ExtremeBeam have asked me to take a look at their M1000 Fusion light. Apart from being very tough (more on that later), the M1000 is designed as a thrower, but with a twist….. literally, a twist focus adjustment. Unlike most adjustable focus lights, the M1000 achieves this while remaining completely waterproof. With a heavy build, the M1000 is designed to take a beating and be genuinely suitable for combat situations.
Though this is not something I can actually test, ExtremeBeam certify the M1000 to standards not many others can match.
Initial Impressions:
As I mentioned in the introduction the M1000 is built very heavily, and before you even open the box, printed on the front are the capabilities of this light.
Some of these are not really quantifiable, but there is one in particular I want to point out. ExtremeBeam certify the M1000 to be weapon mountable to '.50 cal'. Now this is no .50 AE or any other lesser .50 calibre round, this is .50 BMG!
Just to put this into perspective, if you are not sure what that is, have a quick look at this photo showing, from left: .50 BMG, 300 Win Mag, .308 Winchester, 7.62×39mm, 5.56×45mm NATO, .22LR
.50 BMG is the massive cartridge on the left.
Original photo can be found on the Wikidedia .50 BMG page.
This is not just a single shot .50 BMG such as used for some sniper rifles, but full auto .50 BMG weapons.
Much as I would like to test this out, unfortunately my testing gear doesn't stretch to a .50 BMG machine gun, but ExtremeBeam will stand by this certification.
This is the initial impressions section, but the reason for pointing out this feature is that it does raise an expectation of what the M1000 will be like.
On first lifting the M1000 out of the box, it is immediately obvious this is a very heavily built light. You do feel like you could use it to break rocks and end up just marking the anodising a bit.
The first time you try out the focus mechanism it is very stiff, but this is due to the double o-rings used to seal this section of the M1000. The force required to change the focus only goes to reinforce how solid this light is.
Certainly this is not a 'normal' flashlight.
What is in the box:
The M1000 arrives in a sturdy box. The clear window had a tear off protector film when it arrived.
Opening the flap, the M1000 is held in a dense closed cell foam tray.
As well as the M1000 light, there is a wrist strap and generic ExtremeBeam manual. (no spares are provided)
Taking a closer look and looking inside:
Starting to take a closer look at the M1000
The M1000 has a large deep reflector.
Looking straight into the reflector and at the XM-L U2 emitter.
And even closer.
With the battery tube removed from the Head of the light, the anti-recoil positive connection with large brass sprung contact can be seen.
The negative terminal in the tail-cap is a similar anti-recoil sprung contact.
The battery tube is nearly 6mm thick! This tube will take any 18650 I've tried, and you can see just how solid the build of the M1000 is.
The threads on the head end of the battery tube are bare aluminium and a heavy square cut thread. Double o-rings are used to seal the join.
The tail-cap end of the tube has anodised threads allowing you to lock out the tail-cap should you wish to. Again double o-rings are used.
The tail-cap is quite wide and allows easy operation even with gloved hands. The ring around the switch protects from accidental operation without impeding its use.
Just back from the bezel is the focus ring. This can be unscrewed to move the reflector forward from the LED and defocus the beam. As you loosen the head, even if you expose the first o-ring, there is a second one to keep it watertight.
The effect of adjusting the focus ring is to move the reflector forward of the LED, so the LED is no longer in the focal point of the reflector. Looking closely you can see the LED appear to move backwards.
Modes and User Interface:
In keeping with its tactical design the M1000 uses a forward clicky tail switch allowing for momentary operation.
There are three modes, High, Low and Strobe.
After 4s of being off, the M1000 resets back to High, so it will always come on in High when you first pick it up. If you give the switch a double tap you get Low, and a triple tap gives the Strobe.
Simple, reliable and intuitive interface if you need to use it under pressure.
Batteries and output:
The M1000 will run on 2x18650 or 4x CR123.
To measure actual output, I built an integrating sphere. See here for more detail. The sensor registers visible light only (so Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet will not be measured).
Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published.
Peak Beam intensity measured at 10m was calculated back to 1m giving 55200cd which equates to an ASNI beam range of 470m.
You will get a good 1hr45mins of well-regulated output on High after which the output drop sharply, but doesn't cut out suddenly, instead continuing to provide a low output for some time after it can no longer manage maximum output.
