# ReviewTheLight: Matchbox Instruments HF-R (1x10250 or 1x10440)



## Bigmac_79 (Jul 22, 2013)

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MatchBox Instruments is a company ran by one enigmatic man, known only as TGWNN (The Guy With No Name), aka "Guy". He has previously made a coin-cell powered pendant light called the Core Ti. The HF-R is the round version of his new HF, a tiny light with a huge output!

*IMPORTANT:* The manufacturer instructs to not use High mode for more than 15 seconds at a time, and to let the light "rest" in one of the lower modes or the off position 30 seconds for every 15 used in High mode. This is because the output on High produces a large amount heat, and a light so small is not capable of absorbing all the heat fast enough to protect itself from damage. Hence, this is a light for enthusiasts only, who will be sure to take proper care of the light.



_
Thanks to TGWNN at MBI for providing the HF-R for review._

I’ll be reviewing the HF-R in two sections: first, I’ll discuss the light objectively (the facts about the light itself), then I’ll discuss the light subjectively (my impressions about the light's performance when used for specific applications). If you have any other specific applications you'd like the light tested for, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Quick Overview

Below is a video "quick review" you can watch in just a few minutes, if you're not up for reading the full review right now:


_This video is available in 720p HD, but defaults to a lower quality. To select the playback quality click the settings button (looks like a gear) after you've started the video._


Objective

*Manufacturer's Specifications*

Price: 
Aluminum (reviewed): 88 USD
Stainless Steel: 95 USD
Titanium w/ Trit Slots: 128 USD



*


Packaging*









The HF-R comes in a white cardboard box with MBI logo. Inside, the light itself and the 10440 body are nested in plastic bags in a foam cutout. Beneath that layer of foam are the accessories.

*Construction*








The HF-R is a very tiny light, running off a single 10250 battery (in it's default configuration). It comes in black or red anodized aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium. This review covers the black aluminum version. The "-R" designates it as the round version of the original HF, which had an eight-sided head and tail, resembling a small nut and bolt. Two MBI "NuKe" lithium ion 80 mAh 10250 cells are included with the HF-R, which is great because that's not a common battery size even among flashlight enthusiasts.





THe HF-R comes with an interchangeable 10440 battery tube, which is about the length of the entire light when the 10250 tube is installed.





As you can see, the HF-R is significantly longer when using the 10440 body, but still very small.









The HF-R uses a Cree XM-L emitter in a very small, smooth reflector. The lens is slightly recessed behind a bit of raw aluminum inside the bezel. The head section has a single band of very light square-patterned knurling.









The body section has two bands of the same square knurling pattern that help give some grip to the light, though obviously not as much grip as on the original HF with the octagonal head and tail. The tail section is mostly covered by a double-tick band of knurling, with the model name and serial number on the real. The rear also has a small keyring post which protrudes a couple of millimeters, so this light does not tail stand, but rather hangs straight down from a key ring.

Now, let's take it apart!





The HF-R has four pieces: Head, 10440 body, 10250 body, and Tail.







The head section has a small spring to make contact with the nearly flat top of the provided Nukes. A small clear o-ring helps keep water out of the head.







As you can see, the threads are very thin and tightly spaced, so even with the small size of the light it takes several turns for the head or tail to be removed. This, plus the fact that the UI does not require head or tail to be ever loosened, means it is very unlikely the head will fall off while the light dangles on your keychain (a common problem with some other keychain lights).





The tail has another spring to make contact with negative terminal of the battery. Springs at both ends means the battery is well protected in the event of an impact.






Dimensions





Accessories





The HF-R comes with two 10250 "Nukes", and two free-rotating keyring attachments (one ring and one lobster claw). 








The operator's manual gives instructions regarding the operation of the HF-R.





The manual also includes the signature MBI holographic sticker.













The Nukes are size 10250 (10mm diameter, 25mm length, round) lithium ion cells. They are rated for 80mAh with a nominal voltage of 3.7V (so they are charged to 4.2V max). They have NO protection circuit, so it's essential to recharge regularly and not let them over-discharge. The highlight of these batteries is that they are rated for discharge rates of 10C easily, with a max of 30C. For this battery, that means 0.8A regularly, with bursts of 2.4A, which is what makes these batteries special (that's an uncommonly high discharge rate for a battery this small). However, they should still be charged at about 1C, which means about 80mA (manufacturer recommends less than 100mA, with max of 200mA). 







The included key rings attach to the hole in the small post at the tail of the HF-R.

ZoomHead

An optional accessory for the HF-R is the ZoomHead, ordered separately.









The ZoomHead replaces the normal head.











It comes packaged in a small white box similar to the packaging for the HF-R.









It consists of a lens set inside a relatively large head that slides up and down, changing the distance from the emitter and thus the focus.







Like the regular head, it's got very small threads and a small spring.







Here you can see the difference in length when the head is extended or retracted.









And here you can see the HF-R with regular head, ZoomHead extended, and ZoomHead Retracted. See below for action shots of each configuration.


*User Interface*

The HF-R comes in two versions, a two-mode and a three-mode version. This review is for the three-mode version.

The modes of the HF-R are controlled by rotating the tail, which spins freely in one direction (clockwise as viewed from the rear) and will spin in the other direction also but can start to unscrew. The three-mode tail has six positions, in this order when rotating clockwise:

OFF -> Low -> OFF -> Medium -> OFF -> High

When you rotate past high, it is back in the first OFF position and will continue on to Low.

*IMPORTANT:* The manufacturer instructs to not use High mode for more than 15 seconds at a time, and to let the light "rest" in one of the lower modes or the off position 30 seconds for every 15 used in High mode. This is because the output on High produces a large amount heat, and a light so small is not capable of absorbing all the heat fast enough to protect itself from damage. Hence, this is a light for enthusiasts only, who will be sure to take proper care of the light. 


*Action Shots*

You can click on any of these shots to see them full size.

Light in Hand






















White Wall (Low, Medium, HF!)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 1/20"
_


























BeamSlice








MugShot






Indoor Shots (Low, Medium, HF!)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 1"
_





















Outdoor Shots (Low, Medium, HF!)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 2.5"
_





















Long-Range Shots (HF!)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 5"_





*Performance*

Submersion: The HF-R is water resistant with the regular head, but not with the ZoomHead.

Heat: The HF-R has significant heat buildup when using High mode, and being as small as it is, it is unable to dissipate the heat quickly enough. As recommended by the manufacturer, do not use on High for more than 15 seconds at a time, then switch off or to a lower mode for at least 30 seconds. There is no significant heat buildup on the Medium and Low modes.

PWM: 

Drop: I dropped the HF-R from a height of 1m onto various surfaces, including grass, carpet, packed dirt, and hard wood, and I see no evidence of cosmetic or functional damage.

Reverse Polarity Protection: None. Be sure to insert the battery in the correct direction.

Over-Discharge Protection: None. Be sure to recharge the batteries regularly to prevent over-discharge.


Spectral Analysis




All light that we see as white is actually made up of several different colors put together. The relative intensities of the different colors in the mix are what determine the tint of the white we see. For example, cool white LED's have a lot of blue, and warm white LED's have more red or yellow. This measurement was done on a home made spectrometer. The plot below the picture is corrected for the spectral sensitivity of the human eye. Note: the peak in the 900nm region doesn't really exist, it's a piece of the second-order spectrum that's showing up here because of the high intensity of the light source. 

Output and Runtime




_*High mode can only be used for 15 seconds at a time, and ANSI standards don't really account for this. ANSI lumen output is measured between 30 seconds to 2 minutes after turning on the light, and run time is the time from 30 seconds until 10% output, with the flashlight staying on the whole time. The HF-R cannot be left on High mode that long, so the output value in this chart is the output at about 30 seconds of cumulative "On" time._

ANSI FL-1 runtime ratings are the time it takes for a light to fall to 10% of it's original output (counting from 30 seconds after turning the light on). 

The vertical axis of the graphs below represents a relative brightness measurement using a home made light box. The horizontal axis is time in hours:minutes:seconds. Runtimes are stated in hours:minutes:seconds. These graphs may be truncated to show detail.

*Mode Comparison*


High







Medium







Low









Throwing Distance

ANSI FL-1 standard for stating a light's throwing distance is the distance at which the peak beam intensity (usually at the center of the beam) is 0.25 lux. I calculate throwing distance and candela (lux at 1 meter) by measuring peak beam intensity at five different distances and using the formula lux*distance^2=constant.

HF-R
*Peak Beam Intensity: 1304cd*
*Throw Distance: 72m*

HF-R ZoomHead Flood
*Peak Beam Intensity: 970cd*
*Throw Distance: 62m*

HF-R ZoomHead Spot
*Peak Beam Intensity: 8358cd*
*Throw Distance: 183m*

Subjective Review

Quick break down:

+ HF!
+ Very bright for it's size
+ Several materials available
+ Zoom Head attachment available
+ Even beam, no noticeable artifacts
+ It's tiny!
+ Optional 10440 battery tube
+ Specialized batteries included
+ No loosening of the head required
+ Tail rotation for UI is simple and intuitive
+ Support bold innovation

- Only 15 seconds allowed on high
- Only accepts li-ion batteries
- Small battery capacity means frequent charging
- Can be hard to grip for twisting with wet or cold hands

The HF-R is a game changer in the EDC field. When you can get 500 lumens from a light that fits on your keychain, that frees you to make some new decisions about what other light's you'll want to have with you on a regular basis. I used to carry a keychain light regularly that can go up to about 60 lumens for quick tasks, a pocket 16340 or 14500 light rated to 500 lumens for quick tasks that require more output, and a larger 18650 light in my bag for extended use. Now, with 500 lumens available from my keychain that eliminates the need for the small pocket light in most situations.

As is obvious when you first pick it up, the most impressive feature of the HF-R is it's huge output from a small size. It takes a bit longer to realize that the Medium and Low modes are actually very reasonably selected. The Low mode is plenty of light for getting around a dark house at night, and the Medium mode is perfect for walking in the dark on a path outside.

One thing that surprised me about the HF-R was that even with the tiny and smooth reflector, the beam is very even. Of course it's a floody light, using an XM-L in that size of head, but if you want more throw from it you can purchase the optional Zoom Head from MBI (not covered in this review).

For a little extra run time, I really like the inclusion of a 10440 battery tube, though it is often hard to find good quality li-ion 10440 cells. I do wish the HF-R could run off of an alkaline or NiMH AAA cell, though I know that would require extra circuitry and complication. My understanding is that the HF was originally released as a simple light that could be designed and manufactured relatively quickly, while the upcoming MBI Torpedo is intended to be the fancy one, accepting Li-Ion, NiMH, or Alkaline.

One really big plus for the HF-R is it's user interface. So many keychain lights operate by tightening and loosening the head, while the HF-R operates by a freely rotating tail (you don't tighten or loosen it). Those lights that require you to loosen the head for them to be off often find themselves missing a head, because it was loose and fell off while the user was walking around. With the HF-R, not only is it always fully tightened, but it's got quite a lot of small threads packed into that small space, so it is very unlikely the head will ever come off accidentally. 

The only other big negative I've found with the HF-R is that, being round, it can be hard to get the necessary grip to twist the tail when your hands are wet or cold. I usually have this attached to my keychain by the post at the tail, so I actually hod the tail still and rotate the light, which gives some extra grip, but I still wish for more at times. However, if you prefer more grip to the round style, the original HF is available with a much better grip design.

Overall, the HF-R is an extremely impressive light, and one that I have thoroughly enjoyed having on my keychain. If you're looking for a light smaller than a AAA keychain light with output better than most CR123 or AA lights, this is your best (and only :laughing choice, and I highly recommend it!


*Long Term Impressions*
I'll fill this part in after carrying the light for a while. If nothing get's added here, either I find nothing else worth noting about the light, or I end up not using it often.


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## tobrien (Jul 22, 2013)

thanks for this review, just liked you on FB.

I didn't realize how little this light was, I mean, I knew it took small cells but didn't ever put two and two together haha.

nice photos! I think the holographic sticker is a nice touch


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 22, 2013)

tobrien said:


> thanks for this review, just liked you on FB.
> 
> I didn't realize how little this light was, I mean, I knew it took small cells but didn't ever put two and two together haha.
> 
> nice photos! I think the holographic sticker is a nice touch



Thanks for the compliments and the fb like!

It certainly is small! Even with the 10440 tube on it's small, but using a 10250 cell it's just plain tiny!


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## Joe Talmadge (Jul 23, 2013)

Thanks! I've been waiting for some MBI reviews here. Very interesting, I'm always close to sold on that light!


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 23, 2013)

Joe Talmadge said:


> Thanks! I've been waiting for some MBI reviews here. Very interesting, I'm always close to sold on that light!



Well, Guy just told me he's putting a ZoomHead in the mail for me to add to the review, so that might just put you over the edge!

Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse brevity and typos.


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 9, 2013)

ZoomHead received, and is being added to the review! Some pictures up now, video and beamshots and output measures coming soon. :thumbsup:


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## tjswarbrick (Sep 24, 2013)

Great review. Thanks.
That's one tiny light.
I love the warning on the ZoomHead box!


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## cpfdemigod (Oct 23, 2013)

INCREDIBLE REVIEW!!! Best review of a flashlight I have read in my 8+ years lurking in this forum. Now its time for me to start saving. Just bought a Niteye Eye10 and love it to death, but now that I stumbled on this little gem, sighhhhhh.... I need it, I have to have it!!! This sucker is like the perfect flashlight. One last question, if you still got the light, did you ever get a chance to measure the throw distance as I see its missing from the review? Thanks and yes, I follow you on FB as well


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## RTR882 (Oct 23, 2013)

I love my HF-R! Strongly suggest buying the Zoomhead option, the light is so tiny that even with the zoomhead it is still tiny. While you're at go for the trits in the zoomheaad, anything this small is hard to find in the dark!


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 23, 2013)

cpfdemigod said:


> INCREDIBLE REVIEW!!! Best review of a flashlight I have read in my 8+ years lurking in this forum. Now its time for me to start saving. Just bought a Niteye Eye10 and love it to death, but now that I stumbled on this little gem, sighhhhhh.... I need it, I have to have it!!! This sucker is like the perfect flashlight. One last question, if you still got the light, did you ever get a chance to measure the throw distance as I see its missing from the review? Thanks and yes, I follow you on FB as well



Glad you enjoyed the review! And thanks for noticing the the throw measures being left out, they didn't make it from my data file to the published review. I filled in that section in the review, and have copied the data here below also for your convenience:

HF-R
*Peak Beam Intensity: 1304cd
Throw Distance: 72m

*HF-R ZoomHead Flood*
Peak Beam Intensity: 970cd
Throw Distance: 62m

*HF-R ZoomHead Spot*
Peak Beam Intensity: 8358cd
Throw Distance: 183m*


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 23, 2013)

RTR882 said:


> I love my HF-R! Strongly suggest buying the Zoomhead option, the light is so tiny that even with the zoomhead it is still tiny. While you're at go for the trits in the zoomheaad, anything this small is hard to find in the dark!



Thanks for the input! And yes, the trit option for the head looks very enticing!


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## jonwkng (Oct 23, 2013)

Hi Josh! Thanks to your excellent review, I am a happy owner of a black HF-R with Zoomhead and an anodized HF-R Ti UTT. Guy's lights are a good way to get started on flashlight collecting. Small, but potent little packages. *Holy Flashlight!!!* :twothumbs


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 23, 2013)

jonwkng said:


> Hi Josh! Thanks to your excellent review, I am a happy owner of a black HF-R with Zoomhead and an anodized HF-R Ti UTT. Guy's lights are a good way to get started on flashlight collecting. Small, but potent little packages. *Holy Flashlight!!!* :twothumbs



Glad to know I was able to help :thumbsup:


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## A.O. (Nov 5, 2013)

Outstanding review... but now I hate you... I've another light to buy!


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## CroMAGnet (Dec 5, 2013)

Nice review. Thanx!

Why do you use 0.25 LUX as the throw distance. 1 LUX seems to be the whole point to me. Measuring Lux at 1M should be telling us the distance it will throw 1 lux. And 1 Lux gets harder to see the farther you go but a 1/4 lux is much worse. Can you really light up an object from pitch black to usable/visible from 
72m away?


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## Bigmac_79 (Dec 5, 2013)

CroMAGnet said:


> Nice review. Thanx!
> 
> Why do you use 0.25 LUX as the throw distance. 1 LUX seems to be the whole point to me. Measuring Lux at 1M should be telling us the distance it will throw 1 lux. And 1 Lux gets harder to see the farther you go but a 1/4 lux is much worse. Can you really light up an object from pitch black to usable/visible from
> 72m away?



Good question! It's not something I decided, it's the ANSI FL-1 standard. So, if you buy a flashlight with those nifty specs printed in boxes with fun symbols, my numbers for throwing distance are calculated the same way as theirs. If I remember correctly, the reasoning is that .25 lux is approximately the illumination from a full moon on a clear night, so that should be enough to make an object visible to us. However, in my opinion this formula is lacking if the goal is to give an idea for how far the flashlight will let a person see, because it's based on the amount of light hitting the object, and not the amount of light reflecting off the object and landing in our eyes (which is double the distance for the light to travel). Anyway, that's a discussion for another time. If you want to know the distance where it'll give 1 lux, you can use that formula I give in the throw section, or just take the distance I give (or printed on the box) and divide by 2.

So, can you really use the torpedo to make an object visible at 72 meters? Of course, that depends a lot on the situation and the beam profile. With floody lights (like the HF-R without the ZoomHead), assuming you're pointing the flashlight approximately horizontal, you're going to have a lot of light hitting the ground and objects near you, which is going to make your eyes adapt to a higher lighting level, and you'll have trouble seeing the target at 72 meters because the objects near you are so bright. Other ambient lighting near you (street lights, porch lights, campfires, your friend's headlamp, etc.) will do the same thing. I haven't actually taken the HF-R out and stepped of 72 meters with it, so I can't say for sure, but I'd guess it would be a stretch for it to make an object visible at that distance. However, with the ZoomHead on, you'll have a much more focused beam, less spill light to get in your eyes, and it's very believable to me that it could make an object visible at 183 meters.


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## CroMAGnet (Dec 5, 2013)

Ya I didn't think it could help the user see something 72m away. The reflector is just too small to columinate enough photons into a beam to reach that far. They just turn into a sort of massive flood making it even harder to see farther, as you already said. 

So real world it would be nice to see a photo of that tiny light illuminating a tree at its farthest distance and then measuring that distance. 72m using an equation will lead many astray, especially noobs. 

Side note: would be interesting to measure the lux at 2 and a 4 or 5 meters and then compare the results with the equation to see how much, if anything, is lost.

PS nice manicure in the vid


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## neutralwhite (Jan 2, 2014)

would the Nichia 219 in one of these need to be max 15 seconds on high too if the output is lower?.
would it heat up quick ?.

thanks.


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## Glofindel (Mar 6, 2014)

Great review, somehow I can't view photos. but never mind


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## KITROBASKIN (Mar 6, 2014)

neutralwhite said:


> would the Nichia 219 in one of these need to be max 15 seconds on high too if the output is lower?.
> would it heat up quick ?.
> 
> thanks.



I have a Nichia 219. Been carrying daily for a few months (HF in titanium). I asked the kind folks at Oveready.com (where I purchased mine) and the impression that I got was that it would not produce as much heat as quickly but will still heat up. It is also putting out less light. Also, the maker of this light (Guy) has said more than once that he has left his on longer than 15 seconds plenty of times. I have also with no ill effects. That said, it does heat up. And I would never leave it somewhere out of my hand while on high. I check for temperature by touching the head, but that also conducts heat away from the head with my touch. Will it reduce its life if left on for 30 seconds or a minute? I doubt it. I keep it off between the low and medium settings, thus avoiding an accidental activation on high. It is worth it to me to have that burst of light. I don't have the zoom head, so the light is quite broad; nice for filling a room or the immediate area around you. Those who are used to small lights with a tight hotspot won't realize just how much light is being emitted from this little torch.

Hanging from a carabiner on a belt loop, I routinely activate with one hand in either direction. If I am going to low, it is a matter of grasping the barrel near the base hex(not head) and relying on the tightness of the attachment to the carabiner to hold the base while rotating. Going to medium will not loosen the thread so grasping it anywhere above the base hex is fine. I am the thinking the HF-R could be manipulated in a similar way.

illuminationsupply.com had Efest 10440 batteries and I use one of them stored in the extra long body in my day bag for possible emergencies when more runtime is needed. The 10250's give me what I need for daily use, however. 

And also picked up a Cottonpickers basic charger from across the pond to charge both battery sizes. It is nice getting gear from admirable people.

Those who prefer a light with more safety features and battery flexibility can wait for the MBI Torpedo, which is undergoing refinement as this is posted. It may be some time before a full production version is available. A few individuals are using small batch production samples and providing interesting feedback. There is also a 14500/AA version that is in development as well (Zeus). It sounds like the electronics are quite advanced and are being hashed out now as well.

One of the things that sold me on the HF (R) was the switching mechanism. I am so hoping it will be long lasting. Also, it is gratifying to get a nice flashlight from a person who listens to his customers and provides so much feedback. There is no corporate greed whatsoever from MBI. Reading the CPF posts Guy uses to communicate sometimes makes my jaw go slack, amazed at the detail and thoroughness of the evolution of these noteworthy devices. It is also fun.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 23, 2014)

Glofindel said:


> Great review, somehow I can't view photos. but never mind



Going through old unfinished business today, and saw this never got replied to, I apologize. Unfortunately, a while back my old image hosting site announced they would be closing down, and would only be hosting the images for a limited time. Fortunately, I was able to make some PDF backups before it went down completely. You can view the HF-R review backup here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-IDTPwIgRDvLWRGd1ZUWHgwMHc/. It seems this review in particular was being done right as the transition was happening, because some images were hosted on the old site and some on the new.

If you want to see the backups of any other old reviews, the list is here: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-IDTPwIgRDvOUs2U2daS2pXRzQ&usp=sharing#list


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## trojansteel (Aug 12, 2015)

Do you keep this light on your keychain? If so, do you find that it ever rotates on its own (unintentionally)?


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 14, 2015)

trojansteel said:


> Do you keep this light on your keychain? If so, do you find that it ever rotates on its own (unintentionally)?



The resistance on my sample is enough that I haven't had it turn unintentionally, either in a pocket or on a keychain. This is the Al model, so I can't speak for the Ti model.


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