[Review] Pretty good low budget 1x18650 lantern

RC, Give it the finger wave test.
Wave a finger with the lamp as the only illumination (or the majority of the illumination).
Start slow and speed up the wave.
A light with no of fast PWM and all you see is a blurry finger.
A crappy PWM will show multiple fingers - and look like an old time movie with slow frame rate - All jerky.

Or take a pic with like a 1/4s or slower shutter speed. Wave the light fast as you can through the frame.
From an old POST from TK

Poor PWM will show multiple flashes. Faster PWM will show many more flashes.
No PWM will just be a blur.

Fans blades show this really well, Just watch the blades for effect seen in TKs images.

I did a video about camera shutters and PWM.
At 1:35 is my version of the camping lantern and it’s PWM

And at 6:52 you can see the Nitecore TUBE example and later the light waving in the camera view.

All the Best,
Jeff

You realize that the ability to notice bad PWM is a curse, not a blessing.

If I start noticing bad PWM, it will most likely annoy me to no end.

Talk to Boaz for a bit about lights with bad PWM and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Right now, I'm happy with the PWM of all of my scores of lights.

Some of them are not very good lights, so I doubt that none of them have PWM issues.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Did you remove the review? I’m not seeing anything in the first post.

Yes, I removed all of my flashlight reviews from the internet as best as I can.

I posted images that I do not own.

I going to get permission to post different images before I put my reviews up again.

RC,
I hear you on the PWM, Ya’ can’t unsee stuff once you see it,
Feel free to use anything from my stuff. A credit would be nice.
But we are all here for fun after all. Well most of us anyway…
All the Best,
Jeff

Can you at least post a link to a store where this lantern can be purchased?

Maybe he should ask for sofirns permission first… not so much “fun” left it seems.

anyway, here is the link to the product

So, it looks like modding this LED with high CRI LEDs should be very easy, as 2835 high CRI LEDs are very plentiful.

I bought 2 black ones, hope I’m happy with them when they arrive.

that is a really good video demo of PWM, thanks

Jon, thanks for the complement.

I’m, unfortunately, one of those that is really bothered by visible PWM.
So I’ve spent a little effort into into finding out what is most bothersome.
What I’ve decided, is it’s the combination of PWM Freq. combined with the duty cycle.

Basically, it’s how long the light is off that makes the difference (mostly). There seems to be some point at which the off part of the cycle becomes too long and that fusses with my eyeballs and brain.

An RC, about using images from others. Copyright law is different for different uses. If the images are being used to generate money for yourself - that is usually a clear violation.

If the images are being used for editorial purposes - that is a different matter. Hence all the news sites with videos from all sort of sources.
But, naturally, you should do what makes you feel comfortable (I am captain obvious).

As RCs review is gone, let me repeat that at this price this is really a nice lamp. Wonderful diffused soft light - maybe 300+ ish Lumens with a good battery installed. The OEM battery is likely a pull from some older equipment or some old (old) stock.
The UI kinda sucks - Always High, Med, Low, Red, Blinkies, off.
All the Best,
Jeff

yes, the Opple calculates a Flicker Index that includes those two factors. It seems the risk at 100Hz is when duty cycle goes above 10%

I think frequency over 3000Hz becomes low risk, regardless of duty cycle

this applies to both types of flicker, PWM and Current Controlled

Usually they are licensed. Often you find an attribution like “© Stock Photo Service / original author” next to the image or video. If a private person takes a video of an event, licensing services try to get the rights for distribution (you’ll find comments requesting these permission under many YouTube videos).

Quoting is the only situation that is generally OK all over the world (but sadly there are still many differences what exactly is allowed). Some states have “fair use” laws that allow to use copyrighted material in more cases. As I said previously in another thread, this is a very complicated topic…

Just ordered some, curious how they compare with the Zanflare Z1.

Just looking at the link to the product shows up some questionable data. The light uses 24 white SMD 2835 LEDs and claims to use 20W. The typical draw for these LEDs is 0.24W per LED but that is for a 60 LED per meter strip using 12V. There is some loss in this strip by the small resistor that accompanies each three LEDs in the strip so it works on 12V DC. Even at 0.2W per LED the power consumption for 24 LEDs would be under 6W, nowhere near 20W. That’s actually pretty good as if this light actually did draw 20W, the run time would be very short between charges.

How bright is “bright”? Output for a typical 2835 LED is 1290 lumens for a 60 LED cool white 12V strip and 1200 lumens for warm white. 1290/60 = 21.5 lumens per LED Times 24 = 519 lumens. That’s about half what my budget CREE XML-T6 flashlight puts out on high setting. To answer siata94’s question, the Zanflare Z1 flashlight uses one CREE XML-L2 LED. The Zanfare listing shows the output to be 1240 lumens on high. This matches exactly the data in the CREE Data Sheet for the L2 LED.

It is probably a perfectly good light for the price. Just wish the seller would be a little more accurate with the specs.

I did a review of a very similar light I got from Amazon a while back. I think it’s in the 300-400ish? is Lumen range.

RC linked to this in his OP.
It’s quite sturdy. Good thick plastic.
On mine, only a flat top, or a very short unprotected button top will fit. Batt tube is quite short.
And there is no low voltage cut off on my example, so left unattended it’s a battery drainer.
All the Best,
Jeff

PS, accurate descriptions of real values? On Amazon? “Nary a chance” says I.
You are lucky to get a review that is actually the same product that is for sale.

jon,
3K /10% seems to be a good reference point. So much depends on other conditions. Some say even slow PWM doesn’t bother them because they are not watching moving objects.
Yet eye movement alone will set me off with poor lights.
Many lights have lower PWM freqs. at low levels. Then increase the Freq. as the brightness ramps up.
TK mentioned this is because the LED needs a minimum on time to light. This was from a thread from a few years ago.

For example the BLF LT1 starts out at 3.9K (1.3% duty cycle) on it’s lowest setting. I think I can almost make out the PWM depending on other conditions.
Then jumps to almost 16K (5% duty cycle to start). Then the duty cycle increases to nearly 100%
Nobody is going to see this.
All the Best,
Jeff

Received my four lamps today and I’m very pleased. Great deal in my opinion.

I updated the OP with the "new" review.

Just about the only thing that's new is the intro and the images.

I concur… I hate it turning on in HIGH mode. Other than that, it served its/their purpose. Gave them to kids to go camping, didn’t want to give them the Zanflare Z1s since they are prone to losing flashlights/lanterns.

Kids said that the lanterns were great. And I bought all brown.