Most of the reviews on this site are exceptional. They are very detailed with lots of pictures and graphs. They really have helped me get an idea of what a light looks like and how well they work. However, being new to the incredible world of flashlights, all of the technical information can be a little overwhelming.
So, I thought I'd write up a review on my first two "real" flashlights (I've always used cheap, junky lights). I'm hoping that this information might help someone else down the road who is also overwhelmed by the level of detail and only ready to stick their big toe on the water rather than just diving right in. Since there are already some excellent, professional-quality pictures taken by other members I won't include any. I'm also going to forego runtime graphs and such. My goal is to give a non-technical approach to describe these two lights. When reading this post, please keep in mind that it's from a newbie perspective. It's for a newbie, from a newbie.
For technical details and beamshots, Selfbuilt's 2xAA roundup is very helpful for that. Also, use the search box at the top of the page to find beamshots, pictures, and graphs that other members have provided. And Youtube is a great place to see how various manufacturer's UIs work.
I purchased the Romisen from Shiningbeam.com and the Jetbeam from Lightjunction.com via Amazon's marketplace. Both sellers shipped very quickly and gave delivery confirmation numbers. In my limted experience, I'd say that you can't go wrong ordering from either of these companies.
Without further ado, here's my take on the Romisen RC-N3 "warm white" 2xAA/1xCR123 light and the Jetbeam Jet-I Pro EX v.3 light.
Romisen RC-N3 Warm White
This was my first real light. After hoping to spend $50-60 on a light, my budget became limited to $25-30 so some forum members recommended the Romisen. I must say that I'm very pleased with this light.
Construction / appearance / usability:
The Romisen feels very solid and a little heavy. Definitely like it could take a beating, though I haven't drop tested it yet (don't want to risk cracking the lens on purpose
- if I accidentally drop it, I'll update this post). The threads on the body tube are nicely machined with a tight fit with an O-ring on each joint to keep water out. Screwing and unscrewing any part feels smooth and without any burrs.
One annoyance is that all of the knurling, except for the little bit on the tailcap, is on the extended tube used for running the light in 2xAA mode. When in CR123 mode, the aluminum body is a little slippery. I wish they would have made the whole thing knurled.
While the attached pocket clip looks flimsy, it certainly doesn't feel like it and holds tightly. I recently used the pocket clip to attach the light to my hat which worked well as a makeshift headlamp. Though, in 2xAA configuration, it's a little long and heavy. This is where the shorter 1xCR123 configuration would come in handy.
The included strap is pretty basic. I have noticed that it's a little on the large side and doesn't do much to stay on my wrist. But it's thin and flat, which would make it good for hanging the light from something.
The clicky button has a nice, solid feel to it. I like the "momentary on" feature that lets me turn the light on without clicking it all the way on for a quick blast of "what's that in the bushes?" light. Since this light doesn't have any output variations, the UI is simple - click on, click off.
Some people have complained that the light "rattles" when two AA batteries are installed. It does, but I don't see the big deal with it. It's not loud nor obnoxious. And the Jetbeam that's 3 times as expensive does this too.
Output:
As I mentioned in the intro, this is a non-technical description so I'm not going to use concrete numbers.
After coming from my cheap lights with no throw, I must say this thing is BRIGHT! I've had a couple of neighbors comment on it while walking my dog at night. For general path illumination, it works very well. It's also got lots of throw distance to see what's making that rustling noise in the bushes halfway across the park or to see where my dog's run off to.
However, it's only got the single level of brightness. So for looking at things close up, the center hotspot is a little too bright. I have to move the hot spot away from the thing I want to look at and use the beam's spill to see. Thankfully, the spill brightness is just right for this purpose but the hotspot is still bright enough to make your nightvision go away.
The warm tint is nice. It's very much like an incandescent, yellowish tint. It portrays colors accurately and it would be interesting to compare the same RC-N3 light in the standard tint.
Battery life:
Since I'm keeping this non-technical, I'm just going to say that I took this light on 2 week's worth of 20-30 minute nightly walks on Energizer Lithium batteries before I got some rechargable batteries. My lithium batteries were still going when I swapped them out for the Duraloop rechargables which have gone for about a week and still don't need replacing.
