gunga
Flashaholic
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*ReyLight Pineapple Prototype Review*
This is a review of the prototype of the ReyLight Pineapple flashlight. A sample was provided for this review but no payment of any kind was accepted for the review.
NOTE: The light can now be ordered here for $50. The coupon code : f48441 takes the price down to $39.99.
*Summary*
Overall, this is an excellent and well thought-out light.
The host is well machined with some nice detailing and features that help with grip and produce a unique look and feel.
The clip has a functional lanyard attachment point and mates well with the light.
The UI (User Interface) is simple and effective with four well-balanced levels. They do vary depending on the battery used (14500 Lithium Ion cells boost the three higher modes), so one can choose optimum lower modes (using nimh batteries) or maximum output (using 14500 li-on cells).
The discrete tritium slot in the tail is elegant and effective and adds a classy touch to the overall design.
There are very few minor points that could be changed or improved for the final design:
- The clip should be thickened and strengthened as it's rather thin and flimsy at the moment. It could also be a touch longer.
- The middle modes use PWM for dimming (estimated 3KHz). Increasing the frequency could help make it more invisible,
though it was not too noticeable as is.
- The reflector could be adjusted slightly to improve the beam pattern and reduce the appearance of rings in the spill.
- A few stylistic changes could enhance the look of the light, but this is minor and subjective.
This is a near final prototype however, so very few changes are expected. I would hope at least a thicker clip would be incorporated as this is the only real issue I had with the light.
*Host and Clip Quality*
The machining on the brass host is very well done. The "knurling" consists of four concentric rings cut into four sections, these and the brass material are what give the pineapple its unique appearance and name. When combined with the combination of ridges in the head and the reduced diameter body, the pineapple is easy to grip and feels good in the hand.
Here are some more views of the light showing the clip with the lanyard attachment point incorporated into the design. While it is functional, I found it a bit uncomfortable at times and may remove it in the future.
The clip is held on by the tailcap which is a great design since it's reliable and allows adjustment of clip position. It is, however, a bit thin and flimsy. I tried bending it somewhat in order to increase grip strength but this is not effective with the present clip.
Also note the elegant stainless steel button cover. The switch is a reverse clicky to allow for intuitive mode changes and works smoothly with no binding. The switch travel is a bit more than expected but it's not uncomfortable. The rounded recess around the button adds just a little bit more class, as does the tritium slot (sized to fit 1.5x6mm trits).
The threads are smooth and nicely cut. They are not square cut, but there is very little play and they mate well.
The head has three crenulations that allow one to see when the light is on even when it is resting head down.
One minor annoyance for me was the way the parts did not quite line up. The tailcap has four flats that, when the light is assembled, do not line up with the four sections of the body. This can be corrected with a thicker clip but the design does not lend itself to being perfectly aligned. The three crenulations on the head also don't really match up perfectly either. Again, this is a just minor annoyance but is noted to be complete.
The LED is well centered and is reported to be a 4000K Nichia 219C, 90+ CRI. Very rare indeed!
Size is a very comfortable 92.9mm x 20.5mm at the widest point of the head. The body varies between 16.5-17.6mm so feels very slim in the hand.
The pill is held inside the head by a retaining ring. Once the ring is removed, the pill can be removed and the reflector and lens will drop out. Note the black plastic centering ring around the LED.
The driver is a useful 14.55mm, a very useful size (if the driver is ever available for purchase, fingers crossed).
The reflector seems to be a custom design that produces a good (but not perfect) beam. The lens is anti-reflective (AR) coated.
Here is the light compared to a common AA battery as well as a few other available AA lights. They include (from left to right): L3 Innovations L10, Eagletac D25A (2014), Thrunite T10T, Reylight Pineapple, Portinga Firefly, and 4Sevens Quark AA (tactical).
Here is the business end (minus the Firefly). I have installed diffusion films and a flood optic on some of the lights so these are not all stock setups.
*Beam Characteristics, Levels and UI*
The beam is quite good. The textured reflector provides a nice wide spot and spill, with a fairly sharply defined cut-off to the spot. There are some rings present in the middle of the spill however, so I'd say this is a good but not great beam. It is not very noticeable in most use.
Note, this is daylight colour balance, the beam shows no green in reality.
The LED is reported to be a 4000K Nichia 219C, 90+ CRI, a rare LED not yet seen on any production light (or anywhere really!). It compares well to my favourite LED, the 4000K Nichia 219B (90+CRI). The 219C is just a touch less pink, leaning more towards green/yellow, but it's VERY slight and is only seen when in direct comparison with the 219B. This is a beautiful tint and the 219C should be very easy to drive, providing good output and efficiency.
The UI is a basic Moonlight-Low-Medium-High, starting on moonlight. There is no memory and the reset time is a short three seconds (after the light is off for three seconds, it defaults to moonlight.) There are no blinking or hidden modes.
