Here's a quick and useless video of the EA8. I got it this afternoon and these are just initial thoughts upon opening the box.
I will try to update this with some beam shots tonight, along with some better text on how I feel about it.
Suffice to say, it's a nicely made light, but the UI is something that will cause me to sell it off.
Beam Shots
LOW
Med1
Med2
High
Turbo
Mouse Over. High and Turbo
Turbo
Mouse Over. High and Turbo
Mouse Over. High and Turbo at reduced shutter speeds, to help see the spot better.
Is it 900 lumens? I don't know. It doesn't seem like it, but maybe it's all throw with no spill and it deceives my eyes because of that. I leave that to people who can take measurements. I just go by what my eyes tell me.
It is definitely a spotlight, (thrower). A very intense spot with hardly any spill at all. The majority of the light is going into the spot. It would be a great light for that, but for just an all round light? Not for me. Not enough spill to use it for walking or just regular illumination.
I guess I just don't care for the light and I really wanted to like it. A very light body and using 8 NiMHs. I just wanted to love this light, but I come away not liking much at all about it, except for the quality and engineering that went into it. It is a very well made spotlight, (thrower).
Give it a little time to get used to it. It’s a little complicated at first, but it will become second nature.
Got to watch the vid later when I get home
Looks pretty nice, Old. With enough practice the modes will probably not be too difficult to remember but I doubt the average flashlight user (normal people, LOL) wants to practice how to use a light. A continuously variable control ring 8AA light would be excellent for simplicity’s sake.
Yep, a control ring might be ok. Want I want is High and then ramping if I choose. I do not want or need modes, just High. I want a light to turn on, when I push the switch and turn off when I push it again. I am old fashioned and do not want to change and since I don't have to, this light will go bye bye or modded to do what I want to do. I just don't feel like modding it. It is a beautiful light and someone will enjoy it very much, but I just don't want to break it open and have to put more parts into it. It's not bright enough as is, even on turbo. That's probably because of the small heat sink and because they know people are going to throw Alkalines into it and ruin it. With a 4amp to 5amp+ driver, it would probably wake up a little. It appears to be a thrower and if I kept it, I would have to stipple the reflector and change the driver. Just don't want to do that right now.
Thats a shame you can’t get on with the ui I must admit that I had trouble with the ea4 when I first tried it, but after reading bcoz quick reference guide and using the light a few times it all seemed to “click”
COMPUTERS are complicated too but I bet you figured out how to use one.
Its good that its a different UI because nobody can borrow it or use it. I dont like to share my expensive toys. Borrowers dont respect and take care them.
There’s a difference between can use it and not wanting to use it. I am sure many people will like it. I just don’t want to use a UI like that. The light is a nice light, but not nice enough that I would bother learning it when I can have a light that turns on to high and I can just hold the button to ramp it to any brightness I like. DrJones has spoiled me.
The UI can be as complicated or simple as you want it to be. If you just click the button all the way down once…you get trubo.Click it again, off.You only have to half press it to acess the lower modes.Once you spend some time with it the UI gets very easy to use.I would give it a bit of time Justin, I think you’ll find it will grow on you!
The UI is the same as my EA4. I use highest mode on that light 99% of the time. That’s easy. One full click gets me there. One more full click turns it off. Even an old dog like me can learn that new trick.
Thanks for the response. I had just the opposite with the two EA4 light I handled. My EA8 is quite dim although it suits me, I am not to fond of blinking lights
I really like the UI of the EA4 and EA8 is similar if not identical.
With one click you can have access to Turbo or Low. Everything else is details and never has to be accessed. I would like this UI on more lights.
Justin, you aren't alone. When I build a light, I'll put in any or as many modes that the user wants. I think 75% ++ request a high / low mode or just an On & Off. I like a High Low. As much as I like my TN31 I think about selling it off because it is just too much to mess with. I am constantly fumbling with the blamed thing. I usually end up grabbing something I built... or one of my old Browning lights that are pure on & off. OR... one of my favorite Old-Lumens Mods!! !!!! ... Some of us just want LIGHT! Dan.
I am after the most lumens, like most of us, and that is probably the first thing I look at when buying. But I have found once in a blue moon I need that low setting, to read or lurk around the house at night. So its nice to have a couple of output modes in one light. But those lights with 6-7- or 8 modes is too much. And sometimes that new, cool looking one you want has extra junk.
I must admit that I had trouble with the ea4 when I first tried it, but after reading 
Dan.