It seams that way
So has anybody got their hands on the TR-J18 yet? A review would be great. Trustfire is claiming 8000 lumens, I wonder if it can output even half of that, it would still be a great light.
Am also trying hard to resist spending money on this J18 originally as getting it with 26650s cost over usd$100/-. Also trying to debate over my "WANTS VS NEEDS".
So, reading over & over again for some days that J12 is almost as bright as TK 70 as tested by the pros here...
Pulled the trigger & ordered the TR-J12.guess WANTs win over my Needs..
Wanted something more powerful as my 3T6 seems noobish at plantation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBZYugWKOpc .
THEN...it happen that i saw some reviews saying J18 is somewhat brighter, think there is also a comment from buyer at manafont if i am not wrong; saying J18 is brighter then J12.
So...wanting to know how much brighter is J18 over J12 as is a couple of $tens different before the item shipped.
Contacted the sales personal, wanted to change to J18 on one condition! Show me how much brighter is it over the J12.
As usual, higher priced could lead to higher commission; sales talk me on how much brighter is J18 over J12, extra 2 xml how can it be less brighter etc.
Eg: J18 uses diff driver from J12, diff voltage blah blah blah...which i dun understand at all...so i played along..wasting time at office anyway..
Showing me the rated lumen printed on them. I told sales personel> "statastics" shows that it does not have the claimed lumens even on J12.
How you want me to buy the J18 in order you get the commission?
Then started the "is because the lousy battery used" that will affect brightness blah blah...
Untill i showed them tests done & posted on here by GURUS to make them quiet.
They say ppl here are crazy to run tests. Guess they only think ppl used it for camping, hiking etc . LOL
So, still did not get my answer IF J18 is indeed brighter then J12 as they cannot tell me how much lumens.
BUT they told me 5000lumen for the J18 is possible...which i never believe as i seen b4 Marauda X6 video on youtube.
i made a request> used video call to show me the lumen diff between J12 & J18.
Using trade manager, tried to make sure there are no tricks like changing to other torch as i see live show..LMAO...
There is indeed difference in the lumen between the J12 & J18.By how much, i do not know.
In their lighted office, J18 seems like almost "off" their office light as seen from my monitor screen.(Maybe they using dimmer, i not sure)
Side by side comparison, can tell the diff that J12 is not as bright.
Back to some thoughts, if comparing 2 lights side by side (which i saw from my screen);
If J12 is about the 2300 lumen as tested, the J18 need additional how many lumens to make J12 look not as bright?500? 800?
Do not know when the J18 will reach, make me very excited, can throw my 3T6 in storeroom.LOL
Cop, the J12 is quite nicely regulated in the sense that it tries to maintain constant brightness. So lousier batteries wouldn't matter, till they trip (protected). :)
Issue is that there were other similar J18 models and they measured it to be output lower output than the J12. However they are not Trustfire J18s. We are looking for a different drivered J18 than the rest.
On the video, probably as little as 300 lumens would show (at this 2000+ lumens OTF). Video is different from light. And the good thing is that the J18 w 7 XM-Ls is a bit disadvantaged in lux here, so i guess if directly side by side there is a visible difference, the lumens OTF difference might be quite a bit higher.
Unfortunately this hobby has taken a backseat for me, so i can't try each and every model that comes along. I used to do that. :D
So i just assume J12 is bout 2300lumen. J18 gets +300= 2600lumen
live video show all 18650 in both j12/18 light..
26650 vs 18650...can it be much brighter?
A noob qus which i dun know..
If 2 battery , X with 1000mAh > Y with 3000mAh..
Does it mean using on a light, battery X will last 1 hour while battery B last 3 hour.
Due to the capacity rating & all is 3.7volts?
Is there anything true about using diff battery on a same light (same voltage, diff mAh), one battery will provide brighter light?
Or is just sales talk which i fall into?
I placed an order for the TR-J18 over at lightmalls i hate waiting so long but there is no u.s. seller. I’m new to flashlights and was also woundering what type of batteries is better, the 18650 or 26650? Well one type provide brighter light or well it just be different run times? Any info well be nice thanks.
Hi Chris,
If you just bought the flashlight from lightmalls, I would cancel it and get it somewhere else.
There are a few people on this thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/8043 that reported getting fakes.
26650 gives better runtime then 18650. Brightness would still be the same as far as I know.
Omg nooooo! Man that sucks anyway thanks for the info.
Is there no way to contact them and make sure they don't send the fakes? As I understand, the fakes don't have the Trustfire label on them.
