rookiedaddy
Enlightened
Thanks to XTAR, received a full kit complement of the 2018 Award Winning (RedDot, according to XTAR website) XTAR Walrus D08. Although this light is put under the diving category at XTAR website, this review won't be a dive light review as I don't dive. Instead, this review will focus on using D08 as a land-based photography light.
XTAR also includes some X-CRAFT keychain lights along with Walrus D08 as can be seen in the picture above... :laughing:
The full kit contents:
Manufacturer's specs:
of the above parameter, the output, runtime and distance is subject to measuring equipment used and the power source. However, I'm 100% positive that the 40m (Max) distance is an underestimation on land as I get ~50+meter of reach from D08 high mode. Lumens output measure using my home-made lightbox:
Note that the above measurements are by no means authoritative nor an indication of over/under-stating the output by manufacturer. It's calibrated against some known output lights (e.g. Fenix, SureFire) so take it with a grain of salt and just as a relative reading.
XTAR Walrus D08... a serial number sticker is seen here, can be remove as there is another place where you can find your serial number...
... at the end of the body tube.
here you can see the rubber ring that help as guide or for the installation of the included wrist lanyward...
the main switch and 3-dot power indicator.
Following is the how to interpret the remaining power level:
To perform electronic lock onto Walrus D08, one needs to click the main switch 5 times consecutively with less than 0.5 seconds between clicks. Do the same to unlock or disconnect the tailcap and reconnect to disengage the electronic lock.
Here we see the battery indicator in action. You need to switch on the light in order for Walrus D08 to show the battery level.
Magnetic rotary tail switch. From left, (R)ed, (H)igh, (L)ow, Soft (O)ff, and S.O.S. Note that the Soft Off will not function if the main switch at the head was not turned on. In fact, if you turn off Walrus D08 using the main switch, the magnetic rotary switch will not be operational. When Soft Off is engaged, you can either turn on the light by using the rotary switch or by using the main switch. One peculiar behavior of Walrus D08 is whenever the main switch is used to turn on the light, it always comes on in High mode, regardless of which mode your rotary switch is stop at.
there is a small triangle marking to mark the rotary mode currently selected. again, the main switch will dis-regards the mode selected when you use the main switch to turn on the light. I wish XTAR would change this so that we can turn on the light with the selected mode at the rotary switch. It's just common sense...
marking to indicate which direction to turn the tailcap tightening ring.
Tripod hole...
example of installing onto a tripod.
the positive contact points at the head. XTAR advised to use "button top battery for better connection", in reality, there are physical reverse polarity protections to prevent the use of flat-top batteries... Walrus D08 need button top batteries to function.
Batteries go in positive (button top) first towards the head and is install in parallel. Thus, you can actually power up the Walrus D08 with 1, 2, 3, or 4 batteries.
XTAR claims use of IR technology in communicating mode data to head circuit, I initially thought the black dot at the tailcap here is some sort of thermistor, but after checking with XTAR, they said this is IR emitter... and these IR emitter/receiver is position strategically to match the IR emitter/receiver at the head side as can be seen in the following 2 pictures...
To be honest, I'm not a fan of the rubber ring use at the Walrus D08, I think it's fragile, so don't tie your wrist lanyard like the following picture... if you do, I think it will break in no time...
instead, if you need to use the wrist lanyard, try the following with an additional cord stopper...
tightening the cord's grip of Walrus D08 at the rubber ring with the new cord stopper...
viewing from a different angle of the wrist lanyard installation...
Now let's take a look at Walrus D08 beam profile...
the outer corona ring is a result of the aspheric lens...
and compare to some other lights...
this Wizard Pro is using a diffused lens
this is using reflector...
as is with Fenix PD40
while Zebralight H501 is mule...
The business end of the Walrus D08...
I believe this is the first time ever XTAR has produce a High CRI light and probably the first time this Nichia NV4W144AMT was used in mass production light (the Red LED next to it is the Cree XP-E2). A full flood >95 CRI 5000K 2000 lumens light has limited use, and my interest with Walrus D08 is actually in the better color reproduction of the LED.
A Crystal Bowl of Marbles photo shoot...
and some outdoor shots...
My Son's bike and 2 dwafts
A couple of plants
Gate and more plants
Needless to say, I'm very impressed by the color rendering capability of this Nichia LED and Walrus D08 delivers it in awesome manner... this will definitely be my go to light from now on for taking night photograph...
here are a few more pictures of using Walrus D08 in a park...
and using the Red LED...
a short video of using it in the park...