I expect that since I only use my lights for 20-30 minutes at a time, I won't be replacing/recharging the batteries very often. If you want detailed runtimes, check out Selfbuilt's 2xAA roundup as mentioned above.
Jetbeam Jet-I Pro EX v3.0
This is the latest revision of Jetbeam's Jet-I Pro EX light. After doing some research, it appears that it's not very different from the v2.0 model other than it's brighter when used with lithium ion batteries and the lowest setting is a little brighter than the v2.0's lowest setting. Also, the v2.0 has a weird looking beam spill - it's not round and looks hexaganol. The v3.0 is a regular round beam pattern.
Construction / appearance / usability:
This light has a nice feel to it. It feels like it might be a little lighter than the Romisen but not by much. It's interesting that the tube wall is thinner than the Romisen. It feels solid to me but, like I mentioned about the Romisen, I don't want to intentionally drop test this and break something. If I accidentally drop it, I'll update this post.
I find it interesting that the threads on the tailcap feel gritty. I'm not sure if this is due to some manufacturing grime that made its way onto the o-ring lube, but the tailcap definitely feels like it's gritty. The o-rings are very substantial, however. They're much thicker than the ones on the Romisen. In my experience as a scuba diver, I've noticed that thicker o-rings usually have better durability.
The knurling is good. It's pretty deep and makes for a good grip. And it's placed along where your fingers are likely to rest on the light.
The clip is really cool - it's a "Z" shape so it can be clipped on something from either direction. And it's really long, too. It's got a little hole in the end that could conceivably be used for a lanyard if you'd like it in the front rather than the back. The clip looks like it's removable, but if it is, I can't seem to get it to budge.
Speaking of lanyards, the one included with the Jetbeam is a mixed bag. It's a nice length and has a locking slider that will let you cinch it to your wrist so that it won't fall off. But the clip where it attaches to the light isn't very good. It's a very small overlapping split ring like a keychain. And the lanyard has a hook clip that attaches to the split ring. I've always found that these kind of hook clips are not very strong and the split ring is really thin so it's difficult to attach and also not very strong. I'd much rather prefer a fabric loop to attach the lanyard with.
Tailstanding seems to be a popular feature here on CPF. It's likely something I'll never use, but this light can do it - barely. The button slightly protrudes from the end of the light and it's slightly rounded so it's very unstable.
As you're probably aware, this light has Jetbeam's I.B.S. function (infinite brightness system). Rather than having multiple modes to select, you get to adjust the brightness level and set 3 slots that you want to use. These 3 slots can be any combination of brightnesses or strobe/SOS/beacon modes that you want to use. Click the light on, then lightly press the button to cycle between the 3 slots. Then click the light off. When you click the light back on, it always starts at the first mode of the cycle.
The programming is easier than it sounds, but I'll give a quick rundown.
1) Click the light on
2) Lightly press the button to select which slot you want to set
3) Lightly press the button 3 times quickly - as fast as you can without turning it off
4) The light will ramp brightness up with flashes to indicate brightness levels. Two blinks at lowest setting, 2 more at 50%, then 3 at 100%.
4a) If you want to program a strobe/SOS/beacon mode, lightly press the button when the light is ramping the brightness. It will then cycle through the various strobe speeds and beacon modes.
5) When the brightness is to your liking, turn the light off - that level of brightness is now saved in the slot you selected in step 2.
Repeat for the other 2 slots by selecting which slot you want to program as mentioned in step 2.
All the other descriptions I've read sounded complicated to me. But it's actually very easy and I hope these instructions help. Over all, it's a pretty good user interface once you learn it.
Output:
Like the Romisen, this light is BRIGHT! But the nice thing is that it can be turned down. I have mine programmed to be about 25-30% on the first slot and a little over 50% on the second slot. That way I can see things close up without blinding myself but still be able to see distance as needed.
