Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5

ernsanada · #1 12-19-2007, 09:51 PM

I just got the Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 from Nitecore Defender Infinity CPFMP Thread

I was able to get in the special CPF group one buy at $40.00. I paid extra for $10.00 for EMS Shipping.

EMS shipping took 8 days.

Box was slightly crushed during shipping.

The Type III Hard Anodize is excellent. Slight color differences between Lens Bezel Assembly and Battery Tube.

Unfortunately the dreaded " Strong Light" printing on the bezel.

Fit is excellent.

Anti-roll design.

Uses Cree Q5 WC.

Uses 1AA Battery. Can use 14500 Lithium Rechargeable Battery.

Forward clickie.

NiteCore® Defender InfinityTM adopts unique infinitely variable digital-controlled brightness technique, which enables customers to set the brightness levels by themselves only through rotating the bezel of the light. And the switching between brightness levels is smooth, no longer with limitation of preset brightness levels. Customers will be able to choose the output level they need according to different environment; also, they can set a really very low output level in order to achieve prominent long time of continuous using.

I still have to figure out how to use the UI. I just got the light.

From my lux readings the Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP gets some high lux readings for using a Nimh battery. The Fenix L1D CE has slightly higher lux readings due to it's SMO Reflector.

Comes with Warranty Card and Instruction Booklet.

Also comes with 2 o-rings, 500 Parachute Cord Lanyard and rear rubber boot cover.

Inside view of the back of the Cree Q WC Module.

Inside view of the forward clickie.

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Size comparisions.

Left to Right, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5, Jet Beam CLE V2, Jet Beam MKII X, Jet Beam CLE, Fenix L1P CE

Left to Right, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5, Jet Beam CLE V2, Jet Beam MKII X, Jet Beam CLE, Fenix L1P CE

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I also took lux readings of the lights above. These are the lux readings I got. I am using a Meterman LM631 Light Meter measured at 1 meter. I waited 2 minutes before taking the readings. I am using Duracell 2650mAh Nimh AA Rechargeable Batteries which were fully charged. I used AW's Protected 14500 in the Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 to take lux readings. It's the only light that can run the 14500 out of lights shown above.

Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, 14500 - 1960 lux @ 1 meter

Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh - 1350 lux @ 1 meter

Jet Beam CLE V2 OP Nimh - 550 lux @ 1 meter

Jet Beam MK IIX OP Nimh - 400 lux @ 1 meter

Jet Beam CLE OP Nimh - 680 lux @ 1 meter

Fenix L1D CE SMO Nimh - 1400 lux @ 1 meter

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Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, 14500 @ 90"

Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh @ 90"

Jet Beam CLE V2 OP Nimh @ 90"

Jet Beam MK IIX OP Nimh @ 90"

Jet Beam CLE OP Nimh @ 90"

Fenix L1D CE SMO Nimh @ 90"

Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, 14500 @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Jet Beam CLE V2 OP Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Jet Beam MK IIX OP Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Jet Beam CLE OP Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Fenix L1D CE SMO Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Left, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh. Right, Jet Beam MK IIX OP Nimh @ 90"

Left, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh. Right, Jet Beam CLE V2 OP Nimh @ 90"

Left, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh. Right, Jet Beam CLE OP Nimh @ 90"

Left, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh. Right, Fenix L1D CE SMO Nimh @ 90"

Left, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh. Right, Jet Beam MK IIX OP Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Left, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh. Right, Jet Beam CLE V2 OP Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Left, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh. Right, Jet Beam CLE OP Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Left, Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 OP, Nimh. Right, Fenix L1D CE SMO Nimh @ 90" Stepped down exposure

Miciobigio · #2 12-19-2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernsanada

NiteCore® Defender InfinityTM adopts unique infinitely variable digital-controlled brightness technique, which enables customers to set the brightness levels by themselves only through rotating the bezel of the light. And the switching between brightness levels is smooth, no longer with limitation of preset brightness levels. Customers will be able to choose the output level they need according to different environment; also, they can set a really very low output level in order to achieve prominent long time of continuous using.

I still have to figure out how to use the UI. I just got the light.

..CUT..

I'm a little confused , can you confirm this sentence ?

ernsanada · #3 12-19-2007, 10:01 PM

[QUOTE=Miciobigio;2273437][quote=ernsanada;2273425]

NiteCore® Defender InfinityTM adopts unique infinitely variable digital-controlled brightness technique, which enables customers to set the brightness levels by themselves only through rotating the bezel of the light. And the switching between brightness levels is smooth, no longer with limitation of preset brightness levels. Customers will be able to choose the output level they need according to different environment; also, they can set a really very low output level in order to achieve prominent long time of continuous using.

I still have to figure out how to use the UI. I just got the light.

..CUT..

Quote:

Is this light different from the pre-production light that you received some times ago ?

Sorry I did not receive a pre-production version.

WadeF · #4 12-19-2007, 10:13 PM

With the Nitecore you have tactical mode, and user set mode. With the bezel fully tightened you have tactical mode, full output. If you quickly loosen and tighten you engage STROBE, if you quickly loosen and tighten again you go back to constant full output.

If you loosen the bezel for over 0.5 seconds it will go into user set mode. Once in this mode a quick tightening and loosening of the bezel will start the light dimming, or getting brighter. If it's dimming, and you want brighter, you tigthen and loosen quickly again and it will reverse the direction the light intensity was going. Once the desired output is seen you click the light off. Then when you turn it back on, it will remember that setting until you change it again.

If you have the bezel loose and you turn the light on, it will come on in the user set mode. What I have noticed is, if you turn the light off in user set mode (say it's set to max low), then tighten the bezel and turn the light back on, it will start briefly in the user mode (max low in this example) and then in about half a second switch back to tactical mode, full power or strobe (depending on what mode you last used in tactical mode).

I find the interface to be very easy once I figured it out. If anything could be improved it would be to have it so if you turned off in user mode, and then tightened for tactical, it comes right on in tactical mode, rather than starting in user mode and then switching to tactical (probably in that 0.5 seconds). You only have 0.5 seconds to tighten-loosen or loosen-tighten to activate strobe or light level adjustment, etc.

Derek Dean · #5 12-19-2007, 10:18 PM

Excellent review ernsanada. Thank you so much for the wonderful photos of the light, and especially for the comparison beamshots with the other 1xAA contenders. This makes the waiting just a bit more tolerable as I can see that this will be a fine EDC companion for my NovaTac, since we all know that lights travel better in pairs.

ernsanada · #6 12-19-2007, 10:28 PM

WadeF,

Thanks for the instructions on how to use the UI. Makes it easier for me.

djblank87 · #7 12-19-2007, 10:52 PM

ernsanada great review as always. The pictures are very clean and really give us none-owers a good idea of what we could expect from this light.

Thank you for taking the time to get it posted up...it is appreciated.

swxb12 · #8 12-19-2007, 11:02 PM

ernsanada, I'm glad that you finally received your light as well. Think EDGE will refund me and you on EMS costs? heh - I think someone on the east coast received theirs today via non-ems...(/rant off)

My NDI came paired with a lanyard braided out of black paracord - care to trade?

Anyways, thanks for the pictures and standard review as always. Those lux readings are making me drool...I need to get some AW cells! Thankfully some US dealers appear to have them in stock.

x2x3x2 · #9 12-19-2007, 11:11 PM

From your pics, the PCB on the production version seems to have an additional hole along the solder trace right before the word "Light".

Wonder if this means any changes to the electronics...

ernsanada · #10 12-19-2007, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swxb12

ernsanada, I'm glad that you finally received your light as well. Think EDGE will refund me and you on EMS costs? heh - I think someone on the east coast received theirs today via non-ems...(/rant off)

My NDI came paired with a lanyard braided out of black paracord - care to trade?

Anyways, thanks for the pictures and standard review as always. Those lux readings are making me drool...I need to get some AW cells! Thankfully some US dealers appear to have them in stock.

8 days EMS. Maybe it's because of Christmas. I have a feeling the lights were sent out of order. How can somebody on the east coast get their lights before me. I EMS'd on the west coast.

The Horus Titanium FD-1.3 I received took only 2 days from Taiwan EMS.

The Nitecore Defender Infinity Q5 and Raidfire Spear Q5 came from Shanghai, China.

WadeF · #11 12-19-2007, 11:26 PM

When I EMS my items from China come into NYC. Do they also come into the west coast as well? Or do they all come into NYC, and then have to be rushed over to the west coast? I went with EMS and I had my lights on Monday.

ernsanada · #12 12-19-2007, 11:38 PM

This is a close up of the "Stong Light" and "Nitecore" Logo.

ernsanada · #13 12-19-2007, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WadeF

When I EMS my items from China come into NYC. Do they also come into the west coast as well? Or do they all come into NYC, and then have to be rushed over to the west coast? I went with EMS and I had my lights on Monday.

