# NiteCore EZ123 and EZCR2 Reviews: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, and more!



## selfbuilt (Jul 30, 2009)

_*Reviewer's Note: *The EZ123 and EZCR2 were provided for review by NiteCore. Please see their website for more info on the EZCR2 and EZ123 _

*Warning: Pic heavy!*







*Specifications from manufacturer's website:*

CREE Q5 LED 
EZ123 uses one CR123A/RCR, EZCR2 uses one CR2/RCR2
Brass heat sinking guarantees efficient and effective thermal management
Twist-activated output for easy one-handed operation
Straight-forward UI with two modes of output
Military-grade aluminum alloy
Mil-Spec Type-III Hard-Anodized finish resists scratches
Extensive knurling for excellent grip
Current-regulated circuitry 
Water resistant to IPX-8 standard
Reflector optimized for a balance of output distance and spread
Impact-resistant optical-grade glass lens with anti-reflective coating
Flat base allows light to tail-stand like a candle
Designed to fit standard camera mounts 
EZ123 Dimensions: 70mm (length) * 19mm (diameter), Weight: 26grams (without battery)
EZCR2 Dimensions: 63mm (length) * 17.5mm (diameter), Weight: 20grams (without battery)
The EZ123 and EZCR2 are the new members of the EZ line, following in the footsteps of the inaugural EZAA reviewed previously. The design philosophy of the series is consistent - all models feature a simple two-stage twist interface and generally similar build. The differences between the models are subtle, but there are a few (aside from the battery sources, of course ).






Packaging is similar to the other NiteCore small light series, and comes with a one-page instruction sheet, warranty card, wrist lanyard, extra o-rings, and new "lock-style" keychain clip. No holster or body tube clip is included (or available, AFAIK).

Since I know size is the prime concern for a keychain light, here’s how things compare:





(from left to right, Duracell CR123A, EZ123, EZCR2, EZAA, Duracell AA)





(from left to right, Fenix L0D 1xAAA, EZCR2, EZ123, NiteCore EX10)

EZAA: 85mm x 16.6mm, 20.9g (no battery)
EZ123: 70mm x 19.0mm, 26.2g (no battery)
EZCR2: 62mm x 17.5mm, 22.5g (no battery)

In keeping with the EZAA, these new members of the family are similarly among the smallest I’ve seen for their respective battery classes. Note the walls seem slightly thicker on the EZ123/EZCR2 (which explains why they are slightly heavier than the EZAA).






















Fit and finish are excellent on my samples, no blemishes or flaws. Screw motion is fairly smooth on both, right out of the box. As with the EZAA, all lights have a brass pill – which is visible at the interface between the body and the head. All lights have a tripod screw attachment in the base (and can tailstand). With the slightly thicker walls, hand feel is very good on these new models. :thumbsup:










The emitters are all well centered, and give a fairly smooth beam. For beamshots below, all lights are on “standard batteries” to show you their regulated levels – Surefire CR123A (EZ123), Sanyo Eneloop (EZAA), and Panasonic CR2 (EZCR2). Distance is about 0.5 meters from a white wall. 

*Hi mode:*














Spillbeam width for the EZ family is typically is slightly less than traditional size lights of the same battery class, likely due to the narrower head/reflector. The CR2 and EZAA seem to share the same reflector, and the EZ123 is slightly larger (leading to slightly wider spill). As you can see above, on standard batteries, the output of the EZAA and EZCR2 is about the same on max, while the EZ123 is brighter. Things are a bit more complicated on Li-ion rechargeables – scroll down to runtimes for more info.

*Lo mode:*










I’ve included a couple of slower shutter speed shots to allow you to compare the low modes. As you can see, the lights all differ on the Lo mode outputs, with the EZCR2 and EZ123 both being brighter than the EZAA. Scroll down to the summary table and runtimes for more details. 

*User Interface*

User interface is very straight-forward: tighten the head until the light comes on (Lo mode). Keep tightening until full contact is made and the light switches to Hi. On my samples, it typically took about half- to three-quarters of a full turn past the Lo activation point to reach Hi. To turn off, loosen the head until the light turns off. :kiss:

As always, I recommend you be careful and not overly tighten the light on Hi. Even with the spring in the head, there is always a potential for this sort of design to result in battery crushing. 

The lights do not seem to use PWM for their output modes (or if they do, the frequency is so high that I can't detect it). 

_UPDATE: I may have spoken a bit quickly - my testing setup does occasionally detect an intermittent signal in the 18-19 kHz range on Lo. But that is at the extreme range of my testing capabilities, so I'm not sure if you should trust it. Also not sure if its even PWM - could just be some sort of oscillating signal interference. It is certainly high enough to not cause a problem. _

*Testing Method:* All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan.

Throw values are the square-root of lux measurements taken at 1 meter from the lens, using a light meter.

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*






Consistent with the beamshots above, you can see the Hi/Lo output differences on standard batteries. Unfortunately, I don’t have any RCR2 to compare in the EZCR2, but you can see how initial output of the EZAA on 14500 and EZ123 on RCR compare. Scroll down to the runtimes for more info.

In case you are wondering how the EZ123 compares to other lights, here’s a few comparison tables. The EZAA is compared to the 1xAA class in its own review here.











*Output/Runtime Comparison*





*(Sorry, there's an error in the labels to the graph above - the second EZAA Hi trace is actually on 14500, not L91 as listed. I'll fix it tomorrow.)*

As you can see, the EZCR2 on primary CR2 has exactly the same Hi output as the EZAA on standard alkaline/NiMH, while the EZ123 is brighter on primary CR123A. On 14500, the EZAA is close to the EZ123 on RCR initially, and both run direct-drive until their regulated level is hit – the difference being the EZ123’s regulated level is brighter than the EZAA






On Lo, the picture is a little different. The EZCR2 is a bit brighter than the EZAA, and the EZ123 is brighter still. Interestingly, the EZAA on 14500 is initially as bright as the EZCR2 on primary CR2, but slowly drops off until the regulated EZAA Lo level is achieved. The EZ123 is again slightly brighter initially on RCR, but slowly decays until the regulated level is reached.

Here’s how the EZ123A compares to the 1xCR123A/RCR competition:



















Output/runtime efficiency is quite good on the EZ123, especially for a Q5 emitter. Although not as efficient as the current-controlled competition, the EZ123A easily beats most other PWM-based lights. 

*Potential Issues*

Tighten-to-activate twisty lights always have the potential to be battery crushers, so care needs to be used not to over-tighten. Inclusion of the head spring is a good idea, but common sense should still prevail.

*Preliminary Observations*

When the EZAA came out, I expressed some doubt as to whether it was truly small enough for keychain carry. It is certainly one of the smallest 1xAA lights out there, but this battery size may not be best suited for keychain use, depending on the individual. The new EZ123 and EZCR2 provide greater flexibility in output and battery source, providing you with greater choice within a common form factor. :thumbsup:

Consistent with their older sibling, the EZ123 and EZCR2 retain high build quality in a small package. Care and attention to detail seems excellent, with smooth thread action on all my samples. Wall thickness seems have been increased slightly on these new models, giving them a bit firmer feel than the EZAA. This is likely a good design choice, as the EZAA did feel a bit on the thin side to me (although still acceptable). The textured reflector does a very good job in providing a very smooth beam (especially for a Cree), with identical performance for the CR2 and AA versions (seems to be the same reflector). 

As I mentioned in my EZAA review, even if keychain carry isn't a priority for you, the keep-it-simple-stupid (KISS) interface and slim-lined design have great appeal for many. There are certainly a lot of options if you are looking for more sophisticated on complicated lights, but the simplicity and utility of the EZ line is hard to beat. :kiss:

In terms of output, I find it interesting how NiteCore has settled on a couple of output choices on Hi, depending on the battery source (see summary graphs above). The decision to the match EZCR2’s Hi mode to that of the EZAA makes a certain amount of sense, given the lower heatsinking mass of these lights (and lower storage capacity of the CR2 battery). Fans of CR123A format will be glad to see the higher output of the EZ123.

