[Review] Imalent DN70 (2018) compact flooder XHP70 + 26650 on 3800 lumen

The DN70 were provided for testing by Fasttech shop free of charge.

Link to product page in shop

I chose the model for the review, because I’m interested in the format 26650+XHP70. It’s an old but updated 2018 model - now with a black back cover.

Here only photo and short description. Full review with non-English text in my blog

Short resume: very good flashlight with bright and smooth flood light, but with several nuances.

Specifications:

Modes:

Turbo, 3800 lm, 1 h 30 m
Maximum, 2500 lm, 2 h 30 m
Middle, 300 lm, 6 h
Minimum, 20 lm, 50 h

Beam distance: 325 m
Intensity: 26 300 cd
Impact resistant: 1,5 m
Waterproof: IPX8 (2 m)

Packaging

The package was a little dented, but the lamp is completely intact. My post service is a fan of Footbal World Cup and have a little played with a packages. That’s the impression.

Included in the packaging: flashlight, battery (not in photo), soft case, Lanyard, 2 O-rings, micro-USB patchcord, instruction.

Exterior look

Since this year, the lamp comes with a black cover. Looks good, nothing unwanted no attacking edges on the bezel.

Primary feature - OLED display with full information of all modes and restrictions (thermal control and low battery level).

Large square knurling c small notch – very grippy surface.

The flashlight is very compact.

Nitecore EC4SW (MT-G2, 2x18650), Acebeam EC50-III (XHP70.2), Klarus G20 (XHP70), Imalent DN70 (XHP70)

The case is also very compact

Klarus G20, Acebeam EC50-III, Imalent DN70

Measured dimensions and weight

Length 114,5 mm, Width 32 mm, Max head width 41,5 mm.

Acebeam EC50-III: 123 g
Klarus G20: 132 g
Nitecore EC4SW: 172 g

Ergonomics

Despite the small size is very good in the palm of your hand

The buttons are tight, do not rattle, pressed clearly, but the course is very small and very difficult to find to the touch.

Quite a serious lack of ergonomics - too hard to quickly find buttons.

Controls

Control of 2 buttons is simple, but it could be made even better and easier.

2 buttons

Right: on/off and mode select
Left: turbo mode, strobe modes and show battery voltage

logic is close to Klarus, Manker, Nitecore, Skilhunt, but with differences

Right button:

- from Off by 1 short click run light to last used mode (memory mode),

- from On by 1 short click change mode from Minimum to Maximum,

  • from On by 1 long click ( > 0.3 sec) switch off the flashlight

Left button:

- from any mode by 1 short click show on OLED display current battery voltage

- from any mode by 1 long click enable turbo mode 3800 lm, If click < 2 sec, then mode switch back to previous after button released. If click > 2 sec. then mode switched to turbo with no back to previous if button released.

  • double click enable strobe, sos and beacon mode. Switch with double click.

No fast access to minimum mode. But after changing battery always start from minimum.

OLED display

All modes show in text or symbols:

modes

turbo

strobe, sos, beacon

In any time can see battery voltage (1 click left button)

battery low level warning ant thermal control

Battery

By agreement with the store i recieved flashlight without batteries.

I tested with several difference: long protected batteries not allowed with DN70. Only high drain with flat top and without protection circuit board.

Short length - only one short wide spring in bottom.

Left Acebeam EC50-III, Right Imalent DN70:

The quality of the body

Very thick walls: 2.5 mm

Left Acebeam EC50-III, Right Imalent DN70:

Dust protection cover.

dedomed XHP70

Currents by modes

Very short life to Panasonic 26650A if it used in this flashlight

Light: lux

Lux from 1 meter in one point (max)

Not usable as compact search light, because have modes: very low, low and maximum very close to turbo. But good as EDC or city flashlight where primary mode 300 lm and periodically have 3800/2500 lm.
всего.

Runtime

3800 and 2500 only on start have difference. Thermal control makes them the same.

In short distance DN70 output same light as Klarus G20 in mode 3 of 4, but longer.

Флуктуации умирающей в спазмах и оргазмах батарейки Panasinic из которой всю душу высасывает фонарь можно хорошо разглядеть на графике растянутом в масштабе.

Non stable level in turbo mode.

On the last chart is not fully calibrated, as well as the lamp is not cooled completely. Brightness fluctuations on all types of batteries, including high drain.

Voltage on battery after low level cut off: 2,86V

Thermal control

One way thermal control change level down from 2500 and 3800 lumens mode to level 900 lm (show in display).

PWM and flicker

PWM - 20 kHz

20 lm

300 lm: 20 kHz with deep of modulation 100%

2500 lm: 20 kHz with deep of modulation ~30%

Turbo immediate after run

After thermal control work

Light by stand

White balance = 5000K, tint = 0

Imalent DN70

Other:

Color temperature deviation.

