# Olight S15 (XM-L2, 1xAA/2xAA/3xAA) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO + more!



## selfbuilt (Aug 6, 2013)

*Warning: pic heavy, as usual. *















Olight has updated their Baton S-series lights with a new model – the 1xAA S15. There are a number of build updates from the earlier S10 and S20 lights (although those models are also getting a facelift for 2013 – wait for my upcoming review of the new versions of those lights).

A nice feature of the new S15 is that it comes bundled with a 2xAA battery tube extender (and can even support 3xAA, with two extenders in place). Here's how it looks in 2xAA configuration:














From the way the light is marketed, you would be excused for thinking it is primarily a 1xAA light (with the option for extra cells). But based on my experience in this review, I tend to think of it as a 2xAA light that can be shortened … the reason for this distinction will become clearer as we go through all the testing results. 

*Manufacturer Reported Specifications:* 
(note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results).


LED: CREE XM-L2 LED and maximum output up to 280 lumens (tested by using 14500 rechargeable lithium battery).
Output/Runtime: 280 lm (45min) / 70 lm (4hr) / 7lm (32hr) / 0.5lm (15d)
Four adjustable brightness level: moonlight-low-middle-high and strobe; automatic memory function can memorize the brightness level while off (excluding strobe).
With flashlight off, pressing side switch to directly activate high mode or moonlight mode. 
Beam Distance: 84m
Beam Intensity: 1,750cd
High efficient drive circuit, compatible with any rechargeable and non-rechargeable AA battery; The run time is up to 15 days under moonlight mode.
Side switch with blue button cap, soft and comfortable to press.
Aviation grade aluminum body, with anti-scratch type III hard anodizing.
Stainless steel head ring can bear higher impaction.
Special designed smooth reflector and 99% luminousness lens with anti-reflective coating on both sides make longer beam distance.
With a long-arm convertible pocket clip for easy access.
There is a lanyard hole in the tail which can pass through fabric strap with diameter of 2mm. 
With detachable strong magnet inside the tail, the flashlight can be attached vertically to any iron objects.
Flat bottom allows stable tail standing. 
extremely low standby current: 0.5uA while using 1.5V battery; 1.2uA while using 4.2V battery.
Battery reverse polarity function guards against improper battery installation. 
Lock-out function; 
Impact resistance: 2m
Waterproof: IPX8
Dimensions: 85mm/3.4" (L) * 23mm/0.9" (D)
Weight: 46g/16.2 oz (without battery)
MSRP: ~$50






The S15 comes in packaging that is very similar to the new Olight O'Pen (aka Foursevens Penlight). Inside the clear plastic container is the light, extra o-ring, a simple wrist lanyard, AA battery extender, and manual. There is also an overview of specs on the bottom and back of the packaging.













From left to right: Duracell NiMH AA; Olight S15; Zebralight SC52; Nitecore EA1; Foursevens Quark Mini AA; Nitecore MT1A; Sunwayman V11R with AA extender, Rofis ER12.













From left to right: Duracell NiMH AA; Olight S15; Nitecore EA2; Eagletac D25A2; Nitecore MT2A; Foursevens Quark Mini AA-2; Fenix LD20-R4; JetBeam BA20.

All dimensions directly measured, and given with no batteries installed:

*Olight S15 1xAA*: Weight: 46.4g, Length: 87.0mm, Width (bezel): 23.1mm
*Nitecore MT1A*: Weight: 54.6g, Length: 104.6mm, Width (bezel): 22.7mm
*Nitecore SENS AA*: Weight: 26.1g, Length: 82.7mm, Width (bezel): 19.8mm
*Lumintop ED15*: Weight: 59.7g, Length: 100.2, Width (bezel): 21.9mm
*Zebralight SC52*: Weight 39.5g, Length 79.0mm, Width (bezel): 22.6mm, Width (max) 25.4mm
*Rofis ER12*: Wright: 35.5g, Length: 96.2mm, Width (bezel): 18.6mm
*Xeno E03:*: Weight: 48.1g, Length 96.7mm, Width (bezel): 21.5mm 

*Olight S15 2xAA*: Weight: 59.2g, Length: 137.9mm, Width (bezel): 23.1mm
*Nitecore MT1*: Weight: 66.9g, Length: 154.3mm, Width (bezel):22.7mm
*Nitecore EA2*: Weight: 68.9g, Length: 134.4, Width (bezel): 26.1mm
*Eagletac D25A2*: Weight: 54.8g, Length 148.5mm, Width (bezel): 21.0mm
*4Sevens QAA-2 X* (Tactical tailcap): Weight: 60.1g, Length: 149.1mm, Width (bezel) 22.0mm
*Jetbeam BA20*: Weight: 70.2g, Length: 156.4mm, Width (bezel) 23.2mm






















As with the S10 and S20, the S15 is quite petite for its class. Overall build is similar to these earlier lights, with black anodizing (matte finish) and bright white labels. Although still without typical knurling, the S15 shares the same raised checkered pattern as on the S10/S20. With the pocket clip attached, I'd say grip is reasonably good.

The pocket clip is comparable to the earlier models, although longer than the original S10. It similarly seems to hold onto the light fairly securely. I personally like it, as you can clip it on you in either orientation (i.e., bezel-up or bezel-down carry), although it might be rough on clothing given how tightly it fits.

Like the S20 (but not the original S10), there is now a spring in the head. However, there is also a plastic disc surrounding it, which acts as reverse-polarity protection feature (i.e., flat-top cells won't work in the light).

Like the other Batons, the S15 uses square-cut screw threads (anodized for tail lock-out, like the S10/20). 

Light can tailstand, and there is a split-ring/lanyard attachment hole on the side of the tail cap as before. The tailcap in fact seems identical to the S10/S20, with the same removable strong magnet (i.e., firm enough for the light to stand horizontally off any vertical metal surface). I previously prepared a video of the S10, showing you how to swap out the magnet in the tailcap: 



They seem to have improved the design, as I no longer notice any rattle on the tailcap (as I did on the S10/S20 with the magnet installed). As before, the light uses an electronic switch, located near the head. However, the user interface has been updated from the earlier S10/S20 (see below). Also, the low-voltage warning LED that was present under the switch of S20 is gone now (i.e., there is no such indicator om the S15).

As before, the light has a flat stainless steel bezel ring with a red o-ring, and a relatively smooth reflector. One difference – the lens anti-glare coating is not as pronounced now. :thumbsup: This is actually good news, as I (and others) had found that the anti-glare on the S10/S20 lens was contributing to the relatively greenish tint.










The S15 has been updated with XM-L2 Cool White emitter (which was well centered on my sample). Note that the S10/S20 are also receiving updates for 2013, including the same emitter and user interface described below. The reflector of the S15 remains relatively smooth finish (like the older S10/S20 lights).

*User Interface*

The S15 interface has been updated from the previous S20. FYI, the new 2012 XM-L2 editions of the S10 and S20 will feature the new interface described below.

Like the other Baton lights, the S15 uses an electronic switch for on/off and mode control. As before, a quick press and release turns the light on. 

Mode switching is controlled by holding down the electronic switch. The light will cycle between Lo – Med – Hi, in repeating sequence. This has changed from the earlier S10 models. As before, simply release the switch to select your desired mode. The light has mode memory – if you turn it off/on, the light returns to your previous level.

The S15 also features the ultra-low "Moonlight" level, as the S10/S20 did. You access this mode directly from off by a sustained (>1 sec) press-and-hold of the switch from off. This is a nice feature, as it means you can always turn the light on in the lowest possible mode if you want (i.e., no matter where you memorized it before). Mode cycling and memory works as before, once on.

Note that the S15 has a revised "soft lock-out" mode now - if you hold the switch down from off for >2 secs, the light shuts itself off (i.e., after one second of the Moonlight mode). You will not be able to use the light until you unlock it (by pressing-and-holding the switch for >2secs again). Note that this means that if you want Moonlight, you must release the switch before the lock-out takes effect (hold the switch between 1 and 2 secs). 

There is still a "hidden" strobe mode, accessed by double-clicking the switch when on. Double-click again to return to constant on.

The low battery LED indicator below the switch is gone now, likely due to wider voltage support (i.e., the S15 supports 1xAA, 2xAA and 3xAA).

_UPDATE NOVEMBER 4, 2013_: As one of the viewers on my video page commented, there is a short-cut to jump to Hi from off: double-click the switch from off. Note this doesn't work if your last memorized mode was Moonlight, but it does work for the other modes.[/I]

*Video*: 

For information on the light, including the build and user interface, please see my video overview:



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. 

