IMALENT EMT16 Remote + Touch Screen (XM-L2, laser - 1x18650, 2xCR123A) Review: RUNS+

selfbuilt

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Warning: pic heavy, as usual. :whistle:

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IMALENT is a new manufacturer of flashlights, using a distinctive touch-screen interface. In this review, I am looking at their EMT16 model – featuring a Cool White XM-L2 emitter, and powered by 1x18650 or 2xCR123A. But it also has a built-in red laser pointer and an actual separate remote control (designed to replace the more optional remote switch found on some tactical/hunting lights). :eek:oo:

As part of this review, I will be comparing the performance of the EMT16 to their original DD2R model, and other lights in this class. Note that the DD2R is currently undergoing revision, and I will be posting a separate review of the final shipping version of that light when it is ready. You can also check out my DD4R review, for their original high-output model.

Manufacturer Reported Specifications:
(note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results).

  • Utilizes CREE XM-L2 (U2) LED
  • Supports Li-ion 18650 3.7V (compatible and can be recharged) and CR123A primary lithium battery (compatible but can NOT be recharged).
  • 100 discrete output levels
  • Sample output/runtimes: 1065 lumens (Max), 1.5 hr - 885 lumens, 6 hr - 225 lumens, 25 hr - 5 lumens (Min), 250 hr
  • Peak beam intensity 16,860cd
  • Effective range up to 250m
  • Designed for military, police, hunting, explore and other outdoor tactical lighting.
  • Red laser sight, designed for hunting use
  • With remote controller (replace traditional remote switch), can control the flashlight at your will
  • Side switch to operate with one hand, and much easier to use in dark
  • Super intelligent touch display, softly touch the display to adjust brightness
  • Use microcomputer controlled efficient constant circuit, run time up to 250 hours
  • Double electrical components touch switch display, simple and convenient
  • With power display and power indicating
  • Wide voltage range compatible with rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries
  • Toughened ultra-clear mineral glass with anti-reflective coating
  • Sophisticated aluminum alloy reflector make it with greater throw than similar flashlight in the market
  • Aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, military grade Type III hard-anodized
    Explosion-proof flashlight
  • Battery indicator
  • Reverse battery protection design
  • Low voltage battery can still light the flashlight for emergency( when a battery couldn't use in other flashlights, but can still work in our flashlight)
  • Before light on and off, the circuit would self detect the IC, and repair itself if any problem
  • Time and temperature control, when high output, would decrease to 70% power itself to protect after 3 minutes to protect the circuit and LED; -The temperature would be within 55%, which is maximum temperature human could stand.
  • After insert battery, the flashlight would test itself and choose the relative circuit according to model of battery.
  • Impact resistant
  • IPX-8 waterproof ability (2m), waterproof and submersible
  • Size: 145mm*38mm*25.4mm
  • Weight: 83g(battery excluded)
  • MSRP: unknown, but seen a range of ~$75-$105 online
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Packaging is similar across the IMALENT line. Inside the hard cardboard case with cut-out packing foam are the light, spare O-rings, spare display cover, belt holster with Velcro closing flap, remote control, spring-style wrist lanyard for the remote, product inserts and manual.

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From left to right: AW protected 18650 2200mAh; IMALENT EMT16, DD2R; Olight M20S-X; ArmyTek Viking; Eagletac G24C2-II; Nitecore CR6.

All dimensions directly measured, and given with no batteries installed:

IMALENT DD2R: Weight: 143.6g , Length: 149.4mm, Width (bezel): 36.0mm
IMALENT EMT16: Weight: 152.9g , Length: 150.0mm, Width (bezel): 36.6mm
Eagletac TX25C2: Weight 93.6g, Length: 120.4mm, Width (bezel): 31.6mm
Fenix PD35: Weight: 82.7g, Length: 138.1mm, Width (bezel): 25.4mm
Foursevens MMR-X: Weight 90.8g, Weight (with 18650): 138.5g, Length: 138.6mm, Width (bezel): 31.5mm
Foursevens MMX Burst: Weight 145.8g, Length: 153.3mm, Width (bezel): 38.7mm
Klarus RS11: Weight 158.0g, Length: 160mm, Width (bezel) 34.9mm
Nitecore P12: Weight: 89.7g, Length: 139.4mm, Width (bezel): 25.4mm
Nitecore P25: Weight: 171.3g, Length: 160mm, Width (bezel): 40.0m
Rofis TR31C: Weight: 180.7g, Length: 153.0mm, Width (bezel): 39.8mm
Thrunite TN12-2014: Weight: 80.0g, Length: 140.5mm, Width (bezel): 25.4mm
Zebralight SC600 II: Weight 79.3g, Length: 101.8mm, Width (bezel) 29.7mm

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The EMT16 anodizing is a matte black, and seems to be good quality on my sample. Labels are minimal and bright white, clearly legible against the dark background. There is no knurling to speak of on the battery tube, but instead there is a raised checkered pattern with very fine grooves (i.e., similar to some Fenix lights). With the heatsink fins and buttons in the head, I would say overall grip is good.

