Beamshot ITP A6, Fenix TK40, EagleTac M2C4/M2XC4, OLight M30

[HKJ]

[size=+3]ITP A6 Polestar beamshots comparison[/size]
This beamshot is extracted from my Danish A6 review.

I have selected some common MC-E/P7/3*led lights and a HID light for comparison. The following lights are included (Same sequence as photo): ITP A6 Polestar, OLight M30 Triton, EagleTac M2C4, EagleTac M2XC4, Fenix TK40, Titanium L35.

A6 is in the middle of the led lights with the amount of light it produce, M30 is below it, M2C4 is just about the same, M2XC4 and TK40 is brighter. A HID produce much more light.

In this graph I have collected all light levels for all the lights. The A6 and M30 both cover a wide range of brightness with only 3 settings, buth it is a rather big leap from medium to low.

Measuring lux at 4 meters shows that A6 is no thrower, it is the light with the least amount of throw. This is no surprise, because it has a very shallow reflector. No led light can match the HID in throw.



[size=+2]Maximal brightness[/size]

ITP A6 Polestar, OLight M30 Triton, EagleTac M2C4

EagleTac M2XC4, Fenix TK40, Titanium L35

[size=+2]Maximal brightness, reduced exposure[/size]

ITP A6 Polestar, OLight M30 Triton, EagleTac M2C4

EagleTac M2XC4, Fenix TK40, Titanium L35

[size=+2]Maximal brightness, longer distance[/size]

ITP A6 Polestar, OLight M30 Triton, EagleTac M2C4

EagleTac M2XC4, Fenix TK40, Titanium L35

[size=+2]Minimal brightness with increased exposure[/size]
The mimimum brightness is very low on these light, I has increased the exposure on these pictures to better see the beam.

ITP A6 Polestar, OLight M30 Triton, EagleTac M2C4

EagleTac M2XC4, Fenix TK40, Titanium L35

[size=+2]ITP A6 Polestar[/size]

Low, medium, high:

Longer distance:

Low:

Medium:

High:

Longer distance:

[size=+2]OLight M30 Triton[/size]

A MC-E light that can use multiple battery combinations with either LiIon or CR123. Brightness is selected with a extra button on the tailcap.
Read more about the light in my Danish review.

Low, medium, high:

Longer distance:

Low:

Medium:

High:

Longer distance:

[size=+2]EagleTac M2C4[/size]

A P7 based light with 2x18650 LiIon batteries or 4xCR123 batteries. Brightness and strobe is selected with a ring.

Low, medium, high:

Turbo, longer distance:

,

Low:

Medium:

High:

Turbo:

Longer distance:

[size=+2]EagleTac M2XC4[/size]

A 3xled based light with 2x18650 LiIon batteries or 4xCR123 batteries. Brightness and strobe is selected with a ring.

Low, medium, high:

Turbo, longer distance:

Low:

Medium:

High:

Turbo:

Longer distance:

[size=+2]Fenix TK40[/size]

A MC-E light with 8xAA batteries, the light has 4 brightness settings and 4 flashing settings, change of brightness is done by holding the button down for some time, a double click will select a flashing mode.
Read more about the light in my Danish review.

Low, medium, high:

Turbo, longer distance:

Low:

Medium:

High:

Turbo:

Longer distance:

[size=+2]Titanium L35[/size]

A HID light with a buildin LiIon battery, it has two switches, one to turn on the HID bulb and one to turn on the auxiliary led light.

Low, high, longer distance:

Low:

High:

Longer distance:

 

[apontes]

Nicely done! Thank you.

So the Polestar produces more lumens than the M30? But the M30 was running with just one 18650, right?

 

[apontes]

BTW: no lanyard attachment for the Polestar?

 

[HKJ]

So the Polestar produces more lumens than the M30? But the M30 was running with just one 18650, right?

My M30 is running with 2x18500, I like keeping it short and only one hour runtime is ok for me.

BTW: no lanyard attachment for the Polestar?

For more detailed pictures of the A6, check my Danish review, here is one picture with lanyard:

 

[jirik_cz]

So the Polestar produces more lumens than the M30?

