Nitecore EX7 was sent to me directly by NITECORE for review.
For technical details and to purchase the flashlight:
https://nitecorestore.com/collections/n … flashlight
Nitecore recently unveiled the new EX7 flashlight, a unit built with an integrated multi-core design.
Introduced for the first time in collaboration with NiteLab, the new M515S LED uses a new X-shaped array architecture that integrates a high-light density core with four high-efficiency cores in a diagonally symmetrical design. This solution, featuring a high-light density, long-throw central core and a high-efficiency flood peripheral core, allows for flexible beam control with the choice of Spotlight, Floodlight, or Mixed modes.
The EX7 is powered by a replaceable 5500mAh 21700 lithium battery. This battery provides a maximum runtime of 570 hours (Ultralow 1 lumen).
The Nitecore EX7 is 130mm (5.12") long, weighs 140g (excluding accessories), and features a single side switch to control the 8 brightness levels.
The EX7 has a maximum output of 6000 lumens and a maximum peak beam intensity of 63,470cd with a maximum throw of 500 meters. The new Nitecore is IP68 certified (2 meters submersible) and shock resistant up to 2 meters.
Its compact size, magnetic tail, and features make it an ideal companion for signaling, location, and emergency assistance at night, for nighttime walks, night fishing, camping, and more.
Main Features:
• Utilizes four 5-core M515S LEDs, with a maximum output of 6,000 lumens
• Maximum beam intensity of 63,470 cd and a maximum throw of 500 meters
• A side button for easy one-handed operation
• Maximum runtime of up to 570 hours
• Customizable beam pattern function allows users to set different beam patterns to meet different lighting needs
• Intelligent lithium-ion battery charging circuitry with USB-C charging port
• Level indicators and power indicators available to indicate the current brightness level and remaining battery charge
• High-efficiency constant current circuitry provides stable output
• Built-in Advanced Temperature Regulation (ATR) module (Patent No. ZL201510534543.6)
• Two-way stainless steel clip included
• Optical lens with anti-scratch coating on both sides Sides
• Constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy
• Military-grade HA III hard-anodized finish
• Features a magnetic tail with tail holder option
• IP68 rated (submersible up to 2 meters)
• Shock resistant up to 2 meters
Specifications
Length: 130 mm / 5.12"
Head diameter: 35 mm / 1.38"
Tube diameter: 28 mm / 1.10" (clip not included) 34 mm / 1.34" (clip included)
Tail diameter: 28 mm / 1.10"
Weight: 140 g / 4.94 oz (battery and accessories not included)
Warranty Service
All NITECORE products are guaranteed for quality. Any DOA/defective product can be replaced with a replacement product through a local distributor/retailer within 15 days from purchase. Subsequently, all defective/malfunctioning NITECORE products will be repaired free of charge within 60 months from the date of purchase. Beyond this period, a limited warranty applies that covers the cost of labor and maintenance, but not the cost of accessories or replacement parts.
The Manual:
The Nitecore EX7 arrives in a classic dark box. Inside the box, I found: the Nitecore EX7 with the Clip and Battery installed, the USB-C charging cable, a spare O-ring, a Lanyard, a manual, a quick start guide, and warnings.
Nitecore EX7 is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum alloy with a military-grade HA III hard-anodized finish. It is waterproof and dustproof to IP68 (2 meters submersible) and shockproof to 2 meters.
On the tail there is a powerful magnet to anchor the torch, despite its weight, on ferrous materials.
The EX7 sits very comfortably in the hand and is 130 mm long, weighing 215 g (including battery and clip). The attractive knurling on the body provides a secure grip, even when the flashlight is wet or when wearing gloves. The rear cap is also knurled for easier grip when unscrewing.
The Nitecore EX7 is composed of two parts and is controlled by a single switch on the side. The lettering on the body is well-made.
If necessary, the Nitecore EX7 can be placed upright (stand-up).
The Nitecore EX7 features a steel clip held in place by two small screws. The clip also comes with a carrying strap. The clip is rigid and securely holds the flashlight securely when tucked into your jeans.
The supplied, removable battery is a 5500mAh Nitecore 21700 Lithium (NL2155HP) with a maximum battery life of 570 hours (Ultralow). The EX7 can also be powered by other non-proprietary batteries, with the button on the positive side, but a discharge current of at least 20A is recommended. The charging time in QC mode, measured by me, is about 3 hours (max 2.4A).
For the battery contacts, there is a plated spring at the top and one at the bottom. This system ensures a constant flow of electricity between the battery and the device, essential for proper operation even under stress. The battery should be inserted in the traditional manner, with the positive terminal facing the head of the flashlight.
On the head of the Nitecore EX7 we find a slightly crenulated bezel and an optical lens system with anti-scratch coating on both sides. At the center we find a new LED system with OP reflectors that uses 4 M515S 5-core LEDs, (one central and 4 lateral) to deliver a maximum output of 6000 lumens. This new system from NiteLab, if developed in the future, offers an alternative to the complicated zoom systems seen to date.
With the Nitecore EX7, the SEARCH (Spotlight) beam covers a maximum distance of 500 meters, while the more powerful LUMIN SHIELD beam covers a maximum distance of 400 meters. In the Nitecore EX7, these powerful levels are continuous and not momentary as seen previously.
The Nitecore EX7 has a single side switch. The metal button is a decent size with a quiet click. The button is easy to find, even when wearing gloves.
Around the button are several LED indicators. On the left are four blue LEDs that indicate the current power level, while to the right of the button are four green LEDs that indicate the battery charge level. The indicator type is indicated by two labels next to the LEDs.
These LEDs light up for approximately five seconds each time the EX7 is turned on.
When the battery charge is below 5%, a power indicator flashes red, while the output may decrease or the flashlight may become unresponsive.
Indicator Status, Power Level:
4 Green Steady On 75% - 100%
3 Green Steady On 50% - 75%
2 Green Steady On 25% - 50%
1 Green Steady On 5% - 25%
1 Red Flashing <5% (recharge or replace the battery as soon as possible)
On the opposite side of the switch is the USB-C charging port, protected by a thick rubber cover.
During the charging process, the four green indicators will gradually change from flashing to solid green to indicate the battery level. When the battery is fully charged, the EX7 will stop charging and the power indicators will remain solid.
The lighting function is available during charging, with the exception of SEARCH, LUMIN SHIELD®, and STROBE. When fully charged, standby time, according to Nitecore, is approximately 12 months.
Nitecore EX7 compared to other Nitecore flashlights.
User Interface (UI), Bundle and Runtime
The Nitecore EX7’s user interface is easy to remember after a short learning period. The EX7 has eight brightness levels, including LUMIN SHIELD (Floodlight) and SEARCH (Spotlight). The levels are well spaced, with the lowest setting, “Ultralow,” dimming 1 lumen.
After more than two weeks of testing, I can say that it’s quite simple to use, even considering the side switch alone. However, in some cases, you have to turn the EX7 off and on again to change the available levels (after 3 seconds from power on). The main innovation is the Spotlight, Mixed Light, and Floodlight sequence, which are activated by holding down the button.
The Nitecore EX7 also features an electronic lockout. When the light is off, hold down the side button, even after accessing ULTRALOW, until the light and all indicators flash three times to indicate that Lockout mode is activated.
Unlocking is then done by briefly pressing and then holding down the side button until all the indicators light up in turn and the ULTRALOW is activated. The EX7 automatically unlocks when charging or replacing the battery in Lockout mode.
Drawing and coloring the bundle.
Nitecore EX7 in the wall test with the medium 180 lumen level, in Mixer Light, has a beam with the classic 4-parabola design, without obvious artifacts with a bright hotspot and a slightly yellowish color corona. However, I appreciated the color of the beam outdoors.
The CRI, measured with the OPPLE Light Master Pro, an inexpensive and reasonably accurate device even if not calibrated, is normal at around 70 Ra with no particular color casts. Flicker is in the green range, which is not at risk. Below are some of the values I found:
In Spot Light/SEARCH (3000 lumens), the measured CCT value is 6172 while the Ra is 72.3 Duv = -0.0013
In Spot Light/HIGH (600 lumens), the measured CCT value is 5719 while the Ra is 70.8 Duv = 0.0026
In Flood Light/HIGH (600 lumens), the measured CCT value is 5724 while the Ra is 71.3 Duv = 0.0025
In Mixer Light/LUMIN SHIELD (6000 lumens), the measured CCT value is 6061 while the Ra is 72.6 Duv = -0.0013
In Mixer Light/TURBO (1500 lumens), the measured CCT value is 5783 while the Ra is 71.6 Duv = 0.0012
In Mixer Light/HIGH (600 lumens) the measured CCT value is 5676 while the Ra is 70.8 Duv = 0.0030
In Mixer Light/MID (180 lumens) the measured CCT value is 5631 while the Ra is 70.6 Duv = 0.0039
Nitecore EX7 has a powerful beam in both the 3000 lumen SEARCH and 6000 lumen LUMIN SHIELD modes. The SEARCH mode using only the center LED has more throw than the LUMIN SHIELD using all five LEDs.
In Mixer Light, the average brightness of 180 lumens allows for safe walking with a good close-up view.
Below are some peak values (in cd) I found measuring at 5 meters. No PWM is visible to the naked eye.
The table values are in brackets (ANSI/PLATO FL 1-2019):
Mixer Light HIGH 600 lumens (7580cd): 7101cd
Mixer Light TURBO 1500 lumens (20270cd): 19350cd
Mixer light LUMIN SHIELD 6000 lumens (40300cd): 40050cd
Spotlight MID 180 lumens (4570cd): 4527cd
Spotlight HIGH 600 lumens (13288cd): 12663cd
Spotlight TURBO 1500 lumens (30746cd): 30510cd
Spotlight SEARCH 3000 lumens (63470cd): 59400cd
Floodlight TURBO 1500 lumens (10200cd): 10224cd
Using a thermal imaging camera, I measured heat distribution across the body of the Nitecore EX7 in its most powerful mode, LUMIN SHIELD at 6000 lumens, after 1 minute and 2 minutes, and in Spotlight TURBO mode, after a full 45 minutes from startup. Heat distribution across the body of the flashlight is good.
The runtimes were conducted indoors at a temperature of approximately 24°C, using the included battery, a fully charged Nitecore 21700 5500mAh.
Please note that the values shown in the graphs should be taken primarily as reference values, as they were obtained with hobbyist-level equipment and environmental conditions different from those used in a laboratory.
The Nitecore EX7 features ATR (Advanced Temperature Regulation) technology, which adjusts the product’s output based on working conditions and the surrounding environment to maintain optimal performance.
In “SPOTLIGHT” mode, with the 3000 lumen SEARCH setting, approximately 70 seconds after turning on, the brightness drops sharply to approximately 1000 lumens, still below the 1500 lumen TURBO setting. The brightness then remains nearly constant for approximately 60 minutes before slowly decreasing. With the 1500 lumen TURBO setting, brightness drops rapidly after about 7 minutes from startup. Then, as with the SEARCH setting, the brightness remains nearly constant for over 50 minutes before slowly decreasing due to battery power.
With the 600 lumen HIGH setting, brightness remains constant after startup for over 160 minutes before slowly decreasing.
In “MIXEDLIGHT” mode, with the 6000 lumen LUMIN SHIELD setting, brightness drops rapidly after about 50 seconds from startup, bringing the brightness to approximately 600 lumens at the HIGH setting. The brightness then remains nearly constant for over 86 minutes before slowly decreasing. With the 1500 lumen TURBO setting, brightness drops rapidly after about 5 minutes from startup. The brightness then remains nearly constant for over 70 minutes before slowly decreasing due to battery power.
In “FLOODLIGHT” mode with the 1500 lumen TURBO level, the luminous flux drops significantly after about 10 minutes from start-up. Subsequently, the brightness remains constant for about 90 minutes after switching on.
The first 70 minutes:
VIDEO Unboxing and Use
CONCLUSIONS
Nitecore recently released a new flashlight in collaboration with NiteLab, the EX7. Featuring the new M515S LED, featuring a high-intensity, long-throw central core and a high-efficiency flood peripheral core, it allows for flexible beam control with Spotlight, Floodlight, or Mixed modes. This innovative solution offers unprecedented control over modes and brightness.
The Nitecore EX7 comes complete with a 21700 5500mAh lithium battery (replaceable), a clip, and a lanyard. I really appreciated the EX7’s compact size (130mm) with its excellent grip, its excellent construction, its power and runtime indicators, and its many available levels, including an ultra-low 1 lumen setting.
The new Nitecore has high brightness but only has a single switch for complete control of levels, modes, etc. The many lighting options available with the EX7 and the single switch make for a more complicated user interface than the traditional one we’re used to, particularly when it comes to changing levels and shutting off, which are timed to 3 seconds.
The compact size, magnetic tail, and its features make it an ideal companion for many uses, including signaling, search and rescue, night walking, night fishing, camping, and more.
Definitely an excellent product: innovative, powerful, and with excellent battery life.
Thanks for reading the review.
Roberto
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