Order from a more reputable site? CNQG has the J18.
Arrghhhhh.. i fell for the sales talk....
(The person tell me more mAh = have ability to take more from battery & last longer...)
EDITED:
[quote=2100]
Issue is that there were other similar J18 models and they measured it to be output lower output than the J12. However they are not Trustfire J18s. We are looking for a different drivered J18 than the rest.
[/quote]
Ya, i also read that thread about fake J18 from some source..
So i web search where the hell is the light originated from china..
Its from ShenZhen , their webpage > http://trustfire.en.alibaba.com/
So..to be extra sure i not getting ripped off for money, i use DHL for tracking where is light coming from.(I ordered from aliexpress, not from the factory)
Unless there is another FAKE trustfire factory then i got nothing to say.
Maybe i will contact the factory acting to buy in bulk but >>>> to see if the "seller" from aliexpress is it their real reseller.
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Actually that is quite true, higher capacity 26650 also means they will have less voltage sag under load, allowing them to maintain higher current.
But in this case, the current requirement is regulated well within 18650 limit, so brightness won't be affected much.
No wonder the person doing the live show only use 18650 on both j12/18.. when i ask them use 26650 to test j18 over 18650, said 26650 not in office..
i still thought the "brighter" meant lumens..totally show how noob i am with batteries.LOL
I have the j12 and will be ordering the 18 soon. I also have a lightmeter in the mail so I will take measurements
That's good, can take both ceiling reflected measurements as well as direct lux measurements. Thanks!
More Head Is Always Better ...... 
I don't trust lightmalls or alibaba.com plus a few others, i think a lot of people have brought fake J12,s and now J18,s not to mention other great lights. There is only one place i buy my trustfire lights and batteries from after learning the hard way a few times and thats from the guys in the opening link, but thats just MO.
26650 vs 18650 they will be the same brightness at the same voltage the only difference is the 26650 will last a bit longer due to higher capacity mAh and are bigger and heavier.
2400 mAh = 2400 milliamp hour. so 1 amp is 1000 milliamp. 2400 mAh is 2.4 Ah so a 2400 mAh 18650 battery will be able to give 2.4 amps over an hour, in these kind of lights when they are added in series (like a pipe) if you have 2 or 3 x 2400 mAh 18650,s the mAh capacity will stay the same only the voltage will increase, (higher volts means less amps more run time).
Parallel is a different story the voltage stays the same but the capacity (mAh) of the batteries can be added together so 3 x 2400 mAh 18650,s would be like one big 7200 mAh battery but the current draw will be much higher, but this does not matter as the light in question is in series.
General rule of thumb is a higher capacity mAh will not make a torch any brighter just give it more run time, but the higher the mAh the more current the battery can give and the higher it can be charged, but in general a 2600 mAh battery will not be brighter then a 2200 mAh battery.
I suggest doing lots of research on the subject's then do some more then a bit more for luck, research all batteries before buying them, just don't buy the cheapest with the highest claimed mAh as they will most likely be fake.
That's very good information to have. I've been wondering myself where the safest place to purchase one of the Trustfires. Glad Manafont seems to be the one of choice.
Yeah, thanks benckie! very good knowledge for a noobie like me.
Just got my J18.
Battery all at 3.85 to 3.89v. the trustfire 5000mAh 26650.
1st impression:
Head (fins + the 7 xml that part) seems quite solid.[nothing to compare to except tf-3t6]
Brightness wise: Wife said is brighter then tr-3t6 like 2 to 3 times? Intensity wise is more brighter, bigger hotspot, slightly more flood, middle of J18's hotspot shinning on my wall cannot see anything..err.. i meant> when no light, i see wall, with the light on, just see the white light, canot see wall. Can feel the heat when shining it against my cheek. The fins also very fast become warm.
Must bring it to plantation in open-space darkness to see what is called 2000++ lumen. 
Having said the above; IMO> althought J18 is brighter trying at home, comparing it to tf-3t6>>If can turn back time, i think i would get 2 piece 3t6 instead of 1 piece j18, or maybe i try DRY or KING.
I saw some photo TK70 is OMG!!!! [IF J12 is almost as bright TK 70 OTF...]-(take it as j18 is same brightness as j12)> but my the J18 like hmmmm.....
??
issit the reflector that is making all the diff? aka thrower VS flood issue...
**i tried using own computer & laptop, using MSN messenger this time, use video call to see the light. i believe the J18 should not be very much brighter then J12, as like my post #22, J12 is just not as bright. About there only...