Did you expect your D10 to be brighter? Beamshots inside.

Hi guys! I'm new to CPF, and I've been lurking pretty much as long as I've had this user name. Before I make my comments about my new D10, I'm sure most people want to see the beamshots first. So let me post those.

Camera: Casio Exilim Pro EX-P505
Settings:
- Widest Apature, f3.3
- ISO 50 in all shots
- Widest part of the Zoom
- Shutter speed posted in the pictures

Nitecore D10: Fully Charged Rayovac Hybrid AA (Straight off the charger)
Romisen RC-N3: Fully Charged Trustfire Li-Ion RCR123
Fenix T1: Panasonic CR123A's - Whatever Charge was left in the Primaries that came with the light (last I checked it was about 3.1v, and I've only put about 10min on high into these batteries).

(If multimode) All flashlights were set to max. D10 was set using the "Click On; then double click-HOLD" shortcut.

D10 was cleaned and lubricated with Radio Shack "Needle-Tip Precision Lubricator" 5 minutes prior to testing.



Bigger images can be provided upon request.

Now for my comments. My girlfriend bought this flashlight for me! I was so happy . I turned it on in daytime and the reflection off my hand blinded me. I was waiting for it to become nighttime.

However, once I started shining stuff on the walls with my current EDC (Romisen RC-N3) and compared against the D10, I became disappointed. To my eyes, the RC-N3 had a brighter spot AND brighter spill with an already "used" battery.

Many said that the D10 was incredibly bright, and that 130lm was "conservative". I may have read a few posts with people estimating the OTF lm being around 150lm. If so, I guess my RC-N3 is 170lm (sarcasm).

Also, I wanted to ask anyone here if they have a (slight) andonizing mismatch between the head and body. The first thing I noticed when my GF handed me the D10 is that my head is slightly brownish compared to the black/dark gray body. Does anyone else's flashlight look like this? It doesn't bother me MUCH, but I'd just like to know if anyone else's was similar.

Anyway, was I expecting too much in terms of brightness? I thought it would of torn apart my RC-N3 (or at least be noteably brighter). My RC-N3 isn't even the Q5 model. My friend has a Q5 model and we compared our RC-N3's side by side and his is brighter and throws further because of it. So I know I don't have some magical emitter in my RC-N3

Is there something wrong with my D10?

Edit:

More Beamshots here, Post #25

Short answer: You'll need a 14500 in the D10 for a comparable beamshot to the other lights running li-ions...

BTW - My EX10 is NOT brighter than my novatac or even a cheap DX Q5 rcr123 twisty light I use as a battery holder. But that's fine b/c I expected as much. At the end of the day, it's still just a Cree Q5 & a battery
-AZ

Hmmm, the Romisen RC-N3 is designed to operate at 3V+ and has nowhere near the build quality of the D10 and the T1 is just another class of light altogether (130L vs. 225?) and has no bearing here but the D10 does pretty well for a light that can use 1.2V NiMH's.............and use them well. The previous poster was right that you need 14500's to get the most out of a D10 but, IMO, this light was never designed to be a barn burner. It is a great tool with a simple, useable UI and will do most everything needed of an EDC light. Use it for awhile (and get some 14500's if you just want more lumens) and I think it'll grow on ya'......................

So in short, yes you were expecting too much. Lots of comparison reviews here on this light.

I`m hoping the D10 I have on order is at least as bright as my L1D-Q5. doesn`t have to be brighter...just as bright and I`ll be happy. I like the smaller size and the ramping concept. And the ability to go really low too.

The D10 will be brighter than the L1D. Brightness is not the ultimate measure of the perfect EDC. A great EDC needs other attributes to make it great.

Anyone can make a one mode super bright light, that doesn't mean it's better than a flexible high quality light that's not as bright.

I was thinking I wasn't getting the brightness I expected because I wasn't running 14500's. However, according to some of the reviews, there is a large drop off of output when running 14500's in the D10. Doesn't the D10 on Li-Ion's eventually end up having near the same output as the D10 on NIMH's? I might just pick up some Li-Ion's, but that leaves me with like 18 NIMH's and no flashlights to take advantage of them :shrug:

Also, I never expected the D10 to be as bright as the Fenix T1 . I expected (read: wanted) the D10 to be at least as bright, but preferably brighter than my RC-N3. The Fenix T1 is just there as a "comparison".

Right after posting the topic, I was thinking I might have an LED with a high vf...

Don't get me wrong, guys. I'm liking the D10, but the brightness is leaving me wanting more. With the variable brightness, I was hoping the Q5 would be driven at least as hard as the lower-binned Cree in the RC-N3. (Which would make the D10 brighter).

