Review: Manker T01 Prerelease Sample (small updates 20150925))

Great review- very tempted. I have a Manker Timeback which is beautifully built- if this is as well built I want one.

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JM,

Any hints as to price? It’s a great design w/ the side clicky.

Can't wait for you to mod it ;)

Can they add a magnet to the tail?

Someone posted an eBay link in another thread.
The price is $69.50, which is Zebralight territory

This looks like a shot across Zebralight’s and Nitecore’s bow. Very nice looking light!

Your enthusiasm says a lot about this light. I am eagerly awaiting the production/retail pricing of this light. A true moon mode would be nice…

At this price and if I was in the market for a 1XAA light with that kind of funds in my hands, considering reputation, size, modes and stuffs like that, I would have to say it really is a no brainer to choose the ZL S5/H5?. We don’t even know about the regulation, runtimes at present.

edit: I forgot to add the PWM vs current controlled for the ZL. No thanks.

Me want!
Neutral tint+lower moonlight mode+MSRP 40$ and Im in!

I wonder how efficient is it regarding runtime?…

Almost forgot - very well done for review!

Nice review JM! Actually pretty amaz'n they are getting 500/800 lumens from an XPL HI. With just an XPL, the lumens would be even higher. The tint looks pretty cool white from the pics, not sure. is that how you see it?

I'm not a fan of the double-click UI on these, unless it's done perfectly. I always seem to stumble into double-click when I want just fast single clicks. How do you find this one?

Thanks, Tom. Output looks nothing like the ceiling shots I posted. Its the camera making ten appear bluish. In person it is a very creamy white with no hint of green or blue tint at all. I would guess it to be a step cooler than 3C and right on the border of being considered cool or neutral.

The UI isn't perfect that's for sure and if I wasn't blinded by the amazing performance, looks, and feel of it I would certainly been more picky with the UI. Scrolling through the modes can be done much faster than any "hold and scroll" torches like smaller Olight models. If you get too impatient, then yes, you will accidentally engage blinky modes. Ideally I'd like to see a 1 second press directly to moon low added to the driver and I'd be pretty happy but perfect would be long press to low and double click to turbo. Once on then hold to scroll. From off or on maybe triple click for blinky modes.

I could provide more information if my contact in marketing there would answer my emails. Its been 4 days and counting since his last reply.

Tom E, can you please explain what is difference between XPL HI and non HI variant?
As I understand, HI is more suitable for high amp drivers and is more efficient at higher
currents, while non HI is brighter at lower currents?

Thanks!

Sounds like the 2B tint I'm using now in a MaxToch M12. It's the XPL HI V3 2B - seems like no longer available from Richard or Hank. Think Dale really liked this tint as well - right between the neutrals and cool whites. Maybe Manker bought them all up Wink.

I'm very interested in UI's and UI preferences as of late. I'm a fan of quick clicks and holds. Yes - quick access to both moon and turbo hi.

The way mine works:

from OFF: click to moon, hold to hi, longer hold to strobe

From ON while still mode changing: click to next mode, hold to prev mode, longer hold to strobe

From ON with a mode locked in: click turns it OFF, hold to prev mode (breaks mode locked in), longer hold to strobe

Also, the OFF state is included in cycling through modes.

The idea is quick easy access to moon, hi, and strobe, and quick mode changing. I'm looking at adding config settings to replace strobe with other features, for those that don't want strobe, or for some lights and usage where strobe doesn't make sense.

Sorry, CREE makes the standard XP-L with a full dome, and the XP-L HI that has a flat silicone covering. The XP-L HI has better throw but less lumens output, similar to characteristics of de-doming a CREE emitter, like we do with an XM-L2. Our own de-doming though gets better throw but shifts the tint significantly, while the XP-L HI's have the more common tints - neutrals and cool whites.

Thanks man!

I don’t understand why would they put a throwy emmiter in light this small, I’m sure I’m
not the only one who would expect this to be pocket flooder, not thrower.

They used a throwy emitter because it is designed to be a pcket thrower. You would be correct if this light had the usual AA sized reflector but with the oversized head and reflector it would almost be a sin to not use the HI emitter. :wink:

The head and reflector measurements of this T01 are about dead-on with the ZY-T11's I mod. The most powerful one I built was a XM-L2 U4 1C mounted on a MaxToch 26mm MCPCB with a UCL glass lens that did 5.1A tail, 1700 lumens @30 sec, and 24 kcd. Of course the light is bigger all around and probably a lot more amps, but it has my own e-switch UI, as described above Wink. I always liked the reflectors and resulting #'s I got out of these lights modded. The reflector does really well with a UCL or UCLp lens. The problem with the ZY-T11s of course is the poor quality host - anodizing, threads, etc. I like the feel of the ZY-T11 button, but no where near the quality and more intelligent position mounting of the T01's.

I'd love to see how accessible the driver is, and how much space there is - if it can be modded with a full FET+1 driver, either 17 or 15mm. It would be locked into a 14500, but seeing maybe as high as 1400-1500 lumens out of an XP-L HI on a good 14500 cell, and better throw out of a quality light in this size would be something...

I have to admit after trying out XPL HI in some of my lights, I feel like putting XPL HI in every light. It’s a great emitter for flashlights.