antikythera
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 91
Warning! Long review ahead! :nana:
Alright, so I just got my Ra Clicky 140E from The Battery Station, going from my first light, a Nitecore D10 R2 (Actually, got it on pre-order, so thankfully no SP nonsense).
So I open the box, and dig it out.
Wow. I can see where the money went in this thing.
The light is much smaller than I expected, only being a hair longer than my D10, but much thicker. This is a perfect size, IMO. With the size being as it is, I would use the D10 in a cigar grip nine times out of ten. With the Clicky, the recess in the battery tube makes it much more comfortable. The thing feels rock-solid.
The clip, as expected, was extremely functional, but looked and felt horrendous. I put it on, and took it off immediately. This is the only place where I think this light is lacking. I hear of an improvement in the future, though...
The knurling is fantastic, providing a great grip, without threatening to shred your pants. There are a couple of spots missing anodizing, but whatever. This light isn't going to be a shelf queen. Not using it would be criminal.
The bezel feels incredibly smooth, having been machined (like everything else) beautifully, with wonderful curves and no sharp edges anywhere.
Speaking of usage, the "mouse click" analogy for the click mechanism is spot-on. There is a great tactile response both physically and aurally, but it isn't loud. The rubber boot is of excellent quality as well, even though it is smooth with no texturing.
And speaking of the tailcap, this light actually tailstands! It's a little wobbly, mind you, but it still works. It's not strictly necessary, but it is a nice convenience feature.
The beam. Flawless. I could not have asked for a better quality beam. One continuous radial gradient of slightly warm white, and it isn't even a GT. I saw the beam, and was stunned. One could even go as far as to describe it as "buttery." Actually, that fits. Both in tone and consistency of the beam, this glorious handheld illumination tool produces a buttery wall of photons, sending them hurtling towards whatever takes your fancy. Okay, now I'm rambling.
Still, the light deserves it.
The one-button interface works like a charm. Engaging customization mode was a snap, and within seconds, I had a light perfectly tailored to my liking. I have it set as follows:
A: Default (low)
B: Default minus 4 or so steps (I'll figure out the number of lumens later) (medium-low)
C: Default minus a few steps (medium)
D: Default (burst)
Honestly, it was fine as-is, but the ability to custom-tailor your settings to your needs is just one of those touches that shows the thought that went into this light. :bow:
The light just exudes confidence in both its build quality and its feature-set.
Overall, 2-hour ownership report: Fantastic, and worth every penny. I'm glad I started out from the top of the quality heap. Buy cheap, buy twice. (I know, I know, clichéd, but it's true). And thanks for everyone who helped me make my decision (special mention to CLBME).
I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them here. I need to put my soft-box together again. :tired:
EDIT: Here are some pics, enjoy!
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