rookiedaddy
Enlightened
Received a review sample of Olight Perun before Christmas of 2019 together with a unit of Olight Array (an updated HS2 headlamp) and a Friendship 2020 Light (Special Edition of Baton Pro Ti).
Although this Olight Perun looks and functions like the Olight H2R Nova that was released back in 2017, but Olight has decided to remove the headstrap and making it an optional accessory. This has caught a few by surprise because Olight H-series has always included a headstrap in the package. The initial plan was to market Perun as a versatile multi-functional illumination tool, however, as weeks passed, many distributors/resellers are showing this item under the category of headlamp. Your truly thinks the decision to not include the headstrap in the package is a short-sighted one at best.
Let's put down some of the salient points about this "new" Olight Perun:
- no longer do we need a high discharge battery (>8A) to power up the Turbo mode, Olight Perun includes a proprietary dual-polarity 3500mAh 18650, model ORB-186C35 battery in the package
- no more battery Voltage reading from the tail-side magnetic charging contacts, thus no more "electrical shorts" or the fire-starting concerns that was associated with the H2R Nova initial release
- the package/box do not include any headstrap. if you want to use it as a headlamp, you need to get the optional headstrap from Olight's reseller (if I understand it correctly, reseller has the option to sell a "kit" version where the headstrap is bundled together)
- it's cool white only as at January of 2020 and lumens output is 2000 lumens (H2R Nova Cool White is 2300 lumens)
- it's using TIR optics instead of frosted lens
- there is a new proximity sensor located at the top part of the Perun's lens to lower the output to Low Mode when object(s) blocking the beam is detected by the sensor at close proximity (approximately 1 to 2 inches)
- there is a low battery warning vibration alert that will be activated every 30 seconds when the battery can no longer supply enough juice to power the light (thanks to [@parametrek] for the reminder)
Below are specifications for Olight Perun:
Box that Olight Perun came with:
the inner box that stores all the accessories:
and a "thank you" message:
here is the Olight Perun package contents:
the new MCC3 Magnetic Cable Charger, User Manual, Wrist Yard, A Pin tool for threading the wrist yard, and Olight Perun with Battery and Pocket-clip preinstalled.
here is how to use the pin tool:
I found it easier to thread the wrist yard by using the pin hook up-side down
Let's do a side-by-side comparison of Olight Perun with Olight H2R Nova:
gone are the warning about not shorting the tailcap contacts because on the Olight Perun, they have addressed this issue completely. In fact, not long after waves of complains about the initial tailcap high current shorting issue with the Olight H2R Nova, Olight release a replacement tailcap to address the problem for anyone who are "affected".
using the new TIR lens, the beam pattern is floodier than that of the H2R Nova TIR Bead lens (a frosted lens)
the head switch has basically stay the same except the retention ring is thicker. also, they have addresses one of most annoying issue about the H2R Nova, that is the electronic switch is too sensitive sometimes that it switched-OFF just by slighly touching the switch. so far after close to a month of usage, yours truly has not experience similar issue with Olight Perun. Well done Olight!
the head spring contact:
inside body contacts:
the crescent moon shape at the head is where the proximity sensor located:
the different sides of the included 3500mAh battery:
and a full body comparisons between Olight Perun and H2R Nova
the height of Olight Perun is just slightly taller than that of H2R Nova:
and the body knurling of Olight Perun is superb!
insert the battery with the negative side facing the head contact:
in terms of brightness and throw, Olight Perun is slightly weaker than the older H2R Nova:
but it does make up for a wider flood light, just slightly. You may or may not missed the reach of H2R Nova.
The UI is using Olight's trial and tested Click to ON/OFF, Click and Hold to switch mode with Moon Mode and Turbo Mode out of the normal mode cycling.
below is the measured output:
every modes except the Moon Mode exceeded manufacturer's quoted numbers. and 5 lumnes is really not Moon Mode regardless of how one trying to justify it or attempt to redefine Moon Mode.
