[Submitted as a REVIEW]
Introduction
This light was provided by Manker for review.
The Manker E02 is a right-angle AAA flashlight from Manker featuring a Cree XP-G3 LED. (A Nichia 219C is also available.) It advertises output up to 220 lumens yet has a very low moonlight mode. It has a pocket clip and lanyard for varied carry options as well as a magnetic tail.
Here are the key review details in one table for the TL;DR folks:
Packaging
The E02 provided for testing is an engineering sample so it arrived in a plain brown box without any retail marking.
Opening the box, the E02 is nicely protected by foam.
An envelope contains spare o-rings, lanyard, and pocket clip. No user manual accompanies this sample.
Design
The Manker E02 is a very compact AAA flashlight. One of the most unique aspects of its design is the right-angle head.
It is 72 mm long with a width of 20 mm at the head, per Manker. Weight without battery is 32 grams.
It is very compact – shorter than the Lumintop Tool.
For perspective, here's a comparison with other lights.
(L to R: 18650-based Convoy S2+, AA-based Manker E11, RCR123-based Olight S1R, AAA-based Lumintop Tool, AAA-based Orcatorch EA01, AAA-based Manker E02, 10180-based Helius Sigma IX.)
The Manker name and E02 model designation are engraved on the side of the right-angle head.
Note that this is not simple printing/embossing – but actual engraving with the printing therein. It is very clear and high quality.
The back side of the E02's head has 3 fins. While they add a little bit of surface area for cooling, the main benefit is grip.
(If holding the E02 so that forefinger is on the switch, thumb and middle finger will rest on this area.)
The flat sides of the head prevent the E02 from rolling (in the absence of pocket clip).
That switch is a simple black rubber circle, as found on other Manker lights like the E14 II. It has no backlight or logos. It is surrounded by a chrome-colored ring.
The bezel is a flat chrome-colored ring inset into the head of the light.
The reflector is a very mild orange peel texture.
The XP-G3 isn't absolutely perfectly centered but is close enough that no complaints are warranted.
The glass is AR-coated.
The tail of the E02 is magnetic. The magnet is strong enough to hold the EO2 vertically or horizontally on ferrous surfaces.
The battery tube knurling, diamond pattern, is not overly aggressive. Both head and tail end threads are square cut and anodized.
The head end contact for the battery is a single post. It is surrounded by a black foam disk that appears to add polarity protection but it does NOT.
(I inserted a battery in backwards, tightened it down, and felt the E02 tube get hot immediately – reverse polarity protection is not present!)
The tail cap has a single gold-colored spring.
The included pocket clip, being chrome-colored, nicely matches the bezel and switch rings. It can be attached head-up or head-down. It attaches securely but is not too difficult to remove when desired.
The included lanyard is good quality and has Manker branding. It can also be cinched down, ensuring the lanyard doesn't slide off a wrist accidentally.
However, the attachment hole in the tail of the E02 is not large relative to the lanyard. Threading it by hand is next to impossible; a paperclip or other narrow gauge rigid object is needed to thread the lanyard.
Performance
The moderately deep, mildly orange peel reflector and small footprint XP-G3 combine to produce a fairly tight but not sharply defined hotspot. The corona is also fairly tight, quickly blending the hotspot to spill. Thanks to the smooth bezel, edges of the spill are clean and even.
Observe the shape, but not the color, in these photos.
The E02's XP-G3 LED is cool white. The hotspot was closer to neutral, but the spill is very cool and has a definite blue tint that is noticeable indoors and on white surfaces.
To demonstrate the color balance, here is the E02 alongside lights with emitters of various tints.
(L to R: Olight S1R with cool XM-L2, Manker E02 with cool XP-G3, Helius Sigma IX with XP-G2, BLF348 with neutral 219B, and Lumintop Tool with warm 219B.)
As you can see, the E02 has the bluest spill.