Note that the light only opens at the head of the body tube. Screw threads are square cut, but are not anodized. As such, physical lockout is unfortunately not available.

Note that the battery tube is quite wide, and could easily accommodate fatter 18650 cells.

The light has a lightly-colored tail area (matches bezel ring) with a flattened portion. As such, the light can tailstand stably. Note that both the bezel and tail rings are made of aluminum, not stainless steel.

There is no physical clicky switch – the light is controlled by the electronic switch in the head (along with touch screen and separate remote control – explained below). Press and hold the electronic switch in the head for more than 3 secs to turn the light on or off. There is also a separate Standby mode, which I will explain later. The touch screen, when activated, displays relevant information about battery status and output level.

Let's took a look at the touch screen:

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What you are looking at is two conditions: one when the light is running on full power (i.e., all 6 level bars indicated), and one where it is on minimum output (i.e., one level bar showing). You can control the output using the touch screen, as I will explain in the User Interface section below (and in the Video).

Note that there are a lot more than 6 output levels – I can count dozens of individual levels per status bar on the display (IMALENT reports 100 discrete levels). The display is simply showing a relative output level, using 6 bar indicators. Again, scroll down to my User Interface section to learn how to use the light.

The battery indicator on the left is telling you estimated charge remaining on the installed cells. The right battery indicator is a hold-over from their other models that feature in-light charging. On the EMT16, this indicator is always lit, and serves no purpose (i.e., isn't displaying relevant info for this model). Below the IMALENT name is an ON/OFF indicator, which is used to control activation when the light is in a special Standby mode (or strobe, when the light is on). Again, see my User Interface section below for more info.

The electronic switch has a typical traverse and firm "click" for an electronic switch – although the metal button cover can move around somewhat (i.e., feels "loose").

Let's take a closer look at the remote control:

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IMALENT explains that the remote control was designed mainly for hunters, to replace the traditional remote switch.

The remote has four buttons on it: from top to bottom, Power, MODE, Up and Down level control. There is a small red LED next to the Power button, which lights up on button press. There is a lanyard attachment point in the base, and a spring-style wrist lanyard is included in the package. Scroll down for an explanation of the user interface and how it operates.

Let's take a look at the head:

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There is a lightly-colored aluminum bezel ring that holds the lens in place (I can see an anti-reflective coating on the lens). At the base of a relatively deep and smooth reflector is the XM-L2 emitter, which was well centered on my sample. I would expect reasonably good throw for the class, with a narrower than typical spillbeam. Scroll down for some white wall beamshots.

There is also a laser pointer cut-out near the edge of the reflector. When activated, this produces a fairly bright red laser point. However, laser does catch the aluminum bezel ring slightly, producing some reflections in the beam.

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Scroll down to my Beamshots section for additional pics and a further discussion.

User Interface

IMALENT has a novel interface, with the use of a pressure-sensitive touch screen to control output levels on their lights. When you first connect a battery, the display will illuminate for ~3 secs, while the circuit determines the best settings to match the installed battery type. Let's start with an overview of the main interface, followed by the remote control.

Note that IMALENT currently has their user interface under revision. I will update with more info as I have it.

Using the light

Turn the light on or off by a sustained press-hold of the electronic switch in the head for several seconds (~2 secs to turn on, ~3 secs to turn off).

When first activating the light, the touch screen panel will illuminate at the same time as the main beam. You can now set your constant output level by sliding or tapping your finger up and down the screen, in the area where the six bars are located. The light sets the output at whatever level you left it when you remove your finger.

Note that although the display only shows six possible bars, there are actually many more discrete levels (IMALENT reports 100). While not enough to make the light seem truly continuously-variable in handling, it is enough that you will not be left wanting for levels. The 6-bar indicator is thus only a rough approximation of output.

The output continuum of the touch display is not "visually linear", but distributed around actual output levels (see ramping analysis below).

The sensitivity of the screen is reasonably good, but you will likely experience some "jerkiness" as you move up and down between levels. It is also not as touch sensitive as modern smartphone/tablet screens – think more along the lines of the sensitivity of a stand-alone GPS unit. Note that the touch screen is pressure sensitive, not capacitive. This means that you can adjust the output while wearing gloves (although it also explains why it is less responsive than a capacitive screen).

There is mode memory for when you turn the light off/on at the electronic switch (i.e., returns to the last level you left it at).

The battery indicator on the top left gives an estimate of the battery life remaining.

