# Eagletac M3C4 - SST-50 and 3xR5 XP-G - Reviews: BEAMSHOTS, RUNTIMES, and more!



## selfbuilt (Oct 8, 2010)

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

_*UPDATE DEC 10, 2010:* Eagletac has recently revised the M3C4 SST-50 to a new version with a deeper and smooth reflector, for more throw. Please see my specific review of that light for more info._










Eagletac has updated its “Military” line of high-output lights (i.e.. M2C4/M2XC4) in a revised build known as the M3C4. A wide variety of emitter types are available in the M3C4 format, including all of those used previously in the M2-series light. But they have also added a few new options, two of which are reviewed here – the 3xR5 XP-G version, and the SST-50 version of the M3C4

*Manufacturer Specifications:* Common Specs for M3C4 Series 

New one-piece flashlight head design (from the top of the knurling area to the battery contact point behind the head). This allows optimal LED heatsink capability and operational reliability. The flashlight head is not sealed and user can gain access to the inside of the lens and reflector.
New durable hard anodization coating in HA (type III) finish (40 μm in thickness and 350-380 HV in hardness).
New Reflector design in L.O.P. finish
The tail-stand tail-cap receives a new durable protective coating. The package also come with a para-cord lanyard with darken holding clip that fits in the tail-cap lanyard hole. The controller ring also receives the new durable protective coating.
The Flashlight head and the body are o-rings and square-rings sealed for operating in harsh and wet environments. Reverse battery polarity protection has been implemented on the battery tray for each battery channel. The water-proof tail-cap now uses stainless steel 304 mounting screws with hex heads.
Included accessories:
CNC machined 304 Stainless steel bezel
Included diffuser filter. YRGB filter kit (yellow for fog and rain) is optional.
Paracord lanyard with darken pocket clips and split ring
M series nylon holster
*Luminus SST-50 Specs:*

Luminus SST-50 W65S WJ LED (maximum output, single LED)
O.T.F. lumen output: 16/56/172/376/800
LED lumen output: 20/70/215/470/1000
Battery: two 18650 rechargeable or four CR123A primary
Runtime: 1.5/3.5/8/28/100+ hours
Estimated MSRP: ~$170
*Triple CREE XP-G Cool White R5 LED Specs:*

Triple CREE XP-G Cool White R5 LED (maximum output, three individual LEDs)
O.T.F. lumen output: 15/55/172/593/800
LED lumen output: 18/70/215/475/1000
Battery: two 18650 rechargeable or four CR123A primary
Runtime: 1.5/3.5/8/28/100+ hours
Estimated MSRP: ~$160






Packaging is the same for all members of the M3C4 series – with stickers on the outside identifying the specific emitter and tint of the light inside. 

Packaging is similar to the earlier M2-series, but with one extra – an included bezel-replacing diffuser. Also included with the light are extra o-rings, wrist lanyard, warranty card and manual, primary battery holders, clicky-switch battery carrier, and a good quality nylon case that fits the light well. 













From left to right: AW Protected 18650, M3C4 SST-50, M3C4 3xR5 XP-G, M2XC4 3xR2 XR-E, M2C4 SSC P7, Sunway M40C.

All weights below are without batteries installed, but include the regular carrier.

*M3C4 SST-50*: Length: 158mm, Width: 61mm (bezel), Weight: 334.7g 
*M3C4 3xR5 XP-G*: Length: 158mm, Width: 61mm (bezel), Weight: 374.1g

*M2C4 SSC P7*: Length: 163mm, Width: 61mm (bezel), Weight: 351.7g
*M2XC4 3xR2 XR-E*: Length 160mm, Width: 61mm (bezel), Weight: 395.8g

As you can see, overall weight and length has dropped slightly from the earlier M2 series lights. Bezel diameter has not changed.






The overall build looks similar to the M2-series, but there a few noticeable upgrades.

The head is now a single-piece unit, apparently to help with water-resistance and length. However, the bezel is still removable, and you can still access the reflector/lens by removing the outer ring below the bezel (there is a retaining ring holding the lens in place - not shown). But there’s no reason to open the head unless you need to replace a broken lens. Eagletac cautions against trying to “clean” the inside of the lens, as there is an anti-reflective coating you are likely to damage.

As with the M2-series, the light features anodized screw threads, allowing for head lock-out. Lube was a bit overly generous on my sample. 

The contact springs in the head are covered (as before) - although the contact surfaces not as gold-colored as they were on the M2-series lights.

The lights apparently come in two types of type III anodizing – dark gray as shown here (similar to my Sunway lights), or black. Regardless, the plastic control ring and tailcap cover are made of black plastic. Anodizing quality is top-notch on my samples. There is plenty of ridge detail to help with grip, plus some medium-strength knurling on the head. Lettering is sharp and clear, bright-white against the dark background. 










Unfortunately, the top of the battery handle still has four Phillips-head screws holding it to the battery tube portion. I would prefer that this were a single piece of aluminum – I recommend you periodically check these screws to make sure they don’t loosen up and compromise water-resistance of the battery handle.










The battery carrier has been updated slightly as well. Note that flat-top high-capacity cells may not work in the carrier, as the plastic contact ring around the positive terminal is slightly raised. You can use CR123A cells with or without the included plastic holder.










The tailcap region seems to be more securely fashioned on these M3 series lights. The cover is a tight fit now, with a well-formed o-ring underneath. Note also the use of hex screws here. Included is a hex Allen key if you need to tighten the screws or want to swap the battery carrier for the clicky version. But be advised that I was unable to loosen one of the screws on mine with the key – it seemed to be just a touch too small (i.e. kept spinning inside the screw head). A 7/64” hex screwdriver did the trick for me on that one. 

_UPDATE: Scroll down this thread to see that at least one CPF user reports a problem with a stripped hex screw when trying to swap the tailcap. Note that Eagletac's warranty specifically does NOT cover damages from stripped mounting screws!_






Eagletac also provided me with a sample of their own branded primary CR123A batteries. I haven’t tested these yet, but will add them to my CR123A battery round-up when I get the chance.



















