Use the same location for your all your tests, that makes it easier to compare.
Specs like lm/w and angle of the beam. (spot or floody)
Also very nice would be, let’s say, a colorful photo that you shine upon so people can see the color rendering.
Even greater would be if you show several lights/leds/CRIs side by side.
I know not every light is equally bright, but comparing at 300lm should give a good impression.
Everybody knows that 1000lm is less than 2000lm, but what does the difference look like in real life?
Impression of quality. How does the button feel? Does the tailcap crew on smoothly?
What I don’t like about YT reviews is unboxing. A 10 second shot at all that is in the box is more than enough.
I don’t need the reviewer to tell me the flashlight is black and which thing in the box is the manual.
Often rain isn’t the real killer, but vapor is.
For example I had a watch that could stand a lot of rain, but when wearing under damp sleeves, vapor got in.
YT reviews are actually boring. I prefer to read than waste 10-20 or more minutes for someone’s mumbling, bad focusing or zooming.
If it is only review for flashlight or other gear I skip it and put out of my interest.
Mke
Myself I don’t like video reviews. I much prefer textual ones. The main reasons are:
video goes on as fast as its maker decided to make it go while I can read my text at my own speed. Skim through uninteresting parts but take a while to analyze the tasty details
I’m a visualizer and I prefer to see a review than to hear it
quite often I can find a while to skim through a piece of text but not to watch even a short video. A part of the reason is the time involved and in part the need to use sound
if I’m interested in only a part of the review (like measurements), there are text tools to do it quickly
drop test: maybe with some flashlights, definitely not with the more expensive ones I buy.
I will probably do the video reviews after I do the written reviews, just so I know more about the behaviour etc. During the written review I can probably see whether it has real LVP, or low battery warning.
I honestly have been caring less about tints after reviewing so many lights. About 95%+ of people who use a flashlight don't really care about a shift in tint towards green. Except if it is really ugly green, purple I will mention it.
5) never do beamshots with automatic exposure modes
6) don’t present crap and state that it at least was inexpensive crap
7) tell us what you think, what you noticed about the product, what’s important to you and what might rule the product out for you
I really hate most youtube reviews reiterating the same shit over and over. “Wow, how bright it is. Awesome! And it has xyz modes…” I bet most reviewers have flashlights in the mailbox, a protocol at hand and the finished review 15 minutes later.
I prefer reviews from reviewers with honesty and integrity, none of that Charles ShillTec “its a perfect ten” flashlight for every light he gets for free. Also cant stand reviews that are styled like boring advertising with some dork mumbling the specs from paper, while camera zooms over his messy table. Good reviews should include also negatives for example poor thermal design, visible PWM, too fast stepdown etc. I also expect to learn about thing not specified by manufacturers like maximum cell length and diameter that fits, whether all or only some modes are current controlled and so on. Don’t care for drop tests, for they don’t tell anything truly useful, nor washing the flashlights with clothes as this is rather easily avoidable.
If you want to make night shots, make sure your videos are crisp and sharp, not the grainy ones that look like recorded with potato through dirty aquarium. Would be also great if you could focus on the beam profile, for example at 10 meters from wall to be able to tell if there is any hotspot or not.
Much welcome addition would be simple tint comparison of reviewed light against some standard cool white 6500K.
There should be also strong focus on real world usage, for example around a cabin in mountains, walking a dog in poorly lit rural area, when hiking or camping.
l like those. The place should be the same with a good mix of close, medium and long range. Have a size comparison to well known lights - but not too many.
Lately the only YT reviewer I’ve had the patience of watching is our fellow member TrailTrek. His reviews are not too technical but cover a lot of subjects and possible issues.
I really don’t like them. I would rather read and look at static photos as it is a pain to navigate back and forth on video. If one must do video, beamshots should not be done with auto exposure and I think auto white balance should not be used either. One should pick a WB and stay with it for all of their videos.
Honestly my favorite review formats is from the late Marshall from Going Gear.
Top bird eye presentation to show the light and demonstrate how to use (as well as brief unboxing)
Also a demo at the end with consistent locations.
What do you like to see in YouTube reviews?
Short, less than 3-5 minute videos that covers everything with clean video edits.
Well planned presentation like a salesman but with honest review if it has bad traits.
Text supers on video is great when you are watching video in an unconvenient environment
You know the presenter is good if the presenter posted a negative review and you still want to buy the light to see how bad the light is from gentle comments.