As with all my videos, I recommend you have annotations turned on. I commonly update the commentary with additional information or clarifications before publicly releasing the video.

*PWM/Strobe*

As always, there is no sign of PWM at any output level – The S15 is current-controlled like its predecessors.  






The strobe is a fairly typical fast "tactical" strobe, of 9.7Hz frequency (as before).

*Standby Drain*

As the switch is an electronic one, a standby current drain is always present when a battery is installed. However, it is so low that I was not able to get a stable reading with my DMM. When initially connecting, I got a brief ~1uA current, which then dropped down to a <1uA current. oo: At that level, it would take forever to drain a battery (roughly speaking). :laughing:

*Beamshots:*

For white-wall beamshots below, all lights are on Max output on an AW protected 18650 battery. Lights are 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. 

1xAA Sanyo Eneloop NiMH





























































As you can tell above, the S15 is not driven as hard on 1x standard batteries as some of the competition. 

1x14500 (AW Protected 14500) Li-ion 

















































The S15 is certainly brighter on 1x14500, but again not at the top of this class range.

2xAA Sanyo Eneloop NiMH





























































Hi output on 2x sources is certainly more in keeping with other recent lights in this class, although the S15 remains relatively less throwy than most. Scroll down for detailed output and throw measures.

*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. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).















As you can probably tell from the above, there is remarkable consistency in the lower output modes, across all battery types. Where the light differs is in its response to different batteries on the Hi mode (scroll down for my lumen table). Throw is about what you would expect from a light this size.

To further explore the differences in max output across battery sources, here is my summary lumen estimates table: 






Although I didn't include it in the table above, note that 1xL91 Lithium has a lower Hi mode of ~130 estimated lumens. 2xL91 is in the same range as the other 2x battery sources. 2xAlkaline is similarly no different from other 2x sources.

Note that the above is not a surprise to me – it all comes down to voltage, and the ability of the cells to provide stable power (for regulation) at a given level. 1xL91 is frequently lower in output, due to its lower voltage. 1x3.7V Li-ion 14500 is much higher voltage, therefore pretty much indistinguishable from 2x sources.

_*UPDATE AUGUST 14, 2014*: I just received another S15, that I personally purchased from an online vendor. There is apparently some variation in output levels on Moonlight/Lo among these lights, as indicated below.






Please keep these results in mind, if you are purchasing the light with the intent of getting well-defined Lo levels._

*It bears repeating again that my estimated lumen scale is just that - an estimate, based on a consistent calibration of my lightbox.* But even though the _absolute value_ correlation is unknown, the _relative_ comparisons still hold. All I can really say is that one light is higher or lower than another, by a certain relative percentage. So please don't get hung up on the absolute values of the estimates, or on small relative percent changes. 

*Output/Runtime Graphs:*

Let's start by comparing the runtimes in 1xAA and 2xAA configurations, on all supported batteries:










Ok, there is a lot if info to absorb up there. But there is one very surprising result – the S15 is _considerably_ more efficient on 2xAA battery sources than 1xAA. oo:

Normally, 2xAA has slightly more than twice the output/runtime capacity of 1xAA. The reason it is not _exactly_ twice has to do with how both the circuit and batteries deal with the differing discharge currents at different voltages. On lights that support both, you will generally see slightly more than twice the output/runtime capacity (often with much better regulation) on 2x sources vs. 1x. 

In this case, it is hard to give an exact efficiency difference, as the S15 is also considerably brighter on Hi on 2xAA compared to 1xAA sources (and by how much varies considerably across batteries). But if you compare the Med mode alkaline runtime (which is a consistent brightness on both 1xAA and 2xAA), you will see that the *S15 2xAA alkaline has up to ~3.5 times the output/runtime capacity of 1xAA alkaline.* :bow:

Clearly, the S15 is optimized for 2xAA battery sources. The question is how does it compare to other 1xAA and 2xAA lights? In other words, is it a substandard 1xAA performer, a stellar 2xAA performer, or something in between?

Let's start with 1xAA:





























Again, there's a lot of data up there, but one thing is clear – on 1xAA, the S15 is an excellent performer on its Med mode (relative to the competition), and a fair-to-mediocre performer on its Hi mode (i.e. closer to XP-G lights in output/runtime). The one exception is Hi on the higher voltage 1x14500, where it performs much better (as expected).

How about 2xAA comparisons?




















On both Med and Hi, on 2xAA, the S15 is an outstanding performer. 

Taken together, these results show that the S15 has an incredibly efficient circuit at all levels - except for standard batteries (NiMH, alkaline, or L91) on the Hi mode with 1x sources. 

To summarize all that, the S15 is currently one of the top output/runtime efficiency performers in this class. It is just the Hi mode on standard batteries on 1xAA where you get performance comparable to a XP-G-based light. Note that the S15 is also generally speaking a better performer on NiMH, L91 or 14500, compared to standard alkalines.

If I can get my hands on another battery tube, I'll see how 3xAA compares. :wave:

_*UPDATE AUGUST 17, 2013:* Here's a revised NiMH Hi mode runtime graph, showing 3xNiMH on my original S15, plus a 1xNiMH runtime on the new sample I purchased.






As you can see, there is a slight bump in output on the new sample. But what I find interesting is how the second extension tube on the first sample didn't really extend the runtime that much further past the 2xNiMH test. It really does seem like ~2.5-3V is the "sweet spot" for running this light (i.e., the outstanding performance of 2xAA)._

*Potential Issues*

All Baton lights use an electronic switch, and therefore require a small stand-by current when fully connected. However, the standby drain on S15 was so low I couldn't even measure it accurately. This means you don't have to worry about draining your battery – although accidental activation is always a potential concern with electronic switches. You can "soft" lock out the switch electronically, and you can always physically lock out the S15 at the tailcap. 

All my earlier S10 and S20 samples had a noticeably green tint overall, especially so at the lower output levels. Part of this was due to the anti-glare coating on the lens, and part was due to the natural warm tint-shift that occurs at low drive currents. I am happy to report the S15 has a reduced anti-glare coating, which improves the situation slightly. However, you are still likely to notice a green-yellow tint in the hotspot, and blue-purple tint around the edge of the spillbeam periphery – but it is less pronounced than the earlier S10/S20.

There appears to be considerable variation is the exact output levels of the Moonlight and Lo modes. As you will see in my revised result tables, a second S15 sample had only ~1/3 to 1/4 the output of my first sample, at these two levels.

*Preliminary Observations*

It is nice to see that Olight is continuing to update the build and user interface of the Baton series – as well as expand into the new battery configurations. The 1xAA/2xAA/3xAA S15 is a good addition to the family.

The build changes are generally all positive. The anti-glare coating on the lens has been reduced from the S10/S20, which should improve the green-tint-shifting known on this series. The slightly revised user interface is good, with a multi-second lock-out mode now. The clip has improved in length from the original S10. And the always low standby current has been reduced even further – it's so low, I can no longer get an accurate reading. :thumbsup:

The one thing people might miss is the low-voltage warning indicator LED under the switch, which is gone now. But I could see why that would not be feasible in this light, given the wide voltage support (i.e., 1x, 2x, and 3x AA are all supported).

The bundled 1xAA extension tube is nice touch, as you have the option to run the light in 1xAA or 2xAA configuration right out of the box (3xAA is possible with an additional extender). But as I mentioned in my introduction, this is one light that I see primarily as a 2xAA light (with the option to drop down to 1x).

The reason I say that is the output/runtime performance of the light – it is simply outstanding on 2xAA sources, at all levels. :bow: On 1xAA, there is a definite drop in efficiency on Hi (although Med still seems excellent in my testing). Basically, the Hi mode is a top-performer on 2xAA, and a middling-to-below-average performer on 1xAA (i.e., on Hi, you only get the output/runtime performance of a typical XP-G light on 1xAA). Again, the light performs extremely well on Med, in all configurations and battery sources.

One other thing to keep in mind is that the light also supports 1x14500 3.7V Li-ion, where you get the output level (and relative efficiency) of the 2xAA configuration. Oh, and if you aren't sold yet, you also get a top-of-class output level on 2xAA. 

As with the S10/S20 Baton lights, expect a generally floody beam pattern – with a wide spillbeam and relative broad hotspot. Tint has improved slightly over my older Baton lights, but there is still a noticeable green-yellow-tint shift at lower levels.

The S15 is a nice example of the ongoing evolution of the Baton series of lights. Certainly a very strong contender in the slim and compact group of 1x/2x AA lights. :wave: 

----

S15 was supplied by Olight for review..


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## Swedpat (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanks *Selfbuilt* for all the effort of testing S15! :thumbsup:

I am seriously interested it this light. Small sized and several possibilities with different (number of) batteries and modes!


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## MichaelW (Aug 6, 2013)

This light was made for the T.I. crAA 14505.
So 2-3 volts is where the circuit is most happy. 3-4v is 2nd favorite place, and doesn't like 1-2v


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## reppans (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanks for the review Selfbuilt - I just pulled the trigger on an order a few hours before you posted. I'm looking forward to the light as I'll usually run a 14500 or CRAA/14505 in it. As a low lumen enthusiast, I'm at least happy to see decent 1xAA (low voltage) efficiency on Med. and hopeful it will continue on Low and Moonlight modes which I expect to use most often. I'll probably run some side-by-side output/runtime tests at those lower levels with comparable lights like the D25A (X), QAAX, and SC52.


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## Mathiashogevold (Aug 6, 2013)

Am i the only one who have a high buzzing sound on LOW mode at my S15?


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## jamesmyname (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanks for the review! I've been interested in AAs lately. I'm glad to see this light isn't much bigger than the Four Sevens mini I just bought. I love the extension tube option and support for 14500s. If it had a NW option I'd be all over it. I think this would be a good gift for the non-flashaholic.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 6, 2013)

MichaelW said:


> This light was made for the T.I. crAA 14505. So 2-3 volts is where the circuit is most happy. 3-4v is 2nd favorite place, and doesn't like 1-2v


Well, it certainly isn't optimized for 1-2V on Hi  ... but it seems to do fine on Med.

Interesting thought about the TI 3V 14505 primary cells. The S15 should perform quite well on those.


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## Badbeams3 (Aug 6, 2013)

"They seem to have improved the design, as I no longer notice any rattle on the tailcap (as I did on the S10/S20 with the magnet installed). As before, the light uses an electronic switch, located near the head. However, the user interface has been updated from the earlier S10 and S10 (see below). Also, the low-voltage warning LED under the switch* of S20 is gone now*".

It is? Lol...you better call Olight and have them correct their advertisement...They claim the S20 still has one, although the switch is now different. And I did not think the S10 ever had a low batt warning in the switch....lol. 

Excellent review as always Selfbuilt, this is one crazy light. Wait till you play around with it on 3 cells...gets even stranger...from my pathetic testing anyways...

I find it to be a fun light...don`t know any other way to put it...


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## selfbuilt (Aug 6, 2013)

Badbeams3 said:


> It is? Lol...you better call Olight and have them correct their advertisement...They claim the S20 still has one, although the switch is now different...clear for one thing. And I did not think the S10 ever had a low batt warning in the switch....lol.


Ah, sorry if that wasn't clear as originally written. My point was that the original S10 I reviewed didn't have the low voltage LED indicator under the switch, but the S20 version did (both with translucent white covers). The earlier S35/65 had the LED indicator.

The new 2013 XM-L2 models appear to be lacking the LED indicator, across the series. The S15 is just the forerunner of this change, so to speak.


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## Badbeams3 (Aug 6, 2013)

a)Aviation grade aluminum body, with anti-scratch type III hard anodizing. b)Updated the LED to the latest Cree XM-L2.
c)There are four brightness levels: Moon-light, low, middle and high. These levels can be memorized when the light turned off; one special mode: strobe.
d)Under off status, single click will turn on the light, quick double clicking can get high brightness, triple-click enable strobe mode, while long time press enable moon light. e)With strong magnet in the end of tail, the flashlight can be stick on the iron surface. The magnet can be removed and replaced by users.
f)Invertible U-shape embrace clip. g)Stainless steel head ring, which can bear higher tensile impaction
h)Flat tail cap, can be easily head stood. i)S10 has high efficient synchronous boost-buck driver circuit, perfectly support CR123A & RCR123A battery.
j)S20 is designed for a wide input voltage and both 2xCR123A and 1x18650 are available. 
k)Time based thermal management, after lighting on high mode for 4.5 minutes, the output ramps down to 50% of high brightness to avoid overheating.
l)Key lock-out function: keep pressing the side switch for 2 seconds, the flashlight will turn off and the key is locked. Holding the key for one second will unlock.
m)With battery polarities reverse protection. 
*n)When the red indicator under the side switch of S20 turns on, it indicates low battery status and the batteries should be exchanged by a fresh battery in time. 

http://www.olightworld.com/en/products_show.aspx?ProId=8871&CateId_1=EN1&CateId_2=EEN1



*My understanding/guessing, from the Olight literature/pictures, is the S20 still has a low batt warning in the switch, although the switch is now clear and don`t think it glows in the dark...the warning light might appear brighter. I have one on order, so guess I should say...I hope it does


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## AngryDaddyBird (Aug 6, 2013)

Awesome Review! been waiting to see info on the 2xAA setup and now I want to try it in 3xAA.
Had mine for about two weeks and love it! are you doing the New S20?


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## Siegetank (Aug 7, 2013)

Hi Selfbuilt. Thanks for another great review. I just bought the Olight S15 and it should arrive by the end of the week. This is my first foray into modern LED flashlights, so I am definitely a novice in the subject. Since I plan to use the S15 only in a 1xAA Energizer Lithium primary format (occasional use, not daily), would you say that there is a better light out there for this format? I was looking at your output/runtime graphs and I noticed that there are 2 outstanding lights using standard AA, which is the SC52 and Lumintop ED15. Out of all of the lights that you compared, the Lumintop was the only one that I didn't look into/hear about in my flashlight research. It was a nice surprise because the exposed button (accidental ons) and hold mode switching are the only two things that I don't like about the Olight; and the Lumintop ED15 addresses both of those preferences. 

Given my use of a 1xAA Energizer Ultimate Lithium format, would it be a significant difference in output/runtime between the Olight S15 and the Lumintop ED15? I'm prepared to eat the return fee (back to GoingGear) to pick the Lumintop if it is better for me. Thank you very much.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 7, 2013)

Badbeams3 said:


> My understanding/guessing, from the Olight literature/pictures, is the S20 still has a low batt warning in the switch, although the switch is now clear and don`t think it glows in the dark...the warning light might appear brighter. I have one on order, so guess I should say...I hope it does


Yes, I've just double-checked, and it looks like the new S20 will indeed continue to have the low-voltage LED indicator under the switch (although the switch material has changed). It is just the S15 and S10 that continue to lack this feaure (and have a the new blue-style button).

I will be able to confirm when the shipping versions of the 2013 XM-L2 S10 and S20 arrive. 



AngryDaddyBird said:


> are you doing the New S20?


Yes, it is en route apparently.



Siegetank said:


> Since I plan to use the S15 only in a 1xAA Energizer Lithium primary format (occasional use, not daily), would you say that there is a better light out there for this format? I was looking at your output/runtime graphs and I noticed that there are 2 outstanding lights using standard AA, which is the SC52 and Lumintop ED15. Out of all of the lights that you compared, the Lumintop was the only one that I didn't look into/hear about in my flashlight research.


Yes, the S15 is not a particularly good performer (on Hi) on 1xL91 lithium - although it is outstanding on 2xL91, and should be fine on its medium modes. 

As for those other lights, I would suggest you pay careful attention to the user interfaces and discussion threads. For example, the Lumintop ED15 which I reviewed lacked any form of mode memory. But according to a report in the thread, they have release another model (with the same model number) that uses visible PWM with mode memory. This would be expected to greatly reduce the efficiency of the light.


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## wunderhe (Aug 7, 2013)

Thank you for this nice review. I am not sure whether this will replace my SC52...


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## tallboybass (Aug 7, 2013)

I am surprised the S15 XML2 w/14500 doesn't hit the level of the S10 XML w/16340. Is it the fact that they had to accommodate so many possible voltages, i.e. - 1.2, 1.5, 2.4, 3.0, 3.7?


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## Siegetank (Aug 7, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> Yes, the S15 is not a particularly good performer (on Hi) on 1xL91 lithium - although it is outstanding on 2xL91, and should be fine on its medium modes.
> 
> As for those other lights, I would suggest you pay careful attention to the user interfaces and discussion threads. For example, the Lumintop ED15 which I reviewed lacked any form of mode memory. But according to a report in the thread, they have release another model (with the same model number) that uses visible PWM with mode memory. This would be expected to greatly reduce the efficiency of the light.



I actually prefer that my lights do not have memory, because I know it will always start in low.

Yeah, the problem is that I won't be using it in a 2xL91 format. Your estimated output for the S15 on 1xL91 is roughly 8.4/110/130. That sounds like terrible spacing for my needs, so I think I will return it. It looks like the Lumintop will have very good run times and output spacing using 1xL91. Thanks for the heads up regarding the different models of the Lumintop. There aren't too many dealers, but I know HKequipment carries them. I hate to keep asking you personal questions, but would you say that the Lumintop ED15 is better at running Energizer Lithiums than the Xeno E03 (v3)? I have read both of those reviews but it isn't exactly clear for L91s. I know you recommend the Xeno E03 in the recommendations section on your website.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 7, 2013)

tallboybass said:


> I am surprised the S15 XML2 w/14500 doesn't hit the level of the S10 XML w/16340. Is it the fact that they had to accommodate so many possible voltages, i.e. - 1.2, 1.5, 2.4, 3.0, 3.7?


I would presume so - the S15 is regulated so that all >2V configurations are regulated to a common set level.



Siegetank said:


> I actually prefer that my lights do not have memory, because I know it will always start in low. ...
> Thanks for the heads up regarding the different models of the Lumintop. There aren't too many dealers, but I know HKequipment carries them. I hate to keep asking you personal questions, but would you say that the Lumintop ED15 is better at running Energizer Lithiums than the Xeno E03 (v3)? I have read both of those reviews but it isn't exactly clear for L91s. I know you recommend the Xeno E03 in the recommendations section on your website.


I would just make sure you are getting the flicker-free, constant-current version of the ED15 (sans memory). I haven't tested the Xeno on L91, so can't comment on its specific performance. I would choose based on your preferred user interface.


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## Siegetank (Aug 7, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> I would presume so - the S15 is regulated so that all >2V configurations are regulated to a common set level.
> 
> 
> I would just make sure you are getting the flicker-free, constant-current version of the ED15 (sans memory). I haven't tested the Xeno on L91, so can't comment on its specific performance. I would choose based on your preferred user interface.



Ok...one more. Would you recommend the Zebralight SC52w on lithium primaries? From your review, they seem to do quite well. Does your memory match that? The only thing that kept me back from buying the Zebralight in the first place was the bad customer service stories and the green tint issues. Otherwise, it seems to be among the most suggested 1xAA light.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 8, 2013)

Siegetank said:


> Ok...one more. Would you recommend the Zebralight SC52w on lithium primaries? From your review, they seem to do quite well. Does your memory match that? The only thing that kept me back from buying the Zebralight in the first place was the bad customer service stories and the green tint issues. Otherwise, it seems to be among the most suggested 1xAA light.


The SC52 series has excellent performance on all standard cells, L91 included. I don't have any first-hand knowledge of the tint in the SC52w, but my previous "w" versions of Zebralights were all pretty decent.


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## TronPlayer (Aug 8, 2013)

My s15 just arrived today. Overall, I really like the light with one major exception. My Keeppower 14500's will not work in this light. It appears the button on the battery is not quite long enough. This is a shame since I have more coming for this particular light!


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## selfbuilt (Aug 8, 2013)

TronPlayer said:


> My s15 just arrived today. Overall, I really like the light with one major exception. My Keeppower 14500's will not work in this light. It appears the button on the battery is not quite long enough. This is a shame since I have more coming for this particular light!


That is possible, given the protective disc around the spring. But it is also possible that your 14500 is too long to allow the tail cap to screw down fully. That can happen with some protected cells.

EDIT: It seems like the issue is the top - the plastic disc in the head does serve as reverse-polarity protection.


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## reppans (Aug 8, 2013)

Well, mine came in today, and just on initial impressions, I'm really disappointed :-( I think this will be my first return.

Appears as if mine's subject to some serious sample variation from what I've read of other user reports, and I can usually reconcile pretty well with Selfbuilt's results, although I choose to use the much conservative lumen scale employed by 47 Quarks and ET D25s.



MichaelW said:


> This light was made for the T.I. crAA 14505.



CRAAs don't work, button tops are too flat for the physical polarity protection on this light, although maybe a small disk magnet would fix it.



Mathiashogevold said:


> Am i the only one who have a high buzzing sound on LOW mode at my S15?



Mine also buzzes (inducer whine?) on low, but it's not too bad - you have to put your ear up to it to notice.

Mine has some weird behavior when activating memory (most noticeable on the lower modes), but only after its been sitting for a couple of minutes - there's millisecond where it's like it can't decide which mode to start in and flickers before settling on the memorized mode. Not really noticeable on 1xNiMh, or on the higher modes, but it becomes a low output pre-flash with a 14500 on moonlight.

Mine's a little greener than my other Gen 2 XPGs and XMLs, but not as green as my SC52.

What really bugs me though is that the low modes are so far off spec (ML and low tend to be my often use modes on my lights) - I thought my SC52 was bad being off 2-4x.... this S15 is off by 3-10x. Can't break out my light meter now, but I'm guessing my moonlight and low are ~ 0.05 and 2 lms respectively. The medium and high modes seem about right by eyeball, though. Anyone else notice this?

Here's a cellphone side by side with a couple other lights and their (Spec) vs Meter readings - L to R (shown B&W):

Top
QAAX (0.3) 0.3.... (Meter calibrations done from QAAX 115 lm mode)
T10 (0.09) 0.13
SC52 (0.34) 0.08
S15 (0.5) ?0.05?

Bottom
QAAX (2.7) 3.0
T10 (9) 13.0
SC52 (2.7) 1.5
S15 (7) ?2.0?


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## TronPlayer (Aug 8, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> That is unlikely to be it, given the spring on the head of the S15. More likely is that your 14500 is too long to allow the tail cap to screw down fully. That can happen with some protected cells.



If you look closely, there isn't really a spring in the head of the s15. It's simply flat wire in a spiral. Also, mine has a black washer in the head most likely for polarity protection so a button top cell is required. I also bypassed the tailcap so the length of the button is definitely the issue.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 8, 2013)

TronPlayer said:


> If you look closely, there isn't really a spring in the head of the s15. It's simply flat wire in a spiral. Also, mine has a black washer in the head most likely for polarity protection so a button top cell is required. I also bypassed the tailcap so the length of the button is definitely the issue.


Interesting, it is hard to gauge the height of the spring, since the head doesn't open. But I have just tried a TI CRAA 14505, and it is unable to activate without a magnet on the positive contact. So it does seem like that disc provides reverse polarity protection.


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## ragnarok164 (Aug 8, 2013)

My S15 have a horrible whine in either moonlight or low mode with either 1x NiMH or 2x NiMH. No noise at all when I use a 14500. Weird...


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## selfbuilt (Aug 9, 2013)

ragnarok164 said:


> My S15 have a horrible whine in either moonlight or low mode with either 1x NiMH or 2x NiMH. No noise at all when I use a 14500. Weird...


Not really - inductor whine tends to be highly specific to a given drive level and voltage source. It's basically believed to be a resonance effect, and it's hard to guard against in multi-level lights that support a wide voltage source. Often you will find it only on specific levels on specific batteries.

On my shipping S15 sample, I can hear very faint hum at the Lo level only, on 1x or 2xNiMH - but only if I hold it right up to my ear in quiet room, and even then it is very subtle. On my pre-release S15, I can detect it on Lo and Hi (but not Med or Moonlight), and its louder on the Hi mode. On neither sample was it noticeable to me in actual use. But it does sound like this is variable, given the other reports here.


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## shelm (Aug 9, 2013)

Thanks for the S15 review. (...) Is it true that your Armytek Partner XP-G light on Eneloop is brighter than SC52 XM-L U3 on Eneloop? 300 lumens woot!

Isn't that sensational?

Erh. Thanks again


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## selfbuilt (Aug 9, 2013)

shelm said:


> Thanks for the S15 review. (...) Is it true that your Armytek Partner XP-G light on Eneloop is brighter than SC52 XM-L U3 on Eneloop? 300 lumens woot!


That review will be coming soon.


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## SuLyMaN (Aug 12, 2013)

Awesome review!! The competition is closing down on the legendary sc52!


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## NorthernStar (Aug 12, 2013)

Great review! 

Selfbuilt,a little off topic but are you having reviews of the upgraded Olight S20-L2 and Olight S10-L2 coming soon?


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## selfbuilt (Aug 12, 2013)

SuLyMaN said:


> Awesome review!! The competition is closing down on the legendary sc52!


Yes, it's good to see others in that category. FYI, my ArmyTek Partner review is imminent ...

_Edit: here it is - http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?368175_



NorthernStar said:


> Selfbuilt,a little off topic but are you having reviews of the upgraded Olight S20-L2 and Olight S10-L2 coming soon?


Yes, I'll be getting to those soon. Olight had sent me pre-release samples to evaluate, but the final shipping versions are now on their way.


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## NorthernStar (Aug 12, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> Yes, I'll be getting to those soon. Olight had sent me pre-release samples to evaluate, but the final shipping versions are now on their way.



Great to hear! So your reviews will be based on the final shipping versions,not the pre-released samples?


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## selfbuilt (Aug 12, 2013)

NorthernStar said:


> Great to hear! So your reviews will be based on the final shipping versions,not the pre-released samples?


Yes.


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## NorthernStar (Aug 12, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> Yes.



Great! I I will keep my eyes open for your reviews of the S20-L2 and the S10-L2 then.


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## Korgath (Aug 13, 2013)

I assume Armytek will command a price premium too


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## selfbuilt (Aug 14, 2013)

reppans said:


> Can't break out my light meter now, but I'm guessing my moonlight and low are ~ 0.05 and 2 lms respectively. The medium and high modes seem about right by eyeball, though. Anyone else notice this?


I just a received another S15, that I personally purchased from an online vendor. The output levels on Moon/Lo are much lower than my original sample, and pretty consistent with your estimates. Here's a direct comparison:






As you can see, there's little difference on Med/Hi. But it is interesting that Lower modes are that variable. I will update the main review with this table and additional commentary.


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## reppans (Aug 14, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> I just a received another S15, that I personally purchased from an online vendor. The output levels on Moon/Lo are much lower than my original sample, and pretty consistent with your estimates. Here's a direct comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks for posting the update Selfbuilt. On one hand, I'm glad it was you that received an "equally defective" unit (can't ask for better verification than from you) but on the other hand, I'm sorry to hear that this was purchased with your own funds. Wondering if you also notice the weird behavior I mentioned above when you activate memory mode with a quick press following a few minute rest - I think my light whipped through all 4 modes in a millisecond before settling on the correct memory mode. I returned mine... my first dissatisfaction return. 

This is off topic, so either disregard or continue in the PMs if interested, but I was wondering if you use a different methodology for measuring your sub-lumen modes. As mentioned, I can usually reconcile with your whole number measurements (adjusted for our different calibration scales), but I'm usually off from you by a multiple factor on the fractional lumens.... and interestingly in the other direction. I don't know if its just sample variation, or something else.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 14, 2013)

reppans said:


> Thanks for posting the update Selfbuilt. On one hand, I'm glad it was you that received an "equally defective" unit (can't ask for better verification than from you) but on the other hand, I'm sorry to hear that this was purchased with your own funds.


Well, the output levels are definitely lower than spec. Whether or not that is "defective" is question of perspective - Olight specs are generally pretty good, but I can think of quite a few other makers where my testing results do not commonly match their specs. 

I did notice that the pre-release S15 sample I handled (before the shipping sample tested here) seemed brighter on Moonlight and Lo (i.e., closer to spec). It may just be that Olight has adjusted the levels downward over time, but haven't updated the specs yet. :shrug:



> Wondering if you also notice the weird behavior I mentioned above when you activate memory mode with a quick press following a few minute rest - I think my light whipped through all 4 modes in a millisecond before settling on the correct memory mode.


Can't say I've noticed anything unusual, aside from perhaps the occasional pre-flash on Lo. Pre-flash is common on all Foursevens, Olight and Fenix lights. Of course, it is possible to have one sample more affected by pre-flash than another (and its presentation does seem to be a bit random, depending on specific sets of conditions). I have not seen any kind of pre-flash on Moonlight though, on any sample (which would be more of an issue). 



> This is off topic, so either disregard or continue in the PMs if interested, but I was wondering if you use a different methodology for measuring your sub-lumen modes. As mentioned, I can usually reconcile with your whole number measurements (adjusted for our different calibration scales), but I'm usually off from you by a multiple factor on the fractional lumens.... and interestingly in the other direction. I don't know if its just sample variation, or something else.


Same methodology was used, but the reference set was much more limited at the time the calibration standard was developed (i.e., I had relatively few <1 lumen lights). This calibration was heavily biased by the Novatac 120P, which has clearly defined fractional lumens (although the precise measurement timing is an issue, as regulation patterns are little unusual on that light). Again, it comes down to only being as good as what you are comparing to - so my fractional lumen estimates are consistent amongst themselves (and consistent to the 120P), but hard to know how well they relate to a true NIST-certified, calibrated integrating sphere.


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## reppans (Aug 14, 2013)

Gotchya - thanks. The different(?) reference set you use for sub-lumen could explain it. I'm calibrating from a single point (ie 100 lms) and then my meter is just giving me fractions from there - 1/10th is 10 lms, 1/100th is 1 lm and 1/1000ths is 0.10 lms. 

Would it be possible for you to post a pix of the "brighter" S15, side by side with your SC52 and Quark AA2-X all on moonlight mode (0.3-0.5 lms levels)? Just curious how these three compare having about the brightest, longest runtime sub-lumen mode on a AA(14500) capable light. (Completely understand if it is not worth your time to do special requests though.)


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## selfbuilt (Aug 14, 2013)

reppans said:


> Would it be possible for you to post a pix of the "brighter" S15, side by side with your SC52 and Quark AA2-X all on moonlight mode (0.3-0.5 lms levels)? Just curious how these three compare having about the brightest, longest runtime sub-lumen mode on a AA(14500) capable light. (Completely understand if it is not worth your time to do special requests though.)


Sorry, a bit swamped with too many other lights right now.


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## reppans (Aug 14, 2013)

No problem, completely understand, thanks anyways..


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## Badbeams3 (Aug 14, 2013)

My S15 is at least 10~13 lumen on low (love that, very usable). And moon mode is dimmer than my new S20`s moon mode...low on my S20 is disappointing to me...maybe 5 lumen...not nearly as usable as the low on the S15. Still have not run the S20 down far enough for the low batt warning light to come on and I have been running it quite a bit on medium mode. I`m lovin both the lights.


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## Warsaw (Aug 15, 2013)

Mathiashogevold said:


> Am i the only one who have a high buzzing sound on LOW mode at my S15?



Same here. 
Fenix tk70 makes simmilar sounds, but only when cells are almost empty.
it is quite annoying.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 17, 2013)

Here's a revised NiMH Hi mode runtime graph, showing 3xNiMH on my original S15, plus a 1xNiMH runtime on the new sample I purchased.







As you can see, there is a slight bump in output on the new sample. 

But what I find interesting is how the second extension tube on the first sample didn't really extend the runtime that much further past the 2xNiMH test. It really does seem like ~2.5-3V is the "sweet spot" for running this light (i.e., the outstanding performance of 2xNiMH).


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## Swedpat (Aug 18, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> I just a received another S15, that I personally purchased from an online vendor. The output levels on Moon/Lo are much lower than my original sample, and pretty consistent with your estimates. Here's a direct comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks Selfbuilt for your report! 0,03lm, wow! That's really moon mode! I would like that.


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## nmos (Aug 20, 2013)

FWIW my S15 also has a bit of a "pre-flash" before coming on if it's been off for a few minutes. It's only for a fraction of a second and doesn't bother me but it's obvious once you've noticed it. 

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2


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## nmos (Aug 20, 2013)

I've only had my S15 for a couple days but so far I really like it. My only real complaint is with the switch which manages to be both hard to find by touch and easy to press accidentally. I know about the lockout but then it takes a while to turn on and comes on in moonlight mode rather than medium which I prefer for this kind of light. It would also be nice if it didn't have memory and instead had some way to program the default brightness level.

I do really like that you can quickly get to high, moonlight, memorized or strobe.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2


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## Quality (Aug 29, 2013)

So the S15 does around 350 lumens for 1hr 40min on two eneloops with nearly flat regulation? Am I reading this right?


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## selfbuilt (Aug 29, 2013)

Yes, that is what I found. Note the lumen scale is only approximate, based on the calibration method (described in the links in the review).


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## Quality (Aug 30, 2013)

Thats pretty impressive. Wonder if they would make a neutral version?


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## Sukram (Aug 30, 2013)

Thanks for the review, selfbuilt! It's fantastic!!!


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## nickso (Aug 31, 2013)

Thanks for the review self built !
One thing I noticed is that your review states that your light (pre-release) came with an extender tube, but when I look at the olight site it does not mention one and Batteryjunction states that the extension tubes are NOT included.

Has anyone received an extension tube included with the light ?

Nick


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## billy_gr (Sep 3, 2013)

i am looking for the same info...

Both this post http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...nd-Beamshots&p=4270226&viewfull=1#post4270226

and the first one from this thread have a picture with *Include: 1 x Extended Tube (Gift)*

Does the tube still is included with the retail package ?


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## selfbuilt (Sep 3, 2013)

nickso said:


> One thing I noticed is that your review states that your light (pre-release) came with an extender tube, but when I look at the olight site it does not mention one and Batteryjunction states that the extension tubes are NOT included.





billy_gr said:


> i am looking for the same info...
> Both this post http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...nd-Beamshots&p=4270226&viewfull=1#post4270226 and the first one from this thread have a picture with *Include: 1 x Extended Tube (Gift)*
> Does the tube still is included with the retail package ?


I purchased a retail sample of the S15 from an online vendor (which stated the extender was included), and got the extender with the same packaging with the "gift" sticker. 

I would go by whatever the vendors are listing on their descriptions - it's possible some vendors have stock with extender tube "gifts" and some don't. The use of a sicker implies that it is not a permanent addition to the package. I personally recommend people go for and use an extender, given the improved efficiency in 2x form.


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## TronPlayer (Sep 12, 2013)

The s15 suffers from accidental switch activation from being loose in my pocket and using the clip in my pocket. I've had to replace it with the sc52w for my edc.


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## lightmyfire13 (Sep 12, 2013)

Try using the lockout mode ie switch off then press for couple of seconds to lock then to turn on hold for couple of secs....

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk 4


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## rockhopper (Sep 23, 2013)

I ordered one online this week (the Netherlands) and it came with the "gift sticker" and 1 extention tube. This was also listed on the website. Seems like it's a temporary introduction bonus first batch only maybe, but a large batch at that.

I saw that a few Chinese sellers ship with 2 tubes but I didnt want the international shipment hassle that goes with it. Looking at the inefficiency for adding a 3rd AA in this thread, I'm glad I didnt.

A little update:
My impressions so far. It seems very unforgiving in the single AA mode. What I mean by that is that the light won't activate or respond at all when the batteries (NiMh 2400 Eneloops Sanyo XXX) seem to be getting low. This won't allow me to turn on a moonlight mode if I wanted to. With 2 AA in I dont seem to have that problem.
I also get the humming / buzzing sound on Low (not moonlight) when I use 2 batteries. I'd have to try with full batteries to double check if it's only when they're getting low.

Kinda contemplating now if I should keep this light or switch it and hope for a better sample. I like the format and the way it allows both one or two AA, but all in all there's a few downsides.
So my question is, can anyone else here turn the light on with partially drained batteries? Mind you I'm not expecting turbo, just a moonlight would suffice.


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## moyo (Nov 2, 2013)

rockhopper said:


> I ordered one online this week (the Netherlands) and it came with the "gift sticker" and 1 extention tube. This was also listed on the website. Seems like it's a temporary introduction bonus first batch only maybe, but a large batch at that.
> 
> I saw that a few Chinese sellers ship with 2 tubes but I didnt want the international shipment hassle that goes with it. Looking at the inefficiency for adding a 3rd AA in this thread, I'm glad I didnt.
> 
> ...



I got an S15 recently and I can confirm that it turns on in 1xAA mode even when the battery is nearly depleted. I tried it with both Alkaline and 2000 Eneloop.

Also, I don't have a good way of confirming this, but I believe my unit has the same output as the first sample in this review (8.4 and .12 lumens on Lo and Firefly). It came with the extension tube but no "gift" sticker.


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## selfbuilt (Nov 3, 2013)

Thanks, and :welcome:


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## LlF (Dec 20, 2013)

Hi, how would you describe the feel of the blue button? comparing to say.. a mouse click, a tv remote, zebralight H502, or something like this or this ??

is there any other brand that have a button like the zebralight's?


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## selfbuilt (Dec 20, 2013)

LlF said:


> Hi, how would you describe the feel of the blue button? comparing to say.. a mouse click, a tv remote, zebralight H502,


Well, it's certainly closer to other lights with electronic switches than it is to a mouse or a remote.


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## LlF (Dec 21, 2013)

So it's more like the one in zebra light?
Sorry, the only electronic switch I know is zebras headlamp. And Felix side switch. 
To me the zebra light feels like a mouse click, plus a layer of rubber.
What about console controller?



(via Tapatalk)


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## selfbuilt (Dec 21, 2013)

LlF said:


> So it's more like the one in zebra light?


It has a slightly less pronounced "click" compared to most zebralights. It hard to say much more.


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## Teppos (Jan 2, 2014)

Great review :thumbsup:

Just ordered one. Hopefully I get mine in a couple of weeks.


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## selfbuilt (Jan 2, 2014)

Teppos said:


> Great review :thumbsup: Just ordered one. Hopefully I get mine in a couple of weeks.


:welcome:


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## AbbyY (Jan 12, 2014)

sb, I don't know if I should thank you or hate you for your reviews (my wallet is always empty because of you). Rrrrr... I think I finally thank you very much sir for enlightened me 

I have a question about S15 UI. I noticed if I use a single alkaline AA (1,5V) or NiMH Eneloop XX (1,2V), my flashlight runs in only two main modes (low and medium) plus moonlight. If I use a single 14500 Li-Ion (Nitecore or Eagletac, 3,7V and 750mAh), S15 runs at low, med and high plus moonlight. If I add an extender, the flashlight runs properly in all three main modes plus moonlight, using two alkaline AA or two NiMH. Is that normally for S15 or my sample is crapped? I mention I have Ti version.


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## LlF (Jan 13, 2014)

Normal


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## selfbuilt (Jan 14, 2014)

AbbyY said:


> I have a question about S15 UI. I noticed if I use a single alkaline AA (1,5V) or NiMH Eneloop XX (1,2V), my flashlight runs in only two main modes (low and medium) plus moonlight. If I use a single 14500 Li-Ion (Nitecore or Eagletac, 3,7V and 750mAh), S15 runs at low, med and high plus moonlight. If I add an extender, the flashlight runs properly in all three main modes plus moonlight, using two alkaline AA or two NiMH. Is that normally for S15 or my sample is crapped? I mention I have Ti version.


Do you mean to say that there is no Hi mode in the sequence, or that the Hi mode is no different in output than the Med mode? If the former, that is certainly different from mine. If the latter, I could possibly see that for alkaline (or a partially drained cell). Here is my output summary table, from the review:







A partially drained alkaline is unlikely to look very different on Hi or Med - but there should still be distinct modes. All other battery configs should be visibly different.


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## AbbyY (Jan 14, 2014)

Indeed, there is no Hi mode in the sequence. Yesterday I tested other S15 Ti version (only two samples here in Romania) and runs in the same way. I think UI is different for Ti version than "regular" one. Maybe other owners of Ti could confirm that?


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## Trevilux (Jan 14, 2014)

Your Olight Titanium Ed. is ok.
The modes on Titanium S15 Ti are different. Only two modes with 1xNiMH (plus moonlight), three modes(plus moonlight) with 14500 or 2xNiMH.
My review about S15 Ti is in spanish http://www.forolinternas.com/viewtopic.php?p=115596#p115596


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## AbbyY (Jan 14, 2014)

Thank you very much Trevilux!


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## selfbuilt (Jan 16, 2014)

Interesting, I didn't know they had changed the circuit for the Titanium edition.


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## Impulses (Jan 20, 2014)

Anyone know if the S15 usually still comes with the 2xAA extender tube or if that was just a temp promo? I know my best bet would be to ask the vendor but Amazon marketplace vendors aren't usually the most responsive so I figured I'd ask around. 

I recently decided to stop buying crappy lights, and I've bought a ton of then over the years... So I just bought an SC52 and wanted something longer lasting for certain occasions; I was between a Foursevens Quark, the S15, and a Sunwayman D40A. Eventually settled on the D40A but I'm still thinking of getting the S15 either for the car or general use around the house... Based on Selfbuilt's review it'd have to be with the 2x tube for sheer efficiency, the rest of the household would probably find the longer tube more familiar anyway.

It seems like a pretty good value, even if I have to get the tube separate, still cheaper than the Quark and the only advantage I'm seeing for the latter is the brief turbo ramp up and it doesn't seem like it's even significantly higher. Just a shame that the S15 lacks any kind of battery voltage indicator, that would easily make it a great choice for household use (at least from my perspective, easier to keep fresh cells in it before others start whining or reaching for the alkalines). Part of the appeal of the appeal for the other lights I've gotten.

What do CPF denziens typically get for less used scenarios like backup light for the car etc? I guess $40 is probably a bit much for something that'll see infrequent use but the suitable alternatives I'm looking at would still run me $30-ish (Fenix E21 off Ebay, 47s Quark Mini off Amazon...), so what the heck... :shrug:


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## Impulses (Jan 20, 2014)

Weird, 2x


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## Redstorm (Jan 22, 2014)

Impulses said:


> Anyone know if the S15 usually still comes with the 2xAA extender tube or if that was just a temp promo? I know my best bet would be to ask the vendor but Amazon marketplace vendors aren't usually the most responsive so I figured I'd ask around. .



I bought mine from ebay and received it yesterday and it came with the 2xAA extender. From my browsing on the website, it didn't seem to be a temp promotion, at least there was no indication that the extender is part of a promotion. Most of the sellers indicated the inclusion of the extender while a few were without.


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## zeitnah (Jan 24, 2014)

Hi selfbuilt, thanks for your great review on the S15. This review has in fact convinced me to purchase one. I received mine earlier today and have been playing with it ever since.
So far I'm pretty happy with the light except for one odd observation I've made. Despite all different modes working as they should, the moonlight mode remains unseen. I've tested the light in very dark rooms and cannot see the slightest hint of light when moonlight is on (or rather should be on). Has anybody experienced a similar behaviour on a S15? I've tried different NiMH's without success. 

btw. This is my first comment on the forum so *HI, EVERYBODY!*

Regards, Peter


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## Redstorm (Jan 24, 2014)

zeitnah said:


> Hi selfbuilt, thanks for your great review on the S15. This review has in fact convinced me to purchase one. I received mine earlier today and have been playing with it ever since.
> So far I'm pretty happy with the light except for one odd observation I've made. Despite all different modes working as they should, the moonlight mode remains unseen. I've tested the light in very dark rooms and cannot see the slightest hint of light when moonlight is on (or rather should be on). Has anybody experienced a similar behaviour on a S15? I've tried different NiMH's without success.
> 
> btw. This is my first comment on the forum so *HI, EVERYBODY!*
> ...



Now that you mentioned it, I also realised that there is no moonlight mode on my S15. I tested it and also discovered that there are actually only 3 modes - Lo, Med & High. So, I wonder where is the so called "moonlight" mode.


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## AbbyY (Jan 25, 2014)

Redstorm said:


> Now that you mentioned it, I also realised that there is no moonlight mode on my S15. I tested it and also discovered that there are actually only 3 modes - Lo, Med & High. So, I wonder where is the so called "moonlight" mode.



For moonlight mode, being in off status you must press and hold the side switch for two seconds. This is available for S10 and S20 too


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## Redstorm (Jan 25, 2014)

AbbyY said:


> For moonlight mode, being in off status you must press and hold the side switch for two seconds. This is available for S10 and S20 too



Thanks for the tip, AbbyY, I got it!


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## selfbuilt (Jan 25, 2014)

zeitnah said:


> So far I'm pretty happy with the light except for one odd observation I've made. Despite all different modes working as they should, the moonlight mode remains unseen. I've tested the light in very dark rooms and cannot see the slightest hint of light when moonlight is on (or rather should be on).


:welcome:

As AbbyY said, you only access it by a sustained press from Off. Does your light not do this?


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## zeitnah (Jan 26, 2014)

selfbuilt said:


> :welcome:
> 
> As AbbyY said, you only access it by a sustained press from Off. Does your light not do this?



No, it doesn't. There seems to be no way to get moonlight mode working on mine. Not very happy about that because I thought that being able to get to moonlight directly from off was a rather nice feature. Also the light doesn't go to moonlight after beeing unlocked (Figure3, c. in the user manual). I'm using almost new Eneloops and Sanyo 2700, could there be something wrong with these ( both work well in all my other lights)?


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## selfbuilt (Jan 26, 2014)

zeitnah said:


> No, it doesn't. There seems to be no way to get moonlight mode working on mine. Not very happy about that because I thought that being able to get to moonlight directly from off was a rather nice feature. Also the light doesn't go to moonlight after beeing unlocked (Figure3, c. in the user manual). I'm using almost new Eneloops and Sanyo 2700, could there be something wrong with these ( both work well in all my other lights)?


Hmmmm, it shouldn't be a battery issue - although you could always try a regular alkaline to confirm.

If that doesn't work, I would contact Olight for clarification.


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## zeitnah (Jan 26, 2014)

selfbuilt said:


> Hmmmm, it shouldn't be a battery issue - although you could always try a regular alkaline to confirm.
> 
> If that doesn't work, I would contact Olight for clarification.



Just checked with an alkaline. All modes work......except moonlight . I'll get in touch with Olight, Thanks for the advice!


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## sjl777 (Feb 11, 2014)

I noticed on my S15 that there is some glow in the dark paint or o ring inside the bezel. I have definite a green GITD ring which appear to be between the red o-ring and the lens. I only noticed this last night when I had the light in moon light mode. When it is turned off the ring will glow but not very bright. Any one else have this feature?


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## LlF (Mar 14, 2014)

i think i had the same problem. this was after a long period on high. the emitter was still slightly red. and there was these glowing dots around the red ring. it would fade away much faster than a purposely installed h502 for example. 
also, i was not able to reproduce it later. it kind of just happened only on that night.


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## John7Boy (Jul 11, 2014)

Just bought my Olight S15 as my EDC and travel flashlight, but only after many hours study of Selfbuilt's magnificent reviews-Many thanks + donation thanks again. I have taken the super magnet out, after it stopped my Seiko watch on overnight bedside table on holidays. I carry S15 in my pocket as well and figured it would not be a good companion to my magnetic data strip Credit Cards!!!
I love the 2xAA Sony 2700 performance, but for me the best is the single Olight 14500 for performance and sheer small EDC pocket size. Moonlight mode is great for not waking my wife during my nighttime "excursions" for pain meds & stretching exercises- getting older but still having fun with my flashlight hobby. Starting to get quite expensive thanks to all the Candlelight family including Selfbuilt, HKJ & so many others. Thankyou!!


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## zingers (Jul 14, 2014)

Thank you selfbuilt. But I have to give my own little review of this flashlight. I search for the ultimate EDC in AA because I 1/2 use 8-24 AA batteries on 1 photoshoot with no getting around it. And I use a flashlight every day, not just carry it. I bought and broke 3 Itp's. The fact that they broke made me switch brands. Bought a Trustfire, lasted a year (little guy drooled on it for awhile and caused a short somewhere). Just gave away my Eagletac D25A, found it too hard to turn on quickly because the button was surrounded by metal and my finger wouldn't fit in the button recess. Ordered the Xeno tiger E03 V3, now sitting on my desk as I decide what to do with it because the modes are too fiddly and the button is again slightly to small to get my finger in quickly. Durring this time, I have had the S15 and used it off and on. I love the modes, I love the interface, love the size. But, and here is a big but- I have gone through more batteries with this light than I thought possible. When its in your pocket, even in the lockout mode, it can, and WILL turn on. I have pulled it out of my pocket so many times and the battery was dead, that I decided to get a new light, hence the others listed above. This light has what I consider to be the best interface of all the others I have carried. You have access to moonlight and strobe as soon as you pick it up, high takes a second. I carry it now with the base slightly screwed off, which makes it very awkward to use, but at least it comes on when I take it out of my pocket. I'm waiting for my SRT3 and Zebra H52 to see how they fare. As you can see, for my EDC, brightness isn't parramount, but light, size and handling are. I have 2 surefires and other RCR123's that I use also, so my comments are relevent to AA EDC lights only. Thanks for reading.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 14, 2014)

zingers said:


> But, and here is a big but- I have gone through more batteries with this light than I thought possible. When its in your pocket, even in the lockout mode, it can, and WILL turn on.


Yes, this is a common issue for all lights that use a side-mounted electronic switch (the ZL SC52 is another one that comes to mind, although that switch is a bit better than this one). Frankly, there is no real good solution for this problem, other than locking out the light when not in use. :shrug:

Oh, and :welcome: (see you've been here awhile, but this was your first post).


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## TweakMDS (Jul 14, 2014)

No real solution maybe, but an overheat protection would be nice, if it's not already there, just to ensure your pocket is not actually catching fire ^^

by the way... Could someone elaborate on the difference between the Ti and regular s15? I planned on getting a bead blasted one, but didn't realize they had a different driver / UI. Might not matter if I run it on 14500 but I'm still curious now...


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## kj2 (Jul 14, 2014)

TweakMDS said:


> No real solution maybe, but an overheat protection would be nice, if it's not already there, just to ensure your pocket is not actually catching fire ^^
> 
> by the way... Could someone elaborate on the difference between the Ti and regular s15? I planned on getting a bead blasted one, but didn't realize they had a different driver / UI. Might not matter if I run it on 14500 but I'm still curious now...



http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JT9q-vTMuVs


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## AbbyY (Jul 14, 2014)

Hi TweakMDS!

I have both versions and I noticed that using a single alkaline, or NiMH, or a primary Li-ion, Ti sample has only 2 main modes (plus moonlight) - low and something between medium and high. But using one 14500, Ti version has all three main levels, like regular version.

Also, using two Ni-MH or primary Li-ion (extending tube), Ti sample has all three main modes, like the regular one.

Other difference between Ti and regular is the tint. While regular has a cool white tint, Ti version claims to be a neutral one but for my eyes is not a real neutral tint being a little bit yellowish.


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## TweakMDS (Jul 15, 2014)

Thanks for clarifying AbbyY

Since this review already stated that the S15 was less efficient on single NiMH, perhaps they went a safer route and drive it differently. It doesn't sound like a major issue to me though, since I run most of my AA lights that are able on 14500 as long as they don't just direct drive it.
Bead blasted titanium is still looking good, especially in neutral white!


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## Swedpat (Aug 6, 2014)

Swedpat said:


> Thanks *Selfbuilt* for all the effort of testing S15! :thumbsup:
> 
> I am seriously interested it this light. Small sized and several possibilities with different (number of) batteries and modes!




Hi again!

Today it's one year after you published your review, and my first post in this thread, and I can tell that I finally got S15. I included 2x extended body tubes. 
S15 is a nice little light and I like the wide hotspot. The tint of my sample has a pretty warm feeling, and compared to some other cool white lights it looks greenish. Still I don't perceive it nasty. The mode spacing is good. The deep clip ensures that the light is held firmly in a pocket. The tailstandability could be better, however; unfortunately the mid section of the tail protrudes very slightly and makes it wobbly. 

Anyway; after two days I get the feeling that S15 is a keeper. The possibility of varying use it as a 1AA, 2AA or 3AA light is great. The more lights the more fun and with S15 I have 3 lights in one.


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## DenBarrettSAR (Oct 18, 2014)

I just received a new S15 and its a great EDC light. The first thing i did was mod it with a Nichia 219B on a Noctigon to make it a great tint and eliminate the green tint syndrome the Baton series of Olights are known for.


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## Tapis (Oct 18, 2014)

DenBarrettSAR said:


> I just received a new S15 and its a great EDC light. The first thing i did was mod it with a Nichia 219B on a Noctigon...


Congratulations! Looks great. Could you please explain for newbies like myself what the steps are to have this light modded? I'm planning to buy it as well. Thanks.

EDIT: Is this the S15R or a new version of S15 I'm unaware of?


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## DenBarrettSAR (Oct 18, 2014)

Tapis said:


> Congratulations! Looks great. Could you please explain for newbies like myself what the steps are to have this light modded? I'm planning to buy it as well. Thanks.
> 
> EDIT: Is this the S15R or a new version of S15 I'm unaware of?



I removed the outer bezel ring, ( threaded on) then pushed the pill with the reflector out from the back using a gluestick (to not damage the driver) then un-threaded the reflector, then unsoldered the original star with the XM-L2 emiter. I then filed the sides of a 16mm Noctigon containing a Nichia 219B emitter so it would fit in the pill, then placed in in and soldered the leads back in place with some thermal paste under the star. ( red lead to + and black lead to -) 
I then clipped the plastic "posts" of the original centering plastic plate and centered it on the star over the emitter, then carefully re-threaded the reflector back in place making sure the emitter remained as centered as possible, then the lens and bezel ring.

*The S15R is the built-in rechargeable version that comes with a charging base and different tail cap with contacts.) I would recommend the standard S15 Baton that can use 14500s, 1 AA or 2 AA Alkaline or NMiH cells with the extension tube.


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## Tapis (Oct 18, 2014)

@DenBarrettSAR - Thanks, I appreciate it! I'll go for the S15 with the extension tube.


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## xevious (Dec 10, 2014)

Great review as always, selfbuilt. :twothumbs 

Maybe this is too obvious a question, but I've searched a number of threads and after spending 1 hour I figured it wouldn't do any harm to ask. 
The "R" series Olight flashlights can charge via the USB docked charging base. I get that. And it has to be a powered USB socket (not off a monitor or unpowered hub). But... will it charge when plugged into an outlet with a USB AC adapter? I certainly hope so, but just thought I'd double check before getting one. Thanks.


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## revelations0350 (Dec 10, 2014)

Yes they work by plugging USB cord to wall outlet USB adapter. 


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums


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## selfbuilt (Dec 10, 2014)

xevious said:


> The "R" series Olight flashlights can charge via the USB docked charging base. I get that. And it has to be a powered USB socket (not off a monitor or unpowered hub). But... will it charge when plugged into an outlet with a USB AC adapter? I certainly hope so, but just thought I'd double check before getting one. Thanks.


Absolutely, the R-series models all work fine when charged off a USB-AC adapter. I'm working on a review of those lights now.


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## xevious (Dec 11, 2014)

Great, thanks sb. I figured they would, as not being able to would be a rather major drawback (always requiring a powered USB hub or laptop to charge), but you never know. Olight has really started to show themselves as a smart company. Very nice workable and aesthetic designs balanced with reasonable pricing.

Looks like their charging base has an LED indicator that lets you know when charging is done too. I'll look forward to your review!

Btw, I think the S15 is one of the best 1xAA lights around for the price. The magnetic tailcap is so convenient. I keep one stuck to the side of my refrigerator for quick use around the house. Something rolled under the stove and you can't see it? Grab the S15 to shed some light. I just wish the switch didn't protrude as much. I've accidentally activated it in my pocket... and run the battery dry, until I started leveraging the lockout feature. But then, I'm finding a slight turn of the tailcap is more convenient.


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## ronniepudding (Dec 11, 2014)

DenBarrettSAR said:


> I removed the outer bezel ring, ( threaded on) then pushed the pill with the reflector out from the back using a gluestick (to not damage the driver) then un-threaded the reflector, then unsoldered the original star with the XM-L2 emiter. I then filed the sides of a 16mm Noctigon containing a Nichia 219B emitter so it would fit in the pill, then placed in in and soldered the leads back in place with some thermal paste under the star. ( red lead to + and black lead to -)
> I then clipped the plastic "posts" of the original centering plastic plate and centered it on the star over the emitter, then carefully re-threaded the reflector back in place making sure the emitter remained as centered as possible, then the lens and bezel ring.



How is the beam post-upgrade to the 219B? Given the smooth reflector designed for XM-L2, I'd be afraid of introducing rings and other artifacts when switching to an entirely different emitter.


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## Orlyg1521ab (Jan 9, 2016)

I have had mine now for 6+ months. Overall a good light, good light tint, good clip but the one thing that isn't is the activation button. At least a few times a week it switches on while in my pocket, its become a game to my kid: "how many times can I catch dad's light on". I find I have to lock it in the off position which to me isn't ideal. I started carrying it with a single Enloop AA which made it a great EDC, small, invisible carry. But then I chose to switch to the 2-AA extension tube due to this review (the increased run time and output), it makes for a much longer carry but still doable in my front pocket.


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## editor (Jul 12, 2017)

Hi Selfbuilt, Hi forum, four years since this review was written, we all had many other, great flashlights since. Still, S15 is one of my favorites, didn't lose any of it's definite values such as simplicity, versatility in feed and rationality of build. What I especially love is tha part mostly challanged by others: the button. Yes, it can turn on suddenly in a pocket, but still it is the most pleasant to press button feel among the Baton line. It is not overdriven than some of latest lights so if they still sold it I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a real-life economic, well sized light with versatile powering options. A real surviver.


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