Nite Ize, MJLED, and Fellowes

sniper

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Jan 7, 2005
Messages
630
I just bought 3 Nite Ize AA led upgrade kits form Walmart. I put one in my wife's QUEST Mini Mag clone edc light, one in my $3 Mini Mag, and the third in another QUEST. The Nite Ize has to be the best $5 item in flashlighthood, IMHO, right next to the QUEST lights, which were on sale at a local sporting goods store for ~$7.50 for 3. I got 6, and now wish I had gotten another package. I have 2 left.

The Nite Ize has a good review at Flashlight tests.com. Mine have a white beam with a smidge of blue, and both are brighter than my "second generation" MJLED, and I LOVE my MJLEDs. They make the MiniMag what it SHOULD be! The beams are different--the MJLED and reflector have more of a central hot spot, and the Nite Ize gives a more floody effect. The brightness seems about equal in the DBR (dark bathroom) evaluation, as well as on the back yard Fence at about 10 yards+ . I repaired the bathroom lights using my $3 MMag/w Nite Ize standing on its tail, something neither the neat little QUEST lights or my other MMag with the Kroll switch can do.

I do not like the MMag twist switch, but the Nite Ize changes that. About 1/4 turn, and it is good to go. No messing with focus, and you have all those left-over reflectors to use in serious scientific experimentation! The nite Ize is also brigher than the Mini Mag with the high zoot (green base) allegedly higher intensity bulbs. Pale and Yaller,they were, in comparison to either the MJLED or the Nite Ize.

If Mag Light doesn't offer something like this or better for their Minis, they are missing a real opportunity.

I need to buy a couple more Nite Ize led kits, one to put in another light for my friend in Tucson, who had the mjled light I gave him stolen. Somebody knew a good thing when they saw it. And one more to improve my grand moppet's QUEST light.

While I was at it, I got a buy on da BAy--Fellowes WriteRight Microthin Screen protectors for a Palm Zire. I used it on a MMag with stock bulb, and it did smooth the artifacts without much decrease in output. I also put some on my 3D Mag w/Xenon bulb lens, with the same results. really pretty beam, with little observable reduction of throw. I'm going to use one of the protector sheets for my digital camera. It does have a texture, but shouldn't make it hard to see the display screen. If you want a smooooth beam, the Fellowes protectors are great, and should last well, if you put them on the inside of the lens.

*SEE* Unknown VT's post about the Nite Ize. He has BEAMSHOTS! Great Post; will try linking.

That didn't work worth a darn! First try ever at linking. It's NICE to have somebody that knows what they are doing validate your impressions.
 
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LightObsession

Flashlight Enthusiast
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Nov 12, 2004
Messages
1,385
Thanks for the comparison with the MJLED. I bought one of the Nite Ize and installed it in a Quest host and like it for used around the house. I've been wondering if the MJLED has any advantages over the Nite Ize. My observatiion is that the Nite Ize is not as bright as my Brinkman Legend 2AA incan. My experience appears to be different than yours
sniper said:
The nite Ize is also brigher than the Mini Mag with the high zoot (green base) allegedly higher intensity bulbs. Pale and Yaller,they were, in comparison to either the MJLED or the Nite Ize. .

I'd like to see beamshot comparison's of between the Nite Ize and MJLED.

I'll check out Unknown VT's review.
 

sniper

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 7, 2005
Messages
630
LightObsession said:
My experience appears to be different than yours

I'd like to see beamshot comparison's of between the Nite Ize and MJLED.

I'll check out Unknown VT's review.

UnknownVT's post will likely answer your questions. The differences between my MJLEDs and NIteIze are very small, at least in my batch of lights, and hardly worth worrying about, and similar to his results.
 

Shirley

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Dec 19, 2005
Messages
77
Location
Afghanistan
Is there an online source for the QUEST flashlights? I'm mostly finding Princeton Tec's Quest light when I search...
 

UnknownVT

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
3,671
There is a good reason why ****'s Sporting Goods were out of stock of those Quest flashlights.

There was a run on them in September/October last year - I was told apparently FEMA, or the Red Cross, or some other organization bought all of them for the Katrina Hurricane relief work - however I haven't seen any since......

Anyway here's the link to the Nite-Ize review thread -

Nite Ize drop in module

There are direct side-by-side comparisons with the MJLED

For completeness most of the MJLEDs available now are Super MJLEDs (sMJLED) - here's my comparison review thread -

super MJLED drop-in for MiniMag 2AA

IMHO I don't think that the sMJLEDs (I have 2 samples) are any brighter/better than the MJLED generation 2 or later - the sMJLED seem very similar to the gen3 MJLED I got from LightHound - note this is on alkaline batteries - some have said the sMJLED shows its stuff on 1.5V Lithium AA's - to me that defeats the purpose of a cheap drop-in upgrade that runs a good long time
(and please note there is a recommendation that one should condition the lithium AAs before use with the sMJLED - ie: use the batteries for a little bit first - which would be EXACTLY the same recommendation for the MJLEDs gen 2 and on...... funny isn't it?)

The sMJLEDs run FINE of plain alkalines - they are just NOT as good to me as the generation 2 MJLEDs I reviewed in

MJLED drop-in for MiniMag 2AA

and reference to those Quest 2AA aluminum flashlights ($7.49 for pack of 3 from ****'s Sporting Goods) see -
post #11 (linked) in the thread ****'s Sporting Goods 3-Pack of Lights - Cheap
 
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Shirley

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
77
Location
Afghanistan
Thanks!

While I've loved good lights for years, starting with Pelicans and M* Lites, I'm *just* starting to mod them a little bit, and trying to set up a few AA pushbutton red LEDs before I get deployed next month.

Somewhat on that topic, I picked up a cheap Rayovac 1AAA keychain light last night. Construction is pretty study, and it has a reflector. It will power a MM bulb (weakly), but a Nite Ize MM cluster appeared to be full brightness, though of course too big to fit under the head...
 
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