TRAFFIC WARNING! EXTRA PIC HEAVY!
Imalent always try very hard to make unusual flashlights. Basical idea is “more lumens, less size”. This time they moved farther and added super-throw SBT90.2 to bunch of XHP70.2 (not to mention built-in fans). Let`s take a look if they succeeded in this or not.
you can buy Imalent MR90 at
➤ AMAZON
I cannot skip the fact that promo pics are nonsence. Flood and throw are mixed up, initial specs had different figures, ANSI is nothing but a letters to mention, brightness in runtime chart is for THROW+FLOOD (to show more lumens), while runtime is for FLOOD ONLY (to show more runtime). This is rare example of specs that look detailed, but give so few info for potential user. I added separate lines for Throw and Flood to give you at least some idea. You can find real runtime of Imalent MR90 in runtime charts in final part of my review below.
I have no idea why Imalent decided to do this. Oh, i mean i have idea. But let me pretend i dont have it.
STATED SPECS
maximum brightness and throw: FLOOD 44500 lum \ 692m (120 000 cd) , SPOT 4500 lum \ 1391 m (484 000 cd)
LEDs: 8*XHP70.2 for FLOOD, 1* Luminus SBT90.2 for SPOT
Size: 92mm (head diameter) *56mm (body diameter) *152mm (length) Weight: 900g
Waterproof IP56
Built-in pin charger
Built-in fans
PACKAGE AND APPEARANCE
No complaints at all. A stylish black cardboard box, good for a gift.
Kit includes everything you need. A flashlight itself, a wall charger unit, a lanyard, holster, a manual, spare o-rings
The holster is good
There are two fans in the head of the MR90 and a full-sized reflector for throw, so Imalent MR90 is noticeably larger than another novelty - Wurkkos TS32
There is a lot of what i dont like about Imalent. But not design. This is not sort of design that will make me tremble, but this is undoubtly good design. Imalent MR90 has its own face, this is recognizable flashlight with some taste of Sci-Fi style
The appearance of metal cover of the charging connector goes well with the black anodizing of body.
Oh. Barrel charger.I`m not happy with any proprietary charger, but, at least, usually you can plug them into USB-A \ USB-C port. Here you have goode olde barrel plug. Yeah, charge speed is really good, 2 and 1\3 hours is fast. i mean * really fast* for 4* 4000mah 21700 used here. But you are tied to this wall charge unit.
Powerbank? Charging in car while driving? Of course…if you have powerbank with AC output (like this one). Or car invertor. This is so easy, anyone has it. Type-C is for suckers.
Knurling is OK, grippy. Flashlight diameter allows it to be kept comfortably. However, I am convinced handle will perfectly fit such a powerfull model like Imalent MR90.
During countless tests for this Imalent MR90 review, i figure out that in most cases my fingers didn reach hot head. And this had may be really hot sometimes. So there are less chances to get them burned. Good.
The flashlight can be disassembled into two parts: the head and battery compartment that contains 4 * 4000 mAh 21700 batteries.
Of course, no spring, usual spring. Currents are sooo high, contact area should be wide, contact should be tight.
The head, as I said, is quite massive. Not to the point i can call it bulky, no. Just reasonably massive.
Imalent, I think, made the right step in the implementation of cooling. MS08 also has fans built-in outer plastic shell. It is to the right of the flashlight itself on pic below.
Now the fans are built into the body of the flashlight itself. And, believe me, they do a very good job of cooling flashlight down.
So, and here is the button - this is a really sore spot for Imalent. None of their flashlight had button that i could find easily. Sometimes it literally required another flashlight to find this small flat piece of plastic. Ridiculous.
Well, I also read other guys`s reviews and we have common opinion that button needs to be redesigned in order to make blind find possible. I wrote to Imalent several times (guess other also did, as they also care as i do) and sent examples of convinent buttons used in other flashlights, nothing changed. I only had reply “we dont copy others, we go our own way”. You know, Imalent, sometimes everyone around use the same solution, just because it works best. And using it is not about being copycat. I definetely prefer ride on round wheels to uniquie triangle ones.
But i also respect that you keep the way you chose years ago, and dont turn from it! So, good luck with your taboo on convex button and\or constant LED backlight in the center of button!
To be unbiased, i assume that this is only me and couple of other reviewers, who dont enjoy spending time in attempts to blind find these buttons. Other users have no problems with it.
So, for me Imalent MR90 button is the same indistinguishable flat round. But! It lays between pair of protrusions this time. And finger just gets on button pretty fast in most of cases. I hope that you`ll continue placing these protrusions in next models, they really help.
Bezel teeth are only small, only to help you know if you the flashlight is on or off.
There are of 8 medium-sized reflectors with a Cree XHP70.2 for FLOOD light and deep reflector with Luminus SBT90.2 for SPOT light. This reflector is bigger than some pure long thrower have, so you can expect that Imalent MR90 will have a serious throw. Spoiler. It definetely does.
UI
Ok in general,
But! There are two things missing here:
Forced turning on fans in lower modes (no need if they are thermal activated)
Instant access to lower brightness (urgent need)
Everything else is ok and as usually, convenient.
ON/OFF on click
Brightness change - hold from ON.
Turbo - 2 clicks
Switching between FLOOD \ SPOT\ both them - 3 clicks
(un) lock 4 clicks
How the Imalent MR90 illuminates
The graphs are graphs, but here you need to take into account a very important indicator - the heating of the body. I spent a lot of time measuring it and the table makes it clear which modes are actually working here, which are close to be decorative.
All modes up to turbo are excellent (high acceptable) stabilized, runtime is good. Finally. Cant believe stabilization is something else besides line in specs, as it have been for years.
SPOT
Hmm…the flashlight sustains a significantly brighter flood light, but cannot keep a Spot Turbo. This brightness drops from the first second, 50 seconds to HIGH
The ladder on the right side of the graph is the other modes turned on in turn, for clarity of their distribution
FLOOD
They are also quite stable, runtime is expected for such brightness. And within the limits of work everything will be fine. It is worth considering only one thing - you simply cannot hold the flashlight when use higher flood light modes, even taking into account the fact that the cooling is excellent and built-in fans actually work as they should.
Turbo Flood similarly falls from the first second. So all these 44000 lumens are standard marketing splurge. The flashlight is insanely bright, but you will not see any 44000 lumens. However, for 20 seconds of unbelievable brightness + 30 more second of just crazy brightness descending to level of FLOOD HIGH is enough. This is not decorative turbo-blitz like in some compact ultrabright flashlight.
Technically, you can even immediately restart the turbo again, the point is that you no longer hold the flashlight in your hands.
Again, it would be easier if the flashlight had a handle,
Flashlight heating.
Everything is fine here. The built in fans work great here, except that the very high brightness of the flood warms up the body to a frankly uncomfortable mode.
The table below shows the temperature of the battery compartment, this is the plave where hand will holds the flashlight.
SPOT
Use without looking back in all modes. The flashlight copes with a bang with this brightness. The temperature is on the verge in High mode, but a lot depends on the ambient temperature.
FLOOD
You have 5 minutes for HIGH and 20 minutes for LOW MID. In all other modes, the case temperature is comfortable, use
SPOT+FLOOD
Everything is fine, except that you will only have 10 minutes in MID II and literally a couple of minutes in High. It’s not just the case that’s the issue - at 50°C, the button on the case is already heated to 70°C and it will hurt you to touch it. Here rubber convex would be much more practical.
LIGHT!
As for the light, I have no reason to complain at all. Well, except that I would prefer NW Flood light. But this one is also ok even for me, person who seriosly dislike Cold White.
At a lower brightness, FLOOD LOW alone is able to fully and completely illuminate the garden of my coyntryhouse, and it’s still good to highlight the neighbours’ garden. Unfortunately, the MR90 is way too bright for indoor use. Here pair of extra low modes would really help.
The flashlight illuminates a huge area in front of it in High mode. Turbo is even brighter.
MID I turns out to be quite good, if needed it can replace spot light in a radius of one and a half hundred meters. not really replace, of course, but it illuminates a lot.
Extra 50m and you will need MID II. This is Flood light, so it dissolves pretty fast.
FLOOD
The light is wonderful here. Actually wonderful. Even in low mode, Imalent MR90 shines quite far and wide
!
!
SPOT
i really like how SBT90.2 performs here, tint is perfect for this LED, so are throw and light distribution. The only thing i still dont undestand is why MR90 cannot keep turbo for SPOT, and can do it for way more brighter modes of FLOOD light.
wow-wow, there is light even in LOW mode at 200m range.
!https://s5.gifyu.com/images/720_MR90_SPOT_20089527555552a90fe.gif
SPOT + FLOOD
you also can see some impressive videos in final part of this Imalent MR90 review at utube
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
I`m glad to see that Imalent moved in the right direction. Really glad.
Point by point.
Stabilization. For many years specs of each new Imalent flashlight claimed “stabilization”. But non of them had. And, behold, - MR90 finally has it!
Built-in fans. They did a really great job of cooling. Honestly, it works beyond praise. I prefer it more than ones in plastic case.
Button. Accidentally or not, but Imalent made it easier to find the button, you will find it within one, not several tens of seconds now. They didnt improve button, no. It still the same and needs to be redesigned. But you can find it now, at least.
Light. The light is very good, i`m serious.
Flood light is bright, comfortable and wide. Runtime is long (for it`s brightness, of corse), and Imalent MR90 keeps it at the initial level.
Light is practical and comfortable. Spot light fully reveals the crazy power of SBT90.2 LED. You are just making a real tunnel in the dark. Tint is perfect for this LED.
Imalent MR90 allows you to work in higher modes of SPOT light without a drop in brightness. Both lights at lower brightnesses give a very pleasant combination of the ability to illuminate everything both near and far.
Buuuut… But with all this, Imalent still stuck in that swamp, where they were driven by obsession with marketing and unwillingness or inability to understand that the flashlight is sometimes turned on not only for the sake of “Wow!”, but for some useful purposes.
And here all the CONs begin:
The specification is wrong somewhere, lies somewhere, and hides information somewhere. The user will not understand at all what to expect from a flashlight in terms of runtime or brightness.
Barrel charger You do not have the opportunity to go somewhere with a flashlight and when charge it at least in a car or using a power bank. You are literally tied to an outlet. Type-C? Are you kidding? It would make use too easy, are you man or what, buy extra battery pack!
Runtime. In the best case, if you do not use the higher brightness (for which this flashlight was made and will be bought), you get ~6 hours for SPOT light or 4 for FLOOD.
It’s not that much for 4*21700. This is not even enough for overnight use. Even 1*16320 lights have modes with hours and hours of light.
Anyone who has some brains understand this, i guess. If you disagree, please write in comment.
2 extra lower modes with long runtime would make the flashlight really practical.
UI lacks instant access to the minimum brightness. I will not be very happy to turn on the flashlight in High mode in the middle of the night. Well, Fenix`ve been releasing flashlight with no instant access to LOW for years, and they will continue. And people are happy with these lights. But once all other Imalent flashlights have instant access, i expected MR90 also to have it. Especially in situation when flashlight is damn bright and really needs it.
Often, after some use in FLOOD light above MID I, a moisture spot may begin to condense under the glass above the SBT90.2. At least in my review example. And it takes hours to disappear.
In the end, it turned out exactly what Imalent is famous for - a flashlight with a colossal, colossal “Wow!” potential.
Hey, Imalent. Not so much is needed. 2 additional lower modes with instant access to the minimum, Type-C charging and fans activation by temperature sensor. None of this looks like an rocket science.
Add all this and you would have a wonderful flashlight. I mean, really nothing will be to complain about.
However, I am not ready to consider the Imalent MR90 like just one more “wow-thing”. You don’t think a jackhammer is impractical just because you dont use it at home, do you?
It might be perfect for certain use case. The same is for Imalent MR90. I see two scenarious, where it will show it`s best.
1) An impressive gift. Let me remind you that the “WOW! -potential” here is traditionally the highest for Imalent.
2) Short-term use close to a power outlet. Here MR90 will show it`s best side. If you need a lot of light for ~1 hour both far and wide, Imalent MR90 will give it. It is possible to work for a longer time if you do not get into the higher Flood modes, or use the Spot light solely. And then you work up, play enough and put MR90 on charge.
In general, Imalent almost succeeded. If they continue to move in the same direction, then in 1-2 flashlights they will do something that I would love to use myself. I really hope they keep on this way.
