Some beam shot comparison for some MC-E Q4 P4 lights

It seems that my first post has disappeared so I try again. Most of these will be Christmas presents for family members.


Overview:


Camera settings in all pictures:
f/2,8, 1/100, ISO-100, white balance – day light.
The distance of the camera and light is 80 cm from the wall.


1. MTE M3-2 Cree MC-E 8-Mode Flashlight:
- not very reliable picture since driver is most likely broken
- The flashlight can not take two rechargeable CR123 sized batteries
- the operation of the light is very unreliable
- this picture is taken with 18650 battery after accident




2. Aurora M3-2 Cree MC-E BIN M-WC 2-Mode LED Flashlight
- tailcap measurement with 4,17 V battery 2,35 A




3. UltraFire C2 Cree MC-E (BIN M-WC) 2-Mode LED Flashlight
- tailcap measurement with 4,17 V battery 2,15 A




4. Ultrafire C3 Cree Q5 5-Mode LED Flashlight with Extension




5. ROMISEN RC-P3 CREE Side Switch 1-Mode LED Flashlight




6. UltraFire C3 Cree 1x14500 Flashlight (P4?)




7. Cree P4 + 5 LED 3-Mode Head Lamp




8. 9 LEDs Flashlight 20000 mcd

Good one, thanks for the pictures! Looks like the C2 is the same sort of performance as the others, but in a smaller form.

Landor, I'm so interested in two of those flashlights, first and second from the left of the picture (M3-2 CREE MC-E M BIN), and just wanted to know your impressions about them, and wich one is the best.

Now I prefer the AURORA, just because It has only two modes, but in your picture, the MTE seems to be much brighter, so... with one is actually brighter?. Thank you very much and apologies for my poor English...

PS - I Slightly prefer throw rather than spill.

Which has the best/farthest throw among the 8 flashlights above? TIA!

My UltraFire C2 Cree MC-E only pulls 1.7 Amps at the tailcap, want to trade?

glenda17 said:

My UltraFire C2 Cree MC-E only pulls 1.7 Amps at the tailcap, want to trade?

Click to expand...

Then you will have a longer runtime so is no a great con though you'll be far from the brightness limit of this MC-E.

I'll keep waiting untill LANDER appears and give me an advice in which of the two brighter is better...

For so many days I have been waiting for a response from Landor, to be sure before I took the choice, but I finally decided for the Aurora M3-2 MC-E M bin, because I've heard some good opinions on this brand.
When I get it, I'll give my impressions right here, and I could include some pictures, comparing with P7.

Landor, I'd still like to hear your advice, though now the Aurora is ordered.

glenda17 said:

My UltraFire C2 Cree MC-E only pulls 1.7 Amps at the tailcap, want to trade?

Click to expand...

Sorry but it was a Christmas present, I don't have it anymore. Perhaps you have already tried to clean all threads etc. for best possible contact? Only measure cleaning effect I did was the cleaning of circuit battery + contact. When I cleaned that the current increased from 2.05 A to 2.15 A.

Riverwind said:

Landor, I'm so interested in two of those flashlights, first and second from the left of the picture (M3-2 CREE MC-E M BIN), and just wanted to know your impressions about them, and wich one is the best.

Now I prefer the AURORA, just because It has only two modes, but in your picture, the MTE seems to be much brighter, so... with one is actually brighter?. Thank you very much and apologies for my poor English...

PS - I Slightly prefer throw rather than spill.

Click to expand...

Sorry for not answering your questions earlier. I just have not been following this thread for few weeks anymore.

I think that all these MC-E lights were good. But personally I prefer the MTE, mainly because I think it is a bit brighter. After making these tests and breaking my first MTE with two rechargeable CR123 batteries I ordered a new MTE for myself. I am currently chargin batteries so I can measure the current and take a comparable picture using similar camera settings as in above pictures with working original circuit board.

Other MC-E lights I gave as Christmas presents. I have "field tested" only the MTE. Generally the build quality feels very good but it was flickering (and changed mode) few times while biking on bumpy road. I don't remember if I have used it after thread cleaning. The build quality of Aurora was feeling very good also. I think the Aurora was a bit brighter than the Ultrafire. The Ultrafire was not so solid as other two. The advantages of Ultrafire were smaller size and availability of pressure switch tail cap.

Landor said:

I think that all these MC-E lights were good. But personally I prefer the MTE, mainly because I think it is a bit brighter...

Click to expand...

Hi Landor, thanks for the reply!. I was waiting for your advice for so many days, but then I decided to order the Aurora. The MTE is much brighter, or only a little difference between them?... wich one has more throw/spill?... If the MTE is REALLY brighter I could save and buy the MTE too.

Thanks again!. Regards from Spain!.

Riverwind said:

The MTE is much brighter, or only a little difference between them?... wich one has more throw/spill?

Click to expand...

The light pattern is similar in both, similar type throw/spill. I can not say anything exact about the brightness difference, they are both nice and bright .

Here is some additional pictures.

Camera settings in all pictures:
f/2,8, 1/100, ISO-100, white balance – day light.
To do that I needed exposure +2.
The distance of the camera and light is 80 cm from the wall.


1b. MTE M3-2 Cree MC-E 8-Mode Flashlight
This is with fully working genuine flashlight.
The tailcal measurement was giwing 3,7 A - not so realistic, perhaps something happens in tailcap







2.1. UltraFire L2 Cree R2-WC 250-Lumen LED Flashlight with Assault Crown 1x18650 or 2xCR123A. Picture is taken with 1x18650.
Tailcap measurement 0,65 A. Quite similar throw as with MTE MC-E, just much smaller throw area and dimmer spill.







B2. UltraFire L2 Cree R2-WC - MTE M3-2 Cree MC-E - UltraFire C3 Cree 1x14500 P4?

I have both the aurora mc-e 2 mode m bin and the mte p7 2 mode. In my opinion the mte is much brighter. However I think it is direct drive. The aurora has some regulation. For my needs, the flood of the p7 is more useful. How did the mte break? I thought it should only be run on a 18650? Did the led go poof?

js-lots said:

How did the mte break? I thought it should only be run on a 18650? Did the led go poof?

Click to expand...

The circuit board is damaged. Led is OK. Works with other circuit board. I am just not happy with the circuit board I have in it now.

EDIT: Yes you should use only one 18650. I burned my MTE M3-2 MC-E when testing two 16340 batteries.

I am looking at the MTE M3-2. Landor, would you still recommend this light. Any rough estimates on runtime for High/med/low.

If nobody else replies, I read on the DX page for the M3-2, in the user comments section at the bottom, that runtime is about 40 minutes on high, about 4 hrs on medium, but I don't know the runtime for low.