Review: Olight H1R Nova (Pics, Beamshots, Runtime)

I reeived the Olight H1R Nova from Olightstore.com
The H1R is available in NW and CW version. I got both.

Olight Specs for the H1R:
The H1R Nova is the brighter and rechargeable version of the popular H1 Nova. Using a highly efficient CREE XM-L2 LED and TIR bead lens, the brightness covers a range of 2~600 lumens. Featuring a magnetic charging port, the light can be charged on the go with the included RCR123A battery and custom magnetic USB cable. With the included pocket clip and head strap, the rechargeable H1R Nova can be used as a standard pocket light or headlamp making this one of the most practical and useful flashlights in the illumination industry.

FLASHLIGHT FEATURES:
Rechargeable through the USB port on the magnetic tailcap
Powered by a customized 650mAh rechargeable RCR123A battery with a maximum output up to 600 lumens
Olight USB magnetic charging cable included (compatible with S1R/S2R/S10RIII/S30RIII)
Compact and handy with multiple use options: headlamp, pocket light, clip to a bag, etc.
Utilizes CREE XM-L2 LED (NW/CW) paired with bead TIR optic lens, giving a perfect close-range illumination experience
Gradual brightness changes. When turned on/off on medium, high and turbo modes, it will light up or fade gradually to protect eyes from the stimulation caused by sudden brightness changes
180 degrees smooth vertical rotation for the light on the silicone mount
SOS mode available for emergency uses

INCLUDED ACCESSORIES:
Head Strap with Silicone Mount
Customized 3.7V 650mAh RCR123A
Stainless Steel Pocket Clip
Magnetic Charging Cable
Pouch

The H1R is Olight’s upgraded version of the H1R. The H1R now fratures a magnetic tailcap with rechargeable battery (while the H1 came with not rechargeable CR123A cell). The battery, the base and the magnetic tailcap are standard from Olight.
UI, Optic Output and runtime are the same of the Regular H1, so I can borrow my own pics.

The H1R comes in this box.








With the H1R you get: RCR battery, manual, charger, pouch, lanyard.


The H1R mantains a very compact size. The bigger magnetic tailcap allowing charge makes the light 3 mm longer than the H1.

The TIR optic

The clip is already mounted. It allows a deep carry.

There is a quality RCR IMR protected 16340 with 650mAh in each light.

The silicone hlder indicates how correctly insert the light into it.

NW and CW side by side

Standard magnetic charging base from Olight

UI
Standard Olight interface:
The light turns on and off with a single click.
From off, keep pressed the switch to turn the light on at moonlight
When the light is on keep pressed the switch to circle between low, mid and high mode.
The light has memory mode except for turbo (comes back on high).
Double click for turbo mode
Triple click for SOS.
Lockout mode: keep pressed the switch for more than 2seconds when the light is off. Re-do for unlocking the light.

The provided proprietary RCR battery is an IMR, that is able to give high discharge performances without the risk of being over discharged since it is protected. This cell will work in other lights, because the only proprietary feature is its charging aspect: while the cell can be charged in any charger, the charging feature of the light works only with the proprietary cell. The light can function with any other CR or RCR cell, as long as they are button top, but can’t recharge them.
To charge the battery just connect the magnetic base to the tailcap. During the charging process the light in base will be red, and green when the charging is done.

Beamshot at 0.5 meters from the wall


Beamshot borrowed from the H1
The TIR optic give you a defined spot that disappears gradually as the distance increased, but the spill is wide enough to arrive almost at your feet. This is very good. I don’t want a light that will light 100 meters from me, but will make me stumble on a rock or in a hole because it starts to light 2 meters from me on.

Other Beamshots






I red that someone complained about the tint of NW lights from Olight being too similar to the CW. You can see that there’s a significant difference between the 2 tints.

Output and runtime
In the H1R emitter and driver are the same of the H1, so I borrow the data of the H1. For the H1R NW expect a 5-10% less output for each level.
Keep in mind that the Olight H1R comes with a 650mAh cell, while I did the tests of the H1 with a 550 mAh cell. So the runtime should be around 18% longer.