The average color temperature was approximately 5110К, with with a homogeneous dam in a green shade.

White balance = 5110K, tint = 11R (+11% to red side).

I expected to see a very cold light with 6700К, however, it is only slightly greenish.

Real beams shoot

Scene:

Imalent DN70 2018 in modes. White balance = 5637K, tint = 11R - to compare with more warm lights on only beam distribution.

Beam distribution very good to universal flood light.

Compared to others. WB = 5000K, tint = 0.

Left Imalent DN70, Right Klarus G20

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Left Imalent DN70, Right Acebeam EC50-III

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Left Imalent DN70, Right Nitecore EC4SW

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New scene: 15-20 meters

Imalent DN70, in modes. WB = 5637K, tint = 11R.

WB = 5000K, tint = 0.

Left Imalent DN70, Right Acebeam EC50-III

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Слева Imalent DN70, справа Convoy L6 (XHP70.2, 5000K)

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Very good smooth and bright light with good quality of light for middle-short distances.

Integrated USB recharge port

Micro USB patch cord from box very short. I detect 1.25A maximum from USB port. Not bad.

End of charge: 4,186 V by external voltmeter.

Ingress protection rating - waterproof

Cover of USB port not have rim on all perimeter!

In Specifications descibed raiting: IPX8 (2 m).

10 minuts in stream

Immediately after end DN70 manually switched to turbo mode. Immediately fogged up the glass from the inside.

IPX8 not confirmed!

Overall

Negative:

- Not a IPX8, maximum IPX4 (rain), or IPX5.

- Not all batteries allowed. Not very negative but not good.

- Not mode with ~900-1000 lm

- Not very low level ~0.5-1 lm

- Light green tint of light

- Not fast access to minimal mode

  • Very problem to find byttons without to see on it

Positive:

+ Very good light distribution

  • Very compact
  • Very good ergonomics by hand and size (not for buttons)
  • fast charge (> 1A)
  • Good mechanical finishing
  • Very interesting display

Thank you very much for the detailed review! Very nice pics! It’s good to see the added throw of the sliced XHP70 compared to the Klarus in the beam shots, although I was hoping and expecting for higher values compared to the Acebeam.
The DN70 is still a very attractive light I still don’t have…

It’s a Acebeam EC50 Gen 3, with 3850 lumen (specially to 3800 on Imalent) on turbo and 1800 in Hight mode.

Yes. So on paper it should be about equally bright. The reflector size of the EC50 is about the same as that of the DN70. So the sliced XHP70 of the DN70 should result in about ~40% more throw compared to the domed version, and since both lights have roughly the same output on paper the DN70 should out throw the EC50.
Looking at the beamshots and the figures this is not the case. The Acebeam has simply higher output, and it’s so much more that even throw is a bit more than the Imalent.

I can’t disassemble DN70, it’s glued :frowning:
But visually reflector in EC50-III more deeply. And beam from DN70 more widely.

That’s probably it. I do like wide beams though. :sunglasses:

Good review.

I read some previous reviews various places before ordering mine, all of which mentioned the button-finding problem. I thought from the pictures that the complaints were legitimate, but mostly for hurry-up usage, that there would be enough tactile clues to find the buttons with a little patience.

Nope.

I’ve now put a cable tie around the body of the light with the latch aligned below the oled. A finger or thumb resting to the left or right of the latch should be able to find the button by just moving up. Even that isn’t easy.

So once I’m sure this won’t be returned for some as-yet unapperent defect (other than the buttons and USB cover, I am delighted with it), I will be cutting some notches for tactile finding, and applying some glow-in-the-dark marks for visual finding. Not the first flashlight to get that treatment, but still, a shame.

Fantastic review, plenty of photos as well, great stuff.

Does anyone know why these manufacturers create a great looking unit and make is solid then stick on a totally inadequate flimsy flap for the USB?
I have a Wuben LT35 like this and they say ipx8 yet a summer breeze or a finger passing the flap open it up.
Yet I have a Klarus (mini one) and a Haikelite (sc01) which both have usb charging, yet they have an intelligent design, in that the charging port is behind a threaded and o-ringed section.

And when will manufacturers start moving to USB type-c?

Again great review love all the beam pics. Good work

TT

Great review…I have the DN35 , a great light ,but impossible to find the switches in low light or darkness….I’m thinking of gluing something onto the rubber cover to elevate it .

I just bought an imalent dn70 and having trouble with buttons…its hard to find when its dark or in case of emergency and I noticed that the temperature is rising very fast as 5 secs in maximum light output…is it normal or some kind of defective? TIA

I don’t really understand the graph - can’t wrap my head around it for some reason. What is the lumen output after 60 minutes in turbo mode? How about the lumen output after 60 in high mode? TIA.

This flashlight is only cool white version right?

They had HCRI ones too.