I have 3 EX10's and 1 D10 and the ano on all of them is perfect, not to mention that this light is perfect also. (IMHO) It's been in my pocket day and night since I got it. I love the UI and I don't go anywhere without it. Is it the brightest light in my arsenal-no, but it is bright and it is my new EDC!!!

:twothumbs

Can you send the D-10 back and ask for an exchange? Try a differant one? No point in keeping it if your not happy with the output. Wait a month or two and probably could get one with the R-2 led...might be brighter yet?

You need a 14500 to get max brightness. Or get an EX-10 and run RCR123 3.7v's, or CR123A's.

14500 is entirely brighter

$5.85 a pair at DX

glad to see a side by side with the RC N3 btw

Can you please (pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease)
post a D10 + RC N3 Q5 beamshot?

the RC N3 with both nimh and lithium if you could

thanks (I hope) :thumbsup:

To my eyes, there is not much difference between the Romisen and the D10. Also, I have seen ads for the RC-N3 and it was rated at +200 lumens with a Cree Q5. I am not sure if that is a fair comparison. The D10 is rated at 130 lumans which is great for a light that size and it is made very well. Mine lights up my back yard at night. Come to think of it, I have a Romisen R3-N3, but I doubt if it has a Q5 in it since I have had it a while. Maybe you have an older version also. I will have take these outside this eve and compare them side by side!

Mike

Nitecore D10 has smaller reflector then Romisen so it doesn't throw so good. If you want a small light with good throw then you should try Nitecore Extreme.

I think the general point is that a 1xAA light is not going to be able to drive an emitter as hard as a 1xCR123A light (except on equivalent 3.7V Li-ions). The fact that the D10 has a Q5 is not going to help you much - on regular 1.2/1.5V standard 1xAA (NiMH, alkalkine, L91), you will find all Cree lights are pretty much bound to a narrow range. You need need greater power (e.g. 2xAA or 1xCR123A) to really see a difference between the Cree output bins.

i have the Q5 rc-n3 from shining beam and it is brighter than my EX10, i think the reason for this is the hotspot on the nitecore is wider so the light is not as concentrated, i would much rather carry around my EX10 than the Romisen simply because it does more and looks good doing it

the D10 ad Ex10 are by no means the brightest lights on the block. They are however, the two lights with (imo) the best multi-tap UI ever made. and thier well built, out of that higher grade aluminium, and have great knurling.

i never expected the D10/Ex10 to be a scorcher. 130lumens, even conservative, is on the medium-low side these days.

Crenshaw

abarth_1200 said:

i have the Q5 rc-n3 from shining beam and it is brighter than my EX10, i think the reason for this is the hotspot on the nitecore is wider so the light is not as concentrated, i would much rather carry around my EX10 than the Romisen simply because it does more and looks good doing it

Click to expand...

I also have the Shiningbeam Q5 RC-N3 and love it. But I'm still getting a new EX10 Golden Dragon for the reasons you described. I typically use the RC-N3 for "close" work, indoors, around the house, and it's more important to me to have a wide, smooth beam without a tight, bright hotspot.

I just tore up two battery packs (one from a Canon Camcorder, and another from a Compaq Laptop) trying to look for a 14500 to "test" the D10 with. All I found were two 14650s (yes, 650 - from the Canon Battery Pack - God I had so much hope that these had 14500's in them with a really big PCB at the end or something) and eight 18650s.

So I have a question for you guys with a D10 (or EX10 - if they're the same brightness), do these on Li-ion noticeably beat the RC-N3 in output?

I know brightness isn't everything, but unless I have the (at least) the brightness of the RC-N3 in my pocket, I don't think the D10 can replace my RC-N3 as my EDC. I'm currently EDCing BOTH lights, trying to see how useful the D10 is.

gratewhitehuntr said:

Can you please (pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease)
post a D10 + RC N3 Q5 beamshot?

the RC N3 with both nimh and lithium if you could

thanks (I hope) :thumbsup:

Click to expand...

My friend has the RC-N3 Q5 from Shiningbeam, not me. I'll have to ask to borrow it one day, if he'll let me . However, when I do get the chance, I'll put my RC-N3 (its from DX, unknown Cree bin) on NiMH AA's and post beamshots. I should be able to on Monday or Tuesday. No promises though .

You might as well compare them with your own eyes & not rely on anyone else's observations.
Since you already have Li-ions, just set the D10 on max & then connect a Li-ion directly to the head without the body or piston. Connect a wire leading from the negative end of the battery to the kilroy ring on the head to make the negative contact. That will be how bright your D10 is with a 14500 battery as compared to your other lights.

Hope that helps

don't need the body to make it run

should be extra easy on account of those 18650s having tabs






BTW, thanks for the offer of beamshots :thumbsup:

I just compared it to a p2d q5 and the d10 hs much yellower tint and doesn't even seem close to as bright as the p2d.