I saw this mentioned in other reviews about this light, but there's barely any difference between 50% and 100% when using NiMh, Lithium, or Alkaline batteries. However, if you look at beamshots when using Lithium Ion rechargable batteries, you'll see a difference. I don't have any L-Ion batteries to test this with, but be forewarned if you plan to use AA batteries like I do. That said, 50% is still about as bright as my Romisen - so it's still really bright.
While the lowest low isn't as low as the v2.0 model, it's still really dim. I can't quite see why anyone would use such a low output, but I guess there are some people who would want it. Maybe it would be good for a light glow inside a tent or something? Or mood lighting perhaps? Either way, at least you can set the brightness to your liking with this light.
Compared to the Romisen, this light seems to throw a little further. I shined it up into a neighbor's tree and the Jetbeam seemed to be brighter and show more detail. I'm not sure if this is the reflector's design or a difference between the warm white of the Romisen and the cooler tint of the Jetbeam, but there is a discernable difference.
Tint is pretty good on this light. It's a cool white without being overly blue. My cheap LED lights are all very bluish in tint, which I don't like. I was pleasantly surprised that this cool white had a pretty good tint - it's a lot like the cool white flourescent tubes I use in my garage.
Battery life:
I just received the light last night. So I have no comment about battery life at this point in time. I'll assume that it's about as good as the Romisen, which I've already described, but I'll update this post if I find something different.
Conclusion:
Both of these are excellent lights. For the average guy who just wants to see where he's going at night and find stuff in the dark, the Romisen is an excellent choice. It's a steal at about $25 and performs very well. It's easy to use in that you put batteries in, turn it on, and turn it off. If you want multiple modes in a cheap package, Shiningbeam.com also sells a 2 mode version of this light (in regular tint only) which would likely also be a great choice for the average guy.
For someone who needs more features or wants more brightness adjustability, the Jetbeam is a great choice. It's a little on the expensive side at about $70. It came in a fancy box that I could have done without and paid a couple of bucks less.
If I were a professional who depended on a light (security, police, fire, EMT, etc), I'd likely go with something with adjustability like the Jetbeam if I could afford it. However, there's something to be said for being able to buy 3 very good lights for about the price of one excellent light.
So, I thought I'd write up a review on my first two "real" flashlights (I've always used cheap, junky lights). I'm hoping that this information might help someone else down the road who is also overwhelmed by the level of detail and only ready to stick their big toe on the water rather than just diving right in. Since there are already some excellent, professional-quality pictures taken by other members I won't include any. I'm also going to forego runtime graphs and such. My goal is to give a non-technical approach to describe these two lights. When reading this post, please keep in mind that it's from a newbie perspective. It's for a newbie, from a newbie.
For technical details and beamshots, Selfbuilt's 2xAA roundup is very helpful for that. Also, use the search box at the top of the page to find beamshots, pictures, and graphs that other members have provided. And Youtube is a great place to see how various manufacturer's UIs work.
I purchased the Romisen from Shiningbeam.com and the Jetbeam from Lightjunction.com via Amazon's marketplace. Both sellers shipped very quickly and gave delivery confirmation numbers. In my limted experience, I'd say that you can't go wrong ordering from either of these companies.
Without further ado, here's my take on the Romisen RC-N3 "warm white" 2xAA/1xCR123 light and the Jetbeam Jet-I Pro EX v.3 light.
Romisen RC-N3 Warm White
This was my first real light. After hoping to spend $50-60 on a light, my budget became limited to $25-30 so some forum members recommended the Romisen. I must say that I'm very pleased with this light.
Construction / appearance / usability:
The Romisen feels very solid and a little heavy. Definitely like it could take a beating, though I haven't drop tested it yet (don't want to risk cracking the lens on purpose
- if I accidentally drop it, I'll update this post). The threads on the body tube are nicely machined with a tight fit with an O-ring on each joint to keep water out. Screwing and unscrewing any part feels smooth and without any burrs.One annoyance is that all of the knurling, except for the little bit on the tailcap, is on the extended tube used for running the light in 2xAA mode. When in CR123 mode, the aluminum body is a little slippery. I wish they would have made the whole thing knurled.
