First post. I've learned a ton from CPF, so I'm trying to give a little back.
I ordered the following lights from DealExtreme on Nov 6 and 7:
4292 - VB-16 16-Mode Cree (VB16), $31.72
7999 - Romisen RC-F4 GITD Cree Gray (3V~8V), $14.60
7938 - UltraFire Cree C3 5-Mode with 2xAA Extension Tube Bundle, $20.69
3343 - GREE-Cree P4 CR123A, $17.44
7937 - UltraFire Cree C3 5-Mode (1xAA), $18.83
1993 - UltraFire C3 Cree 1xAA 1x14500 (with Holster), $17.00
3609 - Romisen MXDL RC-G2 Cree Gray (1xAA), $10.90
4081 - 3W Cree Projection Flashlight (3.6V~9.0V), $27.95
6951 - WF-600 3W Cree Q2 LED Flashlight, $28.00
9741 - VB-16 HA-III Q5 Cree 16-Mode (1x18650/2xCR123A), $30.55
4452 - UltraFire Cree C3 Flashlight with 2xAA Extension Tube Bundle, $19.41
8752 - MTE C3 20-Mode Rebel (AA/0100-BIN), $23.57
Here's a pic of some of them. (Sorry, this isn't flashlight pron. It's just a quick snapshot.)
L to R:4292, 7999, 7938, 3343, 7937, 1993, 3609
I wanted to compare, pick my favorites, and order more for gifts. Slow free delivery messed up that plan, though. I didn't realize at the time that express shipping would have been quite cheap for a large order. So DX shipped four packages (I had ordered a few other items also). Here are the ship and receive dates:
Nov 17 - 26
Nov 19 - 26
Nov 15 - Dec 4
Nov 14 - 23
Sku 9741 was still backordered on Dec 3, so I cancelled it.
All but one came in cheap-o white boxes and bubble wrap without any instructions. The 4292 (the most expensive one) just came in red bubble wrap. Neither is ideal for gift giving. (Anybody know some nice empty flashligh gift boxes I can pick up cheap and quick?) Here's a package pic.
I took some indoor beam shots and did a lot of hefting and comparing indoors and outdoors and learned that I'm not enough of a flashaholic to choose strong favorites. They all had strengths and weaknesses, and I didn't even begin to learn about run time and efficiency. My flashlight background is MagLites in my pre-CPF days and a few Fenix lights this year.
Here are some comments on the DX lights:
4292 - Nice quality. Seems big for just 2x123A cells. Can't distinguish between highest 10 or 15 of the 32 levels. I like changing levels so easily, though, and the low is low. Clickie is a bit too light. Orange peel reflector. Forward clickie.
7999 - Nice form factor and bright! I like the gray color. Two brands of 18650 wouldn't fit. Orange peel reflector.
7938 - Using the extension tube really cranks up the output. This seems a good value with the option of going small (1xAA) or bright (2xAA). That may prove less useful in practice, but the recipient will have to decide. Light orange peel reflector.
3343 - Chunky. One of the brighter single cell lights. Smooth reflector. Big dark ring around the hot spot.
7937 - Small. Clickie is too light to the touch. Light orange peel reflector. Dim even on high. It better last a long time!
1993 - Small, but otherwise unimpressive. Holster was *not* included. I've e-mailed DX. Light orange peel reflector.
3609 - Gray is nice again. Greenish tint. Bright hot spot. Orange peel reflector and yet one of the tightest hot spots. Forward orange-colored clickie. Best value at $11.
The following are not pictured:
4081 - Nice throw! I like having low and high rather than single-mode or five modes. Nice small bright hot spot. A little front-heavy in the hand. Came with a bad clickie. I've requested a replacement. (I swapped with the 6951 clickie to confirm.) Big smooth reflector.
6951 - Same as 4081, except the clickie was okay. I'm keeping this one for myself, just for the WOW! factor.
9741 - Cancelled because it was backordered. Now that I notice the specs again, I may reorder. (Q5! HAIII! 18650!)
4452 - This one had problems. There was an unfinished silver area on the end of the extension tube and it was dimmer than the similar 7938 on low. So I'm returning it. Orange peel reflector.