My thoughts
Fit and finishes are good as you would expect from Olight.
Finally Olight has made the rechargeable version of the H1, making the light way more convenient to use, since the recharging process is easier, and I am more than happy to accept a 3 mm increase in length. I surely recommend protected batteries because unprotected batteries will be discharged. You don’t have to worry about this if you are running your H1R with the provided cell, since it is protected.
The UI is fine for me: I like access to lowest, highest and last used mode. I would have preferred to have strobe instead of SOS mode. I’d like an additional level, lower than moonlight.
Output and runtime are limited due to size and battery capacity, but this has to be expected since this is a small and lightweight lamp.
The magnet in the tailcap, present also in the H1, increases the possible uses of this light, since it can be attached to metallic surface providing a flood beam, useful for close distances applications.
I like that the H1R comes in two tint versions: CW and NW. I red that someone complained about the tint of NW lights from Olight being too similar to the CW. You can see above that there’s a significant difference between the 2 tints. I’m very picky myself when it comes to flashlights tint, and I’m happy with the NW of my H1R NW.
I used the H1 for running and hiking and it has a great beam, wider than any of my headlamp, and I’m more than happy to replace my H1 CW with my H1R NW for my running and hiking needs.

Thanks to: AntoLed for the camera and the luxmeter.

Nice review!

Can you provide information about the customized battery, is this a sort of proprietary battery?
Also will the light work with a CR123 primary battery, or non Olight battery?

The Olight RCR battery can be charged in every charger, It works with other lights (and it is great because it’s the only IMR RCR that can power lights at high output without being over discharged since it is protected).
But the charging featuer of the light works only with the proprietary battery because it have both poles at the head (still has the negative at the botton).
The H1R will work with any battery, primary or RCR, olight branded or not, as long as it has a protruding button.

Great!
Thank you for the prompt reply

No, thanks to you.
I thought I had to link the review of the H1… but that has nothing to do with the rechargeable aspect, I have to link the S1R… that is a completely different lamp. So instead I just added the description in the review.

Thanks for the great review. Looks like a pretty good, small, versatile light. I’m a big fan of right angled flashlights and small shiny/bright things. :smiley:

I’ve been a big fan of Olight since I first got my S1 and S10RII batons. In the case of the S10RII, I enjoy the convenience of the charging base and it’s micro USB compatibility. It would have been nice if Olight had allowed the light to run while charging. This would have made it an even greater nightstand light, IMO, allowing you to ceiling bounce in moonlight mode, given the vertical charging position. With the angled light design of the H1R, using a similar base would be less desirable for me, whereas their current system allows the light to be laid horizontally on the nightstand and still bounce moonbeams off the ceiling. :+1:

I’m a little concerned about what they’ve done with their ORB-163C06 and ORB-163C05 batteries. Personally, I’d never carry a spare battery sans protective case in my pocket for fear of shorting it out between keys/spare change, etc… Realistically, the chances of something metallic touching both terminals is quite rare, but the consequences can be quite severe, so I’d never take the risk. Olight’s decision to move the negative terminal so close to the positive, dramatically increases the likelihood of a short occurring (as far as I can see), with little or no advantage other than making people purchase their batteries as spare. Their argument that regular 16340’s don’t provide enough current to max out their turbo mode cuts no ice, as the light already takes CR123a and 16340.

If Olight is out there listening, here are a few things I would prefer:

  1. It would have been nice if they simply took the S10RIII and put a right-angled head on it and moved the switch. Done. This way we’d have standard 16340 compatibility, sub-lumen mode, timer function and a more throwy beam pattern. While we are on the subject, I’m a big headlamp user so I get that for the most part, headlamps are generally used for close up work, so a flood might be more useful than a spot. That being said, I can easily turn a thrower into a flooder by adding some sort of diffusion film/filter and the fix can be more permanent, but still reversible. Going the other direction? Converting a flooder into a thrower? That’s definitely a more complicated fix, and not quite as reversible. And I get that the S10RIII has a deep SMO that wouldn’t be easily turned 90 degrees. So great, start out a little less throwy. I don’t see this as a problem, given the function.
  2. I prefer a sub-lumen low (like the S10RIII, seeing a pattern here?).
  3. Battery level indicator would be nice, especially since they aren’t making it convenience to carry a non-Olight rechargeable spare.
  4. I would prefer the turbo mode of the S10RIII. Turbo of 600, dropping to 300 after 90 seconds, ability to re-turbo after 1 minute cooldown.

Just my $.02, for what it’s worth.

The magnetic charger is so useless. You always have to carry this non-standard cable instead of micro-USB everyone has. It would be nice to have the magnetic stand be separated from cable and has the standard USB-C jack.