Wanna carry a brightness of a MagLite 3D in your pocket?
Either get very BIG pockets -
or,
look at some 3watt lights driven by a single 3.6V rechargeable Li-Ion RCR123.
I've been real impressed with the Nuwai Q3 driven by 3.6V RCR123 - I've been told with a battery voltage over the Vf of the 3watt Luxeon - the Q3 in effect becomes direct-drive - hence the spectatular brightness - as others can well attest to.
I've been eyeing the 3watt Rechargeable single RCR123 flashlights on the LightHound site - hoping they'd work the same/similar way as the Nuwai Q3 on 3.6V rechargeable RCR123.
I wrote John at LightHound.com expressing my interest in comparing these lights and he very kindly loaned me one of each for this review.
So this is a 3watt single RCR123 rechargeable shootout comparing to my control the Nuwai Q3 - I've produced 37 photos for this - so may have to split up this review into 2 or 3 parts - so be patient.
Size
Heads
These lights all have reverse clickies.
All three of these LightHound 3w Rechargeable lights will more or less stand on their tail-ends albeit a little unsteadily, the rings and lanyard contribute to the unstable stand..
The Nuwai cannot stand on end as the clicky button covering protrudes too much.
So how bright are these on 3.6V rechargeable Li-Ion RCR123?
I used the Nuwai Q3 on RCR123 as a comparison -
Q3 RCR123 vs. V3 RCR123
The beams are somewhat similar - the V3 has a more distinct and perhaps brighter hotspot - so should throw a bit better - but its sidespill transition is not as smooth as the Q3 - But the V3 is about as good as the Q3 - and some might consider the V3 better.
Q3 RCR123 vs. V2 RCR123
the beams are different - but I feel the V2 is less bright than the Q3 and its tint is noticably cooler.
Q3 RCR123 vs. V1 RCR123
quite noticably less bright than the Q3, and noticably cooler tint - somewhat of a disappointment - I had the impression this might be direct-drive - so either there is a protection current limiting resistor used or the 3watt LED is simply less bright/efficient compared to that in the Q3. Note the V1 has a focussing head - and I've set for the brightest hotspot for these beamshots.
Compared to each other - head-to-head -
V3 vs V2 both RCR123
I feel the V3 is brighter and has a better beam for outdoors usage as it is more concentrated - not quite as good as the Q3's floody spot - but comparable (V3's hotspot seems brighter than the Q3 - so would probably throw better than the Q3) - V2 is more suited for indoors use since the side-spill is wider to illuminate more of a room. But overall I much prefer the V3.
V3 vs. V1 RCR123
No contest at all
For completeness V2 vs. V1 RCR123
Again not much of a contest.
These 3w rechargeable 3.6V lights are very bright and really should be shown with a more distant and practical target. I used the same stairs scene from my previous "Practical" Beamshots? thread.
Using the exact same exposure settings at ISO100, f/2.8 at 0.6secs - daylight white balance, lens set at 28mm equivalent.
Original Q3 RCR123 shot ................................... V3 RCR123
V2 RCR123 .................................................... V1 RCR123
V3 on RCR123 seems pretty comparable to the Q3 RCR123 - the hotspot of V3 is more intense - but the Q3's reticulated reflector does a much more gradual fade from hotspot to side-spill so that one can see past the open door in the stairs shot whereas despite having a brighter hotpsot -one doesn't see much of anything past the open door in the V3 shot.
Outdoors the V3 does throw better/further than the Q3.
In Part 2 I'll deal with how these lights work with regular non-rechargeable 3.0V CR123A.
Either get very BIG pockets -
or,
look at some 3watt lights driven by a single 3.6V rechargeable Li-Ion RCR123.
I've been real impressed with the Nuwai Q3 driven by 3.6V RCR123 - I've been told with a battery voltage over the Vf of the 3watt Luxeon - the Q3 in effect becomes direct-drive - hence the spectatular brightness - as others can well attest to.
I've been eyeing the 3watt Rechargeable single RCR123 flashlights on the LightHound site - hoping they'd work the same/similar way as the Nuwai Q3 on 3.6V rechargeable RCR123.
I wrote John at LightHound.com expressing my interest in comparing these lights and he very kindly loaned me one of each for this review.
So this is a 3watt single RCR123 rechargeable shootout comparing to my control the Nuwai Q3 - I've produced 37 photos for this - so may have to split up this review into 2 or 3 parts - so be patient.
Size
Heads
These lights all have reverse clickies.
All three of these LightHound 3w Rechargeable lights will more or less stand on their tail-ends albeit a little unsteadily, the rings and lanyard contribute to the unstable stand..
The Nuwai cannot stand on end as the clicky button covering protrudes too much.
So how bright are these on 3.6V rechargeable Li-Ion RCR123?
I used the Nuwai Q3 on RCR123 as a comparison -
Q3 RCR123 vs. V3 RCR123
The beams are somewhat similar - the V3 has a more distinct and perhaps brighter hotspot - so should throw a bit better - but its sidespill transition is not as smooth as the Q3 - But the V3 is about as good as the Q3 - and some might consider the V3 better.
Q3 RCR123 vs. V2 RCR123
the beams are different - but I feel the V2 is less bright than the Q3 and its tint is noticably cooler.
Q3 RCR123 vs. V1 RCR123
quite noticably less bright than the Q3, and noticably cooler tint - somewhat of a disappointment - I had the impression this might be direct-drive - so either there is a protection current limiting resistor used or the 3watt LED is simply less bright/efficient compared to that in the Q3. Note the V1 has a focussing head - and I've set for the brightest hotspot for these beamshots.
Compared to each other - head-to-head -
V3 vs V2 both RCR123
I feel the V3 is brighter and has a better beam for outdoors usage as it is more concentrated - not quite as good as the Q3's floody spot - but comparable (V3's hotspot seems brighter than the Q3 - so would probably throw better than the Q3) - V2 is more suited for indoors use since the side-spill is wider to illuminate more of a room. But overall I much prefer the V3.
V3 vs. V1 RCR123
No contest at all
For completeness V2 vs. V1 RCR123
Again not much of a contest.
These 3w rechargeable 3.6V lights are very bright and really should be shown with a more distant and practical target. I used the same stairs scene from my previous "Practical" Beamshots? thread.
Using the exact same exposure settings at ISO100, f/2.8 at 0.6secs - daylight white balance, lens set at 28mm equivalent.
Original Q3 RCR123 shot ................................... V3 RCR123
V2 RCR123 .................................................... V1 RCR123
V3 on RCR123 seems pretty comparable to the Q3 RCR123 - the hotspot of V3 is more intense - but the Q3's reticulated reflector does a much more gradual fade from hotspot to side-spill so that one can see past the open door in the stairs shot whereas despite having a brighter hotpsot -one doesn't see much of anything past the open door in the V3 shot.
Outdoors the V3 does throw better/further than the Q3.
In Part 2 I'll deal with how these lights work with regular non-rechargeable 3.0V CR123A.
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