# Olight X6 Marauder (6x XM-L, Rechargeable) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO + more!



## selfbuilt (May 3, 2012)

*Warning: even more pic heavy than usual! :sweat:*







This review is of the new high-output portable spotlight by Olight, the X6 Marauder. 

This light is distinctive for a number of reasons, including the 6x XM-L emitters and separate battery pack. Output is well into the realm of HID spotlights. Let's see how it compares … 

*Manufacturer's Specifications for the NEW Production version:*

Uses 6 CREE XM-L LEDs
Output levels (runtime): 150lm (30h) - 1200lm (4h30min) - 5000lm (1h15min)
ANSI FL-1 Beam distance 640m, peak throw 102,400 cd
Split-battery design perfectly integrates high demands of heat dissipation and low weight of main body.
Built-in high-capacity lithium battery to ensure extended runtime at high brightness.
Aluminum alloy 6N01-T6 with Type III hard anodization and Bayer ABS (20% carbon fiber).
Can work directly with AC110V and AC220V electric supply with optional accessories.
Lens : Tough ultra-clear mineral glass with anti-reflective coating.
Water resistant: IPX6.
Impact resistant: 1m
Power indicator:
Low: red light on and should charge immediately
Normal: yellow light on
High: green light on.
Terminal Control Mode where the main body can be powered by a car battery or other 12V power source.
MSRP: ~$500














As you might expect, the X6 comes in a high-end carrying case with cut-out foam. Included inside the case are the base X6 unit, battery pack, DC charging cable and transformer, AC adapter case, should strap and manual (not shown). 













From left to right: Olight X6, Olight SR92, and Titanium Innovations L35 HID. 

*Olight X6 Base Unit*: Weight 1.1kg, Length: 161mm, Width (bezel): 113mm
*Olight X6 Battery Pack*: Weight 482g, Length: 144mm, Width (height): 100mm

Other high-output lights:
*Titanium Innovations L35 HID*: Weight 1.3kg, Length: 234mm , Width (bezel): 110mm
*Xtar S1*: Weight: 876.0g (est. 1028g with 3x18650 protected), Length: 240mm, Width (bezel): 83.4mm
*Nitecore TM11*: Weight: 342.6g (476g with 8xCR123A), Length 135.3mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm 
*4Sevens S18*: Weight: 700g (800g with 6xCR123A), Length: 233mm, Width (bezel) 63.0mm, (tailcap) 25.6mm
*Olight SR90*: Weight: 1.6 kg (with battery pack), Length: 335mm, Width (bezel): 97mm 
*Olight SR92*: Weight: 1.15 kg (with battery pack), Length: 271mm, Width (bezel): 98mm 

The X6 clearly falls into the size class of HIDs and other spotlights. As you will see below, so does the output. 

Let's start with the base X6 unit:






















The light features 6x XM-L emitters, each in their own textured reflector well (scroll down to the beamshots section for more info and close-up pics). 

The body has a rubberized grip coating over its exposed surfaces, which the manual describes as ABS with 20% carbon fiber. The core body and cooling fins are described as 6N01-T6 aluminum alloy with type III anodization (i.e., hard anodized). If you scroll back up through the earlier pics, you can see there is a lot space for air-flow over the cooling fins. Overall weight and feel is certainly good for the size, well-balanced when carried by the built-in handle. 

Note the weight of the base unit is still substantial (i.e., just over 1kg), which suggests the unit has good heat-sinking. The cooling fins are extensive and well-spaced, and allow a lot of air to move over the core of the light (the specs claim 140,000 square millimeters of exposed fin surface to transfer to air). Note there is also a built-in thermistor and the circuit will adjust output to manage heat levels. I will talk more about the thermal management under the runtime testing section. 

There is a coiled cable coming from the back of the base unit, which connects with the battery pack. This allows for ~1m extension of the base unit from the battery pack (more on the connection aspect in a moment).

Here are some close-ups: 

Body logo:





Handle logo:





There is no printed labeling as such, but you can see the name and model number molded into the ABS sides of the light. There is also a shiny Olight label on the handle.

Electronic switch on the handle of the base unit:





The main switch on the unit is an electronic switch, with a fairly typical feel.

Base/tripod dock:





There is a solid metal base to the light, with a standard tripod mount. 

The light stands reasonably stably when laid on its base, thanks to two little protruding rubber "feet" under the bezel. I am not sure what sort of optional base holders will be available for the light.

And now the battery pack:














The battery back is a solid unit, with again reasonable weight for the size (just under half a kilogram). There is a very substantial belt clip (although I recommend you wear a substantial belt to go with it, if you don't want your pants falling down), :laughing: 

The button on the top is a forward-style clicky switch, with a solid feel and reasonable traverse. Attached to the switch cover is an extended rubber piece that covers the charging dock when not in use. A fairly typically looking DC-charging port is used for charging. 

Let's look at how the battery unit connects to the head:














There are three little pins in the connector at the end of the coiled cable coming from the base unit. This connector mates with a corresponding piece coming from the battery pack. A pair of matching plastic screw threads on either end secure the two halves together. I will discuss this in a little more detail under the Potential Issues section.

Let's take a close-up look at the case:


















You can see metal hinges and metal closing clasps, similar to the other high-end Olight search & rescue style lights. 

*User Interface*

There are two ways to control the light – the default "Portable" mode, and the "Terminal Control" mode.

In the factory default Portable mode, you need to first turn on the battery pack unit by the clicky switch on the pack. The battery pack indicator lights will illuminate, indicating the approximate charge state (i.e. green, yellow, or red). 

Press and release the electronic mode switch at the head of the handle to turn the light on. Press and hold the electronic switch to change modes (light cycles through Lo > Med > Hi, in repeating fashion). Release the switch to select the mode you want. Press and release the electronic mode switch again to turn off (actually a Standby mode). Alternatively, can you turn the unit fully off by clicking the main switch on the battery pack. There is a "hidden" strobe mode, accessed by double-clicking the electronic switch.

Light has mode memory, and will return the last mode you set it to after turning off-on with the electronic mode switch or the battery pack clicky switch. 

In the Terminal Control mode, the light comes on automatically when supplied by the battery pack or an external power source. The electronic switch in the handle will not operate to change modes. You have two output levels available to you in this mode, accessed by turning the power off and back on (i.e. Lo > Turn off > Hi > Turn off > Lo, etc.). The Terminal Control mode sounds to me to be most appropriate for use when you want to run the light directly off AC or DC power.

To switch into Terminal Control mode, let the light ramp through three cycles of Lo > Med > Hi in Portable mode, releasing the switch on the Hi mode. To return to Portable mode, press and hold the electronic mode switch of the handle for 3 secs (until the light shuts off), and then release the button. 

For a more detailed examination of the build and user interface, please see my new video overview: :wave:



As always, the video was recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once the video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen. 

*PWM/Strobe*

There was no sign of PWM that I could detect, on the any mode. I assume the light is current-controlled, like the other Olight search & rescue class lights. 






Strobe is a fairly standard fast tactical 9.6 Hz.

*Standby Drain*

Due to the electronic switch design in the head, the X6 will be drawing a small current when the battery pack switch is clicked on. I was not able to measure this current, but it is likely fairly small. You can cut this current by simply clicking the battery pack's physical switch off.

*Thermal Management*

The X6 uses a built-in thermistor to monitor real-time internal temperature. According to the documentation, when the inner temp reaches 85 o​C, the circuit will gradually reduce output to protect the light.

To see evidence of how this works in action, scroll down to my Output/Runtime testing section. :wave:

*Beamshots:*










The head of the X6 has 6 independent reflector wells, each with a textured OP finish. Each reflector seems about typical for an individual single-emitter light (i.e. about one and a quarter inch wide at the opening, with reasonable depth). Individual cool-white XM-L emitters all looked well centered on my sample. 

And now, my standard white wall beamshots.  All lights are on their respective max battery sources, about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences. 












































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Obviously, this is an _insanely_ close distance that no one would be running the X6 at.  But it does allow you to compare to other lights tested under my standard regimen. 

I am quite surprised to see how consistent a hotspot the X6 has at such a short distance from the wall. oo:

Note that the L35 doesn't fare well in the comparison above because it is more focused for throw than the other lights, and has a much wider spillbeam (i.e. the overall spill is dimmer, because it is spread out over a wider area not captured by the camera). This is illustrated below, using my famed "integrating carpet." 





















As you can see, the X6 has a fairly even "floody" style beam for a multi-LED light (i.e. there is a lot of light in the spill, not just the hotspot). But it doesn't have as wide an overall spillbeam pattern out the front as a typical HID. 

Oh, and bonus point quiz: can you spot how many pets I own? :laughing: I vacuumed the carpet a few days earlier, and you can see the cat paw prints walking across the middle of the image (horizontally), and the dog claw marks from running around the desk just above where these pics were taken.