The usual disclaimer: I do not claim the above measured lumens as authoritative nor an indication of over/under-stating the number given by manufacturer. It's calibrated against some known light output (e.g. SureFire, Elzetta, etc.) so take it with a grain of salt and just as a relative reading.
following is the runtime plotted against running Olight Perun in Turbo mode:
Olight quoted 2.5 minutes of Turbo with Olight Perun, what I get is approximately 1.2 minutes of Turbo and it gradually drops to a more stable 40% output starting at minute 2. So no, I do not get 2.5 minutes of Turbo. The total runtime is also less than quoted, in my testing, it's approximately 30 minutes less than what Olight quoted before it hit the 10% mark (Olight quoted 162.5 minutes of total runtime starting the Perun at Turbo before hitting 10% output, your truly gets only 131 minutes of total runtime starting the Perun at Turbo before hitting 10% output mark).
In conclusion, would I recommend Olight Perun? Well, this may surprise many, but I can't. In my not so humble opinion, the inclusion of a proximity sensor may sounds nice, but because of Olight added an OFF timer to the proximity sensor, it went too far and renders the Olight Perun not an illumination tool that I can recommend.
But it is good for playing hide-and-seek game at night, just throw your Perun down a grass hill while turning it on at Medium/High/Turbo Mode at night, and count to 60, good luck retrieving it...or throw it outside your house after heavy snow...
Following video shows a simulation of rain (water droplet) and effects of the proximity OFF timer......
imagine trying to use Olight Perun to change a flat tyre during a rainy night... this light needs an umbrella in the package.
So, please, Olight, at the very least, remove the OFF timer on the proximity sensor. Better yet, why not offer the user the option of turning the proximity sensor OFF? Yours truly would wholeheartedly recommend Olight Perun with user customisable Proximity sensor... but not now... not yet.
Although this Olight Perun looks and functions like the Olight H2R Nova that was released back in 2017, but Olight has decided to remove the headstrap and making it an optional accessory. This has caught a few by surprise because Olight H-series has always included a headstrap in the package. The initial plan was to market Perun as a versatile multi-functional illumination tool, however, as weeks passed, many distributors/resellers are showing this item under the category of headlamp. Your truly thinks the decision to not include the headstrap in the package is a short-sighted one at best.
Let's put down some of the salient points about this "new" Olight Perun:
- no longer do we need a high discharge battery (>8A) to power up the Turbo mode, Olight Perun includes a proprietary dual-polarity 3500mAh 18650, model ORB-186C35 battery in the package
- no more battery Voltage reading from the tail-side magnetic charging contacts, thus no more "electrical shorts" or the fire-starting concerns that was associated with the H2R Nova initial release
- the package/box do not include any headstrap. if you want to use it as a headlamp, you need to get the optional headstrap from Olight's reseller (if I understand it correctly, reseller has the option to sell a "kit" version where the headstrap is bundled together)
- it's cool white only as at January of 2020 and lumens output is 2000 lumens (H2R Nova Cool White is 2300 lumens)
- it's using TIR optics instead of frosted lens
- there is a new proximity sensor located at the top part of the Perun's lens to lower the output to Low Mode when object(s) blocking the beam is detected by the sensor at close proximity (approximately 1 to 2 inches)
- there is a low battery warning vibration alert that will be activated every 30 seconds when the battery can no longer supply enough juice to power the light (thanks to [@parametrek] for the reminder)
Below are specifications for Olight Perun:
Box that Olight Perun came with:
the inner box that stores all the accessories:
and a "thank you" message:
here is the Olight Perun package contents:
the new MCC3 Magnetic Cable Charger, User Manual, Wrist Yard, A Pin tool for threading the wrist yard, and Olight Perun with Battery and Pocket-clip preinstalled.
