Olight S1 Mini CW 600 Lumens 16340 mini USB rechargeable, Review

Sale Update:
Here is a sale listing from Olight, you may be able to save a bit off MSRP by making an offer.


This is a review intended to cover information in addition to the factory information available on the Olight site.

I have been buying, reviewing and giving away the Olight S1 Mini HiCRI, to friends. I asked Olight to send me a review sample of the Cool White Version, and it just arrived






I put the included battery on charge,

1 hour 10 minutes later the charge is done


Left to right Rose Gold S Mini, S1 Mini, HiCRI, S1 Mini Cool White



As you look at the photos, the Olight S1 Mini Cool White model is on the right. The beam colors that my camera sees are not the same as what I see with my eyes. There are in fact some striking differences.

My eyes see the HiCRI as being greener than the 600 lumen Cool White version. But my camera sees that the HiCRI is making more pink than the Cool White version. In actual use I really like the Cool White version, it is whiter and brighter than the HiCRI version.

I include a photo that attempts to capture the Color Rendering on some beadwork. It is very difficult to see the difference. In this photo the HiCRI is on the left and the Cool White on the right.

The camera has no problem showing the red beads, even when using the Low CRI Cool White. You can see some subtle differences in the photo...


I really like the CW Olight S1 Mini!
It has all the great features I love about the HiCRI version, including the Low weight, hatlamp clip, tail magnet, Moonlight of 0.5 lumens, 5 modes that include moon, low, medium, high, Turbo, and Strobe.

There are shortcuts to Moon, Turbo, and Strobe. I like strobe for crossing the street in high traffic areas, and it is easy to get to with a triple click. Yet it never happens by accident as the light uses a simple click to turn on and off, with memory on primary modes, but no memory for strobe.

I consider the Olight UI one of the simplest, most new user friendly, and yet sophisticated enough to cover both sublumen and hundreds of lumens use needs. Highly recommended.

If you like the idea of a 600 lumen light, that has an awesome power to weight ratio, convenient pocket clip option, super friendly UI, and Olight Reliability, I dont think you can go wrong with an Olight S1 Mini Cool White model..

If you have any practical questions about any aspect of the Olight S1 Mini Cool White, Im happy to go into more details. Thanks for reading this review, I hope it helps you when shopping for a high quality, super compact 16340 light. Imho these make great gifts for newbies, as they include the battery and the charging cable in addition to the light. I even think the price is reasonable, and occasionally there are even sales. PM me if you want to know of any sales I am aware of.

Points of interest, comparing modes on the Olight S1 Mini to the HDS 250
HDS 250 lumen model presets are
0.03, 9, 48 250

Olight S1 Mini 600 lumen model presets are
0.5, 15, 60, 300, 600

If you are in Med (60) is there an easy way to get back to low without cycling through high and turbo to get back to low (15)? Or do you have to turn the light off, hold for moon, release, then hold for low.

there is no shortcut to low
the methods to go to Low from Medium that you describe very clearly, are totally correct afaik
just a minor detail different, the S1 Mini has low medium high and Turbo, but when cycling the modes it only cycles low, medium, high, and back to low. Turbo is only on double click

in any case
one thing you may find useful, that I sometimes do, is put my hand over the lens, when changing modes from Medium, to get to Low, through High.. I find that route easier than click off, hold for moon, release, hold for low. If I am in Medium and want low, I have learned that it takes me a 2 count to change modes while holding.. so a 4 count hold gives me low from Medium

going through high is faster for me, just hold light against my leg or hand or belly, hold 4 count, and viola, Bobs your Uncle

I sometimes also cycle the light against my hand, to verify what mode I am in, without getting fully blasted by uncovered light

the S Mini has moon Low Medium Turbo
the S1 Mini has an extra mode, moon, Low, Medium, High, Turbo

the S Mini only gets to high after Turbo times out and steps down.. the S1 Mini avoids turbo in the rotation of holding the button

I hope that helps

These similarities between Olight and HDS makes the Olight a good backup or spare battery carrier to an HDS too. I believe Hogokansatsukan has an Olight S Mini in his pocket too.

OK, that description answers the question I had and another question I was going to ask (does it cycle through turbo).
Turbo on the older S Mini could actually trip the protection circuit in a worn out battery so it will help not to cycle through that if you know your battery is weak.

I have done the hold against leg before myself. I often now just close my eyes (inside) or shine up into the air (if outside) if I have to cycle through high to get to low.
The double click hidden Turbo is a nice feature, and having moon somewhat hidden is nice for my usage, but overall I like the Zebralight UI better. If I am trying to get from Med to a night vision and battery preservation lower mode it annoys me to blast out blinding light.

I would like it better if mode memory was programmable feature.

cave dave said:

...
Turbo on the older S Mini could actually trip the protection circuit in a worn out battery so it will help not to cycle through that if you know your battery is weak.
...
overall I like the Zebralight UI better.
...
I would like it better if mode memory was programmable feature.

Click to expand...

Yes, failure to hold turbo is a hint to charge the battery ;-)
Every light has pros and cons.. Zebra presently has no 16340 model
Memory is a controversial option, I agree it would be nice to be able to option it off..
I think HDS offers that feature.. but it costs more than an Olight or Zebra

Have a fun weekend!

