Tiara / Tiara Pro. Multi-flashlights

[ssanasisredna]

You're making some pretty big assumptions here. Are you an optic specialist? This light uses a TIR(total internal reflection) optic, not a reflector, and not only a TIR but one with a honeycomb diffuser. Do you know for sure that the emitter size effects the beam pattern on this particular optic? Do you know whether or not the emitter is at the same distance from the optic on the XM-L2 vs the XP-L model? Do you know how the normal variances in emitters effect beam angles? Do you know if the beam angle is exactly the same on each light even with the same emitter? Do you know how the optic depth/recess into the body effects beam angle? Do you know, for sure, if the beam angle is even any different then the specs?

My standard for calling someone an expert is beyond my skill in optics. Given that I have developed custom TIR optics, reflectors, light guides and basic optical systems for illumination that are used in production, I am pretty confident to make the comments I did.

- Exact same listed X-Y angle distribution
- Exact same hotspot size at given distance
- Similar OTF lumens
- Vastly different peak candela

Something is not adding up.

As another poster has mentioned, the runtimes (stated as with a 2000mAH NiMh on their website) are "optimistic", though impossible would be more accurate.

Reality is it's $50 .... it's not a big deal, just would like to know what I am getting ..... In Advance.

 

[moshow9]

One of the concerns I have read about was the exclusion of physical manuals with the lights when purchased. I believe it was the same for me way back when I ordered an early version (maybe 1st?) of the Wizard Pro.

For what it's worth, this Black Friday I ordered the Tiara C1 Pro Warm in 90CRI and Warm XP-L, as well as the Partner C1 Warm XP-L. I was pleasantly surprised to find printouts of the manuals for each included.

 

[eraursls1984]

They have a 10 year warranty with almost no exclusions. That is better then most other companies. How long ago was this? Did you contact them about the warranty via their service email? Yes. Did you make them a video like they asked? Yes. Did you even check what version light you had and if it matched the manual(there has been a number of versions as they improve the firmware)? I bought the very first version, before they ever had a V2. In their subforums they said they send different versions (betas, non-finallized UI) to their authorized dealers, and not to buy from them. Apparently I have a beta version that is completely different from their first manual (which was online only and no longer available). As I said, they have had some issues(I waited to try them for this reason) but seem to be improving their service all the time and seem to have worked out many of their new company issues. They even now handle all shipping and warranty service through their new location in Canada for the US and Canada. After a year when they finally replied back to me, because of the noise I was making on the forum, they told me it would take at least one month and could take a few months since it would need to be shipped to China and they don't make frequent shippments. All their lights come with updated manuals now with instructions for the newest versions. Mine all work exactly as described in the manual. There have been a number of stories of the good experiences people have had with them over the last while. Woods Walker just made a thread about his experience last week in fact. I myself just dealt with them as well and they were friendly and helped me out right away. They even went above and beyond and are sending me some o-rings at no charge. My experiences with some of the other companies have been far less pleasant.

Anyway, what do you think of their lights after using them for a while now? Well I can't even use the light for the purpose I bought it for because I doesn't have the mode I need. It had a very nice rosy tint, but that faded and now it's a nice neutral tint. The tint is about the only positive thing I have to say about the Tiara I received.

 

[Illumina]

Ok, after 3 months, my replacement Tiara A1 Pro arrived. Armytek didn't have any more high CRI models left, so they offered to replace my light with a XP-L warm one. I accepted, but that meant that they had to ship it from China.

Unlike my old light, this replacement light does actually have two turbo modes.

 

[Tachead]

Here are a couple of runtime/output graphs for the Tiara C1 Pro V2 XP-L(Warm) for anyone who is interested.

Test Description

Ambient temperature 22C

No cooling

Battery - KeepPower High Drain IMR18350 750mAh(Actual tested capacity 650mAh/Resistance 26 milliohms)

Battery capacity and resistance measured on an Xtar VP4 Plus Dragon charger/analyzer

Runtime and graphs measured with an Extech HD450 datalogging light meter

Numbers on left(vertical) are Lux and numbers on bottom(horizontal) are the real time

Test #1

Turbo 2(567 lumen)

Runtime until step down - 26 minutes 6 seconds

Test #2

Turbo 1(233 lumen)

Runtime until step down - 1 hour 6 minutes 40 seconds

 

[Woods Walker]

I think they showed 1 hour 50 minutes of runtime in the site. What did yea get for the total runtimes?

They showed this.

"Modes, light output andruntimes (measured withSanyo Eneloop AA 2000 mAh/ Armytek CR123A 1500 mAhuntil the light output drops to10% of the initial value)"

Given your use of a battery type their numbers might be spot on. They sell Keeppower 18350 of 900 listed mAh. Bet that would do it.

 

[Tachead]

I think they showed 1 hour 50 minutes of runtime in the site. What did yea get for the total runtimes?

They showed this.

"Modes, light output andruntimes (measured withSanyo Eneloop AA 2000 mAh/ Armytek CR123A 1500 mAhuntil the light output drops to10% of the initial value)"

Given your use of a battery type their numbers might be spot on. They sell Keeppower 18350 of 900 listed mAh. Bet that would do it.

These tests were not meant as a comparison to the listed runtimes. They were meant to show the Tiara Pro's regulation performance and runtimes until stepdown on a commonly used rechargeable cell instead of a primary.

Runtime until step down is a better(more realistic) measurement for a given mode because once the light falls out of regulation(steps down) it is no longer in the same mode. This is the actual time that the light holds a constant regulated brightness in its particular mode. This is how all manufacturers should list/measure their runtimes imo.

I am aware of KeepPower's 900mAh 18350's but, I don't use them because they are protected ICR's and are only rated at 2C(1.8 amps) continuous discharge which is too low for some of my lights(borderline for this one on Turbo 2 really). The cells I am using are unprotected and are rated to 8 amps continuous discharge so they hold their voltage better, have no risk of protection circuit cutoff or failure, and will run safely in most high power lights. I also used them in this test because they are one of the most popular and top performing 18350's on the market and hoped the tests would be helpful to as large of an audience as possible.

Nice pic:thumbsup:

 

[Woods Walker]

These tests were not meant as a comparison to the listed runtimes. They were meant to show the Tiara Pro's regulation performance and runtimes until stepdown on a commonly used rechargeable cell instead of a primary.

Runtime until step down is a better(more realistic) measurement for a given mode because once the light falls out of regulation(steps down) it is no longer in the same mode. This is the actual time that the light holds a constant regulated brightness in its particular mode. This is how all manufacturers should list/measure their runtimes imo.

I am aware of KeepPower's 900mAh 18350's but, I don't use them because they are protected ICR's and are only rated at 2C(1.8 amps) continuous discharge which is too low for some of my lights(borderline for this one on Turbo 2 really). The cells I am using are unprotected and are rated to 8 amps continuous discharge so they hold their voltage better, have no risk of protection circuit cutoff or failure, and will run safely in most high power lights. I also used them in this test because they are one of the most popular and top performing 18350's on the market and hoped the tests would be helpful to as large of an audience as possible.

Nice pic

Yup I know you were not looking to verify AT's numbers but thinking maybe you did.

 

[Tachead]

Yup I know you were not looking to verify AT's numbers but thinking maybe you did.

Different batteries with different chemistries can give different results depending on the amperage draw(some are better at high draw and some at low draw). A batteries mAh rating doesn't really mean much because it varies depending on how much load is put on the cell during discharge. The only way to truly verify AT's numbers is to use the same type of battery. I don't have any Armytek 1500mAh CR123A's unfortunately or I would run a test for you.