Thank you for this review, the light is very good looking. I’ve searched and found a seller with almost the same at Amazon.(de) https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07452MPRB/ref=pe_3044161_185740101_TE_item
Got it yesterday (ordered it 04/08/17). There are some slight differences in package/contents: it has a plain brown box with no markings, two (very small) o-rings but no spare switch.
The light itself seems exactly the same as described above. I’ve tested it with a lithium primary battery (Energizer Ultimate Lithium) with 1.5V. It’s bright enough for me and not worth the risk to use a 14500 cell (although the Amazon seller says it’s possible). A stainless steel host is not capable to spread the heat very well, so the small aluminium pill will get very hot if the current is too high.
Hi Antenne!
Hum, I guess that your buy confirms that the o-rings really are very weak, but maybe the switch is not that weak as we thought!
So far I had no problems with mine!
Using a alkaline gives you enough power? I normally use Ni-MH, but it also gets a bit hot after some time! That’s for sure that the host is a bit thin as is the pill.
I’ll make some mods to mine and see if with a different driver and LED it doesn’t get that hot…but maybe it turns out to be hotter…!!
BTW, the seller mentions this: “hoch, niedrig, stroboskopisch” ! Does it have strobe? Which are the modes and in what order?
@ Antenne
Thanks! It seemed that the information was a bit confuse there (or maybe my Deutsch reading skills aren’t as good as I thought )
So, the UI is the same here!
One more thing: mine always starts on Low! But, if quickly clicking ON and OFF, it enters in the next mode! I’m not sure if this happens with yours too…
Today I received some TIR lenses I ordered 2 weeks ago, to modify this flashlight, following vwpieces suggestion on this thread! So thanks, for it
As seen before, the original beam is very narrow, so I wanted it to get a bit floody. Being an AA/ 14500 flashlight, I rather have it with a flood beam than with throw, as the main use I’ll have for it will be at close range.
I ordered 2 different types of lenses: 1 that has the “hive” look (60º) and 1 that has a flat surface (also 60º).
They produce different types of beams, as you probably know, and as will be shown in the pictures.
NOTE 1: The lenses came with plastic holders (cylindrical and cone shaped) but the holders (16.6mm to 17mm diameter) didn’t fit the head of the flashlight. The lenses, without holder, have 15mm diameter, so they fit the head and that’s they way I used them, without holder.
NOTE 2: The lenses that arrived and “shorter” in height than the original lens, so some strategies have to be used so that the battery fits properly inside the host. I’ll show what I’ve done.
(You can click the images to open in bigger size!)
The 3 lenses:
L > R (“Hive” 60º – Flat 60º – Original (center is frosted) )
L > R (Flat 60º – Original – “Hive” 60º)
Spill/beam comparison in a wall and over a white surface (photos taken by a cellphone):
L > R (“Hive” 60º – Flat 60º – Original (center is frosted) )
L > R (“Hive” 60º – Original – Flat 60º)
Original spill
“Hive” 60º spill
Flat 60º spill
“Tricks” I had to use for the lenses and battery 1 – “Gasket” from another light I recently modded. The original led of that light as super small (blame me, I don’t know the type of it ) but it fits the LED of these flashlights (XP-G3). This gasket helps to center the LED and also helps to compensate the height lost comparing to the original lens. This one is being used in the flat surface lens
2 – Plastic holder, cut on its top and sanded (to reduce diameter) so that the base of the lens fits well on the LED! This one is being used in the “hive” lens!
3 – Small magnet in the top of the battery (Panasonic Evolta Ni-MH, button top) because the space left by the original lens originated that the pill goes up and leaves more space below; then, the battery rattles and the modes jump to the next with a slight shake!
Short conclusions:
1 – I prefer the “hive” lens, as the flood is uniform and it is better for close range or to illuminate a room (on High, at least);
2 – The tint seems to change from CW to NW when the “hive” lens is placed, what makes it not so annoying as the original;
3 – The flat lens seems to accentuate the CW tint (maybe because it is more direct light, not frosted as the original, or as the “hive” shaped);
Next steps:
- try one of these with a reflector and glass lens (borrowed from another flashlight);
- mod 1 or 2 drivers (I’ll keep one in the original shape)
- mod the LEDs, maybe to a XML2 (14mm, T6-3B and T6-4C) (yeah, it will be hard to fit in the lens and the holder, by I’ll try it )
Hope this helps the interested people on these lights
Short conclusions:
[…]
2 – The tint seems to change from CW to NW when the “hive” lens is placed, what makes it not so annoying as the original;
3 – The flat lens seems to accentuate the CW tint (maybe because it is more direct light, not frosted as the original, or as the “hive” shaped);
[…]
Despite what I said about the CW apparently turns in NW, here is a comparison.
On the left is a XML2 T6-3B (NW) and on the right the Amutorch XPG3-S3 (CW)
Nice review, but the pictures are many and probably more than 1MB each or at least MANYMANYPIXELS, so it took a long time to load the pages over here…
(There’s no real point in using pictures wider than 1000 pixels on forums.)
Glad i read the review though, because i was just about to buy one because it looks neat.
Yeah they use the old XR-E TIR which does a 10° beam with little spill. They’re pretty good on a XM-L2 though, which fits perfectly in the hole of the TIR and gives a wider beam.
But i see in the pics that it uses PWM for the low and medium modes…
They also put on an ugly clip.. but you can remove that.
Other than that, it’s a pretty little thing, but the PWM is a bit of a deal breaker for me…
First, thanks for your words and tips
Sorry for the heavy pics! I guess I will resize them in IMGUR before posting here. Normally I don’t do because I was not sure about what size would be better/acceptable. But I will resize them
About PWM, yes, low and medium has it, but not visible through human eye, just through a camera (or cellphone). And the small noise you may listen here and then in Low and Medium modes, also, but just if you are in complete silence or if you put the hear close to the light
Hum, despite the clip looks one of those attachable to some lights (like those in Convoy store) this one is shiny stainless steel, and I guess it fits perfectly this light! Perhaps the design could be more innovative or different, but it does a great job, it is very strong and deep carry, only the very little top of the light is seen when on a pocket!
The original lens gives a narrow output that I didn’t like, so I bought other lenses, and it improved a lot!! I now use the flashlight more frequently because it is and looks more useful and beautiful spill/beam!
I will try to put a reflector in from a small flashlight I bought (on the way from China) and then will compare.
With few mods (mainly the lens and driver…and eventually the LED if you don’t like CW), believe that this is a pretty EDC light!
Thanks for
They are not 14mm, but closer to 15mm (without the holder). They fit well and the rest its above in the photos
The “hive” one is the one I like the most here, but I guess it’s a personal preference
TIRs with a “hive” (usually called “pebbled”) are often the best, i agree.
Frosted ones are nice too.
Yajiamei (they have 2 stores on AE) has A LOT of choice in optics…
Do you have a link to the specific pebbled TIR you bought?
TIRs with a “hive” (usually called “pebbled”) are often the best, i agree.
Frosted ones are nice too.
Yajiamei (they have 2 stores on AE) has A LOT of choice in optics…
Do you have a link to the specific pebbled TIR you bought?
Thanks for telling the specific name of the lens type I just “hive’d” it because of the look! And yes, for flood beam is pretty good. I have one frosted for an S2+, but didn’t try it yet!
Yup, I just recently discovered that store (before this thread) and they have good choices in several shapes and sizes!
These have the closest size I could find on the store (and on AliExpress) for the Amutorch flashlight. Maybe there are other places, but I picked these and they’re good so far (specially the “pebbled”)
I just clicked on the links in my purchase and put them here, so of course they wouldn’t work properly
Glad you managed to find the products and thanks for fixing the links
Yup, there are several degrees both for the pebbled and the others . Mine were both 60º degrees lenses, as the original already produces a narrow beam and I wanted floody
(Now I’m trying to put a reflector on this light, maybe today or tomorrow I’m able to write it down here )
MascaratumB – Thanks for posting this review and documenting your mods. I may just get myself one of these and a ‘hive’ lens.
Would it be worth lining the inside of the white plastic holder with some kind of shiny foil? Do you think there would be any perceptible increase in brightness?
Not worth the hassle.
Yes, some light will hit the inside of the holder, but it has to make its way back through the transition from holder surface to air to TIR at a shallow angle so most of it will bounce back from the TIR instead of joining the rest of the output.
I think even silver plating a TIR doesn’t make a significant difference.
What you could do for ‘fun’ is put some glow in the dark tape inside the head.
Enough light will excite it and you have a green after glow (but not a lot in the direction of the beam)
This only works when you don’t use the reflector shaped plastic holder.
You could put the tape in the straight holders though.
MascaratumB – Thanks for posting this review and documenting your mods. I may just get myself one of these and a ‘hive’ lens.
Would it be worth lining the inside of the white plastic holder with some kind of shiny foil? Do you think there would be any perceptible increase in brightness?
Hi Intio! Thanks for your words, glad you liked it
Hum, I must tell you that I’m not an expert on this kind of things (lenses, reflectors….I’ not really an expert on anything, I think ), but my guess is that it wouldn’t bring more brightness on this, specially using a “pebbled” (“hive”) lens.
I’m not sure about what I’m saying, but my guess is that using this lens with or without holder will produce the same brightness. I’m just using the holder to help to fix the LED in the lens.
(….and just checked it and I confirm: there is no significative difference using it or not! Maybe in a light with a bigger head/bezel/led/reflector that can make a difference, but not on this one!!)
Also, as you may have seen, the holder was cut so there is not much space to place the foil. Plus, maybe that could also damage the led, unless if meticulous placed (with glue or something).
(I just looked to the holder and… I guess it doesn’t worth it (to put the foil), in any sense! Neither the brightness, nor the work that it would imply to make it go perfectly).
I’m just writing an experience with a mod with a reflector and glass lens, and a comparison between this and the TIR lenses, you can take a look later or maybe tomorrow ! Maybe that helps you to decide on the light and what to do later to mod it
Not worth the hassle.
Yes, some light will hit the inside of the holder, but it has to make its way back through the transition from holder surface to air to TIR at a shallow angle so most of it will bounce back from the TIR instead of joining the rest of the output.
I think even silver plating a TIR doesn’t make a significant difference.
What you could do for ‘fun’ is put some glow in the dark tape inside the head.