I actually use Memory on all three of my HDS lights, but that is because you can still get to low without cycling through high on HDS.

One more question: Can you lockout the S1 Mini Aluminum model by unscrewing the tailcap a bit? That feature won't work on the Ti, copper models. I don't trust electronic the lockout since the light could still be activated just by leaning against something for two seconds.

cave dave said:

Can you lockout the S1 Mini Aluminum model by unscrewing the tailcap a bit?

Click to expand...

Yes, the S1 Mini will turn off and stay off if I unscrew the tail 1/4 turn.

I agree the Copper and Ti S Mini dont lock out by unscrewing that way.

There is also a change in the lockout function, even though I respect you dont consider it as reliable as unscrewing the tail a bit. In the S1 Mini, when in electronic lockout there is no "tactical momentary" moonlight response to pressing the power button.

When the S1 Mini is in electronic lockout, pressing the button does not turn on the main LED at all. I like that much better, than giving a flash of moonlight when locked out. The S1 Mini has a small red LED in the switch that lights up for a few seconds, when pressing the switch while locked. That same red LED in the switch turns on as a charging reminder, when the 16340 drops below 3.4v

I hope that in future models, that Olight will include a battery level test, such as the flashes that Zebralight uses.

What is the weight with 16340 installed?

Thanks.

LightObsession said:

What is the weight with 16340 installed?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

this link https://www.ebay.com/itm/162781055816
says 43 grams, I assume that means with pocket clip and battery

I tend to remove pocket clips, and my notes say.. I cant confirm this now, as I gave the light to one of my adult children
Weights:
The Olight USB battery weighs 18 grams
The empty Olight S1 Mini weights just 20 grams. Total 38 grams.

that suggests the clip adds 5 grams
fwiw, a USA nickel also weighs 5 grams.. so if you want to get a "feel" for the weight of an S1 Mini w clip and battery, grab a stack of 9 USA Nickels (total 45 grams) and you will have a good approximation

jon_slider said:

Yes, failure to hold turbo is a hint to charge the battery ;-)
Every light has pros and cons.. Zebra presently has no 16340 model
Memory is a controversial option, I agree it would be nice to be able to option it off..
I think HDS offers that feature.. but it costs more than an Olight or Zebra

Have a fun weekend!

Click to expand...

Zebralight SC32 cr123/16340 cool white still being sold and is usually in stock...

I haven't decided between the S1Mini and the E16.

If I went with the E16, I would run it on primary CR123 to get the output levels and runtimes that I prefer.

I like access to a sensible and sustainable high without having to wait for the turbo to step down to get to the desired high.

I like the form factor of these small lights, but so many skip middle levels and go to an unsustainable turbo using rechargeables, so I would use primaries instead.

None of these lights have the output levels, runtime and UI combination on rechargeables that I prefer.

The output levels that I find most useful are sublumen, 4 - 8, 30 to 60, 120 to 160 and 280 to 320. All four of those and access to a turbo of 500 to 700 would please me, but I'm not sure that lthese exist in any light in this small and light weight format using rechargeables.

The E16 on primaries has all except the sublumen and turbo.

I want direct access to moonlight or low and direct access to high.

I think I prefer the beam pattern of the S1 Mini - it appears to have a less intense hot spot than the E16.

So far, I haven't bought any light in this form factor. Finances are very tight, so I've been making due with lights that I already have. Still using the 1AAA Mizpah 130 as a hat brim light and it's easy to mouth hold, if not wearing a hat.

LightObsession said:

The output levels that I find most useful are sublumen, 4 - 8, 30 to 60, 120 to 160 and 280 to 320.
...
I think I prefer the beam pattern of the S1 Mini - it appears to have a less intense hot spot than the E16.
...
Finances are very tight, so I've been making due with lights that I already have. Still using the 1AAA Mizpah 130 as a hat brim light and it's easy to mouth hold, if not wearing a hat.

Click to expand...

I agree that the TIR beam of the S1 Mini does not have a defined separate hotspot and spill, the beam is mostly just a wide hotspot.

fwiw, the Olight S1 Mini has the following FIVE separate modes
0.5, 15, 60, 300, PLUS 600 lumens

the Olight S1 Mini cycles from 15 to 60 to 300 directly.. there is NO need to use Turbo and wait for step down.
there is direct access to 0.05, and to Turbo, and to Strobe
there is also last mode memory, for the first 4 modes.

One of the things I like about the S1 Mini, is that the High mode of 300 is available completely separate from the 600 lumen Turbo. This is different from the SMini series, which you are correct require waiting for step down from Turbo

imo one of the Best features of the S1Mini is that it includes a USB rechargeable LiIon, there is No Need to use CR123 in order to have access to the 300 lumen mode. There is no need to use Turbo and wait for stepdown in the S1 Mini when using the INCLUDED 16340.

The S Mini only includes a CR123. I dont like how they smell, and I like rechargeables better.

when finances are tight, it is good to avoid reading flashlight websites, because temptations are endless

I sure wish there was a level between 60 and 300.

sent you PM