The "IMALENT" label on the display flashes continuously whenever you are running the light at Max output.

The touch display will turn itself off if there is no activity at the panel for 30 secs. IMALENT considers this to be a "lockout function", as you cannot accidentally change modes after the display shuts off. To toggle the touch display on or off at any time, simply click (press-release) the electronic switch.

The laser pointer and flashing modes are accessed by touching and holding you finger on the "ON/OFF" label on the touch display for ~2 secs. The first time you do this, red laser pointer will come on in addition to the white beam. Press and hold again, and the main light will shut off and you get only the red laser pointer activated. Press and hold again to advance to Strove. Press and hold again to advance to SOS. Any additional press and hold will return you to constant output.

Note that there is no memory for the blinking modes/laser pointer (i.e., off/on switching returns to you to the last memorized constant output mode). Interestingly, the output level control works when in SOS or Strobe – simply slide your finger over the display to control the relative output of these modes, at any time. :thumbsup:

There is an alternate way to control the light, which is to put it into Standby mode. To do this, press and hold the electronic switch for ~2 secs from On, and release. Do not hold it the >3 secs required to fully turn off. If you hold if for between 2-3 secs and release, the main beam will shut off and the light enters Standby mode. When in this mode, the touch screen remains illuminated, but with only the "ON/OFF" indicator lit.

You need to enter Standby mode for the remote control to work. You can exit Standby at any time by simply tapping the "ON/OFF" label on the display to re-activate the light in the last constant-output mode you left it.

Using the Remote Control

As previously mentioned, the EMT16 has a special feature over other IMALENT lights – a remote control. :eek:oo: The remote control was designed primarily for hunters, to replace the traditional remote switch. The remote control only works when the light has been put into the dedicated Standby mode described above. Scroll down for a discussion of the impact this has on the continuous standby drain.

When in this dedicated Standby mode, you can turn the EMT16 on/off and change between main white beam and red laser pointer modes by the included remote control.

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Press the Power button on the remote to the turn the light on or off. When turning the light on with the remote Power button, you get both the main white emitter and red laser pointer activated simultaneously. Recall that the light has mode memory for the output level, and returns to it every time you activate the main beam (whether by the display panel, switch press, or remote use). Press the remote Power again to turn off both the main beam and red laser.

To change between only the main white or red laser modes, press the MODE button on the remote. This will turn the light on in either main white beam or red laser beam alternately (i.e., press once for white beam only, press again for red laser only, in a repeating sequence). Note that although you can turn the light on by the MODE button, you need use the Power button to turn it off. Unfortunately, when you first press the Power button this way, the light turns on both the main beam and red laser. Press Power again to actually turn off the light.

When on by either the Power or MODE buttons on the remote, use the Up and Down arrow keys to change the output level. You can click to move a single discrete step, or press and hold to ramp through all the levels. In my testing, it takes about 3 secs to ramp through all the output levels.

Whenever you press a button on the remote, a small red LED lights up next to the power button

I have tested the remote under different conditions, and you need to be within ~6-8 feet of the EMT16 for the remote button presses to consistently register (depending on angle and relative positioning of the light). Beyond that, it is hit-and-miss whether or not it recognizes an individual button press. The furthest distance I was ever able to get the light to respond at all was ~18 feet.

Note that if at any time you touch the ON/OFF label on the touch display, the light will exit Standby and come on in regular mode, and the remote will no longer function. You will need to return to Standby to get the remote working again (i.e., press and hold the on/off switch button for ~2 secs).

IMALENT has confirmed for me that the remote uses a frequency of 433.5 MHz, which would place it in the common UHF band. In North America, I know that this specific frequency is commonly used for short-range remotes in consumer devices, such as car doors, alarm systems, remote sensors, etc.

Given that this is a novel interface, I recommend you check out the video below for a better idea of how it all works in practice.

Output Ramp

Since the remote allows for discrete level changes, I was able to map each individual output level – and correlate to what I was able to detect using the standard on-screen method of controlling the light. Here is a breakdown of the "ramping patten" of the EMT16.

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I have overlaid in color the approximate range of output levels that correspond to each bar level on the touch screen display. Except for Max (level 6), each bar is fairly proportional to an equal number of discrete levels identified by the remote. Note however that the overall ramp pattern is not "visually linear", and the rate of intensity change seems to vary once you pass the mid-point. Also note that I was only able to detect a little over 60 discrete levels, going by the remote control arrow keys.

Our relative visual perceptions are not linear for actual output. It is now well-established that a different sets of power relationships best fit most relative human sensory perceptions. In the case of non-point sources of light, the Stevens' cube-root power relationship best matches our relative perceptions. Please see this post in my Sunwayman V10A review a detailed discussion of this power relationship.