While the attached pocket clip looks flimsy, it certainly doesn't feel like it and holds tightly. I recently used the pocket clip to attach the light to my hat which worked well as a makeshift headlamp. Though, in 2xAA configuration, it's a little long and heavy. This is where the shorter 1xCR123 configuration would come in handy.
The included strap is pretty basic. I have noticed that it's a little on the large side and doesn't do much to stay on my wrist. But it's thin and flat, which would make it good for hanging the light from something.
The clicky button has a nice, solid feel to it. I like the "momentary on" feature that lets me turn the light on without clicking it all the way on for a quick blast of "what's that in the bushes?" light. Since this light doesn't have any output variations, the UI is simple - click on, click off.
Some people have complained that the light "rattles" when two AA batteries are installed. It does, but I don't see the big deal with it. It's not loud nor obnoxious. And the Jetbeam that's 3 times as expensive does this too.
Output:
As I mentioned in the intro, this is a non-technical description so I'm not going to use concrete numbers.
After coming from my cheap lights with no throw, I must say this thing is BRIGHT! I've had a couple of neighbors comment on it while walking my dog at night. For general path illumination, it works very well. It's also got lots of throw distance to see what's making that rustling noise in the bushes halfway across the park or to see where my dog's run off to.
However, it's only got the single level of brightness. So for looking at things close up, the center hotspot is a little too bright. I have to move the hot spot away from the thing I want to look at and use the beam's spill to see. Thankfully, the spill brightness is just right for this purpose but the hotspot is still bright enough to make your nightvision go away.
The warm tint is nice. It's very much like an incandescent, yellowish tint. It portrays colors accurately and it would be interesting to compare the same RC-N3 light in the standard tint.
Battery life:
Since I'm keeping this non-technical, I'm just going to say that I took this light on 2 week's worth of 20-30 minute nightly walks on Energizer Lithium batteries before I got some rechargable batteries. My lithium batteries were still going when I swapped them out for the Duraloop rechargables which have gone for about a week and still don't need replacing.
I expect that since I only use my lights for 20-30 minutes at a time, I won't be replacing/recharging the batteries very often. If you want detailed runtimes, check out Selfbuilt's 2xAA roundup as mentioned above.
Jetbeam Jet-I Pro EX v3.0
This is the latest revision of Jetbeam's Jet-I Pro EX light. After doing some research, it appears that it's not very different from the v2.0 model other than it's brighter when used with lithium ion batteries and the lowest setting is a little brighter than the v2.0's lowest setting. Also, the v2.0 has a weird looking beam spill - it's not round and looks hexaganol. The v3.0 is a regular round beam pattern.
Construction / appearance / usability:
This light has a nice feel to it. It feels like it might be a little lighter than the Romisen but not by much. It's interesting that the tube wall is thinner than the Romisen. It feels solid to me but, like I mentioned about the Romisen, I don't want to intentionally drop test this and break something. If I accidentally drop it, I'll update this post.
I find it interesting that the threads on the tailcap feel gritty. I'm not sure if this is due to some manufacturing grime that made its way onto the o-ring lube, but the tailcap definitely feels like it's gritty. The o-rings are very substantial, however. They're much thicker than the ones on the Romisen. In my experience as a scuba diver, I've noticed that thicker o-rings usually have better durability.
The knurling is good. It's pretty deep and makes for a good grip. And it's placed along where your fingers are likely to rest on the light.
The clip is really cool - it's a "Z" shape so it can be clipped on something from either direction. And it's really long, too. It's got a little hole in the end that could conceivably be used for a lanyard if you'd like it in the front rather than the back. The clip looks like it's removable, but if it is, I can't seem to get it to budge.
Speaking of lanyards, the one included with the Jetbeam is a mixed bag. It's a nice length and has a locking slider that will let you cinch it to your wrist so that it won't fall off. But the clip where it attaches to the light isn't very good. It's a very small overlapping split ring like a keychain. And the lanyard has a hook clip that attaches to the split ring. I've always found that these kind of hook clips are not very strong and the split ring is really thin so it's difficult to attach and also not very strong. I'd much rather prefer a fabric loop to attach the lanyard with.
