“REVIEW”: Acebeam TK16 (AL) – Triple Osram – 1 x CR123A / 16340 - 1300 Lumens [Pic Heavy] - ***BEAMSHOTS ADDED - POST #14***

BEAMSHOTS - POST #14 : “REVIEW”: Acebeam TK16 (AL) – Triple Osram – 1 x CR123A / 16340 - 1300 Lumens [Pic Heavy] - ***BEAMSHOTS ADDED - POST #14*** - #14 by MascaratumB

Hi BLF! This is my review of the Acebeam TK16 flashlight.

The TK16 was bought in the store outdoormesser.de , a German online store of flashlights, paracord and EDC, knives and tools stuff! 49,90€ + 9,90€ shipping! :smiley:

The positive report about this store was written here!

Here’s the product official page .
Here are some threads on BLF about it: TK16 AL /// TK16 CU .

And here are some reviews of this light:
MACS0647 – AL – Osram - AceBeam TK16 Cu 3x Osram LED -, short introduction, first impressions & a few beamshots
roma58 – CU – Osram - Review: ACEBEAM TK16
M4D M4X – CU – Osram - Acebeam TK16 - videoreview and beamshots (video review)
zeroair - AL – Osram /// AL – SST20

————————————————————————————————————————

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Body Colour: Black (with “copperish” colour bezel)
Material: Aircraft Grade Aluminum (Premium type Ⅲ hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish) [also sold in Copper version]
Emitters: 3 x Osram KW CSLMN1.TG (Cool/Neutral White) [also sold with Cree XP-G3 and Luminus SST-20]
Optic: Carclo 10507
Lens: AR Coated Lens
Battery: 1x16340 Li-Ion or 1xCR123A
Switch: Tail E-switch
Max runtime: 6 days (on moonlight)
Max beam distance: 338 meters
Max output: 1300 lumens
Candela: 28.500 cd
Waterproofness: 2 meters underwater
Impact resistance: 1 m
Low Voltage Warning: YES

- for Li-Ion – steps down to Low and blinks 3 times per 5 seconds with battery on 3.1V

  • for CR123A - steps down to Low and blinks 3 times per 5 seconds with battery on 2.1V

Reverse Polarity Protection: Not Specified (I tested the flashlight with the battery inverted and it didn’t get hot, so I believe it has RPP).

About the driver:

- Intelligent highly efficient circuit board design for max. performance and long run time

  • Intelligent temperature controlled light output for user safety

————————————————————————————————————————

PACKAGE: THE FLASHLIGHT & ACCESSORIES

First I have to say that OutdoorMesser sent the box of the Acebeam TK16 AL well packed! Thank you!

The strong white cardboard box is sui generis, it has a black strap on the top to pull the inner box where the flashlight and accessories are carried! Also, in the top, there is a protection sticker! Outside we find some general information about the flashlight, namely the body material and the LEDs in it!

Inside, we will find: Acebeam TK16 AL, a silicone tailcap, 2 spare o-rings, 2 user manuals (English/Chinese and German) and a black plastic Warranty Card. I won’t consider Silica Gel an accessory :stuck_out_tongue: Inside the flashlight, there was 550mAh 16340-10C 3.7V 2.0Wh Lithium-Ion battery, Acebeam branded.
Some free publicity to OutdoorMesser :stuck_out_tongue:

THE FASHLIGHT

The Acebeam TK16 AL (Aluminum) is the sister of the Acebeam TK16 CU (Copper). It is a small flashlight with a very very good anodizing, excellent grip due to its unusual knurling, and despite being a tube-shaped light, it has some ergonomics, specially with the pocket clip on it :stuck_out_tongue:

It is the smallest 16340 flashlight with tail switch that I have and as I’ll show below, it is as small as an S1R Baton I ! That must mean something, specially because this one is a triple flashlight and has a tail switch :wink:

Everything in this light is done with good quality and there doesn’t seem to be any flaw at sight. Did I say that its’ anodizing is super good? :wink:

Being a mostly black flashlight, it has a “copperish” colour bezel and pocket clip, and a gray silicone tailcap cover, making it win some contrast! I do like these details!!

On the “front” it has engraved the brand and the model, and also the “HOT” warning (BELIEVE ME, IT IS NEEDED ON THIS ONE!!!) and on the back it has the serial number.

