Klarus G30 measurements (MT-G2, 3x18650)

This will be just pure measurement data for the Klarus G30. For general info and runtime tests check out Budda’s great review at CPF.

My G30 was purchased from Everbuying for $54. The light is currently on sale for $52 at Gearbest. For the price, it’s a steal.

For BLF, there’s a coupon code available from M4D M4X. PM him for a good price

For comparison, I’ve also posted some data from my Nitecore EC4SW review that also uses the Cree MT-G2 emitter, although it runs on 2 18650s instead of 3 like the Klarus.


Beam and CCT. Very smooth transition from hotspot to spill.


The whole beam has a tint close to the black body radiation line.


Tint in different brightness modes stays quite consistent.


Comparison to the Nitecore EC4SW tint. This graph is zoomed in so the difference is actually very small and in practice almost impossible to discern.

The color rendering and CCT are also very comparable for the Klarus and Nitecore. For more info on color rendering check this thread.


Strobe alternates between 6.8 and 16.7 hertz.


18650 battery, Klarus G30, Nitecore EC4SW.

The price difference between the Klarus G30 and Nitecore EC4SW is not large if you buy them on a sale. Where the Nitecore shines, is the size. It has an ingenious two cell format and feels much more comfortable in the hand. The Klarus is 13,3 cm long vs. Nitecore’s 15 cm. Neither are really pocketable unless you’re wearing a winter coat. Tint between the lights is almost exactly the same and very neutral and smooth, although the CRI is not very high. The good tint makes up for a lot though. Output wise the Klarus manages to pass the Nitecore. In my styrofoam integrating sphere, I measured lumen output at 1760, which is 9 % higher than the Nitecore’s. Beam is tad tighter with 30 % more output in the middle of the beam. Runtime was not tested. There is no PWM on any mode. Unlike the direct driven Nitecore, the Klarus is regulated even on Turbo. There’s temperature regulation though, so if the light gets hot, the output decreases. The Nitecore also has a very effective temperature control.

Thanks for the short review and comparison.
Am I right to say that although the Kelvin figures on the Nitecore are slightly lower, in real life with naked eyes the tint difference are not noticeable?
cheers,

Yes, the tints are practically identical. The brighter hotspot of the Klarus you see right away though.

Thanks for your reply.
I already have the EC4S, but it uses XHP50 and the tint is on the cooler side, so the Klarus with it’s regulated Turbo mode seems like a nice option over the EC4SW

I found the Klarus G30 and Nitecore EC4SW to be very similar in terms of output vs. time when not cooled with a fan. However, the Nitecore is significantly hotter.


In lumen hours to 10% output the Klarus clocks in 3279 lm*hr and the Nitecore 2149 lm*hr. 53 % difference, so the efficiency is almost identical when you take into consideration that the Klarus has 3 batteries and the Nitecore only 2 (50 % difference). I used Keeppower 18650 3500 mAh (2015) batteries in both.


Here are the lights after one minute on turbo. The Nitecore is already 7 degrees hotter on the hottest part of the head.


After 8 minutes the Nitecore is already too hot to hold (handle reaches 50°C) but the Klarus can easily be held with bare hands. This is expected though, since the Klarus weighs 290 grams vs. 172 g for the Nitecore. More mass for the heat to spread.

Thanks for the review!

The lumens seems a little lower than I expected. Are your measurements generally on the lower side?

You are right, I am not a 100% confident in the lumen measurements. I have calibrated my integrating sphere using results from some lower output lights (Fenix E05, Olight S10), but I haven’t actually sent a 2000 lumen light to a lab to be tested so I could verify the results. For now, I’d only compare these two to each other and take the absolute lumens with a grain of salt.

great measurements !
thanks