My packages made a stop in Customs at San Francisco. Then to Socal (Gardena, California).

ernsanada · #14 12-19-2007, 11:48 PM

Look out! It's a ................

vincebdx · #15 12-20-2007, 03:33 AM

Very nice, thank you ernsanada for all reviews

PhantomPhoton · #16 12-20-2007, 03:37 AM

Yea EDGE Tac definitely needs to consult a native English speaker for their "warning" signs next time. Unfortunately while it is a correct statement the context translates differently. Makes the light seem very much like a toy with that written on there. I'm sure I can come up with a way to remove it though.
Thanks for the review. Too bad shipping got screwed up. It is hard to say whether it was EdgeTac or EMS or Customs that did the screwing, but at least the light made it. I personally think EDGE Tac is doing a fairly decent job of pulling off the NDI and the Spear. I can think of a couple other highly anticipated lights that didn't go nearly as well.

Thujone · #17 12-20-2007, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernsanada

Look out! It's a ................

I see this becoming many an avatar if the light continues to perform as well as it has thus far for me. This could just be the next "All your base are belong to us"

selfbuilt · #18 12-20-2007, 05:56 AM

Great shots as always Ernie!

On my pre-production sample (post #41), throw on Duracell 2650mAh NiMH was just slightly higher on the NiteCore compared to the Fenix L1D Q5. But the real difference was in overall output - quite a bit higher according to my lightbox and ceiling bounce test. Judging from your pics, it looks like the spill of the NiteCore is noticeably brighter than the L1D (it certainly is on my sample). Do you have the same subjective impression?

Looking forward to receiving my shipping version to directly compare to the pre-production one.

P.S.: I'm sure it won't take you long to figure out the interface - it's really quite intuitive once you play with the switching.

whc · #19 12-20-2007, 06:08 AM

Very nice review, thanks

...

Also got my NDI today a nice little and very bright flashlight. I found one little "funny" thing with the UI.

1. Turn on the DI and set it to User-defined mode (head loosened).
2. Turn off the DI (still in User-defined mode).
3. While off tighten the head to Tactical mode.
4. Press the switch to momentary on.
5. It is now in User-defined mode for at least 0.5 sec.

Don't know if it is a bug, but seems that the DI requires power for it to register when switching from User-defined mode to Tactical mode. When going from Tactical to User-defined mode it does not matter if the flashlight is off or on, no delay here...

Tremendo · #20 12-20-2007, 06:11 AM

Has anyone compared the output of an Energizer Lithium AA compared to the 18650?

selfbuilt · #21 12-20-2007, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tremendo

Has anyone compared the output of an Energizer Lithium AA compared to the 18650?

I haven't done runtimes on L91 lithiums (x2x3x2 has), but initial output is basically the same as NiMH or regular alkaline (which is less than 14500). See link in my sig for pre-production review.

Quote:

Originally Posted by whc

Don't know if it is a bug, but seems that the DI requires power for it to register when switching from User-defined mode to Tactical mode. When going from Tactical to User-defined mode it does not matter if the flashlight is off or on, no delay here...

Yes, I've noticed the exact same thing on my pre-production sample (but didn't think to mention it my review, since it was getting pretty long

).

ernsanada · #22 12-20-2007, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WadeF

With the Nitecore you have tactical mode, and user set mode. With the bezel fully tightened you have tactical mode, full output. If you quickly loosen and tighten you engage STROBE, if you quickly loosen and tighten again you go back to constant full output.

If you loosen the bezel for over 0.5 seconds it will go into user set mode. Once in this mode a quick tightening and loosening of the bezel will start the light dimming, or getting brighter. If it's dimming, and you want brighter, you tigthen and loosen quickly again and it will reverse the direction the light intensity was going. Once the desired output is seen you click the light off. Then when you turn it back on, it will remember that setting until you change it again.

If you have the bezel loose and you turn the light on, it will come on in the user set mode. What I have noticed is, if you turn the light off in user set mode (say it's set to max low), then tighten the bezel and turn the light back on, it will start briefly in the user mode (max low in this example) and then in about half a second switch back to tactical mode, full power or strobe (depending on what mode you last used in tactical mode).

