3 in 1 review. At the end there will be a summary for those who like only particulars, in each topic I will bold the key sentences for those who read a little more, and a long waffling for everyone else. Enjoy!
For VERY large photos: click -> on the photo page right click -> "Open image in new tab"
I got this flashlight from Lumintop for review, they gave me a promo code for you:
Table of Contents:
- General parameters
- Package content
- Appearance, parameters
- UI, runtime and charging
- PWM
- Waterproof
- Light pattern, tint
- Beamshots
- Usage and my experiences
- Gallery
- Summary
LED: 3x Cree XHP50.2
Lens: Aluminium OP reflector
Slide: AR-coated glass
Brightness: 10 000 lumens (my measurements show it's about 7596lm peak @1s, but it drops quickly)
Range: ~ 325m
Software: Anduril
The modes: ugh, it's pointless to rewrite it because it's an extensive UI: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/54947
Other functions: Battery status, beacon, several stroboscopes, candle light and other stuff
The battery: 1x 21700, unprotected, max. length 70.5mm, preferably high voltage ( it's not the best option in my opinion, but well...)
Controller: FET+7+1, low self-discharge of a switched off torch
Housing: Aluminium with hard anodisation
Switch: Electronic, back of flashlight
Water resistance: IP68
Weight: 120g without batteries
Dimensions: 40mm head x 102mm length x 28mm diameter
In the package we got:
- Flashlight
- Plastic adapter for 18650
- 2 spare o-rings
- User manual and information on how to replace the battery
(optionally, a Samsung INR21700-30T battery can be purchased together with the flashlight)
I got a tactical rubber ring put on the cap to hold the torch like this:
Supposedly in FW3A this ring was sliding down, but here is no such problem.
I will not hesitate to point out at the very beginning that this is my favourite flashlight from the FW3A family. It differs a bit from the original idea of the FW3A, the EDC pocket flashlight, because it is the largest, but it is very bright for its still small size.
See for yourself, it is the biggest one, but still (for its brightness) small and compact.
As for the construction, we have:
- Aluminium ring with gasket
- Slide with AR-coating
- 3 aluminium mini OP headlamps
- 3 XHP50.2 cool light emitting diodes on a copper substrate
- Controller and spring (thick, hard)
- Adapter for 18650
- The threads in the tube are very well greased and the gaskets are thick, and you will feel a clear resistance when you turn them on (which is of course a pro)
- Cap and e-switch
- The ring I got in the set (I don't know if you can buy it, I didn't find such an option). The head is too heavy to operate the torch in this way and therefore the ring is unnecessary anyway.
The lack of a cover in the set makes it necessary to buy one - the popular Convoy's holster from S2+ is ok for length, but too narrow in the head, while the one bigger than the Convoy is too long. If you have this small cover, it will barely fit, but it is not a solution in the long run.
Ultimately, I would recommend looking for something like a cover from DM70, which is slightly wider (maybe 1cm in width) and higher (2-3cm) than that one from Convoy.
IU
Anduril, more details at https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/54947.
Personally, I like this software a lot - of course it takes time to learn some basics, but then it becomes very practical and the user discovers how intuitive and friendly it is.
Runtime
It would depend on the battery. Let's test it on two models: a high-voltage Samsung 21700-30T with 3082mAh capacity measured by me and a second battery with much higher capacity- LG M50T with 4741mAh capacity.
We will start the test on High mode (max mode available without a double click) - I will not start with Turbo, full FET, no point for me.
30T
I will add the chart soon
M50T
I will add the chart soon
And now the first 2 minutes, so let's see how the brightness decreases from Turbo mode. The temperature sensor is calibrated and the temperature at which the brightness decreases is set to 55°C
You can clearly see that the flashlight is very hot and it will shine for about 15 seconds with full brightness. Maybe in the nighttime conditions, when it is cold, it will shine for 20 seconds. This is a natural feature of small and bright flashlights, no surprise. That's why there's such a big difference in brightness between the High mode, which is available in normal brightness boost, and the Turbo mode, which is available in a double click - the last one should only be used for a while.
Yes, visible at the lowest mode, at the brightness used for walking no longer visible.
IP68
I tested for 2 hours at 25cm depth, no leakage, so the test passed with flying colours
The colour is cool, which doesn't bother, because it makes it brighter and the brightness is a point of this model. The light is even and very wide. Tint shift can be noticed, but it is ok since it doesn't bother me in the field.
ISO200, t2s, f/3.5 sunlight white balance.
Firstly, the pictures showing how this forest looks like:
The right pictures:
High mode, i.e. the maximum mode available in ramping, no double-click
Turbo Mode
This mode gives a lot of light, seriously. I'm impressed because the flashlight is quite small, but it heats up very fast.
Max brightness is 7596lm, but during this shot flashlight already decreased its brightness, so I assume it is about 7000lm. Still impressive.
For me, this is a great flashlight, considering its price and brightness. In addition, it is equipped with Anduril software - more advanced but fun - which I liked a lot. Cool light may be a downside, but it gives the flashlight a brighter light.
Summary
FW21 Pro is a flashlight with 3 XHP50.2 diodes and declared brightness of 10000lm. With the addition of relatively small dimensions, the WOW effect is guaranteed. In short, I recommend this torch to anyone who is craving for lumens at a reasonable price.
Pros:
+ High brightness
+ Relatively compact dimensions
+ IP68
Cons:
- Cool light can bother some people
About host - threads, knurling o-rings and so on
Rating: 10/10
About light - UI, tint and so on
Rating: 9/10
1 - very bad flashlight hurts to look at, terrible quality, not worth any (even very low) price
5 - average flashlight, at a reasonable price - for the average person "great". Or better flashlight, but overpriced
10 - flashlight meets all my expectations in a given category (e.g EDC, headlamp, thrower), it's durable and neatly made, perfect light tint, worth its (even slightly inflated) price - just pure perfect, so I doubt any light can get a 10 from me
