[Review] Olight I3T EOS

rookiedaddy

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Received the new I3T EOS from Olight, a small, single AAA battery, 180 lumens output, forward clicky and 2 modes pocketable EDC light... Geeezzzz... reading that make this review almost 80% done...? LOL!
Not too long ago... I EDC the following...
GiWcUIJ.jpg

thinking that I was the "brightest" person to be around... and because it uses two very expensive, very rare batteries (CR123A), I was sold believing that this is something very special, and carrying it, one should feels special too... I even started hoarding boxes upon boxes of the red little devil cells... that, is a very tactical 65 lumens 100-CRI almost indestructible illumination tool.

fast forward to year 2018, and we have this...
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small enough to sit within your palm as well as small enough to disappear inside your palm...
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Let's take a quick look at the Olight I3T EOS specifications
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180 lumens on a AAA? not the brightest AAA on the market right now, SureFire Titan Plus can easily do 300 lumens back in like 3 years ago. Even Olight's own I3S-Cu EOS can do higher at 200+ lumens (although marketed as a 180 lumens light) since 2 years ago. So what gives?

Front and back of I3T EOS package
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I3T EOS in the package
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The Read Me
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I3T EOS User Manual
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note the warning about using "rechargeable lithium batteries", do not use 10440 Li-Ion.

that yellow colour film is the insulating film the Read Me was talking about...
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once you removed the insulating film, insert a compatible battery and tighten back the tailcap, I3T EOS is ready for action. Already inform the manufacturer that it's really a bad idea to pre-installed an alkaline battery inside the flashlight like that. Alkaline battery leaks, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when! Not sure if they will change the packaging or not... I sure hope they do... like includes a primary lithium AAA instead of alkaline.
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positive contact point at the head
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with battery inserted
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I3T EOS TIR lens. If you have seen the prototype of this I3T EOS elsewhere (e.g. youtube), you will notice they have do away with the signature blue bezel.
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I3T EOS unique helix body knurling
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I3T two-way pocket clip. Pretty sturdy. Been pocket carry (clipped) bezel down for a week, light never fall out even once.
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close up of I3T EOS attachment point. like the M1T Raider clip, it's not easy to remove.
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again, that helix knurling, sweet!
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boot button is nicely textured
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I3T uses a forward clicky, that means you have a momentary push button function. The UI is a very simple Low-High cycle with 2 seconds reset. If you want to access the High mode, half-press to go to low mode, release and full press within 2 seconds to go full on to High mode.

really liking this tailcap knurling, it gives that extra grip when needing to change batteries.
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another picture of that helix knurling
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Comparing to M1T raider. notice the blue bezel is not available at I3T EOS.
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Comparing to other lights to give you an idea of the size...
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tailcap is square-thread cut, it's copper. Unlike M1T Raider, I3T EOS CANNOT be lockout by loosening the tailcap.
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My measured lumens of I3T EOS.
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Note that the I do not claim the above measured lumens as authoritative nor an indication of over/under-stating the number given manufacturer.
It's calibrated against some known light output (e.g. Fenix, SureFire) so take it with a grain of salt and just as a relative reading.

Beam profile comparison with some AAA lights
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and now, the runtime chart...
First, tested with an Olight Lithium AAA
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and notice a strange pattern emerging...
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then, I continue to perform testing with the following batteries...
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and plotted the following...
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I can't detect any PWM with low nor high output, but when doing the runtime test, upon stepped-down, the PWM effect kicks-in. Strangely, the PWM effect is less detectable using Alkaline than NiMH and Primary Lithium.

Have a view at the following video to see the PWM effect.


I've also done a plot against Olight I3S-cu EOS (mine is brass version)
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and a runtime test of repeatedly going back to high mode, using white labelled 750mAh Eneloop AAA cells
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yup, 21 minutes of 180 lumens is achievable.
oh, that PWM effect is gone every time I switch back to high mode.

In conclusion, I'm very impressed with how efficient it is for I3T EOS. I do not know of many pocketable flashlight that's capable of sustaining 180 lumens on a single Alkaline AAA, let alone one that is capable of pushing the high lumens for a few minutes (3-5 minutes) and ~10 minutes when using NiMH and Primary Lithium.

Thanks for reading :grin2:
 

achindoon

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Jun 23, 2018
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Thanky for the great review!
Have you tried, how it performs compared to a Fenix LD09 (2015)?
 

rookiedaddy

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thanks for the kind words gentlemen.

Thanks for the thorough review!!!
thank you for the opportunity to review. ;)

Have you tried, how it performs compared to a Fenix LD09 (2015)?
I'm sorry but I do not have a Fenix LD09 to compare with. It wouldn't be an apple-to-apple comparison tho, because Fenix LD09 is an AA powered light, while Olight I3T EOS uses AAA battery. :p
 

achindoon

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Jun 23, 2018
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I'm sorry but I do not have a Fenix LD09 to compare with. It wouldn't be an apple-to-apple comparison tho, because Fenix LD09 is an AA powered light, while Olight I3T EOS uses AAA battery. :p

You are absolutely right, i just was thinking that the outer dimensions of the lamps are quite similar and maybe the Olight could also be interesting for me. :D
 

tomzarbo

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Apr 22, 2017
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Southern, NJ
Thanks for the detailed review. I learn every time I'm on this forum. Didn't know what PWM was and did a little digging. I didn't know that the way most lights reduce output is by turning the light on and off, not by reducing voltage overall.

I picked up one of these lights recently and really like it. I think the 5 lumen output is pretty good for most things. Often a light that is TOO bright just seems to wash everything out where 5-10 lumens is just right for many needs. I've used this several times in the middle of the night so I don't wake up my wife with the main light in the bedroom. Pretty much perfect. The ratio of spread to spot is pretty nice, a good compromise between the two.

I'm just using the AA that came with it so far, but it is kind of impressive for what it is. They dialed in just the right amount of pressure on the tailcap too: it takes just enough of a push to keep it from accidentally being activated in the pocket, but not so much that it's a hassle to turn on.

This is a petty complaint, but I do wish it had the blue ring around the bezel or tailcap, or something... to me, that's like Volkswagen selling a car without the VW logo on it. :)

TomZ
 

matt4350

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Sep 24, 2012
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387
Location
Queensland, Australia
Rookiedaddy, your reviews are getting me spending! I just got one of these, along with the M1T, they make a great pair. As with the Raider, it works just the way I want it to, and the only way to improve it would be to offer a neutral version.

Now, just for completeness of the family, I would love to see a aa version of such a light.
 
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