Olight Javelot M2X-UT
Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★
Summary:
| Battery: | 18650, 2x CR123A w/adapter sleeve |
| Switch: | Tail Clicky w/head twist |
| Modes: | L-M-H at Head/ L-H-Strobe at Clicky |
| LED Type: | Cree XM-L2 Factory De-Domed |
| Lens: | AR Coated glass coated 2 sides |
| Tailstands: | Yes |
| Price Paid: | Listed at $119.95 |
| From: | Banggood.com |
| Date Ordered: |
Pros:
- First Factory De-domed flashlight featuring Cree XM-L2
- Excellent Build Quality
- Outstanding Anodizing
- AR glass lens coated 2 sides
- Large Diameter very thick Copper mcpcb
- Tactical grip
- Tail stands
- Tail clicky affords tactical mode settings
- Fantastic throw right out of the box
Cons:
- Head twist for standard modes is a 2 handed operation
- Tactical grip is not fixed, could provide assist for head twist
- No extra o-rings provided....I now understand that this review light didn't come with the standard accessories. Will inform what those are when I find out specifics.
- *Accessories are to include spare O-rings, lanyard, holster, and CR-123A adapter sleeve
Features / Value: ★★★★
We've grown to expect high quality builds and finishes from Olight, and this light is no exception. Fit and finish is superb, anodizing is the typical flat black found with HAIII coatings. The design is very nice on this Javelot, with an almost futuristic ray gun approach to the heat dispersing fins. These fins are, however, located in precisely the right place to aid in rapid heat dispersion and also serve as a finger stop when holding by the grooved portion obviously designed to aid in the twisting of the head for standard L-M-H modes.
The Javelot MX2-UT comes in a decent brown box, padded with sheets of foam wrap. Not the typical depleted bubble wrap but a much higher grade white foam sheet material. The light came with no dents, dings, or scratches.
Size comparison with some of it's direct competitors...Left to Right The Olight M2X-UT, Tangsfire TS2010, Courui D01, SupBeam K50
Side by side with the 2010
Notice how the appearance differs on the business end due to the much thinner bezel...
Design / Build Quality: ★★★★★
Design on this light is unique. Futuristic even, and may not appeal to everyone. But it's strong suit is that Olight did the legwork for us, initially. As far as I know, this is the first factory de-domed Cree XM-L2 U2 light. And it's done very cleanly!
Notice here that the bezel is unusually thin, allowing for the largest possible diameter reflector. Also note the invisible AR coated glass lens. Even though this light is similar to the legendary HD2010, and the head diameter is almost exactly the same, the reflector is significantly larger in diameter and really shows when looking at the business end of this light! Well done Olight, very nice touch!
A closer look at the factory de-dome. Yes, the beam color does show that it's de-domed, but it's one of the more subtle de-domed tint changes I've seen. There will be beamshots at the end of this review in my standard format that many of you might already be accustomed to, involving the red oil drum. ;)
The overall size and fit in the hand is very nice. With the large block portions for grip as well as the tactical ring I don't expect this one to have any issues with slippage in use. I wish the tactical ring were in a fixed position or threaded on tight, but it rotates freely, albeit not loosely.
Following are some pics showing normal measurements. I'll have to come back with the diameter of the large copper star, as I got distracted by a hungry 7 yr old at that point and forgot. Sorry.
My cheap digital caliper only goes to 6". This light is a claimed 6 1/2" long
The tailcap off and easily removable tactical ring. The tactical ring is also hard anodized aluminum. Not threaded but retained by the tail cap.
Trying to show the AR lens, but it doesn't like being seen. Notice the depth of the reflector and how the emitter is adjacent to the cooling fins...
Driver diameter is 29.2mm
These measurements were taken first, then the caliper held in close proximation to show the reading
I see now that I also forgot to measure the lens diameter and thickness. My first full fledged review, it shows huh? :P
Lens diameter is 59.3mm, thickness is 1.9mm
Yep, nice thick large diameter chunk of copper! Haven't checked to see if it's DTP yet. Those wires look a little on the small side too, don't they?
Star is 35.6mm diameter, 1.9mm thick copper
Emitter shelf is nicely turned, almost polished but not quite.
Square threads abound, and already greased as well!
O-rings in all the right places. Nice fitment on them as well.No glue on any threads in this light, but the bezel was on so tight I was beginning to think it was glued.
A Samsung 20R sitting down in the tube. Shortest 18650 I have. Works fine. Should also work with a protected cell, I'll dig out my 26700 XTAR Protected and double check.
Protected XTAR 18700 fits just fine, light functions as normal...
Anyone surprised that I stopped where I did? Well, it didn't last long! :) I think the blue stuff means I might not have been supposed to go here...
But of course, my name is Custom...
Which means I don't tend to leave well enough alone...