To see how abuse proof the M1000 is, as a break from my normal practices, I ran the output test with no cooling at all.
When carrying out the runtime test I always use a cooling fan. This test is very unrealistic in that a light would not be left indoors in a clamp running at full output for a long as the batteries last in normal use. To counter this unrealistic scenario, forced cooling is used. Even with a cooling fan many lights hit 60° C or more.
The M1000 took this in its stride with the maximum head temperature reaching only 44°C and the battery tube reaching only 37°C. Thanks to the thick walled construction the M1000 easily dissipates the heat generated by the emitter.
The beam
There is an expression 'Jack of all trades, master of none', and with most zoom focus lights, this is usually the case.
With the M1000 however, there is a difference.
In the tight focus/thrower position, what you have is a large reflector with the LED positioned precisely at the focal point of the reflector providing the best focus of the beam and none of the losses associated with an adjustable focus. So in this position you have an well executed thrower design.
Then as a bonus feature, the M1000 has been designed to allow the entire reflector to be moved forward to take the LED out of the optimum focus and spread the beam. As shown in the previous sections the effect is to move the LED back out of the reflector slightly. This of course means that some of the LED's light is lost behind the reflector (as shown in the output figures) and provides a less refined beam slightly reminiscent of the old Maglite unfocussed beam.
Don't forget though that what you have is an optimised thrower with the built-in facility to spread the beam if you need a wider area light. If you don't like the wider beam, don't use it, but the facility is there without adding a diffuser or having to have a second light.
So the M1000 is a master of the thrower beam and an apprentice of the flood beam.
Starting off indoors, this image shows the difference between the tight focus and wide focus configurations.
Moving outside for a bit more distance, again switching between tight and wide focus.
What it is really like to use…
The M1000 is one of the most solidly engineered lights I have tested. Weighing in at 672g with 2x18650 loaded, you won't forget you are holding it.
We frequently think of the three main qualities of a light being….
Output – Runtime – Small Size(and Weight)
…and that you can only have two of these while sacrificing the third (high output, small size means low runtime etc).
Well the M1000 really introduces a fourth quality - Durability
When weighing up your requirements, durability is a factor you need to consider, and with the M1000 being designed to take the hammering it will get from being mounted to a .50 BMG machine gun, durability is right up there. Output and runtime are also good, and the sacrifice for this level of durability is mainly a bit more weight. The M1000 is not much bigger than equivalent 2x18650 throwers, but the construction is heavier throughout.
Due to the double o-rings used to seal all 'moving' joints, the focus is stiff to operate, and it certainly won't shift by itself.
One of the tail-cap o-rings had a tendency to come out if its groove when refitting the tail-cap. Only needing a tiny persuasion to re-seat itself, this was a minor annoyance. However the o-rings also appear very durable as despite being trapped a couple of times during testing there was no damage to the o-ring at all.
There are many of us who love our gadget lights, loads of functions, vast array of output modes and enjoy using them for fun. But if you put them down for a few weeks and then find that you can't remember how to get them out of 'lock-out' or get the maximum output when you actually NEED the light, they are not as much fun.
I have been in exactly this scenario and had to remove the batteries and replace then in the light I was carrying before I could get it to even switch on. This really makes you think about what you want light for and what you need it for.
If I allow the flashaholic in me pick the light I have to hand, it would not be the M1000, but I would also carry several backup gadget lights as well (not just one backup)– and why is that? It is probably because I don't trust these lights to do what I want if I actually need light.
The reason for saying all of this in a section on, what it is really like to use, is to set the scene for how you feel when using this light. The M1000's heavy build feels strong, it feels dependable. ExtremeBeam certify it for extremely demanding environments, so although (hopefully) you will never need to test that claim yourself, it is reassuring that it is engineered well beyond anything you are likely to throw at it.
So when you are choosing a light what will you reach for? Something with super higher output and a complex user interface which might break if you drop it, or simple, dependable and engineered to take extreme abuse? The M1000 certainly makes you think.
Test sample provided by ExtremeBeam for review.
CR123 test cells kindly provided by TORCHDIRECT.
Though this is not something I can actually test, ExtremeBeam certify the M1000 to standards not many others can match.
