Sometimes I ask myself, “why spend so much time taking photos and writing reviews?” Then I remember the enjoyment I get doing it, the hope that it helps someone and how much I learn while doing the reviews. I’m just an enthusiast who enjoys the hobby and being able to hopefully give something back to this community that we are all a part of!
But then a gifted custom builder comes along and says, “Hey Dan – wanna test some of my new stuff??” And I say, “uh, lemme think about it for a nanosecond – YES!!”
Such an opportunity recently came when VanIsleDSM offered to send a few of his ‘little friends’ down to DC for some “real world” testing. I must say at the outset - the Septa is so powerful that I don't believe there is a way to adequately represent what the eye sees when you fire that monster up. To make matters worse, the weather wouldn't cooperate so that I could take any good beam shots.
Still, these products are amazing! So before you start viewing the photos below, you might want to put a towel in your lap – or maybe even a bib if you have one handy! You’ll need something to catch the drool!
You are probably familiar with this – the FETtie switch. Later in the review you’ll see what a difference this little piece of magic makes when we start dealing in amperages near double digit…
Next up, the aluminum, 2 mode 4.2 amp quad with Khatod optic…you are probably familiar with this one!
The plot thickens – here is one heckuva jewel…the 5.6 amp quad, silver and copper, with Khatod optic. As you’ll see later, it’s quite a blaster!
Ooo-now it really gets fun. This is a monster – the 5.6 amp quad, silver and copper, with two different optics. Jesse conveniently supplied gloves for me to wear when changing the optics. Note the description of the optics on the bags.
And now – drum roll please – a beautiful beast – the 9.8 amp (!!), 7 XPG R5 monster head Jesse has named, “Septa”. Wow.
Here is the Septa mounted on a FiveMega 26650 host – Jesse’s FETtie switch is installed…this combination makes for an awesome ‘chunk’ of a light, solid as a rock, bright as the sun!
A fellow DC resident, Gary123, heard that I was testing these lights and wanted to contribute – he kindly sent a Surefire C2 host with Oveready Zero Res Twisty and a 3 level VIDSM 5.6 quad, plus a Leef 2 18500 cell body with a Moddoo single level triple.
It’s been quite the winter in DC – I’ve tried to work around life and weather to get some outdoor beam shots – and the one night that I was finally set up to take some, after only 3 good photos it started raining. Fortunately, I started with the Septa. In the shots below, the corner of the fence in the foreground is about 22 feet away – the tree immediately behind is about 30 feet away. The tree lurking way in the background is at least 100 feet away. If you look at the control shot, you can see that there isn’t that much light pollution in the background. My theory as to why the background took on a ‘red’ hue? With long exposures, and that many photons blasting away, it even exposed the background!
Sorry – I wish more could be included, but the review isn’t over yet! Next are results from some lumen testing. I’ve said it many times – I do not claim absolute accuracy for my sphere, but relative ratings are not disputable. Prepare to be amazed.
Interesting the way the (very nice and respected ) Kerberos quad reacted to the FETtie. Speculate that the direct drive Quad is reacting to the large amount of current being passed by the FETtie, heating up, and losing lumens to heat. But look at the VI devices!
Next, I constructed another one of my poster board grids…the numbers are inches. The lights are held about a meter from the board – I’m using a wide angle lens – 1/100 shutter speed, f/4.0, ISO100. NO retouching of the photos – I’ve also posted a YouTube video so you can get a more fluid visual comparison.
(sorry for the typo - it's "Khatod"
Khatod
These shots include many very common lights (and some not so common) so that you can have a good point of reference. As you’ll notice, the Septa is so darn bright that it just can’t be tamed!
We are fortunate to be part of a community that includes so many gifted custom builders and modders. McGizmo, Data, Moddoo, ElectronGuru, Photonfanatic, Milky, Mac, Kerberos, Download, Elektrolumens, DatiLED, on and on (sorry if I left your favorite out of the list!!) How cool is it to add VanIsleDSM to this list!
VanIsleDSM’s (Jesse’s) work is outstanding. The quality is rock solid. The Septa is built like a tank – almost as though it is carved from a single piece of metal - a darn bright piece of metal. When you start dumping that much electrical current through a flashlight, you really begin to appreciate the difference the FETtie switch makes. Not only is it solid, it allows so much current to flow that you’d better be sure the light engine can handle it! The drop-in modules are astounding – the 5.6 silver/copper carclo and khadod modules are awesome.
But - that Septa!! I don’t know how to describe it. One of my favorite testing areas is a dark stretch of ‘back road’ here in Northern Virginia. Along one section is a soccer field. I use most lights to shine ‘over’ the field to a stretch of wooded area that borders the backside of the field, looking to spot the critters that hang out there. With the Septa, I was lighting up HALF of the field and ALL of the woodline behind it!! Think about carrying your headlights…that’s what it is like. And it’s so well made that it is almost as bright after a full minute of use as it is at turn on.
The other drop in modules are awesome, too.
Jesse is a super nice guy, too. Here’s a young man who is going down the entrepreneurial road – taking his ideas and skills and turning them into awesome products. I believe that this community will embrace his products with the same enthusiasm as we have embraced the other custom builders.
