Today, So glad to introducing you ACEBEAM New Release W35!
The new W35 is the first LC DEL(Liquid Crystal Diffractive Electro-optic Lens) zoom LEP flashlight, you’ll have the power of a spotlight and floodlight by taping the zoom button. This light boasts a max of 800 lumens and max throw of 2600 meters ( 8530.2 feet), 1690000 Candela. Powered by an included 21700 battery, Simply recharge it via USB Type-C port on the tail switch. This W35 flashlight is the reliable choice for outdoor operations, tactical and law enforcement, search and rescue.
Long ago when I read the specs of the W50 I knew it was exactly everything I could want in a searchlight but at a very high price and unavailable to the consumer market. Simply unobtanium.
Along came the M1 Terminator and I was thrilled Acebeam was adopting the concept of a focusable LEP. I absolutely love mine yet still wanted a large lens/long range model with a zoom feature with higher lumen output.
Wonderfully, this new W35 is exactly what I was hoping for. An relatively affordable real world attainable scaled down version of the W50’s ($2500) performance in a W30 size package and price.
Standing ovation for Acebeam for brilliantly innovating the use of electrochromic diffusion with a LEP source to provide unprecedented functionality as a “zoom” feature. Finally a LEP design that can be used as a single all-purpose flashlight: my Grail!
Many thanks Acebeam for finally making the light I’ve wanted for years. Ordered this morning. So excited I can’t wait to sample it firsthand. Cheers!
Looks very interesting. I wish the sustainable output was higher than 470 lumens though. I know that’s a respectable amount of light but I’m spoiled by lights that can maintain twice that. Maybe I’d be sold if I handled one–wish there was a brick and mortar store that had them up for demonstration.
What a fantastic and cool light. Can you please tell us the functions of the rear switch? Can you change modes with that switch? If it a power on and off switch and is it a forward clicky?
My W35 arrived. What a great light. It is alot more useful being able to mix the amount of spot/flood. The lumen output is good for walking if the light is mostly set on flood. The tint is definitely not high CRI but that will probably keep improving as time goes on. I’m not sure how this light will hold up if it is dropped. It feels rugged but there has to be some moving parts inside. Just a guess, I don’t know.
Rest assured your W35 is a solid quality build. It has a factory rating of 1.5 meters ( around 5 feet ) of impact resistance. Thats really substantial. There are no moving parts in the W35. The diffuser lens is variable electric actuated liquid crystal, not to worry about its risk of damage.
The only complaint i have about my W35 is the beam takes on a strong greenish tint when i use the zoom modes. I also notice a loss of lumens when using the zoom.
My M1 Terminator which uses a mechanical focusing lens to achieve the zoom effect produces a very homogenous evenly distributed sharply defind circle of pleasant neutral white.
I think my W35 is now a designated “catch and release”.
If anyone’s interested in a very lightly used W35 please PM me.
From the description, this is an electronic zoom light using a liquid crystal lens. If that’s accurate then there should be no motors or moving parts inside. It’s all electronic… even the zooming function.
I only know of one other light that used a similar liquid crystal lens but without a LEP. I forget who made it, but it came out a few years ago and was listed for around $400.
This light’s specs sound amazing. A zoomie with colossal 2.6 km throw, coupled with decently wide and bright 800 lumen flood. And it’s small enough that carrying it around wouldn’t be a huge chore. Also, with no moving parts it should be completely waterproof, unlike most zoomies.
The price is quite high though… definitely a light for someone who really needs a light with massive throw and has the cash to spend on it.
The other light with a liquid crystal diffuser lens you referred to was the Manker Crown which had the spectacular and very expensive SBT90.2 LED. Despite its performance, it was discontinued in less than a year because its $550 asking price really limited its sales.
While the W35 is pricey its $60 cheaper than the W30 it replaces from 2019. With performance and design improvements its a solid LEP value. It is waterproof to 2 meters.
Looks good. I think this Acebeam may actually sell. It’s price is high, but not ridiculously out of bounds given that it has the liquid crystal zoom and is a high-throw LEP light.
Very different from that Manker that had a ludicrously high premium added for the liquid crystal zoom. Especially so, given that someone in this forum even tracked down the liquid crystal lens they probably used and found it was a $30 part.
Paying twice the price for the zoom feature on the Acebeam makes a bit more sense than paying five times the price to get that feature on the Manker.
Keep in mind most quality performance LED emitters sell for $5 to $10 each. The all-conquering juggernaut Luminus SBT90.2 commanded a whopping $50 for just the LED. It was impossible for Manker to sell the Crown model any cheaper given the exotic car priced LED coupled with the huge development cost of innovating the liquid crystal lens. It looked amazing in beamshot videos. I was saddened to see it disappear.
Anyone interested in a lightly used W35 please PM me
Not quite sure I agree with your assessment on the Manker’s price.
$50 for SBT 90 LED
$30 for liquid crystal lens.
$550 list price. So $480 for the body, driver and other parts common to all flashlights, plus profit margin. This still seems overpriced to me, even for a small run.
Put another way, if they took out the liquid crystal lens and just sold it as a similar looking SBT90 light, it would not have been worth $520.