Initial Impressions:
As I mentioned in the introduction the M1000 is built very heavily, and before you even open the box, printed on the front are the capabilities of this light.
Some of these are not really quantifiable, but there is one in particular I want to point out. ExtremeBeam certify the M1000 to be weapon mountable to '.50 cal'. Now this is no .50 AE or any other lesser .50 calibre round, this is .50 BMG!
Just to put this into perspective, if you are not sure what that is, have a quick look at this photo showing, from left: .50 BMG, 300 Win Mag, .308 Winchester, 7.62×39mm, 5.56×45mm NATO, .22LR
.50 BMG is the massive cartridge on the left.
Original photo can be found on the Wikidedia .50 BMG page.
This is not just a single shot .50 BMG such as used for some sniper rifles, but full auto .50 BMG weapons.
Much as I would like to test this out, unfortunately my testing gear doesn't stretch to a .50 BMG machine gun, but ExtremeBeam will stand by this certification.
This is the initial impressions section, but the reason for pointing out this feature is that it does raise an expectation of what the M1000 will be like.
On first lifting the M1000 out of the box, it is immediately obvious this is a very heavily built light. You do feel like you could use it to break rocks and end up just marking the anodising a bit.
The first time you try out the focus mechanism it is very stiff, but this is due to the double o-rings used to seal this section of the M1000. The force required to change the focus only goes to reinforce how solid this light is.
Certainly this is not a 'normal' flashlight.
What is in the box:
The M1000 arrives in a sturdy box. The clear window had a tear off protector film when it arrived.
Opening the flap, the M1000 is held in a dense closed cell foam tray.
As well as the M1000 light, there is a wrist strap and generic ExtremeBeam manual. (no spares are provided)
Taking a closer look and looking inside:
Starting to take a closer look at the M1000
The M1000 has a large deep reflector.
Looking straight into the reflector and at the XM-L U2 emitter.
And even closer.
With the battery tube removed from the Head of the light, the anti-recoil positive connection with large brass sprung contact can be seen.
The negative terminal in the tail-cap is a similar anti-recoil sprung contact.
The battery tube is nearly 6mm thick! This tube will take any 18650 I've tried, and you can see just how solid the build of the M1000 is.
The threads on the head end of the battery tube are bare aluminium and a heavy square cut thread. Double o-rings are used to seal the join.
The tail-cap end of the tube has anodised threads allowing you to lock out the tail-cap should you wish to. Again double o-rings are used.
The tail-cap is quite wide and allows easy operation even with gloved hands. The ring around the switch protects from accidental operation without impeding its use.
Just back from the bezel is the focus ring. This can be unscrewed to move the reflector forward from the LED and defocus the beam. As you loosen the head, even if you expose the first o-ring, there is a second one to keep it watertight.
The effect of adjusting the focus ring is to move the reflector forward of the LED, so the LED is no longer in the focal point of the reflector. Looking closely you can see the LED appear to move backwards.
Modes and User Interface:
In keeping with its tactical design the M1000 uses a forward clicky tail switch allowing for momentary operation.
There are three modes, High, Low and Strobe.
After 4s of being off, the M1000 resets back to High, so it will always come on in High when you first pick it up. If you give the switch a double tap you get Low, and a triple tap gives the Strobe.
Simple, reliable and intuitive interface if you need to use it under pressure.
Batteries and output:
The M1000 will run on 2x18650 or 4x CR123.
To measure actual output, I built an integrating sphere. See here for more detail. The sensor registers visible light only (so Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet will not be measured).
Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published.
| ExtrememBeam M1000-Fusion | I.S. measured ANSI output Lumens | PWM frequency or Strobe frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| High 18650 | 760 | noise at 500Hz |
| High 18650 – Wide Zoom | 520 | 0 |
| Low 18650 | 248 | 0 |
| Strobe 18650 | 402 | 33% On-Pulse width |
| High CR123 | 767 | Noise at 500Hz |
| Low CR123 | 260 | 0 |
| Strobe CR123 | 407 | 50% On-Pulse width |
Peak Beam intensity measured at 10m was calculated back to 1m giving 55200cd which equates to an ASNI beam range of 470m.
