**NEW** Nitecore EA4 Pioneer (4*AA, 860lm)

[Verndog]

It seems to me that it would be more logical to put a real low mode on a light the size of the EA4, than one on a very large light like the TK70.

It's no mistake they did the same thing on a smaller single 18650 with less throw and intensity then the EA4. In this case for the smaller light that is more suitable for pocket carry I would agree they NEED a lower mode.

http://www.nitecore.com/UploadFile/Files/download/1-1_EC25_UM_EN.pdf

 

[markr6]

It's no mistake they did the same thing on a smaller single 18650 with less throw and intensity then the EA4. In this case for the smaller light that is more suitable for pocket carry I would agree they NEED a lower mode.http://www.nitecore.com/UploadFile/Files/download/1-1_EC25_UM_EN.pdf

You read my mind!! I was just looking at this light while browsing online. I'm not planning on purchasing it, just killing some time at work I saw the 60lm mode and thought "WHAT!!??" I'll let it slide on the EA4, but on this one it just doesn't make sense. I really like the lights NC is putting out - hopefully it is a learning experience and something they will correct if they end up getting a lot of negative feedback.

 

[Verndog]

Heck, with the discount it's a couple bucks more then my Eagletac D25A (single A)....I might buy one just for the High / Mid and great UI.

 

[Billspider]

Today I received a Nitecore EA4W via Fedex. I paid $59.00 which included tax and shipping.
I didn't specify whether I wanted a Cool White or a Neutral White, I received Neutral White. Because I'm new to LED Flashlights, I doubt I could tell the difference unless they were side by side.

When I shake it vigorously it will emit a rattle. I don't plan on shaking it vigorously while in use, so the rattle doesn't bother me.
I could not be happier with this light especially at this price point. and it using AA Batteries.

 

[markone]

I'm glad you were able to fix yours. Illumination Supply sent me a replacement which I received yesterday Still has a slight rattle ,but the bezel is perfect. I'm now extremely happy with this light.

Illumination Supply is providing you with a great after sale service, but maybe you are one of its best loyal customers ;-)

Just one note about a detail that popped up when i unscrewed the bezel:

there is a thin transparent flat seal interposed between glass and bezel, not easy to keep in place when it's time to reassemble the head assy.

I did not removed the glass (dust is always in wait to jump inside flashlight reflectors ...) but i had the impression that bezel / body gap is due to wrong o-ring thickness plus above mentioned seal presence.

If someone has interest in it, there is hope to lower the gap changing the original o-ring with a thinner one.
I agree that the gap is not a big problem, but sure with the time it will tend to retain the dirt.

Changing the subject, i found a japanese webpage with an interesting mod of the flashlight UI led :

http://katokichi.cocolog-nifty.com/hitorigoto/2012/12/ea4-8bde.html

Thanks to the brave guy that took apart its own EA4 making photos, now it's clear how the switch assy is made.

 

[markone]

Today I received a Nitecore EA4W via Fedex. I paid $59.00 which included tax and shipping.
-snip

$59.00 shipped .... is almost half the EU price

At this cost i would consider mandatory to buy at least a couple !

 

[markr6]

$59.00 shipped .... is almost half the EU price

At this cost i would consider mandatory to buy at least a couple !

LOL I would too but everyone scared me with the rattle issue. Dare I spin the wheel and take a chance on getting another good one?

 

[markone]

LOL I would too but everyone scared me with the rattle issue. Dare I spin the wheel and take a chance on getting another good one?

Speaking about my copy of EA4 the rattle does not seem a problem at all if used by hand.

Maybe if you mount it on a MTB ....

 

[markr6]

Speaking about my copy of EA4 the rattle does not seem a problem at all if used by hand.

Maybe if you mount it on a MTB ....

Yeah I'm sure it's fine. But I'm one of those crazy people that would be shaking it all the time to make sure it's still there, getting annoyed.

 

[MIKES250R]

I love my EA4, the rattle is minimal. It does not bother me at all. I think the rattle thing is being blown way out of proportion. Just for poops and giggles I challenge you all to shake any flashlight and see if you hear a rattle. Most all of my other lights rattle a little, some of which cost much more than the EA4.