8752 - Strange beam pattern, kind of like a four-leaf clover with holes in it. I couldn't find an explanation of how to shift between the three groups of modes. Changing between modes was sporadic and unpredictable. Sometimes it would go very dim. Whined on low and medium. Returning this one. Smooth reflector. Green tailcap.
They all seemed to be of fairly good construction quality. Some threads were dry and some were lubed. Some weren't fully anodized on the threads. Sorry, but I didn't take notes on that. The three larger, more expensive ones (4081, 4292, and 6951) did seem to be the best quality, though. I'm perfectly pleased with all of them (that I kept) for the prices I paid.
Beam shots were taken on a white concrete wall at 6 to 6.5 feet. Fresh Energizer lithium primaries in all except the 6951, which only uses 18650 cells.
On some of the pics there may be some extra light from the incadescent stairway light, but I'm not sure. All multi-mode lights are on their highest mode in these shots. All apertures and ISO settings are the same (1/2.8 and 100) and the shutter spped are noted below. All were underexposed by two stops. At least, that was the intent. The only post-processing was to reduce the image size.
4292 is on the right and 7999 on left , first at 1/8 then at 1/30 sec. (I'm giving the names from right to left to try to match the order I used above.)
Next, 7999 is on the right and 7938 with 2xAA on the left, first at 1/8 sec, then at 1/30. I'm not sure why I included 7999 again, but it does show that I unfortunately left the camera on automatic white balance, because the 7999 color is a bit different here than above.
This pic has the 3343 on the right and 7937 on the left. Exposure is 1/8 second. Sorry, no 1/30 sec shot this time.
Well, these are going to be out of order no matter how I do it. So, left to right, 3609, 7938 with 1xAA, and 1993 at 1/8 second and then at 1/30 sec.
Last are the pratically identical throwers, 6951 on the left and 4081 on the right, at 1/8, 1/30, and 1/250 sec. The different shades demonstrate the LED lottery. I wish I could have bought three of every light and just kept the best.
Whew!
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/images/smilies/mpr.gif
Enjoy.
I ordered the following lights from DealExtreme on Nov 6 and 7:
4292 - VB-16 16-Mode Cree (VB16), $31.72
7999 - Romisen RC-F4 GITD Cree Gray (3V~8V), $14.60
7938 - UltraFire Cree C3 5-Mode with 2xAA Extension Tube Bundle, $20.69
3343 - GREE-Cree P4 CR123A, $17.44
7937 - UltraFire Cree C3 5-Mode (1xAA), $18.83
1993 - UltraFire C3 Cree 1xAA 1x14500 (with Holster), $17.00
3609 - Romisen MXDL RC-G2 Cree Gray (1xAA), $10.90
4081 - 3W Cree Projection Flashlight (3.6V~9.0V), $27.95
6951 - WF-600 3W Cree Q2 LED Flashlight, $28.00
9741 - VB-16 HA-III Q5 Cree 16-Mode (1x18650/2xCR123A), $30.55
4452 - UltraFire Cree C3 Flashlight with 2xAA Extension Tube Bundle, $19.41
8752 - MTE C3 20-Mode Rebel (AA/0100-BIN), $23.57
Here's a pic of some of them. (Sorry, this isn't flashlight pron. It's just a quick snapshot.)
L to R:4292, 7999, 7938, 3343, 7937, 1993, 3609
I wanted to compare, pick my favorites, and order more for gifts. Slow free delivery messed up that plan, though. I didn't realize at the time that express shipping would have been quite cheap for a large order. So DX shipped four packages (I had ordered a few other items also). Here are the ship and receive dates:
Nov 17 - 26
Nov 19 - 26
Nov 15 - Dec 4
Nov 14 - 23
Sku 9741 was still backordered on Dec 3, so I cancelled it.
All but one came in cheap-o white boxes and bubble wrap without any instructions. The 4292 (the most expensive one) just came in red bubble wrap. Neither is ideal for gift giving. (Anybody know some nice empty flashligh gift boxes I can pick up cheap and quick?) Here's a package pic.