Enough light will excite it and you have a green after glow (but not a lot in the direction of the beam)
This only works when you don’t use the reflector shaped plastic holder.
You could put the tape in the straight holders though.
Thanks Jerommel! I was writing and couldn’t see your answer! Yup, it doesn’t worth the work!
About the tape, that’s nice Never though about it and maybe I’ll try that
Nice idea
I like this funny ideas
So, my quest in modding these Amutorch flashlights continues
Today I received a small and very cheap flashlight I ordered after seeing this review by mizou51: http://budgetlightforum.com/node/55826 .
(Btw, this is a pretty light for its price, and very useful with the COB part! For indoor use, it’s pretty nice despite tint, beam and UI)
I asked him to make some measurements on the reflector to check if it would fit in these lights and…it fits!!!
So, I picked one of the already modded Amutorch (that had a 60º TIR lens), and put the reflector and glass lens of the other COB light in it.
I will show you the comparisons I’ve made! (click the photos for a bigger picture)
BEAM / SPILL with reflector
COMPARISON [L to R: Reflector > Original TIRLENS (10º-15º) > Pebbled/Hive TIR lens (60º) ]
(HIGHMODE, no PWM. Only the camera focus has changed)
COMPARISON [L to R: Reflector > Original TIRLENS (10º-15º) > Flat TIR lens (60º) ]
Pieces used with the reflector and with the Flat TIR lens
(HIGHMODE, no PWM. Only the camera focus has changed.)
COMPARISON [L to R: Reflector > Original TIRLENS (10º-15º)]
Some “conclusions”:
1 – While the pebbled TIR lens seems to drift to Neutral White, the reflector reinforces the Cool White tint;
2 – Also, the hotspot seems to produce a “yellowish to greenish” hallo (more identifiable in human sight than in these photos). I guess that a LED with NW may solve this pretty well;
3 – I couldn’t test the throw in a wider space, comparing the original TIR lens and the reflector, but it seems to me that the original lens may have a bigger capacity to throw as the beam is narrower and more concentrated that the reflector;
4 – The reflector creates a concentric circle in the outer side that is not annoying, but that at a close range is more noticeable.
5 – The PWM “buzz” (Low and Medium) that the light produces sounds the same, comparing the three lights. HOWEVER, in the one with the original TIR lens this sound is louder, a bit more, but still louder.
“And that’s all folks!”…for today
(BTW, sorry about the not-so-good quality of the images…cellphones are good but they do not capture what human eyes do!
@ Jerommel – I followed your suggestion and resized the images! It’s really light!!! Hope this works better for everyone here
So you noticed the ‘tint shift’ you get with a normal reflector.
Cool white spill and a warmer white beam (spot) with an even darker yellow ‘corona’ around it.
Sometimes the inside bit of the beam (spot) is a little darker than the edge of the beam.
This is even worse with the most modern LEDs (XP-G3, XP-L2, XHP50.2 and the latest Nichia LEDS too.)
Here’s a picture of an XP-L2 5000K in a 20mm normal reflector:
So you noticed the ‘tint shift’ you get with a normal reflector.
Cool white spill and a warmer white beam (spot) with an even darker yellow ‘corona’ around it.
Sometimes the inside bit of the beam (spot) is a little darker than the edge of the beam.
This is even worse with the most modern LEDs (XP-G3, XP-L2, XHP50.2 and the latest Nichia LEDS too.)
Here’s a picture of an XP-L2 5000K in a 20mm normal reflector:
In real life it’s even worse…
So that’s the fried egg that Lightbringer raps on about so often… do OP reflectors counteract or at least reduce this?
So you noticed the ‘tint shift’ you get with a normal reflector.
Cool white spill and a warmer white beam (spot) with an even darker yellow ‘corona’ around it.
Sometimes the inside bit of the beam (spot) is a little darker than the edge of the beam.
This is even worse with the most modern LEDs (XP-G3, XP-L2, XHP50.2 and the latest Nichia LEDS too.)
Here’s a picture of an XP-L2 5000K in a 20mm normal reflector:
[…]
In real life it’s even worse…
Yup, there’s a tint shift yes! This is a small smooth reflector, made from plastic, so the quality may not help!
As Jack Kellar asked, I don’t know if a OP reflector would avoid that shifting, but I haven’t found such a small OP reflector to try it here!
I also think that a different tint LED may not shift so much, namely NW ones.
The best option I found, so far, was the pebbled lens! The others always leave something not quite well, the beam, the spill, the spot…
At least, the pebbled creates a uniform spill.
About the DC-fix, I couldn’t find it yet, but I also didn’t search that much too!
Is that a Sofirn SP32? Mine has that same effect. But so far I’m not yet annoyed with it
So you noticed the ‘tint shift’ you get with a normal reflector.
Cool white spill and a warmer white beam (spot) with an even darker yellow ‘corona’ around it.
Sometimes the inside bit of the beam (spot) is a little darker than the edge of the beam.
This is even worse with the most modern LEDs (XP-G3, XP-L2, XHP50.2 and the latest Nichia LEDS too.)
Here’s a picture of an XP-L2 5000K in a 20mm normal reflector:
[…]
In real life it’s even worse…
Yup, there’s a tint shift yes! This is a small smooth reflector, made from plastic, so the quality may not help!
As Jack Kellar asked, I don’t know if a OP reflector would avoid that shifting, but I haven’t found such a small OP reflector to try it here!
I also think that a different tint LED may not shift so much, namely NW ones.
The best option I found, so far, was the pebbled lens! The others always leave something not quite well, the beam, the spill, the spot…
At least, the pebbled creates a uniform spill.
That would be a “flood” i think.
Spill is the bit that is not collimated by the reflector.
A TIR has a little lens in the centre to collimate what would normally be the spill.
(So a TIR is usually a ‘Total Internal Reflection’ optic plus a small lens in the middle)
Quote:
About the DC-fix, I couldn’t find it yet, but I also didn’t search that much too!
Member ‘Boaz’ sells pieces of it, there’s a topic somewhere.
You can search the forum for it, and i believe a French member also has some for sale.
Quote:
Is that a Sofirn SP32? Mine has that same effect. But so far I’m not yet annoyed with it
Yep, that’s a Sofirn SP32.
I volunteered to review it so they sent me one.
It’s a nice light. I like the Cree 3A tint (5000K)
I agree, in real life you can live with it, but i think tint shift is very annoying when you notice it.
And once you have noticed it, you always notice it…
I have another XP-L2 light with a 20mm 30° pebbled TIR and it has virtually no tin shift, not even on a white wall.
So that’s the fried egg that Lightbringer raps on about so often… do OP reflectors counteract or at least reduce this?
Yep, nice yellow “yolk” in the middle, cooler/whiter “white” around the outside.
I wondered how a 4C could look so yellow when it’s really not. Ceiling-bounce from my S2+ (when I scalded myself leaving it unattended 5-10min) looked quite nice overall, nowhere near as yellow.
Finally dawned on me that it’s the tint-shift doing it. Actually, that’s a misnomer. It’s not “shifting” any overall tint. Yellower light that comes out at more oblique angles hits the reflector and is focussed into the hotspot. Yellow! Less-yellow light coming straight out from the LED normal to the surface doesn’t hit the reflector but continues straight out to form the spill. White!
Through a TIR where you’re doing a better job collecting all the light no matter what the angle, it blends everything together quite nicely, giving that 4C a real 4500K look, or whatever it’s supposta be.
That would be a “flood” i think.
Spill is the bit that is not collimated by the reflector.
A TIR has a little lens in the centre to collimate what would normally be the spill.
(So a TIR is usually a ‘Total Internal Reflection’ optic plus a small lens in the middle)
[…]
Member ‘Boaz’ sells pieces of it, there’s a topic somewhere.
You can search the forum for it, and i believe a French member also has some for sale.
[…]
Yep, that’s a Sofirn SP32.
I volunteered to review it so they sent me one.
It’s a nice light. I like the Cree 3A tint (5000K).
I agree, in real life you can live with it, but i think tint shift is very annoying when you notice it.
And once you have noticed it, you always notice it…
I have another XP-L2 light with a 20mm 30° pebbled TIR and it has virtually no tin shift, not even on a white wall.
Thanks for the explanation about what is the spill! Sometimes I use the terminology in incorrect ways, so fell free to correct me whenever is necessary
About the DC fix, I already saw one of those posts and already participated in the thread, I may search for it! I guess that some lights can benefit from that, and maybe the SP32 is one of them, although I still like to have it like it is.
It does have that spot and tint shift, but I’m not unhappy with it !
And I agree with you, I’m becoming more and more attentive to the beams, spots, tints, tint shifts and all of that!!!
Gotta try the DC-Fix to see what happens! Maybe I could apply that to other lights too…
Thanks for the tip and help on this !
Lightbringer wrote:
[…]Through a TIR where you’re doing a better job collecting all the light no matter what the angle, it blends everything together quite nicely, giving that 4C a real 4500K look, or whatever it’s supposta be.
Yup, agree too! However, I’m still using the original OP reflector that came with the light! I have some TIR around, so maybe I will try them someday !!
I just made a review / comparison between these Amutorch XPG3-S3 and with a similar flashlight from Neal using a Nichia 219C.
You can take a look at it here: http://budgetlightforum.com/node/56187
The XP-G3 is one of the things that attracted me to this light , but is probably the worst part of it! , cool hot spot , wide yellow ring around this then a dark unlit ring , then spill, Like a target!
The change in colours across the beam is unpleasant to me, But understand this is a symptom of the newer Cree design (xp-g3, xpl-2 etc) with the phosphor higher up in the dome.
Swopped a XP-G2 into it , This gave a more uniform colour across the beam but with same rings.
Lastly put in a XML-2 , Jerommel said it would fit under the TIR nicely and he is quite right, This gives defused hotspot and less rings with no colour change , I have settled on this set up.
The rest of the light I really like , very well machined and good looking , using it with a Lifepo4 14500 , this boosts the output a bit over NIMH , modes well spaced.
Clicky is nice to the feel and stainless cap good , is a bit “ping- pong” rather than “click- click” in sound, different but fine.
Clip sticks out over the top of the light above screws and gives a wobbly tail stand, fairly easily fixed by removing clip and filing it down a little so it sits below top of light and is stands stably.
