NiteCore D10 Comparison Review

[UnknownVT]

Some further observations -

"Extra" feature in Momentary mode (head partially unscrewed/loosened) -
As selfbuilt observed in his admirable review of this light pressing the piston button down as far as it will go makes the D10 jump to its Max level.

However there is another "feature" - in momentary mode - press the piston button lightly to activate the momentary On - wait for at least 1 sec (might be 0.5 sec) then press further to as far as it will go - the light will start ramping upwards to allow one to set the light output level - this is quite consistent and repeatable on my sample - so it was not just a one-time, or accidental thing.

I could not get the light to ramp in the other direction (ie: go down to a lower level). So obviously it is only good for getting a brighter level - but nevertheless I would think for those who like to keep the D10 at a low level this is quite a nice feature.

Feel of the piston button -
D10 in the momentary mode - ie: head partially unscrewed - obviously the more unscrewed the further one has to depress the piston button to activate the momentary. The manual says to loosen the head one turn - I found I prefer only about half a turn - as the throw is shorter to activate the momentary, and makes it easier to use the twisty action one-handed (although the head twist action on my sample is pretty stiff)

This also affects the feel of the piston button even in the On/Off mode - on my sample there is just under 1/4 turn when the light remains on from fully screwed down - if one backs the head off to the just On position the button feels softer and like there is more travel - I like this feel better than the fully tightened position.

 

[HKJ]

I could not get the light to ramp in the other direction (ie: go down to a lower level). So obviously it is only good for getting a brighter level - but nevertheless I would think for those who like to keep the D10 at a low level this is quite a nice feature.

It is possible, but your have to be careful not to release the button to off.

As long as your keep the button pressed to on, your can do the same clicks as when twisted on, your just has to be very careful, not to release to off!

 

[UnknownVT]

It is possible, but your have to be careful not to release the button to off.
As long as your keep the button pressed to on, your can do the same clicks as when twisted on, your just has to be very careful, not to release to off!

Thank you, you're right, I can now do this, but not that consistently -
often my release does flick to off, therefore the next press to as far as it will go, will go to Max. However taking your advice I can get it to ramp down from Max - again not that consistently but it can be done.

For me part of the trick is to loosen/unscrew the head more - so that there is more travel. Whereas my previous favored position for momentary mode was 1/2 turn out as opposed to the suggested full-turn - with a full-turn or more the action for ramping then does become easier.

Thank you for the advice.

 

[UnknownVT]

Comparison with the other NiteCore 123 lights - using Li-Ion

vs. NiteCore EX10 - Max Li-Ion RCR123

these look about the same level - the D10 has a smoother beam with fewer artifacts.... maybe the EX10 might be very slightly brighter - but it is hard to tell, others may call it differently.

vs. NiteCore NEX Extreme - Max Li-Ion RCR123

again close.. hard call to say if either is brighter.

I am a bit surprised since the (NEX) NiteCore Extreme has been tested as one of the brightest single 123 lights on the market - and the Li-Ion RCR123 was freshly charged.

So as a sort of control I compared the EX10 with the Extreme -

EX10 vs. Extreme both Max Li-Ion RCR123

hmmm.... these do look about the same level - again it is hard to say if one is brighter than the other - so my call is that they are about the same.

This doesn't seem to corrolate to selfbuilt's findings in his very admirable review of the D10 & EX10 - where he measured the Extreme as significantly brighter than the EX10, and also the D10 was a bit brighter than the EX10 -
my comparsion beamshots seem to show that the 3 lights seem about equal......
Surely sample variations can't be by that much?
Or perhaps there is measured brightness difference, which for some reason I can't see either in photos or in real-life?

 

[bdws1975]

NICE SHOTS!!! thanks so much for doing that. i tried the feature you detailed in post 41.

LOVE IT!

thanks,
brett

 

[UnknownVT]

Comparison with the other NiteCore 123 lights - using Li-Ion
This doesn't seem to corrolate to selfbuilt's findings in his very admirable review of the D10 & EX10 - where he measured the Extreme as significantly brighter than the EX10, and also the D10 was a bit brighter than the EX10 -
my comparsion beamshots seem to show that the 3 lights seem about equal......
Surely sample variations can't be by that much?
Or perhaps there is measured brightness difference, which for some reason I can't see either in photos or in real-life?

Because of this discreprency -
I just did my standardized stairway beamshots using the Niteore Extreme (NEX) and EX10 - both on Max and those recently charged Li-Ion RCR123.

Here's a matrix comparing the D10, Extreme and EX10 and using the Fenix P3D-RB100 as a control -

Just to make sure that tint/color didnt make the comparison harder - I removed the color by deSaturation -

These are all close - there are, I am sure, bound to be measurable differences -
but I would say these are close enough there would probably be very little practical difference in real usage?