What have we here? Hmmmm.....
A closer look
The old Steelcraft German made calipers say that the shelf under the emitter is a bit more than 3/16" thick! Wow!
The tail cap has pretty standard fare, admittedly somewhat better done than usual
I wonder how long I'll be able to leave those 2 R050 sense resistors alone? Hmmmm....... :bigsmile:
Battery Life: ☆☆☆☆☆Unknown at this time
I have power output measurements, but as this light just came in this afternoon I haven't run any lengthy tests to establish battery run time. Should be able to extrapolate according to type of cell an approximation of runtime though from the power levels amperage draw as taken at the tail from my clamp meter.
With a freshly charged Sony VT18650C5 with 2500mAh capacity and at 4.21V I got a current reading of 2.94A on High. I did not take current readings at the lower levels due to the head twisty action to change modes and my clamp meter style of measurement. I only have 2 hands. Will try to get help and get back on the lower levels.
Light Output: ★★★★★
I've got to say that light output is very nice on this one! With the current level at recommended max for the emitter, it's really doing a good job getting the light down range. Well designed reflector as well as very well made and the high quality AR coating on the lens ensure this is true.
On the Box...................My Measurements
High...1020 lumens................904 lumens (866 at 30 seconds)
Med.....250 lumens................300 lumens
Low.......20 lumens..................33 lumens
810M Throw..........................883M Throw
164Kcd..................................194.75Kcd Lux taken at 5M, 30 seconds Throw extrapolated from Lux.
The meter here shows the light on the Samsung 20R cell. The meter is set at the x10 setting, so that's a reading of 2360 or 814 lumens (2360 x .345 = 814.2) Above you can see the output with a freshly charged Sony VT18650C5.
Here the meter is reading 708. This again is on the x10 setting for a meter reading of 7080. Measured at 5M this is 7080 x 25 = 177Kcd on the partially discharged Samsung 20R. After taking the Lightbox reading with the Sony C5, I ran this test again for the 194.75Kcd reading. Throw is extrapolated from the 194.75Kcd for 882.61M.
My standard beamshots are taken with the Canon G1X camera using Manual settings and Manual focus. 1/2 second exposure, f/5.6 at 28mm wide f/5.8 at 112mm zoom, ISO 1600. The red oil drum is 97 yds distant. For distance shots, the white barn is 610 yds from the light. Same settings on the camera.
Low
Medium
High
Hi, zoomed in at 112mm
Distance of 610 yds at 112mm
12X digital zoom
Summary: ★★★★
All in all this is a very nice light. With a superior build quality and outstanding reflector, the factory de-domed XM-L2 is really cranking out the light. If it weren't for the odd way of changing modes, I'd have given this one a 5 star rating all the way through. With the caveat of a yet untested battery run time, I have to say that I give this light a big thumbs up. Highly recommend it!
Thank you Neal at Banggood for providing this light for review. Excellent service, quick delivery, well packaged with extra foam wrapping around the box. Well done!
And now you have my very first official light review! :)
Dale
Of course, when taking the star out and measuring it I couldn't pass up the opportunity... replaced the puny wires with 18ga just because. :)
And did spring bypasses top and bottom
Only gained the experience of doing it though, the driver is well regulated and barely flinched with the new monster wires in place... amperage readings taken at the emitter.
Low pulls .06A for 32 lumens
Med pulls .74A for 299 lumens
Hi pulls 2.98A for 935 lumens
Oh well, I know it's the best it can be. :)
UPDATE: 4:07PM 11-18-14
I opened it back up and stacked an R056 resistor on top of the two R050 resistors. This allows 3.56A from the Sony C5 cell for
Low.....46 lumens
Med....416 lumens
High...1066 lumens with 1018 at 30 seconds
Lux is up to 236.5Kcd and throw gained to 972.63M
I've been told that some of the components on this board won't take being pushed too hard. So this should probably do quite well. There's just so much thermal mass in this light, with the extra thick shelf and the massive copper star, I couldn't help myself. :) With it now throwing 1063 yards I think it's good. :) For now...
UPDATE: 11-18-14
I removed the binning and tint numbers that I had posted as I can no longer find verification of this. Olight merely claims Cree XM-L2, without specifying whether U2 or U3 or which tint bin. From my own experience de-doming, this looks to be a 1A, but I can't confirm that from Olight.
At any rate, I've now taken the modifications to the next level...I put an BLF17DD Ver 3.1 FET driver in this one, swapped out the high Vf emitter with an earlier XM-L2 U2 1A that I had de-domed in gasoline and it now pulls 6.37A for 1452 lumens at start on a freshly charged Sony VT C5 cell. At 30 seconds, output is still 1377 lumens. Lux is now 278Kcd with 1055M throw. :) It's potent! Smallish form factor, largish output...exactly my kind of light. ;)