The XP-G3 is one of the things that attracted me to this light , but is probably the worst part of it! , cool hot spot , wide yellow ring around this then a dark unlit ring , then spill, Like a target!
The change in colours across the beam is unpleasant to me, But understand this is a symptom of the newer Cree design (xp-g3, xpl-2 etc) with the phosphor higher up in the dome.
Swopped a XP-G2 into it , This gave a more uniform colour across the beam but with same rings.
Lastly put in a XML-2 , Jerommel said it would fit under the TIR nicely and he is quite right, This gives defused hotspot and less rings with no colour change , I have settled on this set up.
The rest of the light I really like , very well machined and good looking , using it with a Lifepo4 14500 , this boosts the output a bit over NIMH , modes well spaced.
Clicky is nice to the feel and stainless cap good , is a bit “ping- pong” rather than “click- click” in sound, different but fine.
Clip sticks out over the top of the light above screws and gives a wobbly tail stand, fairly easily fixed by removing clip and filing it down a little so it sits below top of light and is stands stably.
Hey, thanks for sharing your experience on this Sivy
Yup, the LED tint is not so good but changing the lens as I did, it becomes not so Cool, it tends to Neutral tint!
Got some questions for you, so!
May I ask which XML2 did you put? And do you use it with the original TIR lens?
I’m asking as I want to change one to XML2 T6-3B , but I guess it won’t fit properly in the pebbled/hive TIR lens, so I may have to use the original lens or a reflector!
Do you have any picture to get a notion of how the XML2 works? I’d be glad to see it
Have you compared LiFePO4 with 14500 in terms of temperature and luminosity on max output? If so, did you feel any significant difference between those?
Thank you for this review, the light is very good looking. I’ve searched and found a seller with almost the same at Amazon.(de)
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07452MPRB/ref=pe_3044161_185740101_TE_item
Got it yesterday (ordered it 04/08/17). There are some slight differences in package/contents: it has a plain brown box with no markings, two (very small) o-rings but no spare switch.
The light itself seems exactly the same as described above. I’ve tested it with a lithium primary battery (Energizer Ultimate Lithium) with 1.5V. It’s bright enough for me and not worth the risk to use a 14500 cell (although the Amazon seller says it’s possible). A stainless steel host is not capable to spread the heat very well, so the small aluminium pill will get very hot if the current is too high.
Hi Antenne!
Hum, I guess that your buy confirms that the o-rings really are very weak, but maybe the switch is not that weak as we thought!
So far I had no problems with mine!
Using a alkaline gives you enough power? I normally use Ni-MH, but it also gets a bit hot after some time! That’s for sure that the host is a bit thin as is the pill.
I’ll make some mods to mine and see if with a different driver and LED it doesn’t get that hot…but maybe it turns out to be hotter…!!
BTW, the seller mentions this: “hoch, niedrig, stroboskopisch” ! Does it have strobe? Which are the modes and in what order?
Thanks for your input
MY REVIEWS THREAD /// My Flashlight Collection /// YouTube Channel
Mods: 1 / 2 // TIR: 1 / 2 // Others: Biscotti 3 + 1*7135 / Triple TIR w/ XP-G2 /// My Review's Blog (PT) /// OL Contest 2019 /// OL Contest 2020 /// OL Contest 2022 /// GIVEAWAYs: 1 / 2 / 3
Nice thorough review with pics to back up your findings. Well done!
No strobe, always starts at Low, then – Med – High.
@ DB Custom
Just doing what I can 
Thanks
@ Antenne
)
Thanks! It seemed that the information was a bit confuse there (or maybe my Deutsch reading skills aren’t as good as I thought
So, the UI is the same here!
One more thing: mine always starts on Low! But, if quickly clicking ON and OFF, it enters in the next mode! I’m not sure if this happens with yours too…
MY REVIEWS THREAD /// My Flashlight Collection /// YouTube Channel
Mods: 1 / 2 // TIR: 1 / 2 // Others: Biscotti 3 + 1*7135 / Triple TIR w/ XP-G2 /// My Review's Blog (PT) /// OL Contest 2019 /// OL Contest 2020 /// OL Contest 2022 /// GIVEAWAYs: 1 / 2 / 3
Today I received some TIR lenses I ordered 2 weeks ago, to modify this flashlight, following vwpieces suggestion on this thread! So thanks, for it
As seen before, the original beam is very narrow, so I wanted it to get a bit floody. Being an AA/ 14500 flashlight, I rather have it with a flood beam than with throw, as the main use I’ll have for it will be at close range.
I ordered 2 different types of lenses: 1 that has the “hive” look (60º) and 1 that has a flat surface (also 60º).
They produce different types of beams, as you probably know, and as will be shown in the pictures.
NOTE 1: The lenses came with plastic holders (cylindrical and cone shaped) but the holders (16.6mm to 17mm diameter) didn’t fit the head of the flashlight. The lenses, without holder, have 15mm diameter, so they fit the head and that’s they way I used them, without holder.
NOTE 2: The lenses that arrived and “shorter” in height than the original lens, so some strategies have to be used so that the battery fits properly inside the host. I’ll show what I’ve done.
(You can click the images to open in bigger size!)
The 3 lenses:
L > R (“Hive” 60º – Flat 60º – Original (center is frosted) )
L > R (Flat 60º – Original – “Hive” 60º)
Spill/beam comparison in a wall and over a white surface (photos taken by a cellphone):
L > R (“Hive” 60º – Flat 60º – Original (center is frosted) )
L > R (“Hive” 60º – Original – Flat 60º)
Original spill
“Hive” 60º spill
Flat 60º spill
“Tricks” I had to use for the lenses and battery
) but it fits the LED of these flashlights (XP-G3). This gasket helps to center the LED and also helps to compensate the height lost comparing to the original lens. This one is being used in the flat surface lens
1 – “Gasket” from another light I recently modded. The original led of that light as super small (blame me, I don’t know the type of it
2 – Plastic holder, cut on its top and sanded (to reduce diameter) so that the base of the lens fits well on the LED! This one is being used in the “hive” lens!
3 – Small magnet in the top of the battery (Panasonic Evolta Ni-MH, button top) because the space left by the original lens originated that the pill goes up and leaves more space below; then, the battery rattles and the modes jump to the next with a slight shake!
Short conclusions:
1 – I prefer the “hive” lens, as the flood is uniform and it is better for close range or to illuminate a room (on High, at least);
2 – The tint seems to change from CW to NW when the “hive” lens is placed, what makes it not so annoying as the original;
3 – The flat lens seems to accentuate the CW tint (maybe because it is more direct light, not frosted as the original, or as the “hive” shaped);
Next steps:
)
- try one of these with a reflector and glass lens (borrowed from another flashlight);
- mod 1 or 2 drivers (I’ll keep one in the original shape)
- mod the LEDs, maybe to a XML2 (14mm, T6-3B and T6-4C) (yeah, it will be hard to fit in the lens and the holder, by I’ll try it
Hope this helps the interested people on these lights
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Despite what I said about the CW apparently turns in NW, here is a comparison.
On the left is a XML2 T6-3B (NW) and on the right the Amutorch XPG3-S3 (CW)
Both are using TIR lens!
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Nice review, but the pictures are many and probably more than 1MB each or at least MANY MANY PIXELS, so it took a long time to load the pages over here…
(There’s no real point in using pictures wider than 1000 pixels on forums.)
Glad i read the review though, because i was just about to buy one because it looks neat.
but you can remove that. 
Yeah they use the old XR-E TIR which does a 10° beam with little spill. They’re pretty good on a XM-L2 though, which fits perfectly in the hole of the TIR and gives a wider beam.
But i see in the pics that it uses PWM for the low and medium modes…
They also put on an ugly clip..
Other than that, it’s a pretty little thing, but the PWM is a bit of a deal breaker for me…
Thanks for the review.
If 20mm, plenty (‘though types vary by season). 14mm or so? Not a clue.
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Not bad! Like having little aspheric lenses up front to smooth out even a wide-angle beam.
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@ Jerommel
First, thanks for your words and tips
Sorry for the heavy pics! I guess I will resize them in IMGUR before posting here. Normally I don’t do because I was not sure about what size would be better/acceptable. But I will resize them
About PWM, yes, low and medium has it, but not visible through human eye, just through a camera (or cellphone). And the small noise you may listen here and then in Low and Medium modes, also, but just if you are in complete silence or if you put the hear close to the light
Hum, despite the clip looks one of those attachable to some lights (like those in Convoy store) this one is shiny stainless steel, and I guess it fits perfectly this light! Perhaps the design could be more innovative or different, but it does a great job, it is very strong and deep carry, only the very little top of the light is seen when on a pocket!
The original lens gives a narrow output that I didn’t like, so I bought other lenses, and it improved a lot!! I now use the flashlight more frequently because it is and looks more useful and beautiful spill/beam!
I will try to put a reflector in from a small flashlight I bought (on the way from China) and then will compare.
With few mods (mainly the lens and driver…and eventually the LED if you don’t like CW), believe that this is a pretty EDC light!
Thanks for
@ Lightbringer
Following vwpieces suggestion , I bought the lenses from here: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/219000?spm=a2g0s.9042647.0.0.a6FCsV
They are not 14mm, but closer to 15mm (without the holder). They fit well and the rest its above in the photos
The “hive” one is the one I like the most here, but I guess it’s a personal preference
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TIRs with a “hive” (usually called “pebbled”) are often the best, i agree.
Frosted ones are nice too.
Yajiamei (they have 2 stores on AE) has A LOT of choice in optics…
Do you have a link to the specific pebbled TIR you bought?
Thanks for telling the specific name of the lens type
I just “hive’d” it because of the look! And yes, for flood beam is pretty good. I have one frosted for an S2+, but didn’t try it yet!
Yup, I just recently discovered that store (before this thread) and they have good choices in several shapes and sizes!
These are the links for these specific lenses I bought:
https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/0.html?spm=a2g0s.9042647.6.2.pWm9Xv&...
https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/0.html?spm=a2g0s.9042647.6.6.pWm9Xv&...
These have the closest size I could find on the store (and on AliExpress) for the Amutorch flashlight. Maybe there are other places, but I picked these and they’re good so far (specially the “pebbled”)
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Thanks for the links.
edit: The links don’t work…
Maybe i can search by the product ID which is in the link..
edit2:
You can enter the product ID number in the AE search bar and presto!
Hey that works
edit3:
The pebbled ones:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/CREE-XP-E-XP-G-lens-Diameter-17mm-Bead-s...LED-lens-with-stand/2048689105.html
Available in 15, 30, 45, 60 and 70 Degree.
Glad you managed to find the products and thanks for fixing the links
Yup, there are several degrees both for the pebbled and the others . Mine were both 60º degrees lenses, as the original already produces a narrow beam and I wanted floody
(Now I’m trying to put a reflector on this light, maybe today or tomorrow I’m able to write it down here
)
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MascaratumB – Thanks for posting this review and documenting your mods. I may just get myself one of these and a ‘hive’ lens.
Would it be worth lining the inside of the white plastic holder with some kind of shiny foil? Do you think there would be any perceptible increase in brightness?
Not worth the hassle.
Yes, some light will hit the inside of the holder, but it has to make its way back through the transition from holder surface to air to TIR at a shallow angle so most of it will bounce back from the TIR instead of joining the rest of the output.
I think even silver plating a TIR doesn’t make a significant difference.
What you could do for ‘fun’ is put some glow in the dark tape inside the head.
Enough light will excite it and you have a green after glow (but not a lot in the direction of the beam)
This only works when you don’t use the reflector shaped plastic holder.
You could put the tape in the straight holders though.
Hi Intio! Thanks for your words, glad you liked it
), but my guess is that it wouldn’t bring more brightness on this, specially using a “pebbled” (“hive”) lens.
Hum, I must tell you that I’m not an expert on this kind of things (lenses, reflectors….I’ not really an expert on anything, I think
I’m not sure about what I’m saying, but my guess is that using this lens with or without holder will produce the same brightness. I’m just using the holder to help to fix the LED in the lens.
(….and just checked it and I confirm: there is no significative difference using it or not! Maybe in a light with a bigger head/bezel/led/reflector that can make a difference, but not on this one!!)
Also, as you may have seen, the holder was cut so there is not much space to place the foil. Plus, maybe that could also damage the led, unless if meticulous placed (with glue or something).
(I just looked to the holder and… I guess it doesn’t worth it (to put the foil), in any sense! Neither the brightness, nor the work that it would imply to make it go perfectly).
I’m just writing an experience with a mod with a reflector and glass lens, and a comparison between this and the TIR lenses, you can take a look later or maybe tomorrow ! Maybe that helps you to decide on the light and what to do later to mod it
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Thanks Jerommel! I was writing and couldn’t see your answer! Yup, it doesn’t worth the work!
Never though about it and maybe I’ll try that 
About the tape, that’s nice
Nice idea
I like this funny ideas
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So, my quest in modding these Amutorch flashlights continues
Today I received a small and very cheap flashlight I ordered after seeing this review by mizou51: http://budgetlightforum.com/node/55826 .
(Btw, this is a pretty light for its price, and very useful with the COB part! For indoor use, it’s pretty nice despite tint, beam and UI)
I asked him to make some measurements on the reflector to check if it would fit in these lights and…it fits!!!
So, I picked one of the already modded Amutorch (that had a 60º TIR lens), and put the reflector and glass lens of the other COB light in it.
I will show you the comparisons I’ve made! (click the photos for a bigger picture)
BEAM / SPILL with reflector
COMPARISON [L to R: Reflector > Original TIR LENS (10º-15º) > Pebbled/Hive TIR lens (60º) ]
(HIGH MODE, no PWM. Only the camera focus has changed)
COMPARISON [L to R: Reflector > Original TIR LENS (10º-15º) > Flat TIR lens (60º) ]
Pieces used with the reflector and with the Flat TIR lens
(HIGH MODE, no PWM. Only the camera focus has changed.)
COMPARISON [L to R: Reflector > Original TIR LENS (10º-15º)]
Some “conclusions”:
1 – While the pebbled TIR lens seems to drift to Neutral White, the reflector reinforces the Cool White tint;
2 – Also, the hotspot seems to produce a “yellowish to greenish” hallo (more identifiable in human sight than in these photos). I guess that a LED with NW may solve this pretty well;
3 – I couldn’t test the throw in a wider space, comparing the original TIR lens and the reflector, but it seems to me that the original lens may have a bigger capacity to throw as the beam is narrower and more concentrated that the reflector;
4 – The reflector creates a concentric circle in the outer side that is not annoying, but that at a close range is more noticeable.
5 – The PWM “buzz” (Low and Medium) that the light produces sounds the same, comparing the three lights. HOWEVER, in the one with the original TIR lens this sound is louder, a bit more, but still louder.
“And that’s all folks!”…for today
(BTW, sorry about the not-so-good quality of the images…cellphones are good but they do not capture what human eyes do!
@ Jerommel – I followed your suggestion and resized the images! It’s really light!!! Hope this works better for everyone here
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So you noticed the ‘tint shift’ you get with a normal reflector.
Cool white spill and a warmer white beam (spot) with an even darker yellow ‘corona’ around it.
Sometimes the inside bit of the beam (spot) is a little darker than the edge of the beam.