I took some indoor beam shots and did a lot of hefting and comparing indoors and outdoors and learned that I'm not enough of a flashaholic to choose strong favorites. They all had strengths and weaknesses, and I didn't even begin to learn about run time and efficiency. My flashlight background is MagLites in my pre-CPF days and a few Fenix lights this year.
Here are some comments on the DX lights:
4292 - Nice quality. Seems big for just 2x123A cells. Can't distinguish between highest 10 or 15 of the 32 levels. I like changing levels so easily, though, and the low is low. Clickie is a bit too light. Orange peel reflector. Forward clickie.
7999 - Nice form factor and bright! I like the gray color. Two brands of 18650 wouldn't fit. Orange peel reflector.
7938 - Using the extension tube really cranks up the output. This seems a good value with the option of going small (1xAA) or bright (2xAA). That may prove less useful in practice, but the recipient will have to decide. Light orange peel reflector.
3343 - Chunky. One of the brighter single cell lights. Smooth reflector. Big dark ring around the hot spot.
7937 - Small. Clickie is too light to the touch. Light orange peel reflector. Dim even on high. It better last a long time!
1993 - Small, but otherwise unimpressive. Holster was *not* included. I've e-mailed DX. Light orange peel reflector.
3609 - Gray is nice again. Greenish tint. Bright hot spot. Orange peel reflector and yet one of the tightest hot spots. Forward orange-colored clickie. Best value at $11.
The following are not pictured:
4081 - Nice throw! I like having low and high rather than single-mode or five modes. Nice small bright hot spot. A little front-heavy in the hand. Came with a bad clickie. I've requested a replacement. (I swapped with the 6951 clickie to confirm.) Big smooth reflector.
6951 - Same as 4081, except the clickie was okay. I'm keeping this one for myself, just for the WOW! factor.
9741 - Cancelled because it was backordered. Now that I notice the specs again, I may reorder. (Q5! HAIII! 18650!)
4452 - This one had problems. There was an unfinished silver area on the end of the extension tube and it was dimmer than the similar 7938 on low. So I'm returning it. Orange peel reflector.
8752 - Strange beam pattern, kind of like a four-leaf clover with holes in it. I couldn't find an explanation of how to shift between the three groups of modes. Changing between modes was sporadic and unpredictable. Sometimes it would go very dim. Whined on low and medium. Returning this one. Smooth reflector. Green tailcap.
They all seemed to be of fairly good construction quality. Some threads were dry and some were lubed. Some weren't fully anodized on the threads. Sorry, but I didn't take notes on that. The three larger, more expensive ones (4081, 4292, and 6951) did seem to be the best quality, though. I'm perfectly pleased with all of them (that I kept) for the prices I paid.
Beam shots were taken on a white concrete wall at 6 to 6.5 feet. Fresh Energizer lithium primaries in all except the 6951, which only uses 18650 cells.
On some of the pics there may be some extra light from the incadescent stairway light, but I'm not sure. All multi-mode lights are on their highest mode in these shots. All apertures and ISO settings are the same (1/2.8 and 100) and the shutter spped are noted below. All were underexposed by two stops. At least, that was the intent. The only post-processing was to reduce the image size.
4292 is on the right and 7999 on left , first at 1/8 then at 1/30 sec. (I'm giving the names from right to left to try to match the order I used above.)
Next, 7999 is on the right and 7938 with 2xAA on the left, first at 1/8 sec, then at 1/30. I'm not sure why I included 7999 again, but it does show that I unfortunately left the camera on automatic white balance, because the 7999 color is a bit different here than above.
This pic has the 3343 on the right and 7937 on the left. Exposure is 1/8 second. Sorry, no 1/30 sec shot this time.
Well, these are going to be out of order no matter how I do it. So, left to right, 3609, 7938 with 1xAA, and 1993 at 1/8 second and then at 1/30 sec.
Last are the pratically identical throwers, 6951 on the left and 4081 on the right, at 1/8, 1/30, and 1/250 sec. The different shades demonstrate the LED lottery. I wish I could have bought three of every light and just kept the best.
Whew!
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/images/smilies/mpr.gif
Enjoy.
Last edited:
