Review: Olight S1R (2016.10.05 updated with info on new S1R version)

[rookiedaddy]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

It's mid-autumn festival here, have a bit of time on hand, dug out an old can of plasti-dip to cover the butt-end of the light...

ugly yellow cover, and once again, proving that I have no molding skill... :sick2:

Update 2016.09.16:
Using moldable plastic, did the following...

and it doubles as diffuser too... LOL...

 

[bartonjd]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

Do you find it inconvenient to have to carry the proprietary USB cable for charging rather than brig able to use micro USB ?

 

[L.N.]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

The Olight S1 is one of my favourite lights and this one is even better. The charging dock is an improved version of the ones shipped with the Olight S30R II and S10R II. The only drawback i can think is that you can only charge the Olight battery and not other 16340 batteries. Now i have to decide to buy the S1R or the S2R.....

 

[rookiedaddy]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

Just discover something new about the MCC charging light color, there is a third color... it glows an "orange" color too! How? well... it started a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....... oops... sorry, that was Star Wars! ok, ok, while back on Earth, I left S1R on my table for a few days collecting dust and whatnot, and today, decided to do a top-up charging, upon having the MCC snapping to the tailcap, it started charging in "orange" color, now that's new and checking the USB meter, it shows 0.08A being drawn, that's unusual. So the next logical step is to disconnect and reconnect, same "orange" color and reading. Next, I frantically rotate the light against the MCC hoping for better contact... no luck, same "orange" color and reading. So I remove the MCC and use my man-size (yes, it has to be man-size doesn't it), salivary sanitized thumb to wipe across the contact surface of the tail-cap, reconnect the MCC, voila... err... sigh! same "orange" color and reading. Finally, I break-open a piece of alcohol swap/pad (70% Isopropyl Alcohol) and rigorously wipe the tail-cap contact surface, a quick blow-dry, and reconnect the MCC... HAH! the "Red" color is back and USB meter start reading the normal 0.76A.

Do you find it inconvenient to have to carry the proprietary USB cable for charging rather than brig able to use micro USB ?

it's a personal choice.
a friend of mine suggested an idea, Olight could actually offer the Magnetic charging disc without the cable, in turn, have a micro USB port on the disc itself, and that would be more compact and flexible. I think that's a great idea, wouldn't you say so?

I think Olight's product is still evolving and they are going through the adaptation experience on what works and what doesn't. One day, they may actually offer "true" wireless charging instead of the typo on their product description. LOL!

 

[bartonjd]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

That does sound like a great charging solution !

 

[rookiedaddy]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

First post now updated with information on new S1R version. Copied here for your reading convenient.

Update 2016.10.05:
About: the new and updated S1R
Just received the new S1R, the updated S1R where you have Turbo and Turbo S mode... and here is the new UI...

Olight tuned down the Turbo mode to 600 lumens and renamed the 900 lumens as Turbo S where the only way to access to this 900 lumens is:

• double-click to access Turbo (600 lumens) mode, then double-click again to access Turbo S (900 lumens)

The old double-click-and-hold to ramp-up to Turbo (when light is on) is now replaced as the way to activate the timer mode, while the old double-click to turn on timer is now taken over by the Turbo and Turbo S modes.
No more memory for Turbo and Turbo S mode.
Olight has also extended the runtime of Turbo (600 lumens) and Turbo S (900 lumens) before the step-down, we can now expect 1.5 minutes of either Turbo or Turbo S before S1R step down the brightness depending on the following condition... (following notes are a direct copy from the new User Manual):
"Turbo S mode of 900 lumens and Turbo mode of 600 lumens are tested when the battery is full. The maximum output varies as the battery voltage changes. When the battery voltage runs below 3.6V, the Turbo S cannot reach 900 lumens then, and when the voltage goes down to 3.1V, the Turbo S almost performs the same as Turbo mode. When the voltage drops below 3.1V, the maximum output is 300 lumens only."