here is how to use the pin tool:
I found it easier to thread the wrist yard by using the pin hook up-side down
Let's do a side-by-side comparison of Olight Perun with Olight H2R Nova:
gone are the warning about not shorting the tailcap contacts because on the Olight Perun, they have addressed this issue completely. In fact, not long after waves of complains about the initial tailcap high current shorting issue with the Olight H2R Nova, Olight release a replacement tailcap to address the problem for anyone who are "affected".
using the new TIR lens, the beam pattern is floodier than that of the H2R Nova TIR Bead lens (a frosted lens)
the head switch has basically stay the same except the retention ring is thicker. also, they have addresses one of most annoying issue about the H2R Nova, that is the electronic switch is too sensitive sometimes that it switched-OFF just by slighly touching the switch. so far after close to a month of usage, yours truly has not experience similar issue with Olight Perun. Well done Olight!
the head spring contact:
inside body contacts:
the crescent moon shape at the head is where the proximity sensor located:
the different sides of the included 3500mAh battery:
and a full body comparisons between Olight Perun and H2R Nova
the height of Olight Perun is just slightly taller than that of H2R Nova:
and the body knurling of Olight Perun is superb!
insert the battery with the negative side facing the head contact:
in terms of brightness and throw, Olight Perun is slightly weaker than the older H2R Nova:
but it does make up for a wider flood light, just slightly. You may or may not missed the reach of H2R Nova.
The UI is using Olight's trial and tested Click to ON/OFF, Click and Hold to switch mode with Moon Mode and Turbo Mode out of the normal mode cycling.
- Click and Hold for >2 seconds from OFF to enter Moon Mode.
- Double Click in either ON/OFF to enter Turbo Mode directly.
- Triple Click in either ON/OFF to enter S.O.S. mode.
- Click and Hold when ON to enable one of 2 OFF timer, either the 3 minutes (single blink) or the 9 minutes (double blinks).
- When you are in Turbo mode, repeating the double click will switch you down to back to the previous mode before entering Turbo Mode except the High Mode. If you were in High Mode when entering Turbo Mode, double click will drop you down to Medium Mode instead.
below is the measured output:
every modes except the Moon Mode exceeded manufacturer's quoted numbers. and 5 lumnes is really not Moon Mode regardless of how one trying to justify it or attempt to redefine Moon Mode.
The usual disclaimer: I do not claim the above measured lumens as authoritative nor an indication of over/under-stating the number given by manufacturer. It's calibrated against some known light output (e.g. SureFire, Elzetta, etc.) so take it with a grain of salt and just as a relative reading.
following is the runtime plotted against running Olight Perun in Turbo mode:
Olight quoted 2.5 minutes of Turbo with Olight Perun, what I get is approximately 1.2 minutes of Turbo and it gradually drops to a more stable 40% output starting at minute 2. So no, I do not get 2.5 minutes of Turbo. The total runtime is also less than quoted, in my testing, it's approximately 30 minutes less than what Olight quoted before it hit the 10% mark (Olight quoted 162.5 minutes of total runtime starting the Perun at Turbo before hitting 10% output, your truly gets only 131 minutes of total runtime starting the Perun at Turbo before hitting 10% output mark).
In conclusion, would I recommend Olight Perun? Well, this may surprise many, but I can't. In my not so humble opinion, the inclusion of a proximity sensor may sounds nice, but because of Olight added an OFF timer to the proximity sensor, it went too far and renders the Olight Perun not an illumination tool that I can recommend.
But it is good for playing hide-and-seek game at night, just throw your Perun down a grass hill while turning it on at Medium/High/Turbo Mode at night, and count to 60, good luck retrieving it...or throw it outside your house after heavy snow...
Following video shows a simulation of rain (water droplet) and effects of the proximity OFF timer......
imagine trying to use Olight Perun to change a flat tyre during a rainy night... this light needs an umbrella in the package.
So, please, Olight, at the very least, remove the OFF timer on the proximity sensor. Better yet, why not offer the user the option of turning the proximity sensor OFF? Yours truly would wholeheartedly recommend Olight Perun with user customisable Proximity sensor... but not now... not yet.
Last edited:
Updating the main review text now...
