# DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2



## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

I just received the DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 from Dereelight.

More information at CPFMP Thread

Actualy I received 2 DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2's. Both lights have the SMO Reflector.

Fron Dereelights website.

Cree XR-E Q5 emitter 
Driver choose from: 1S, 2SD, 3SD or DI, 1SM-1 module can handle 2xCR123A 
Shut down at 2.7V to protect lithium battery from over-discharging 
Limited reverse protection for 5 seconds 
Upgradeable 
Forward clicky 
Smooth reflector, OP optional 
Type III hard anodized finish 
Using 1x18650, 1x17670 or 1x168a 
Dimensions: 158mm(Length)x 48mm(Head)x 27mm(housing) 
Material: Constructed of aircraft grade aluminum 
Waterproof 
Weight: 185-gram weight 
Glass: Toughened ultra clear glass lens with double face AR coating 
GITD switch cover 
Removable clip, Removable anti-rolling ring 
Color: Black 
Package: Giftbox 
Accessories: Spare rubbercap(black), Extra O-ring 

The fits is excellent.

The Type III Hard Anodize Black is excellent.

My inital impression's of the Cree XR-E WH R2 beam is that I like the tint of the Cree XR-E WC Q5 a lot more. The tint of the WH R2 is on the yellow and slight green on the other beam. The slight green tint has a higher lux reading. The lux reading is about the same as the WC Q5.

The other thing I noticed was the DBS V2 uses a spring on the tailcap. the DBS V1 did not have the spring.

Using the UI is easy to figure out.

I ordered 2 DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 and 1 Dereelight CL1H V3.0 DI Cree WH R2






























































Left, DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 . Right, DBS V1 XRE-E Q5 with 3 Way Module SMO 






Left, DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 . Right, DBS V1 XRE-E Q5 with 3 Way Module SMO 












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These are the lux readings I got. I am using a Meterman LM631 Light Meter measured at 1 meter. I waited 2 minutes before taking the readings. I am using AW's Protected 18650.







1. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 - 20,121 lux @ 1 meter

2. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 - 19,152 lux @ 1 meter

DBS V1 XRE-E Q5 with 3 Way Module SMO 18650 - 20,767 lux @ 1 meter


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1. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 @ 83"






2. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 @ 83"






DBS XRE-E Q5 with 3 Way Module SMO 18650 @ 83"






Left, 1. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650. Right, 2. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 @ 83"






Left, 1. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650. Right, 2. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 @ 83 Stepped down exposure






Left, 2. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650. Right, DBS V1 XRE-E Q5 with 3 Way Module SMO 18650 @ 83"






Left, 1. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650. Right, DBS V1 XRE-E Q5 with 3 Way Module SMO 18650 @ 83" Stepped down exposure












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In thse next 2 shots that were seen above. The lights on the left are the 1 & 2 DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650. The tint looks closet to what it looks in real life.


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## marc123 (Jan 28, 2008)

I love the look of the new V2.

However, I thought the R2 was supposed to be 10% brighter? The tint looks fairly average as well. I am thinking that I should have got the Q5 and not R2 with my order....

Thanks for the review ernsanada.


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## daveman (Jan 28, 2008)

marc123 said:


> I love the look of the new V2.
> 
> However, I thought the R2 was supposed to be 10% brighter? The tint looks fairly average as well. I am thinking that I should have got the Q5 and not R2 with my order....
> 
> Thanks for the review ernsanada.


There's a range with the binning, the Q5 could be at the top of its bin while the R2 being a low achiever in the bottom of its bin.


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## Steve L (Jan 28, 2008)

Hi Ernie, Great review. I received the DBS V2 w R2 today also. I'm getting the same results. DBS V1 3SD Q5 22,000 lux; DBS V2 DI R2 21,500 lux; CL1H v3 3SD Q5 9500 lux; CL1H v3 DI R2 9000 lux(same light two different pills). I'm wondering if the if the DI pills are running at 1.2a like the 3SD are. Two different DI R2 pills putting out less output than two 3SD Q5 pills doesn't seem quite right. I also prefer the WC tint.


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## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

Steve L said:


> Hi Ernie, Great review. I received the DBS V2 w R2 today also. I'm getting the same results. DBS V1 3SD Q5 22,000 lux; DBS V2 DI R2 21,500 lux; CL1H v3 3SD Q5 9500 lux; CL1H v3 DI R2 9000 lux(same light two different pills). I'm wondering if the if the DI pills are running at 1.2a like the 3SD are. Two different DI R2 pills putting out less output than two 3SD Q5 pills doesn't seem quite right. I also prefer the WC tint.



I think I remember reading the WH R2 pills were running at 1.2A.


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## Steve L (Jan 28, 2008)

ernsanada said:


> I think I remember reading the WH R2 pills were running at 1.2A.


I agree, but with the numbers and these being my first DI pills. I thought maybe the DI pills are running at less current then the 3SD or 2SD pills. Maybe a higher Vf of the R2's could be the culprit.


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## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

1. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 @ 32'






2. DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 @ 32'






DBS V1 XRE-E Q5 with 3 Way Module SMO 18650 @ 32'


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## LifeNRA (Jan 28, 2008)

Why does the beam look so much smoother on the V1 with the Q5? Are the V1 and V2 reflectors the same?


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## phantom (Jan 28, 2008)

Hi ernsanada,

Thanks for the great review as usual.

BTW, I don' see any lanyard hole at the tailcap.

Did Dereelight remove the lanyard hole and add a clip instead?

phantom.


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## marc123 (Jan 28, 2008)

I would say that is pretty disappointing, in my eyes the Q5 looks much brighter, cleaner and overall a better beam. The first R2 looks to be hardly even in the same class.


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## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

phantom said:


> Hi ernsanada,
> 
> Thanks for the great review as usual.
> 
> ...



No lanyard hole, just a clip only.


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## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

Left, DBS V1 Q5. Right, DBS V2 WH R2


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## Stereodude (Jan 28, 2008)

marc123 said:


> I would say that is pretty disappointing, in my eyes the Q5 looks much brighter, cleaner and overall a better beam. The first R2 looks to be hardly even in the same class.


I guess this is a lesson for the bin chasers. :green:


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## marc123 (Jan 28, 2008)

I will wait and see how my R2 is but if it is anything like the first of the outside beamshots above I will be asking Alan for a swap to a Q5.


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## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> I guess this is a lesson for the bin chasers. :green:



I'm guilty of chasing them Bins! :help:


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## marc123 (Jan 28, 2008)

Ernsanada,
do the beams look as disappointing in real life as the photos seem to show them?


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## turboBB (Jan 28, 2008)

I must confess that is quite disappointing as well. 

For those who have dealt with Alan before, do you think he would be willing to do a swap of the R2 for Q5?


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## TeaQue (Jan 28, 2008)

This is diasppointing 

This is also the first time I've spent $100+ on a light.


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## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

marc123 said:


> Ernsanada,
> do the beams look as disappointing in real life as the photos seem to show them?



It's very hard to do beam shots. The Digital Camera has a hard time taking actual beam shots. The brighter lights tend to be closer to what you see in the picture.

In the first picture the #1 DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 @ 32' in real life, three times more sidepill. 

The Q5 is brighter and has a whiter color than the R2. The R2 has a yellow tint to it's beam.


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## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

ernsanada said:


> I think I remember reading the WH R2 pills were running at 1.2A.




Does anybody know if the DI Q5 Pills are running at 1.2A?


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## ernsanada (Jan 28, 2008)

I swapped out the WH R2 Pill from my CLH1 V3 WH R2. I like the tint on this pill a lot better than the original pill that came with my DBS V2 WH R2.

The DBS and the CLH1 pill is cut different. Even the threads are are a little different. The DBS has more threads. The CLH1 pill works in the DBS but the DBS pill won't work in the CLH1.

I post a pic tomorrow.


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## WadeF (Jan 29, 2008)

ernsanada said:


> The DBS and the CLH1 pill is cut different. Even the threads are are a little different. The DBS has more threads. The CLH1 pill works in the DBS but the DBS pill won't work in the CLH1.
> 
> I post a pic tomorrow.


 
The DBS pill should work in the CL1H, but you have to first remove the insulating washer and o-ring from the back of the CL1H reflector. 

Alan from Dereelight informed us it was a R2 WH and that it was very warm. If people didn't want a warmer tint they should have went with the Q5 WC.

From my experience with the Dereelights you can have a bunch of the same pills, but get different results on the lux meter. It all depends how the LED is focused. With some adjusting of the pills you maybe able to get a R2 pill to out perform the Q5 pills, or the other way around. 

Still waiting on my DBS V2 and R2 pills (for DBS and CL1H). I will post my findings when I have everything.


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## Steve L (Jan 29, 2008)

Yeah Wade, I agree about the fine tuning of the focus on the pill. However I also did a ceiling bounce test and both of my 3SD Q5 pills tested slightly higher then my 2 DI R2 pills.


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## marc123 (Jan 29, 2008)

Wade,
you are right, Alan did say that it was a warmer tint, but that he also said the R2 had more output. This does not appear to be the case so far, and the pictures above clearly show the Q5 to be brighter. I am not sure if it was worth paying more for a lesser emitter. I will reserve my judgement until I can see myself, but if this is the case I think we could have a good argument to ask Alan to swap them over.


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## Niteowl (Jan 29, 2008)

Got my DBS V2/R2 today also, with a 1S pill and OP reflector. I'm very happy with it. Nicely built and the matte black HA is beautiful. 

The tint on mine is well on the warm/yellow side, the way I like it for outdoor use. I'm also very impressed at how well it throws with the OP. I regret not having the funds to get both reflectors as I'd love to see how it does with the SMO. 

I'll have to mention that I don't have any lights with a Q5 to compare it to. I didn't get the R2 for the brightness, the way I understand it, it would not necessarily be that noticable to the naked eye anyway. I got it for the tint. On my usual test subject, a red shed about 40 yards out the back door, the color rendition is very good. This light will work well for lighting things up as far I'm going to need. I rarely need to light anything up beyond 70 yards or so.

It's a keeper. I have no complaints at this time.


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## ernsanada (Jan 29, 2008)

WadeF said:


> The DBS pill should work in the CL1H, but you have to first remove the insulating washer and o-ring from the back of the CL1H reflector.
> 
> Alan from Dereelight informed us it was a R2 WH and that it was very warm. If people didn't want a warmer tint they should have went with the Q5 WC.
> 
> ...



Alan mentioned to me to remove an insulating washer and o-ring but my reflector came bare no insulating washer and o-ring.


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## TITAN1833 (Jan 29, 2008)

ernsanada said:


> No lanyard hole, just a clip only.


If you need to use lanyard,you can get a ring from lighthound that works well.I have one on my V1 DBS.


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## WadeF (Jan 29, 2008)

ernsanada said:


> Alan mentioned to me to remove an insulating washer and o-ring but my reflector came bare no insulating washer and o-ring.


 
Your CL1H reflector is bare? You might want to check again, because the first time this was described to me I thought my CL1H reflector was bare too. The washer on mine is clear, looks kinda like some glue on the back of the reflector. It prys off and then you can remove a black o-ring that is under it. Removing this allows the DBS pill to screw in farther, but it may not give you as tight of a hot spot as the CL1H pill. 

Try a CL1H pill in a DBS reflector if you haven't already done so. You need to insulate between the back of the DBS reflector and the CL1H pill's contacts around the emitter or it may short. You can remove the washer from a spare CL1H reflector and stick it on the back of the DBS reflector.


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## WadeF (Jan 29, 2008)

marc123 said:


> Wade,
> you are right, Alan did say that it was a warmer tint, but that he also said the R2 had more output. This does not appear to be the case so far, and the pictures above clearly show the Q5 to be brighter. I


 
I don't think we should rush to a judgment like that based on the first set of pictures to be posted. We'll see what others experience that can compare the R2 pills to the Q5 pills. Also those pictures appear to be taken at different times, as you can see the sky is different brightness and color in the different pictures. We also don't know what white balance was used, or exposure, etc.


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## orbital (Jan 29, 2008)

+

Everyone knew what tint bin was being offered on the R2.

Look at it this way,.. if conditions outside were adverse, there would be no better tint than a WH. 
~It will cut through the worst weather has to offer.

Dereelight swap'ability; that's why its great to be able to swap out a pill in a minute.


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## Jay T (Jan 29, 2008)

WadeF said:


> I don't think we should rush to a judgment like that based on the first set of pictures to be posted. We'll see what others experience that can compare the R2 pills to the Q5 pills. Also those pictures appear to be taken at different times, as you can see the sky is different brightness and color in the different pictures. We also don't know what white balance was used, or exposure, etc.



Looking at the pics I would say all the shots were F2.7 for 2 seconds at ISO 64. White balance was auto. It seems fair to compare brightness. Also the streetlight doesn't change brightness.

I guess I'll wait till the R4s now.


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## TeaQue (Jan 29, 2008)

Got mine today. I don't have anything to compare it to besides my L2DCE since I sold my seoul modded coast and it totally blows it away :laughing:

Fit and finish are great and its really easy to swap the reflectors and remove the pill.

Overall I'm very happy with my purchase!

On and another thing, for some weird reason I thought this light took 2 18650's, now that I got it and realized it only takes 1 cell thats another huge bonus for me!


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## I came to the light... (Jan 29, 2008)

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that Dereelight had simply gained access to a few R2, and wanted to sell them early before making the transition into R2 lights. What that means is that they are not screened for tint/intensity, like the Q5s they use are. I personally would expect a far better tint, and possibly output, from R2 Dereelights in mass production.


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## Steve L (Jan 29, 2008)

Alan(Dereelight) received 60 R2's and advertised them as WH bin. The Q5 are WC bin. We knew what we were getting. Thats the way it is when a new bin becomes available, the premium tint(WC) usually comes later.


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## I came to the light... (Jan 29, 2008)

Steve L said:


> Alan(Dereelight) received 60 R2's and advertised them as WH bin. The Q5 are WC bin. We knew what we were getting. Thats the way it is when a new bin becomes available, the premium tint(WC) usually comes later.


 
OK, sure. That answers the question. I didn't mean that Dereelight was hiding info, just that it probably wasn't the top bin, like you said.


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## TeaQue (Jan 29, 2008)

Hmmmmmmmm

after playing with my light for a bit I just started having problems 

After I click the light "ON" it flickers like its changing modes but doesn't come on.

After I click it on and off a few times it starts working normal. 

It also sometimes gets stuck on hi and won't switch to low.

I just took the light apart to see if maybe the pill was loose from when I changed the reflector but everything was as it should be.

Guess I can try installing the extra switch that came with the light when I find a pair of pliers small enough to do so....... :shakehead


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## marc123 (Jan 29, 2008)

Wade,
I have ordered a Q5 1S just in case the R2 performs similar to the beamshots on this thread. I did say that I am waiting for my R2 to arrive before passing judgement. I was expecting the warmer tint but I was expecting it to be brighter too. I have taken in the factors that you have suggested might be affecting the beamshots above, but the Lux readings also suggest the R2 is not as bright. Adamlau also posted some early beamshots that appeared to show the Q5 to be brighter as well. I guess we will wait and see. I did not mean to be jumping the gun and rushing to conclusions. Thanks.


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## Steve L (Jan 29, 2008)

Hi TeaQue, It sounds like the switch. Put the spare in and that should take care of it.


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## TeaQue (Jan 29, 2008)

Mine also makes a squealing noise in low mode...is this normal?

I'll post again when I get a chance to change out the switch!


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## TITAN1833 (Jan 29, 2008)

TeaQue said:


> Mine also makes a squealing noise in low mode...is this normal?
> 
> I'll post again when I get a chance to change out the switch!


Sorry Teaque,could not resist,it sounds like you have a piglet in there and as you know they like being fed the full amount,in this case battery power.:devil:


But seriously,my V1 has it but it is not bad.


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## TeaQue (Jan 29, 2008)

:laughing:


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## ernsanada (Jan 29, 2008)

WadeF said:


> The DBS pill should work in the CL1H, but you have to first remove the insulating washer and o-ring from the back of the CL1H reflector.
> 
> Alan from Dereelight informed us it was a R2 WH and that it was very warm. If people didn't want a warmer tint they should have went with the Q5 WC.
> 
> ...



I see what you mean.

Back of the CLH1 V3 Reflector.


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## ernsanada (Jan 29, 2008)

Jay T said:


> Looking at the pics I would say all the shots were F2.7 for 2 seconds at ISO 64. White balance was auto. It seems fair to compare brightness. Also the streetlight doesn't change brightness.
> 
> I guess I'll wait till the R4s now.




Jay T is right about the settings. I always set the outdoors pics in manual. Same settings. I use a tripod. There should not be any difference because of the streelights and in this case the sun was setting.


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## WadeF (Jan 29, 2008)

marc123 said:


> Wade,
> I was expecting the warmer tint but I was expecting it to be brighter too. I have taken in the factors that you have suggested might be affecting the beamshots above, but the Lux readings also suggest the R2 is not as bright. Adamlau also posted some early beamshots that appeared to show the Q5 to be brighter as well. I guess we will wait and see. I did not mean to be jumping the gun and rushing to conclusions. Thanks.