In my lightbox it has 10% less lumens than M30 :shrug:

 

[apontes]

For more detailed pictures of the A6, check my Danish review, here is one picture with lanyard:

Nice. Thank you for the clarification.:thumbsup:

 

[koolranch]

WOW thanks so much for these beam shots!! I was thinking about getting several of these lights. I already own a TK40 and after this I think I will stick with it.

Cheers

 

[headophile]

nice beamshots! lovecpf

i agree with koolranch. the tk40 has the best compromise between flood and throw, hence the most useful beam in my opinion. not to mention it's the brightest among the led lights tested here.

can't wait for mine :twothumbs

 

[apontes]

The TK40 is the best balanced multi-emitter light to this date. Period.

It has (in my opinion, of course):
- best balance between flood and throw;
- very good beam, without the MCE donut/cross;
- excellent mode spacing;
- excellent runtime;
- good balance (not too head-heavy);
- best balance between number of modes and UI complexity;
- great build quality.

Running on 8xAAs is its unique selling point. Some chose it because of that, others also passed because of exactly that.

For me, if I had to choose only one of my lights to keep, it would be the TK40.

 

[headophile]

^

i concur with your other points as well. i was torn between the tk40 and the m1x at first but the donut hole really put me off. and i like aa batteries.

 

[koolranch]

I was looking at buying a EagleTac M2XC4, and the ITP A6. While the EagleTac M2XC4 does seem to throw better than the TK40 I really don't like the yellow tint. What I can tell any of you who are considering the TK40, is that it is a great light. I wish the TK30 was out a month ago when I got it. I would of preferred the 18650 platform as it is used in almost all my lights.

 

[Hawk600]

Thank you for the nice review HKJ.

Is the Eagletac used in the comparison a Neutral White model?
The tint doesn't look near close to mine M2XC4 Cool white which have almost the same tint as the Fenix TK40.

 

[HKJ]

Is the Eagletac used in the comparison a Neutral White model?
The tint doesn't look near close to mine M2XC4 Cool white which have almost the same tint as the Fenix TK40.

Yes, it is the neutral white model.

 

[awid]

Great thread. I have one question for anyone whose owned a multiple number of the selected flashlights in this test. My question is, light output and features apart, which one is of the best build quality?

 

[bigsteve]

i read your review and bought an eagletac m2xc4 as my first torch and thanks for all your effort brolovecpf

 

[recDNA]

Although I don't see it at all in these beamshots I thought the M2XC4 had a clover shaped hotspot rather than a nice circle?

 

[HKJ]

Although I don't see it at all in these beamshots I thought the M2XC4 had a clover shaped hotspot rather than a nice circle?

It does, at close distances, at larger distances the 3 circles will overlap nearly completely, making it impossible to see.
I think that it is very hard to see at 2 meters.

 

[recDNA]

Thanks. It's the only reason I've never purchased an M2X. Had they figured a way to round it out I'd buy one.

Love your website. Google translate works well with it. If you try it you may laugh at some of the translations though.

 

[HKJ]

Thanks. It's the only reason I've never purchased an M2X. Had they figured a way to round it out I'd buy one.

But is is round, you just have to keep a little bit of distance.
This is one reason I prefer to do outdoor beam shots, doing a beam shot 20 centimeters from a wall will show a cloverleaf, but when using it for a real task, you do usual not see it.

Love your website. Google translate works well with it. If you try it you may laugh at some of the translations though.

I have sometimes tried it and wonder why people says that it translates well with Google .

 

[Jack Reacher]

iTP A6 Polestar versus Fenix TK40...

The TK40 is the best balanced multi-emitter light to this date. Period.

It has (in my opinion, of course):
- best balance between flood and throw;
- very good beam, without the MCE donut/cross;
- excellent mode spacing;
- excellent runtime;
- good balance (not too head-heavy);
- best balance between number of modes and UI complexity;
- great build quality. [...]

Whilst I may agree with some of those points re the TK40, I think you're missing another influencing factor in this comparison with (for example) the iTP Polestar A6.....

The TK40 is exactly twice the price of the A6.

So yes, of course, the TK40 should be better.

And it is. But... it's certainly not 100% better than the A6.

— Jack.