Review: Armytek Wizard Pro Warm and Cool (1x18650 right-angle/headlamp, Cree XHP50, 1800lm, magnetic charging)

Zak, I tried to order AT with bezel off option (again) and the answer was:
“…I have just got the update from our engineers and they state that there is no way to ship the flashlights without bezels as this is a joint construction and there is no way tot ake it apart.
They are also asking you what nicha diod you need to be placed in ? In future we can place the diod you need inside the flashlights at once, so this would be more convenient for you too….”

- Clemence

Over on reddit, we’ve been telling them NV4L144AR sm435 R9050 E900 for months. Their official account even started an interest list.

Of course, we both know it’s false that the bezel can’t be removed. It just requires use of sufficient profanity.

Thanks for pointing that out, and also to put the lead on this. The problem is 4500K is not my favourite CCT. It would be interesting to see how they come up with the MCPCB though.
Check your PM Zak.

- Clemence

Can’t please everyone of course, but it seemed like a good choice for a limited run product because Armytek usually only has warm and cool, not neutral. Also, not many people hate 4500K even if they would rather have something else.

Yup, it’s in the neutral stance. I have no reddit account. Could you make one interest vote for me?

Thanks
Clemence

With some luck, expect special Nichia equipped Wizard Pro coming. Zak already arranged a limited run for this.

I don’t mind potted driver as long as the driver perform better than what it is now. I expect better more efficient driver with thicker lead wire in future Wizards/Prime lineup. Since the LED technology is moving at fast pace, a threaded removable bezel is a good selling point. This way the user can select any CCT/tint they want with simple LED swap modification. 16mm MCPCB instead 14mm should also make life easier for modders.

I really like Armytek for it’s design style, finish, toughness, and features. What I don’t like are: unreliable inefficient potted driver, pressed fit bezels, and overly aggressive branding/ornaments/labeling.

I just got an email from Ylona from Armytek. She said the production is currently on hold because the China factory laser engraving machine is currently under repair. And so does my custom order…. :person_facepalming:

- Clemence

I don’t think anyone would miss the laser engraving.

Thanks. I have another Wizard Pro and now I have 12V emitters, so the question is: 3000K or 5700K? (Both are R9050)

5700K, it’s the best all around CCT. I find 3000K too yellow for every close-up works with colored cables.
Received mine today. It’s a very nice headlamp apart from all it’s limitations you described above. The tint is way too rosy to my taste.

- Clemence

I had CW version.
the color is like pure white for me.
I was not satisfy with CW headlanterns from skilhunt and nitecore…(yellowish or greenish)
Zebra h600 cw tint was also great for me

So I went and put an NV4W144AR sm573 E1000 R9050 in my second Wizard Pro that previously had a warm white XHP50. Thanks, Clemence.

The 6V 144A in my first Wizard Pro makes under 900 lumens, down from 1720. Worth it, I say, especially since that 1720 isn’t very sustainable due to heat. The warm XHP50 had lower output due not just to a lower bin, but lower current in all modes. Practically speaking, I don’t object to that much since max output was unsustainable.

Clemence of http://virence.com sent me some engineering samples of 12V 144ARs. Two are 3000K and one is 5700K. Neither is my favorite color temperature, but I’d rather be a bit too cool than way too warm, so I used the 5700K to replace the warm white XHP50. Outputs are:

Emitter Color temperature CRI Power-on lumens 30 second lumens
XHP50 4000K Unspecified 1488 1429
144AR 5700K 90 1443 1343
XHP50 6000K Unspecified - 1720
144AM 4500K 90 883 812

So relative to the warm white XHP50, the 144A gives up 86 lumens to gain a whole lot of CRI. This is very good. I should note that the two Wizards appeared to be a little different in terms of current, with the warm being lower. I think there’s just some variability in production, and using the other sample would have resulted in a bit more output. There’s little practical difference, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Armytek advertises higher numbers on their planned production run.

Since you’re going to ask, I don’t have a concrete update on that. I think it’s going to happen, but I don’t know when. It looks like the color temperature will be 4000K instead of the 4500K we were talking about. It’s also possible that Clemence will be selling built to order Wizards at http://virence.com once his 144A boards come in.

But for now, as far as I know I have two of the three 144A Wizards in the world.

Oh, yeah, beamshots (WB: 6000K):

ArmyTek Wizard

Isn’t that light hard to hold in your hand. Looks a bit unnatural to me. But I see the uses of the clip and headband.
Unfortunately it has an hotspot. Would have liked a bigger battery, but if the runtimes are real then it’s ok.

https://www.armytek.com/products/flashlights/?features_hash=12-1171-2300_17-24-50_23-4969
What’s the difference between
“DIGITAL (CPU brightness control) and FULL (constant brightness)”

There is no better way of making a headlamp that is also a flashlight without making it bigger or reducing its ability of getting rid of the heat.

It has a headband, a clip and a strong magnet. All can be removed.

The hotspot is very wide. Without the hotspot the light would have no reach.

The runtimes are real. In the bightest modes they can be longer it the light gets too hot (it has thermal regulation).

The different terms you mention don’t seem to have clear descriptions except that these lights have a very flat regulation when kept cool.

The magnet cannot be removed from the magnetic charging models (except by using the tailcap from the non-charging model).

My runtime graphs are recorded as they happened. For the most part, they were a bit shorter than advertised.

When Armytek says “digital” regulation, they mean that output decreases as the battery drains. When they say “full” regulation, they mean that it does not (unless the light thermal throttles). As the graphs show, a sufficiently cooled Wizard Pro has full output in every mode until just before the battery runs out.

Ah yes, I forgot about the fixed magnet in the newer models, thanks.

It used to be that the pro models hat full regulation in all modes and the non-pro models had full regulation in all modes except for the brighttest one where they started to dim when the battery was half empty.

Then” this”:https://www.armytek.com/products/flashlights/multi-flashlights/armytek-wizard-pro-magnet-usb-18650/ is the best ArmyTek for me. Anybody with 21700 mod? L :slight_smile: L

Accidentally dropped the HOT driver off the hotplate today. Aaargh! :disappointed:
Spent hours just to put back those micro components back. :person_facepalming:

That’s an… interesting method of magnification.

What are you doing to that driver?

Make it outputs approximately the same using 6V

Oh, interesting. That should be good for efficiency. 144A or E21As?