I don't have the equipment or inclination for lumen and runtime measurements, so here are the factory numbers. These appear to be LED output numbers, so actual out-the-front output is likely to be about 25-30% lower (to account for losses due to the reflector, lens etc.).
With alkaline AA:
Output: 0.2-5-30-110 lumens
Runtime: 30 days-50 hours-4.5 hours-1 hour
With 800mAh 14500 battery:
Output: 0.3-12-120-390 lumens
Runtime: 20 days-15 hours-2 hours-40 mins
I can confirm these approximate numbers.
The UI and levels are well balanced and nicely spaced. Choosing differing battery types allows one to choose between higher maximum output (14500 batteries) or more available lower levels (nimh batteries).
* Beam Shots *
Okay, here are some more beam shots to show more beam characteristics. The shots were done on a Nikon D5100, set to daylight colour balance. Tint shots were done with DC fix diffusion film to smooth beam charateristics. Outside shots were done with eneloop (so only 110 lumens or so).
This is the beam profile. There is a strong spot with some rings in the beam.
This wall shot is about 10 feet away.
The tree is also 10 feet away.
Down the fence, the spot is about 20 feet away.
Here is my reference standard 4000K 219B. In real life, lovely tint, with a touch of warmth.
The 4000K 219C might be a touch cooler, but it's really tough to see the difference in person.
This shot is with a zebralight using "neutral" XML2 (4500K). Looks fine by itself, not so nice when seen next to the Nichias (ugh, green).
Here is a side-by-side beamshot. The 4000K 219B is on the left, the 4000K 219C is on the right.
It's tough to see much difference on a white wall.
*Glow mods!*
I did have fun adding a couple glow mods to make this light easier to find at night. I added a small glow sticker ring around the LED and an ice blue tritium vial (1.5 x 6mm) in the slot in the tailcap. Here are a few glamour shots.
*Final Thoughts.*
Overall, the ReyLight Pineapple is becoming one of my favourite AA lights.
It has its charms:
- Unique appearance that is both striking and functional (provides good grip).
- Super rare 4000K, 90+ CRI Nichia 219C LED. Efficiency coupled with beautiful tint and colour rendering.
- Good fit and finish with thoughtful details (clip mounting, lanyard attachment, head crenulations, solid construction).
- Useful levels with (my) ideal EDC user interface. Changing battery types allows one to customize levels based on intended
usage (more lower modes or max output).
- Classy metal button, equipped with tritium slot.
- Remarkable value (under $40 projected price).
Here's a parting shot!
*ReyLight Pineapple Prototype Review*
This is a review of the prototype of the ReyLight Pineapple flashlight. A sample was provided for this review but no payment of any kind was accepted for the review.
NOTE: The light can now be ordered here for $50. The coupon code : f48441 takes the price down to $39.99.
*Summary*
Overall, this is an excellent and well thought-out light.
The host is well machined with some nice detailing and features that help with grip and produce a unique look and feel.
The clip has a functional lanyard attachment point and mates well with the light.
The UI (User Interface) is simple and effective with four well-balanced levels. They do vary depending on the battery used (14500 Lithium Ion cells boost the three higher modes), so one can choose optimum lower modes (using nimh batteries) or maximum output (using 14500 li-on cells).
The discrete tritium slot in the tail is elegant and effective and adds a classy touch to the overall design.
There are very few minor points that could be changed or improved for the final design:
- The clip should be thickened and strengthened as it's rather thin and flimsy at the moment. It could also be a touch longer.
- The middle modes use PWM for dimming (estimated 3KHz). Increasing the frequency could help make it more invisible,
though it was not too noticeable as is.
- The reflector could be adjusted slightly to improve the beam pattern and reduce the appearance of rings in the spill.
- A few stylistic changes could enhance the look of the light, but this is minor and subjective.
This is a near final prototype however, so very few changes are expected. I would hope at least a thicker clip would be incorporated as this is the only real issue I had with the light.
*Host and Clip Quality*
The machining on the brass host is very well done. The "knurling" consists of four concentric rings cut into four sections, these and the brass material are what give the pineapple its unique appearance and name. When combined with the combination of ridges in the head and the reduced diameter body, the pineapple is easy to grip and feels good in the hand.
Here are some more views of the light showing the clip with the lanyard attachment point incorporated into the design. While it is functional, I found it a bit uncomfortable at times and may remove it in the future.
The clip is held on by the tailcap which is a great design since it's reliable and allows adjustment of clip position. It is, however, a bit thin and flimsy. I tried bending it somewhat in order to increase grip strength but this is not effective with the present clip.
Also note the elegant stainless steel button cover. The switch is a reverse clicky to allow for intuitive mode changes and works smoothly with no binding. The switch travel is a bit more than expected but it's not uncomfortable. The rounded recess around the button adds just a little bit more class, as does the tritium slot (sized to fit 1.5x6mm trits).
The threads are smooth and nicely cut. They are not square cut, but there is very little play and they mate well.
The head has three crenulations that allow one to see when the light is on even when it is resting head down.
One minor annoyance for me was the way the parts did not quite line up. The tailcap has four flats that, when the light is assembled, do not line up with the four sections of the body. This can be corrected with a thicker clip but the design does not lend itself to being perfectly aligned. The three crenulations on the head also don't really match up perfectly either. Again, this is a just minor annoyance but is noted to be complete.
The LED is well centered and is reported to be a 4000K Nichia 219C, 90+ CRI. Very rare indeed!
Size is a very comfortable 92.9mm x 20.5mm at the widest point of the head. The body varies between 16.5-17.6mm so feels very slim in the hand.
The pill is held inside the head by a retaining ring. Once the ring is removed, the pill can be removed and the reflector and lens will drop out. Note the black plastic centering ring around the LED.
The driver is a useful 14.55mm, a very useful size (if the driver is ever available for purchase, fingers crossed).
The reflector seems to be a custom design that produces a good (but not perfect) beam. The lens is anti-reflective (AR) coated.
Here is the light compared to a common AA battery as well as a few other available AA lights. They include (from left to right): L3 Innovations L10, Eagletac D25A (2014), Thrunite T10T, Reylight Pineapple, Portinga Firefly, and 4Sevens Quark AA (tactical).
Here is the business end (minus the Firefly). I have installed diffusion films and a flood optic on some of the lights so these are not all stock setups.
*Beam Characteristics, Levels and UI*
The beam is quite good. The textured reflector provides a nice wide spot and spill, with a fairly sharply defined cut-off to the spot. There are some rings present in the middle of the spill however, so I'd say this is a good but not great beam. It is not very noticeable in most use.
Note, this is daylight colour balance, the beam shows no green in reality.
The LED is reported to be a 4000K Nichia 219C, 90+ CRI, a rare LED not yet seen on any production light (or anywhere really!). It compares well to my favourite LED, the 4000K Nichia 219B (90+CRI). The 219C is just a touch less pink, leaning more towards green/yellow, but it's VERY slight and is only seen when in direct comparison with the 219B. This is a beautiful tint and the 219C should be very easy to drive, providing good output and efficiency.
The UI is a basic Moonlight-Low-Medium-High, starting on moonlight. There is no memory and the reset time is a short three seconds (after the light is off for three seconds, it defaults to moonlight.) There are no blinking or hidden modes.
I don't have the equipment or inclination for lumen and runtime measurements, so here are the factory numbers. These appear to be LED output numbers, so actual out-the-front output is likely to be about 25-30% lower (to account for losses due to the reflector, lens etc.).
With alkaline AA:
Output: 0.2-5-30-110 lumens
Runtime: 30 days-50 hours-4.5 hours-1 hour
With 800mAh 14500 battery:
Output: 0.3-12-120-390 lumens
Runtime: 20 days-15 hours-2 hours-40 mins
I can confirm these approximate numbers.
The UI and levels are well balanced and nicely spaced. Choosing differing battery types allows one to choose between higher maximum output (14500 batteries) or more available lower levels (nimh batteries).
* Beam Shots *
Okay, here are some more beam shots to show more beam characteristics. The shots were done on a Nikon D5100, set to daylight colour balance. Tint shots were done with DC fix diffusion film to smooth beam charateristics. Outside shots were done with eneloop (so only 110 lumens or so).
This is the beam profile. There is a strong spot with some rings in the beam.
This wall shot is about 10 feet away.
The tree is also 10 feet away.
Down the fence, the spot is about 20 feet away.
Here is my reference standard 4000K 219B. In real life, lovely tint, with a touch of warmth.
The 4000K 219C might be a touch cooler, but it's really tough to see the difference in person.
This shot is with a zebralight using "neutral" XML2 (4500K). Looks fine by itself, not so nice when seen next to the Nichias (ugh, green).
Here is a side-by-side beamshot. The 4000K 219B is on the left, the 4000K 219C is on the right.
It's tough to see much difference on a white wall.
*Glow mods!*
I did have fun adding a couple glow mods to make this light easier to find at night. I added a small glow sticker ring around the LED and an ice blue tritium vial (1.5 x 6mm) in the slot in the tailcap. Here are a few glamour shots.
*Final Thoughts.*
Overall, the ReyLight Pineapple is becoming one of my favourite AA lights.
It has its charms:
- Unique appearance that is both striking and functional (provides good grip).
- Super rare 4000K, 90+ CRI Nichia 219C LED. Efficiency coupled with beautiful tint and colour rendering.
- Good fit and finish with thoughtful details (clip mounting, lanyard attachment, head crenulations, solid construction).
- Useful levels with (my) ideal EDC user interface. Changing battery types allows one to customize levels based on intended
usage (more lower modes or max output).
- Classy metal button, equipped with tritium slot.
- Remarkable value (under $40 projected price).
Here's a parting shot!
Last edited:
How can I possibly sleep after seeing that? :laughing:
