Foursevens Quark Smart QSL-X measurements (bluetooth controlled, cr123a)

Note: Review was done on the initial software revision. This review will be updated as the smart app matures.


The Foursevens Quark Smart QSL-X is the world's first smartphone controlled flashlight. It houses a CR123A/RCR123 battery and an interesting software programmable double switch system.



* Battery type: CR123A/RCR123/16340
* LED: Cree XM-L2
* Color temperature: Not specified
* Body material: Type-III hard-anodized aircraft-grade aluminum
* Reflector: Orange peel
* Lens: Glass, sapphire coaring, anti reflective
* Waterproof: Not specified
* Impact resistance: Not specified
* Switch type: Side and tailcap
* Battery protection: Reverse polarity
* Regulation: Output regulation
* Tail stand: Yes
* Tripod threads: No
* USB rechargeable: No
* Controllable via Bluetooth 4.0LE from an iOS device (Android coming later)

* Length: 89,3 mm
* Width: 22 mm
* Head width: 23,1
* Weight: 42 g

* Output levels: 4
* Mode memory: Yes, programmable
* Button lock: No
* Direct access from off: Any mode with the smartphone app, strobe, moonlight, high

Special modes:
* Strobe (10 Hz)
* SOS
* Beacon Hi (1 sec momentary every 10 seconds)
* Beacon Lo (lower level 1 sec momentary every 10 seconds)







Included in the package
* Foursevens Quark Smart QSL flashlight
* CR123A battery
* Lanyard
* Keychain carabiner + ring
* Spare o-ring
* Holster
* Rubber finger-grip
* Operation guide






16340/RCR123A battery, Foursevens Quark Smart QSL-X, Olight S10, Astrolux S1 (18350), DQG Tiny 18650 4.

Bluetooth and smart features (will be updated when the app is patched)



The distinctive feature of the Quark Smart series is the ability to control them via bluetooth. The bluetooth 4.0 low energy protocol has a miniscule current draw and doesn't affect the battery life at all in practice.

There's a lot of potential with the technology, but most of it is unrealized at the time of writing this. Some promised features are still missing, such as the remaining time indicator or timer mode where you tell the light how long it has to stay on and it automatically adjust the output level to match. These are coming though, as soon as Apple store verification process is finished.

Currently the only reasons to use the smart features are checking the battery level, changing the UI mode (Tactical/Pro), remotely powering the light up and checking the last known location if you have lost the light. The temperature indicator is only in Fahrenheit and seems to seldom update itself. Even after shutting off the light, the temperature indicator stayed at 118°F for many minutes. Maximum temp I measured from the head was 42°C (108°F).

I would also like to see unlimited mode programming features. Being able to program any number of modes with infinitely adjustable output levels straight from your phone and then saving presets of those would be great. Some other useful possibilities would be setting the double click from off shortcut to any desired mode (currently strobe) or swapping the functionality of the switches or disabling either switch completely.

Tactical and Pro modes

The Quark Smart QSL-X has two modes that make the flashlight act differently to button presses. The switch between these two modes requires the use of the smart app. Since Android is not supported yet, users of Android phones have to loan an iPhone or request the Pro mode be activated when ordering. The Tactical mode is active by default.

In tactical mode, the tailcap switch acts only as a momentary switch. Keep it pressed and it activates the last used mode. The light remembers the last mode (also special modes) with the siwde switch and the momentary tailcap switch. In pro mode, the light always starts on low and the tailcap switch activates high. To activate high from off double click and hold the side switch.

In the first retail lights, there is a problem where a short click is probably required to be too short. When you want to return to the last active mode from off, the click has to be very fast. A normal lazy press will almost certainly start the light on moonlight.

This affects other UI features too. After choosing a suitable output level first by holding the side switch from off and then double clicking the light does not always advance to the next brightness level but to the previous. Following double clicks then just cycle between these two modes or sometimes advance to the next mode. All of this depends on the speed of the clicks you do during the double clicking.

In the Pro Interface mode there is no mode memory, unless you turn the light back on after only a second or two. Both switches latch on: a single click turns the light on and off. Double click (both switches) or long press on the side switch cycles modes. Double click and hold from off cycles modes backwards.

Long press on the tailcap switch activates momentary high. After releasing the button it returns to the previous mode. Long press of the tailcap switch in off activates momentary high and turns the light off after releasing. Double click from off activates strobe.

All in all, the UI is complicated even when not using the smart phone app. The fact that there is no comprehensive manual for features, you have to go searching forum threads for info. This light is not meant for your average joe. There should be at least an electronic and always up to date manual inside the app.

The functionality of the tailcap switch is heavily affected by the battery size. If the length is not exactly right, some features will be buggy or not work at all. The tailcap switch on my sample didn't work with the supplied CR123A primary. It was probably just a bit too short, because it only worked when pressed forcefully. With a Keeppower 16340 I had to open the tailcap one turn, since it is longer than a regular CR123A.

The UI is complicated and you should watch David Chow's good videos on how the tactical and professional modes work. After some use, the Pro Interface will probably grow on you.





Measurements
Please note: lumen measurements are only rough estimates
My diy 30 cm integrating styrofoam sphere has been calibrated using a Fenix E05 on high with manufacturer's claim of 85 lumens. Verified with an Olight S10 that has been measured with a Labsphere FS2 integrating sphere by valostore.fi. Results may be more inaccurate with especially throwy or floody lights.

For spectral information and CRI calculations I have an X-rite i1Pro spectrophotometer with HCFR for the plot and ArgyllCMS spotread.exe for the data. For runtime tests I use spotread.exe with a custom script and a i1Display Pro because it doesn't require calibration every 30 minutes like the i1Pro.

Explanation of abbreviations
CCT = correlated color temperature, higher temperature means cooler (bluish)
CRI (Ra) = color rendering index consisting of 8 different colors (R1-R8), max value 100
CRI (R9) = color rendering index with deep red, usually difficult for led based light sources, max value 100
TLCI = television lighting consistency index, max value 100
CQS (Qa) = Proposed replacement for CRI, RMS average of 15 color samples
CRI2012 (Ra,2012) = Another proposed replacement for CRI, consists of 17 color samples
MCRI = Color rendering index based on the memory of colors or 9 familiar objects
x,y = coordinates on a CIE 1931 chart



The lumen output exceeds the manufacturer's specification of 350 lumens. Low is off by a factor of 2,6 and medium is 29 % higher. Moonlight however is spot on.



Color rendering is a big disappointment. There's no mention of color temperature or CRI on the manufacturer's website, but the rep here on CPF promised an led with a CRI of 85. This is not the case, as you can see. This is your typical Cree XM-L2 with green tint and CRI in the 60s. CRI(R9) is the worst I've measured from a flashlight at -50.

Spectral distribution (High)


Color rendering (High)




Beam and tint

Beam has a hotspot angle of 17° and spill of 69°.


Average spill brightness is 5 % of the hotspot.


The tint has a clear but linear shift on different areas of the beam.


Tint in different brightness modes is quite consistent.

PWM
There is no PWM or pulsing on any mode.

Runtime (Turbo and High)

Runtime is typical for a Cree XM-L2 + RCR123 combination, which is also used in the Olight S1.


The smart battery indicator works well in heavy use. The reading only updates when the light is switched off. Please note that in reality the output stepdowns are immediate (see above runtime chart), but the 5 minute resolution does not show it.

Temperature and regulation
Heat is not a problem with the QSL-X. Even on high, the handle never gets very warm to hold.

Pros/Cons

+ No PWM/Pulsing
+ Output exceeds specification
+ Stable output regulation
+ Bluetooth range
+ Pro Interface mode is wonderfully versatile
- CRI way below what was promised (66 vs. 85)
- No comprehensive documentation for the versatile UI
- No programming of modes and outputs via the app
- No Android app yet
- No pocket clip
- Tailcap switch too finicky about the length of the battery
- Switching between Tactical and Pro modes possible only from the app (at the moment Android users need a loaner phone)
- Blue cast on the anti reflective coating

Excellent, thorough, unbiased review!

Would it be possible to provide current measurements for the low/moonlight outputs that you do not test for runtime?

Love the idea of this light, but I'd like the ability to program the outputs and UI more.

Great review. Thanks.

It's amazing to see a FCC approval on a flashlight!

Awesome work as always Maukka! Thank you!

I want this light. I'm a sucker for neat UIs and this light definitely has one of the most unique we've seen lately. As an Android user I've just been waiting for that app to drop.

That said, I'm really disappointed in that emitter choice. FourSevens always tends to use emitters that are too cool for my tastes, and with the really low CRI of this one it'll be even worse than normal. Damn, I wanted this one to be great...

Saw the thread title and then saw it was by maukka so came in just to see the CRI results.
I remember that thread where 4sevens mentioned 85CRI for these.
Hopefully 4sevens can chime in with some clarification.
Thanks for all the testing maukka!

It finally happened, a light that is controlled and configured by a smart phone and/or computer. To me this light is more of a proof of concept than anything else. But the great thing about this is that hopefully soon good mode spacing will be a thing of the past. If we don't like a mode setting than we can just change it regardless of what light we buy.

Excellent review maukka, always look forward to your results and info. The CRI results are disappointing, when David said they were using 85+ CRI I was hopeful for this light. I still like the potential it has with the smart interface, if the bugs get worked out, but the low CRI emitter is disappointing to say the least.