 

[HighlanderNorth]

One I can think of. You add more modes and you force every user to cycle though those modes to get to where he / she wants. More then 4 is overkill IMO and can lead to user frustration and additional switch wear. If they hid the low modes that many wont use then I'd still buy it.

Well they could always come up with a UI similar to Zebralights where 2/3 of the modes are hidden unless you double click to get to them or multiple double click. I get what you're saying though, as the one complaint I have about my Eagletac D25C is it "circular" UI where to get back to the mode you want(if you missed it) you literally have to click your way though each and every mode, including the 46 different SOS, beacons, strobes, metronomes, flashers, spinners and wazoos!

 

[Verndog]

Well they could always come up with a UI similar to Zebralights where 2/3 of the modes are hidden unless you double click to get to them or multiple double click. I get what you're saying though, as the one complaint I have about my Eagletac D25C is it "circular" UI where to get back to the mode you want(if you missed it) you literally have to click your way though each and every mode, including the 46 different SOS, beacons, strobes, metronomes, flashers, spinners and wazoos!

Can't you reset your way out of that strobing wormhole with a 2 second half press like my D25LC2 clicky? That reset trick wasn't in the manual, but it's there in the UI for those that are seconds from breaking glass.

 

[Tybo22]

I have to say I agree with you about 50% and disagree about 50%. I understand the lack of practicality of putting extremely low modes on a larger light that is designed as a searchlight, not a pocket carry light. But I am not 100% sure the EA4 is, or needs to be a 100% searchlight.(lots of percentages here huh?). For its fairly small size, it could just as well serve as an everyday "around the house" light or a home emergency light. Its really not "SAR sized" compared with most SAR lights which are larger. So it could be better with 1-2 low modes.

From the perspective of any company, you want as many sales as possible, so if you produce a light that is relatively small but powerful, why not make it useful for a wider range of people using it for a wider range of uses? My Friggin' Thrunite TN30, with its 2700+ lumens and significantly larger size, still has 2 low modes which are both lower than the EA4's low mode! They are: Low 1: 1 lumen, Low 2: 38 lumens. Is it really practical to include a 1 lumen firefly mode on a fat searchlight like the TN30? Probably not, but hey, electronics are cheap, and it doesnt cost much more to give it a 1L and 38L modes.... So whats the downside of doing so, as long as you include proper medium and high modes?

So when talking about the smaller EA4, it certainly makes much more sense to add at least 1 or 2 proper low modes. Again, its not that much more costly to do so because the slight difference in electronics needed to add those modes would only result in an insignificant increase in cost, which would certainly pay for itself by making the light more flexible and therefore more desirable to a wider group of customers.....

Thank you sir for agreeing with me some what.....I love my low modes and honestly if they made a ea4 with lower modes I would probably buy it as well because I have a problem when it comes to buying lights. I was only trying to point out that a lack of a low low mode is not a flaw or problem as stated earlier.

 

[fatbrad]

In some of selfbuilt's reviews of infinitely variable lights, he has discussed perceived brightness going with the cube root of the lumens or lux. If the progression on this light were 860, 400, 145, 30, 1 lumens then the perceived brightness should change by the same amount for every step. It would provide the low levels that some users desire without adding too many clicks to cycle to the level you want when higher levels are desired. Also, the daily mode has memory so you could avoid the low levels if you wanted.

I just got mine today and it sure makes my Fenix LD25 seem dim. Most of my use will be walking dogs at night. I found the spacing of the levels pretty close together. As I personally don't have much use for the very low modes outdoors, I would be happy with fewer, more widely spaced modes ( e.g. 860, 450, 200, 65 if keeping the same range). But the spacing I suggested above would be quite usable for me.

From a marketing point of view, if 550 is the max that they can support from a continuous running with acceptable heat rejection, they may need to keep 550 as the 2nd level. Some users will think of this as a 550 lumen flashlight because the 860 is only available for 3 minutes at a time. A 5 level approach to accommodate this could be 860, 550, 200, 40, 1. Then the steps from 1 to 550 would have approximately equal changes in perceived brightness.

