BabyDoc
Flashlight Enthusiast
I just found this NDI look alike that surprisingly has not received a lot of positive comments on the forum. It is a sleeper bargain, that has probably been overlooked because of its misunderstood interface. It is the MTE C3-70101 Cree Q5 5-Multimode light, available at Deal Extreme: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10688
What impresses me most about this light is NOT the similarity in appearance to the NDI. ( It DOES NOT not have the infinitely adjustable user mode that is present on the NDI). What impresses me most is the beautiful beam this light produces. It rivals that of lights costing far more than the $26 I spent. In fact the beam is far better than that on the NDI, even better than the new TAD version I have. It has a beautiful white (slightly warm) hot spot with absolutely none of the usual cree artifacts, as it smoothly transitions into the very smooth wide spill area. The spill area is wider than on the NDI, and unlike the NDI which has a bezel outline artifact, there is none on the MTE. There are absolutely no other color artifacts or donuts either as reported especially with the original NDI. Because the Cree Q5 is perfectly centered and because there is no gap between OP reflector and the LED platform (as on the NDI), it could account for the lack of artifacts.
The modes on the light are similar to that of the L1D. Low -> Med -> High ->Strobe -> SOS. The user interface operates from a candle standable, reverse clicky like on the L1D, but that is where the similarity ends with the L1D. There is no twisty head choices with the MTE and unlike the L1D, there is a memory feature on the MTE that will retain the last used setting when the light is turned back on.
While the build quality of this light is nearly as good as the NDI and L1D, many people have commented negatively about the interface.
The problem with the interface is the lack of instructions that come with the light and the seemingly erratic operation that occurs without understanding its proper operation. The complaints are similar to those voiced by people regarding the NDI who don't fully understand its design and operation. If you understand how it works, any of the erratic behavior can be attributed to user errors in every case.
For those who have this light and have not figured out how it works, this is a summary of its operation
1. To change between any of the 5 modes, merely press the tailswitch once lightly. Once the light switches modes, it will lock into that mode after a 2 second delay. There will be a brief blink or flicker as that setting is memorized.
2. Once you are in a given mode for 2 seconds, that mode is "locked". To change modes you need to lightly press the tailswitch TWICE rapidly. The first press unlocks and clears memory, while the second press moves you to the next mode. The second press must occur within a second. If you merely press once after it is locked (to unlock), but wait too long before pressing a second time hoping to change modes, the light does nothing because it has relocked itself in the present mode.
3. To quickly cycle between all modes, you must do so by pressing the tailswitch repetively, not waiting more than 1 second between presses. Each time you press, the light will switch to the next mode as long as you don't pause 2 seconds between each press. If you do pause the 2 seconds, the light will need TWO presses to unlock that mode and move you on to the next mode. If you generally only use one mode, you don't need to cycle though all the modes each time, since the last mode used may be retained. (see 4 below). Just set it and forget it.
4. If you pause in any mode for more than 2 seconds, that mode will be retained in memory. Turn the light off and wait at least 2 seconds before CLICKING the light back on. The light will return to the level it retained before you switched it off, but if you do not wait 2 seconds after turning the light off before turning it back on, the light will skip to the next mode in the sequence. Similarly, each time you turn back on the light, you must remain in that mode for 2 seconds, otherwise the mode is NOT retained. Clicking off before staying on in that mode for 2 seconds results in loss of memory retention and a skip to the next mode in the sequence when the light is turned back on the next time.
Before I figured out all of the above, I thought there was something wrong with light. I took the tailswitch apart trying to see why it wouldn't work on single presses every time. Of course there was nothing wrong with it. The only thing wrong was me not having instructions and knowing how to work the light. In addition, I would see the flickers as the light locked itself into memory and thought there was a flicker problem with the light.
I must add that the brightless levels chosen for this light are well spaced. The lowest level, I would guess, is about 10 lumens. The highest level is probably close to 120 lumens, based on comparisons with my L1D Q5. The beam on the MTE is FAR better than that on my L1D. The beam shot on Deal Extreme is very close to what I see.
This post was not meant to be a definitive review of this light. (Otherwise, I would have posted it in the review section of this forum.) I just wanted to remind people that first impressions are not always correct. This light, in my opinion, is a sleeper. It is a great bargain for the kind of light it can produce comparable to quality beams found in lights at much higher prices. It is a sleeper because people just did NOT understand its operation and figured it had to be junk because it cost so little. If you aren't turned off by its interface (IMO easily operated once understood), give it another look. Its beautiful light output, at least, is REALLY worth looking at.
