Brightest single AA?

[superkaz]

First off, I'd like to introduce myself, and thank everyone for contributing to such an informative source. I am quickly finding myself become a budding flashaholic!

I'm looking for the brightest flashlight that can run on a single AA. I've been looking at the MTE C2-1 on DX. http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.17650 Its rated at 150 lumens. Is that really believeable from a single AA? The color and spill look pretty good. Anyone have experience with this light? Or other recommendations? (I've got 2 rc-a3s and a cree xre on the way)

 

[Gunner12]

The MTE is no where close to 150 lumen. The highest output stock from a good AA battery might be around 80-100 lumen. I've seen mods that go up to around 140 lumen.

What price range are you looking at and what will you use the light for?

:welcome:

 

[Crenshaw]

i boelieve the brightest is either the regalight EDC or the Older Jet-1 pro first gen, i bought a jet-1 pro first gen speciically cos its specd at 240 lumens with a regulat AA battery. i can tell you, even if not 240lumens, its pretty dang bright

Crenshaw

 

[oronocova]

I just got the MTE C2-1 yesterday. It is well built and via a ceiling bounce test is easily twice as bright to the eyes as the Fenix T1 on low (which is 60lm.) I would guess it is around 100lm. On high the T1 (~220lm) does not look twice as bright but probably half again or so as bright as the C2-1. It is probably not -the- brightest 1xAA but if yours is anything like mine you will be impressed.

 

[StarHalo]

The now-defunct JetBeam Jet I MK IBS is 130 lumens on a standard AA (as are pretty much all AA LED lights), but using a li-ion cell blasts out to 225 lumens.

 

[lightinsky]

The one from Home Depot. LOL.

 

[Armed_Forces]

I'll be the first to chime in on suggesting a Nitecore D10!

It may not be the absolute brightest thing available, but it will WOW anybody seeing the output from such a lowly power source as a single AA. Considering the price, features and quality it simply can't be beat.

 

[Zatoichi]

I'll be the first to chime in on suggesting a Nitecore D10!

I'll be the second then, for pretty much the same reasons.

 

[Dorky1]

AFAIK the best most single AA Lights can only push is around 130 lumens. Some can also use 14500 batteries and increase their output. The Wolf Eyes Angel does 200 lumens on 14500 and 120 lumens on AA's. You can read a review on Light-review.com and purchase it on close-out for $40 + shipping from PTS. It's longer than my other AA lights (Proton Pro, Nitecore Infinity, or CR123 Lumapower D-mini). Having a light that can run on 14500 also is the best of both worlds...you can run it on AA's in a pinch.

 

[lebox97]

might want to go hang out in reviews section for more details?
I EDC several of the nightcores...

 

[bessiebenny]

I have reviewed the MTE C2-1 now. (well, just a quick initial review) Check the link in my sig.
Has some things going for it such as ~2W of power to the LED (~150 lumens), collimator lense etc.
It's brighter than my Nitecore D10 with 1AA. So far, I think it's a very good worthy light for its price.

 

[kaichu dento]

I'll be the second then, for pretty much the same reasons.

And I'll follow up with a third. They really are a great light, and never far away!

 

[Power_of_the_Sun]

I have reviewed the MTE C2-1 now. (well, just a quick initial review) Check the link in my sig.
Has some things going for it such as ~2W of power to the LED (~150 lumens), collimator lense etc.
It's brighter than my Nitecore D10 with 1AA. So far, I think it's a very good worthy light for its price.

I just ordered one of these too. Like Bessie's review on it. Beam shot was helpful, too, in comparison with the Nitecore D10.
(MTE C2-1 had a brighter spot. Nitcore D10 had better flood.) Thanks, Bessie!

However, I want to repeat the original question (re-phrased):
What is the brightest (non-mod/non-custom) 1xAA flashlight commercially available?

I've been waiting for LED Lenser's P5R (manufacturer rated at 200 lumens) that uses a single rechargable li-ion battery to come out. It was scheduled to come Winter 2008/Spring 2009 but I haven't heard anything yet.

 

[richardcpf]

What is the brightest (non-mod/non-custom) 1xAA flashlight commercially available?

These are the brightests imo but i don't think there is a huge difference between them:

Eagletac P10A
Tiablo TL-1
Nitecore DI
Jet I pro

If you want brighter you may need to go li-ion 14500, the tiablo and jetbeam should be pretty bright according to descriptions.

