EDIT 05/22/2018 - 20% OFF DISCOUNT CODE (non-affiliate) https://goo.gl/KLwsTU = code: ECFKL.
Hi BLF,
I recently bought the DQG Slim Titanium from Banggood. I’ll make a short review of it, as I didn’t find other online reviews for this, only some information given by users.
Threads on BLF about this are here:
Of course, the ‘magician’ CRX picked up some DQG Slim Ti tubes and had some fun DQG Slim Extension Tube Light Builds
These are the links for (non-affiliate):
FLASHLIGHT: https://www.banggood.com/DQG-Slim-XP-G2-230LM-3Modes-NW-Multimaterial-LED-Mini-LED-Flashlight-p-1195841.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN
EXTENSION TUBE: Schlanke DQG-Taschenlampe aus Titanlegierung/Edelstahl/Messing mit Verlängerungsrohr Sale - Banggood Deutschland sold out-arrival notice-arrival notice
POCKET CLIP: DQG / Klein / Schlank / AA / 14500 Taschenlampe aus Edelstahl mit Mini-Clip Sale - Banggood Deutschland-arrival notice-arrival notice
I contacted M4DM4X for a code and picked one from his page: https://m4dm4x.com/
I have to say that I ordered this light to try to mod it (different driver and LED) but I don’t know if it will happen, as I’ll explain later :person_facepalming:
So…
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Body Colour / Material: Titanium alloy
Emitter: XP-G2 (NW)
Lens: TIR optic
Batteries: 1 x 14250 Li-ion (1/2AA) /// 1 or 2 x AA batteries (Ni-MH, Zinc-carbon, Alkaline; NiCd) /// 1 x 14500 LiFePO4 3.2V /// 14500 x Li-Ion 3.7V //
Reverse Polarity Protection: Not specified
Waterproofness: Not specified
Impact resistance: Not specified
Low Voltage Indication: “if the light begin breath twinkle, that means battery is under low voltage, should be replace a new one later”
Warranty: 12 months
NOTE: on the user manual the information about using 2 x 14250 is contradictory !! On a line says it can be used, and on the other says it can’t! Maybe there is a mistake there. If I would guess, 2 x 14250 is probably not allowed due to overall Voltage.
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USER INTERFACE
Well, nothing more than:
- from OFF, full click on the tail switch for ON
- from ON, half press the switch to change modes through Low > Medium > High
- from ON, full click to turn it OFF
The flashlight seems to have a next mode memory if you click for ON > click for OFF > fast click for ON again! The time “gap” for this next mode memory seems to be around 3 seconds.
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LUMENS & RUNTIME
I would say that the next information I write below needs confirmation because there are some things missing, namely the specification of highest output for 14500 (and eventually 14250) vs AA batteries.
So, I will write this based on the User Manual specs (and some deduction…) and mix it with the Banggood information. :person_facepalming:
On 1/2 AA (14250) (UM specs by deduction)
Low: 2.5 lumens >>>>> 17 hours
Medium: 40 lumens >>>>> 4 hours
High: 160 lumens (???) >>>>> 45m
On single AAs (UM specs)
Low: 2.5 lumens >>>>> 35 hours
Medium: 40 lumens >>>>> 8 hours
High: 160 lumens >>>>> 1.5 hour
On 2 x AAs (UM specs by deduction)
Low: 2.5 lumens >>>>> 70 hours
Medium: 40 lumens >>>>> 16 hours
High: 160 lumens >>>>> 3 hours
On 14500 batteries (Banggood specs)
Low: 2.5 lumens >>>>> 60 hours
Medium: 40 lumens >>>>> 6 hours
High: 230 lumens >>>>> 1 hour
NOTE: the specs from the Banggood site are different from those presented in the “User Manual”.
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PACKAGE AND FLASHLIGHT
Well, about the package…it is as small as the flashlight.
I thought that I would get a bigger package but…I didn’t! So, let’s take a look at it
Inside the flashlight box there was the flashlight, 2 white o-rings and the User Manual!
Inside the extension tube bag, there were 3 other o-rings
Outside the box, there was some information about the flashlight namely the material, tint and the type of flashlight. My guess is that DQG uses the same boxes for all their small flashlights Smart!!!
Let’s take a look at the FLASHLIGHT!
It is composed by: bezel; TIR; o-ring; maybe a detachable/unscrewable pill that I didn’t manage to take out; LED (XP-G2, Neutral White with rosy tint) sitting directly on the driver; the “head tube” and the tailcap.
