between light releases, hopefully they have experiment enough to settle on a consistent UI
~~~ call me a tint snob, or say "to each his own", or use your weird reasoning, but some of the lights tested do have puky greenish tint! it's just yuck!
My Choice
Olight S1A == very versatile light with commonly accessible battery, good runtime, very EDC-able.
Olight S30R III == Good build, high capacity battery, good charging dock.
last but not least (no, I'm not among the selected few who receive this limited edition light):
The S Mini == very small, very collectible, very adorable, very sexy! I'm in the strong opinion that every flashaholic should choose to own at least one among the many different finishing/material coating of the S Mini.
2017 ?
With Olight starting to offer better tint (Neutral White my dear), here is hope that in 2017, we will start seeing High CRI offering as the main focus from Olight instead of selected few other manufacturers.
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