 

[kts]

No one mentioned Fenix LD10, you cant go wrong with that :thumbsup:

 

[Power_of_the_Sun]

These are the brightests imo but i don't think there is a huge difference between them:

Eagletac P10A
Tiablo TL-1
Nitecore DI
Jet I pro

If you want brighter you may need to go li-ion 14500, the tiablo and jetbeam should be pretty bright according to descriptions.

Great! Thanks a lot! I like the look of the Nitecore DI (beam shots too). 180 lumens from a single Alkaline AA isn't too shabby!

Oop! Wait! Looks like I was looking at the Nitecore D10 and beam shots. I like the looks of that one and it's beam shots much more. Pity it isn't quite as bright as the DI!

Regards,

Power

 

[Nyctophiliac]

OK. It's very late where I am, I'm at my desk working so I can have tomorrow off with the kids, I've got about a couple of hours work left to do and I glance at CPF and this thread. So being busy as that what do I do??? I get out every 1AA torch I possess and test them all with my camera in manual mode!!

No figures just the relative winners and also rans. All these were tested twice in a different sequence with the same Energizer 1AA lithium cell. The results were the same in both tests. The camera was locked off at aperture 3.5f and the tests were with the torches at 1 foot from the fabled white wall, as was the camera.

In order of dimmest to brightest:

10. EXP: Quarter second.
ARC AA - BS 5mm Led.

9. EXP: Eighth of a second.
ARC AAA ( In a 1AA adapter from J.S. Burly ) - DS 5mm led.

8. EXP: Tenth of a second.
Huntlight FT 03 - 1W Luxeon.

7. EXP: Thirteenth of a second.
Inova X1 version 1 ( Brightest one of several to pass through my hands) - CS 5mm ( I think).

6. EXP: Thirtieth of a second.
Icon Rogue 1 - Cree ?
Ultrafire Stainless Steel C3 - Cree?

5. EXP: Fortieth of a second.
Jetbeam C-LE - Cree?
DX MCU C3 - Cree Q3 it says.

4. EXP: Fifthtieth of a second.
Nitecore Defender Infinity (Shock Horror) - Cree?
Fenix L1S - 1W Luxeon.
Lumapower - Connexion Cree.

3. EXP: Sixtieth of a second.
Fenix L1D - Cree.
Olight T15 (Not the latest model) - Cree.
Nitecore D10 - Cree Q5.

2. EXP: Eightieth of a second.
DX MTE C3 - 70101 - Seoul P4?
Fenix L1D CE Premium Q5 - Cree.

And the brightest of the lights I possess in AA format, at an exposure of one hundredth of a second at f3.5...in equal first place.

1. Fenix L1T V2.0 Cree Q5.
Fenix LD10 Premium Q5 Cree.


There you go. I know all production lights are not alike and that beam shapes vary, but I have tried to eliminate this by proximity of the test.

I guess I am the most suprised with the Nitecores doing so badly and the DX MTE C3 - 70101 doing so well. Anyone else notice these underwhelming the LD10??? Maybe I got bad ones!

Very happy with the L1T V2.0 and the LD 10 Premium Q5 though.

Must get an Eagletac and a Jetbeam for another test ( My Liteflux is backordered at DX - maybe next month)

Ciao...

 

[alfreddajero]

I would either go with the D10 and ITP C7.........the c7 has a small bright spot and good spill.......

 

[StarHalo]

I like the look of the Nitecore DI (beam shots too). 180 lumens from a single Alkaline AA isn't too shabby!

The highest-output option DI (R2 bin Cree) will output 145 lumens max, and is not able to achieve that, at least for more than a moment, on an alkaline. (It also uses a regulator that only boosts ~15% on a 14500)

 

[Power_of_the_Sun]

The highest-output option DI (R2 bin Cree) will output 145 lumens max, and is not able to achieve that, at least for more than a moment, on an alkaline. (It also uses a regulator that only boosts ~15% on a 14500)

Are you sure about that?
Run time graph on http://www.nitecore.com/products/ndi/ under "Nitecore Defender Infinity (With Alkaline Max Output)" shows 180-160 lumens for 1st 10 minutes. Graph with Eneloop shows 180 lumens for 20+ minutes.

Also, under the CPF review http://www.cpfreviews.com/NiteCore-DI-Silver.php it says, "In default factory setting, the light output is maximum in this mode. Typically 190 Lumens on Li-ion AA (14500) rechargeable battery and 180 Lumens on Lithium AA batteries as per the manufacturer specifications."