Also can you explain what the CRI r9 value (-50) is indicative of and what it means? Thanks!

snowlover91 said:

Also can you explain what the CRI r9 value (-50) is indicative of and what it means? Thanks!

Click to expand...

It just means that rendering of deep red is very inaccurate. In practice all negative CRI numbers can be just rounded to zero. There is no practical consequence such as red rendered as a totally different color.

If you want, you can also normalize the CRI scale to 0-100. In that case -50 equals about 0.07 and 0 is ~6.9.

The newer color rendering indices are better in that regard that they don't go negative.

As the smartphone app and the firmware has now been updated, here's an overview.

All in all the light seems to work more reliably. Double and triple clicks are easier. Although the bigger factor is possibly the fact that after using the light for a while, I have gotten more familiar with all of its quirks. I still hoped Foursevens would release a manual for this. If you simply buy the light and skip the forum threads, you'll be missing out on some features for sure.

Here are some new features and various UI tricks.

Triple clicking the side switch saves the current brightness level as the momentary in tactical interface.

Holding a mode in the iPhone app disables the mode in the light itself. Double clicking the side switch from off still activates strobe and it can be saved to the tailcap momentary in tactical interface as well. Any mode can first be saved to the tailcap and then disabled from the app. This way you don't accidentally cycle to SOS with double clicks. The modes can still be accessed through the app even if they are disabled.

Holding down the side switch in Tactical and Pro interface now cycles through 8 brightness levels instead of the usual 4. You cannot acces these middle modes from the app. Double-click and hold the second click cycles the modes in reverse order from high to low.

Triple-click and hold the last click while in strobe will cycle through different strobe frequencies. The strobing on the highest frequencies can only be seen if you are bothered by a typical PWM driver. Quad-click while ON in strobe will return the frequency back to default. If you change the strobe frequency it also affects the tail click momentary retroactively.

Triple-click from off indicates the battery level with the red side led in 10 % increments. 5 blinks equals ~50 %.

Quad click from off takes the light in to a smooth flash and ramp mode. This looks really cool but is probably useless.

Battery level indicator can use averaging method instead of straight up instant voltage readout.

No temperature indicator in celsius yet. Should be updated soon.

Nightlight mode activates the side led for a set time after the light is turned off.

Auto-off turns the light off after a set period of time.

Group mode syncs the operation of all the lights that have the same first three characters.



Android app is now released yet, but you can access some programming through the light's own UI.

ftjandra said:

There is a very small amount of customization available through a special 'programming' mode in the latest firmware.

Entering programming mode:
- From off, five-click side switch (red led should blink 5 times)

While in programming mode:
- Switching mode tables. Each single-click of the tail switch will go to the next mode table. The number of red blinks after each single-click signifies what table is currently selected. The choices are below.

1: High
2: High, Low
3: High, Strobe
4: Low, Medium, High, Strobe
5: (default) Moon, Low, Medium, High, SOS, Strobe, Beacon high, Beacon Low​

- Switching user interfaces. Each double-click of the tail switch will go to the next UI. The number of red blinks after each double-click signifies what UI is currently selected, as follows.

1: Pro
2: Tactical
3: Infinite​

Exiting programming mode and saving:
- Single-click side switch (red led will blink once)

--Ferdi

Click to expand...

Wow what a great review,thanks maukka.I will have to read this review a couple of times as this is the first I have heard of this concept.
Thank you for enlightening me.

Very interesting light.

It seems a bit complicated to me. No moonlight. No high cri. No user definable modes/levels.

I'm sure it will be revised with time.

I think the most disappointing thing about this light was when it was said it would have 80+ cri when in fact it has less than 70.. In other words just another flat CW light. I was really hoping this light would have good cri and fewer bugs. The fact that it doesn't have an instruction manual with it will probably cause a lot of confusion for most users also, especially ones who never visit CPF.

I am holding off till all the bugs are worked out. I keep reading about issues over on the 4/7s vendor area though it's on my list. Does violate my less is more anti entropy principle but really like certain features such as the flashlight locator (if I remember correctly) which is anti entropy in it;s own right! I do really like my 4/7 mini and Quark lights. They have proven to be reliable for me. Probably not as durable as Malkoff, no way but so UL and they turn on every time! Good technical review.

edit to add:

Lots of work goes into a review like this. One of the downsides to the internet is silly threads (no offense directed towards anyone) on topics such as personal mode preferences will get 10 pages "Why do you need X modes" ....etc etc...etc which takes all of 2 seconds to do but hard working posts often don't even get a thanks from people.

Excellent review. :twothumbs

Thanks for the update and additional information. This is a fun one to watch!