_*UPDATE May 9, 2012:* Outdoor beamshots have now been added to the review. These are done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). _











As you can see, on Hi the X6 has a lot more output than the other Olight S&R-style lights, or some of my other recent 3xXM-L lights. The X6 beam pattern is very even - a true "wall of light". 

It's fankly hard to capture just how crazy bright this thing is with conventional camera settings. In real life, it seemed to evenly illuminate the entire scene, from the edges of the periphery to the tops of all the trees. oo:

For those of you wondering how it compares to the Titanium Innovations L35 HID:






Finally, here is a comparison of the X6 Med mode to the Skilhunt DT-20, a 2xXM-L light that I estimate does very close to 1200 ANSI-FL1 lumens:






As you can probably see above, it looks like the X6 Med mode is a bit higher than the 1200 lumen spec. On the basis of my ceiling bounce data, I would estimate the X6 is something closer to ~1500 lumens.

_*UPDATE MAY 11, 2012:* Here's a blow-up of the center of the beamshots, showing a comparison between the SR90 and X6, both on Hi. Consistent with my lightmeter readings (see below), I don't think there is much a difference is peak throw - but the SR90 may have an advantage at greater distances (e.g. several hundred meters)._






*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, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info. 

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Effective March 2012, I have updated the Max Output ANSI FL-1 lumen estimates to represent peak output measured at 30 secs (my earlier gray tables were based on a later time point for Max output). Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables.






As always, estimating overall output on these sorts of high-output lights is not easy. :sweat: I generally use ceiling bounce tests to "calibrate" against other lights of known output, and adjust my simple lightbox values accordingly. These are very approximate though, so please take all the "estimated" lumen numbers with a very big grain of salt!

It seems to me that the reported ANSI FL-1 output specs are quite believable on Hi (i.e., my estimate is a little over 5000 lumens). Peak beam intensity/beam distance also seem bang-on in my testing – I directly measured 104k lux @1m. :thumbsup:

On Lo and Med, reported output specs seem a little on the low side to me. Based on comparisons to other lights, I would estimate Lo as ~270 lumens (150 lumens spec) and Med as ~1500 lumens (1200 lumen spec).

As a side note, the peak throw value for the L35 HID is a bit high. The reason for that is ANSI FL-1 is based on the peak intensity measure, and HIDs tend to produce an irregular hotspot with at least one region of exceptional intensity. The "average" intensity across the whole hotspot would not be as great.

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*

Alright, this is going to take some explaining. :sweat:

To start, I ran a Hi mode runtime test under my standard testing regimen of constant cooling using a small fan. Note the output scale (y-axis) has been converted to estimated lumens to improve visual comparisons across graphs.






The pattern above is what you would expect to see for a well-regulated light _without_ a step-down feature. 

There is a slight drop-off in output over the first ~10 mins or so, as the emitters heat up. This is a standard aspect of how emitters work – their efficiency drops as they heat up (i.e., this has nothing to do with any circuit thermal control). Runtime was a respectable 49 mins at this level. 

But the X6 has thermistor to monitor real-time temperature, and the circuit is supposed to gradually reduce the output when internal temperature increases above 85 o​C. _Presumably, my cooling fan was keeping it too cool to see that._ 

So what happens if you run the light without any cooling whatsoever? Keep in mind, the corner of my office with no fan is NOT the same as running the light outdoors (i.e. this test is being done in a relatively cramped, small space with absolutely no air flow).

Here is my first attempt with no cooling:






To start, the first ~12 mins or so looks exactly the same as during the the cooling run. But starting at this point, the output gradually drops off in a visually-linear way until it levels off at ~60% original output by 20 mins into the run. This exactly what you would expect, based on the included documentation from the manufacturer (i.e., presumably the internal thermistor has exceed 85 o​C at ~12 mins, and the circuit has limited output in a regulated way). :thumbsup:

What is interesting (and is likely due to my cramped office environment) is what occurred at ~31 mins into the run. At this point, the light had been stably limited to ~60% original output for over 10 mins. Now, it started dropping down in output in very discrete steps (you can't really see it in the trace above, but it was very clear steps). Over the next ~12 mins or so, the light stepped down all the way to off.

After a minute or two, it suddenly came back on to original Hi output for a few seconds, then abruptly shut off. Touching it at this point, the head unit casing was quite hot. I let it cool down for >10 mins, until it was quite comfortable to the touch. I then manually turned it back on. It came on at Hi mode, and showed the expected early pattern (i.e., slow drop-off as the emitters warmed up, a gradual step-down to ~60% starting ~10 mins into the run). The light then ran until the battery was exhausted.

The results suggest that the initial circuit-controlled step-down to 60% output was insufficient to keep the light operating <85 o​C for the extended run in my cramped office.

Since I know everyone will ask, I did a second run the next morning where I measured temperature concurrently. For the temperature probe placement, I attached it to the head of the ABS bezel, near the opening. 






Ok, this time it didn't shut-off, but stayed at the ~60% output level over the course of the entire run. I guess it was a little cooler in my office that day. :shrug:

Note that I'm sure the absolute temperature reading would have been higher off the aluminum fins. In any case, _this pattern is exactly the thermal management that I would have expected to see, based on the manufacturer's reported specs. _ :thumbsup:

The surface temperature leveled off at just over 50 o​C as the light output leveled off at its stabilized ~60% output level. But you can also see the temperature continued to slowly drift upwards over the course of the run at this level. Presumably, on that earlier run where the light shut-down, it got hot enough to trigger an additional shut-down routine.

Note also that runtime with this single circuit-controlled step-down was 1hr and 14 mins, consistent with the manufacturer's reported specs. :thumbsup:

Since the cramped corner of my office is an unusual situation to run a 5000 lumen light (i.e., an indoor environment with no airflow), what should you expect to happen if you were carrying the light around outdoors?

To test this, I set up an oscillating fan at 6 feet from the light, and gave a few very brief bursts of intermittent cooling once the first step-down had occurred:






Note that my cooling regimen above is very, very mild. Each burst of cooling is just a few passes of an oscillating fan (i.e., the light is only getting a few seconds on each pass). Yet even this was enough to cause the output to start to rise slightly (look carefully at the output level after each arrowhead). As a result, I suspect more extensive cooling at this point would have allowed the output to climb back up to the max level.

All this tells me that the internal thermistor and control circuit are exquisitely sensitive to temperature, and respond in a very dynamic, real-time way. :thumbsup:

Here is what it all looks like on the same graph, so you can compare to the other cooling states:






To summarize and put all that into context:


The blue line is what to expect if you had constant air moving over the light (e.g., riding with it on the top of your car or bike, always in motion)
The green line is what to expect if you are using the light outdoors - especially if you are walking around with the light, or there is at least some wind (i.e., typical usage where there is at least some normal intermittent air flow over the fins).
The orange line is what to expect if you lay the light down in an area with no air flow for an extended period (although you could potentially see a second drop-off if it is really warm in the surrounding environment).
IMO, the thermal management feature of this light works well, and should help protect the light from damage. :twothumbs

So, how does runtime performance compare to other high output lights? Here is Hi and Med, under typical cooling conditions:






The X6 is definitely in HID spotlight territory. oo: Compared my 35W L35 HID, the X6 is measurably brighter for the first 15-20 mins, then just slightly less bright for the rest of the thermally-managed run. Total runtime is less than the L35, but I presume the L35's battery pack has higher capacity (i.e., it is heavier, but I don't have specific mAh ratings for it). 

The X6's performance on its 5200mAh battery pack certainly blows away the SR90/92 (which is presumably based on a just slightly lower capacity pack of 6x 18650 cells). It also handily beats out the 3x and 4x 18650 solutions, such as the Xtar S1 and Nitecore TM11.

*Potential Issues*

The light comes in two components – separate base unit and battery pack – and there is no way to combine them together. This is apparently for thermal management as was well as weight management.

The connection between the head and battery pack feels a little delicate. It would be hard to line up and connect the pieces in the dark. I would worry about damaging one of the little pins, but there is at least a physical guide inside the connector to facilitate the process. The securing screw pieces also feel a little light-weight. Note that while many may prefer a simple plug/dock interface, the tension on the coiled spring section of the cable would likely cause such a plug to easily pull apart. I can therefore appreciate that a screw-together style of connectors are likely required for this sort of cable - I would just like them to feel more robust. 

The thermal management is exquisitely sensitive to changes in temperature on extended runs. 

The light will shut-off abruptly when the battery low-voltage protection circuit engages. However, you have several minutes advance warning by the low power red LED ("Lo") lighting up on the battery pack. Note the battery pack quickly drops from the green LED at initial activation ("Hi") to the yellow LED ("Normal") when in use, so it should not be used as a guide to the battery power remaining. Like many such indicators, it is only accurate as to capacity remaining when the light is off.

Optional accessories are unknown at this time.

*Preliminary Observations*

The X6 is a very high-output light, well into HID territory. oo: The base unit has a rugged exterior build, with evidently good thermal management. 

Let's start with the output – the 5000 ANSI FL-1 lumen spec is very believable (although I believe the steady-state output level once it warms up is just slightly lower). Circuit performance is excellent across the board. The thermal management is well done – I don't think I've seen anything quite so exquisitely configured. The controlled step-down pattern once the thermal sensor reaches its internal 85o​C threshold is well implemented (i.e. a gradual step-down to ~60% output over 10 mins). This is slow enough that you will not notice it happening. 

Under typical outdoor usage, I expect this ~60% output level will be quite stable. But as you can see in my detailed indoor testing under various cooling conditions, the light will fluctuate from this level depending on ambient cooling (i.e. it will go back up to full output under constant air flow, or may drop-down further if in an enclosed environment). This is quite reasonable – I am glad to see the thermal sensor and circuit respond so appropriately to local conditions. :thumbsup: 

The beam pattern is very impressive, with a well-focused hotspot with little evidence of distortion - even at close range. They have done a very good job on the emitter configuration. Again, bear with me here - the outdoor shots will be coming in a few days ...

How does this really compare to a HID? HID bulbs have a few issues - output rises during the first few minutes after ignition, typically with pronounced color tint-shifting. Beam pattern and tint-shifting is also somewhat variable and motion-sensitive. More importantly, they are typically only single-stage. That said, their throw is typically going to be better than an array of LEDs, and their efficiency is generally quite good. But if the X6's >100K lux @1m (i.e., >630m beam distance) meets your needs (and I suspect it should for most people :laughing, then this is the first LED solution that truly competes quite well with higher-end HIDs. And again, the very uniform X6 beam - both for tint and beam shape/pattern - is very impressive here.

I suspect the greatest concern for most is the separation of the base unit from the battery pack. This was apparently done for thermal- and weight-management issues. :shrug: The coiled cable gives reasonable flexibility, but it does mean you have do something with the battery pack (i.e. clip on to your belt, or stick it in a very deep pocket, etc). As the battery pack is of significant weight (at just under half a kilo), that may be an issue for some. Also, because you need to screw the cabling together, disassembly will also take a few seconds (i.e. you can just unplug it quickly if you want to put it down). And connecting the rather fine cabling in the dark could be a bit tricky. :shrug:

But one advantage to this setup is that you should be able to run the light directly off AC or DC power (i.e., why they offer the Terminal Control mode option in the circuit). I am not sure what optional accessories Olight plans to offer for this purpose, so please check with them directly if you want to know more.

At the end of the day, the X6 a thoughtful design that emits an incredible amount of light. The beam pattern and multiple output levels give you a degree of versatility you don't typically get with HIDs. And the promised power accessories (to run directly off AC or DC power) will likely only add to its appeal among high-output enthusiasts. It has performed consistently well in my testing to date, and I am particularly impressed with the exquisite thermal management control it offers. 

----

X6 provided by Olight for review.


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## kj2 (May 3, 2012)

Thanks for the review  very nice light, hope to have it one-day


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## bickford (May 3, 2012)

Very nice review thanks !

I have purchased the X6 I am waiting for it 

BICKFRD


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## Draven451 (May 3, 2012)

That is one big bad Mofo!

Another great review selfbuilt~*


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## selfbuilt (May 7, 2012)

Thanks guys, glad you've enjoyed the review.

I will be updating the review with outdoor beamshots this week - just waiting for a reasonably clear night without rain or wind. Stay tuned ...


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## iron potato (May 8, 2012)

5k lumens bad Mama !

Thanks for the great review, looking forward to those outdoor beamshot


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## tx101 (May 9, 2012)

Some outdoor beamshot may just push me over the edge on this one


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## selfbuilt (May 9, 2012)

And here you go - outdoor beamshots have now been added to the review (quoted below). :wave:

Note that these are done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). 











As you can see, on Hi the X6 has a lot more output than the other Olight S&R-style lights, or some of my other recent 3xXM-L lights. The X6 beam pattern is very even - a true "wall of light". 

It's fankly hard to capture just how crazy bright this thing is with conventional camera settings. In real life, it seemed to evenly illuminate the entire scene, from the edges of the periphery to the tops of all the trees. oo:

For those of you wondering how it compares to the Titanium Innovations L35 HID:






P.S.: I should mention that the air was a little misty last night (Spring in Canada ). So there is a bit more dispersion/reflection in the beam paths due to moisture than usual in these pics. It's hard to find a good, clear night with no wind, little cloud (or high ceiling), not too bright a moon, etc.


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## Zeruel (May 9, 2012)

Thanks for the review, looks to me X6 has blew the Titanium out of the water. oo:
I hope no owls or squirrels have come to harm during those shots.


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## selfbuilt (May 9, 2012)

Zeruel said:


> Thanks for the review, looks to me X6 has blew the Titanium out of the water. oo:
> I hope no owls or squirrels have come to harm during those shots.


I think any wildlife would have had the good sense to stay out of this particular beam path. :laughing:

But in fairness to the L35, it does have a much wider spillbeam (check out my "integrating carpet" shots in the main review). In this outdoor setup, a certain amount of light is lost outside of the camera frame - and more for the L35 than the X6, given its wider spill.

Unfortunately, I settled on the current method for comparing single-emitter throwers, where everything is captured within the camera's frame of reference. If I had a second tripod with a suitable base for all the lights, I'd position them a bit more in the foreground (i.e. with the camera behind). That would allow you compare the max spillbeam widths for these floodier lights. But while I'm at it, I think I'm going to have to knock down the exposures a little too .. the X6 is definitely washing things out at this level.


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## yifu (May 10, 2012)

Great review as always, appreciate the work you put into these. Have you got any plans to review more HIDs? 35W is very small in the grand scheme of HIDs.


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## candle lamp (May 10, 2012)

Great review. Thanks a lot for your time & effort as always. Selfbuilt! :thumbsup:
It's an amazing and amazing light. 
Do you know the capacity of the battery pack?


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## [email protected] (May 10, 2012)

I can't say it's a light I'd ever find use for (just too dang much flood) perhaps I'm more of a throw person? anyway as always we appreciate your efforts in reviewing such a behemoth light :thumbsup:


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## selfbuilt (May 10, 2012)

yifu said:


> Great review as always, appreciate the work you put into these. Have you got any plans to review more HIDs? 35W is very small in the grand scheme of HIDs.


Only if a manufacturer wants to send me one.  I agree that 35W is pretty entry-level for HIDs now, but it's unfortunately all I have to compare to.



candle lamp said:


> Do you know the capacity of the battery pack?


Yes, the preliminary spec sheet I was sent lists the pack as "11.1VDC, 5200mAh Rechargeable Lithium Battery." I also understand from public comments by Olight that it is lithium polymer. But I have no additional details, and am waiting for official final spec sheet before updating that part of the review intro.


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## selfbuilt (May 10, 2012)

Something I forgot to update yesterday - here is a comparison of the X6 Med mode to the Skilhunt DT-20, a 2xXM-L light that I estimate does very close to 1200 ANSI-FL1 lumens:






As you can probably see above, it looks like the X6 Med mode is a bit higher than the 1200 lumen spec. On the basis of my ceiling bounce data, I would estimate the X6 Med is something closer to ~1500 lumens.


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## 357mag1 (May 11, 2012)

Your specs indicate it would out throw the SR90 but in the pictures it appears the SR90 hotspot may be brighter. I know pictures can be deceiving so in real world tests do you see it out throwing the SR90?
Thanks again for a great review.


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## selfbuilt (May 11, 2012)

357mag1 said:


> Your specs indicate it would out throw the SR90 but in the pictures it appears the SR90 hotspot may be brighter. I know pictures can be deceiving so in real world tests do you see it out throwing the SR90?


It's really hard to say.

I don't think there is any real difference between the X6's 104,000 [email protected] and SR90's100,500 [email protected] Note there was a typo in the original table - beam distances are 645m and 634m, respectively. That's only a 1.7% difference in throw, likely well within measurement error. Also, in terms of those lightmeter measures, one confound is that I do all my measures at 5m and work back. It's possible there lights would have benefited from 10m (or more), to really allow the beams to converge. But again, I don't think the meter would have found much of a difference.

By eye, it is also hard to say. The very different beam patterns (and to an extent, the different relative tints) makes it hard to say with any certainty which throws further in this locale. I didn't go further out than 100 yards, and my best "subjective" guess is they were really the same at this distance.

By camera, here's a way you can compare yourself - this is a crop of the higher resolution beam pics, showing just the center of the beams:






Again, the tint differences make it a little tricky, but it really seems to me like the center throw is about the same.

It is just a "gut" feeling at this point, but I think if you took the lights out to several hundred meters, the SR90 would have an advantage. That's just my personal experience with really throwy lights - I haven't tried it yet.


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## sledhead (May 12, 2012)

Hope this is okay to post this here. The beamshots of the X6 are great in this thread. Hope the link works! If it does not, it is in the Microfire Pioneer thread in the Led section.

http://www.taschenlampen-forum.de/beamshot-vergleiche/14304-beamshots-olight-x6-microfire-pioneer-3-tk70-eye-30-xtar-s1-lupine-betty-tls.html


Selfbuilt: Your review is awesome, just thought more beamshots the merrier. Hope the accessories come out soon - really want this light!


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## selfbuilt (May 13, 2012)

sledhead said:


> http://www.taschenlampen-forum.de/beamshot-vergleiche/14304-beamshots-olight-x6-microfire-pioneer-3-tk70-eye-30-xtar-s1-lupine-betty-tls.html
> Selfbuilt: Your review is awesome, just thought more beamshots the merrier. Hope the accessories come out soon - really want this light!


No worries, those beamshots are great. Thanks for sharing the link! :wave:


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## trevordurden (May 13, 2012)

Just a comment about your video, at 7:30 I think you mixed up the definitions behind DC and AC power. Cars run off 12-14V DC power, not AC.


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## selfbuilt (May 14, 2012)

trevordurden said:


> Just a comment about your video, at 7:30 I think you mixed up the definitions behind DC and AC power. Cars run off 12-14V DC power, not AC.


I was making the comment that the light should run direct off AC or DC. The car comments refer to the DC power option.

As yet, I haven't seen the accessories.


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## Johnyjackpot (May 16, 2012)

Thanks for another great review! Does this light have any chance compared to the PH50?


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## yifu (May 16, 2012)

Johnyjackpot said:


> Thanks for another great review! Does this light have any chance compared to the PH50?


Overall output should be similar, although the PH50 would greatly out-throw it. It's 40W brother-the X1 was measured at 400 000 lux so half a million lux should be around the PH50 mark. But in all aspects, you're comparing 2 different classes of lights, the PH50 is capable of holding perfect regulation until the battery runs out as HIDs are not affected by heat at all.


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## Patriot (May 29, 2012)

I used to turn my nose up at the concept of this light and tethered system, but considering that it's at least twice the output of triple XM-L systems and throws as well as the SR90, it seems to have a lot going for it. If I was going to upgrade to a SR95, I might consider this instead, at 2.5x the light output and similar throw. 

Without having held the light in my hand, I'm a bit mystified with the construction at the center section of the light, aft of the head as it appears to be all heat sink. I reluctantly trust that the mass and length were necessary to deal with thermal levels but in the back of my mind I tend to second guess what I perceive as overkill by Olight. As the SR90 has morphed into the SR95, I wonder if Olight couldn't have spaced the reflectors a bit closer thereby reducing the maximum diameter. Likewise I kinda wonder if they could have shortened it by an inch or two (since there's no battery pack in the head assembly) and still sufficiently managed thermal levels.


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## JudasD (May 30, 2012)

Anyone know of a vendor carrying O-light for cheap? :naughty: 
I am open to PMs


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## Baddog (May 31, 2012)

any idea as to what batts are in the pack and their worth power wise?


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## selfbuilt (May 31, 2012)

Baddog said:


> any idea as to what batts are in the pack and their worth power wise?


The battery pack presumably uses a custom formulation (i.e., it is unlikely to be an array of standard cells). Overall capacity wasn't provided to me, but based on weight and runtime, I would guess it is comparable to the current SR-series lights. The SR95 that I have reviewed recently is rated to have a 7800mAh pack. :shrug:


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## Baddog (Jun 1, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> The battery pack presumably uses a custom formulation (i.e., it is unlikely to be an array of standard cells). Overall capacity wasn't provided to me, but based on weight and runtime, I would guess it is comparable to the current SR-series lights. The SR95 that I have reviewed recently is rated to have a 7800mAh pack. :shrug:


ok, ty mate, have placed an order...


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## IMSabbel (Jun 3, 2012)

Arg.
This light just violates my sense of symmetry.

Why could they not have made it a 7*XML light. Same dimensions, much nicer looking...


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## JudasD (Jun 3, 2012)

I dont need this light at all, but i reeeeeeeeeally want one. Someone please help me stop. Don't we have like an AA (and i dont mean battery size) for flashlights or something? :mecry:


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## Patriot (Jun 3, 2012)

IMSabbel said:


> Arg.
> This light just violates my sense of symmetry.
> 
> Why could they not have made it a 7*XML light. Same dimensions, much nicer looking...




That is a really great question? It's not that I don't like the light but given all of the R&D time and money how does this point escape the design team? Perhaps the pack couldn't drive 7 XM-Ls but if that's the case, just make the battery just a little bit larger.


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## JudasD (Jun 4, 2012)

Patriot said:


> That is a really great question? It's not that I don't like the light but given all of the R&D time and money how does this point escape the design team? Perhaps the pack couldn't drive 7 XM-Ls but if that's the case, just make the battery just a little bit larger.



Probably was an issue of heat dissipation AND runtime. There is also the potential of diminishing returns. maybe a mix of all three?

JD


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## Baddog (Jun 5, 2012)

Well, received mine yesterday, the flashlight is impresive, though the switch could be a little more responsive...as for the connector between the battery and the flashlight...it will become a problem, no doubt. Not sure why Olight let that go past the keeper. The battery has a capacity of 8500 mah i understand, should be double...all up, am pleased with my purchase.


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## Baddog (Jun 8, 2012)

cloud bounce pics up this weekend...


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## JudasD (Jun 8, 2012)




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## Baddog (Jun 22, 2012)

talk about value for money, here you get 5000 lumens for $500, makes damn good sense to me.


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## JudasD (Jun 22, 2012)

Baddog said:


> cloud bounce pics up this weekend...



Any progress on these pics? I am very anxious to see them.

Thanks,
JD


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## IMSabbel (Jun 23, 2012)

Hm.

It is not as large as it looks like.
I have just one suggestion for a version 2, if they ever make one: The light already has a hardpoint for mounting on the bottom. Would it be hard to modify it as to allow the battery pack being clipped onto the light itself for situations where the cord would be annoying?


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## Baddog (Jun 24, 2012)

Must say folks, the lumen to dollar value on this light is second to none. The switch is easily accessible, and the separate battery pack works for me as i never forget the light at various clients, just wish it had double the capacity.


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## JudasD (Jun 24, 2012)

I want one of these sooooo badly, but i cant bring myself to actually pull the trigger. What to do?!?!?!?!? :mecry:

JD


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## JudasD (Jun 26, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> Yes, the preliminary spec sheet I was sent lists the pack as "11.1VDC, 5200mAh Rechargeable Lithium Battery." I also understand from public comments by Olight that it is lithium polymer. But I have no additional details, and am waiting for official final spec sheet before updating that part of the review intro.



The SR95 is 7.4v at 7800mah. This is 6x18650 batteries at 2600mah running in 2Sx3P configuration. Chances are the X6 is the exact same 6x18650 cells. If we move them to 3Sx2P then we come up with the 11.1v and 5,200mah figures that the X6 is listed at. Does anyone else think this is the case?

JD


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## JudasD (Jul 3, 2012)

Baddog said:


> cloud bounce pics up this weekend...



We were led to believe that there was going to be some cloud bounce pics in this thread. Not 100% sure where we got that idea from  LOL

Any pics of this yet?

Thanks,
JD


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## LEDHerb (Jul 16, 2012)

Hi everybody,

Kinda new here, though I registered a while ago.

I just posted in the specialty forum before learning about the X6 minutes ago. I'm a filmmaker / video shooter. I've been looking for a brighter alternative to the smaller spot / fresnel type light available in the film/video realm. The X6 looks awesome. 

Does anyone have any idea what its CRI is? From what I've seen I'd have to diffuse the heck out of it to reduce the hotspotting, but even still, I think it'd be brighter than the alternatives.

The two a lights I'm comparing it to are these:
PRG Foton:
http://www.prg.com/product/foton-2-2-2/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZyss_TuyDs

Sola ENG
http://www.litepanels.com/language/pages/sola_eng.php

Thoughts?


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## selfbuilt (Jul 16, 2012)

LEDHerb said:


> Does anyone have any idea what its CRI is? From what I've seen I'd have to diffuse the heck out of it to reduce the hotspotting, but even still, I think it'd be brighter than the alternatives.


According to the Cree data sheet, the cool white XM-L is typically about 65 CRI.

The X6 would certainly put out more light than those dedicated camera light on Hi, but I don't know if the range of X6 outputs on would match your needs. And yes, you would definitely need to diffuse it considerably for up-close work.

Frankly, a smaller (and less expensive) 2xXM-L or 3xXM-L light could be a better fit for you (e.g. Nitecore TM11 with the eagletac M3-series diffuser) - although you would have to reach up to turn the lights on or off. The TM11 is available in Neutral white, which is typically 75 CRI according to Cree.


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## LichtAn! (Jul 17, 2012)

Isn't it possible to just use some zip-tie to mount the battery pack on the main unit? Any other ideas are welcome. I'm really liking the idea of having a 5000 lumen floodlight, but a separate battery pack is a nono for me.

P.S.: I just realized it has a tripod mount. So you can replace the clip on the pack with something selfmade.


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## LEDHerb (Jul 17, 2012)

Selfbuilt,

Thanks for the Nitecore suggestion. You're right about the switch and the adjustable output.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 17, 2012)

LEDHerb said:


> Thanks for the Nitecore suggestion. You're right about the switch and the adjustable output.


And i can see why the tripod mount was attractive to you.

Another alternative would be one of the ~800 lumen 1x or 2x 18650 lights with a remote pressure switch. There are plenty of 1-inch style mounts that you probably adapt. Likely the cheapest option.


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## LEDHerb (Jul 17, 2012)

Looking at that diffuser... If one was not enough, would stacking them (diy style) spread the beam more?

I like the idea of the diffuser too, because I could get several and gel them for color correction. Add some ND to bring down the out put too if necessary.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 17, 2012)

LEDHerb said:


> Looking at that diffuser... If one was not enough, would stacking them (diy style) spread the beam more?
> I like the idea of the diffuser too, because I could get several and gel them for color correction. Add some ND to bring down the out put too if necessary.


Should work. Photographic color filters would allow you to customize the color tint (and reduce output somewhat), diffuser films would spread out the beam (and reduce output further). And all could be cut to custom-fit the bezel.


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## hikerlight (Jul 17, 2012)

great review!nice flashlight:twothumbs


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## Stress_Test (Jul 22, 2012)

Question for you (assuming I didn't miss this when I skimmed the thread)


If you put your hand in the beam close to the front of the light, do you feel any heat? 

I seemed to notice this with my TK35, and I wasn't sure if there was really heat coming out or if it was just psychological (really really bright spot on the palm = heat)

I know leds don't emit heat per se, but I would think that at some level, the heat generated at the junction would be radiated out by the reflector, at least somewhat. I'd be interested to see if it's real noticeable or not on a super powerful led light like this.


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## Jerrycobra (Jul 22, 2012)

dear santa...


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## selfbuilt (Jul 22, 2012)

Stress_Test said:


> If you put your hand in the beam close to the front of the light, do you feel any heat?


Oh, you'll feel the heat alright! You don't need an X6 to demonstrate it - any decent output light (i.e. several high hundred lumens) will feel quite warm on the skin near the opening of the head. 



> I seemed to notice this with my TK35, and I wasn't sure if there was really heat coming out or if it was just psychological (really really bright spot on the palm = heat)


No, its not psychological - it's a physiological response to the beam. While we can't see into the infrared region of the light spectrum, our skin does respond (especialy to near-infrared). This is why NIR is sometimes referred to as "thermal infrared". We detect that light as heat on the skin's surface. Basically the same principle as why the sun on your face feels warm, regardless of the ambient air termperature



> I know leds don't emit heat per se, but I would think that at some level, the heat generated at the junction would be radiated out by the reflector, at least somewhat. I'd be interested to see if it's real noticeable or not on a super powerful led light like this.


There is certainly some heat coming off the light eventually, but that would take awhile to raise the ambient air temperature near your hand. It is the light itself hitting your hand that is being transduced as thermal sensation.

While it's true thst LEDs don't produce anywhere near as much NIR as incandescents, several hundred (or thousands) of visible lumens still translates into a fair amount NIR as well ...


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## trevordurden (Jul 22, 2012)

JudasD said:


> Any progress on these pics? I am very anxious to see them.
> 
> Thanks,
> JD



According to selfbuilt's numbers ,the SRX6 doesn't seem to be much of a thrower, I think you'd get better cloud bounces pics out of the SR90 or the SR95 series. I prefer a wall of light over tunnel vision myself, with a tripod stand, this would make a great portable worklight.


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## amham (Jul 25, 2012)

Olight just announced a AC adapter however this light cries out for a DC cord. Used as a stationary outdoor emergency light (or carried in a car) a high capacity 12V lead acid or similar is ideal. I hope Olight is listening and develops/releases. Also, the plastic connector between the light and battery pack needs to be upgraded to a solid metal type without the potential of bending the pins or cracking the connector (this was a major oversight).


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## drsgbriggs (Sep 27, 2012)

I've had this light for several weeks now. It does everything Olight said it would, and is very bright and illuminates a wide area when walking. I've been careful to not blind my dogs when they look back at me in the woods. 

My only gripe is that I'd like to be able to tail-stand it inside a tent trailer to provide room illumination. I'll make some sort of workaround to do this, but IMHO if the cord came out the side of the casing rather than the "back", tail-standing it would be very easy. For camping, I'll use two TM-11's for interior illumination, these give me about 4000 lumens in total, and a longer run time on high, and they are so much more easily transported. Also, I'm really looking forward to Olight making a magnetic mount for this torch. I managed to pick this up for $465 CAD, but honestly I'd say getting 2 Tiny Monsters might be a better way to go. For fishermen who want dock boats at night, this thing rocks! And it would be even better with a boat-side or car-side mount that is easily detachable.


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## drsgbriggs (Sep 27, 2012)

A fantastic addition to this light and battery system would be a way to join the two. Those folks who don't mind the weight would be unencumbered by the two units, me included, and those S&R folks could still do the cord thing for light weight hand holding in extended work. So, ideally what I'd like is a way to attach/detach the battery to the head unit, and magnetic mounts (or hard mounts) for the light head on car/atv/boat exteriors. AND make the head unit tail-standable.


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## earthlight (Dec 15, 2012)

deleted


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## Albert56 (Dec 16, 2012)

Impressive review. Impressive light, but for me it's not really a 'flashlight', it's a corded search light. It's pretty neat, though. If they could just condense it into a completely self-contained unit and make it a little smaller, I'd be very tempted to buy.


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## Patriot (Dec 16, 2012)

Albert56 said:


> If they could just condense it into a completely self-contained unit and make it a little smaller, I'd be very tempted to buy.



Or at the very least, make the battery pack symmetrical and allow it to be latched securely to the bottom of the light, in a flat base plate method. There's just too many times that I prefer a one piece system.


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## ahmad (Dec 17, 2012)

this is beast flashlight 
so nice


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## skeeterbait (Jan 6, 2013)

Not sure I understand the ergonomics of this light. It would seem the most likely deployment of this light would be from a vehicle like a truck or boat running on a DC cord direct with the battery reserved for short term excursions away from the vehicle. With the expense and weight of spare batteries it does not seem feasable for deployment for long term overland searching. Therefore it would seem that a pistol/spotlight grip would be much more ergonomic for use out a window or out the cabin of a boat.


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## Dotcircle (Jan 9, 2013)

Maybe something to replace my Niteye B30 in time. Imagine 5000 lumen bike light :naughty:


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## MrFunk (Feb 21, 2013)

Hi, thanks for the review, I just bought one but sometimes it makes a lil bit of noise ( a sort of whistle) is it normal? I asked Olight and they said yes.
Anyone has experiences with that ?
Thanks


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## selfbuilt (Feb 21, 2013)

MrFunk said:


> Hi, thanks for the review, I just bought one but sometimes it makes a lil bit of noise ( a sort of whistle) is it normal? I asked Olight and they said yes.
> Anyone has experiences with that ?


It is likely inductor whine/hum. This is a common issue on many lights that use inductors, but its presentation can be highly variable (i.e., intensity and pitch varies with drive level). It's basically a resonance frequency hum due to the vibration of inductor coils at specific currents/voltages. It's "normal" in the sense that it is a basical physical property of an inductor, and is hard to control for. I discuss it at some length at the end of my flashlight circuit primer video.

Short answer is there is nothing you practically can do about it, I'm afraid.


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## MrFunk (Feb 21, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> It is likely inductor whine/hum. This is a common issue on many lights that use inductors, but its presentation can be highly variable (i.e., intensity and pitch varies with drive level). It's basically a resonance frequency hum due to the vibration of inductor coils at specific currents/voltages. It's "normal" in the sense that it is a basical physical property of an inductor, and is hard to control for. I discuss it at some length at the end of my flashlight circuit primer video.
> 
> Short answer is there is nothing you practically can do about it, I'm afraid.



Thanks for the gr8 reply as always Selfbuilt


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## coldstar (Feb 21, 2013)

Thanks for the review, the beam pattern is really impressive...
And I think its shape is interesting. It reminds me of a mosquito killer lamp...:naughty:


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## RemcoM (Mar 7, 2013)

Hi Selfbuilt,

I have some questions,

1 Whats the difference between the fenix TK75 and the Olight X6 Marauder? X6 Has more beamdistance, and higher Cd number, thats all i know

2 Is the Olight X6 brighter than a carheadlight/s of a todays mazda,volkswagen, toyota,or ford?

3 How long can the x6 and the batterypack last? For years?

4 What is the beamdistance of the X6 on low, mid and high?

Remco


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## selfbuilt (Mar 7, 2013)

RemcoM said:


> 1 Whats the difference between the fenix TK75 and the Olight X6 Marauder? X6 Has more beamdistance, and higher Cd number, thats all i know


The TK75 is rated at 2600 lumens - the X6 is rated at 5000 lumens.



> 2 Is the Olight X6 brighter than a carheadlight/s of a todays mazda,volkswagen, toyota,or ford?


"Brighter" is a relative term - do you mean overall output or throw. Certainly, in terms of output, both lights exceed a typical headlamp (you will have to check with the automative section experts for more info, but I believe a typical non-halogen car headlamp is considered to be around 1200 lumens - but don't quote me on that). In terms of throw, I don't know how the various car headlamps are rated, but I suspect the the TK75 would exceed it. Again, you would have to asked the automative experts to know more.



> 3 How long can the x6 and the batterypack last? For years?


Yes, it should be able to last years under typical use. More extensive use would reduce the lifetime, like with any Li-ion device.



> 4 What is the beamdistance of the X6 on low, mid and high?


So, I didn't measure them. But you could roughly estimate by the drop in output (i.e., Med is about a quarter as bright, so lux would like drop by a similar amount - you can work back to throw).
Remco


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## TEEJ (Mar 7, 2013)

The X6 has a higher cd, so it throws further than the TK75. I think both would out throw a car high beam....by a lot.

OTF for an average car is closer to ~ 750 -850 lumens (the higher numbers are emitter lumens, etc...), way dimmer than either the TK75 or X6.

The cd for the two lights was only given for high, so you might just use a proportional drop to be ball park.

The ANSI distances use 0.25 lux to delineate the beam's range limit. 

So, if 0.25 lux is what you consider the end of the beam distance, you can use the meters of range listed in the reviews for the high's, and then take the proportion that the lower setting run at to reduce the predicted range proportionally.

Normally, its not relevant, as if things are far off, you're in HIGH anyway...and lower settings are MOST commonly used to just see where you're going close up.


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## RemcoM (Mar 8, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> The TK75 is rated at 2600 lumens - the X6 is rated at 5000 lumens.
> 
> 
> "Brighter" is a relative term - do you mean overall output or throw. Certainly, in terms of output, both lights exceed a typical headlamp (you will have to check with the automative section experts for more info, but I believe a typical non-halogen car headlamp is considered to be around 1200 lumens - but don't quote me on that). In terms of throw, I don't know how the various car headlamps are rated, but I suspect the the TK75 would exceed it. Again, you would have to asked the automative experts to know more.
> ...



Thank you for your reply.

1 Whats the difference in the beam pattern ,between the Fenix TK75, and the Olight X6 Marauder on turbo mode?

X6 puts out nearly twice as much lumens as the TK75, so, is the beam of the X6 much more floodier than the TK75?

Twice as much lumens to spread out, What kind of beam can i expect from both lights?

2 What about the strobe mode of the X6? Is that impressive?

3 Is the low mode of the X6, bright enough to walk around in the forest at night?

Remco


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## selfbuilt (Mar 8, 2013)

RemcoM said:


> 1 Whats the difference in the beam pattern ,between the Fenix TK75, and the Olight X6 Marauder on turbo mode?
> X6 puts out nearly twice as much lumens as the TK75, so, is the beam of the X6 much more floodier than the TK75?
> Twice as much lumens to spread out, What kind of beam can i expect from both lights?


The X6 is floodier, yes. You can see outdoor shots in this review that compare the X6 to other lights (but not the TK75, which is newer). I have some discussion of the TK75 beam in its own review, but outdoor shots are still pending, dependent on weather.



> 2 What about the strobe mode of the X6? Is that impressive?


It is a fairly typical fast strobe, of ~9.5 Hz. I find these too fast for signalling purposes, but some seem to consider them "tactical".



> 3 Is the low mode of the X6, bright enough to walk around in the forest at night?


I haven't tried that, but given the output, yes the X6 is bright enough. It may in fact be brigther than you want for this task, depending what kind of forest we are talking about (i.e., 270 estimated lumens on low is fairly bright).


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## RemcoM (Mar 8, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> The X6 is floodier, yes. You can see outdoor shots in this review that compare the X6 to other lights (but not the TK75, which is newer). I have some discussion of the TK75 beam in its own review, but outdoor shots are still pending, dependent on weather.
> 
> 
> It is a fairly typical fast strobe, of ~9.5 Hz. I find these too fast for signalling purposes, but some seem to consider them "tactical".
> ...



So, i can see nearly as twice the output of the TK75, when i shine the X6 outside on high,

Do i see that double output as more flood and more throw? The marauder has a bit more throw/more beamdistance.

Is the TK75 and the X6 strong enough to fall on the ground from 1 meter? Manufacturer said, impact resistance of 1 meters, Im extremely carefull, of how i handle the TK75, and the X6. I not want to damage it.

Remco


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## selfbuilt (Mar 8, 2013)

RemcoM said:


> So, i can see nearly as twice the output of the TK75, when i shine the X6 outside on high,
> Do i see that double output as more flood and more throw? The marauder has a bit more throw/more beamdistance.


No - the X6 has twice the output, but the human visual perception is not linear to output. Indeed, we perceive the intensity of most sensory system according to specific power relationships. Even in two lights with the same beam pattern, twice the output will not seem twice as bright to us.

And these two lights have very different beam patterns, which further confounds their direct comparison. Up close, the X6 will look brighter due to the wider and floodier beam. At a distance, the TK75 will seem very close to it.



> Is the TK75 and the X6 strong enough to fall on the ground from 1 meter? Manufacturer said, impact resistance of 1 meters, Im extremely carefull, of how i handle the TK75, and the X6. I not want to damage it.


That's what most manufacturers rate their lights at - but it's hard to know how well any one sample will hold up. I would certainly try to return any light that fails after a 1m drop - but there is no way anyone can help you predict that.


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## RemcoM (Mar 14, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> No - the X6 has twice the output, but the human visual perception is not linear to output. Indeed, we perceive the intensity of most sensory system according to specific power relationships. Even in two lights with the same beam pattern, twice the output will not seem twice as bright to us.
> 
> And these two lights have very different beam patterns, which further confounds their direct comparison. Up close, the X6 will look brighter due to the wider and floodier beam. At a distance, the TK75 will seem very close to it.
> 
> ...



So, you measured 270 lumen on low mode, 1500 lumen on mid mode, and 5100 lumen on highmode?

1 Why is it that he gives more lumens ,than the specifications are telling?

2 I received my Olight X6 now, is there a good chance that i also report 270, on low, 1500 on med, and 5100 on high?

3 How do you measured the X6 with no cooling? How do you do that?

4 Does the X6 get hot, while its on low, med, and high?

Remco


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## selfbuilt (Mar 14, 2013)

RemcoM said:


> So, you measured 270 lumen on low mode, 1500 lumen on mid mode, and 5100 lumen on highmode?
> 1 Why is it that he gives more lumens ,than the specifications are telling?


My lumen estimates are just that - estimates - based on my testing method (all described on my www.flashlightreviews.ca website). The point is that I consistently compare all the lights I receive in the same way, so that you can compare their relative performance at different levels. 

Not all manufacturer specs can be counted on to be entirely reliable. But you have to keep in mind that I typically only have one sample of each light, and there is bound to be some variability in performance across individual samples.



> 3 How do you measured the X6 with no cooling? How do you do that?


Sorry, I would have thought that was self-evident - no cooling means that no external cooling is applied (i.e., the light just sits there, in a corner of my office, with its head inside my lightbox). I typically do all my runtimes with fan cooling, unless otherwise specified.



> 4 Does the X6 get hot, while its on low, med, and high?


It certainly gets hot on Hi - my runtimes in the review show surface temperature readings. I don't find it unusually warm on Lo or Med.


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## kj2 (Mar 14, 2013)

RemcoM said:


> 2 I received my Olight X6 now, ...



Where did you order at?


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## RemcoM (Mar 14, 2013)

kj2 said:


> Where did you order at?



At ledscherp.nl

You know about?


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## RemcoM (Mar 14, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> My lumen estimates are just that - estimates - based on my testing method (all described on my www.flashlightreviews.ca website). The point is that I consistently compare all the lights I receive in the same way, so that you can compare their relative performance at different levels.
> 
> Not all manufacturer specs can be counted on to be entirely reliable. But you have to keep in mind that I typically only have one sample of each light, and there is bound to be some variability in performance across individual samples.
> 
> ...



How is it possible that the X6 can throw very far, but it has orange peel reflectors?

I thought, only smooth reflectors can throw far.


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## kj2 (Mar 14, 2013)

*Re: Olight X6 Marauder (6x XM-L, Rechargeable)*



RemcoM said:


> At ledscherp.nl
> 
> You know about?



Know them but never have order at.


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## selfbuilt (Mar 14, 2013)

RemcoM said:


> How is it possible that the X6 can throw very far, but it has orange peel reflectors?
> I thought, only smooth reflectors can throw far.


The X6 is basically the same as six not-very-throwy single flashlights all focused on the same point, running at max output - the cumulative effect is a lot of light on the target.

FYI, OP reflectors don't typically reduce peak throw that much. It varies depending on reflector design, but in most cases you would need to have a light meter to detect the difference in throw between SMO and OP.


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## bluemax_1 (Mar 18, 2013)

I've heard that they have an a/c adapter that allows the light to be powered (not merely charged) from 110/220v. Is this true? And as folks have mentioned, a 12v car adapter allowing the light to be powered off a cigarette lighter plug (and/or alligator clips direct to a 12v car battery) would seem to be an ideal accessory. Is anything like that available for this light?


Max


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## selfbuilt (Mar 20, 2013)

bluemax_1 said:


> I've heard that they have an a/c adapter that allows the light to be powered (not merely charged) from 110/220v. Is this true? And as folks have mentioned, a 12v car adapter allowing the light to be powered off a cigarette lighter plug (and/or alligator clips direct to a 12v car battery) would seem to be an ideal accessory. Is anything like that available for this light?


I have seen an AC/DC adapter be offered for the X6, which would presumably allow you to run directly off AC power (i.e., it replaces the battery pack). See here for an example. I don't know about a 12V car adapter, though.


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## bluemax_1 (Mar 20, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> I have seen an AC/DC adapter be offered for the X6, which would presumably allow you to run directly off AC power (i.e., it replaces the battery pack). See here for an example. I don't know about a 12V car adapter, though.



Ah, thanks, That would be handy for using it as a worklight or grounds illumination for the compound/grounds, the car adapter though, would greatly increase its usability as a mobile light.


Max


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## bluemax_1 (Mar 20, 2013)

BTW, I neglected to mention it, but thank you very much for taking the time to do all these extensive reviews. They're extremely helpful in looking at the huge selection of available lights.

Is an RC40 review in the works? I'm curious how it would compare to the X6 as far as output characteristics (can it maintain Max output like the TK70, or drop like the X6 and TK75?) and throw are concerned.


Max


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## selfbuilt (Mar 20, 2013)

bluemax_1 said:


> BTW, I neglected to mention it, but thank you very much for taking the time to do all these extensive reviews. They're extremely helpful in looking at the huge selection of available lights.
> Is an RC40 review in the works? I'm curious how it would compare to the X6 as far as output characteristics (can it maintain Max output like the TK70, or drop like the X6 and TK75?) and throw are concerned.


Thanks. I haven't heard anything from Fenix about the RC40 yet, but you never know.


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## bluemax_1 (Apr 26, 2013)

Well, the X6 just arrived in the mail today. This is one impressive light! The handheld unit was actually a little smaller than I was expecting. Overall, not difficult to carry at all, and the weight of the belt mounted battery goes unnoticed.

For verbal comparisons sake, I have to say, when it comes to cliche lines like, "the big brother of" and "like XXX on steroids", the beam of the X6 is literally like a Nitecore TM26 on steroids, or the TM26's big brother LOL!

The TM26 throws up a wall of light with a lot of usable spill and a BIG hotspot. The X6 throws up a brighter wall of light with even wider spill and a significantly brighter hotspot (although the hotspot is a little smaller than the TM26's). This is one heck of an SAR light. Lights up everything in the foreground and throws pretty well too. I'm going to have to examine the light more closely. I wonder how difficult it would be to open the battery pack and swap those 2600's for a set of 3400's? That should produce a nice ~30% increase in runtimes. That and a set of XM-L2 T6's... Hmmm... don't know if I want to attempt this myself or hit up VinhNguyen. I wonder if the heatsinking can be further improved over stock, thus minimizing the output drop?

And they REALLY need to make a 12v adapter for this light so it can be powered through a cigarette lighter adapter or connected straight to a vehicle battery with alligator clips. This light is just begging for it. For now though, I suppose there's the kludge workaround of using the a/c kit with a CLA inverter.

It would be great if someone could take beamshots or make a video comparing the RC40 to the X6, but until someone can bring these puppies head to head, first some beamshots of the RC40 vs TK70
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...t-Next-Month&p=4190931&viewfull=1#post4190931
Here's a video with beamshots comparing the Tk70, TK75 and X6

and this to compare the TK70 to the X6



Max


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## bluemax_1 (May 4, 2013)

Well, only a nut would buy a $600 MSRP light and choose to potentially void the warranty by modding it. I guess I'm a nut.

Planned mods for the X6:
1) replace the little proprietary connector with a weatherproof standard connector. Probably this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4F9EXY/?tag=cpf0b6-20
Replacing it on both ends will make it easier and quicker to connect (the proprietary connector isn't terribly convenient). These standard waterproof connectors are also more easily replaced should they break or get damaged in some way.
2) mod #1 also leads to mods #2 & #3. Mod#2 is to take this cable
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000Z0HVHA/?tag=cpf0b6-20 
and replace the CLA female end with a female Deutsch connector from above, thus allowing me to power the light directly from a vehicle cigarette lighter socket.
3) the addition of this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065L2D8/?tag=cpf0b6-20
will allow me to run the light straight off a vehicle battery.
4) since the Olight ac-dc adapter takes a 120-240v input and provides a 12v 6A output for the light, all the above should work fine shouldn't it? In addition, I'll either replace the plug on the Olight ac-dc adapter with another Deutsch connector, or perhaps, get a cheaper adapter that takes ac and outputs 12v and at least 6A. 

Mods 1-4 will make connecting and disconnecting the light far easier, plus easily allow me to run the light from a vehicle cigarette lighter, 12v battery or ac outlet.

Further mods (might have to send this to vinhnguyen54 for these):
5) XM-L2 T6's on copper SinkPads, plus any additional potential heatsink or heat dissipation mods.
6) replace the 2600mAh cells in the proprietary battery pack with Panasonic NCR18650B 3400mAh cells (~30% increase).

Maybe
7) since the cells are 3s2p, it's potentially possible to build a custom backpack carried battery pack with something like 12 or even 24 18650's or any multiple of 3 (to be charged with a hobby charger) that could provide anything from 260% or greater runtime.


Max


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## peterlonz (Jul 14, 2013)

I see this is a really bright long distance spotter light, at least IMHO.
I believe it's important to recognise that when you are "searching" at over 80 metres distant, you can have too much light & too bright.
To explain; I used to frequently sail at night from Auckland harbour (NZ) which meant navigating out of the well lit channel into the islands beyond where managing a passage & avoiding reefs & foul ground became critical. I used initially a 10" Lucas 12V powered HID spotlight which was like a miniature searchlight. But it was not that helpful, probaby because reflected light from the sea & headlands spoiled ones "interpretation of the scene". 
I discovered almost by accident that a waterproof EverReady Dolphin torch (with new 6V dry cell lantern battery) gave overall a better picture, it was more yellow, duller, & failed to throw much beyond about 80 to 100 metres. But it was preferred by everyone. We later came to use the hi-powered spotlight just for fun at night when moored.
So yes a lot of light is very impressive but it may not be the best for your circumstances.


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## Budda (Jul 14, 2013)

Hello SelfBuilt,
I noticed that you measured 104 k lux with the marauder. That's a lot of throw!
I always loved throwers and owned many of them... but with this light I noticed something "stange": since all the led have the same reflector and are driven to the same current, it means that each led+reflector throws 104'000/6= 17'333 lux .

Given this hight number, and knowing the very flood emitting profile of the XML, coupled with an OP reflector... I have difficoulty understanding how a single XML would generate such a lot of Cd  

From the pics I've seen I made some calculus and my results are that each reflector is comparable in size with the reflector of an XML in the King 3xXML, the reflector diameter for the X6 should be around 3,2 cm while the king is around 2,2 cm (confirmed from actual measurement). Can a reflector 1 cm bigger increase the lux of every led by 266%?

The king is around 23'000 Cd (around 7'666 lux for each XML) , from a 6xXML with "comparable reflector" I would expect double output and double lux. 
Maybe more, considering hi class XML, high transparency glass, fine circuitery of X6... but to make 17'000 cd I need a Predator v1 (16'650 lux with 18650), flashlight with big, deep reflector, and small led die.

If I'm right and you cover with black cardboard 5 XML and you measure the lux/m of the light, you'll have a very different measure. That's because the max lux from 1 meter with many multi emitter lights is not a precise parameter.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 14, 2013)

Budda said:


> If I'm right and you cover with black cardboard 5 XML and you measure the lux/m of the light, you'll have a very different measure. That's because the max lux from 1 meter with many multi emitter lights is not a precise parameter.


There is actually another factor at play here. First off, the measures are not done at 1 meter - they are done at 10 meters, and extrapolated back. This is important (and required for ANSI FL-1 testing), because the beams of most lights do not fully converge at short distances. The 10m measurement is thus far more accurate.

But at that, I'm not sure if it is sufficient for all lights (i.e., multi-emitter and single-emitter). One issue that I have not addressed in my reviews is the background spill effect of measuring indoors. The ANSI FL-1 standards make no reference to correcting for background _spill of the light_ (only for correcting for _background ambient illumination_, which I do). Nor do they specifiy the composition of the materials or wall colors in the testing environment. But because this testing is done indoors (where light reflects off various surfaces), reflections from the spill will artifically increase the centre-beam lux measures.

I have tried to measure this in my setup by blocking just the sensor, and reading the background spill illumination. Typically, for most lights, this appears to add ~3-5% to the overall center beam measurement. Not a huge effect, and one that tends to be consistent for a given class (i.e., heavy throwers - with dimmer spill - tend to be closer to ~3%, floodier lights closer to ~5%). As such - and given the ANSI FL-1 standards are mum on this issue - I do not adjust my measures for it. In other words, my numbers may be up to 5% inflated from the "true" centre beam throw - but it is likely the same for the "official" ANSI FL-1 measures as well. I have not specifically checked the X6 to see what effect its spill has, but I imagine it would be at the high-end (given its floody nature).

At the end of the day, the 10m ANSI FL-1 testing standard is a reasonable - but hardly perfect - way to compare center beam throw.


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## Budda (Jul 14, 2013)

thanks for your kind reply.

IMHO the lux/m measure of the multi emitter light is not "correct" since you "measure" 6 different spot (which is correct) AND all the light coming from 6 spills.

I estimate around 15% error within every measurement: differnt battery level in the luxmeter, different humidity and temperature which influence both the transparency of air and the error of the luxmeter, experimental errors (sensor not perpendicoular to the beam, lens not perfectly clear) & co. And we should have more measures, deviation standard, average value... 
Sorry, too much analytic chemistry 

I think that 15% error is good, since if we are talking about flashlight, and not making a shuttle for going to the moon 

A little setup I did to "verify" the reliability of the Lux/m values: I measured the lux/m for some lights I have at different distance (all very close, because was a fast test with a lot of problems). 
The data were used to make a graph. 





Obviously, all the measures are very high at 0,5 meters, and they decrease not lineary at the increasing distances. However the lowest the declivity means a higher throwy "character", irrespective from the lux and or the lumen. If we could linearize the graph, not considering the first point, and calculate the angoular factor of every line, we might have some interesting results.

This graph however has a not ideally scale, since It will show a lot better the differences if I dind't include the first value which is too high and "compresses" all the other readings.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 14, 2013)

Budda said:


> IMHO the lux/m measure of the multi emitter light is not "correct" since you "measure" 6 different spot (which is correct) AND all the light coming from 6 spills.


Yes, I would agree with this - but only in the sense that including the unavoidable combination of 6 spills is not going to be "correct" for great distances (i.e., they contribute to the center lux readings at <10 m distances, but are unlikely to contribute at higher distances). This is what I was alluding to when I said I am not so sure that standard beam intensity testing is so relevant for multi-emitter lights. Ideally, you would probably want to go to further out - but you would need to test this to see how far is actually necessary. And since that isn't really feasible, the 10m distance does still allow a standardized way to compare lights of similar class (with the caveat that care must be taken in comparing them to single emitter lights).



> I estimate around 15% error within every measurement: differnt battery level in the luxmeter, different humidity and temperature which influence both the transparency of air and the error of the luxmeter, experimental errors (sensor not perpendicoular to the beam, lens not perfectly clear) & co. And we should have more measures, deviation standard, average value...
> Sorry, too much analytic chemistry


This is getting off-topic now, but that is a rather generous error estimate for a well controlled environment. I can tell you that in my hands, with my testing setup, repeated measure variability is much lower. And I have confirmed this frequently, by re-testing the same lights on different occasions. It is part of the way that I maintain my internal calibration for my lightbox and ceiling bounce - but also to verify my lux lightmeter has remained within its initial calibration state, as best I can, by using a cadre of lights for this purpose.

That said, it is quite possible that the error could be that high for those who don't great care to standardize and validate. I agree it is an important issue, and would encourage people who do testing to perform similar periodic calibration testing. Given the unrealistically high degree of precision I see on some peoples' estimates, it is clear that they do not have comparable experience of repeated measure variance.


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## Budda (Jul 14, 2013)

If your setup is always in the same room (same size, same setup position, same wall colour, same fornitures), with the same instrument (which in the time are consistent with the measurement), maybe with air conditioned air (which shrinks the thermal and umidity% difference in different period) you'll have a very consistent, low variability setup and measure instrument 

Yes, 10 meters is a good compromize for standardized output test.

Thank you for your answer.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 14, 2013)

*Re: Olight X6 Marauder (6x XM-L, Rechargeable) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO + !*



Budda said:


> If your setup is always in the same room (same size, same setup position, same wall colour, same fornitures), with the same instrument (which in the time are consistent with the measurement), maybe with air conditioned air (which shrinks the thermal and umidity% difference in different period) you'll have a very consistent, low variability setup and measure instrument


It is.


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## whatswrongwithmee (Jul 14, 2013)

You should do a comparison between this and the Foursevens XM18, both are quite ridiculous but the XM18 takes the cake for being extremely ridiculous.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 24, 2013)

Please take any discussion of flashlight to car headlamp comparisons to the Transportation Lighting forum. I don't have any expertise on the topic, and don't want to see this thread derailed.


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## Norm (Aug 24, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> Please take any discussion of flashlight to car headlamp comparisons to the Transportation Lighting forum. I don't have any expertise on the topic, and don't want to see this thread derailed.


OT posts and replies have been deleted. RemcoM your post also contained a hotlinked image please see Rule #3. Norm


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## blackadder911 (Jul 6, 2014)

Selbuilt, I always enjoy your review and I've always been inspiring to it for my newbie review on local flashlight forums.
But recently I have a few things that annoyed me, not from your review, but from other people/sellers who use your great *review picture* for they own sake, it seems they want to scam other people, especially on Ebay.. like this post:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLIGHT-X6-M...2BPSr72BB4aAMYg68Mq2w%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc and this http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLIGHT-X6-M...rg=20140131123730&rk=1&rkt=15&sd=281377293131 I have on progress to ask the Ebay seller about this post.
And Selfbulit, learn from that, have you considered to give your every wonderful review picture watermark or something that shows it belonging to yours? to avoid your review abused by people who are not responsible. thank you..


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## selfbuilt (Jul 7, 2014)

blackadder911 said:


> And Selfbulit, learn from that, have you considered to give your every wonderful review picture watermark or something that shows it belonging to yours? to avoid your review abused by people who are not responsible. thank you..


Occupational hazard of the internet. I ask people to take these down when I am aware of them, but it usually doesn't make a difference. I've considered a watermark, but it's just another level of hassle in preparing photos, and I doubt it would deter them anyway. I may still get around to it for future reviews, but it won't help for all the existing hundreds of reviews. I may do it though for some of the more popularly hotlinked images, when I get around to it (although most of the ones you find online have been copied anyway).


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## RemcoM (Aug 20, 2014)

Hi Selfbuilt, 

How long can the batterypack of the X6 give the Marauder full power? I mean, how long ,many years can the batterypack last? Before it dies?

I have my X6 now for a year and a half, but use it almost not, only 2 times in a month or so, and then, only for some minutes.

How long does this batterypack last? And give the X6 , the full 107 Kcd?

Thank you.

Remco


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## selfbuilt (Aug 20, 2014)

RemcoM said:


> How long can the batterypack of the X6 give the Marauder full power? I mean, how long ,many years can the batterypack last? Before it dies?


You should ask the battery experts in the batteries and electronics sub-forum for general guidance. No one will be able to give you a specific answer, because that would depend in part on the specific formulation of the Olight battery pack. But they could at least advise about what typical happens to Li-ion or Li-polymer packs as they age.

I am no expect, but I believe a lot comes down to how many times the pack has been recharged, and how long it has stayed stored at very high (or very low) charge levels. Unless abused, I would expect that it should last for many years with the ability to produce max output. What you are likely to find (eventually) is that the total runtime drops with age. But at what expected rate, I cannot say.


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## BOB21 (Sep 5, 2016)

Does anyone mod thees lights?


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## Scrutiniser (Dec 21, 2016)

bluemax_1 said:


> Well, only a nut would buy a $600 MSRP light and choose to potentially void the warranty by modding it. I guess I'm a nut.
> 
> Planned mods for the X6:
> 1) replace the little proprietary connector with a weatherproof standard connector. Probably this one:
> ...



Max, 

Did you ever try any of these mods? I'm very keen to be able to both run the lamp directly off 12V and also to charge the battery when I'm in the truck. I've tried to identifiy the connector type that's currently between the battery and the lamp with no success. 

Cheers,

Denis


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