Video Review: Nitecore TM03 (XHP70, 1x 18650, 2800+ lumens)

Ok BLF. A few weeks ago Banggood wanted to know if they could send me this for review. I said yes, and so here’s my review. This light tested quite a bit higher than I expected. Anyway… it’s super bright- but uses a proprietary 18650 battery for operation. The battery tests a bit over 2800 mah in my BT-C3100 charger. Anyway, it steps down fast- as you’d expect, and doesn’t have a real good low mode- but the overall output is impressive. You’ll see it compared to the sort of similar Acebeam EC50 and Olight R50 seeker. By similar, I mean: 2500 lumen lights that use a single cell, emitter, and battery. Hope you like the review.

Thank you for the excellent review which did a good job of showing both advantages and disadvantages.

I hope I can help people with reasoned purchase decisions!

Its amazing what you can buy otc these days. Just last year something this size with this power would be unheard of if you were not modding. And you still trip over stuff with a big ass light, damn.

Thanks for the review. Amazing light. :+1:

Thanks for the review. :+1: I had no idea this even existed. Can it use normal IMR high amp 18650’s? Or is there some majic box in that proprietary Nitecore 18650?

That battery has some weird circuitry that the light recognizes. It won’t go into the two high modes without the battery made especially for this light.

Thanks for the review. All I want is a code or a review sample myself. :wink:

I’ll PM Neal and see if he has a code. EDIT: PM MAd Max, he has a promo code and link.

Thanks for the review. Bright light, for sure!

I wonder if that’s by design - to protect people from inserting unprotected ICRs into the flashlight and then running them at too high of a current.

Too bad it’s CW. I have too many and I don’t really fancy any, so I will not edc this. Nice review though, thanks again!

Yeah it is!

It’s by design for sure. I guess it’s trying to be idiot proof.

I’m more of a NW or WW guy myself, so I understand.

Very nice review!

A code for this as well as for other name brand models does exist but due to MAP they cannot be advertised. List is expected in the next couple days.

great video as always. can you please measure if the strobe is the same output as turbo? a 3000 lumen strobe must be wicked in a light this size. im expecting it will probably be only 1200 lumens on strobe….

Now who knows if the light meter reads it correctly…. I’m getting pulses from about 370 lumens to 468 lumens. It’s hard to do an apples to apples- because strobes seem brighter to your eyes, but looking at it on a white wall it definitely isn’t anywhere near full power. It looks brighter than it really may be.

Very cool review!

Great video! You are so professional! :+1: What equipment like camera do you use to shoot such an amazing video?

I use a black magic pocket cinema camera for most stuff, and a Panasonic g7 for supplemental footage. They both share a common lens mount, and I use a combination of c-mount, 35mm manual still lenses, and a few modern micro 4/3 lenses.

I shoot my night stuff with lenses with an f-stop as low as a 1.4 and I have one video light that I can dial in a color temperature. Then I color correct my footage slightly to make everything match and adjust levels in post for over and under exposed stuff.

I shoot at 24fps too, which has that film feel.

Thank you for testing this. I wonder why they couldn’t or didn’t make the strobe at full power? If it’s a tactical light with the secondary switch for instant strobe, the buyer may purposely buy the light because of this feature, and would indeed like a 3000 lumens pocket sized light.