AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode) *UPDATED* w beamshots, added AK-16, pic heavy!!!

[gcbryan]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

On page one of this thread the photos show the K109 with a bronze-colored finish.
Currently on Kaidomain the photos show the K109A with a silver-colored finish.

I'm curious if the K109A you received has the silver-colored finish.
Thanks in advance.

To answer your question and the ones above it...I'm talking about the K-109 using CR123. The 3 mode was from KD and the 5 mode was from DX.

Regarding color, the color is the same on both of mine. The only difference in appearance is the 5 mode has the green tail button and the 3 mode has the orange. The clip on the 3 mode has a protector on the end unlike the 5 mode (I removed the clips on both of my however). The 5 mode has a green lens o-ring and the 3 mode has a black o-ring.

The 3 mode on low is brighter than the 5 mode on medium.

 

[LeifUK]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

On page one of this thread the photos show the K109 with a bronze-colored finish.
Currently on Kaidomain the photos show the K109A with a silver-colored finish.

I'm curious if the K109A you received has the silver-colored finish.
Thanks in advance.

This is not really an answer to your question, but my 5 mode K106 purchased a few months ago is silver-grey with a bronze tint.

 

[vali]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

My bad for not reading it correctly.

I have the 3 mode version that were sold from DX a year ago. I will not call it "very bright" using primaries. Did they changed the pill too or my sample have a lower high than normal?

Anyways, my K106 is working with no issues from more than a year now and most of the time I use the low (5 to 8 lumen¿?) or medium (~20) settings. A great light for the price.

How can I be so dumb? This thread is about K109 and I was talking about K106. Now I understand why it was bright using primaries. Sorry (again) for the confusion and forget what I said.

 

[ToneBeamer]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

This is not really an answer to your question, but my 5 mode K106 purchased a few months ago is silver-grey with a bronze tint.

That's okay, your answer is still very informative.
That's an interesting color scheme and I think I would like that.

I'm surprised no one mentioned that Kaidomain shows the entire line of AKOray in silver color.

 

[ToneBeamer]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

Anyone have an iTP A1 EOS SS or similar they can compare to the K109?
I'm curious how the brightness, flood, and throw compare between the two of them.

 

[gcbryan]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

That's okay, your answer is still very informative.
That's an interesting color scheme and I think I would like that.

I'm surprised no one mentioned that Kaidomain shows the entire line of AKOray in silver color.

It looks nice. I think, regarding the descriptions, it's just a matter of what you call it. I would go with the description above as well.

 

[gcbryan]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

Anyone have an iTP A1 EOS SS or similar they can compare to the K109?
I'm curious how the brightness, flood, and throw compare between the two of them.

I don't have the ITP A1 but as far as flood and throw it's comparable to my other smaller XR-E lights. I have the Photon Pro and a Ultrafire 1 AAA light. They are both about 100 lumens and the spot/flood is more or less the same.

Regarding brightness on high it's probably 170 lumens or so OTF. It's noticeably brighter when you compare them side by side as it should be since it's rated at 220 lumens.

There's no doubt that the 3 mode version is much brighter. The 5 mode version was much dimmer than the other two lights I mentioned above.

 

[gcbryan]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

I should add that both the programmable 3 mode and the non-programmable 5 mode have memory. It works correctly in the 3 mode but does not in the 5 mode.

In the 5 mode it remembers what mode you were in just before you last turned it off and then when you turn it back on it goes to the next mode.

Therefore, it is worse that useless. If you used it last on the low mode, when you next turn it on it will start in strobe mode!

In the 3 mode it works as expected and starts in the last mode you were in before turning the light off.

 

[RepProdigious]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

I should add that both the programmable 3 mode and the non-programmable 5 mode have memory. It works correctly in the 3 mode but does not in the 5 mode.

In the 5 mode it remembers what mode you were in just before you last turned it off and then when you turn it back on it goes to the next mode.

Therefore, it is worse that useless. If you used it last on the low mode, when you next turn it on it will start in strobe mode!

In the 3 mode it works as expected and starts in the last mode you were in before turning the light off.

My 5 mode has no memory..... If you turn it off rather quickly (within a timespan of 10 sec) it sure looks like it memorizes the 'next' mode but what you're really doing is just switching to the next more very very slowly, the light simply cannot distinguish between a soft press and a short full hard on-off cycle (thats just how a switch works). If i leave the light unattended for a minute or two it will just start back at high every single time!

As far as the color is concerned; On the pictures the tint appears to differ significantly but trust me, in normal daylight the human eye will not be able to distinguish the two unless you know you're looking for a difference and you put the two side-by-side!

And these light (as almost any light for that matter) are supposed to be used in the dark, so why actually care for the color? :thinking:

 

[RepProdigious]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

Another point worth mentioning:

These lights dont age well under hard conditions!!

The coating is very very soft so as soon as you drop the light on concrete or any other pointy hard surface the body material behaves very similar to just untreated aluminium! The coating aka 'anodized' layer is basically only good for deflecting slight scratches from example keys worn in the same pocket. It doesnt hurt the functionality of the ligth but is sure looks horrible :shrug:

On a good note, i found a diffuser that 'sort of' fits on these 109 lights (NOT the 106!!). ITs DX sku 24123. It does need a bit of modifying because the diameter on the diffuser is just a tad too tight, shaving/sanding off the inside will make it a very snug fit and this is a brilliant opgrade for this light! Put the diffuser on, hang it from your neck and you always walk in enough light to do anything!! :twothumbs

I know you guys - like me - LOVE pictures, so here's some!

