Better reflector for Nitecore EX10?

Just got an EX10, the Cree Q5 has such a nice tint (looks like a Seoul V0 tint), but the beam profile is very nasty, ringy.

Has anyone managed to cram a nicer reflector in there, like a McGizmo one to clean up the beam more?

Man, I just love the UI with the EX10. It's my favorite "clicky" to use thus far.

-Ed

I agree. I have a D10 (same reflector). Awesome UI and great light but pretty crappy reflector. I have a Lightflux LF3XT and the beam quality is almost perfect....shows what a properly designed reflector can do for you.

I have noticed the reflector is deeper, but the extra few millimeters is well worth it as beam quality is sooooo good.

My EX10 is slightly "ringy" on full power - very slight. But I use mine on lowest setting 90% of the time and I find the rings are undetectable at the lower levels.

IMHO I am not bothered by the slight rings at full but perhaps your example is different?

Southernlight said:

My EX10 is slightly "ringy" on full power - very slight. But I use mine on lowest setting 90% of the time and I find the rings are undetectable at the lower levels.

IMHO I am not bothered by the slight rings at full but perhaps your example is different?

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I'm also pretty picky / spoiled by my other lights.

My tiny Lummi Raw NS has a Q5 Cree in it, and it has a much nicer beam profile even with a small reflector.

My D10 has pretty bad rings...some users suggested that mine may be worse than others. In any case, the rings bother me!

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2570037#post2570037

I have an EX10 with an Osram GDP and my beam pattern is perfectly smooth. Same output too.

Guy's Dropper said:

I have an EX10 with an Osram GDP and my beam pattern is perfectly smooth. Same output too.

Click to expand...

Me too. I hope to see more lights with the GDP LED.

Maybe I should buy a D10 GDP. I find that even with the ringy beam, the D10 is one of my favorite lights. Without the rings, it would be awesome!

Edwood said:

Just got an EX10, the Cree Q5 has such a nice tint (looks like a Seoul V0 tint), but the beam profile is very nasty, ringy.

Has anyone managed to cram a nicer reflector in there, like a McGizmo one to clean up the beam more?

Man, I just love the UI with the EX10. It's my favorite "clicky" to use thus far.

-Ed

Click to expand...

Rather than get the GD plus version of the EX10, you might want to try the LiteFlux LF3XT. Although it uses a Q5, it offers an even smoother beam than the GD Plus. The problem, IMO, with the GD plus is the tint tends to vary from the creamy colored hotspot to the spill which can be somwhat blue. The hotspot is surrounded by a slightly yellow corona. Having said all this, there seems to be somewhat of a lottery with the GD PLUS, some samples showing less tint variation across the beam than others.

With the LF3XT, there is no variation in tint from hotspot to spill. It is the only single cell light I know of that has tamed the Q5; there are no artifacts or rings.

Furthermore, if you like the interface on the EX10, I think you will like the LF3XT even more. It offers the same simple interface with an easier to operate switch, along with an option of using a second more full featured interface that lets you choose up to 5 modes along with a variety of beam and beacon options. It cost about the same as the EX10, too!

BabyDoc said:

The problem, IMO, with the GD plus is the tint tends to vary from the creamy colored hotspot to the spill which can be somwhat blue.

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I had an EX10 GD that I had to return. It had an awful purple tint.

BabyDoc said:

Furthermore, if you like the interface on the EX10, I think you will like the LF3XT even more. It offers the same simple interface with an easier to operate switch, along with an option of using a second more full featured interface that lets you choose up to 5 modes along with a variety of beam and beacon options. It cost about the same as the EX10, too!

Click to expand...

The interface is much more complicated though... Yes you can use it in simple mode, but you have the delay which is somewhat annoying. The more complex interface is just that, complex. It is a great light, though.

I like the simple interface of the EX10. With Russtang's upcoming Titanium bodies, The EX10 is going to be even more awesome. If I could get a much better reflector, it would be nearly perfect.

-Ed

If you don't mind losing a few lumens take some Scotch satin tape, fold in in 2 with the adhesive sides stuck together, cut it to the size of the lens/window and install it under the bezel ring.
The nice thing about doing it this way is it can easily be reversed, I have since mounted the tape directly to the lens with the adhesive side and am very happy with the improvement.

I also used the reflector from a Fenix P1 Cree but it required a thicker o-ring between the lens/window and the reflector, the beam was nice but the above mentioned solution works fine and I can still have a complete Fenix P1 Cree.

you can eliminate the cree ring by shimming the reflector a tiny bit higher.

I used the oring that normally seals the lens and placed it between the
brass pill and the reflector. Then found a nice gitd oring among my spares
to seal the lens/bezel.

here's a pic, you can clearly see the raised gap between the cree and the reflector from this angle. it refocuses the led and cleans up the beam nicely.



i've done this with my fenix l2d q5 as well and since the fenix reflector is a heavier OP than the nitecore it looks flawless.

Illumination said:

I had an EX10 GD that I had to return. It had an awful purple tint.



The interface is much more complicated though... Yes you can use it in simple mode, but you have the delay which is somewhat annoying. The more complex interface is just that, complex. It is a great light, though.

Click to expand...

There is NO delay in turning on the light. (There had been with the LF5XT). There is no delay in ramping. There is a 0.3 sec delay when you turn the light off. Why? Any light with multiple command where you issue multiple clicks needs to wait to see if you are going to issue more clicks. A single click turns off the light. 2clicks changes levels. 4clicks turns on momentary. 5 Clicks gives a battery condition report. The light simply doesn't know if you want to turn off the light or do something else, so it waits 0.3 sec for the next click or series of clicks. If doesn't come, the light turns off.

In terms of what is really annoying to me, is trying to ramp with the EX10 and having to wait and click a second time when it doesn't. Fortunately, this problem has been fixed with the latest lights being sent out.

Now as far as the FUI interface is concerned, once it is set up, you can forget all the programming trees you had to understand to get your light exactly the way you want it. You problably will never need to change it. And if you don't want to program it at all, you can use the very thoughtful defaults that are set into the light by LiteFlux. What could be easier than that!

MWClint said:

you can eliminate the cree ring by shimming the reflector a tiny bit higher.

I used the oring that normally seals the lens and placed it between the
brass pill and the reflector. Then found a nice gitd oring among my spares
to seal the lens/bezel.

Click to expand...

I tried this trick on my EX10 but the beam difference was negligible.

Neat idea, but I'm sorry, shouldn't the MANUFACTURER use the right reflector or properly shim it?

I would gladly pay 50% more (~$25) for a light that had a properly fitting reflector and better tint control (my EX10 had a purple spillbeam and was therefore returned).