The LEP Flashlights discussion thread - discuss LEPs here

Updated the graph with small LEP lights. Here's a copy
The dark red is the Olight Odin.

It starts quite a bit lower than many of its competitors, but after a few minutes, it's one of the best performing LEPs.

Correct to all of that including being overpriced. Well how does it perform as a tactical weapon light??? When used to clear a room in a suburban environment it’s terrible. Imagine going into an unknown room with possible unknown targets & having zero spill the only place you get light is from the thin beam. This is far from ideal as you could imagine. It also has a real green tint that’s not helpful. Well how does it perform in the field at various distances at night in the dark? Once again you have issues, the high candella beam is ok through an optic when you have a target in sight but finding that target is very difficult. Your eyes are essentially in no light mode and you have a tiny very bright spot to scan with. Without any spill it’s very hard to do. Interesting product, beautiful high Olight quality but as a tactical weapon light it’s far from being fit for purpose. The warrior series wether the ‘pro’ or ‘turbo’ does what the LEP can do plus a whole lot more. Look for anyone wanting an LEP this might be ok but totally not the right tool for a tactical weapon light by which it’s being marketed. I like like Olight, have bought enough of their products to be rated in the top 0.02% of customers in their loyalty program but I have to give this new Odin a big fat fail!

Very cool graph! Looks like my W10 gen 2 compares pretty well… planning on taking it out on the beach to see how far it shines

Will we ever see LEP Flashlights in the 50.00 to 80.00 range?

I'm pretty sure we'll eventually see some sub $100

I just bought the new Lumintop

https://budgetlightforum.com/comment/reply/77300

Nice...updated the OP to add the Lumintop

Yeah I got the black/gold and wish I’d bought 2 for a Father’s Day gift. The specs look better than my W10 gen 2

Are you going to be reviewing the new L3K which Maxtoch decided to release just after your review? Someone on Reddit said it appears to be using the new WP-NT2 LEP module instead of the WP-RX which we’re used to seeing in most 500 lumen LEPs. The specs on bl-light website show it to be about 25% brighter at the same current and have even more intensity. This is really exciting stuff! I’m supposed to be sleeping but I’m researching LEPs. :smiley:

Wow that thing looks amazing. Anybody have one yet?

Yeah, you should have gone to bed!

I also saw a picture where the LEP module looks like the newer shine-through models instead of the mirror design.

When i first saw that kind of design inside the Jetbeam and Astrolux I thought this was going to be a step back in terms of performance, but the Olight Odin Turbo also uses this technique and performs really well. And like you said the L3K is also using this technique, and I'm very curious how it stacks up agains its older sibling the L2K.

Yes, my copy will be sent out with their 2nd batch.

Reviewed the Lumintop Thor 2, mainly with a 18650 battery in order to compare it with the other LEP flashlights I have.

I added my measurement in the OP

I’ve been combing through BLF trying to decide which LEP to buy first. The graphs help a lot, thanks ChibiM. I’m wondering which current LEPs (since I see I can’t buy a WP1 anymore) have the largest beam?

I think for my uses, wider hotspot and higher lumens would be preferred to higher candela.

Thanks for asking.

You'd have to look at the smaller LEPs, like the Weltool W3 PRO, Jetbeam RRT M1X Raptor etc.

Lumens are low on almost all of them.

All reviews and beamshots are in the OP to get an idea about the beam.

Today I got the Nextool 4Tool L10 LEP flashlight. A complete gamble because nothing can be found about it on the internet. But not thát great a gamble because they all use the same few LEP modules that are around and they perform similar, what remains is how good is the lens and have they focused it well.

The L10 seemed nice and compact to me, about as compact and simple as you can fit a LEP module in a 18650 flashlight, I like that. The onboard USB-C charging I find convenient too!
I got it with freeme’s code and payed 103 euro shipped to my home with VAT (new EU rules) arranged by Banggood (not sure how they do that, prices have not gone up).

Here is the size with some other flashlights: Neal’s LEP light (1000 kcd) because it is the other LEP light that I have, the Thorfire VG10 because that is closest 18650 light in size, and the Supwildfire (with dedomed XP-G2 S4 2B) because that is a 18650 reflector thrower that has similar output and throw as the 4Tool L10.

The effective lens diameter is 25mm, and I see no AR coating. My impression is plastic and since it has no glass in front of it I guess I should be careful not scratching it. The module is not the type with the visible mirror straight above the phosfor, so I guess it is a back-illuminated phosfor type. But since the head and bezel seem glued (sofar :smiling_imp: ), I have no details. Edit: a picture of the module through the lens was easy actually (pic on the right), definitely back-illumination.

I directly tossed the 2600mAh battery that came with the light and put in a VTC6. The beam on a white wall is a bit messy (some extra ringy reflections from some surface, unlike Neal’s LEP that has a very clean beam) but outside in the open that will be gone and the performance is certainly there: I measure 440 kcd (7 meter distance, 30 seconds, but it keeps up the throw well), which is well over the specification of 360 kcd.

I will do more measurements later (output, maybe runtime) and a beamshot when it gets dark, or else maybe Chibi would like to borrow it for a review?

It actually looks nicer than in the stock pics. Though I do think they could’ve improved the square design around the button.

They made sure that it looked as un-tacticool as they could. :smiley:

Hey Djozz,

Not bad at all in terms of throw! Actually pretty good to be honest.

That's nice of you.

For 1lumen.com we have 1 on the way though, and I hope it will arrive soon. So no need to send it for the moment :D

Appreciate the thought!

Ah, great that you have one incoming, will leave the dirty work to you then :smiley:

Olight odin turbo arrived yesterday.

At first I was turned off by the mount base that is permanently part of the handle. After a few hours of use I started to like that. You can avoid it or use for grip. They could have dehorned it a bit…edges are not sharp, but a little harsh for soft hands.

This is just my second olight, but I don’t get the disdain I see from people. S2 baton is the longest I have ever stuck with a light, and I am quite pleased with this purchase and confident it will be one of my most frequently used.

Other downsides. Proprietary battery (for charging), Samsung 40t is too short. Tail threads are not anodized, so to lock out you have to screw the tail cap off so much it might fall off. Maybe it has electronic lockout. When all else fails, read the instructions.

Not a fan of the UI, but not sure what I would change. I will just use high. Momentary is easier with extended switch.

Pictures and wall hunting the beam looks pretty yellow. To my eye outdoors it is much more neutral. No fog last night, but some fire smoke. I am confident it will cut through fog better than any aspheric I have bought or built.

I am glad I bought a small lens LEP. Outside 100m the beam becomes useful to me. Pic is probably 350m,standing under last street light on the street, on purpose, because I find that impressive.

This will work amazing for boating, and come October 1st, the coyotes here will learn the hard way what an LEP is, however briefly.

I had no idea how great LEPs are based on reviews and beamshots. I spent countless hours trying to build lights like this, and this is far superior performance, much smaller, incredible runtime and almost no heat. I hope someone crams one into nightwatch nsx4e.

Optical and digital zoom on my phone, different take.