I find the interface to be very easy once I figured it out. If anything could be improved it would be to have it so if you turned off in user mode, and then tightened for tactical, it comes right on in tactical mode, rather than starting in user mode and then switching to tactical (probably in that 0.5 seconds). You only have 0.5 seconds to tighten-loosen or loosen-tighten to activate strobe or light level adjustment, etc.

When you get in to low is the low very dim?

My light doesn't get very dim or it's not working.

I tried it with Nimh.

selfbuilt · #23 12-20-2007, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernsanada

When you get in to low is the low very dim?

My light doesn't get very dim or it's not working.

With the light on, loosen the head. After 0.5 sec, it will go into user defined mode.

From head loose, do a rapid tighten-loosen switch (in under 0.5 secs) and light will either ramp up to max or down to min, depending on where you are in the user defined mode. If the light ramps up to max, simply do another tighten-loosen switch to get it to start ramping down to min.

Once the light reaches min (or any other brightness you want), turn it off at the switch. You have now set the user defined mode (head loose), and it will always come back on at this level until you do another ramp.

P.S.: One piece of advice - be careful not to twist the tailcap while the light is ramping. The threads are anodized for tailcap lock-out, so twisting it will turn the light off and have the same effect as clicking the switch (i.e. will set the user defined level). If this happens, just perform a switch from loose to get the light ramping again ...

Low is quite low - lower than any other 1AA light I have except for the LF5 on its lowest setting.

Flic · #24 12-20-2007, 07:06 AM

I'm anxious to see if this turns out be:
1) a QC issue
2) dirty threads / contacts, or
3) a user vs. UI issue - remember all the folks who could not get their LF2s sorted out. Darn, it took me a while to get terms with my LF2. Now if only Canada Post could hurry up!!

nexro · #25 12-20-2007, 07:15 AM

does it come with a holster/pouch ???

V8TOYTRUCK · #26 12-20-2007, 07:18 AM

Excellent review! Thanks for taking the time to take photos and post.

Is it just me or does the UI seem overly complicated?

I wish it would just be 2 modes. Titan style infinite adjustable from the front. and Full output via tailswitch from the back. I hate the unscrew and screw UI of the P1D CE...not to mention all the strobing and SOS modes.

Maybe I'll wait for Version 2.0 of this light

ernsanada · #27 12-20-2007, 07:23 AM

The UI is a screwey on my light. I get can get it into low but only at one level. I try turning the bezel nothing. Sometimes it will jump back to high and stay on high. If I leave it in the only low the light goes to the light will go back to high without turning the bezel.

ernsanada · #28 12-20-2007, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8TOYTRUCK

Excellent review! Thanks for taking the time to take photos and post.

Is it just me or does the UI seem overly complicated?

I wish it would just be 2 modes. Titan style infinite adjustable from the front. and Full output via tailswitch from the back. I hate the unscrew and screw UI of the P1D CE...not to mention all the strobing and SOS modes.

Maybe I'll wait for Version 2.0 of this light

My light seems it wants to stay in high when I mess with the UI. I don't care though because I like one level lights.

My board behind the Cree Q5 module is getting scratches from the +ve battery contact. It seems in time you can start to wear through and start to actually "drill" a hole.

V8TOYTRUCK · #29 12-20-2007, 07:32 AM

I was really hoping for a good looking poor mans Titan. When Tvodrd handed me his..I instantly knew how to use it.

It is however one of the best looking AA lights. Looks mean with all that knurling. (Minus the ''Strong Light'') logo on the front.

Deforming contacts kinda remind me of my old ARC AAA...the more you use it..the harder you have to tighten it to turn on.

Hondo · #30 12-20-2007, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernsanada

My board behind the Cree Q5 module is getting scratches from the +ve battery contact. It seems in time you can start to wear through and start to actually "drill" a hole.

My Jett C-LE started to get that, and I just tinned a small pool of solder at the center of the board for the battery to run against - permanent solution.

I am sure from all of the descriptions above that you are in fact turning your light's head from loose to tight and back to loose within one half second to try and initiate the level setting ramp up/ramp down. If you could get it to start the ramping sequence, you would then only need to turn off at the brightness you wanted. Must be a bad board.

Mine departed Shanghai yesterday

.