*** Few words of cautious from yours truly: please do not leave S1R in Turbo S mode unattended as the light gets pretty hot (yes, skin-burning hot). The heat is unbearable on bare hands after 1+ minutes running on Turbo S mode. This light is not suitable for small children nor individual whose skin are too sensitive to heat.

some face-lift at the packaging side...

Left is old, Right is new.


and there is now a small sheet of instruction on how to take S1R out of the holding card.

The physical look of old S1R and new S1R are identical in every way, as such, to tell if you are getting the new version is to:

1. depends on the serial number. According to Olight, the old serial number runs from G08220001 ‐ G08228500, while the new S1R has serial number from G09140001 and onwards.
2. test the UI.

 

[Oztorchfreak]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

Is the LED in the S1R de-domed?


CHEERS

 

[rookiedaddy]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

Is the LED in the S1R de-domed?

Haven't popped the lens to check, but so far Olight S1/S2 series LED are not de-domed.

 

[andydviking]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

So if you already have the original S1R would you get the Turbo S? I like that it has a 600 lumen option.

 

[rookiedaddy]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

So if you already have the original S1R would you get the Turbo S? I like that it has a 600 lumen option.

I'm guessing you have already made up your mind. Well, to push you one step closer and possibly over the edge... YES! YES! YES! :devil:
Stop reading now and click that "Add To Cart" button. Seriously, stop reading now... coz the following words might just change your mind...

here's a pic taking the back of the box of both version, the difference is in the runtime and UI... left is old version S1R, right is new version S1R (Turbo S version)...

Honestly, in-my-not-always-so-humble-opinion, I like that the old version allows me to directly access the 900 lumens without much fiddling with the UI, and no worries about the heat if I hand it over to someone uninitiated. The new version UI is more complicated and heat is one of the major concern for me (as I've raised a few posts up). I was asked by a fellow flashaholic on whether he should buy the old or the new S1R, I responded with the following:
"If you are buying for yourself, then go with the new S1R because, as a fellow flashaholic, you know when to stop if and when it gets too hot. But if you are buying for someone else, then the older S1R is a better choice because it has a simpler UI relatively speaking, and no worries about the heat as it step down pretty fast."

and again honestly, I thought Olight was only changing the step-down from 900 to 600 then to 300 when I first heard they are coming out with a new version a week after they release the older S1R, and later was told they go a different route by adding a new 600 lumens and move and rename the 900 lumens. The newer UI also essentially make the 600 and 900 lumens "hidden" from normal access as you can no longer mode cycle to Turbo nor the Turbo S, but double-click for Turbo and double-click again for Turbo S.

now, and again, in all honesty, let's put the S1A into the mix, if given the choice to choose one and only one between older S1R, newer S1R and the S1A, I'll go with the S1A, for reasons non other than the S1A has a longer runtime and more common battery choices -- single AA in LiIon rechargeable or LiFeS2 Primary or NiMH rechargeable or Alkaline. Overall, S1A is more utilitarian.

 

[andydviking]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

I'm guessing you have already made up your mind. Well, to push you one step closer and possibly over the edge... YES! YES! YES![emoji317]Stop reading now and click that "Add To Cart" button. Seriously, stop reading now... coz the following words might just change your mind...

here's a pic taking the back of the box of both version, the difference is in the runtime and UI... left is old version S1R, right is new version S1R (Turbo S version)...