1

2

3

On the pics you can see (1) the scuffs/nicks on/in the body from use and the modified diffuser (2) on low and (3) high beam.

Also notice that little hole i made in the side of the diffuser? This was a must for me because i really didnt like how the diffuser fit too tight and i felt it was 'sucking' on the lens-rubber too hard when i pulled it off (made a vaccum like popping sound).

 

[gcbryan]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

I still don't see how you guy's are getting to the clicky to change out the rubber buttons from orange to green?

I was able to disassemble the head and changed out the lens GITD o-ring. Actually, there was no o-ring in the 3 mode version so I found a black one to use on the 5 mode version after I swapped out the GITD o-ring.

I can't get the white plastic ring out that is holding in the spring. It's not important of course but now that I've gotten this far I'd like to have the green tail switch button as well.

I can't get this out on the 3 or 5 mode versions.

(I have both the 3 and 5 mode K-109 just to be clear)

 

[gcbryan]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

For some reason I didn't pick up on the fact that the end of the tail cap unscrews.

You're right about the 5 mode press fit plastic ring being VERY hard to get out. I almost had to tear it up to get it out. The 3 mode was easy using your directions after I figured out that the end cap unscrewed.

I was trying to do it from the other end where the battery goes in.

Anyway, mission accomplished...now I have the green o-rings in the 3 mode light!

I also now see that I could have more easily removed the clip (which I don't want) if I had known that the end was removable. I just broke them off and sanded the broken end until it was smooth with the body.

It's all a learning curve. 🙂

 

[RepProdigious]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

For some reason I didn't pick up on the fact that the end of the tail cap unscrews.

You're right about the 5 mode press fit plastic ring being VERY hard to get out. I almost had to tear it up to get it out. The 3 mode was easy using your directions after I figured out that the end cap unscrewed.

I was trying to do it from the other end where the battery goes in.

Anyway, mission accomplished...now I have the green o-rings in the 3 mode light!

I also now see that I could have more easily removed the clip (which I don't want) if I had known that the end was removable. I just broke them off and sanded the broken end until it was smooth with the body.

It's all a learning curve. 🙂

Hi!

I'm sorry to hear that you had troubles removing the lights butt 😉 I indeed did not specifically mention that the end piece was a screw-in but i figured the pictures were clear enough:

But it doesn't really mattter, you got there in the end and thats what's important!

I will be updating my little thread in the oncoming days with another example out of the AKOray CR123 size line-up; the AK-16! I will also try to do the beamshots i promised but keep forgetting :thinking:

 

[gcbryan]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

Hi!

I'm sorry to hear that you had troubles removing the lights butt 😉 I indeed did not specifically mention that the end piece was a screw-in but i figured the pictures were clear enough:



But it doesn't really matter, you got there in the end and thats what's important!

I will be updating my little thread in the oncoming days with another example out of the AKOray CR123 size line-up; the AK-16! I will also try to do the beamshots i promised but keep forgetting :thinking:

Looking forward to your next review. I did see the screw-in part in the picture but I thought it must be something that came out after the part that I couldn't get out! It's such a seamless screw-in that it didn't occur to me that it was there!

I'm just updating this thread so that it will be even more informative for the next person. This thread was the reason I decided to get the 3-mode after I already had the 5-mode and your pictures and descriptions definitely are the reason I decided to try the upgrade to the GITD o-rings.

 

[RepProdigious]

Re: AKOray K-109 review (3 vs 5 mode versions)

Looking forward to your next review.

Check the OP! Muchos goodies added; the AK-16! Now youll need one of those as well! :twothumbs

I'm just updating this thread so that it will be even more informative for the next person. This thread was the reason I decided to get the 3-mode after I already had the 5-mode and your pictures and descriptions definitely are the reason I decided to try the upgrade to the GITD o-rings.

Great to hear my little review goes to good use!

 

[RepProdigious]

Whoopsie, wrong button... them Edit and Quote buttons are too close for comfort 😉

[edit] Hmm... since every post (for me) has to add something, heres a pretty sort-of-wannabe-quick HDR shot on the AK-16 I made just because i felt like doing so:

[/edit]

 

[mfm]

Ugly doughnuts in all the beamshots, just like with my first and last AKOray, the AK-12.

 

[ky70]

Ugly doughnuts in all the beamshots, just like with my first and last AKOray, the AK-12.

For a sub $20 programmable light, I like donuts

 

[kwalker]

Hi,
I have a 106 AA and enjoy it so I bought another one and received it today. It won't light up straight out of the package. I unscrewed the pill and noticed some ugly soldering on the one that does not work. (left in the pic) Could that be the cause and what do you suggest I do to make this work?

 

[gcbryan]

Those are pretty mild donuts. They also aren't a factor once you use the light for something other than shining on the walls in your house.

MFM, I think maybe budget lights aren't for you. 🙂