Your preferences in a flashlight

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

Let’s change this topic into what everyone is looking for in a flashlight. A short description or list of pros and cons with pictures would be nice why you love that flashlight using that type of battery. You don’t need to give points or you can rate them according to what matters to you.

My preferences:

- No PWM (30 pts)

- NW tint / Nichia 219B (15 pts)

- Memory (10 pts)

- Simple UI (max 10 pts)

- Cycles low to high (10 pts)

  • 5 modes LL/L/M/H/T (no strobes or SOS) (max 10 pts)

LL must have around 1 lumen and L 15-20 lumens, the rest I don’t really care that much. I think around 500 lumens max is enough for me.

- Shortcut to LL and T (max 5 pts)

- Long runtimes (5 pts)

  • For each useful bonus feature (1 pt, total max 5 pts)

By giving points for each feature, some more then others due to bigger impact / deal breaker, a maximum of 100 points can be reached.

These are my favorite flashlights at the moment:

18650 - Nitecore EC21 (thrower)

Pros:

- No PWM (30 pts)

- Memory (5 pts)

- Simple UI (5 pts)

- Cycles low to high (10 pts)

- Good modes spacing (1/20/100/210/460 lumens) (10 pts)

- 3 shortcuts: LL, T and red light (5 pts)

- Long runtimes (5 pts)

- Compact size

  • Bonus feature: integrated red led (nice to have) (1 pt)

Cons:

- Need to go through Cycles to get to the wanted mode, but this can get pass by through shortcuts

  • CW tint but then again this is a thrower flashlight for using outdoors so that’s okay.

71 points

Conclusion: Very good compact thrower flashlight with nice beam and minimal spill.

AA/14500 - Nitecore MT10A (flooder)

Pros:

- No PWM (30 pts)

- Memory (10 pts)

- Perfect UI Cycles because of the two buttons for up and down (10 pt)

- Good modes spacing (10 pts)
Using AA (1/17/48/95/170) - my preferred mode
Using 14500 (1/70/180/500/920)

- 2 shortcuts (red light and T), this can be done from off or when on (2 pts)

- Long runtimes (5 pts)

- Bonus feature: 3 buttons (clicky tail, up and down buttons) (1 pt)

- Bonus feature: integrated red led (nice to have) (1 pt)

  • No parasitic drain (1 pt)

Cons:

- CW tint

- No shortcut to LL (prefer shortcut to LL instead of red light)

  • Just a bit to big for AA size flashlight

70 points

Conclusion: A good all around flashlight with perfect UI and nice balance between flood and throw. To bad it’s just a little bit on the bigger size.

AAA - Fenix E01

Pros:

- It just works (known as bombproof)

- Long runtimes and even accept depleted batteries

- Potted

- Small and light, perfect for keychain

- Cheap
Cons:

  • Tint is what people say angry blue but it doesn’t bother me because it’s only for occasionally use

Honorable mention

AA/14500 - Sofirn SP10b (flooder)

Pros:

- No PWM (30 pts)

- NW tint (15 pts)

- Memory (5 pts)

- Simple UI (5 pts)

- Cycles low to high (10 pts)

- Good modes spacing (8 pts)
Using AA (1/20/70/270) - my preferred mode
Using 14500 (2/60/224/573)

- 1 shortcut: H (from off and on) (1 pt)

- Long runtime (5 pts)

  • Bonus feature: short Cycles (LL-L-M), H is hidden only from shortcut (1 pt)

Cons:

- No shortcut to LL

  • Tube is just a little short, hence protected 14500 like KeepPower 14500 won’t work in this flashlight.

80 points

Conclusion: Good little flashlight for close searching with NW tint

2

Dude , it seems that you like a lot the points ! I have myself a lot of its , so accept mine , as a gift from me to you...Use its as you like , no restrain ! Glad I could help a brother in need...

I was joking .., I think that a lite review , a tear down or some beam shots will value more than a 1000 points , don't you...?

3

fantastic job organizing your priorities
Im also a big fan of N219b. It is more than the Neutral White Tint, it is the High CRI and rosy tint that I love.
I have no love for Cool White, Low CRI, green tint

My favorite light is the Copper AAA Maratac w Eneloop, with various LED swaps to Nichias @ 3000k, 4000k and 4500k

Im also very interested in 16340 lights, such as the Copper Olight S Mini, but it does not have my preferred color temperature nor tint. I also wish it did not have Constant Current Flicker that my phone camera can see, even though it is not technically PWM. I do like the Mode Memory, and I expecially like the shortcut to moonlight. I like moonlight that is less than 1 lumen but not less than 0.1 lumen. Not a fan of firefly that is 0.04 as in my Titanium Thrunite AAA, and especially not a fan of twisties that start that low, since I have to twist twice to get useful light.

another feature I really like is USB rechargeable LiIon, and I especially like a light that has a Low Voltage indicator, such as the Olight S1 Mini. And I like LiIon lights that have built in overdischarge protection. I do not use CR123, dont like their price, nor their smell.

I like my MecArmy PT16 with led swap to 4000k N219c. The USB charging is convenient, and I like that it can use 18350, not just 16340. But it lacks overdischarge protection. Otoh, it has NoPWM and No Constant Flicker that my camera can see

I also like using Lee filters to reduce the green tint of typical Low CRI Cool white lights:

and also to reduce the yellow tint of N219c, and reduce the yellow tint in some 219b also

I have no love for low cri that makes red things look brown
and I LOL when people post pictures of green plants, when comparing CRI and tint… Green is one of the easiest colors for an LED to make, even low cri cool white can make green things look green

My favorite keychain light to give a non flashoholic is the USB rechargeable, High CRI Manker LAD with single button interface that starts on Medium.

4

@ Jon_slder. Just give the 5D XML2 80+ cri a chance in your olight S mini. It’s not a nichia but so much better than that cold emitter you now have.

Here is mine between some 219b’s.

S41 nichia 219b (sliced domes for warmer tint), S mini 5D, tool 219b (+4400k), D25c 219b (+ 5000k, crappy ar glass replaced with plain glass)

5

I get enough points offering, to be exactly 150 Banggood points lol but thanks :slight_smile:

There are enough topics with detailed review so I want to keep this one short with just what one is looking for in a flashlight and his/her most favorite ones that come near his/her preferences.

6

- No memory, starts low (20 pts) (shortcut to low gets 5 points)

- No strobe on the way (20 pts)

- Ramping UI (5 pts)

- Changing output both up and down (cycling doesn’t count) (5 pts)

- Voltage indication (5+levels) (5 pts)

- Voltage indication (3-4 levels) (2 pts)

- Recessed switch (3 pts)

- e-switch or reverse clicky (10 pts)

- Moonlight mode (5 pts)

- High performance (10 pts)

- Compact size (20 pts)

- Efficiency (5-10 pts)

- Good heat management (10 pts)

- OK tint/beam (4 pts)

- Great tint/beam (6 pts)

  • Charging (5 pts)
    A good light scores 95+.

Emisar D4 scores 106. So does D1.

7

Since I have several unused lights, my only requirement is the light NOT to have high parasitic drain.

I don’t care much about the brand, tint, etc., for I only use my EDC 99% of the time for my lighting needs….but I have ruined several batteries because of horrendously high parasitic drain, namely my Lumintop SD75 and the Nitecore EA11.

I don’t want to become a slave to my memory to lights with that problem, either by lock-out or tail-cap loosening.

8

I find it hard weight my requirements as the weightings would change depending on the style of torch.