I don't have any experience using very low lumen levels and I just picked 1 lumen to make the math easier. Does this kind of approach for keeping the same UI but changing levels make sense?


I really like being able to join the bright flashlight club using AA's. With a curious 7 year old, I am hesitant to start using Li-ion cells. This flashlight is fun to have.

 

[mikekoz]

After reading about this light on several threads, I now have a cool white version of it on the way! As far as the spacing of the brightness levels goes, and the lack of a true low, that will just boil down to personal preference and how one uses the light. No matter how a light is designed, like all things, you cannot satisfy everybodys wishes for what they think is the perfect light! I also love the fact that with today's technology, one can purchase a very bright light using common, cheap, and safe betteries. Not too long ago to get a light like this, it had to be powered by multiple lithium ion or lithium primary cells. I still use a few lights that use single Li Ion rechargeables, but no longer buy the multiple cell lights like that. This light, the Fenix TK70, Coast HP550, Coleman CT50, and several other lights I cannot think of right now make it fun for me to be a flashaholic!

 

[RBH]

That is exactly the way I see it.

 

[Timothybil]

Any of you have an EA4 that has the button light only work as a voltmeter? When the flashlight is on, nothing flashes, but when I put it in lockout I get the expected voltage display. I don't really care because I never saw a need for a constantly blinking button anyway - but I really like the voltmeter function and am glad I still have that.
Also, when doing a couple of ceiling bounce tests, I noticed that the hot spot is a nice warm with (I have the EA4W warm white), with a slightly orange cast around the edges, and the spill area is slightly purple. I guess I get the best of both worlds! I don't really care since the spot is nice and warm white, and the tints are so faint as to be almost not there.
I know I could send it back for the button light and probably get one with a more even tint back, but I'm not going to because I'm happy with what I've got and don't need the hassle of trying to get a feature I could care less about. I'm just enjoying my wonderful light, and flashing back a few years to when all I had was my trusty G2 for the same price I paid for my EA4W. My how times have changed!

 

[atbglenn]

Illumination Supply is providing you with a great after sale service, but maybe you are one of its best loyal customers ;-)

Just one note about a detail that popped up when i unscrewed the bezel:

there is a thin transparent flat seal interposed between glass and bezel, not easy to keep in place when it's time to reassemble the head assy.

I did not removed the glass (dust is always in wait to jump inside flashlight reflectors ...) but i had the impression that bezel / body gap is due to wrong o-ring thickness plus above mentioned seal presence.

If someone has interest in it, there is hope to lower the gap changing the original o-ring with a thinner one.
I agree that the gap is not a big problem, but sure with the time it will tend to retain the dirt.

Changing the subject, i found a japanese webpage with an interesting mod of the flashlight UI led :

http://katokichi.cocolog-nifty.com/hitorigoto/2012/12/ea4-8bde.html

Thanks to the brave guy that took apart its own EA4 making photos, now it's clear how the switch assy is made.

I'm a first time buyer from Illumination Supply and still they sent me a new one, even paying for return shipping! Craig is the best! As of now I'm a loyal customer. I've been playing around with the EA4 for a couple of days now and I have to say I'm thrilled with it. The modes are fine form me. I'm not one who needs an ultra low. I think the spacing is fine. That said, I highly recommend this flashlight.

 

[markone]

I'm a first time buyer from Illumination Supply and still they sent me a new one, even paying for return shipping!

That's great, in the old continent it works in a different way, at least for that kind of defects.

I'm too in love for this flashlight, for the following reasons :

- great performance vs size
- works with 8 Euro safe battery
- practical UI
- handy body

The only thing that i miss is ... the US price, but this is a "local" problem

 

[TEEJ]

One issue with SAR lights and low lows is that the beam SHAPE to GET throw means the beam merely puts a teeny but dim spot of light on the ground, which sucks for walking around with, as you can't see much at a time, and must constantly sweep the light around and try to see what's out there through the limited tunnel vision it creates.

Floody lights are MUCH better suited to low lows...as at least the dim glow allows you to see enough at a time to anticipate roots and so forth.