To help you visualize this better, below is the ramping pattern plotted on a cube-root scale:

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This gives you a better of idea of what you will relatively perceive as you adjust the output level of the light. In practice, this tells you that there will not be a lot of apparent visual difference between the 4-6 bar levels, and a lot of variation in the low levels.

Video:

For information on the recent 1x18650 IMALENT lights, including the build and user interface, please see my video overview:



Video was recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once the video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen.

As with all my videos, I recommend you have annotations turned on. I commonly update the commentary with additional information or clarifications before publicly releasing the video.

Note that I plan to do a separate review of the DD2R, once the revised model is ready for testing.

PWM/Strobe

The EMT16 appears to be current-controlled, like the other IMALENT lights I've tested. I saw no sign of PWM in my testing, on any level.

EMT16 Noise:
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I detected some high frequency noise on my EMT16 sample, around 15 kHz or so. Consistent with my standard review policy, I report on any oscilloscope signals that I can detect in the output of a light. But I can assure you that the above patterns produce no visible effect – even when shining on a fan. The EMT16 was "flicker-free" at all levels in my testing.

EMT16 Strobe:
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Strobe pattern above is a little unusual, but it doesn't impact relative perception - is a typical fast strobe, of 10 Hz in my testing.

EMT16 SOS:
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SOS was a standard SOS mode.

Note that you can control the relative output level of the Strobe and SOS modes, just as you can for the constant output.

Standby Drain:

There are two types of standby drains to consider with this light.

The first is due simply to the electronic switch in the head, as this requires a constant small standby drain when connected to the battery. When first connecting the head (i.e., when the touch screen first activates), I measured this drain as ~61mA. Once the screen shuts off, the current drops to ~6.0mA. Within a few more seconds, it drops down to an eventual level of ~540uA and stays there stably. This represents the long-term standby current when waiting for a sustained button press to turn on the light. For 3100mAh cells that would translate into ~239 days (or nearly 8 months) before the cell would be fully drained. Unfortunately, there is no way to lock out the light with actually removing the cell. :sigh:

A second standby drain is present when using the special "Standby mode", which is required to use the remote. Since the light has to be constantly scanning for the remote - and the touch screen stays active and responsive to a touch press as well - this standby drain is going to be significantly higher than the baseline drain above. Measuring this drain is more complicated, as I had to get the light up and running in "Standby" first, and then swap in the DMM. When I do this, I get a constant "Standby mode" current drain of 75.5mA. For a 3100mAh cell, that would mean a fully charged battery would be completely drained in ~41 hours. Something to keep in mind if you plan to use the remote. :whistle:

Beamshots:

For white-wall beamshots below, all lights are on Max output on an AW protected 18650 battery. Lights are about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences.

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Beam patterns are effectively identical for the EMT16 and DD2R. The common beam pattern is what you would expect for lights with reflectors of this size – a narrower than typical spillbeam, but with reasonably good center-beam throw. Scroll down for detailed output and throw measures.

The laser emitter cut-out doesn't really affect the main white beam appreciably.

Here is a comparison with both red laser pointer and white beam on (on Max), at this same distance.

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First off, I need to explain that a camera is not as sensitive to red light as it is to white light. In real life, the laser pointer is quite bright and visible, even when the main beam is on. But because a common exposure setting doesn't capture that, I am not able to provide a direct comparison. Please use the image above as a simple illustration of where the laser pointer was located on my sample, relative to the hotspot.

Here are some more appropriate exposures to show you the red laser pointer a bit better:

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Rest assured, in real life, the red laser pointer is plenty bright – certainly as bright as other standard laser pointers I've seen.

Also, as noted earlier, there are some bezel reflections due to the positioning of the laser. These can be seen in the upper left-hand corner of the shots above. These are only an issue at these sorts of really close distances. At meaningful multi-meter distances, you won't notice them (i.e., the reflections are too dim to see by ~10m).

Testing Method:

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, as described on my flashlightreviews.ca website. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info.

Throw/Output Summary Chart:

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).

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Peak intensity throw on my EMT16 sample was fairly consistent with the specs, but max output level is lower than what is reported by IMALENT. As with my DD4R sample, I believe IMALENT is using "emitter lumens" instead of actual measured out-the-front output (i.e., specs are based on theoretical maximum of the emitters, not taking into account all possible sources of loss in a light). As such, it would be reasonable to knock off ~30-35% from the output specs for approximate output.

Unusually, output on 2xCR123A was lower than 1x18650. See Runtimes section below for more info.

In terms of relative output spacing, here is a table giving you a general breakdown of what I was able measure for each of the various indicator levels:

EMT16-Lumens.gif


Again, these are VERY approximate - it is difficult to provide reliable estimates for the output range of each "bar" on the display. Please see the Output Ramp section earlier in this review for more info on the discrete output levels. Take my numbers above as a general indication of what to expect only.