Priority 1 - mandatory requirements (generally only an issue on the cheapest torches):

  • No next mode memory! (I shouldn’t even have to mention this, Astrolux!)
  • Hidden strobe (or better yet, no strobe)
  • No cycling through modes to switch off (seems to be common in cheap headlamps)
  • No visible PWM

Priority 2 - highly desirable (must meet most of these to be in rotation):

  • intuitive UI (considered overall)
  • L-M-H mode order
  • Memory, or always starts on low (depending on intended use)
  • Memory, with shortcuts to moonlight and turbo (e-switch)
  • Short press for on/of, long press to change modes - not the other way round (so many great torches spoiled by this)
  • NW tint (4000K-5000K)
  • Low parasitic drain
  • <1 lumen moonlight mode
  • e-switch lockout
  • Tailcap lockout (on e-switch lights)

Priority 3 - nice to have:

  • High CRI (for low output/EDC torches)
  • 16350 or 18350 (just because I like small torches)

Since I’m yet to find a perfect torch I’m willing to compromise on most things if the overall package was good.

My Olight S10R would be just about perfect if it had a NW emitter, and the Utorch UT01 would be pretty close if it had the Olight UI. It looks like the FW3A running Andúril might be pretty close to perfect too.

9

Nice Agro! If I find the perfect flashlight that checks all my preferences then I’d buy bunch of them…but I think manufacturers know that so they always leave some features out so we keep buying them :frowning:

10

After thinking about this thread, I just bid and won an Olight S1 Mini High CRI on sale for 20% off MSRP. Destined as a Donor for the Nichia compatible TIR, the illuminated low battery indicator switch, and the USB rechargeable battery, to modify my 0Light Copper S Mini.

The end result will be a grail light for me: Copper host with High CRI N219b 4500k 9080, the Olight UI and TIR beam that I like, a low battery indicator, and a USB rechargeable Protected 16340.

My preferences and scores:

- Nichia 219B (20 pts), less than 5000k CCT, 90+CRI.

- No PWM (20 pts) or I don’t buy it

- Copper Host (20 pts)

- Low Battery indicator (10 pts)

- moonlight mode between 0.1 and 0.8 lumens, and a strobe for warning traffic when crossing the street (10 pts)

- UI with click on click off (5 pts)

- Shortcuts to Sublumen, Turbo, and Strobe (max 5 pts)

- USB rechargeable Protected 16340 (5 pts)

- TIR lens (5 pts)

- Memory (0 pts) I don’t care about this feature, but am beginning to like it

- Cycles low to high (0 pts) I don’t care about that if I have a shortcut to moon

  • Long runtimes (0 pts) using lower modes gives plenty of runtime

Copper Olight S Mini modded for Low Battery indicator and Nichia =100 points!

@bonC thank you for breaking me out of my analysis paralysis… Ive been debating how to end up with a 16340 powered copper host w N219b for months and kept waiting for a sale on the S1 Mini High CRI as a donor. I considered a Klarus Mi1c, but Im a fan of the Olight TIR.

ps there is another one on sale

after winning the bid (I used eSnipe to win without public bidding wars) you can specify you want the High CRI model.

11

Nice! Good luck with the mod.

12

may be a little while, Im waiting to find someone available to do the mod. If anyone has a suggestion for a modder, please share, maybe PM me.
Im hoping to get help from LightRider, but not sure of his availability atm

I meant to reply to this also:

thanks for the photo, very helpful, and I appreciate the LED suggestion
a friend went with one of those and is happy
but I would like higher CRI and more Rosy tint, in a copper host…
even if I have to sacrifice an S1 Mini to get there (even then it will come to less than the price of an HDS)=… :money_mouth_face:

Maukka’s review of the 0Light S1 Mini and S1 Mini High CRI, was the source of these images, that I combined

Maukka’s review of the 0Light S Mini Copper Cool White, was the source of these images, that I combined

thanks to maukka for these images from
https://www.virence.com/product-page/nvsl219bt-v1

and a more typical N219b 4000k, also thanks to maukka’s post here

collected images from maukka, showing why 219b beats 219c and XP-G3 in red rendering (R9)