Quark 123-2 Turbo - Observations, Thoughts, Questions from new Owner.

[Gymratz]

Recently I received my first real torch, the Quark 123-2 Turbo XPG-R5.
So far I am thoroughly impressed with it!

I absolutely love the beam! For me, it seems to be the perfect combination of Throw and Flood! It has a very nice center that throws a very long distance (even on Medium) yet the spill around the center is large and bright enough to light up anything else that might be in my vision.

Question:
I see there is a scale (Throw vs Flood) that people are asked to fill out when getting a new torch - where does this one fit in (my guess indicated).
Throw (distance)----------------X------|----------------------Flood/close-up

I want to know so that when I get my next torch, I have a scale to compare against.


Pre-Flash:
This is mostly observational.
Tight is always programmed to Max (If this matters at all).
If I have loose programmed to Moonlight, the pre-flash happens almost every time and flashes at what most closely resembles "Low" mode. Not super bright, but in the middle of the night it is enough to shock your eyes. Moonlight is more than adequate for what I need, having "Low" for a moment is a surprise.

If I have loose programmed to Medium, the pre-flash is less often! But, when it does flash it flashes at a High to Max setting (seems max to me). If I last used Max, turn it off, loosen, turn it on - it will almost always pre-flash. If I have left it on loose/Medium it will not pre-flash as often, but still does.

Are there any tips/tricks to get around this or lessen the impact on the eyes?
Do all Quarks suffer from this, or is it only the Tactical type?


I am thinking that I want to get a 'normal' Quark 123 for use around the house/bedstand/perhaps work. My requirements for this light would be that it needs to come on in moonlight (no pre-flash, period) and then adjust up from there. It could be more floody than my Turbo (assuming it would be) but how much more? Perhaps this could be ranked in relation to the Turbo for me?

Conclusion:
For my needs, the price, etc. The 123-2 Turbo R5 is the perfect light. It feels very good in my hands, the build quality/durability seems great, and I love the beam! I would recommend Quarks to anyone that asked.

 

[bfksc]

Recently I received my first real torch, the Quark 123-2 Turbo XPG-R5.
So far I am thoroughly impressed with it!

It's good to have a nice light, isn't it?

Pre-Flash:
Are there any tips/tricks to get around this or lessen the impact on the eyes? Do all Quarks suffer from this, or is it only the Tactical type?

I'm not sure if they all do it or not. The regular series may not as it steps through the levels instead of memorizing two.

I have the Quark AAx2 Tactical R5 and I've solved the preflash issue with mine, but only because I don't use Moonlight mode. I have Max on tight and Med or Low on loose. I never get preflash anymore as long as I don't turn the light off in Max and turn it on in Med. So basically I just make sure I turn it off in the loose setting and it NEVER preflashes. I tried swapping the tight/loose settings and it would always preflash, so it's a programming issue in the UI. However, if I set loose to Moonlight, then I do get the Low preflash and I can't find a setting that avoids that unfortunately. I can see it being an issue for you. 4Sevens should have made sure it would only preflash in the lowest mode and go up to the memorized setting.

As for lessening the impact, you could make sure the lense is covered to block the preflash. Someone with a regular Quark will have to chime in with how it handles the preflash.

 

[Gymratz]

I have played around with it some more and I agree, I have been unable to reproduce the pre-flash with programmed Loose/Medium Tight/Max if I turn it off on Medium. I think my prior observation was when I had Loose/Tight swapped!
In fact, it seems that when I turn it on, it turns on dim for a split second then gets up to Medium. Makes me wonder if the device is programmed to always start in 'Low' and then switches to Moonlight/Medium etc.

Does anyone who has a 123-2 R5 Turbo also have another Quark? Can you compare them?

 

[Quension]

I believe, based on what I remember of reports and reviews, that all of the Quarks have the preflash issue in some form. It seems the 123² (3.0-9.0V) heads are worse than the lower-voltage ones, and the tactical UI models (including Turbos) are worse than the regulars. The regular low voltage ones apparently preflash intermittently, while the high voltage heads always preflash.

I can only speak definitively for my regular 123², which always preflashes. It is very brief and appears to be roughly Med level. I haven't noticed any difference based on the mode I turn it off in, and it's not bright and long enough to bother me or kill night vision.

 

[Henk_Lu]

I have played around with it some more and I agree, I have been unable to reproduce the pre-flash with programmed Loose/Medium Tight/Max if I turn it off on Medium. I think my prior observation was when I had Loose/Tight swapped!
In fact, it seems that when I turn it on, it turns on dim for a split second then gets up to Medium. Makes me wonder if the device is programmed to always start in 'Low' and then switches to Moonlight/Medium etc.

Does anyone who has a 123-2 R5 Turbo also have another Quark? Can you compare them?

Another Quark? I should list those I don't have, is quicker : Quark R2!

The normal Quarks are more on the floody side than the Turbos, which have been created to make Quarks with more throw. The hotspot of the normal Quarks is bigger and the spill brighter. They are more universal lights and much better for closeup taks or indoors.

If you have the Turbo 123-2, you could buy a Quark 123 as a companion. Unfortunately, you can't put the head of the 123 on the 2 x 123 body, it'll fry, but you may put the Turbo head on the 123 body without a problem, that's a pocket-thrower! I would however buy a regular normal Quark (not a tactical) or even a Quark MiNi, the most floody Quarks and really cute (and cheap).

As for the preflash, you have to live with it, it's a bonus on the Quarks, a little different from light to light and you can't get rid of it. To be less annoying, avoid shutting the light off at the higher programmed level to switch it on on the lower one.

 

[Paulinski]

I really like my Turbo 123. However I ordered the 18650 body and transferred the head and tailcap to it.

Now I have a really great torch - Mine is set up Turbo / Moonlight and I get a pre flash every time. I used to bother me but now I got used to it.

 

[bfksc]

Another Quark? I should list those I don't have, is quicker : Quark R2!
As for the preflash, you have to live with it, it's a bonus on the Quarks, a little different from light to light and you can't get rid of it.

I don't have to live with it...I don't have any preflash on my Quark AAx2 Tactical R5 anymore. I figured out it's pattern and my light NEVER preflashes anymore. See my post #2 above.

 

[bfksc]

I have played around with it some more and I agree, I have been unable to reproduce the pre-flash with programmed Loose/Medium Tight/Max if I turn it off on Medium. I think my prior observation was when I had Loose/Tight swapped!

That was my experience too...swapping them makes it flash on Max which is annoying when you want Med or Low, so I put it back to tight/Max.

In fact, it seems that when I turn it on, it turns on dim for a split second then gets up to Medium. Makes me wonder if the device is programmed to always start in 'Low' and then switches to Moonlight/Medium etc.

Same thing for me. I compared the levels and the preflash is the Low level output, so as long as the Loose setting is Low or above, you will not notice the preflash. But set on the default of Moonlight, then it will preflash on Low before switching to Moonlight.

Interesting little quirk in the programming. 4Sevens can probably fix it in the UI in later models.

 

[luke_DF]

I wish lights had firmware updates like digital cameras do maybe this could be solved in the future. (but then - in another thread someone wrote that preflash is there on purpose, to protect the circuit or something along those lines)

I don't use moonlight so it's no a big deal for me... but would probably use it from time to time, if it wasn't for the preflash.

(on my AA head tight is med and head loose is high, never get preflash, unless switch off at high, then turn on medium - same as bfksc I guess)