As previously commented on in the Output Ramp section, there is not a great deal of visual difference between max (bar level 6), the near-max (bar level 5), and the upper part of bar level 4.

Output/Runtime Graphs:

Let's start with a comparison of sample outputs (within a number of the EMT16 bar indicator levels), on one of my standard 2200mAh AW Protected 18650 batteries. Again, there are actually many possible output levels for each individual bar - so I would take the exact output levels shown below as being representative examples.

EMT16-Runtimes-1.gif


The first observation is the EMT16 has a largely direct-drive like pattern. There was a defined step-down on each of my 5 and 6 bar level runs, at a variable point in time. The 3 and 4 bar level runtimes show a series "jagged" changes in output initially, over the first 30 mins to 2 hours (i.e., jumps up a couple of discrete levels at a time). As previously noted in my DD4R review, the regulation pattern on these lights is a little unusual.

As you can also see, there isn't a great difference in output or runtime between the 5 and 6 bar levels.

Let's see how the EMT16 (and first edition DD2R) perform relative to each other, and the competition, starting with 1x18650.

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DD2R-MedHi18650.gif

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The EMT16 and original DD2R appear to have equivalent circuits, with equivalent runtime patterns on 18650. I will test the revised DD2R when it is ready, in its own review.

The overall performance of the EMT16 seems alright, certainly on par with the continuously-variable Crelant 7G3CS/7G6CS series. However, the IMALENT lights are not as flatly-regulated as other lights in this comparison.

DD2R-HiCR123A.gif


Max output is lower on 2xCR123A than the other battery sources. This is due to an immediate step down that occurs, within 30 secs of activation. :shrug: Overall output/runtime efficiency seems fine.

Potential Issues

The EMT16 shows a largely direct-drive-like pattern on all levels, with some additional steps in output depending on the level (see Runtimes above).

The range of output levels is significant, but not truly "continuously variable" (i.e., you can see the discrete steps). According to IMALENT, there are 100 discrete steps in possible output levels (although I only measured a little >60 using the remote control steps). Mode spacing across the 6 bar indicators is reasonable, but not "visually linear" (i.e., adjusted for how our relative perceptions are skewed).

Manufacturer specs appear to be "emitter lumens", as opposed to actual out-the-front ANSI FL-1 lumens. Max output is not as high as other recent lights in this category, but still reasonable for 1x18650. Max output on 2xCR123A was a bit lower however, due to an initial step-down.

The touch screen worked well in my testing, but is not as responsive as modern smartphones/tablets. To get a better idea of the "feel", think of an old stand-alone GPS unit (i.e., the IMALENT touch screen is pressure-sensitive, not capacitive). Output level changes can also seem somewhat "jerky" in practice. As reported in my DD4R review, some of the display indicators on the touch screen are not entirely clear. IMALENT is working to revise these.

The remote control worked consistently well, and at a reasonable range (need to be within ~6-8 feet to ensure fully reliable operation, possible operation up to ~18 feet). However, the MODE and Power buttons don't necessarily behave as you would expect. For example, Power turns on/off both the main white emitter and laser pointer simultaneously, MODE turns on either the main light or the laser individually (i.e., MODE never cycles to both in combination, or turns off the light – for that you have to press Power).

The red laser pointer catches some minor reflections from the bezel, but these are not noticeable at a distance. Laser intensity is at least as good as stand-alone laser pointers I've handled.

The manual is a little unclear in its language - especially as to how to enter Standby mode for the remote control to work. See the User Interface or Video sections of this review for an explanation.

Due to the electronic nature of the switch and interface, there is always a standby current when batteries are connected to the head. Regular standby seemed reasonable for the class (i.e., up to 8 months on a 3100mAh cell). Unfortunately, the light cannot be locked out due to the non-anodized screw threads, but at least the risk of accidental activation is low (i.e., a 2-3 sec press-hold required of the electronic switch). However, the drain when in the official "Standby mode" (required to use the remote, or to activate the light by the touch screen) is 75.5mA in my testing, which will fully drain a 3100mAh battery in under 2 days. I therefore recommend you do not leave the light in the remote Standby mode for extended periods.

Preliminary Observations

The EMT16 shares the same innovative touch-screen control interface as the other members of the IMALENT family. But with the red laser pointer and remote control, the EMT16 is clearly designed for a more "tactical" audience.