You will get a good 1hr45mins of well-regulated output on High after which the output drop sharply, but doesn't cut out suddenly, instead continuing to provide a low output for some time after it can no longer manage maximum output.
To see how abuse proof the M1000 is, as a break from my normal practices, I ran the output test with no cooling at all.
When carrying out the runtime test I always use a cooling fan. This test is very unrealistic in that a light would not be left indoors in a clamp running at full output for a long as the batteries last in normal use. To counter this unrealistic scenario, forced cooling is used. Even with a cooling fan many lights hit 60° C or more.
The M1000 took this in its stride with the maximum head temperature reaching only 44°C and the battery tube reaching only 37°C. Thanks to the thick walled construction the M1000 easily dissipates the heat generated by the emitter.
The beam
There is an expression 'Jack of all trades, master of none', and with most zoom focus lights, this is usually the case.
With the M1000 however, there is a difference.
In the tight focus/thrower position, what you have is a large reflector with the LED positioned precisely at the focal point of the reflector providing the best focus of the beam and none of the losses associated with an adjustable focus. So in this position you have an well executed thrower design.
Then as a bonus feature, the M1000 has been designed to allow the entire reflector to be moved forward to take the LED out of the optimum focus and spread the beam. As shown in the previous sections the effect is to move the LED back out of the reflector slightly. This of course means that some of the LED's light is lost behind the reflector (as shown in the output figures) and provides a less refined beam slightly reminiscent of the old Maglite unfocussed beam.
Don't forget though that what you have is an optimised thrower with the built-in facility to spread the beam if you need a wider area light. If you don't like the wider beam, don't use it, but the facility is there without adding a diffuser or having to have a second light.
So the M1000 is a master of the thrower beam and an apprentice of the flood beam.
Starting off indoors, this image shows the difference between the tight focus and wide focus configurations.
Moving outside for a bit more distance, again switching between tight and wide focus.
What it is really like to use…
The M1000 is one of the most solidly engineered lights I have tested. Weighing in at 672g with 2x18650 loaded, you won't forget you are holding it.
We frequently think of the three main qualities of a light being….
Output – Runtime – Small Size(and Weight)
…and that you can only have two of these while sacrificing the third (high output, small size means low runtime etc).
Well the M1000 really introduces a fourth quality - Durability
When weighing up your requirements, durability is a factor you need to consider, and with the M1000 being designed to take the hammering it will get from being mounted to a .50 BMG machine gun, durability is right up there. Output and runtime are also good, and the sacrifice for this level of durability is mainly a bit more weight. The M1000 is not much bigger than equivalent 2x18650 throwers, but the construction is heavier throughout.
Due to the double o-rings used to seal all 'moving' joints, the focus is stiff to operate, and it certainly won't shift by itself.
One of the tail-cap o-rings had a tendency to come out if its groove when refitting the tail-cap. Only needing a tiny persuasion to re-seat itself, this was a minor annoyance. However the o-rings also appear very durable as despite being trapped a couple of times during testing there was no damage to the o-ring at all.
There are many of us who love our gadget lights, loads of functions, vast array of output modes and enjoy using them for fun. But if you put them down for a few weeks and then find that you can't remember how to get them out of 'lock-out' or get the maximum output when you actually NEED the light, they are not as much fun.
I have been in exactly this scenario and had to remove the batteries and replace then in the light I was carrying before I could get it to even switch on. This really makes you think about what you want light for and what you need it for.
If I allow the flashaholic in me pick the light I have to hand, it would not be the M1000, but I would also carry several backup gadget lights as well (not just one backup)– and why is that? It is probably because I don't trust these lights to do what I want if I actually need light.
The reason for saying all of this in a section on, what it is really like to use, is to set the scene for how you feel when using this light. The M1000's heavy build feels strong, it feels dependable. ExtremeBeam certify it for extremely demanding environments, so although (hopefully) you will never need to test that claim yourself, it is reassuring that it is engineered well beyond anything you are likely to throw at it.
So when you are choosing a light what will you reach for? Something with super higher output and a complex user interface which might break if you drop it, or simple, dependable and engineered to take extreme abuse? The M1000 certainly makes you think.
Test sample provided by ExtremeBeam for review.
CR123 test cells kindly provided by TORCHDIRECT.