Tailstanding seems to be a popular feature here on CPF. It's likely something I'll never use, but this light can do it - barely. The button slightly protrudes from the end of the light and it's slightly rounded so it's very unstable.
As you're probably aware, this light has Jetbeam's I.B.S. function (infinite brightness system). Rather than having multiple modes to select, you get to adjust the brightness level and set 3 slots that you want to use. These 3 slots can be any combination of brightnesses or strobe/SOS/beacon modes that you want to use. Click the light on, then lightly press the button to cycle between the 3 slots. Then click the light off. When you click the light back on, it always starts at the first mode of the cycle.
The programming is easier than it sounds, but I'll give a quick rundown.
1) Click the light on
2) Lightly press the button to select which slot you want to set
3) Lightly press the button 3 times quickly - as fast as you can without turning it off
4) The light will ramp brightness up with flashes to indicate brightness levels. Two blinks at lowest setting, 2 more at 50%, then 3 at 100%.
4a) If you want to program a strobe/SOS/beacon mode, lightly press the button when the light is ramping the brightness. It will then cycle through the various strobe speeds and beacon modes.
5) When the brightness is to your liking, turn the light off - that level of brightness is now saved in the slot you selected in step 2.
Repeat for the other 2 slots by selecting which slot you want to program as mentioned in step 2.
All the other descriptions I've read sounded complicated to me. But it's actually very easy and I hope these instructions help. Over all, it's a pretty good user interface once you learn it.
Output:
Like the Romisen, this light is BRIGHT! But the nice thing is that it can be turned down. I have mine programmed to be about 25-30% on the first slot and a little over 50% on the second slot. That way I can see things close up without blinding myself but still be able to see distance as needed.
I saw this mentioned in other reviews about this light, but there's barely any difference between 50% and 100% when using NiMh, Lithium, or Alkaline batteries. However, if you look at beamshots when using Lithium Ion rechargable batteries, you'll see a difference. I don't have any L-Ion batteries to test this with, but be forewarned if you plan to use AA batteries like I do. That said, 50% is still about as bright as my Romisen - so it's still really bright.
While the lowest low isn't as low as the v2.0 model, it's still really dim. I can't quite see why anyone would use such a low output, but I guess there are some people who would want it. Maybe it would be good for a light glow inside a tent or something? Or mood lighting perhaps? Either way, at least you can set the brightness to your liking with this light.
Compared to the Romisen, this light seems to throw a little further. I shined it up into a neighbor's tree and the Jetbeam seemed to be brighter and show more detail. I'm not sure if this is the reflector's design or a difference between the warm white of the Romisen and the cooler tint of the Jetbeam, but there is a discernable difference.
Tint is pretty good on this light. It's a cool white without being overly blue. My cheap LED lights are all very bluish in tint, which I don't like. I was pleasantly surprised that this cool white had a pretty good tint - it's a lot like the cool white flourescent tubes I use in my garage.
Battery life:
I just received the light last night. So I have no comment about battery life at this point in time. I'll assume that it's about as good as the Romisen, which I've already described, but I'll update this post if I find something different.
Conclusion:
Both of these are excellent lights. For the average guy who just wants to see where he's going at night and find stuff in the dark, the Romisen is an excellent choice. It's a steal at about $25 and performs very well. It's easy to use in that you put batteries in, turn it on, and turn it off. If you want multiple modes in a cheap package, Shiningbeam.com also sells a 2 mode version of this light (in regular tint only) which would likely also be a great choice for the average guy.
For someone who needs more features or wants more brightness adjustability, the Jetbeam is a great choice. It's a little on the expensive side at about $70. It came in a fancy box that I could have done without and paid a couple of bucks less.
If I were a professional who depended on a light (security, police, fire, EMT, etc), I'd likely go with something with adjustability like the Jetbeam if I could afford it. However, there's something to be said for being able to buy 3 very good lights for about the price of one excellent light.
:fail:
