A new thrower from Mateminco with a specified throw of over one kilometer and a design that takes some getting used to: the Mateminco MT70 MINI-S.
I was particularly curious about the LED, which so far is only used in the MT70 by this name: an “XND HP HI 70” with a round light emitting surface.
You can find the German version of this review on my website: SammysHP Blog › Mateminco MT70 MINI-S
I’ve got this flashlight from flashlightgo for free in return for a review. Thank you very much!
Overview of hardware
In the review I will call it the “MT70”, even though there are other models with the same name.
- Mateminco 26650 Li-ion battery with 5000 mAh (unprotected, flat-top, 3.89 V at arrival)
- Lanyard
- 2x replacement o-ring
- USB-C charging cable
- Manual (EN, CN)
Minus one point for the extremely brief manual. It includes a table with a UI description, some specifications and a few hints about charging.
Thrower and 26650 battery set certain limits to the size, still the MT70 is reasonably compact.
Length: 159 mm
Diameter (head): 64.5 mm
Diameter (battery tube): 34.0 mm
Diameter (tailcap): 35.0 mm
Weight (without battery): 259 g
Weight (26650 battery): 96 g
Weight (total): 355 g
As a direct competitor I bring the Astrolux FT03 into play (also known as the Mateminco MT35 Mini). Meanwhile it is available in other (more powerful) versions, I still have the classic one with SST-40. The Wurkkos TS30S would be an example of a flashlight with a 21700 battery.
Somehow the design of the head misses something. The smooth cone looks unfinished and doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the flashlight due to the waist. It’s a matter of taste, but I prefer the convex head of the FT03.
A few spikes on the bezel make it possible to see whether the flashlight is switched on when it is standing upside down.
The tailcap has plenty of options for attaching a lanyard. Tailstand is possible, but somewhat wobbly due to the length and weight distribution of the flashlight.
A USB-C port on the head allows you to charge the battery directly in the flashlight. It is protected from dirt and water by a silicone cover.
Positive: The cover is recessed and it is very unlikely that you will get caught on it and accidentally open it.
Charging is done at 5 V with just under 2 A. Three green LEDs behind the switch cover flash in sequence to indicate the charging progress. When the battery is full, they light up green constantly. The flashlight can be used normally during the charging process.
The USB port also works as a powerbank so that you can charge your phone in an emergency, for example.
There is a large, flat contact on the driver and a strong spring in the tailcap. As a result, there is relatively little tolerance in terms of battery length, meaning that only unprotected 26650 batteries will fit. The water resistance is specified as IP65, i.e. “protection against water jets”. In practice, this means that the flashlight should not be exposed to more than a shower of rain.
The build quality is mostly good, only the inner edge of the battery tube had a sharp burr. I filed this off so that the wrapper of the battery won’t be damaged.
User interface
The MT70 is controlled via a side switch, mostly identical in design to the FT03. It is slightly recessed, making it easy to find by feel and reasonably protects against accidental activation in the pocket (if you want to carry the flashlight in a pocket at all).
The UI is minimal. Stepless ramping from low to high, plus a slightly brighter turbo and a 14 Hz strobe. The battery voltage can be displayed in volts with one decimal place.
| State | Action | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Off | 1 click | Turn on (last used brightness) |
| Off | 2 click | Turbo |
| Off | 3 click | Strobe |
| Off | 4 click | Battery check (X.X V) |
| Off | 5 click | Lockout |
| Off | Hold | Low |
| On | 1 click | Turn off |
| On | 2 click | Turbo |
| On | 3 click | Strobe |
| On | 5 click | Lockout |
| On | Hold | Increase/decrease brightness |
| Lockout | 5 click | Unlock |
There is a reproducible flickering in the ramping, especially at low brightness. As only the duty cycle is changed, I can only explain this by a bug in the firmware.
After tightening the tailcap, the light flashes twice at full brightness. If you use the mechanical lockout by loosening the tailcap, this could be a little annoying.
I have not yet fully understood the backlight of the button. After inserting the battery, the button lights up green, flashes briefly a few times or quickly for a few seconds. Depending on how long the flashlight was previously without power. This may be due to an incorrectly detected battery voltage.
During use the button is also dimly illuminated in blue. So dim that it is barely recognizable. It should have been used as an indicator while the flashlight is off. When switched on, the status LEDs are not used to indicate the battery level.
Illumination
The really interesting part about the MT70 is its LED. It is referred to as “XND HP HI 70” and has so far only been found under this name in the MT70. Unfortunately, my research has not revealed any reliable information about the manufacturer, a data sheet or more detailed specifications. It is possible that it is a W7070ST1 from Lumen Pioneer Opto / LMP.
Most obvious feature of this LED is its round light emitting surface, which makes it possible to reduce artifacts in the beam. In fact, the smooth reflector produces a very compact, round spot, which is nevertheless surrounded by a large corona.
The large lens has an anti-reflective coating (purple colored). A regular pling is audible when the temperature changes. It is sufficient to hold the flashlight in your hand for a few seconds.
The LED has a cool white CCT with a slight green tint and low color rendering index. I would have hoped for better performance. Even the SST-40 of the FT03 provides better light quality.
On the other hand the throw of the MT70 is slightly higher than that of the FT03 with SST-40, but the FT03 is also available with an SFT-40, which achieves a similar throw.
Driver and runtime
The manufacturer provides little information regarding brightness and runtime. What is known is the specified maximum brightness and intensity. Not a word about the runtime.
| Mode | Brightness¹ | Runtime¹ | Intensity¹ (Throw²) | Current³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 3050 lm | 410 000 cd (1280 m) | 12.3 A | |
| High | 8.6 A | |||
| Low | 65 mA | |||
| Off | 43 µA |
¹ According to manufacturer ² ANSI FL1 ³ Measured
Due to the simple FET driver without constant current regulation, the brightness gradually decreases with the battery voltage. After two and a half hours, turbo reaches a point where the brightness drops significantly. After that, it continued to run at low brightness for a long time (until I stopped the test).
If the head reaches a temperature of around 50 °C, the brightness is automatically reduced. In my test with light fan cooling, this was the case in turbo after around three minutes. Depending on the cooling, the brightness seems to be reduced to varying degrees, but does not increase again with additional cooling.
The brightness is controlled using PWM at 32 kHz. As far as I can see, there is no low battery warning. If the battery drops below a voltage of 2.75 V, the flashlight switches off to protect the battery from deep discharge. However, the brightness drops long before this. Apparently the LED has a high forward voltage.
Conclusion
The Mateminco MT70 MINI-S is a nice thrower if you can live with a few limitations. Minimal UI, simple FET driver, only IP65. In addition, the manufacturer does not see a reason in advertising their product with any kind of runtime or documenting it in detail.
In some ways, the LED is also a disappointment. Bad color rendering, slight green tint. The round light emitting surface – which has recently become increasingly popular with flashlights, doesn’t help either.
Got curious? The Mateminco MT70 MINI-S is available from flashlightgo.