Nitecore E4K - 4x XP-L2, 4400Lm

https://flashlight.nitecore.com/product/e4k

Does this thing look like zebralight to you? Anyway the UI seems crazy, nothing like any of the Nitecores I have, which aren't the same themselves. Unless this is a new standard UI they all have now. I doubt it, but maybe?

Thanks for the heads up.

4,400 lumens from Nitecore, single cell user accessible 21700, 4.4 ounces with battery, 4 x XPL, 211 meters; I am interested.

Interesting, but I would have thought it better to go with a magnet in the tailcap as well as tailcap charging.

ftumch33 said:

Interesting, but I would have thought it better to go with a magnet in the tailcap as well as tailcap charging.

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Yes Olight has some nice options like that...

Same price as a d4? S41? Little more expensive than an fw3a?

aginthelaw said:

Same price as a d4? S41? Little more expensive than an fw3a?

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I think I saw $89 @ hkequipment

cnlson said:

I think I saw $89 @ hkequipment

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I ordered this interesting light a few days ago from my fav light guy because its size/weight/power fits nicely in between the 18650 Baton series and the TM9K. If it is too big/weighty to supersede my S2 Baton, I will have to look at two compact budget offerings that yield 4,000 lumens from a single 18650. My thinking is that it will be a while or so before this item is in the pipeline on its way to those who eagerly await it. When I get it, I will post back with how much I love it and why.

I ordered it directly from NiteCore and got a 15% discount since it was my first order from them. It was shipped today. I will be gluing a magnet to the tail end, and using it as an EDC carry light that I use for photography/video in a clip on grip with 1/4"-20 socket and a Small Rigs cold shoe ball head. If the beam is smooth enough, I will be using the medium 320 lumen setting most of the time with 1050 and 4400 lumens available when rarely needed. I'm using a Zebralight 6330 now or a Lupine Lights Betty TL currently, but I'd like a lighter floodlight to carry in my cargo pocket.

Richbuff and MikeF, i'm looking forward to hearing how you like this new light. please let us know what you think.

I got mine last night and boy is the UI odd. I got this to be kind of a big brother to my old and trustworthy ec2. It is slightly larger as expected and feels just as nice to me. Now I completely misread the UI or can't work it. From off you hold the power button for the modes as expected and release to stop. With the light on you hold the power button for Turbo. So far not bad but here is what I missed. In order to change modes, the light has to be off and you hold the power button to cycle modes again. So if you were in say a mid level and wanted to go lower you have to turn the light off then on and keep holding the power button until it cycles the remaining modes and goes to a low or moonlight. That is the part I cant understand, how is that a good feature? Unless you cover the lens, your night vision is going not going to be happy. I am going to give it time but right now I am not a fan of the modes, but I do love the feel of the light. Hope that's not confusing.

Update: I just found mode selection while the light is on. From any mode a quick double press and hold of the switch allows the mode changes. The light briefly turns off and back on in the mode you were in and will continue to cycle modes as long as the 2nd press stays pushed in. Different - yes but much more tolerable.

A few youtube videos are surfacing, and the UI does seem weird, may be enough to keep me from buying it unless it's on sale. very strange, why would they make you turn off the light to cycle up.

cnlson said:

I think I saw $89 @ hkequipment

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its 25% off until the 14th. I think I am ordering one, can't help it!

I like the burst mode - push and hold when on - just like the GTS line of Nitecore lights. I might get an E4K but I'm not sure if I like the 2 lumen then 50 lumen jump. A lot of lights now have large jumps in lumen spacing at the lower levels. Too much for me.

I just got mine today.

Tint: Yes, it has that. Nothing notable out of the usual about that.

Runtime and heat generation: I can select a middle mode for normal runtime and normal heat generation. Yay!

Switch: Yes. This one is located on the side. It is not too small. Check. Next:

User Interface: Yes. It is not Universal. It is not the same as all of my other lights. None of my other 25 lights have a Universal user interface. Lots of my other lights have user interfaces that are very, very different from most of the other ones. I took an IQ test just a few weeks ago, the Reynolds Adaptable Intelligence Test, my Total intelligence index is 134, average is 100, and I am in 99th percentile, Extremely high intellectual abilities. So, even if I rapidly switch from one flashlight to another that has a vastly different user interface and vastly different switch location, I can easily and quickly figure out how to turn it on, I can easily figure out how to turn it off and I can easily figure out how to access max mode. And I scored Above Average in short term memory, long term memory, and judgement skills. All this after being vegan for four years and eating only grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole, fresh veggies and fruits.

Well, anyway, it appears at first glance that this light has: a) Last mode memory, and b) Maximum mode is included in last mode memory. I like part b) a lot.

Also, for me, this light is a lighter weight complement to the red hot screaming Nightcore TM9K. So I will cast my vote for this light as The Worlds Most Powerful Mouth Hold Light.

The included Nitecore 21700 USB-C rechargeable cell is significantly longer than the unprotected Samsung INR 21700-30T. The 30T cell works great with a professionally soldered and jumpered spring affixed at the positive terminal of the cell, and such fits ok/fine in the SC 1and 2 chargers.