The emitters appear to be well centered on my samples. Like before, the 3xCree option has overlapping reflector wells. 

Eagletac also sent their optional YRGB colored filter kit (yellow, red, green, blue). Like the included diffuser, these screw on as a replacement for the stainless steel bezel ring. 

Without a flash:





With a flash:





The filters seem to be of good quality, with all but the red one showing colored reflections upon angled lighting. Scroll down for beamshots.

*Beamshots*

_Sorry for the quality of the white wall beamshots – I’ve recently moved, and haven’t had a chance to set up a proper beamshot closet yet. What you are looking at below is primed drywall that hasn’t been painted yet – so there are still some imperfections._

Here are some up-close shots comparing to the new M3C4s to my M2XC4 3xR2 XR-E and M2C4 SSC P7. All lights are on 2xAW protected 18650, ~1m from the wall:


















As expected the M3C4 3xR5 XP-G still shows a “daisy-pattern” spillbeam (common on multi-emitter lights with overlapping wells). Also as expected, throw is also reduced somewhat from the M2C4 3xR2 XR-E (although you would only notice at a significant difference - at up to ~5m, they are really pretty equivalent).


















The M3C4 SST-50 has a similar beam pattern to the M2C4 SSC P7. Both lights have a wider (but dimmer) spillbeam compared to the multi-emitter options. The hotspot of the M3C4 SST-50 is probably the most defined of all the M2- and M3-series lights in my possession. 

Not shown, but up-close (i.e. <1m) there is a noticeable void in the centre of the M3C4 SST-50’s beam. Of course, who would be using this light at <1m … 

I've recently added some additional lights to my 100-Yard Outdoor Beamshot Round-up, including the lights in this review. Check out that round-up thread for more details on the testing method, plus higher quality JPEG images of all lights. For now, here are a couple of animated GIFs of relevant M2- and M3-series comparisons:
















To better show what the optional YRGB filter kit and standard diffuser look like, here are comparison pics of the M3C4 3xR5 XP-G, all taken at ~1m with my camera’s standard Sunlight white balance correction (~5200K).

M3C4 3xR5 XP-G 





Diffuser





Yellow Filter





Red Filter





Green Filter





Blue Filter





Not surprisingly, the Yellow and Blue filters let the most light through (i.e. Cool white emitters are relatively deficient in Green and Red wavelengths). The Yellow filter is not as green as it may appear above – that’s an artifact of the defined color balance on the camera.

*User Interface*

The control ring functions similar to the earlier M2-series lights, but again with a few upgrades.

With the standard battery carrier, there is always a standby current if the head is fully tightened against the body. 

To turn the light on, turn the control ring clockwise (with the light pointed away from you). The light will proceed out of Standby and through Moonlight, Lo, Med, Hi and Turbo in sequence. The spacing between modes is only approximate, but I didn’t find either of my samples to be too far out kilter. 

The difference from the M2 series is that strobe is now relegated to a “hidden” mode. To access, rapidly switch from Turbo to Standby and back to Turbo again. This will replace Turbo with Strobe. Do this switch again to advance to Beacon, and again for SOS (note the manual has Beacon/SOS order reversed). Do it once more to return to standard output modes with Turbo. 

Alternatively, you can loosen the head (or click off the optional clicky switch) to break the connection to the battery carrier and fully shut off the light. This also restores the standard output modes upon re-activation.

Note that the light moves through the output levels in a gradual fade into each level over ~1sec or so as you turn the ring (i.e. you don’t see a sharp jump in output). 

With the forward clicky switch module installed, the light can be turned on in any mode by the switch (with the control ring controlling the output level as before). There is no standby current with the clicky switch in the off position.

Note that there is a ~1sec lag to activation when the clicky switch is soft-pressed or clicked on. There is also a Med output “pre-flash” if you activate the switch with the ring in the Moonlight or Lo mode state (i.e. the light comes in Med, and fades down to Lo/Moonlight).

*Parasitic Standby Drain*

The parasitic standby drain of the M2 series was always fairly high at ~720uA (reported by HKJ). For a pair of standard 2200mAh 18650 in series, that translates into just over 4 months before the batteries would be fully drained.

I measured my M3C4 samples and found 1130uA (3xR5 XP-G) and 1170uA (SST-50) on standby mode. That would translate into 81 and 78 days, respectively, before fully charged 2200mAh batteries would be completely drained. 

I therefore recommend you store the lights with the head locked-out, or use the optional clicky switch battery carrier. There is no standby current with the switched clicked in the off position.

*No PWM*

As with the M2-series lights, there is no evidence of PWM on any mode. The lights appear to be fully current-controlled at all levels. :twothumbs

*Strobe/SOS/Beacon*






Strobe is a reasonably quick 7.9Hz.






Beacon is actually a slow strobe – 2Hz freq.

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

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

Note: All throw measures below were taken at 5m and extrapolated back to estimates at 1m. 1m actual measurements would give you highly misleading results, as the beams of thrower lights don't have time to converge by that distance.

Also, my throw numbers may be lower than some - I take all readings from the center of the hotspot. A number of emitters produce a brighter edge of the hotspot (i.e. a relatively dark center). However, since it is hard to reliably measure anything but the center, I stick with that for my measures.






Note that the lowest output level (“Moonlight”) is a bit variable for the M3C4 lights. While in keeping with the lowest possible Lo modes of other current-controlled lights, it is now as low as some of the PWM-based lights.

*Output/Runtime Comparison*

*Note:* _Effective January 2010, all CR123A runtimes are now performed on Titanium Innovations batteries. You can compare the performance of these CR123A cells relative to the Duracell/Surefire cells used in my earlier reviews here. These new light results are marked by an "*" in the graph legend_























Basically, thanks to the newer emitters, max overall output of the new M3C4 lights reviewed here has increased somewhat. Overall runtime characteristics do not appear to have appreciably changed much.

Note that while my lightbox reports a higher output score for the 3xR5 XP-G version over the SST-50 version, my ceiling bounce gives the opposite result. :shrug: The very different beam profiles makes it hard to reliably ascribe a specific relative output.

*Potential Issues*

Although the build has a number of improvements, the handle is still composed of three separate pieces (tailcap, battery tube, front portion that screws into the head). Although each section has its own o-ring, you should keep an eye on all the screws to make sure they don’t loosen up with time (and thus impair water-proofness).

Standby parasitic drain is still very high for the M3C4 series – enough to fully drain a pair of 2200mAh 18650s in less than 3 months. I recommend you store the lights with the head locked out (or with optional clicky battery carrier in the clicked off position).

The is a Med-level pre-flash when using the clicky switch with the control ring set to Moonlight or Lo. There is also a ~1sec delay in activation when using the clicky switch to turn on.

Flat-top 18650 cells may not work in the battery carrier, due to the raised plastic ring around the positive contact plate.

_UPDATE: If you scroll down this thread, you will see at least one CPF user reports a problem with a stripped hex screw when trying to swap the tailcap. As mentioned previously, I had my own difficulties in removing one of the screws - there seems to be some variation in the size. Note that Eagletac's warranty specifically does NOT cover damages from stripped mounting screws!_

*Preliminary Observations*

The M3-series lights have a nice set of incremental upgrades to original Eagletac M2-series. 

I particularly like the addition of the two new emitter options reviewed here (SST-50 and 3x XP-G R5). Frankly, I’m a little surprised that Eagletac has kept so many emitter variants for the new M3C4 line (i.e I would have thought they’d drop some of the old M2-series ones). :thinking: But the option for relatively warm “Neutral White” for many of the emitter types is most welcome – I know a lot of members here prefer warmer tints.

Build is a uniform improvement over the old M2-series. :thumbsup: Although most of the changes are fairly minor individually, the net effect is significant. I particularly like the revised user interface (with strobe _et al_ relegated to hidden modes) and the revised tailcap with hex screws (both the new standard flat and clicky-switch designs). The control ring also seems more consistent in its spacing than the earlier M2-series (although still not exactly equal in all modes). 

The small reductions in weight and height are also appreciated. The lights still feels quite substantial, with significant heatsinking – something some the competitors in this class may lack. The lights now feature a lower Lo mode (although “Moonlight” may be overstating it ). Even minor touches like the fade-in and –out of levels seems kind of classy. And I like the new dark grey anodizing finish. 

That said, there are still a few things that haven’t changed from the M2-series lights that I would like to see different. Chief among these are the relatively high parasitic standby drain (although you can easily lock-out the light). Also, I don’t like the 3-piece body handle design requiring 8 screws and two o-rings to hold the handle together. :sigh:

As for the emitters, both the SST-50 and 3xR5 XP-G options give a lot of light – slightly more than their earlier counterparts, the SSC P7 and 3xR2 XR-E. They also have smoother beam profiles (e.g. no dark center void on the SST-50). Of course, if you prefer the earlier emitters (e.g. smaller hotspot on the 3xXR-E), they are still available in the M3C4 build.

At the end of the day, is there enough to make you want to “upgrade” from an existing M2-series build? That depends on what matters to you – but in most cases, I would suspect not. But if you are in the market for a new light, there is certainly no reason to go for the M2-series lights instead. You can get everything the M2-series offered – and more – in the upgraded M3C4 build. 

One last point - Eagletac has to be among the most generous in terms of bundled extras with these lights. I personally quite like the bundled diffuser, now standard on the M3C4 series. :thumbsup:

_*UPDATE DEC 10, 2010:* Eagletac has recently revised the M3C4 SST-50 to a new version with a deeper and smooth reflector, for more throw. Please see my specific review of that light for more info._

------

The M3C4 lights were provided for review by Eagletac.


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## richardcpf (Oct 8, 2010)

Thanks for a great review!

Love how the triple XPG version is superior to the SST50 in every aspect.


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## don.gwapo (Oct 8, 2010)

richardcpf said:


> Thanks for a great review!
> 
> Love how the triple XPG version is superior to the SST50 in every aspect.


 
+1. 

Thanks for the review selfbuilt. Love to see the OTF of the triple.


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## dhouseng (Oct 8, 2010)

Finally the long awaited review. Thanks!


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## HIDblue (Oct 9, 2010)

Outstanding review selfbuilt. :thumbsup: 

I especially appreciate the new outdoor beamshot comparisons that flip back and forth between the SST-50 and the 3 x XP-G. 

It really does seem like the 3 x XP-G really outperforms the SST-50. Any idea what the OTF is on the 3 x XP-G?


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## ACRbling (Oct 9, 2010)

Wow, according to your lux reading's, the 3xR5 throws a little more than the 3xR2.

Really?


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## ergotelis (Oct 9, 2010)

Thanks selfbuilt, really nice effort once again!
But your review makes Eagletac's flashlight performance a bit mysterious.
3x Xp-g R5 versus 3x Xr-E R2 there is a barely noticeable improvement in performance, according to ceil bounce results. This is not in par with the emitter difference.
Also, SST50 was referred to be much worse than P7 edition by various other members.

That makes me think that quality control of Eagletac is not that good.
It is kind of luck if you receive a good flashlight?At least according to their specs?


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## selfbuilt (Oct 9, 2010)

Thanks for support everyone. 



richardcpf said:


> Love how the triple XPG version is superior to the SST50 in every aspect.





HIDblue said:


> I especially appreciate the new outdoor beamshot comparisons that flip back and forth between the SST-50 and the 3 x XP-G.
> It really does seem like the 3 x XP-G really outperforms the SST-50. Any idea what the OTF is on the 3 x XP-G?


Personally, I think the 3xR5 XP-G is a real winner as well. I quite like the beam characteristics, with the good throw and nice bright corona. 

Like the SSC P7, the SST-50 seems to under perform in the images because of the more defined hotspot with lower throw - and the much wider spillbeam. A wider spill means a dimmer spill. I suppose the comparison shots would have looked better if I had pulled the camera further back - it would have allowed you to see that the SST-50 version lights up a wider area in the foreground.



ACRbling said:


> Wow, according to your lux reading's, the 3xR5 throws a little more than the 3xR2.
> Really?


No, not really.  

While the 5m lux measures do show the two lights as being equivalent, the long-distance beamshots tell another story (i.e. look at the last animated GIF). It seems to me the 3xR2 XR-E throws better at a distance. 

It may be that these triple emitter lights need longer than 5m to really allow all the beams to converge.



ergotelis said:


> 3x Xp-g R5 versus 3x Xr-E R2 there is a barely noticeable improvement in performance, according to ceil bounce results. This is not in par with the emitter difference.


Well, a ceiling bounce is just one crude measure. By eye, the 3xR5 seems brighter to me than the 3xR2 - likely because of the broader hotspot. 

My lightbox reports it as higher. Although note that my lightbox is not linear across outputs. Based on a comparison of lights with known integrating sphere results to my lightbox, I can roughly estimate a correction factor. In this case, I would estimate that the 3xR5 is at least 15% brighter than the 3xR2 in my lightbox. 



> Also, SST50 was referred to be much worse than P7 edition by various other members.
> That makes me think that quality control of Eagletac is not that good.
> It is kind of luck if you receive a good flashlight?At least according to their specs?


I'm only aware of one example of a "much worse" SST-50, which was the one reviewed by Mev. I suspect he received a defective sample, as the SST-50 I received performed in-line with what I would have expected. 

Has someone else here posted comparison output measures or pics showing lower output of a SST-50 vs the P7?


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## richpalm (Oct 9, 2010)

Nice review! Been waiting on this. Looks like the XP-G is a no-brainer.

Selfbuilt, which do you like better as far as build quality-the M3 or the M40C? I'm ever the skeptic as far as the M3 tailcap goes.

Rich


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## brightnorm (Oct 10, 2010)

I had all of the previous M2 series and sold all but the M2XC4. I recently got the M3C4 3xXP-G R5 and the 3x XR-E R2. The M2XC4 had been my favorite thrower because of its powerful performance in a very compact package. (I wish more manufacturers would adapt this configuration). 

When I saw that the M3 XR-E R2 had a LOP reflector I felt cheated because I assumed that throw would be compromised, and white wall suggested a slightly more diffused beam which was good for closer ranges but worrisome for long throw. When I took it and its M2 twin out last night I was very pleasantly surprised because the M3 threw as well as the M2. Then I noticed that the M3 had the new smaller XR-Es. 

I appreciated all the small improvements that Selfbuilt described and also found that head lock-out occurs after only 1/2 - 1-1/4 turns, as opposed to the M2s which needed to be unscrewed uncomfortably close to detachment. I haven't tried the M3 XP-G R5 outdoors yet, but its performance in Selfbuilt's 100 yd beamshots is very impressive.

It may be my imagination but the new lights seem better balanced, ie less top heavy than the M2's. Probably an illusion. 

Thanks, Selfbuilt for another sterling review. (I now have your review page in my favorites).

Brightnorm


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## selfbuilt (Oct 10, 2010)

richpalm said:


> Selfbuilt, which do you like better as far as build quality-the M3 or the M40C? I'm ever the skeptic as far as the M3 tailcap goes.Rich


I'm torn. Sitting on my desk right now is the M40C and the M3C4 3xR5 XP-G with clicky switch installed. Can't decide which one to "retire" and which to keep out for emergency duty. 

I can't help but feel that the M40C has a better switch design (also like the two-piece handle, instead of 3-piece). It also has the advantage of tailstanding - used it just the other day when hanging a chandelier (funny story - pulled it out and turned it on, and one of the young guys helping me said "whoa, an HID" ).

But I like the beam of 3xR5 M3C4 better for outdoor use. I guess I'll keep 'em both around for awhile. 



brightnorm said:


> When I saw that the M3 XR-E R2 had a LOP reflector I felt cheated because I assumed that throw would be compromised, and white wall suggested a slightly more diffused beam which was good for closer ranges but worrisome for long throw. When I took it and its M2 twin out last night I was very pleasantly surprised because the M3 threw as well as the M2.


Yeah, "LOP" is new standard for all Eagletac lights now. Glad to hear it performed as well as the old M2XC4.



> I appreciated all the small improvements that Selfbuilt described and also found that head lock-out occurs after only 1/2 - 1-1/4 turns, as opposed to the M2s which needed to be unscrewed uncomfortably close to detachment. ... It may be my imagination but the new lights seem better balanced, ie less top heavy than the M2's. Probably an illusion.


Good points - yes, the head doesn't need to be unscrewed as much now as it used to (although I would say it's ~2/3 of full turn on my samples).

I also find them better balanced - likely due to to ~20g reduction in weight (largely in the head).


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## brightnorm (Oct 10, 2010)

selfbuilt said:


> ...I can't help but feel that the M40C has a better switch design (also like the two-piece handle, instead of 3-piece). It also has the advantage of tailstanding - used it just the other day when hanging a chandelier (funny story - pulled it out and turned it on, and one of the young guys helping me said "whoa, an HID" ).


I use a clipless lanyard and My M3's tailstand with no problem. 



selfbuilt said:


> Yeah, "LOP" is new standard for all Eagletac lights now. Glad to hear it performed as well as the old M2XC4.


 
My throw test was informal, nowhere near the exactness of yours, so it's possible that the M2XC4 might slightly out-throw the M3 XR-E R2. NTL, they are both very close.

Brightnorm


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## StainlessSteel (Oct 10, 2010)

I apologize for asking this in this thread, but:

Could some on please explain to me, how/where to buy the 3XR5 version of this WITH THE CLICKY TAILCAP.

I have been looking every where on the internet, and i cant seem to find the light for sale, INCLUDING the clicky.

I am in the USA, if that matters.

