So I just picked up these two lights because of some wicked good coupons/refunds from a couple of well known dealers over at the Marketplace. I was looking for something other than a thrower - I've already been down that road. 
There are many of these lights SST-50 lights out there. These two appealed to me because of their longevity with CPF members and their previous reviews.
It's always interesting to me to take what appear to be two different lights and see just how different - or alike - they really are. Case in point is my above referenced thread.
So, just a quick look at both lights compared to each other and then a few outdoor shots.
Side by side with the Olight M21 on the left. (I did not include the Turbo Force head in these shots of the lights themselves.)
In this photo, you can see the forward button on the LumaPower Signature Tactical VX that is used to change the light's modes. I will mention this a little more later:
The business end of both lights. As you can see, the reflector on the M21 dwarfs that of the ST VX:
Above, I mentioned the sideswitch on the ST VX. The light always turns on on max. Then, all you do to cycle through the levels is push the sideswitch (Max>High>Medium>Low>Strobe). IMO, regardless of one's like or dislike of the way the levels themselves break down, this sideswitch at the front of the light is nothing short of perfect.
Now, to be fair, Olight does have a sideswitch located on the tailcap of two of its lights (the M20S and the M30), but the M21 works just like most lights that twist the head to change the level and thus requires a two handed operation (High>Strobe>Low>Medium>High).
Both lights have a last mode memory, but there is a downside about this with both lights. If you turn your light off in Strobe with the M21 so it will turn back on in Strobe, to get the light back to High, you must turn the head right>left three times. With the ST VX, if you turn off the light in Low and then turn it back on again, you get the same pre-flash that was/and still does happen with 4Sevens lights.
Now, some outdoor shots. I took these shots all on manual mode at 2 seconds, F3.5, ISO 100, AWB, and 18mm.
First, towards the shed almost 25 yards from the deck. The first shot in each of these sequences is of the Olight M21. The second shot is of the ST VX, and the third shot of of the SG VX with the Turbo Force head installed:
And now in between the two houses, the same order as above:
Personally, I was amazed at just how wide the Lumapower ST VX really was. There really is no hotspot so to speak with this light using the smaller, regular head. It is somewhat brighter in the center, but not like the M21, which has a pretty clearly defined hotspot.
These pictures also really show why it would appear to people that some lights look "brighter" because of a well defined hotspot, when in reality, they may not be. That is the SST-50 vs say the XP-G R5.
Right out of the box, these lights appear to light up much of the same items within say 50-60 yards. The Olight, however, does have a bit of throw to it. In order for the ST VX to get that same throw, one much change the heads.
All in all though, two great lights, especially if you're looking for a flood type of light with a little throw. For both lights, I paid within $1 of each other using the coupon/refund from the two Marketplace stores and I don't think you would go wrong with either light.
For me, I prefer the Olight simply because you don't have to change the head in order to get some throw. But, with the Turbo Force head on the ST VX, you get a lot more throw than the M21.
It's all in what you want.
There are many of these lights SST-50 lights out there. These two appealed to me because of their longevity with CPF members and their previous reviews.
It's always interesting to me to take what appear to be two different lights and see just how different - or alike - they really are. Case in point is my above referenced thread.
So, just a quick look at both lights compared to each other and then a few outdoor shots.
Side by side with the Olight M21 on the left. (I did not include the Turbo Force head in these shots of the lights themselves.)
In this photo, you can see the forward button on the LumaPower Signature Tactical VX that is used to change the light's modes. I will mention this a little more later:
The business end of both lights. As you can see, the reflector on the M21 dwarfs that of the ST VX:
Above, I mentioned the sideswitch on the ST VX. The light always turns on on max. Then, all you do to cycle through the levels is push the sideswitch (Max>High>Medium>Low>Strobe). IMO, regardless of one's like or dislike of the way the levels themselves break down, this sideswitch at the front of the light is nothing short of perfect.
Now, to be fair, Olight does have a sideswitch located on the tailcap of two of its lights (the M20S and the M30), but the M21 works just like most lights that twist the head to change the level and thus requires a two handed operation (High>Strobe>Low>Medium>High).
Both lights have a last mode memory, but there is a downside about this with both lights. If you turn your light off in Strobe with the M21 so it will turn back on in Strobe, to get the light back to High, you must turn the head right>left three times. With the ST VX, if you turn off the light in Low and then turn it back on again, you get the same pre-flash that was/and still does happen with 4Sevens lights.
Now, some outdoor shots. I took these shots all on manual mode at 2 seconds, F3.5, ISO 100, AWB, and 18mm.
First, towards the shed almost 25 yards from the deck. The first shot in each of these sequences is of the Olight M21. The second shot is of the ST VX, and the third shot of of the SG VX with the Turbo Force head installed:
And now in between the two houses, the same order as above:
Personally, I was amazed at just how wide the Lumapower ST VX really was. There really is no hotspot so to speak with this light using the smaller, regular head. It is somewhat brighter in the center, but not like the M21, which has a pretty clearly defined hotspot.
These pictures also really show why it would appear to people that some lights look "brighter" because of a well defined hotspot, when in reality, they may not be. That is the SST-50 vs say the XP-G R5.
Right out of the box, these lights appear to light up much of the same items within say 50-60 yards. The Olight, however, does have a bit of throw to it. In order for the ST VX to get that same throw, one much change the heads.
All in all though, two great lights, especially if you're looking for a flood type of light with a little throw. For both lights, I paid within $1 of each other using the coupon/refund from the two Marketplace stores and I don't think you would go wrong with either light.
For me, I prefer the Olight simply because you don't have to change the head in order to get some throw. But, with the Turbo Force head on the ST VX, you get a lot more throw than the M21.
It's all in what you want.