The flashlight arrived with a protection sticker in the lens, and inside there was a plastic protection to prevent accidental activation and battery draining during shipping.

The flashlight is composed by 2 parts, head and battery tube/tail. The threads arrived well lubricated, and they seem to be trapezoidal, although I could not ascertain this completely! There is a protection o-ring on the tailcap.

In the head, the bezel can be removed and we have access to the lens, optics and LEDs. In the tail, we can unscrew the tail protection and access the tailcap cover. I didn’t attempt to remove the aluminium structure where the switch is integrated as it would probably imply forcing some threads or pressing some part.

Inside the flashlight there is a tube to make the e-switch work (contact between the switch and the driver). This is somehow similar to other lights I have, namely the Klarus XT1C and the Lumintop FW3A, and probably other e-switch lights with the tailswitch!

The driver has a short spring, and it is protected by a black piece of plastic to avoid short circuit. There is a small flap/tongue on the side that makes contact with the interior tube. Please note that in that part there is a gap in the threading section. The driver is held by 2 screws!

Onto the head! This is what we see when we open the bezel. AR coated lens, Carclo 10507, 1 o-ring , 3 Orsam KW CSLMN1.TG Leds!
I was curious to have a light with these leds under a Carclo and…despite it seems weird I like it, as you’ll see below!

The MCPCB is copper, maybe 1.2 - 1.5mm (cannot be sure) and it is held in place by 2 screws. There was no sign of dust on the LEDs, despite one of them was slightly damaged on the side. Nothing that affects its’ working. I compared the Carclo 10507 (left) with the 10511 (right). And I also compared the TK16 with my FW3A :wink: Sweeeet :smiley:

About its dimensions and weight, this is a small and lightweight flashlight! Really! It was one of the things that led me to buy this light, as it is a true EDC light! Please note that the weight includes the clip already!


————————————————————————————————————————

USER INTERFACE

The Acebeam TK16 has 2 different group modes - POWER and ECO – but has a relatively simple User Interface. Actually, it is one of the best I have and it is much comparable to Olight’s UI in some aspects!!! The light has memory for 3 regular levels and also has electronic lock-out !

In each group mode it has 6 different settings/levels: Moonlight, Low, Medium, High, Turbo, Strobe.
ML, Turbo and Strobe are “special modes” and Low, Medium and High are “regular modes”.

  • Turn ON / Turn OFF – Single Click from any mode
  • Turn ON in the 3 regular modes (Low, Medium or High) - Single click from OFF (enters the last used mode)
  • Cycle between the 3 regular modes (Low, Medium or High) - From ON press & hold to cycle Low > Medium > High> Low…
  • Moonlight – Press & Hold from OFF (does not have memory)
  • Turbo – Double click from OFF or ON in any mode (does not have memory)
  • Strobe – Triple click from OFF or ON in any mode (does not have memory)

LOCK/UNLOCK

  • Lock-out - Press & Hold from OFF during 5 seconds ( the light will turn ON in Moonlight mode that it will blink 3 times and shuts OFF )
  • Unlock - Press & Hold from OFF during 5 seconds ( the light will blink 3 times and will turn ON in Moonlight mode )

Alternate between ECO <> POWER modes
When the light is locked-out click 10 times. The light will turn ON momentarily and will ramp up or down between 2 levels .

  • If the first level was lower than the second, it means the light was in ECO mode and passed to POWER mode.
  • If the first level was higher than the second, it means the light was in POWER mode and passed to ECO mode.

After doing this, the light will remain locked. One has to do the unlocking process again to turn it ON.

Some nuances about the UI:

- After using the “special modes” (Moonlight, Turbo or Storbe) and turning the light OFF, when reactivated it will turn ON in the last regular used mode.

  • When using Turbo, a double click will take us back to the previous regular used mode.