And for those of you who find the Lo mode of the EZAA too low for general use, you will be glad to see that both the EZCR2 and EZ123 are a bit brighter. Looks like NiteCore listened to your feedback. 

All-in-all, two well-thought out new additions to the EZ family of KISS lights. This gives you added flexibility in choosing the EZ model that matches your needs based on battery configuration and size.


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## csshih (Jul 30, 2009)

nice review! :thumbsup:

I notice that all the new EZ lights use the EZ-900 die.


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## thedeske (Jul 30, 2009)

Thank You selfbuilt - Very Nice Review

The 123 looks interesting. Sounds like there's quite a bit of room between the 2 modes. A quarter turn or less would seem enough.

I like the screw tap on these lights. People who like to jig can make great use of the feature.


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## DimeRazorback (Jul 31, 2009)

Nice review!

Thank you!

:thumbsup:


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## Burgess (Jul 31, 2009)

Looks Great !


Fine job, as always, SelfBuilt.


:goodjob::kewlpics::thanks:

_


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## Crenshaw (Jul 31, 2009)

dont really need another comment on how good your reviews.... 

so ill just say, WOW that CR2 is small. i might get that.

Crenshaw


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## Beamhead (Jul 31, 2009)

Excellent review.:thumbsup: I love my EZ lights.


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## Lagerregal (Jul 31, 2009)

I hope there will be warm versions, too... 

Otherwise a very nice review...as always


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## DM51 (Jul 31, 2009)

As always, thank you for a fine review!

2 more nice lights from NiteCore, by the look of things, with some of the problems reported on previous ones now fixed.

These 2 lights are likely to be compared to the Muysondt Nautilus and Aeon, as they share a number of common features which Muysondt users will immediately recognise. If they measure up to those, they'll be very good indeed.

Moving this to the Reviews section.


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## veleno (Jul 31, 2009)

Thanks for the usual great review!


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## selfbuilt (Jul 31, 2009)

Thanks for support everyone. :grouphug:



thedeske said:


> The 123 looks interesting. Sounds like there's quite a bit of room between the 2 modes. A quarter turn or less would seem enough.


Yeah, it's typically pretty close to three-quarters of a turn. It also requires a fair amount of force to actually go into Hi - you won't be doing it by accident. But that resistance isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it reminds you not to overturn past Hi (and risk crushing a cell).



Crenshaw said:


> so ill just say, WOW that CR2 is small. i might get that.





DM51 said:


> These 2 lights are likely to be compared to the Muysondt Nautilus and Aeon, as they share a number of common features which Muysondt users will immediately recognise. If they measure up to those, they'll be very good indeed.


I find the EZ123 is incredibly small for its battery source (and still takes protected RCR fine) - but the EZCR2 is indeed a bit of a stand-out. Its tiny size is remarkable, and the interface and build is clearly designed to compete with the more expensive custom Nautilus and Aeon. Sort of the poor-man's mass-produced Aeon, from all appearances.


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## fareast (Jul 31, 2009)

" No holster or body tube clip is included (or available, AFAIK)."

Just wondering: I recently got myself a EX-10 clip to try (not on an ex-10 but on a D-Mini) and it looks it might fit the EZCR123, perhaps even the EZCR2 with a bit of bending :huh:?


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## selfbuilt (Jul 31, 2009)

fareast said:


> Just wondering: I recently got myself a EX-10 clip to try (not on an ex-10 but on a D-Mini) and it looks it might fit the EZCR123, perhaps even the EZCR2 with a bit of bending :huh:?


There's bound to be a variety of clips that may fit (with a little help ). I measured the diameter with a digital caliper, so the numbers in the review should help you to figure out what's a possible match. Actually, this is one of the rare occasions when my numbers match nearly exactly with the manufacturer's rated specs ...


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## Torpedo Vegas (Aug 1, 2009)

Great review and thanks for the picture with the LOD! I know it is different from person to person, but which one would you go with on a keychain?