This is even worse with the most modern LEDs (XP-G3, XP-L2, XHP50.2 and the latest Nichia LEDS too.)
Here’s a picture of an XP-L2 5000K in a 20mm normal reflector:
In real life it’s even worse…
So that’s the fried egg that Lightbringer raps on about so often… do OP reflectors counteract or at least reduce this?
This helped though:
The head of that light is glued, so i can’t replace the reflector with a TIR.
So i stuck on a piece of DC-fix (adhesive diffuser film)
Yup, there’s a tint shift yes! This is a small smooth reflector, made from plastic, so the quality may not help!
As Jack Kellar asked, I don’t know if a OP reflector would avoid that shifting, but I haven’t found such a small OP reflector to try it here!
I also think that a different tint LED may not shift so much, namely NW ones.
The best option I found, so far, was the pebbled lens! The others always leave something not quite well, the beam, the spill, the spot…
At least, the pebbled creates a uniform spill.
About the DC-fix, I couldn’t find it yet, but I also didn’t search that much too!
Is that a Sofirn SP32? Mine has that same effect. But so far I’m not yet annoyed with it
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Spill is the bit that is not collimated by the reflector.
A TIR has a little lens in the centre to collimate what would normally be the spill.
(So a TIR is usually a ‘Total Internal Reflection’ optic plus a small lens in the middle)Member ‘Boaz’ sells pieces of it, there’s a topic somewhere.
You can search the forum for it, and i believe a French member also has some for sale.Yep, that’s a Sofirn SP32.
I volunteered to review it so they sent me one.
It’s a nice light. I like the Cree 3A tint (5000K)
I agree, in real life you can live with it, but i think tint shift is very annoying when you notice it.
And once you have noticed it, you always notice it…
I have another XP-L2 light with a 20mm 30° pebbled TIR and it has virtually no tin shift, not even on a white wall.
Yep, nice yellow “yolk” in the middle, cooler/whiter “white” around the outside.
I wondered how a 4C could look so yellow when it’s really not. Ceiling-bounce from my S2+ (when I scalded myself leaving it unattended 5-10min) looked quite nice overall, nowhere near as yellow.
Finally dawned on me that it’s the tint-shift doing it. Actually, that’s a misnomer. It’s not “shifting” any overall tint. Yellower light that comes out at more oblique angles hits the reflector and is focussed into the hotspot. Yellow! Less-yellow light coming straight out from the LED normal to the surface doesn’t hit the reflector but continues straight out to form the spill. White!
Through a TIR where you’re doing a better job collecting all the light no matter what the angle, it blends everything together quite nicely, giving that 4C a real 4500K look, or whatever it’s supposta be.
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Thanks for the explanation about what is the spill! Sometimes I use the terminology in incorrect ways, so fell free to correct me whenever is necessary
About the DC fix, I already saw one of those posts and already participated in the thread, I may search for it! I guess that some lights can benefit from that, and maybe the SP32 is one of them, although I still like to have it like it is.
It does have that spot and tint shift, but I’m not unhappy with it !
And I agree with you, I’m becoming more and more attentive to the beams, spots, tints, tint shifts and all of that!!!
Gotta try the DC-Fix to see what happens! Maybe I could apply that to other lights too…
Thanks for the tip and help on this !
Yup, agree too! However, I’m still using the original OP reflector that came with the light!
I have some TIR around, so maybe I will try them someday !!
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I just made a review / comparison between these Amutorch XPG3-S3 and with a similar flashlight from Neal using a Nichia 219C.
You can take a look at it here: http://budgetlightforum.com/node/56187
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The XP-G3 is one of the things that attracted me to this light , but is probably the worst part of it! , cool hot spot , wide yellow ring around this then a dark unlit ring , then spill, Like a target!
The change in colours across the beam is unpleasant to me, But understand this is a symptom of the newer Cree design (xp-g3, xpl-2 etc) with the phosphor higher up in the dome.
Swopped a XP-G2 into it , This gave a more uniform colour across the beam but with same rings.
Lastly put in a XML-2 , Jerommel said it would fit under the TIR nicely and he is quite right, This gives defused hotspot and less rings with no colour change , I have settled on this set up.
The rest of the light I really like , very well machined and good looking , using it with a Lifepo4 14500 , this boosts the output a bit over NIMH , modes well spaced.
Clicky is nice to the feel and stainless cap good , is a bit “ping- pong” rather than “click- click” in sound, different but fine.
Clip sticks out over the top of the light above screws and gives a wobbly tail stand, fairly easily fixed by removing clip and filing it down a little so it sits below top of light and is stands stably.
Hey, thanks for sharing your experience on this Sivy
Yup, the LED tint is not so good but changing the lens as I did, it becomes not so Cool, it tends to Neutral tint!
Got some questions for you, so!
May I ask which XML2 did you put? And do you use it with the original TIR lens?
I’m asking as I want to change one to XML2 T6-3B , but I guess it won’t fit properly in the pebbled/hive TIR lens, so I may have to use the original lens or a reflector!
Do you have any picture to get a notion of how the XML2 works? I’d be glad to see it
Have you compared LiFePO4 with 14500 in terms of temperature and luminosity on max output? If so, did you feel any significant difference between those?
Thanks in advance
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