As an aside, I can see the value now of the special Standby mode on the IMALENT lights (i.e., it seemed pretty limited on the DD4R and other models I've tested - it is lot more functional with a remote). This is the first time I've tested a light with a remote control, and it worked well, with a reasonable use range distance. But I find the remote's interface needs some work (i.e., control of the laser/white beam modes through the Power/MODE buttons). At present, you always get the combined white light and red laser upon activation. :sigh:

Speaking of the red laser beam, that is also somewhat new for me on a flashlight. I presume this is designed to be used primarily as a laser sight with a weapon mount. If so, I am not sure what the practical impact will be of having it integrated in the periphery of the main reflector (i.e., the red laser is offset to the edge of hotspot, meaning that the two center points will always be in parallel). But I will have to let those more qualified speak to this matter.

Overall physical build quality is decent on the light, although I wish the screw threads had anodizing for lock-out (and stainless steel instead of aluminum for the bezel). The general body impression is similar to more established makers (i.e., at least as high as the high-end budget brands, or at the low end of higher qualiy brands). And of course, IMALENT has an innovative touch screen which is quite unique and distinctive. :thumbsup:

As I mentioned in my DD4R review, I think the touch screen display could use some refinement in its labels. IMALENT informs me that they are working on this for next batch of models, and I look forward to reviewing the revised DD2R. In any case, once you understand how to control the light, it is straightforward to switch and adjust levels. Sensitivity of the touch display is not as high as some modern smartphones/tablets, but still works reasonably well (note that the IMALENT touch screen is pressure-sensitive, not capacitive).

While not truly "continuously-variable" in the typical sense, the IMALENT lights offer a good range of output levels (i.e., IMALENT reports 100 discrete levels, and I measured over 60 with the remote buttons). Note there may be a bit of "jerkiness" when trying to hone in on a specific level using the touch display (as the display is only so large and so responsive). A nice feature is how the Strobe and SOS modes can also be adjusted in output across the same range of levels. :thumbsup:

Overall output/runtime efficiency across all output levels is reasonable for the class, although the EMT16 shows a largely direct-drive-like pattern (with some step down/up effects, depending on the level). Efficiency and regulation are not up to same standard as some of the current-controlled competition (i.e., circuit performance is close to the Crelant lights, which are more high budget-quality). IMALENT informs me that they are working to improve the regulation pattern.

The EMT16 has a relatively "throwy" main white beam pattern, consistent with its relatively deep reflector. And I find the laser pointer at least as good as basic stand-alone consumer laser pointers I've handled. It is certainly brighter than the keychain model I use to play with my cats. :devil:

At the end of the day, the EMT16 is an innovative light with a lot of features that I have not seen before. Unsurprising for a new design with new functionality, there are a few user interface quirks still to sort out. But I definitely like the remote control concept, and I hope we see more examples of this in the future.

P.S.: As an aside, the EMT16 remote uses a standard frequency of 433.5 MHz, which is commonly used in short-range remotes for consumer devices (e.g. car door/alarm systems, etc.). But I think it would be really great to see a 2.4 GHz Bluetooth interface implemented on a flashlight someday - with a much wider range of remote programming and control options. Of course, that is a much more complicated setup, and careful thought would need to be given to the control interface (i.e., there has to be a real benefit to it). Plus it would have to be easy to toggle on/off, as the standby drain could be significant (as is the case with the standard frequency remote here). I am mindful of that Big Bang Theory episode where the guys propose putting Bluetooth on Penny's flower berettes, simply to attract a wider audience (quoth Sheldon : "Men love Bluetooth … everything is better with Bluetooth"). :laughing:

----

EMT16 provided by IMALENT for review.
 
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ven

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Thank you for an excellent in depth review as always:twothumbs Cheers selfbuilt:)

I am a little unsure,dont get me wrong,i like the idea,i would not want the touch screen to be as sensitive as a smart phone or too easily mode changed etc.

I do really like the idea of the touch screen though,and can see it coming on more over time,with exact readouts,USB charging would be good so could just plug in after a "nights hunting" for example or just a play around :laughing: but a lock out would be easiest to include......

I think its a little more on the gimmicky side than purposeful imho but thats just my view...............

I like it though,dont think enough to buy
 

selfbuilt

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Thanks again to selfbuilt for bringing this different option before us.
It would be interesting to hear from someone who has integrated this light with hunting.
Thanks, it was certainly a longer review than usual. :sweat: That's the problem as a reviewer - it's always most interesting to test something completely new, but that means a lot longer at the back end to explain it all. :rolleyes:

I too am interested to hear the opinion of those who would use the light for its intended purpose.