 

[wild68fury]

Thanks again for the beamshots. They allow us to see for ourselves how the lights perform. If I did not have a P3d, I would buy a ex10 without hesitation.

 

[jbviau]

wild, you could justify buying a 1XCR123A light as a battery killer to finish off your single cells, no?

 

[wild68fury]

I use rechargeable batteries with a solar charger.

 

[THE OFF]

superp review Thanks:thumbsup:

 

[LED-holic]

Excellent review and beam shots, Vincent!!

 

[JKL]

Excellent review.

 

[UnknownVT]

Further observation - perhaps an anomoly....
or trivia :huh:.

Twisting the light to just On, the piston does not seem to want to switch the light Off.

Even a very slight twist anti-clockwise obviously will turn the light Off
- but in this permanent On state, even a very slight twist clockwise will then allow the light to be turned Off with the piston.

The position is pretty sensitive - it has to be when the light only just twists On

I first discovered this strange anomoly on the EX10 - but found that I could also do it with this D10.

This is really pretty inconsequential for any real practical usage, but it is there, and I found I can do it pretty consistently with the EX10, and slightly less so with this D10.

My GUESS/speculation is that it might perhaps have something to do with a tiny bit of "stick-tion" on the split brass ring in the head, that is the contact switch. If there is a tiny bit of stick-tion when the light just twists On - then there might not be enough travel on the piston action to turn the light Off? Whereas even a slight twist clockwise will allow the piston to switch the light Off (ie: act normally again)

 

[flash99dark]

Vincent....I just picked up my 2nd Nitecore product..The D10..preliminary inside, 2 to 3 meter
on a section on very white painted wood panel shows a very noticeable difference in the EX10 and the D10 in that the EX10 is brighter that the D10 and that the color/tint of the D10 is more like my Fenix LD2 Cree Q2 in that it leans more towards a yellow incandescent than the bright cool bright white of most of my current Led torches.

I would like to state that I love both of these lights and the quick test was done with used Enloop AA's and used Sanyo 2700mah battery. I am waiting for 4sevens to get in some R14500 AW batterys so I can try those also.

A couple of further points. There were no discernible "Cree black rings" in the D10 at any range [12" to about 7 feet]. The EX10 had a very slight black ring at about 12" from the wall
only. When I backed away from the wall no signs of any rings.
The beam shot quality of both of these lights is so good I almost thought that some new type of Cree led was used. [I am not normally a "white wall hunter type"]

I will edit/amend this post upon getting some more new batteries..William

 

[UnknownVT]

2 to 3 meter
on a section on very white painted wood panel shows a very noticeable difference in the EX10 and the D10 in that the EX10 is brighter that the D10

Thank you very much for your observations - this is what I found too the D10 on NiMH is less bright than EX10, or D10 on Li-Ion 14500 - please see the comparison of stairway beamshots in post #24 .

However one should be aware that the D10 on Li-Ion does gradually decline from its initial brightness over the first 25 minutes - see selfbuilt's admirable review, and stairway beamshots using an over half discharged 14500 in post #39

 

[dmonay]

I've been looking at all kinds of lights for my first bright flashlight.
Nitecore PD 10, or Nitecore Extreme Defender, Jetbeam I OR II PRO, Fenix L1D Q5 or the P3D Q5, Surefre E2D LED Defender.

How does the Nitecore build quality compare with some of these other lights ? I'm thinking of the Surefire E2D LED Defender for a thrower and the Nitecore D10 for an edc to go with or possibly replace my Arc AAA 5.5 lumen pocket light. (But I do love that little light.)

I also carry a Mini Maglight AAA with a Terralux TLE 20 led conversion only at work.

Basically I want a bright simple to use light that uses a single battery 4" or less in length that's pocketable.

 

[UnknownVT]

How does the Nitecore build quality compare with some of these other lights ? I'm thinking of the Surefire E2D LED Defender for a thrower and the Nitecore D10 for an edc to go with or possibly replace my Arc AAA 5.5 lumen pocket light. (But I do love that little light.)

The build quality of the NiteCore Smart PD series (ie: D10 and EX10) are very good and probably has a similar feel to the Arc-AAA - full checkering/knurling and dark gray HA3.

Of course the D10 is going to be signifcantly larger than the Arc-AAA being an AA light - but it is very compact for a single AA light.

D10 is nice but kind of a "single mode/level" light. That single level can be selected from a very wide range of brightness levels - and one can pretty quickly get brightest or lowest levels - however this means losing the pre-set custom level one has chosen - but it is not that hard to get back to that or any other level.

I like this light a lot - but sometimes wish it had the ability to have multiple (3) pre-set levels.

 

[fenixflashaholic0537]

I haven't really been a big fan of the nitecore d10. But after reasearch I'm a big fan of the nitecore pd system. Great comparison by the way.lovecpf