Nitecore P30 Video Review: Tiny Sized Dedicated Thrower

I received a sample of the Nitecore P30 for YouTube review from Andrew-Amanda.com. I have to say, I had high hopes for this light after I first heard about it and was very pleased to not be disappointed.

The P30 is, I feel significantly more diminutive than even the Olight M2x UT yet in my testing it came in 200 lumens higher than the M2x with 100 meters less throw. Given the size difference of these two lights I was expecting more than 100 meter gap in throw, but was pleased to see the P30 perform well. Lux tested at 2 meters I got 650M for the P30 and 750M for the M2x-UT. Lumens were 1,100 for P30 and 900 for M2x-UT. All testing was done relative to one another and using ANSI parameters. Also the P30 imo just has a super clean looking beam.

Manufacturer output specs:
1,000 lumens
400
220
70
1

Momentary forward rear clicky, side e-switch for modes, long press side for strobe, SOS, beacon, short press exit blinky. Single clicking side switch for mode switching.

Not mentioned in the video but previously mentioned in a P30 thread here on BLF is that the tailcap on P30 can be swapped for tailcaps from the SRT series lights for tail standing the P30. I tried and it works perfect. Also Solarforce tail caps can fit on the P30. Looking forward to getting the stainless one tomorrow.

More information about this reasonably priced light, shockingly from Nitecore is in my video. If you like the review I would very much appreciate if you like and or subscribe on YouTube. Thanks.

Thanks for the review!

Cheers for the review, it looks like a nice bit of kit and a decent thrower!

Good review!!! Thanks for sharing it.
I got one a few weeks ago and it is indeed a sweet little light with a lot of punch. :+1:

Thanks for your replies guys. I really enjoyed reviewing this light as it has so much going for it, and it really didn’t have any one big “stand-out” negative to it. I carry this thing around in a jacket, and actually forget it’s their as it really is crunched down compared with most dedicated throwers that were supposed to be reduced in size for portability. This one’s kind of the real deal on that score.

I’m appreciative of all the commenting that went on around this light in the New: Nitecore P30 thread. Special thanks to DB Custom for so thoroughly exploring this light and sharing his findings in that thread. And don’t forget to use your high-drains if you get this light.

I should have reviews for NiWalker BK-FA09s and Olight X7VN (15,000 lumens) coming soon. The NiWalker is already in customs ISC New York a week now. Totally ugh. Would be working on it right now, as it is, we’ll see if I get it anytime soon. Thanks so much :slight_smile:

Nice review, thanks for taking the time to do it! I gave my P30 to the wife the day I got it, she likes it! :+1:

You’re welcome, really do like it myself. As you say, it’s probably the best throw in the smallest form factor available and Nitecore threw in some nice features to boot. I would have already modified it to make much much more lumens but the UI is nice enough I don’t want to lose the driver.

It’s the Lil Big Head, to pay some homage to the Courui D01 (which I didn’t know the name of for years, it was just The Big Head light) lol

What would be the method for modding output on this light Dale? I had though that resistor mod could only go a little bit with this one and that the driver would not be able to be replaced as it is custom shaped so to keep the light shorter. I am assuming you may have found a way to replace the driver and fit it alternatively to stock or build your own driver using the shape of NC’s custom driver. I really don’t know much on the topic as I’m fairly new to these types of electronics, or any types of electronics for that matter. Hope it’s something simpler that the afore mentioned. I just know enough to ask the questions though. I have a feeling that the job would require much, much more than something like a resistor bypass.

Hello, compared to utorch ut02, which would you prefer? Excuse my bad English, I’m using the translator, greetings !!!

Can’t wait for that.

Hahahah, My special call is coming any minute now. That is so funny, bizarre and scary at the same time.

When it comes to modding a light, I get a bit obsessed sometimes. Whatever it would take, it could be as easy or as difficult as I chose at the moment, from machining special parts to simply piggybacking in a new driver. I can use a ramping firmware on an FET driver as small as 10mm that will fit in almost anywhere. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. :wink:

I see. If you used the piggyback board then I’m guessing you are bypassing Nitecore’s firmware with something that would be maybe 3 mode, 2 mode or single mode etc… only brighter. And if machining, well then that’s drawing up a bunch of specifications and even then it might end up a do-over, lol. Just trying to reasonably grasp what it is your saying. Basically this light has a bit higher curve (narrow options) when it comes to modding, comparatively with some other lights. Thanks.

I could piggyback Tom E’s Narsil onto it and have all kinds of options, or simply use Bistro and still have reasonable options. Ramping too would give 64 levels to pick and choose in the ToyKeeper variant I have. Lots of options, depending on how one went about replacing the driver. Yes, Nightcore made a complex circular driver that fits in around the emitter shelf, which could be difficult if you don’t have machining capabilities. Being able to machine a copper pill, I could do virtually anything I can imagine. I don’t draw up plans, I go to the machine and make a part fit. In that way I’m not a machinist, in the hobbyist way everything I make is a one-off.

The P30 isn’t anywhere near a drop-in replacement driver type light, no. It’s made like the Fenix TK61 or TinyMonster TM16, along those lines.

I think I see Dale. Sounds like it’s either a heavy mod or a light mod only. But the light as it comes is A-OK.

Correct. Right out of the box it’s an impressive light.

Doing anything to it internally requires some serious Want To…

Good, the bottom line. :+1: … :wink:

To be honest, as much as I’ve entertained the thought of amping it up to see what it can do at a maximum level I’ve left it alone as the UI and options are nice, nice enough to be satisfied with. That doesn’t happen a lot for me. FWTW.