zespectre
Flashlight Enthusiast
Technically this is a "double post" but Quickbeam said it's okay so that the review winds up in the right place :naughty:
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Flashlight Review Dorcy "Super 1 Watt" 1xCR123A (part # 41-4262) $30 at Sears.
NOTE: In order to avoid confusion with the 3xAAA version(s) of the Dorcy "super 1 watt" light I will refer to this light as the "4262" for the rest of the review.
The most immediate thing you'll notice about the "4262" (aside from the size) is how solid it feels. Nothing is loose, fit is excellent, and it feels like it would survive being run over by a car! The entire light is machined aluminum with the exact same shiny appearance and feel as the 3xAAA "super 1 watt" light. The light is somewhat slippery but has grooves machined in to assist with grip. I did not find flashlight retention to be an issue.
Unfortunately (for a $40 light) there are no clips, lanyards, or pouches included with this light nor are there any provisions to attach a clip or lanyard. It does, however, include one good quality Energizer "photo lithium" CR123A cell.
The battery is installed by unscrewing the tailcap and dropping the battery in. The design appears to protect against reverse installation though I didn't test this. The switch is a rubber covered "reverse clickie" style switch with an "O" ring seal. Borrowing a page from Craig's (The LED Museum) book I performed the "dreaded suction test) on the tailcap and the body. It appears that the light is reasonably sealed. The "4262" has two modes, on and off (no annoying flash mode on this one). The switch is recessed and the "4262" will stand on the tail end.
The switch also has a relatively deep throw into the recess such that I found difficult to work with my thumb and much easier to use the index finger. I therefore feel confident saying that the light is unlikely to turn on accidentally in pocket, bag, or backpack. Additionally the light can also be "locked out" by just slightly unscrewing the tailcap. It is obviously not an intentional design feature but works anyway. The switch itself feels solid enough but doesn't have much in the way of tactile feedback, making only the faintest click when activated.
The head of the "4262" has a polycarbonate lens which is recessed approximately 5cm so should be well protected from impacts on the lens. The head unscrews easily from the body revealing an "O" ring seal and once the head is unscrewed the light module slides right out. The heatsinks of the luxeon star are immediately visible but I have not attempted to disassemble the head further.
The emitter appears to be identical to it's older sibling and it has a similarly designed (though smaller and shallower) reflector assembly. The reflector has a few visible flaws but they do not seem to affect the beam quality at all, in fact beam quality is excellent consisting of a nice center spot that drops sharply to a very even sidespill. The shorter and smaller reflector does not seem to hurt this light at all and I consider the beam quality and pattern to be essentially flawless on my sample.
Color is an excellent white possibly leaning ever so slightly to blue and throw is good for a light of this size. As a side effect of the smaller and shallower reflector on the "4262" the throw is slightly shorter than the 3xAAA "super 1 watt" light but the sidespill is wider, more even, and just plain nicer.
Runtime test(s) are underway and I will post more when they are finished.
The Lineup
MiniMag, "4262", Dorcy 3xAAA, Gladius, Inova T4
In the Hand
Tail end
Head and tail unscrewed
Emitter out of head
Closeup of emitter module
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Flashlight Review Dorcy "Super 1 Watt" 1xCR123A (part # 41-4262) $30 at Sears.
NOTE: In order to avoid confusion with the 3xAAA version(s) of the Dorcy "super 1 watt" light I will refer to this light as the "4262" for the rest of the review.
The most immediate thing you'll notice about the "4262" (aside from the size) is how solid it feels. Nothing is loose, fit is excellent, and it feels like it would survive being run over by a car! The entire light is machined aluminum with the exact same shiny appearance and feel as the 3xAAA "super 1 watt" light. The light is somewhat slippery but has grooves machined in to assist with grip. I did not find flashlight retention to be an issue.
Unfortunately (for a $40 light) there are no clips, lanyards, or pouches included with this light nor are there any provisions to attach a clip or lanyard. It does, however, include one good quality Energizer "photo lithium" CR123A cell.
The battery is installed by unscrewing the tailcap and dropping the battery in. The design appears to protect against reverse installation though I didn't test this. The switch is a rubber covered "reverse clickie" style switch with an "O" ring seal. Borrowing a page from Craig's (The LED Museum) book I performed the "dreaded suction test) on the tailcap and the body. It appears that the light is reasonably sealed. The "4262" has two modes, on and off (no annoying flash mode on this one). The switch is recessed and the "4262" will stand on the tail end.
The switch also has a relatively deep throw into the recess such that I found difficult to work with my thumb and much easier to use the index finger. I therefore feel confident saying that the light is unlikely to turn on accidentally in pocket, bag, or backpack. Additionally the light can also be "locked out" by just slightly unscrewing the tailcap. It is obviously not an intentional design feature but works anyway. The switch itself feels solid enough but doesn't have much in the way of tactile feedback, making only the faintest click when activated.
The head of the "4262" has a polycarbonate lens which is recessed approximately 5cm so should be well protected from impacts on the lens. The head unscrews easily from the body revealing an "O" ring seal and once the head is unscrewed the light module slides right out. The heatsinks of the luxeon star are immediately visible but I have not attempted to disassemble the head further.
The emitter appears to be identical to it's older sibling and it has a similarly designed (though smaller and shallower) reflector assembly. The reflector has a few visible flaws but they do not seem to affect the beam quality at all, in fact beam quality is excellent consisting of a nice center spot that drops sharply to a very even sidespill. The shorter and smaller reflector does not seem to hurt this light at all and I consider the beam quality and pattern to be essentially flawless on my sample.
Color is an excellent white possibly leaning ever so slightly to blue and throw is good for a light of this size. As a side effect of the smaller and shallower reflector on the "4262" the throw is slightly shorter than the 3xAAA "super 1 watt" light but the sidespill is wider, more even, and just plain nicer.
Runtime test(s) are underway and I will post more when they are finished.
The Lineup
MiniMag, "4262", Dorcy 3xAAA, Gladius, Inova T4
In the Hand
Tail end
Head and tail unscrewed
Emitter out of head
Closeup of emitter module