The Nitecore cell is a fully tight fit in the Xtar SC1 and SC2 chargers. Not more than two thousands of an inch to spare.

Vinh measured my slightly boosted sample at 30 seconds: 4,0000 lumens and 261 meters throw. After four years of heavy use, this light replaces my trusty S2 Baton.

Thanks to spinkid for posting how to change modes when the light is on; such is not included in the boxed printed instructions or pdf instructions, as far as I can see.

Thanks for the update rich. good info!


Decided to order one as well. ill post what i think once it arrives next week.

Update: E4K came today, quality is what's expected from Nitecore. The NL2150HPR is a very long 21700 it charges in my XTAR VC8 but doesn't sit completely in the slot. However it has its own USB-C port so it's expected to be longer and most will not toss it into a physical charger. I did notice that it wouldn't charge at 3A i tried multiple times to reset it and it only accepted a 2A charge possibly limited by the built in charger. Back to the light, UI as mention before is different but nothing so convoluted that after a minute of using it you can understand. The included CR123 Magazine is actually labeled Nitecore 18650 Battery Magazine(makes sense) and the light will work using an 18650 in that adapter, it did goto Turbo but seemed like a limited output, Nitecore doesnt recommend an 18650 for use, but it's good to know that in a pinch you could get by without turbo. A few shots out into the side yard and it can easily illuminate 70 yards on high and completely eliminates the darkness on Turbo, Turbo ran for about 20 seconds before step down and the light was fairly warm and bordering hot as expected.

Overall with just an hour or two messing with it, it seems to pretty useable, not the smallest EDC but i still know guys carrying Surefire G2 Xenons and mines been collecting dust for years!

Sadly, mine is going back. I just cannot live with the weird UI. Mainly, the problem is changing levels while the light is on. Even with the "trick", to get from mid-level to low level, you have to go through bright levels. And worse, if you turn the light on in moonlight (by double clicking), then want "just a bit" more light, you have to go to the last memorized level, and then up level until you reach low.

I have my light setup as follows and it does everything that I want. The memorized mode is set to the middle mode - 320. I can double click from off for 2 or single long click for 320 and can get to 4400 from either one by holding the button. Those three modes are really all that I need for anything that I do. The 50 and the 1050 are not really necessary for me. If I am at 320 and need to get down to 2 it is a single click and a double click which is not the end of the world. If I am at 2 and need to get to 320 it is a single click followed by another single long click to get up to 320. The fact that you can always get to 4400 by holding the button is great and there is no need to lock it there because it will heat up and dim down soon anyway

Will the E4K run off a Samsung INR21700-50E (10A discharge current)?

richbuff said:

User Interface: Yes. It is not Universal. It is not the same as all of my other lights. None of my other 25 lights have a Universal user interface. Lots of my other lights have user interfaces that are very, very different from most of the other ones. I took an IQ test just a few weeks ago, the Reynolds Adaptable Intelligence Test, my Total intelligence index is 134, average is 100, and I am in 99th percentile, Extremely high intellectual abilities. So, even if I rapidly switch from one flashlight to another that has a vastly different user interface and vastly different switch location, I can easily and quickly figure out how to turn it on, I can easily figure out how to turn it off and I can easily figure out how to access max mode. And I scored Above Average in short term memory, long term memory, and judgement skills. All this after being vegan for four years and eating only grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole, fresh veggies and fruits.

e.

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Somewhat irrelevant. My IQ is also about 135, which is below genius (150) by a significant margin and about 97.5 percentile.
Knowing your intellect limits and how foolish you can be is one of the primary hallmarks of intelligence, as is treating things without bias or understanding the difficulty a weird user interface can cause.

Despite a reasonably strong IQ, the user interface from the Nitecore E4k looks like it's from hell, although I see what they are trying to do. I prefer the ability to change modes while the light is on, and while performing athletics which is when I use lights the most this holding-down to turn-on and select-mode U.I. is almost impossible to achieve.

Access to turbo is interesting, but still unusable in my case.

Besides the U.I. it seems the thermal cutoff is fundamentally inadequate, cutting with an internal temp of roughly 125 to 135 F. If that's neccessary it shouldn't be, and if it is a timer they shouldn't lie about thermometers readings.

The mode spacing is something I personally like, the 1k to 4k jump makes sense because of how eyes respond to very bright light.

What I really like is the price, the 1k lumen efficiency (although I'd like to see more third party reviews to prove a 3 hour relevance), and the looks, it's a pretty gorgeous light.

KG_Tuning said:

lol. Double tap just turns the light off, holding is just turning it back on.

Tap then hold is quicker to go up levels.

I'm currently reviewing it, beam is splendid, turn on lumens 4770. Bit cool I'd prefer 5500-6000k

UI is ok if you like 1 level lights and lend lights to muggles.

It'll only work with a very very very long 18650 using the adapter.

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I believe you can use the wonderful Fenix 21700 18650 adapter as it has a spring and makes up for length.