Favorite reviewers?

clemence · 2019-06-12T10:39:35.000Z

I’m only interested to reviews with measured graph and data, not just manufacturer’s spec and subjective comments.

- Selfbuilt [CPF], unfortunately not much update for years. My favourite reviewer for years until Maukka started his first review

- Maukka. For flashlight, currently he’s the best (he fulfilled my specific data interest such as CRI, beam pattern, and runtime)

- Zeroair. Best all rounder, especially if you want to recommend a flashlight to your non flashaholic friends

HKJ. The only robot reviewer in the community. All impressions wrapped in extremely simple closing: “I like it” or “I don’t like it”. VERY useful for flashlight and gadget related items such as batteries and chargers.

[Clemence]

P10pablo · 2019-06-12T11:07:25.000Z

That’s fair, before I found BLF I used to go to CPF and sometimes I still go there, but it is basically too much for me and I feel like I get lost in the details. It definitely does not help me with whatever are the fundamentals of my current buying methodology now.

When I got my Thrunite TN306 and my Olight S30R Baton ii I was deep in the graphs. I knew for a fact those were the only two lights i’d ever buy again and I wanted to see charts and analysis . I have now switched to being obsessed about UI and pocket placement and as long as a light has 500 lumen I think i’m ok.

Too bad there isn’t a reviewing duo out there. Formal and informal, to play off of each other with the details and commentary. I’d kinda like to see both in one place.

Old_Mate · 2019-06-12T11:16:42.000Z

When i first started collecting lights i always watched Marshall from Goinggear - one of the best. RIP

Flying_Luminosity · 2019-06-12T11:42:14.000Z

junglejim13660:

I like Trail Trek. He does a great job with his beam shots by comparing different lights. Also a fan of Flashoholics, AdventureSportFlashlights, Mr Baz, Scannerguy1968 and ThatCrazyFlashoholic 67.

Only just discovered Trail Trek. The guy is great, currently watching his FT03 review.

ZoomieFan · 2019-06-12T13:32:00.000Z

Any reviewer that also tests efficiency.
That’s what for me sets a review apart from the crowd.

USA · 2019-06-12T14:34:14.000Z

David Sunshine, Maukka, Adventure Sport Flashlights

atbglenn · 2019-06-12T15:25:09.000Z

Old Mate:

When i first started collecting lights i always watched Marshall from Goinggear - one of the best. RIP

I agree. Too bad he’s gone.

zeroair · 2019-06-12T18:32:22.000Z

bmengineer:

No one is going to mention maukka or zeroair? By far my two favorites - maukka for the extremely thorough analyses, and zeroair because he basically reviews every single light well. I could use his website as a catalogue.

clemence:

Zeroair. Best all rounder, especially if you want to recommend a flashlight to your non flashaholic friends

Huge thanks to both of you for reading, and for your very kind comments!

I agree with a lot of the above “favorites” - there are a host of quality reviewers out there today!

liquidretro · 2019-06-16T21:36:27.000Z

MascaratumB:

Mr Baz is a good one!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPQuh0Lwy-n9TaLP7KKOiA/featured

EDIT:
I just mentioned the one for the batteries and chargers. Other member are already pointing out some other channels. Still, here are some contributions (besides the ones being mentioned):

- Living Survival - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWrLlP_ZrgyMC6Qhbg2ibtw

- Zozzlights (aka Zozz) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfavqV2ROUElkYNDp70EoQA

- WeAllJuggleKnives - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMoNMHFOMoxjqrjlH2FVTIA

- ThatCrazyFlashaholic 67 (aka Brainsick67) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_X9x0IgN_MzTUWRC3VPqgA

- Room X - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsCI-eoVV1CFzXREAHialyQ

- Bushcraft412 - https://www.youtube.com/user/Bushcraft412/videos

- jojoselected (German) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWZO6XxLiyAQP1qxw5rCFoA

- Jon M (aka liquidretro) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjOFhS2Y6JLk5_QHGb53nEQ

LumenReviews (aka Budda) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXBLPBOC7VVJGOdsV01DUHg

And this is a similar thread from sometime ago: your fav flashlight youtube reviewer?

Thank for including me as well. A lot of people don’t realize I have the written version of my reviews on my blog at https://liquidretro.net/ as well as the Youtube

CM2010 · 2020-05-04T18:22:56.000Z

Marshall is most prob my fav of all time, i think his videos were the first i ever watched.

Charles Bridgetec is the worst, so monotonous and doesn’t he auction off the lights he gets to review?

Scallywag · 2020-05-04T19:10:14.000Z

I don't watch video reviews. There are definitely some reviewers that stand out on this forum. But mostly I'm willing to give a shot to anyone's review, and if it's not great I just won't finish reading it.

The following are features I look for:

Beamshots with good comparisons
UI description
Lumen measurement - at least a comparison to other well-known lights, I know not everyone has calibrated lumen-toobs
Size comparison pictures to other well-known lights (just measurements is okay)
Honest critique of what you consider flaws, or would want changed/improved. If you don't dislike anything about the light I don't trust you, sorry.
- I get that you might be getting lights for free, and afraid if you're negative about something then it could be the last light you get. So, get creative. Talk about what you'd "like to see next time" or wait on posting and see if you can get to where you can post the review with a line like "I've addressed these issues with [manufacturer] and they say a fix is forthcoming" or whatever. But if you tell me a HMLMH mode-order, next-mode-memory light is the perfect enthusiast light I'm never gonna read anything else you write.
Awareness of currently popular features and lights. No, you don't have to compare everything you review to a D4v2/KR4/FW3A - but a single-emitter 18650 tube light probably deserves to show up in some pictures with an S2+ or FW1A or something the average BLFer is familiar with. But if it's a quad with no aux lights and costs twice as much as a KR4/D4v2, maybe touch on that (especially elaborating on if you can figure out any sort of reason why that may be)

Things I don't care about but have never minded scrolling past:

Descriptions or assessment of the packaging
Comparisons to uncommon lights. Sure, put it in a photo with a Nitecore GP3 CRI - I don't know what that is, but it won't bother me unless that's all you've got

Things you lose points with me for posting:

White wall hunting pictures without a reference light in the same photo (or otherwise noted consistent manual camera settings across photos)
A lazy text-review with no pictures and a nearly simultaneous "WTS" thread for the light you received for free in exchange for your honest review (I actually saw this with a recent Wurkkos light...)

Things you get bonus points for:

Disassembly:
- Assessing how mod-able the light is
- Actual pictures of disassembly
- Recommendations/Instructions for disassembly/mods
- Seriously, there have been times I've had a mod idea come up in my head and have NO way to tell if the host is within my skills/tools to work with other than asking and hoping a modder on here has one and tried opening it already or is willing to for science

jon_slider · 2020-05-04T19:13:37.000Z

bmengineer:

By far my two favorites - maukka for the extremely thorough analyses, and zeroair because he basically reviews every single light well.

maukka and zeroair are also the first sources I check

I hate Mr. Baz because he moves the light towards and away from the camera constantly while talking. In fact, I dislike video reviews and avoid them.

I much prefer written reviews.

richbuff · 2020-05-04T19:21:21.000Z

My first favorite reviewer was Selfbuilt, but he retired shortly after the Noctigon Meteor came out. After that, Marshall ascended to the Infinite Light.

I never met a flashlight review that I didn’t like, because even the briefest first impressions that are posted are better than I can do.

hodor · 2020-05-04T20:25:55.000Z

Other than those already mentioned, bmengineer and MascaratumB come to mind . TK’s overviews/reviews are good too.

Not going to start pointing fingers but there are a couple I stay away from because they never tell me anything useful, like comparing beamshots of a Tool AA to a BLF GT. I’m being facetious but you get my point.

Ventsi · 2020-05-05T08:58:44.000Z

ZeroAir for flashlights.
HKJ for batteries.

mortuus · 2020-05-05T12:04:19.000Z

Old Mate:

When i first started collecting lights i always watched Marshall from Goinggear - one of the best. RIP

yeah metoo, his olight reviews were great and a reason i started show interest in their lights back then… but now these days its mostly matt i watch for light reviews on youtube, and hes funny too lol… ThatCrazyFlashaholic 67 is also not bad.

Jinx · 2020-05-05T21:30:52.000Z

Favourite reviewer, well that would be Foy

An example for more recent members… https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/2284

strayz · 2020-05-07T07:48:40.000Z

Jinx:

Favourite reviewer, well that would be Foy

An example for more recent members… https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/2284

I miss His reviews. They were fun to read and informative as well. I kinda wish he would make a comeback and start reviewing lights again.

freeme · 2021-10-09T14:54:45.000Z

Both are outstanding flashlight reviewers.

acab:

advanced knife bro - cpfselfbuilt

jon_slider · 2021-10-09T15:41:40.000Z

liquidretro is not accurate regarding the RRT-01:
“Nichia 219C at 90CRI”

nealsgadgets makes the same inaccurate claim:
Nichia 219C is 90+

I think both Neal and liquidretro were misled by the common assumption that Nichia = High CRI. And I dont think either of them has the tools, skills, or desire to recognize the difference between a Low CRI and High CRI Nichia LED… (I tried to educate liquidretro, but he chose to ignore the data I sent)

fwiw liquidretro runtime charts down show actual lumens… (same as selbuilt)

imo zeroair is better than selfbuilt, one reason is that zeroair runtime charts show actual lumens… I find this very helpful. zeroair recently added a spectrometer to his tool kit… now there is no chance he would fail to notice when a Nichia is Not High CRI. (he received a Low CRI 5000k 219c in one of his lights, and we were all very confused by the funky color… turned out to be another Low CRI Nichia…)

another great reviewer is pol77
he has tremendous modding skills, and posts a ton of pictures
he also has a very complete runtime data logger