What impresses me most about this light is NOT the similarity in appearance to the NDI. ( It DOES NOT not have the infinitely adjustable user mode that is present on the NDI). What impresses me most is the beautiful beam this light produces. It rivals that of lights costing far more than the $26 I spent. In fact the beam is far better than that on the NDI, even better than the new TAD version I have. It has a beautiful white (slightly warm) hot spot with absolutely none of the usual cree artifacts, as it smoothly transitions into the very smooth wide spill area. The spill area is wider than on the NDI, and unlike the NDI which has a bezel outline artifact, there is none on the MTE. There are absolutely no other color artifacts or donuts either as reported especially with the original NDI. Because the Cree Q5 is perfectly centered and because there is no gap between OP reflector and the LED platform (as on the NDI), it could account for the lack of artifacts.
The modes on the light are similar to that of the L1D. Low -> Med -> High ->Strobe -> SOS. The user interface operates from a candle standable, reverse clicky like on the L1D, but that is where the similarity ends with the L1D. There is no twisty head choices with the MTE and unlike the L1D, there is a memory feature on the MTE that will retain the last used setting when the light is turned back on.
While the build quality of this light is nearly as good as the NDI and L1D, many people have commented negatively about the interface.
The problem with the interface is the lack of instructions that come with the light and the seemingly erratic operation that occurs without understanding its proper operation. The complaints are similar to those voiced by people regarding the NDI who don't fully understand its design and operation. If you understand how it works, any of the erratic behavior can be attributed to user errors in every case.
For those who have this light and have not figured out how it works, this is a summary of its operation
1. To change between any of the 5 modes, merely press the tailswitch once lightly. Once the light switches modes, it will lock into that mode after a 2 second delay. There will be a brief blink or flicker as that setting is memorized.
2. Once you are in a given mode for 2 seconds, that mode is "locked". To change modes you need to lightly press the tailswitch TWICE rapidly. The first press unlocks and clears memory, while the second press moves you to the next mode. The second press must occur within a second. If you merely press once after it is locked (to unlock), but wait too long before pressing a second time hoping to change modes, the light does nothing because it has relocked itself in the present mode.
3. To quickly cycle between all modes, you must do so by pressing the tailswitch repetively, not waiting more than 1 second between presses. Each time you press, the light will switch to the next mode as long as you don't pause 2 seconds between each press. If you do pause the 2 seconds, the light will need TWO presses to unlock that mode and move you on to the next mode. If you generally only use one mode, you don't need to cycle though all the modes each time, since the last mode used may be retained. (see 4 below). Just set it and forget it.
4. If you pause in any mode for more than 2 seconds, that mode will be retained in memory. Turn the light off and wait at least 2 seconds before CLICKING the light back on. The light will return to the level it retained before you switched it off, but if you do not wait 2 seconds after turning the light off before turning it back on, the light will skip to the next mode in the sequence. Similarly, each time you turn back on the light, you must remain in that mode for 2 seconds, otherwise the mode is NOT retained. Clicking off before staying on in that mode for 2 seconds results in loss of memory retention and a skip to the next mode in the sequence when the light is turned back on the next time.
Before I figured out all of the above, I thought there was something wrong with light. I took the tailswitch apart trying to see why it wouldn't work on single presses every time. Of course there was nothing wrong with it. The only thing wrong was me not having instructions and knowing how to work the light. In addition, I would see the flickers as the light locked itself into memory and thought there was a flicker problem with the light.
I must add that the brightless levels chosen for this light are well spaced. The lowest level, I would guess, is about 10 lumens. The highest level is probably close to 120 lumens, based on comparisons with my L1D Q5. The beam on the MTE is FAR better than that on my L1D. The beam shot on Deal Extreme is very close to what I see.
This post was not meant to be a definitive review of this light. (Otherwise, I would have posted it in the review section of this forum.) I just wanted to remind people that first impressions are not always correct. This light, in my opinion, is a sleeper. It is a great bargain for the kind of light it can produce comparable to quality beams found in lights at much higher prices. It is a sleeper because people just did NOT understand its operation and figured it had to be junk because it cost so little. If you aren't turned off by its interface (IMO easily operated once understood), give it another look. Its beautiful light output, at least, is REALLY worth looking at.
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There is also a similar light .......
.
I have the 20 mode rebel , sku 8751 ..... cause I like the very low-low.