So, as the automobile writer who gets to keep a Ferrari for a week is sad to see it go, so am I sad to see these 4 custom light engines go. But I’m sure that I, like you, will be saving up the pennies to add at least one of them to my collection – permanently!
But then a gifted custom builder comes along and says, “Hey Dan – wanna test some of my new stuff??” And I say, “uh, lemme think about it for a nanosecond – YES!!”
Such an opportunity recently came when VanIsleDSM offered to send a few of his ‘little friends’ down to DC for some “real world” testing. I must say at the outset - the Septa is so powerful that I don't believe there is a way to adequately represent what the eye sees when you fire that monster up. To make matters worse, the weather wouldn't cooperate so that I could take any good beam shots.
Still, these products are amazing! So before you start viewing the photos below, you might want to put a towel in your lap – or maybe even a bib if you have one handy! You’ll need something to catch the drool!
You are probably familiar with this – the FETtie switch. Later in the review you’ll see what a difference this little piece of magic makes when we start dealing in amperages near double digit…
Next up, the aluminum, 2 mode 4.2 amp quad with Khatod optic…you are probably familiar with this one!
The plot thickens – here is one heckuva jewel…the 5.6 amp quad, silver and copper, with Khatod optic. As you’ll see later, it’s quite a blaster!
Ooo-now it really gets fun. This is a monster – the 5.6 amp quad, silver and copper, with two different optics. Jesse conveniently supplied gloves for me to wear when changing the optics. Note the description of the optics on the bags.
And now – drum roll please – a beautiful beast – the 9.8 amp (!!), 7 XPG R5 monster head Jesse has named, “Septa”. Wow.
Here is the Septa mounted on a FiveMega 26650 host – Jesse’s FETtie switch is installed…this combination makes for an awesome ‘chunk’ of a light, solid as a rock, bright as the sun!
A fellow DC resident, Gary123, heard that I was testing these lights and wanted to contribute – he kindly sent a Surefire C2 host with Oveready Zero Res Twisty and a 3 level VIDSM 5.6 quad, plus a Leef 2 18500 cell body with a Moddoo single level triple.
It’s been quite the winter in DC – I’ve tried to work around life and weather to get some outdoor beam shots – and the one night that I was finally set up to take some, after only 3 good photos it started raining. Fortunately, I started with the Septa. In the shots below, the corner of the fence in the foreground is about 22 feet away – the tree immediately behind is about 30 feet away. The tree lurking way in the background is at least 100 feet away. If you look at the control shot, you can see that there isn’t that much light pollution in the background. My theory as to why the background took on a ‘red’ hue? With long exposures, and that many photons blasting away, it even exposed the background!
Sorry – I wish more could be included, but the review isn’t over yet! Next are results from some lumen testing. I’ve said it many times – I do not claim absolute accuracy for my sphere, but relative ratings are not disputable. Prepare to be amazed.
Interesting the way the (very nice and respected ) Kerberos quad reacted to the FETtie. Speculate that the direct drive Quad is reacting to the large amount of current being passed by the FETtie, heating up, and losing lumens to heat. But look at the VI devices!
Next, I constructed another one of my poster board grids…the numbers are inches. The lights are held about a meter from the board – I’m using a wide angle lens – 1/100 shutter speed, f/4.0, ISO100. NO retouching of the photos – I’ve also posted a YouTube video so you can get a more fluid visual comparison.
(sorry for the typo - it's "Khatod"
Khatod
These shots include many very common lights (and some not so common) so that you can have a good point of reference. As you’ll notice, the Septa is so darn bright that it just can’t be tamed!
We are fortunate to be part of a community that includes so many gifted custom builders and modders. McGizmo, Data, Moddoo, ElectronGuru, Photonfanatic, Milky, Mac, Kerberos, Download, Elektrolumens, DatiLED, on and on (sorry if I left your favorite out of the list!!) How cool is it to add VanIsleDSM to this list!
VanIsleDSM’s (Jesse’s) work is outstanding. The quality is rock solid. The Septa is built like a tank – almost as though it is carved from a single piece of metal - a darn bright piece of metal. When you start dumping that much electrical current through a flashlight, you really begin to appreciate the difference the FETtie switch makes. Not only is it solid, it allows so much current to flow that you’d better be sure the light engine can handle it! The drop-in modules are astounding – the 5.6 silver/copper carclo and khadod modules are awesome.
But - that Septa!! I don’t know how to describe it. One of my favorite testing areas is a dark stretch of ‘back road’ here in Northern Virginia. Along one section is a soccer field. I use most lights to shine ‘over’ the field to a stretch of wooded area that borders the backside of the field, looking to spot the critters that hang out there. With the Septa, I was lighting up HALF of the field and ALL of the woodline behind it!! Think about carrying your headlights…that’s what it is like. And it’s so well made that it is almost as bright after a full minute of use as it is at turn on.
The other drop in modules are awesome, too.
Jesse is a super nice guy, too. Here’s a young man who is going down the entrepreneurial road – taking his ideas and skills and turning them into awesome products. I believe that this community will embrace his products with the same enthusiasm as we have embraced the other custom builders.
So, as the automobile writer who gets to keep a Ferrari for a week is sad to see it go, so am I sad to see these 4 custom light engines go. But I’m sure that I, like you, will be saving up the pennies to add at least one of them to my collection – permanently!
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