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## LA OZ (Aug 1, 2009)

Another great review. Keep it up as I only read review coming from you.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 3, 2009)

Torpedo Vegas said:


> Great review and thanks for the picture with the LOD! I know it is different from person to person, but which one would you go with on a keychain?


Tough to say - I think all three members of the family are potentially acceptable for keychain use (depending on the size of your keychain and how you carry it). But the EZCR2 is is particularly appealing for its smallest size.



LA OZ said:


> Another great review. Keep it up as I only read review coming from you.


Thanks for the compliment, but there's plenty of other great reviews here and elsewhere . But it looks like I will be busy for while ... I've got 4 lights sitting on my desk in various stages of testing, and a few more I'm expecting later this month. Should be able to polish off a couple of them when I'm back in my office next week. Stay tuned for more ...


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## GTSECC (Aug 3, 2009)

Can anyone confirm whether or not the CR2 will run on 3.7V Li-ion's?


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## Lightcrazycanuck (Aug 3, 2009)

Great review as always Selfbuilt.Keep up the good work.You make us Canadians proud.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Phaserburn (Aug 4, 2009)

GTSECC said:


> Can anyone confirm whether or not the CR2 will run on 3.7V Li-ion's?


 
I tried mine on a RCR2, and it seemed to run fine. Current draw drops in accordance with the higher voltage compared to the primary cell. I haven't done any decent runtimes, however.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 4, 2009)

Phaserburn said:


> I tried mine on a RCR2, and it seemed to run fine. Current draw drops in accordance with the higher voltage compared to the primary cell. I haven't done any decent runtimes, however.


Thanks for the info Phaserburn ... I don't have any RCR2 to test, so was unable to verify. NiteCore packaging doesn't say anything about Li-ion, but I presumed RCR2 would work fine since RCR/14500 work in the other two members of the family. I would expect a runtime trace to look similar to those lights (especially the EZAA on 14500) - higher initial output, direct-drive until the regulated level is reached.


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## openbolt1 (Aug 4, 2009)

You know I read this whole page (may have missed this) but can anyone confirm whether or not the EZ123 light can safely run on 3.7V Li-ion's?

Thank & sorry if I missed the answer.

openbolt


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## Phaserburn (Aug 4, 2009)

openbolt1 said:


> You know I read this whole page (may have missed this) but can anyone confirm whether or not the EZ123 light can safely run on 3.7V Li-ion's?
> 
> Thank & sorry if I missed the answer.
> 
> openbolt



Yes, it can.


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## strinq (Aug 6, 2009)

Was wondering, how's the heatsinking?
There were some complaints about the EZAA being too hot at max for extended periods. Is it the same for the 123 and CR2?


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## selfbuilt (Aug 6, 2009)

strinq said:


> Was wondering, how's the heatsinking?
> There were some complaints about the EZAA being too hot at max for extended periods. Is it the same for the 123 and CR2?


I would say it's pretty similar. All members of the family do get hot quickly, especially if left in candle-mode on Hi. I personally don't recommend extended running at those sort of output levels in small form factor lights without some sort of cooling (e.g. fan, hand-holding, etc.).


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## strinq (Aug 7, 2009)

Thanks man.


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## Gatsby (Aug 10, 2009)

Great review! I picked up an R2 EX10 and an EZ123 a week or so ago to give them a shot as my new primary EDC. The EZ123 stands out in one particular regard - the size. It is quite small for a 123 based light and is nearly the same size as a Peak McKinley with a key ring body. I used to look at my McKinley and wonder why all 123 lights were so much bigger on average given the small cell size. The EZ123 not only compares favorably to the McKinley but is as Selfbuilt shows a good bit smaller than the EX10, and is shorter and only a hair wider than a Peak Pacific on AA pocket body, and a Peak Kilimanjaro on a pocket body. The overall build quality is solid as well.