Honestly, in-my-not-always-so-humble-opinion, I like that the old version allows me to directly access the 900 lumens without much fiddling with the UI, and no worries about the heat if I hand it over to someone uninitiated. The new version UI is more complicated and heat is one of the major concern for me (as I've raised a few posts up). I was asked by a fellow flashaholic on whether he should buy the old or the new S1R, I responded with the following:
"If you are buying for yourself, then go with the new S1R because, as a fellow flashaholic, you know when to stop if and when it gets too hot. But if you are buying for someone else, then the older S1R is a better choice because it has a simpler UI relatively speaking, and no worries about the heat as it step down pretty fast."

and again honestly, I thought Olight was only changing the step-down from 900 to 600 then to 300 when I first heard they are coming out with a new version a week after they release the older S1R, and later was told they go a different route by adding a new 600 lumens and move and rename the 900 lumens. The newer UI also essentially make the 600 and 900 lumens "hidden" from normal access as you can no longer mode cycle to Turbo nor the Turbo S, but double-click for Turbo and double-click again for Turbo S.

now, and again, in all honesty, let's put the S1A into the mix, if given the choice to choose one and only one between older S1R, newer S1R and the S1A, I'll go with the S1A, for reasons non other than the S1A has a longer runtime and more common battery choices -- single AA in LiIon rechargeable or LiFeS2 Primary or NiMH rechargeable or Alkaline. Overall, S1A is more utilitarian.

Thanks! Lol and you're right I'll probably go and get the new S1R. In your opinion is the 600 noticeably brighter than the 300? Between my S2 and my S1R I couldn't see a huge difference between the S2 at 500 lumens and the S1R at 300.

I actually love the idea of the S1R turbo S interface because you don't have to go through turbo in normal use saving battery life. But I would love to have that 600 lumens if it makes a noticeable difference. I won't get the S1A because I just invested in a spare battery and the dock from Olight. So I'm gonna stick to Olight rechargable for a while.

Curious enough on my dock it mentioned compatibility with the S30R III and S10R III. So they may be coming out soon. Dunno if I should wait or not. The S1R is the perfect size for my EDC uses. The S2 gets in the way of my other stuff in my pockets. The S1R has a handy holster.

Thanks for your awesome and detailed review of both versions and a great reply to my questions.

 

[major_works]

Thank you for the comprehensive review of the S1R Turbo S. For years, my evening dog-walking light has been an old Fenix LD01, which I still have and still works great. However, my family and I just moved recently and the streets in our new town are a lot darker. So I felt compelled to seek out a new EDC light with a little more (OK, a LOT more) oomph and settled on the S1R Turbo S.

As a newbie to rechargeable cells that don't say Eneloop, I have a basic question. The light came with the one Olight ORB-163C05 RCR123A battery, which the documentation refers to as "customized." However, I note that online battery vendors carry an Olight battery with the same model number.

So finally, my question: Is there in fact something different or "customized" about the ORB-163C05 that came with the S1R, or can I assume that the batteries I can buy from online vendors with the same model number will perform the same way in the light as the one that came with it?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

David

 

[rookiedaddy]

...
So finally, my question: Is there in fact something different or "customized" about the ORB-163C05 that came with the S1R, or can I assume that the batteries I can buy from online vendors with the same model number will perform the same way in the light as the one that came with it?
...

Hello David, as long as it's the same model: ORB-163C05, you can expect it to perform the same way in S1R. Olight "customized" an IMR battery (ORB-163C05) so that it can be charge inside the light without taking it out. Since photobucket is down for maintenance, allow me to link you to a few US online retailer sites for the pictures:

OlightStore: http://www.olightstore.com/batteries-and-chargers/olight-550mah-16340-imr-battery
BatteryJunction: http://www.batteryjunction.com/olight-imr-16340.html
GoingGear: http://goinggear.com/flashlights/ba...340-rcr123-for-s1r-baton-550-mah-battery.html

You can see from their pictures that the difference between Olight's IMR 16340 (ORB-163C05) and a normal 16340 is the extra negative(-) terminal ring around the positive terminal button, this is to make contact with the tail-cap to enable charging thru their included Magnetic Charging Cable (MCC) or the optional Micro-dok.

FWIW, other high discharge 16340 batteries (either protected or non-protected, e.g. AW IMR, KeepPower, Fenix, etc.) can work in S1R too, but you will not be able charge these normal 16340 cells inside S1R.