Also, could some one who owns it, please explain the clicky conversion to me? I REALLY liked the fact that this conversion, #1 stops the parasitic draw, and #2 basically turned the light into a surefire invictus.... you just dial and LEAVE the light at the setting you want, and then push the tailcap for momentary or constant ON.

i am liking this a LOT


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## romteb (Oct 10, 2010)

Thanks for the excellent (as always) review.

It's interesting to note that the SST50 model is actually a bit more efficient than the P7 model, hope it will stop people repeating ad nauseam that the sst50 are much less efficient than the P7 and MCE, this fallacy is getting old.


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## HIDblue (Oct 11, 2010)

I wonder how these will fare against the Olight SR50?


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## ergotelis (Oct 11, 2010)

romteb said:


> It's interesting to note that the SST50 model is actually a bit more efficient than the P7 model, hope it will stop people repeating ad nauseam that the sst50 are much less efficient than the P7 and MCE, this fallacy is getting old.



Well i guess that you might be referring to me, i have no marketing reason to blame the sst50 leds or eagletac, i just have some clues that these leds might not be up to specs. It might be just me and some other members that might 
had bad luck and took bad emitters or faulty flashlights. 
In fact, this review makes me just want to buy another Eagletac flashlight too!


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## jirik_cz (Oct 11, 2010)

romteb said:


> It's interesting to note that the SST50 model is actually a bit more efficient than the P7 model, hope it will stop people repeating ad nauseam that the sst50 are much less efficient than the P7 and MCE, this fallacy is getting old.



This is the first SST-50 flashligh that is more efficient than P7/MC-E. Let's just hope that it wasn't carefully hand picked for this review.


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## lebox97 (Oct 11, 2010)

awesome review Selfbuilt - as always... :twothumbs

StainlessSteel:
I am not sure where the confusion is... 
the M3C4 lights come with the clicky tail cap switch kit from the factory - 
ie. all 7 models of the M3C4 lights from all the EagleTac dealers include a clicky switch kit with the light - that the user can install if desired. 
All the dealer listings I have looked at mention this. :shrug:
Or, are you referring to a PRE-installed clicky switch? Some dealers will pre-install it for you if you ask nicely. :thumbsup:

Tod



StainlessSteel said:


> I apologize for asking this in this thread, but:
> 
> Could some on please explain to me, how/where to buy the 3XR5 version of this WITH THE CLICKY TAILCAP.
> 
> ...


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## selfbuilt (Oct 11, 2010)

brightnorm said:


> I use a clipless lanyard and My M3's tailstand with no problem.


Oh yes, it tailstands fine with the regular switch - it's just the clicky switch that can't tailstand.



StainlessSteel said:


> Could some on please explain to me, how/where to buy the 3XR5 version of this WITH THE CLICKY TAILCAP.


Hmm, that's odd. I thought the clicky switch was a standard accessory (it was included inside the box, for each light received). :thinking: Usually, optional accessories (like the YRGB filters) come separately. 

Maybe check with the dealers to see what is actually included? Could be the website specs are out of date.

_*UPDATE:* Checking out a few dealers, I think the confusion comes from how the clicky switch is being listed. Typically, it is not listed in the "included accessories" section - rather, it is often mentioned at the top of the feature set, or in a special note at the bottom. As lebox97 noted, it is included with all lights - if any dealer neglects to mention it, I would suggest you just contact them to clarify._



romteb said:


> It's interesting to note that the SST50 model is actually a bit more efficient than the P7 model, hope it will stop people repeating ad nauseam that the sst50 are much less efficient than the P7 and MCE, this fallacy is getting old.


Well, one point here is that over time, output bins tend to increase for any given emitter class. It may just be that the current crop of SST-50s are slightly more efficient than the older crop of SSC P7s reviewed in the older M2C4 sample. 

In any case, the much more even hotspot of the SST-50 is a lot more attractive to me than the dark center void of P7/MC-E lights (even with ET's sanding trick for the P7).


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## romteb (Oct 11, 2010)

This is probably off-topic, Selfbuilt please let me know if you want me to remove this message, i dont want to trash your valuable work.



ergotelis said:


> Well i guess that you might be referring to me



In all honesty i cannot remember each person who repeat that, i just nocticed the trend.

I see a few reasons to it.

1) when the sst first became available some drop in makers flooded the market with lower bin sst.

2) sst are oftenly used in direct drive application or high current applications, where the higher currents gives lower runtimes with a diminishing return in lumens increase and produces more heat adversly affecting the ouput because few of these torches have the necessary heatsinking to dissipate the heat.

3)Hearsay.

I even read here recently that PhlatLight numbers were not to be trusted...

Phlatlight makes great products that stimulates the competition, the bashing is unfair.

Thing is, when driven like a P7 or MCE a top bin sst50 will give approximately the same output and can be driven to much higher current for some extra oomph, i dont see how that makes it an inferior product.

That said, of all the eagletacs M3 i think the 3x xp-g has by far the better beam profile.:thumbsup:


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## nitric (Oct 12, 2010)

Selfbuilt, thanks for the review. i owned the triple xpg version and truly a nice light. the length and weight are just nice in the hand. real bright too.


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## selfbuilt (Oct 13, 2010)

romteb said:


> That said, of all the eagletacs M3 i think the 3x xp-g has by far the better beam profile.:thumbsup:





nitric said:


> i owned the triple xpg version and truly a nice light. the length and weight are just nice in the hand. real bright too.


Interesting how there seems to be such general agreement on the 3x XP-G model having the best beam pattern.

I would have thought people would naturally gravitate to single-emitter versions. They just seem conceptually more elegant (plus bragging rights of saying "just one" when someone asks you how many LEDs are in that bright light you are carrying ).

But going all the way back to my Lumapower MVPs, I've always found the 3x versions to give a more useful beam at almost all distances. Of course, there are exceptions (e.g. despite the MC-E dark center, I still like the JetBeam M1X as a thrower). And the SST-based light have a nice smooth hotspot (if a bit broader than typical).


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## jaws revenge (Oct 13, 2010)

great review! i just ordered the 3xR5 XPG. can't wait!


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## brightnorm (Oct 14, 2010)

I love my M2's and M3's but why did Eagletac decide to "upgrade" its battery carriers so they are unusable with common flat-tops? I won't use magnets, they are potentially dangerous. Luckily, I had a couple of extra M2 carriers which I now use in my M3's. 

Any ideas why Eagletac made this change?

Brightnorm


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## nitric (Oct 14, 2010)

since im a noob and a first timer to use the 18650s, i played safe by using the eagletac 18650s. 

i got mine about 2-3 weeks ago but the hard anodized coating was not complete in one small section on the head and i returned it for warranty. The replacement should be arriving be later part of next week. so nice customer support specially from the local dealer in malaysia


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## jaws revenge (Oct 16, 2010)

I received my triple xpg today, very happy. I also had to use my own hex tool for one of the screws when I changed it to the clicky.


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## riccardo (Oct 17, 2010)

Nice review and nice flashlights!!

Anyway I'm a bit upset, I was waiting these new models since long time and now I see that they didn't come out with new neutrals.

I'd love to have a 3xXP-G *R4.... *why to stick on *old Q4*?? 

Anyway, does anybody know if there is a discount code for cpf members on the eagletac-usa store to use during check-out?


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## brightnorm (Oct 18, 2010)

deleted


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## HIDblue (Oct 24, 2010)

Just received my Eagletac M3C4 triple XP-G and I'm already having some major issues with the plastic tail cap and hex screws. The hex screws are not uniform in size and are very susceptible to stripping. 

Of the 4 hex screws that secured the plastic tail cap to the body of the M3C4, 2 of the hex screws were 1.5mm in size while the other 2 hex screws were 1/16" in size. The light comes with a 1.5mm hex/allen wrench, so I'm not sure why 1/16" hex screws were used in the light. Just like selfbuilt, I had to use my own hex/allen wrench to remove the 1/16" hex screws and used the Eagletac provided 1.5mm hex wrench to remove the 1.5mm hex screws. 

The Eagletac instructions warn you not to overtighten the hex screws so I replaced the flat tail cap with the clicky tail cap to avoid the parasitic drain and took extra care not to overtighten the hex screws. As cautious as I was, I still managed to strip one of the hex screws and the hex screw head wasn't even flush with the tail cap. 

So now I'm stuck with a stripped hex screw in the clicky tail cap attached to the body of the M3C4 and have tried everything to remove it without success...including using various hex/allen wrenches, torx wrenches, and even a damaged screw extractor kit...nothing worked. I can't be super-invasive in removing the stripped hex screw since the tail cap is made of plastic. 

Given that the Eagletac instruction manual states that the Eagletac warranty will NOT cover damage caused by stripped mounting screws, it seems abundantly clear that Eagletac is aware of the design flaw with the plastic tail cap and hex screws and the damage a stripped screw can cause and have included this clause as a CYA. 

Unfortunately for me, that means my brand new Eagletac M3C4 will probably be relegated to shelf-queen status as I do not have confidence that the light is mechanically reliable and/or sturdy enough for duty use. It's regretful, to say the least, that I wasted my hard earned money on a light that I won't be able to use for it's intended purpose...i.e. work/field use. 

It's hard to believe that Eagletac would use such inferior materials for the tail cap and hex screws, yet the rest of the M3C4 (head, body, etc.) seems to be well made. The old adage holds very true in this instance, 'you're only as strong as your weakest link,' and in this case, the M3C4's weakest link is the plastic tail cap and inferior quality hex screws used to secure the tail cap to the body of the light. 

Prospective buyers should be made aware of this flaw with the Eagletac M3C4. I can't imagine that I'm the only one who's had this problem. :sigh: _Caveat emptor. _


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## selfbuilt (Oct 25, 2010)

HIDblue said:


> Of the 4 hex screws that secured the plastic tail cap to the body of the M3C4, 2 of the hex screws were 1.5mm in size while the other 2 hex screws were 1/16" in size. The light comes with a 1.5mm hex/allen wrench, so I'm not sure why 1/16" hex screws were used in the light. Just like selfbuilt, I had to use my own hex/allen wrench to remove the 1/16" hex screws and used the Eagletac provided 1.5mm hex wrench to remove the 1.5mm hex screws.


Interesting. There's only a ~5% difference between 1.5M and 1/16", so it's possible it is just a question of poor tolerances in the manufacture (i.e. they intended to do 1.5mm, but got something closer to 1.59mm?).



> So now I'm stuck with a stripped hex screw in the clicky tail cap attached to the body of the M3C4 and have tried everything to remove it without success...including using various hex/allen wrenches, torx wrenches, and even a damaged screw extractor kit...nothing worked. I can't be super-invasive in removing the stripped hex screw since the tail cap is made of plastic.


That really sucks. I've never had much success with screw extractor kits for stripped regular screws - and I imagine you'd have less luck with such tiny stripped hex screws.

Have you tried a 7/64" hex bit screwdriver to try and get it out (i.e. not a key)? I know that's nearly twice as big as needed, but I found that it did the trick for me for the one screw that wouldn't come out. Rather than use a key, I used a jeweler's screwdriver with the 7/64" bit (makes it much easier to apply downward force while unscrewing). This would be my main recommendation to try.

Anyone else have any suggestions for getting that screw out of there?



> Given that the Eagletac instruction manual states that the Eagletac warranty will NOT cover damage caused by stripped mounting screws, it seems abundantly clear that Eagletac is aware of the design flaw with the plastic tail cap and hex screws and the damage a stripped screw can cause and have included this clause as a CYA. ... Prospective buyers should be made aware of this flaw with the Eagletac M3C4. I can't imagine that I'm the only one who's had this problem. :sigh: _Caveat emptor. _


Thanks for pointing that out, I hadn't noticed that warranty statement. I will update the review with this info under the Potential Issues section, as well as the earlier section where I first discussed the screw issue.

Good luck getting that screw out!

P.S.: If all else fails, try contacting your dealer. Even though it isn't covered under Eagletac's warranty, you never know ...


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## HIDblue (Oct 25, 2010)

selfbuilt said:


> Anyone else have any suggestions for getting that screw out of there?


 
I tried a variety of methods, including various hex/allen keys, wrenches, drivers, the damaged screw extractor kit, and even super-glueing a hex key into the stripped hex screw head and nothing worked. Wasn't for a lack of trying...and I appreciated several suggestions by other CPF'ers, some of which you pointed out as well. 



selfbuilt said:


> P.S.: If all else fails, try contacting your dealer. Even though it isn't covered under Eagletac's warranty, you never know ...


 
I did just that and Lightjunction, the dealer I purchased the light from, just instructed me this morning to return the defective parts (in this case, the clicky tail cap with the stripped hex screw head attached to the light body) back to them and they would handle the warranty service with Eagletac. 

Hopefully, they'll be able to resolve the issue for me. All of my experiences with Lightjunction have been positive, so I'm hoping for the best. 

That's why it always pay to buy any high-end light from a reputable dealer.


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## selfbuilt (Oct 26, 2010)

HIDblue said:


> That's why it always pay to buy any high-end light from a reputable dealer.


Yes, it's one of the benefits of working through a dealer (especially one with a relationship to CPF). Hope it works out for you - let us know what happens!

P.S.: Actually, I see the manufacturer also responded in the discussion thread HIDBlue posted. If nothing else, hopefully some of the other suggestions offered there may help those with issues.


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## harro (Oct 31, 2010)

Not sure if this reply should be here, but anyway, here goes. Just bought my first Eagletac ( M3C4-3xR5 LOP ) the other day. On unboxing it looked to be everything i thought it would be. All was well until the batteries went in ( 2 x 18650 2400mah protected ), new and charged. Turned it on and wow, what an output. However, one emitter was noticibly down on output compared with the other two! With a piece of white paper over the front, on moonlight, you could only see two emitters running. on max. the three were visible but the duller one appeared to have about the same output as the two good emitters on medium. Is this normal behaviour for the torch? Do Eagletac have a good reputation for warranty? I have since returned the torch to my local supplier to be checked out. In every other respect the torch IMVHO is excellent, and i'm really wanting to be reunited with it. BTW, the same behaviour was observed on CR123's and with the clicky installed too. On a positive note, my end cap screws are all good.


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## selfbuilt (Mar 10, 2011)

> Written by *selfbuilt* on 11-02-2010 07:33 AM GMT
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Written by *wwp1* on 11-04-2010 01:30 AM GMT
> 
> Love your reviews always over the top with complete info thanks





> Written by *harro* on 11-04-2010 02:14 AM GMT
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Written by *jsr* on 11-04-2010 10:54 PM GMT
> 
> Selfbuilt -
> 
> ...





> Written by *wechnivag* on 11-05-2010 12:30 AM GMT
> 
> Is the triple XP-G and XR-E for that matter using the same triple reflector as sold on DX?
> 
> ...


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## selfbuilt (Mar 10, 2011)

_Written by *selfbuilt* on 11-06-2010 10:00 PM GMT_



jsr said:


> Any chance you can do some comparative beamshots gifs between the M3C4 3-XPG and the Sunway M40C? ... When you do a ceiling bounce test and in actual usage, do you see a big difference in output between the M3C4 3-XPG and Sunway M40C as your numbers show, or is the difference not so noticeable?


No, I don't really see much of a difference in overall output. The beam battern is just slightly different - the 3-XPG version has a greater corona around the hotspot, while the M40C has a wider and dimmer spill. No, I don't really see much of a difference in overall output. The beam battern is just slightly different - the 3-XPG version has a greater corona around the hotspot, while the M40C has a wider and dimmer spill. 

If you check out my 100-yard round up and open the high res shots in different tabs of your browser, you should be able to switch back and forth and get the same effect as an animated GIF. Even better actually, since they are in Hi colour as well. 

And yes, the M40C is quite small. The difference is certainly noticeable.



wechnivag said:


> Is the triple XP-G and XR-E for that matter using the same triple reflector as sold on DX?


Definitely not - this is a custom reflector for the M3C4. There's no actual gap - the reflector wells seem well suited to the XP-G. Definitely not - this is a custom reflector for the M3C4. There's no actual gap - the reflector wells seem well suited to the XP-G.

As an aside, even the M2C4 had a custom reflector for the XR-E - it's different from the triple XR-E lights sold on DX. I've tried one of those lights, and it was pretty poor at consolidating the beams.


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## selfbuilt (Mar 10, 2011)

> Written by *HIDblue* on 11-07-2010 10:30 AM GMT
> 
> Hey selfbuilt, do you happen to know the dimensions of the tail cap screws??? I know it should be a 1.5mm x (?).
> 
> ...





> Written by *HIDblue* on 11-07-2010 11:29 AM GMT
> 
> I am happy to report that I just received notification thatEagletac has agreed to send me a replacement M3C4 light body and tail cap.  :thumbsup:
> 
> ...





> Written by *selfbuilt* on 11-07-2010 01:06 PM GMT
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Written by *jsr* on 11-07-2010 05:08 PM GMT
> 
> Metric screws go by wrench size by threaded length. From selfbuilts description it sounds like you need a 1.5 x 5mm hex screw. Go to RC hobby shops, they have good quality steel screws. Get SS ones since you don't want them to rust. Should be really cheap. I buy tons of metric hex screws for my RCs.





> Written by *HIDblue* on 11-07-2010 09:21 PM GMT
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Written by *nitric* on 11-10-2010 11:08 PM GMT
> 
> An update to my warranty claim (not related to tailcap /screws problem but imperfection on HA coating):
> 
> ...





> Written by *LichtAn!* on 11-12-2010 11:53 PM GMT
> 
> @selfbuilt
> 
> ...


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## selfbuilt (Mar 10, 2011)

_Written by *selfbuilt* on 11-13-2010 08:06 AM GMT_



LichtAn! said:


> How did you actually got the AWs to work now? With a magnet? And isn't it possible to remove the plastic ring to make flat-tops work without using any spacer?


I haven't tried, but the magnet spacer should work (and be reasonably safe if the plastic ring is still there). Or you could try removing the ring (should be doable if you are really careful). But all my runtimes are done on the earlier 2200mAh capacity button-top AW cells. I haven't tried, but the magnet spacer should work (and be reasonably safe if the plastic ring is still there). Or you could try removing the ring (should be doable if you are really careful). But all my runtimes are done on the earlier 2200mAh capacity button-top AW cells.


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## selfbuilt (Mar 10, 2011)

> Written by *HIDblue* on 11-22-2010 08:21 PM GMT
> 
> Happy to report that I finally received a replacement light body for my M3C4 directly fromEagletac, Hong Kong. That completely explains the shipping delay...not bad actually considering it only took 2 weeks to get from Hong Kong to California. Eagletac even pre-installed the clicky tail cap for me. The hex screws look a little different than before...
> 
> ...





> Written by *Helmut.G* on 11-23-2010 04:27 AM GMT
> 
> is the lanyard clip thing still as weak as the M2 series'?
> 
> ...





> Written by *sfca* on 12-03-2010 04:33 PM GMT
> 
> I see the XM-L M3C4 pre-order is up on f..&..g.com





> Written by *nitric* on 12-07-2010 02:38 AM GMT
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Written by *Helmut.G* on 12-07-2010 03:18 AM GMT
> 
> the XM-L is a new high power LED by Cree. I think it should behave similar to the SST-50 in this light.





> Written by *nitric* on 12-08-2010 04:27 AM GMT
> 
> i already checked with the ET distributor in malaysia and he told me that the xml version is supposedly 20-30% brighter than the sst-50. type of reflector is still unknown. ET has yet to provide the actual specs.
> 
> ...





> Written by *LorenzoL* on 12-20-2010 06:14 PM GMT
> 
> Thanks for the review.
> 
> Now for the stupid noob question: aren't these flashlights advertised as being made in the US (Arizona, I believe)? Why did HIDblue's replacement have to come from HK?


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## selfbuilt (Mar 10, 2011)

_Written by *selfbuilt* on 12-21-2010 10:41 AM GMT_



LorenzoL said:


> Now for the stupid noob question: aren't these flashlights advertised as being made in the US (Arizona, I believe)? Why did HIDblue's replacement have to come from HK?


No, they do not avertise "made in the USA". Rather, they identify themselves as a US-based company, or sometimes refer to the lights as "designed in the US". The lights are manufactured in China. The principal owners are based in Arizona, I believe (although I've also seen a Washington state address for them). No, they do not avertise "made in the USA". Rather, they identify themselves as a US-based company, or sometimes refer to the lights as "designed in the US". The lights are manufactured in China. The principal owners are based in Arizona, I believe (although I've also seen a Washington state address for them).


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## selfbuilt (Mar 10, 2011)

> Written by *LorenzoL* on 12-21-2010 02:30 PM GMT
> 
> Let's say that the way they word it is very ambiguous -and confusing-.
> 
> ...





> Written by *nitric* on 01-01-2011 06:05 PM GMT
> 
> Lorenzol, i think the fact that ET has fulfilled their commitment towards customers (specially on warranty issues) had proven that its reliable, which to me is the more important aspect rather than the manufacturing country. ET has never mentioned that their products are manufactured in US but it is a US based company. the "made in china" is clearly stated on my m3c4 box but it doesnt matter to me as long as the product and after sales service is good and reliable.
> 
> well, this is just my point of view





> Written by *brightnorm* on 01-01-2011 06:38 PM GMT
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Written by *selfbuilt* on 01-01-2011 09:06 PM GMT
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Written by *brightnorm* on 01-02-2011 02:08 AM GMT
> 
> I'm eagerly awaiting that review.
> 
> Brightnorm





> Written by *Twiz_* on 02-22-2011 10:23 AM GMT
> 
> After reading your review, i bought one with 3xR5 XP-G. Might not be the best for "whitewallers", but using it in real environments in the woods or so is absolutely great.
> 
> ...


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## selfbuilt (Mar 10, 2011)

The main review post has been updated with the final review text.

The thread discussions have been *fully restored *from the search engine cache data (thank you tandem!).

Please carry on!


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## lovemylexicon (Apr 23, 2011)

Selfbuilt:

Thank you for the review.

What color is rendered by the 3xR5? Is it very white, or does it have greenish tint?


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## selfbuilt (Apr 24, 2011)

lovemylexicon said:


> What color is rendered by the 3xR5? Is it very white, or does it have greenish tint?


My sample is very white, perhaps slightly on the cool side (i.e. no green). But of course, there are no guarantees - tint can certainly vary from sample to sample.


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## James3 (Mar 14, 2013)

Anybody know if it's possible to remove the reflector from the ET 3x r5 x-pg? And how?
Cheers


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## Vortus (Mar 14, 2013)

Talk to vinh, I think he modded some the of ET's M series in the past, so likely he would know.


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## shelm (Mar 28, 2013)

this old light keeps getting updated, interesting!
i just read that the triple XM-L2 U2 outputs ANSI FL-1 lumen: *1348*/607/282/80/6

does anyone know of any brighter 2x18650 flashlight?


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## BLUE LED (Mar 29, 2013)

shelm said:


> this old light keeps getting updated, interesting!
> i just read that the triple XM-L2 U2 outputs ANSI FL-1 lumen: *1348*/607/282/80/6
> 
> does anyone know of any brighter 2x18650 flashlight?



I have the new Eagletac M3C4 single XM-L2 U2 and it is much brighter than the older T6 version. 

I don't have the triple XM-L2 M3C4, perhaps someone else has.


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