But I have to admit at first I was a bit underwhelmed by a few things - I cleaned and lubed the threads with Magnalube and the threads do run smoothly. But if you're used to a CR2 Ion for example (or an Aeon/Nautilus as well - I'm assuming they are similar given the same designer) which is very easy to operate one handed, the EZ123 at least is not for me a light I can put into high with one hand. As Selfbuilt notes, it takes some force to get it to high. I've tried to figure out what causes this and I believe it is the foam donut. This issue has been discussed with the EZAA as well - but it seems like the foam donut is almost fully compressed before going to high, and it is of a denser material than I am used to in the Peaks, Arc AAA or CR2 Ion, so it takes more oomph to compress it as well. Either a thinner foam ring or a less dense material might have been a better choice. I'm still considering whether to leave it as is, trim it or remove it entirely. 

I have thought that the little spring loaded pogo stick in the CR2 Ion was a solid and reliable two stage mechanism - with a longer life span I'd think than the leaf spring type arrangements. The EZ123 achieves a similar result with just a spring and it works fine, and given the price difference is an expected difference in terms of design and manufacturing cost, but it does not look as robust long term. And my sample does take roughly 3/4 of a turn to go from low to high, but this is pretty consistent with my CR2 Ion and from what I recall, the McGizmo lights have roughly the same distance stock (at least the Lunasol 27 I handled in a passaround did as best I remember it). 

The levels seem pretty well chosen - the low is a solid daily task level and high is scorching. Given the relative "burst" nature of high on such a small light - I agree with the slightly brighter low than many (myself included) tend to favor. It is a balanced level. I need to do some comparisons but it seems roughly as bright as my Fenix L1T v2.0 on low, and as a Peak Pacific Lux3 high power on a CR2 cell. But those aren't terribly helpful lights since they aren't widely owned - I'll see how it compares to my Novatac, for example. 

I have to admit at first I was a bit disappointed, expecting the butter smooth Ion operation in a 123 based light. It does not have that butter smooth operation, but it is not rough really, it is just a different feel. As I've lived with it, I've come to like it more and it may well replace the CR2 based lights as my EDC (I am trying to consolidate battery sizes, just a bit at least to 123 for EDC use). 

I do miss the low low of a 3 stage (or 4 in the case of the Novatac) light - I use the lowest setting on my Novatac and the EX10 quite a bit around the house at night ... but if you only have two stages these seem like good ones for general task use.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 10, 2009)

Gatsby said:


> But if you're used to a CR2 Ion for example (or an Aeon/Nautilus as well - I'm assuming they are similar given the same designer) which is very easy to operate one handed, the EZ123 at least is not for me a light I can put into high with one hand. As Selfbuilt notes, it takes some force to get it to high. I've tried to figure out what causes this and I believe it is the foam donut. This issue has been discussed with the EZAA as well - but it seems like the foam donut is almost fully compressed before going to high, and it is of a denser material than I am used to in the Peaks, Arc AAA or CR2 Ion, so it takes more oomph to compress it as well. Either a thinner foam ring or a less dense material might have been a better choice. I'm still considering whether to leave it as is, trim it or remove it entirely.


Thanks for the detailed user assessment - I don't have the other lights in question, so it's good to hear your thoughts on how they compare (especially the Aeon and such). 

On the issue of the stiffness in getting to Hi, I recall some discussion in my EZAA review thread that shortening the spring in the head made a difference. :shrug:


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## Nake (Aug 11, 2009)

I agree with the foam being too compressed. I took about 1mm of foam off with a razor blade and now it works easier. I read where someone beveled the foam in a similar way and operation was better.


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## woodrow (Sep 1, 2009)

Thanks for the Fantastic review as always Selfbuilt. I resisted as long as I could... but finally had to pick one of these up.


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## bansuri (Sep 12, 2009)

EZ123- It doesn't list runtimes or outputs for rechargeables on the 4sevens website and posts this warning:
*Caution:*


Do not use batteries that exceed 3 volts, as they may permanently damage the flashlight.
Does this = no RCR123?

Also the manual makes no mention of rechargeables. Have the specs changed since it was introduced?


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## Stingray (Sep 13, 2009)

It looks a lot like my old firefly  I wish I'd never sold it, it had a great form factor and feel in the hand and it was a handsome light, It always drew attention and got remarks about the good looks. I'm going to pick up the EZ 123 version for old times sake. I hope they make one in that same color.


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## selfbuilt (Sep 14, 2009)

bansuri said:


> EZ123- It doesn't list runtimes or outputs for rechargeables on the 4sevens website and posts this warning:
> *Caution:*
> 
> Do not use batteries that exceed 3 volts, as they may permanently damage the flashlight.
> ...


I don't have my EZ123 or EZCR2 manuals in front of me, but I don't think they make any mention of RCR/RCR2 cells. I just know from conversations with EagleTac that RCR was ok to run on the EZ123. 

FYI, the original EZAA definitely did NOT support 3.7V Li-ion (i.e. 14500). But the revised edition - that came out just shortly before these lights - does explicitly allow it. Given the similarity of the circuit performance to my EZ123 on RCR, I think you should be fine. If you are worried though, I would recommend contact EagleTac directly and confirming.


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## Crenshaw (Sep 15, 2009)

Selfbuilt, my EZAA had a lot of issue with feeling gritty due to the bottom pedestal scratching up the battery. Also, Alot of issue with amount of turning required to activate high mode, the biggest problem being that i had to tighten what felt like TOO much.

what is the feeling on CR2?

thanks

Crenshaw


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## Rat6P (Sep 16, 2009)

Thanks for yet another awesome review!! 

I really like the UI on these lights. 

What would make the EZ123 or cr2 even better for me is if either one shared the same threading on the head as a Fenix P1D.

Why....well then maybe I could use it on a Leef P1D clicky body. 

That would be sweet. 

Anyone maybe know if this could be the case??


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## AardvarkSagus (Sep 16, 2009)

I had some similar grittyness from all my EZ's but a quick smoothdown (I even just used my finger a few times) of the pedestal took care of that completely. Now my EZ CR2 is the buttery-est of all my lights. Simply beautiful.


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## selfbuilt (Sep 16, 2009)

Crenshaw said:


> Selfbuilt, my EZAA had a lot of issue with feeling gritty due to the bottom pedestal scratching up the battery. Also, Alot of issue with amount of turning required to activate high mode, the biggest problem being that i had to tighten what felt like TOO much.
> 
> what is the feeling on CR2?





AardvarkSagus said:


> I had some similar grittyness from all my EZ's but a quick smoothdown (I even just used my finger a few times) of the pedestal took care of that completely. Now my EZ CR2 is the buttery-est of all my lights. Simply beautiful.


All of my EZ lights don't have a problem with the bottom pedestal - although I have encountered that before on other lights. Like AardvarkSagus suggests, a smoothdown of that area should help (try a bit of sandpaper wrapped around the flat end of a ballpoint pen, or similar implement). Should fix that right up!

As for the turning on the high mode, the only time I really experienced any concern was with protected 14500 batteries in the EZAA. Because of the extra height of those batteries, it feels like you may be applying too much pressure when tightening down. The EZ123 seemed ok on RCR ... and I don't have any RCR2 to test in the EZCR2. 

On primary CR2, my EZCR2 sample certainly has a very smooth operation (one of the best of all my EZ samples, actually - but of course, YMMV).


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## ZMZ67 (Sep 24, 2009)

Neutral-white EZCR123 came in the mail today.Light holds true to selfbuilt's orignal comments save for the neutral-warm tint.The beam is quite good and does not exhibit the CREE ring often found in XRE based lights.As previously stated it required two hands to turn the light on high but low is accessable with one hand.Not sure if I will try shaving the foam donut or leave it as is.
I also recieved the Neutral-white EZCR2 but did not have a battery on hand to test it. This is my first CR2 light and the Nitecores did not ship with batteries.At $7.58 per battery :green: at the local drugstore I guess I will wait until I can find one for a little less to test it out!


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## AardvarkSagus (Sep 25, 2009)

I'm using the Panasonic cells I bought from DX. My EZ CR2 is the buttery-est operation of the three. I am quite happy with it.


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## Zeruel (Sep 25, 2009)

AardvarkSagus said:


> My EZ CR2 is the buttery-est operation of the three. I am quite happy with it.



Same here.


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## ZMZ67 (Sep 27, 2009)

Finally got a battery for the CR2 and it does work smoother than the CR123.It is easy to operate with one hand but the battery seems to turn when I turn on the light though.I wonder if there should be a foam ring on the bottom as well or if a little lube on the foam ring on the head would stop this.Battery against aluminum on the bottom, doesn't seem like it will be good to have it turning like that in the long run.This may be happening on the CR123 model as well.


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## Burgess (Sep 27, 2009)

Hmmm . . . .


Sounds like NiteCore *still* hasn't fixed things from the EZAA version. :sigh:


Oh, yes, i still LIKE my EZAA. :thumbsup:


But it does have a few "quirks", eh ?

:candle:

_


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## ZMZ67 (Sep 27, 2009)

I really like these EZ models myself but it seems like they could use a little refining to eliminate the quirks.They will probably be fine for average use but if they are used extensively I wonder if some damage could occur.


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## nativecajun (Jan 11, 2010)

selfbuilt said:


> Thanks for support everyone. :grouphug:
> 
> 
> Yeah, it's typically pretty close to three-quarters of a turn. It also requires a fair amount of force to actually go into Hi - you won't be doing it by accident. But that resistance isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it reminds you not to overturn past Hi (and risk crushing a cell).
> ...


 
I read a review from someone on another site. He said the threads were very loose and actually when tightening you could push on the head and it would make the light go on. I ordered one from the Battery Junction because it looks like Christmas wiped out 4sevens there were a lot of things out of stock. Should the one from the Battery Junction be one that is past the original ones with problems as you mentioned in your review???????

So I now own Fenix PD20, Maratac AAA polished stainless, and Fenix EO1 in olive, simple single mode. I have coming the EZ123 by nitecore. I wanted to try the EZ123 compared to my PD20. At first I thought I needed all those things like strobe and SOS etc etc but I must say I am a man of simplicity. The EZ123 looked real nice so I thought I would give it a go. I really like the tripod threads a nice concept. I was looking for batteries for the CR2 but they did not seem as readily available as the CR123 batteries and I did not compare the cost. The run time and the brightness on the EZ123 was better also. But I do like large things im small packages. I still may give the CR2 version another look.

About the thread problem I read about. Was this one of the initial problems with the flashlight (EZ123)??? Should the one I ordered from the Battery Junction be past those problems. I must say though on that site that was the only person that complained about the threads all the others said theirs worked beautifully.


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## BigBluefish (Jun 8, 2010)

I picked up an EZCR2 neutral from 4 Sevens soon after they came out, and it has been living on my keychain ever since. 

It almost never gets turned on, and I'm still on the same cell I started with. 

The threads aren't the smoothest, but they aren't really bad, and the light is operable one handed. The anodizing is taking a beating. I thought HA would hold up better, but considering it rides around with a bunch of keys and maybe a knife clipped in there, too, it's grinding against a lot of metal all day long. 

One thing I've been pleased to see. I've dropped it no less than half a dozen times from 3 -4' off the ground onto wood, tile, concrete, you name it, and I haven't had a single problem. It's a pretty tough little light. 

I just now noticed that there is an R2 version, which looks to be insanely bright on "high" in the 123 model (even assuming NC is listing emitter lumens), so I might have to get one of those. 

Does anyone know how the beam quality is on the R2s? I'm assuming it's an XR-E R2, not an XP-E, which NC is putting in it's D10/EX10 SP and NDI these days. I'm a little worried it will be ringy. (My neutral is ring-free, BTW).


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## bltkmt (Jan 25, 2013)

I have been carrying my EZCR2 again over the past few weeks...this thing has the smoothest threads of any light I own. Fantastic little gem.


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