As you’ll see below, the tail cap is composed by: the main “cap”, a “double sided threaded tube”, a plastic stuff (don’t know how you call it), a spring, the reverse clicky switch and the button with an o-ring! The tailcalp had a small ring for keychain attachment, but that hole can also be used to put a lanyard.
Some initial dismantling…
And some later dismantling! Why? Because I decided that I wanted to be curious and see how the tailswitch was… and I ended up jamming the tail switch. It stopped working and I tried to dismantle it…
Conclusion: I ended up FU&%#§G everything on the tail, because I didn’t realize that inside the tailcap there was a double side threaded tube that fits in the tail and in upper parts (extension tube or “head” tube). So I destroyed the plastic stuff and I didn’t manage to put it back in again.
I had to use a regular reverse switch from Convoy, filled the PCB and made it fit the tailcap, between the button and the double side threaded tube. It works fine, but…it had to be my first mod in this flashlight :person_facepalming: :person_facepalming: :person_facepalming:
The TIR Lens it uses! I replaced it later but a “pebbled” TIR lens for a more uniform and floody beam. Inside the lens, the shape of the hole is conical, not cylindrical, so there are no major artifacts on the beam due to the led centring issues. (I tried some cylindrical lens I have and those artifacts quickly emerged, unlike on the original one).
Below the TIR, there was a thin layer of Glow-In-The-Dark tape… Well, I put a larger piece of it
A closer look to the o-rings and the extension tube! LOL
The tube has some knurling. The top part of the tube has the threads outside while the lower part has them inside.
And a (not so closer) look to the User Manual! The Manual is common to the other flashlights of this brand! I shrinked it a bit to (try to) show the “specific specifications” of the DQG Slim! (click for larger images)
As I mentioned, I also ordered a pocket clip. The pocket clip is similar to the one of the Lumintop Tool AA, but it is a little bit longer. It has no anodizing and is made of Stainless Steel. It fits well on the DQG Slim Ti
BTW, the clip arrived before of the DQG and the tube as it was from a different BG warehouse.
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BEAMSHOTS & OTHERS
Well, some tint comparison first. From Left to Right:
Manker E11 (XPL CW) >>> Olight S1R Baton (XML2 U2-1A) >>> Sofirn SF14 (XP-G2 NW) >>> DQG Slim Ti (XP-G2 NW) >>> Sofirn SF10 (Luxeon V 4000K)
The beam pattern ! I couldn’t do much better than this. The light has a floody beam with a hotspot in the middle. These photos are all with the same mode ON, but with different focus on the beam. The shift is mostly due to the camera, as in naked eye observation the beam doesn’t produce major shifts. As mentioned, this LED provokes a more rosy than yellow tint that I like
With AA Ni-MH battery, 1.5 m from the painting
With 14500 Li-Ion battery, 1.5 m from the painting
This light has no PWM in any mode. However, on the HIGH, there is some whining, mainly on 14500 batteries.
(L > M > H)
Size comparison with other lights and batteries:
Left to Right:
Olight S1R Baton > DQG Slim Ti (with extension tube) > Convoy S2+ (18350) > Manker E11 > Sofirn SP10B > Lumintop Tool AA > Sofirn SF14 > Sofirn SF10
Left to Right:
hc-lights.fi (AAA / 10440) > DQG Slim Ti (with extension tube) > Amutorch S3
Left to Right
DQG Slim Ti (with extension tube) > Panasonic Evolta AA Ni-MH > Sanyo UR14500P > Efest IMR14500 > Sofirn 14500
I must say that the DQG Slim can take button and flat top unprotected 14500 batteries. I don’t know if it takes protected cells as I don’t have any
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HUM…CONCLUSIONS???
Well, this is a well built flashlight. Despite it’s small size, it will handle some falls
The major concern with this, for me, may be the tailcap and the switch, as there have been reports on it, and also because a change in the alignment on the tail (between the metallic sheet of the switch and the button) may cause malfunctions.
Other than this…well, the only issue is the possibility to lose this flashlight in your pocket if you’re not using it on the keychain or with the pocket clip (“use it or lose it” alike xD )
However…I’ve become somewhat disappointed with one thing: I wanted to mod this light like I’ve done in others, replacing the driver and LED…but due to it’s architecture, I won’t probably be able to do that, as I might incur in severe damage to the light! :person_facepalming:
(Yeah, I’m not CRX )
So I’ll use it as it is and…I’ll enjoy it :sunglasses:
Regards to all!! Feel free to ask questions or make remarks! :+1:
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NOTE: Being a flashlight that takes different batteries, I opted to put on this subforum as it seemed to me the most adequate, as many people may use this in the 1 x AA / 14500 format