- When using Turbo or Strobe, a press & hold will take us back to the previous regular used mode (the one from where we jumped to the special mode). Examples:

  • a) Low > [double click] > Turbo > [press & hold] > Low
  • b) Low > [double click] > Turbo > [double click] > Low
  • c) Low > [triple click] > Strobe > [press & hold] > Low
  • d) Low > [double click] > Turbo > [triple click] > Strobe > [press & hold] > Low
  • e) Low > [triple click] > Strobe > [double click] > Turbo > [press & hold] > Low

This is actually a very good UI in my opinion once it give us access to a memorized mode (last used) and also to 3 special modes that do not interfere with the regular mode cycling. It is quite useful in different situations, and I am particularly pleased by it :smiley:

————————————————————————————————————————

OUTPUT AND RUNTIME

As mentioned above, the Acebeam TK16 can use both CR123A and 16340 Li-Ion batteries. In each one they will have different outputs.
Also, please note that the different LEDs that can be chosen with this flashlight can have different output, candela and runtime. For more information please see the official Acebeam page TK16 AL EDC Pocket Flashlight|AceBeam® Official Store | Flashlights, Tactical Lights

These are the (impressive, IMO) numbers of this light with OSRAM:

BTW, here is the info of SST20 and XPG3

What do I have to say? The levels are well spaced, are distinguishable to the eyes and being useful in their different outputs, indoor and outdoor (I will add night beamshots later).
Moonlight seems to be brighter than 0.5 lumens , but I can’t measure it accurately. The Turbo on Power mode is IMPRESSIVE :open_mouth: but the flashlight will also turn HOT rapidly (not FW3A or D4 rapidly, but still…)

TEST:
I did a small test (full battery) and the flashlight held the Turbo (on ECO), or at least a very high mode for about 2.5 minutes, but within that time its temperatue rose about 20 degress (from 26ºC to 46ºC). It was HOT!!!
But then it started dropping fast specially the output. The temperature decreased a little bit while it was ON, but I switched it OFF so that it wasn’t damaged. I switched it OFF and the battery was around 3.9V and the temperature at 44ºC.

I guess that with the Turbo in POWER mode (1300 lumens), the output will decrease faster than when in ECO (780 lumens) !!

————————————————————————————————————————

ACCESSORIES
As mentioned this flashlight comes with some accessories.

The pocket clip is attached to the flashlight on its arrival. Unlike the body and similarly to the bezel, it has a “copperish” colour, that gives a “bling” and contrast to the flashlight! It is quite strong and attaches well to thin or thick clothes. It is designed so that it doesn’t have much friction in the tip, that sits in the “tail” of the flashlight.

This clip shape has been used around in other flashlights and the closest models are Olight and On The Road. The clip has a small flap & hole to put a thin lanyard thread into it. It has the Acebeam website address engraved on it :expressionless:

There are 2 user manuals included in my box. I believe that it is because I bought the flashlight in a German store , and they added their own User Manual. I will not focus on this one, though. In case you need photos, let me know

The User Manual presents the main specifications and operation of the Acebeam TK16 AL. It also presents the output and runtime specifically for the Osram LEDs. So, Acebeam is making specific UMs to the specific LEDs they use in these flashlights.

What is missing on the UM is the reference to Reverse Polarity Protection and also the specification of the LEDs and colour temperature. Also, they do not indicate that if the TIR optic is a Carclo 10507 or not. I had to search for and test it to find the details.


The other things included in this pack are 2 thick and small o-rings and a spare gray silicone tailcap cover. I hope I don’t need them, but just in case, they’re here :wink:

Inside the flashlight there was a 550mAh 16340-10C 3.7V 2.0Wh Lithium-Ion battery, Acebeam branded. According to some specs and reports, this is a very good battery well capacitated for this high drain flashlight. I didn’t make any tests on it. I can say that it is unprotected and that it is the smallest 16340 battery I have!


————————————————————————————————————————

Size comparison

Just to let you see how “small” and gorgeous this TK16 is :blush:

16340 lights with Tail Switch!
Klarus XT1C > Olight M1t Raider > On The Road M1 > On The Road i3 > Acebeam TK16

16340 lights with side e-Switch!
On The Road M3 Pro > Acebeam TK16 > Olight S1R Baton I

Acebeam TK16 > Emisar D4 (18350)

Acebeam H20 > Acebeam TK16 > 18650 Sony VTC6

FW3A > Acebeam TK16

Convoy S2 > Acebeam TK16

(AA lights) Lumintop Tool AA V2.0 > DQG Slim Ti > Acebeam TK16

“H-C 348” > Acebeam TK16

RovyVon E300s Angel Eyes > Acebeam TK16

————————————————————————————————————————

BEAMSHOTS

So, I was somehow curious to see how would a triple Osram KW CSLMN1.TG behave under a Carclo lens. That was one of the reasons that took me to buy the TK16 with these leds. But also the throw it has, also the relatively good efficiency that it has, despite the lower CRI (if compared with the SST20). So far I can say I don’t regret this choice
For those who may want to see a comparison between the 3 types of LEDs, here’s an interesting video comparing all of them:

BEAM PATTERN
The TK16 with Osram has a tight beam, with lots of funny artifacts! Wanna check? :wink:
It “draws”a star :heart_eyes:

I tried to make a comparison of this light with Carclo 10507 (original) and 10511 (from the FW3A)
Here are some beamshots below. (Left= 10507, Right= 15011). Note that the center of the beam is more or less similar, but the 10507 produces artifacts while the 10511 doesn’t!

1

2

3

PWM
About PWM, it is not visible at naked eye. In Moonlight mode, the camera detects some.

TINT COMPARISON
Here are some photos to compare the tint and beam of this light with some others in the collection! Acebeam TK16 AL - Osram LEDs is always on the RIGHT!
Excuse me for the images lost some accuracy and quality when transferring to IMGUR and also because my cellphone camera is not the best… :zipper_mouth_face:

Emisar D4 (XP-G2 S4 3D)

Acebeam H20 (XP-L HI U6-4C)

FW3A (XP-L HI 3D)

Klarus XT1C (XP-L HD V6)

Convoy S2+ (XP-G2 S4 3C with Carclo 10508)

RovyVon E300s (XP-L V6 3D)

“H-C 348” (Nichia NVSW219BT)

Lumintop Tool AA V2.0 (XP-L HD)

Olight M1T Raider (Luminus SST40)

Convoy S2 (Osram KW CSLMN1.TG with SMO reflector)

————————————————————————————————————————

GENERAL IMPRESSION

Damn, I really like this light! So much that I am almost afraid of using it :smiley: :person_facepalming:
It is well built, it is reliable, it has good output, it has a good UI (for me)! It is pretty and smart as well!! :stuck_out_tongue:

It is not perfect, of course, but it has indeed very nice qualities! Still, I’ll point them down, as well as the things I’d like to be improved!

The Goods:
1 – Size! Super compact for a tailswitch light!

2 – Powerful! 1300 lumens out of this small “stock” light with a 16340 battery is something to be noted!! It is one of the most powerful stock lights using such battery. XP-G3 does 1800! Insane!

3 – Overal Quality! The anodizing, the threads, the design, are things that stand out for me in this light.

4 – User Interface! Finally a small light with a good usable, reliable and practical UI, even if it has the bells as whistles of doubles and triple clicks, lock-out and even 2 mode groups!! And 1 click for ON, 1 click for OFF is :heart_eyes:

5 – Mode groups! Being able to change from a lower turbo to a higher turbo is something to be appreciated, on the one side the efficiency, and on the other, the power!

6 - Mod friendly on the LEDs/Optics! Unlike many other manufacturers, Acebeam did well leaving the path open for a possible change of LED and optics! This is something I can appreciate

7 - Battery! For reports I read somewhere, this is a very nice battery, adequate to the drain provoked by this flashlight! And they are available to be bought separately.

8 – Cost vs Benefit! Although this is not completely a budget light (specially compare with more powerful ones with bigger capacity) having paid what I paid for this light makes it a very good deal. Having all the things I’ve mentioned for this price is very nice, specially if we are talking about an Acebeam flashlight! Of course, the CU version is more expensive and most of the stores sell it at higher prices, but… I find it/found a good deal!

—————/////—————

The “suggestions to improve”:
Despite all this, there are somethings I would like to see changed! Personal preferences, though…

1 – Deep carry pocket clip! For such a little EDC light, a deep carry pocket clip (Olight S1R Baton II style) would make my day! OR, at least, a clip that could be reversed with that same functionality! The one included is very nice, sturdy and with good retention, but it is not so good to use in jeans when you want/need the tail cap upwards!

2 – Hole for lanyard! As it doesn’t have a deep carry clip, having a hole for a lanyard into the flashlight, would be nice. Of course it can be put in the current clip or around the flashlight, but it is not the same thing.

3 – Tail Switch! Well, this is probably a personal matter as I’ve been used to the FW3A switch that it is smoother than the one of this light. Also, it is more responsive. Ex: when I double click fastly on the TK16, sometimes it takes me to the last used mode instead of Turbo. Why, because the click was too fast and it didn’t registered it as 2 clicks. So, maybe this could be changed, or maybe I need to get used to it and remember that 2 fast clicks must be slower than 2 fast clicks in the FW3A :stuck_out_tongue:

4 - Holster! A small holster or pouch (such as those from On The Road) would be nice to have with this light! A good extra :wink:

————————————————————————————————————————
That’s all for now folks!

Night beamshots will be added later :wink:

I will compare it only with LED emitters under different optics and I will also compare it with the other light I have with Osram White flat LED!

Comment, question, criticize folks!

Best regards! :beer:

Really nice review. Since its an edc I am actually considering using it with CR123’s to maximise run times as 500 lumens is more than enough for me.

It is a smart little unit, and has made me consider the copper version :slight_smile:

MascaratumB, your images make the beam from this light seem pretty focused in the center, and not as floody as I expect from a triple. Would you say that this is the case, or does it generally resemble the triple beam from other lights like the FW3A?

Cool review mate.

The throw on your version is awesome for its size.

The MCPCB is 20mm so its a full custom board to fit 3030 LEDs?

Great review! I love the UI…

Thank you very much :wink:
Yeah, if you’re not going to use it in higher modes for long periods of time, maybe a CR123a is a good option! I don’ know if it will be drained faster than a 16340, or not, but it in lower modes it will be good!
You also have the Vapcell 800mAh that has more “juice” than this Acebeam (550mAh). But that is a matter or preference :wink:
About the CU version, I just expect it to be heavier and to get hotter when used on Turbo! Probably a turbo on CR123a’s will not heat much, but it is a thing to consider :wink:

Hum, yes, this light is much more focused than the FW3A or other lights that use domed LEDs even below the 10507 optics.
The Osram LEDs it uses are dedomed (White Flat is the nickname) what makes the beam narrower “per se”! If that is added to the 10507 optic (clear narrow spot) it will become even tighter! Even being a triple! :open_mouth:

Heres is a photo of the FW3A and the TK16, side by side, in a lighted room! This is how different they really are ! :+1:

Thanks mate :wink:
This is indeed a throwy version of this flashlight! I guess the video I linked is the best way to see how narrow and throwy it is compared to the other versions. Also, I guess that the person that uploaded that video also has one with the Orsam version and the Emisar D1. Check it out :wink:
About the MCPCB, I don’t know if it is custom or if it is only Acebeam branded :zipper_mouth_face: I don’t know if Led4Power sells these boards yet!

Thanks :wink:
Maybe tonight I can do a “UI” video to see how it works! No promises, though :wink:

IMPORTANT :exclamation:

I was using the the TK16 on Turbo when it started blinking warning for the low battery. The first blinks was at 3.49V . 3 blinks each 5 seconds.
I restarted using in turbo and it had the same behaviour and then it stepped down to LOW. This time the batter was at 3.42V.
The I restarted to use it in High only, and it kept blinking and stepped down after about 20 second. I didn’t measure the voltage at that time, just picked it and left it ON in Medium mode. After a while, it blinked and immediately stepped down.

This time I went to measure the voltage , hoping for 3.0V, but it was at 2.55V!!!

So, despite this is a rough test, the conclusions are:
a) the TK16 does warn about the low battery level at around 3.49V and not 3.1V as indicated on the manual
b) IT DOESN’T HAVE LOW VOLTAGE CUT-OFF! Or, if it has, it will be in a even lower voltage level (mostly for CR123a batteries)

So, keep an eye on your battery after it starts blinking! Using a small protected battery will probably work, but then you wont enjoy the full power of this light!!! :smiling_imp:

@ Scallywag
Here’s a slightly over-exposed photo with the Acebeam on the left and a Convoy S2+ with XP-G2 S4 3D with 10507 Carclo optics.
Even using the same type of optic, the domed and emitter produces a much larger beam!

Tomorrow I will be comparing the TK16 (middle) with some multi emitter flashlights. Here they are (Left to right):
Convoy S2+ Desert Tan - XP-G2 S4 3D - Carlco 10507
Convoy S2+ Black - XP-G2 S4 3C - Carclo 10508
Convoy S2+ Grayish Blue - XP-G2 S4 5A - 10511
FW3A - XP-L HI 3D - Carclo 10511
Emisar D4 - XP-G2 S4 3D - Carclo 10621
Wuben TO46R - XP-G3 [5000K High CRI] - Carclo 10507

MascaratumB, another quality review, thanks!

Short review of the review :wink: … It looks like you have a good setup there. No flashlight on a large, messy and cluttered table where the attention is diverted from the presented product. Lighting on and around the tested light is superb with few or no shadows that distract. I bet you have a nice collection of flood lights to choose from.

It seems you also have a whole range of heavy quality colored paper, foam or PP corrugated board in nice vivid colors! These backdrops ensure that you look with pleasure at the lights tested and you can purely concentrate on the details, well done!

I'd previously discounted the idea of using the white flat in optics, but it looks like it has its merits. Thanks for this review, and I look forward to your comparison beamshots.

Not exactly. If a lot of current is drawn from the cell, voltage lowers (voltage sag).

Thanks for your words Grigio! :blush:
And…despite it seems I have a great setup, I don’t! I use my kitchen/sitting room to take these pictures! I have 2 lamps that I use and that are the single lamps I have that help me on the review.
The coloured paper are actually individual plastic sheets that can be used to cut some food or to sit a dish if you don’t want to use a table towel! The tint comparison beamshots are made over my travelling suitcase in a small room…
So my conditions are good! Maybe due to that I have to “play with the light” and with the conditions themselves to do the best I can!

Thank you for your words :+1:

Yup, they do indeed! And if they create those “funny” artifacts (that other leds do not create because they are larger or domed) they also allow for a lot of throw. The video I linked above shows hows narrow the beam is and later I will try to show that as well :wink:

Hum, this means that the cell maybe have a lower “voltage” than what I actually measured? I am sorry, I may not have understood well what you meant :zipper_mouth_face:

Normally the lights I have with low battery warning have a consistency of warning at almost the same voltage they are supposed to, but this one showed this behaviour. Please explain what you mean :+1:

Heh! Seeing the kitchen table, the placemats and those 2 floor lamps, I’m even more amazed! Keep ’m coming, those candy-colored reviews! :slight_smile:

I have protected Olight 16340 and protected Klarus 16340 they both trip on Turbo on my Osram version.


COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 7 FLASHLIGHT BEAMS



TK16 BEAM


TK16 Turbo: POWER vs ECO


TK16 vs FW3A


TK16 vs The Others
1 – 16m (tree)

2 - 70m (closest tree) & 116 m (farthest tree)

3 – 75m (house)

4 – 45m (closest trees /vineyard) & 100 m (farthest vineyard)

5 – 16 m

Thank you, the comparisons are... Illuminating.

Thanks for your review. I didn’t even know there was an eco and power mode on my TK16 and of course didn’t know it defaulted to ECO mode. Setting it to power mode makes it a much funner light! Thanks for your UI instructions.

Thank you :wink: Hum, I guess this shows how a “pocket thrower” this version with Osram is, right? :wink:
On Turbo (Power) it can be seen illuminating at almost 300 m :open_mouth: Incredible for a triple light!!!
And I did the “vs FW3A” on purpose to show how different the beams look like !!

Ahah, it has, indeed, and they have different Turbo! In Power group mode, the Turbo is stronger (visibly!) and gets even HOTTER than in ECO mode! So beware of the temperature while using it!

I will be using mine on ECO as it will be enough for my daily use! But It is good to have POWER when you need it :smiling_imp:

I forgot to mention that the TK16 stands and can be a little “candle” when using a diffuser such as the one of the Wuben E05 :wink:

EDIT:

While the flashlight is electronically locked, if the head is unscrewed and the contact with the tube/battery is broken, the light will then be unlocked !

Here is the test of 16340 cell: Test/review of Vapcell INR16340 800mAh (White). The discharge chart:

So if you draw 10A from the fully charged cell and read voltage, you will see 3.6V.

I guess I understand what you mean now! I had never understand the graphics that way :zipper_mouth_face:
Still, this is a somehow weird thing! And even less pleasant is to have it draining the battery even lower than 2.8V :expressionless:
I will be careful from now on!

Thanks for the explanation!