New Mini MKIII's for 2021

[Got Lumens?]

Hey Gang,

Well I actually have good news, how about that! We received the shipment of replacement pills last week, have inspected them, and are getting started on reworking 1100 lights. That's 200-250 hours of labor on our end and we plan to start shipping next week. I've spent the week making some custom tools to help us get the pills in and out.

We shipped a handful of orders and then I realized it's been so long some people will need to update their shipping address.

Do you need to update your shipping address?

• You'll have until Tuesday, April 25th to email us about updating your shipping address. If we don't hear from you, we'll ship to the address provided at the time of order. Please use [email protected]!
• Please copy/paste the following into your email subject so we can track your request: "Mini Pre-Order Shipping Address Change" If you don't, the email won't make it to the right person on time.

Orders will not ship in any particular order. We are reworking batches of all 4 lights and will ship on a daily basis until the rework is complete. This could take a few weeks. As with any order, you'll receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking info when we print the label. This does not mean the carrier has picked up or scanned the shipment, so you may need to wait a couple days before tracking info is displayed correctly.

Thanks so much for your patience and support!

Jason & the Prometheus Team

 

[Got Lumens?]

 

[Got Lumens?]

I just decided to do a quick and dirty, by the eyeball runtime test on high. I'm a bit perplexed, honestly I'm not sure how it went. It's super hard for me to gauge the output of the high mode, as I don't have any other lights with a similar beam and output. I'm pretty sure the runtime advertised is ANSI, which means to 10% and at the 2 hour mark I called it quits as I'm getting tired. The light didn't have any noticeable drops to my eye and was definitely more than 10% of the output at the start. I don't have a means to measure voltage or output for that matter unfortunately.

What really got me is that I was expecting a light this small to get warm with an output of 350 lumens. According to my IR thermometer, the warmest it got was 88 fahrenheit. Does this seem normal to you guys?

Yes, that seems perfectly normal.
Prometheus's new MKIII design specs accommodate user comfort.

 

[nbp]

Mine just arrived as well! Time to pocket it and give it some proper testing!

 

[nollij]

Can't wait to get mine! Hopefully soon… waiting on the regular Ti version.

 

[defloyd77]

I've been playing with mine and comparing it to my S1R and something seems amiss with the outputs. Medium is rated at 45 lumens, but seems close to low mode on my S1R, which is 12 lumens. High is rated at 350 lumens, but seems close to medium on the Olight, which is 60 lumens.

At the moment, I'm doing a runtime test on medium, which is advertised as having 9 hours of runtime. It's approaching 19 hours and has no signs of dimming. Something is definitely not right.

 

[defloyd77]

Medium ran for somewhere between 22 hours and 22 hours and 30 minutes. Left t alone at the 22 hour mark and came back half an hour later and it was out.

High made it 2 hours and 39 minutes before it dropped noticeably and started flashing.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Medium ran for somewhere between 22 hours and 22 hours and 30 minutes. Left t alone at the 22 hour mark and came back half an hour later and it was out.

High made it 2 hours and 39 minutes before it dropped noticeably and started flashing.

For comparison to stated output from darksucks.com -
Brightness Levels: With RCR123A High Discharge Battery

• Low (Moonlight): 1.5 lumens, 90 hrs
• Medium: 45 lumens, 9 hrs
• High 350 lumens 60 min
• Max/Burst 900 lumens, 50 min (30 seconds burst, then steps down to high)

 

[defloyd77]

For comparison to stated output from darksucks.com -
Brightness Levels: With RCR123A High Discharge Battery

• Low (Moonlight): 1.5 lumens, 90 hrs
• Medium: 45 lumens, 9 hrs
• High 350 lumens 60 min
• Max/Burst 900 lumens, 50 min (30 seconds burst, then steps down to high)

Do the outputs on your light seem to match the specs?

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Do the outputs on your light seem to match the specs?

Still waiting to receive those that will be mine .........

 

[SNES]

Looks like they can't catch a break:

Hey all,

I'm really sorry, frustrated, and frankly embarrassed to be writing this email. Everyone on this list has a Mini MKIII pre-order that has already shipped. However, I discovered Monday that there is another issue with the replacement parts we received, excitedly put into your lights, and mailed.

When I received the replacement parts I tested them to see if the known problem (mode change timing) had been corrected. It was. However, I did not go back and test the output. In retrospect this is obvious, but at the time there was no particular reason to retest functions not related to mode timing. Nevertheless, I should have been more diligent as you (and I) have been waiting on these lights for 5 months. Mea culpa.

Mini MKIII (all models): This light is achieving 60% output in all output modes. On the plus side...moonlight is now sub-lumen...and run times will be double. Burst is still a respectable 550 lumens.

Mini Turbo MKIII (all models): This light is performing correctly, except for Burst mode, which is only hitting 60% output. I carried this light all last week, impressed some people on a golf course, and did not notice that burst was lacking.

I have no idea what is going on with our vendor. It's like the wheels fell off. This vendor has been making our Quarks and Preons (flawlessly) for a couple of years. In fact, until the recent Mini order, we have not received anything out of specification. My best guess is that a combination of supply chain (which caused the factory to redesign the driver), rising costs, and production interruptions/worker availability from COVID has created a perfect storm with Murphey standing in the eye.

Right now I don't know what's going to happen and I'm communicating with the vendor. But I discovered this issue, spent a couple days testing, and wanted to communicate as soon as possible because the lights we shipped are not as advertised. As always, despite the pain, we operate with complete transparency. As of yesterday we have halted all rework and shipping until we can determine a corrective action. I'll update you again when I have more information.

In the meantime, feel free to enjoy your lights.

I know some of you won't really care about the output.

Others are going to.

I've been testing lights for the last couple days and (not trying to sell a bug as a feature) I actually prefer the lower settings on the Mini, but it's not what you were expecting.

Either way we plan to continue moving forward; always forward, and will do our best to satisfy you under these difficult circumstances.

The plan is to reach out in a week or two once we understand the possible courses of action and offer you guys some options.

Thank you for your understanding and your patience. We hope you know that we have done – and continue to do – everything in our power to be transparent and up front.

Respectfully,

Jason & the Prometheus Team

 

[defloyd77]

When it rains, it f'n pours, but it's nice to know I'm not crazy, well at least not for this one instance...

 

[nbp]

That was an interesting email to receive. I am not certain how I feel. Personally I kinda like the lower outputs and longer runtimes... but at the same time it is a defect from the original specs. I will be curious to see what options are offered.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

That was an interesting email to receive. I am not certain how I feel. Personally I kinda like the lower outputs and longer runtimes... but at the same time it is a defect from the original specs. I will be curious to see what options are offered.

Mine haven't shipped, but I'm inclined to agree with you. If a trade-off has to be made (unintentionally) I'd prefer longer runtimes over higher outputs - even though the majority of my flashlight use is short bursts. I know that doesn't make sense ...... until you consider all of these are still available for when I want a pocket rocket -

 

[badtziscool]

In a way, this halt on production is an opportunity for a collector. I doubt it would be on the same level as a Honus Wagner baseball card but the series of events leading to its rarity is similar.

With that said, do we know if all four models of this mkiii has been released?

 

[defloyd77]

That was an interesting email to receive. I am not certain how I feel. Personally I kinda like the lower outputs and longer runtimes... but at the same time it is a defect from the original specs. I will be curious to see what options are offered.

I'm a little mixed myself. I definitely like the medium and high output levels but low is too low for a general use twisty light for me and I'm really missing a good, stable high output high mode and the high giddy factor of the 900 lumen turbo.

It is however good to know that the runtimes are appropriate for the outputs and it's not like the first run of MKIII Preons where medium was the right output but half the runtime.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Giddy Factor - an excellent means of measuring an owner's pleasure with his or her light. I purpose manufacturers start including it with other specifications. i.e Giddy factor - 8.

Personally, I love the giddy factor.

 

[defloyd77]

Giddy Factor - an excellent means of measuring an owner's pleasure with his or her light. I purpose manufacturers start including it with other specifications. i.e Giddy factor - 8.

Personally, I love the giddy factor.

Of course, giddy factor must be measured in decibels and pitch of one's squealing. The scale starts at that weird sound your body makes when you belch and hiccup at the same time and maxes out with little schoolgirl who just got a "do you like me" note sent back with the yes box checked.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

I'm liking the lower output my titanium model. I have an earlier gen aluminum Turbo. Both are used in the 360 headlight/band. It's nice to have high output and throw in the aluminum that can better handle heat; and a lower output, longer running flood beam with less heat in the titanium host. Sub-lumen moonlight is a plus.

 

[Msf]

I am hoping the options (mine have not shipped yet) are not involving another long wait. Honestly, I have been patient through all of this, but now I am getting rather frustrated. It's beginning to seem like this isn't meant to be.