Since not all retailers using the same model number: ORB-16305 as their SKU/Product Code as Olight, it may be worth noting that Olight also has a normal, protected 16340 with the model number ORB-163P06 for which will tripped the protection circuit when used in S1R (when you switch on to 900 lumens mode).

Hope this helps.

 

[PTT]

Is this correct - To get into Moonlight mode, from Off you Press & Hold, and then release, and it stays on in Moonlight. Then a single Click turns it off, and then a single Click turns it On in Moonlight (because it is the last memorized mode)?

Once in Moonlight, can you Press & Hold to cycle through Low Medium High, and then double Click to go to Turbo & Turbo S?

Thanks.

 

[rookiedaddy]

Is this correct - To get into ... ?

Once in Moonlight, can you Press & Hold to cycle through Low Medium High, and then double Click to go to Turbo & Turbo S?

Yes, and yes. You are correct.

 

[radiopej]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

Thanks for writing such a good review.

I remember writing a review on this light also, but I can't find it for some reason.

I wanted to ask, does your light turn on without fail every time? I was trying to find my review to add a note after a long period of use, but then I found yours and thought I'd check.

I find that even after cleaning with isopropanol, sometimes it won't turn on (fairly often). I have to unscrew the tailcap, screw it back on and then it works.

 

[rookiedaddy]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

I wanted to ask, does your light turn on without fail every time? ...
I find that even after cleaning with isopropanol, sometimes it won't turn on (fairly often). I have to unscrew the tailcap, screw it back on and then it works.

Similar queries I had with S1R and S1R Turbo S with regards to lights needing to break and reconnect continuity (unscrew and screw back the tailcap) has to do with either Olight 163C05 battery or the magnetic recharging tailcap.
If you are still using the original Olight 163C05 battery that comes with the light, it may be time to replace the battery. You can test by using known good RCR123 (e.g. Fenix ARB-L16-700 or new AW IMR 16340) and see if the issue persists. Due to the high drain requirements, battery used in S1R/TurboS seems to aged faster when we put the Turbo/S mode to work often.
There were tailcaps that develop continuity issue after some time (check with your multimeter if there is continuity by touching the gold-plated button and the silver outer ring (not the golden ring, but the silver ring where you can use your tweezers to disassemble), if you have intermittent connectivity, then you need warranty service to replace your tailcap.

 

[CelticCross74]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

Damn good review thanks for posting OP! I have the S1R V2 NW. The magnetic built in charging feature is still kind of odd to me as the magnetic connection point is just laid bare with no protective rubber cover for example. Besides that my only other caveat is that all modes up to high mode the tint is a nice NW. Throttle up to turbo and turbo S and the tint is suddenly cool white. Do not know why that happens. Have been keeping an eye out for a higher capacity cell that also is 5 amps. The stock Olight cell is nice and all but it is low capacity...

 

[rookiedaddy]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

@CelticCross74, thank you very much and I'm humbled by your kind words.
fwiw, a protective cover was in play as an idea in the design of the magnetic charging system but was discarded due to overall aesthetic of the product(s).
not sure about the NW tint shift on Turbo and Turbo S as I only have the cool white version, perhaps other users with S1R NW can chime in here... I do not detect any drastic tint shift to cool white on my SMini Ti NW and H1R NW at their max mode of 550 lumens and 600 lumens respectively, but both are not design to go the 900 lumens of S1R so I can't give a fair assessment here, sorry mate...
I actually wish they would have a model that supports 18350 cell size instead of the smaller 16340 in S1R, but with the shelving of their M1R, I can only continue to wish... :mecry:

 

[CelticCross74]

Re: Review: Olight S1R

hey you are more than welcome man! That was a genuinely solid review. I still use my S1R V2 NW quite a bit despite the strange extreme tint shift at the top two modes as a light this small with this wide a range of output is extremely useful for my work.