XTAR also includes some X-CRAFT keychain lights along with Walrus D08 as can be seen in the picture above... :laughing:
The full kit contents:
- 1 x Xtar D08 Diving Flashlight
- 4 x XTAR branded 18650 3500mAh batteries
- 1 x MC4 charger
- 1 x Power Adapter
- 1 x USB Cable
- 1 x Lanyard
- 1 x Glass cloth
- 2 x User Manual (1 for D08, 1 for MC4)
- A carrying pouch/bag
Manufacturer's specs:
of the above parameter, the output, runtime and distance is subject to measuring equipment used and the power source. However, I'm 100% positive that the 40m (Max) distance is an underestimation on land as I get ~50+meter of reach from D08 high mode. Lumens output measure using my home-made lightbox:
Note that the above measurements are by no means authoritative nor an indication of over/under-stating the output by manufacturer. It's calibrated against some known output lights (e.g. Fenix, SureFire) so take it with a grain of salt and just as a relative reading.
XTAR Walrus D08... a serial number sticker is seen here, can be remove as there is another place where you can find your serial number...
... at the end of the body tube.
here you can see the rubber ring that help as guide or for the installation of the included wrist lanyward...
the main switch and 3-dot power indicator.
Following is the how to interpret the remaining power level:
- 3 LED On: more than 75%
- 2 LED On: 50% - 75%
- 1 LED On: 16% - 50%
- LED blinking: less than 16% (~30 minutes of runtime left)
To perform electronic lock onto Walrus D08, one needs to click the main switch 5 times consecutively with less than 0.5 seconds between clicks. Do the same to unlock or disconnect the tailcap and reconnect to disengage the electronic lock.
Here we see the battery indicator in action. You need to switch on the light in order for Walrus D08 to show the battery level.
Magnetic rotary tail switch. From left, (R)ed, (H)igh, (L)ow, Soft (O)ff, and S.O.S. Note that the Soft Off will not function if the main switch at the head was not turned on. In fact, if you turn off Walrus D08 using the main switch, the magnetic rotary switch will not be operational. When Soft Off is engaged, you can either turn on the light by using the rotary switch or by using the main switch. One peculiar behavior of Walrus D08 is whenever the main switch is used to turn on the light, it always comes on in High mode, regardless of which mode your rotary switch is stop at.
there is a small triangle marking to mark the rotary mode currently selected. again, the main switch will dis-regards the mode selected when you use the main switch to turn on the light. I wish XTAR would change this so that we can turn on the light with the selected mode at the rotary switch. It's just common sense...
marking to indicate which direction to turn the tailcap tightening ring.
Tripod hole...
example of installing onto a tripod.
the positive contact points at the head. XTAR advised to use "button top battery for better connection", in reality, there are physical reverse polarity protections to prevent the use of flat-top batteries... Walrus D08 need button top batteries to function.
Batteries go in positive (button top) first towards the head and is install in parallel. Thus, you can actually power up the Walrus D08 with 1, 2, 3, or 4 batteries.
XTAR claims use of IR technology in communicating mode data to head circuit, I initially thought the black dot at the tailcap here is some sort of thermistor, but after checking with XTAR, they said this is IR emitter... and these IR emitter/receiver is position strategically to match the IR emitter/receiver at the head side as can be seen in the following 2 pictures...
To be honest, I'm not a fan of the rubber ring use at the Walrus D08, I think it's fragile, so don't tie your wrist lanyard like the following picture... if you do, I think it will break in no time...
instead, if you need to use the wrist lanyard, try the following with an additional cord stopper...
tightening the cord's grip of Walrus D08 at the rubber ring with the new cord stopper...
viewing from a different angle of the wrist lanyard installation...
Now let's take a look at Walrus D08 beam profile...
the outer corona ring is a result of the aspheric lens...
and compare to some other lights...
this Wizard Pro is using a diffused lens
this is using reflector...
as is with Fenix PD40
while Zebralight H501 is mule...
The business end of the Walrus D08...
I believe this is the first time ever XTAR has produce a High CRI light and probably the first time this Nichia NV4W144AMT was used in mass production light (the Red LED next to it is the Cree XP-E2). A full flood >95 CRI 5000K 2000 lumens light has limited use, and my interest with Walrus D08 is actually in the better color reproduction of the LED.
A Crystal Bowl of Marbles photo shoot...
and some outdoor shots...
My Son's bike and 2 dwafts
A couple of plants
Gate and more plants
Needless to say, I'm very impressed by the color rendering capability of this Nichia LED and Walrus D08 delivers it in awesome manner... this will definitely be my go to light from now on for taking night photograph...
here are a few more pictures of using Walrus D08 in a park...
and using the Red LED...
a short video of using it in the park...
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