What don’t you particularly like about some of the YouTube reviews?
Music is great but if planned words and presentation is to be made, music is not even necessary.
Videos that requires me to click another video with “stay tuned and check out this video for topic xxx related” (you can’t avoid like n subscribe if you are making youtube vids but keep it short)
Presenters that spew hate for over 2-8 minutes over a mere flashlight video makes me skip
It’s unavoidable when people in 2019 have an attention span of less than 5 seconds compared to the old television days of 15 seconds.
It’s tough making videos. So quick and presentable speech is the key. Add text supers for people who couldn’t watch with audio.
Bonus if your voice is good so invest on a mic to prevent echoey roomy noises.
ChibiM, you probably know these two channels, but this is just a suggestion of how to do FL reviews without “speaking”!
These channels provide simple and direct information not only about the specs, but also about the real use of the flashlights (with beamshots, indication and twiks of the UIs, and the other specs we already know).
Some BLF members such as “vestureolfblood aka Matt aka AdventureSportFlashlights” and “mhanlen aka Advanced Knife Bro” provide entertaining and detailed reviews (specs and use), but one may get somehow lost if english is not our first language.
So the technique of KISS is probably the best. Specs are good, but if we want a flashlight for more than looking to a shelf and see it there, the usability (UI), the light emitted (comparison of amount of light, range and tint), the size (comparison of length and width), and of course the cells/recharging, may be some important things to approach in videos.
I have subscribed dozens of flashlight reviews channels, and some still get my attention because they provide good info, they do not exaggerate the specs and the “WOWs” just to please the manufacturers, and they go straight to the point of what one needs in a flashlight (what I mentioned above).
BTW, of course, opinions are good but we all have different FL needs, so…unless something is really good, or really awfull, the viewers will have to do their own mind
I don’t normally watch YouTube reviews, of anything anymore. When I did happen upon a few they were 90% info that was on the box or otherwise stated on a website. Seems it’s hardly ever useful information. I prefer a written review but, they are for the most part stuff already on the box.
I am a car guy. Car reviews are pretty much the same. Nice car and here is all the info on the window sticker. Useless. I do enjoy Motortrends reviews of their long term test cars. It tells me useful information. Maintenance cost, weak areas of workmanship, real world gas mileage etc…
If a review starts off with a unboxing followed by a copy of whats in the manual and on the box, I just move on.
I also take with a grain of salt, any review where the reviewer has went out asking a manufacturer for lights to review. I have done a few reviews and I was guilty of all of the above. I lacked the time and patience to do a proper review so I don’t do them. Too many reviews are done before the cell gets to 50%. I would take a review more seriously if the reviewer actually purchased the light and used it for a while before telling me the ins and outs of it. Professional flashlight reviewer should not be on a resume.
I notice a lack of long-term reviews. Even for short-term/new release reviews most seem to have just pulled it out of the box and picked up a camera.
Spend a little time with it, use it, get to know it - then you will have something worthwhile to say. As others have said, we can read detailed specs. If you don’t have something to say beyond a spec sheet, don’t bother. Instead share from your experience, share what is helpful or enjoyable or not. And it is a visual medium of course. Nicely produced shots of the light itself, beam shots, and comparisons are appreciated.
You mention Advanced Knife Bro reviews. Aside from his humor, which you shouldn’t try to replicate, his videos also reflect this more thoughtful approach. Experiment, find your own way of doing this.
I was thinking about videos too, but this english is a problem for me. And I like textual reviews more too.
But if you want to make videos, you can start with background music (silent) and text, it would be easier for beginning
Unboxing, general specifications, UI (but please don’t make that part when you sit by your desk and change modes with camera at auto exposure and say WOW for higher mode that looks exactly the same for me “Wow, it is bright…WOW, now even brighter…WOOOW, look at this turbo… ), and focus on the tint and beam profile, and tell what you think about flashlight, packaging, tint, beam…
Also make this videos non flashaholics friendly, so avoid saying: Anduril FET + 7 + 1 and bypassed spring, so the flat top high drain 18650 would be a good choice (of course we have LVP)…
What is “please the manufacturers”? I have a special part in my reviews where I only talk about all shortcomings and flaws once again Is…is it not ok? :innocent:
“Wow, it is bright…WOW, now even brighter…WOOOW, look at this turbo… 