Here it is with a decidedly cool XM-L U2 1B Convoy S2+ and the 291b-based BLF348. The picture presents the BLF348 slightly rosier than in reality, but it does show how the E02 has similar tint to the Convoy.
Manker rates the E02 at 220 lumens on Turbo. I consistently tested Turbo at 203 lumens – with both Eneloop and Eneloop Pro batteries. The E02 maintained over 200 lumens for exactly 3 minutes. At the 3 minute mark a timed stepdown took effect; the output ramped down to about 66 lumens at the 4 minute mark.
[Update 5/28/17: Manker's product documentation reports the stepdown is to 70 lumens at the 3 minute mark -- right on the money!]
It held about 64 lumens through a full 2 hours and 8 minutes – an extremely well-regulated output. Eventually the output was reduced to about 12 lumens for the final 10 minutes.
On high, the E02 also displayed excellent regulation and flat output. Manker rates it at 70 lumens. From turn-on through 120 minutes, output was 64 lumens on my meter. At just over the two hour mark it stepped down to 12 lumens, lasting another 20 minutes before dropping to moonlight mode.
Unsurprisingly, Low also displayed flat and regulated output. Manker rates it at 16 lumens. About 12 lumens were measured from turn-on until the battery was out at the 10 hour mark. (Technically speaking, the output did rise to nearly 14 and drop to nearly 11 in the final hour on my meter, but this is not significant and wouldn't be noticed by human eyes.)
Finally, Manker rates the ultralow/moonlight mode at 0.6 lumen. I found about 0.4 lumen in my testing, though I consider this result insignificant. The moonlight mode is programmable from ~0.1 lumen through around 3 lumen – so the setting as delivered doesn't matter very much.
After all tests, I found the battery to be at or above 0.8V.
Also note that the output performance was consistent between Eneloop and Eneloop Pro on all modes.
An AmazonBasics Alkaline AAA was also tested and while it produced a lower Turbo output, High and Low mode outputs were the same as with the Eneloops.
I tested throw distance at 1.46 meters and the resulting candela was 937 - equivalent to 61 meters of throw. This exceeds Manker's 55 meter rating slightly.
I did not detect PWM on any modes using the "mirror test".
The light never got too hot to be comfortable in any mode due to the timed stepdown on Turbo.
Outdoor Beamshots
All photos taken with a Canon SD4000IS camera. 1/4" exposure, ISO800, Daylight white balance.
Approximate distances: White deck railing @ 15 ft., white fence in distance @ 75 ft., center of boat @ 100 ft.
Control shot:
Low:
High:
Turbo:
Interface
The E02 uses Manker's traditional yet flexible interface. With a single click, it ramps from moonlight to Low to High and back down with subsequent button presses. A double-click is used to access Turbo and the other special modes. And from off, a long press returns to the last used mode.
Turbo requires a very fast double-press. It is not easy to do accidentally when changing modes. In fact, it often took me multiple tries due to the small size of the E02.
Moonlight/ultralow mode programming can be accessed with 4 fast presses. There are 21 different steps. They offer great adjustability, but they are not linear. The first 8 are extremely low, the last 3 are very bright, so I find modes 9 through 18 to be the "normal" adjustment range.
(This image is from the E02's product page: http://www.mankerlight.com/manker-e...20-lumen-cree-xpg3-nichia-219c-led-flashlight)
Problems
No problems were experienced. Manker's standard warranty is 24 months.
Commentary
The compact size, great grey anodization, flexible carry options, flat outputs, and lack of visible PWM make the E02 a great light in my book. I do wish the E02 had less blue in the spill, but really that's the only negative I found with this light. Given the price point under $20, it represents a good value.
[Update 5/28/17: Manker has corrected the specifications that originally reported dimensions of 105 mm x 44 mm in error.]
Meter: Dr. Meter LX1330B
Integrating "sphere": Homebuilt tube-style device calibrated on other known lights and test results. Numbers should be considered relative to each other and my other review figures but accuracy is in no way certified or guaranteed.
Camera: Canon SD4000IS
Introduction
This light was provided by Manker for review.
The Manker E02 is a right-angle AAA flashlight from Manker featuring a Cree XP-G3 LED. (A Nichia 219C is also available.) It advertises output up to 220 lumens yet has a very low moonlight mode. It has a pocket clip and lanyard for varied carry options as well as a magnetic tail.
Here are the key review details in one table for the TL;DR folks:
Packaging
The E02 provided for testing is an engineering sample so it arrived in a plain brown box without any retail marking.
Opening the box, the E02 is nicely protected by foam.
An envelope contains spare o-rings, lanyard, and pocket clip. No user manual accompanies this sample.
Design
The Manker E02 is a very compact AAA flashlight. One of the most unique aspects of its design is the right-angle head.
It is 72 mm long with a width of 20 mm at the head, per Manker. Weight without battery is 32 grams.
It is very compact – shorter than the Lumintop Tool.
For perspective, here's a comparison with other lights.
(L to R: 18650-based Convoy S2+, AA-based Manker E11, RCR123-based Olight S1R, AAA-based Lumintop Tool, AAA-based Orcatorch EA01, AAA-based Manker E02, 10180-based Helius Sigma IX.)
The Manker name and E02 model designation are engraved on the side of the right-angle head.
Note that this is not simple printing/embossing – but actual engraving with the printing therein. It is very clear and high quality.
The back side of the E02's head has 3 fins. While they add a little bit of surface area for cooling, the main benefit is grip.
(If holding the E02 so that forefinger is on the switch, thumb and middle finger will rest on this area.)
The flat sides of the head prevent the E02 from rolling (in the absence of pocket clip).
That switch is a simple black rubber circle, as found on other Manker lights like the E14 II. It has no backlight or logos. It is surrounded by a chrome-colored ring.
The bezel is a flat chrome-colored ring inset into the head of the light.
The reflector is a very mild orange peel texture.
The XP-G3 isn't absolutely perfectly centered but is close enough that no complaints are warranted.
The glass is AR-coated.
The tail of the E02 is magnetic. The magnet is strong enough to hold the EO2 vertically or horizontally on ferrous surfaces.
The battery tube knurling, diamond pattern, is not overly aggressive. Both head and tail end threads are square cut and anodized.
The head end contact for the battery is a single post. It is surrounded by a black foam disk that appears to add polarity protection but it does NOT.
(I inserted a battery in backwards, tightened it down, and felt the E02 tube get hot immediately – reverse polarity protection is not present!)
The tail cap has a single gold-colored spring.
The included pocket clip, being chrome-colored, nicely matches the bezel and switch rings. It can be attached head-up or head-down. It attaches securely but is not too difficult to remove when desired.
The included lanyard is good quality and has Manker branding. It can also be cinched down, ensuring the lanyard doesn't slide off a wrist accidentally.
However, the attachment hole in the tail of the E02 is not large relative to the lanyard. Threading it by hand is next to impossible; a paperclip or other narrow gauge rigid object is needed to thread the lanyard.
Performance
The moderately deep, mildly orange peel reflector and small footprint XP-G3 combine to produce a fairly tight but not sharply defined hotspot. The corona is also fairly tight, quickly blending the hotspot to spill. Thanks to the smooth bezel, edges of the spill are clean and even.
Observe the shape, but not the color, in these photos.
The E02's XP-G3 LED is cool white. The hotspot was closer to neutral, but the spill is very cool and has a definite blue tint that is noticeable indoors and on white surfaces.
To demonstrate the color balance, here is the E02 alongside lights with emitters of various tints.
(L to R: Olight S1R with cool XM-L2, Manker E02 with cool XP-G3, Helius Sigma IX with XP-G2, BLF348 with neutral 219B, and Lumintop Tool with warm 219B.)
As you can see, the E02 has the bluest spill.
Here it is with a decidedly cool XM-L U2 1B Convoy S2+ and the 291b-based BLF348. The picture presents the BLF348 slightly rosier than in reality, but it does show how the E02 has similar tint to the Convoy.
Manker rates the E02 at 220 lumens on Turbo. I consistently tested Turbo at 203 lumens – with both Eneloop and Eneloop Pro batteries. The E02 maintained over 200 lumens for exactly 3 minutes. At the 3 minute mark a timed stepdown took effect; the output ramped down to about 66 lumens at the 4 minute mark.
[Update 5/28/17: Manker's product documentation reports the stepdown is to 70 lumens at the 3 minute mark -- right on the money!]
It held about 64 lumens through a full 2 hours and 8 minutes – an extremely well-regulated output. Eventually the output was reduced to about 12 lumens for the final 10 minutes.
On high, the E02 also displayed excellent regulation and flat output. Manker rates it at 70 lumens. From turn-on through 120 minutes, output was 64 lumens on my meter. At just over the two hour mark it stepped down to 12 lumens, lasting another 20 minutes before dropping to moonlight mode.
Unsurprisingly, Low also displayed flat and regulated output. Manker rates it at 16 lumens. About 12 lumens were measured from turn-on until the battery was out at the 10 hour mark. (Technically speaking, the output did rise to nearly 14 and drop to nearly 11 in the final hour on my meter, but this is not significant and wouldn't be noticed by human eyes.)
Finally, Manker rates the ultralow/moonlight mode at 0.6 lumen. I found about 0.4 lumen in my testing, though I consider this result insignificant. The moonlight mode is programmable from ~0.1 lumen through around 3 lumen – so the setting as delivered doesn't matter very much.
After all tests, I found the battery to be at or above 0.8V.
Also note that the output performance was consistent between Eneloop and Eneloop Pro on all modes.
An AmazonBasics Alkaline AAA was also tested and while it produced a lower Turbo output, High and Low mode outputs were the same as with the Eneloops.
I tested throw distance at 1.46 meters and the resulting candela was 937 - equivalent to 61 meters of throw. This exceeds Manker's 55 meter rating slightly.
I did not detect PWM on any modes using the "mirror test".
The light never got too hot to be comfortable in any mode due to the timed stepdown on Turbo.
Outdoor Beamshots
All photos taken with a Canon SD4000IS camera. 1/4" exposure, ISO800, Daylight white balance.
Approximate distances: White deck railing @ 15 ft., white fence in distance @ 75 ft., center of boat @ 100 ft.
Control shot:
Low:
High:
Turbo:
Interface
The E02 uses Manker's traditional yet flexible interface. With a single click, it ramps from moonlight to Low to High and back down with subsequent button presses. A double-click is used to access Turbo and the other special modes. And from off, a long press returns to the last used mode.
Turbo requires a very fast double-press. It is not easy to do accidentally when changing modes. In fact, it often took me multiple tries due to the small size of the E02.
Moonlight/ultralow mode programming can be accessed with 4 fast presses. There are 21 different steps. They offer great adjustability, but they are not linear. The first 8 are extremely low, the last 3 are very bright, so I find modes 9 through 18 to be the "normal" adjustment range.
Problems
No problems were experienced. Manker's standard warranty is 24 months.
Commentary
The compact size, great grey anodization, flexible carry options, flat outputs, and lack of visible PWM make the E02 a great light in my book. I do wish the E02 had less blue in the spill, but really that's the only negative I found with this light. Given the price point under $20, it represents a good value.
[Update 5/28/17: Manker has corrected the specifications that originally reported dimensions of 105 mm x 44 mm in error.]
Meter: Dr. Meter LX1330B
Integrating "sphere": Homebuilt tube-style device calibrated on other known lights and test results. Numbers should be considered relative to each other and my other review figures but accuracy is in no way certified or guaranteed.
Camera: Canon SD4000IS
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