I am a little unsure,dont get me wrong,i like the idea,i would not want the touch screen to be as sensitive as a smart phone or too easily mode changed etc.
That's a good point, you probably don't want it too sensitive. My comments were really to help calibrate people's expectactions (i.e., if all you have known is an iPhone, you might be surprised). ;)

I do really like the idea of the touch screen though,and can see it coming on more over time,with exact readouts,USB charging would be good so could just plug in after a "nights hunting" for example or just a play around :laughing: but a lock out would be easiest to include......I think its a little more on the gimmicky side than purposeful imho but thats just my view...............
FYI, the DD2R has the in-light USB charging feature (but not the remote control or laser pointer). You'll see a build overview of the original DD2R in the video. I'm just waiting on a revised sample (with an updated interface) before doing a dedicated review on that model.
 

MBentz

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Interesting you connected the remote with the tactical crowd. I don't see it being tactical at all. In fact that remote is the last thing I'd want if I had a weapon in my hand. I see it as something that could be useful with a light that has a tripod connection built into it. I actually see it as something that would be quite useful in a camping situation. Being able to change modes remotely (hah) without actually having to go to the light itself.
 
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kletus

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It wouldn't be tactical enough for me unless it had a picatinny rail to mount my backup flashlight too...or a bayo lug.
 

markr6

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Very odd seeing a touchscreen on a flashlight. Doesn't seem like something I'd want, but I said that about smartphones for years before owning one. Now it seems like a necessity, so we'll see. Also interested to see which manufacturer is next.
 

selfbuilt

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Interesting you connected the remote with the tactical crowd. I don't see it being tactical at all. In fact that remote is the last thing I'd want if I had a weapon in my hand. I see it as something that could be useful with a light that has a tripod connection built into it. I actually see it as something that would be quite useful in a camping situation. Being able to change modes remotely (hah) without actually having to go to the light itself.
My assessment of it as a "tactical" light has more to do with the red laser pointer. Off-hand, I don't see what other practical use a laser has on a flashlight (i.e., it's not like I'm going to be using this light for the next talk I give). ;) As for the remote control, IMALENT informs that they intended it to be a replacement for a traditional remote pressure switch on a hunting light.

I agree that the remote could be potentially useful in a camping-type situation, especially with a tripod mount. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a tripod mount built in ... but there are strap/block-style mounts out there that could do the trick.

It wouldn't be tactical enough for me unless it had a picatinny rail to mount my backup flashlight too...or a bayo lug.
Haven't heard anything about a picatinny rail mount, but the body diameter is exaxtly 1-inch (and so will fit a lot of common mounts).
 

MBentz

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IMALENT intends for the remote to replace a pressure switch? Wow. I don't see them being around too long with ideas like that.

I think this switch should have been on the DD4R. Obviously I am not the one making the calls for IMALENT. :duh2:
 

Swede74

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I actually see it as something that would be quite useful in a camping situation. Being able to change modes remotely (hah) without actually having to go to the light itself.

I think a remote-controlled flashlight could be useful not only in a camping situation but around the house as well. For instance, if you place the light on the living room table or on a shelf in the hallway, and the remote on your nightstand, it could serve as an alternative or complement to the ordinary flashlight many of us like to have easily accessible for nightly excursions.

But I definitely like the remote control concept, and I hope we see more examples of this in the future.

It would be nice to see other manufacturers pick up the torch.


I realize you probably have not planned to do a runtime test on the remote :laughing: but perhaps you could tell us what kind of battery it uses and if you need any special tools to change it, if it's mentioned in the user manual?
 
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selfbuilt

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For instance, if you place the light on the living room table or on a shelf in the hallway, and the remote on your nightstand, it could serve as an alternative or complement to the ordinary flashlight many of us like to have easily accessible for nightly excursions.
Indeed ... but not with the remote Standby mode current drain of 75.5mA. :whistle: That application would require a much lower current drain.

I realize you probably have not planned to do a runtime test on the remote :laughing: but perhaps you could tell us what kind of battery it uses and if you need any special tools to change it, if it's mentioned in the user manual?
Yes, I've been meaning to "pop the hood" and take a look (likely standard coin cells). I'm out of my office today, but will take a look tomorrow. A jeweler's screwdriver should be all that is required (i.e., uses standard small screws on the back).
 

Swede74

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Indeed ... but not with the remote Standby mode current drain of 75.5mA. :whistle: That application would require a much lower current drain.

Oh, I forgot all about the high standby drain. I guess one could argue that a 3100 mAh cell will take you through even the longest night (below the polar circle) but certainly not a week in the worst of winter. Hopefully they manage to reduce that 75.5 mA a little in future versions.
 

TSellers

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It wouldn't be tactical enough for me unless it had a picatinny rail to mount my backup flashlight too...or a bayo lug.

The Picatinny Rail is a feature of your retaining device (firearm, helmet, or airsoft). You just need to place the light into a standard Weaver Mount to achieve that.

perhaps you could tell us what kind of battery it uses

The remote uses a 12v 27A cell

As an aside, the EMT16 remote uses a standard frequency of 433.5 MHz

Imalent has indicated that the remote uses DTMF tones. I was rather disappointed to find that it appears the remote on our evaluation unit is somewhere in the 220mHz range. When I could not control the light with DTMF tones using a radio that was programmed for 433.5mHz, I used a cheap frequency counter to try and measure the RF output of the Remote and the reading flashes so quickly it is hard to read, but it appears to be showing something in the 220mHz area. Again, Imalent has indicated that they can easily change it to a higher frequency, and that is something we will be eager to see, especially as we confirmed what is noted in the review, the remote has very limited range. I understand the question will arise, why? All our SAR, Human Wildlife Conflict, and Public Safety Specialists carry dual band radios capable of generating DTMF on 433mHz, so it would give them the option to control the light when rail mounted with their speaker Mic's. And indeed, the laser dot, far from being a gimmic, will be very useful for our HWC Specialists. I would even go so far as to request that, if possible, Imalent make the On/Off toggle code as a CTCSS tone, and the mode and dimmer codes DTMF.

Hopefully they manage to reduce that 75.5 mA a little in future versions.

The need for the activation code scanning algorith notwithstanding, I would think that the ability to turn off the backlight when in Standby Mode would help in that regard, to what degree, I am uncertain.
 
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selfbuilt

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Imalent has indicated that the remote uses DTMF tones. I was rather disappointed to find that it appears the remote on our evaluation unit is somewhere in the 220mHz range. When I could not control the light with DTMF tones using a radio that was programmed for 433.5mHz, I used a cheap frequency counter to try and measure the RF output of the Remote and the reading flashes so quickly it is hard to read, but it appears to be showing something in the 220mHz area. Again, Imalent has indicated that they can easily change it to a higher frequency, and that is something we will be eager to see, especially as we confirmed what is noted in the review, the remote has very limited range. I understand the question will arise, why? All our SAR, Human Wildlife Conflict, and Public Safety Specialists carry dual band radios capable of generating DTMF on 433mHz, so it would give them the option to control the light when rail mounted with their speaker Mic's. And indeed, the laser dot, far from being a gimmic, will be very useful for our HWC Specialists. I would even go so far as to request that, if possible, Imalent make the On/Off toggle code as a CTCSS tone, and the mode and dimmer codes DTMF.
Interesting, thanks for sharing! :wave:
 

NCRick

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Another top-notch review selfbuilt! These are extremely helpful and informative for someone like me who has been into flashlights for a while but just recently started getting more serious about purchasing more higher-end models and acquiring a collection. Your detailed and very comprehensive reviews of various different types of lights with newer technology and feature sets really help a potential buyer understand the capabilities of each model and whether or not each model will satisfy a particular need or function. :thumbsup:

This is brand intrigued me at first with the touch screen but that remote control unit is very cool. I agree with some who dismissed the tactical advantages of the remote but I found that there is another potential benefit for having that feature. This could be useful for photography applications. This could be especially helpful for putting together a portable lighting setup. The photographer could sit at the camera mounted on a tripod and remotely change the light output to make adjustments based on their lighting measurements without having to move from the camera. It would certainly be interesting to try experimenting with that type of usage. Maybe down the road when I have a little more coin in my pocket....:broke:
 

selfbuilt

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This is brand intrigued me at first with the touch screen but that remote control unit is very cool. I agree with some who dismissed the tactical advantages of the remote but I found that there is another potential benefit for having that feature. This could be useful for photography applications. This could be especially helpful for putting together a portable lighting setup. The photographer could sit at the camera mounted on a tripod and remotely change the light output to make adjustments based on their lighting measurements without having to move from the camera. It would certainly be interesting to try experimenting with that type of usage. Maybe down the road when I have a little more coin in my pocket....:broke:
Yes, that could be a good use for a remote interface. But in this specific case, turning the light on by the remote gets you both the white beam and red laser pointer. :sigh: You can switch out of it once on, but unfortunately for the vast majority of civilian applications, the use of a red laser pointer at activation is not helpful.
 

HsinHung.Yu

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The remote control came with the box was not functioning, the dealer sent me a new remote control but doesn't know how to pair them. I wrote Imalent, here's the reply, thought would be useful for others who might bump into similar case.

--- Reply from IMALENT TEAM ----

Take out the battery inside the flashlight and then insert, enter standby mode, [FONT=&#23435]press and hold the power button on the remote controller, remote controller and EMT16 will be in automatic signal matching state for the next 30 seconds, and you can commence to use the remote FOB.[/FONT][FONT=&#23435][/FONT].

If it doesn't work, you can also try to exchange battery in remote control, because this is very old model, so it is on shelf for more than one year, the battery in the remote control possible already empty.

Also make sure it is EMT16 remote controller but not EU06 remote controller, they are not same.
 
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