 
The one shot of the one pill's output does look lower than what we should expect to see, but maybe it's a bad R2, or there is a problem with the pill. 

The R2 maybe brighter than the Q5, but it may only be by a few lumens, say 250 vs 260 at the emitter, or 260 and 270, etc. It would be pretty much impossible to see any difference between the two in real life. The LUX meter also won't tell the whole story, since it all depends on how the Cree is focusing, and it seems not all Cree's focus exacly the same. A difference in the reflector can also factor in. If he used the R2 in a different reflector than his Q5 when the Q5 was tested, then it's hard to compare the pills when they are installed in different reflectors, and maybe focuses differently. 

A more fair test would be to shine the different pills into a bounce box type set up and take a reading of the total output. I will do this when I get my stuff. This should show if one pill is putting out more light than another. As far as the LUX reading of the hot spot it's all down to the quality of the reflector (there are slight variations from reflector to reflector), how the pill is focused in the reflector (a small difference in the position of the LED can result in big changes with the LUX value, with my CL1H with the same pill I'd get 8,000LUX or 9,700LUX depending on how the pill was screwed in, and the DBS could vary even more (2,000-4,000 lux or more depending on the focus). 

There are just a lot of variables.  

I think what we'll find is there isn't much different in the output, and it's going to be more about the tint. 

I'm sure anyone who has a properly functioning R2 WH pill could sell it on CPFM if they'd want to order a Q5 WC pill. 

I'm excited to try out the warmer tint out doors to see how it renders.

Another thing to keep in mind is many people on CPF say the WC tint looks the brightest to our eyes, when compared with a warmer tint LED of the same lumen value. Also a lux meter may be more sensative to one tint over another. 

Sorry for all the rambling, I'm still waiting on my DBS v2...  

I helped Alan locate R2 emitters from Cutter in Australia. He was pretty limited in what he could get, so I guess we should be happy we were able to get something in R2, for us bin chasers.  

The DBS v2 looks great, it's like all of our suggestions were heard and put into it. More exposed tail cap, shorter, clip, AR coated lens, etc.


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## selfbuilt (Jan 30, 2008)

I think I have a partial explanation for this discrepancy: the DI circuit is NOT driven harder than the old 3SD, and the output drops ~10% from initial output after 2 mins (which is when Ernie took his readings).

My preliminary review is now up, with runtime and ramping sequence graphs:

DBS V2 (with R2 Cree/ DI) Comparison Review


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## I came to the light... (Jan 30, 2008)

TeaQue - if you ordered the light from a place allowing replacements, you should definitely send in for one. Also, the squealing is definitely not normal - older digital pills had a quiet hum on the low modes, but you didn't say it was that quiet. Besides, the new digital pills make no noise at all.


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## marc123 (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks WadeF,

I too am anxiously waiting for this as light well. I am confident the light is great but still a little worried about the R2 pill. Especially after reading Selfbuilt's review.


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## TeaQue (Jan 30, 2008)

I came to the light... said:


> TeaQue - if you ordered the light from a place allowing replacements, you should definitely send in for one. Also, the squealing is definitely not normal - older digital pills had a quiet hum on the low modes, but you didn't say it was that quiet. Besides, the new digital pills make no noise at all.



I sent dereelight an email about the issues I'm having and he told me to clean the threads and make sure everything was tight, then try the extra switch.

I cleaned everything then lubed it back up with some nyogel and so far I haven't been able to replicate my issues.

UPDATE: Had the same problem again after changing batteries....took off the tail cap to look at the switch again and I was able to unscrew it by HAND :laughing: 

I tightened it back up and now everythings fine. The loose switch must have been the problem 

As far as the hum or "squealing" goes...its very quiet and it seems like a lot of other people have the same issue so I'm not too worried about it.

I put in my OP reflector last night because I prefer the smoother beam and this thing STILL throws like crazy!


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## I came to the light... (Jan 30, 2008)

TeaQue said:


> I sent dereelight an email about the issues I'm having and he told me to clean the threads and make sure everything was tight, then try the extra switch.
> 
> I cleaned everything then lubed it back up with some nyogel and so far I haven't been able to replicate my issues.
> 
> ...


 
Another lubing issue... I should learn what all experienced flashaholics know - 90% of problems are because of cleaning/lubing issues...

 I was thinking about the 3SD pills for noise-making. I've heard the new 3SDs make no noise. However, I haven't heard much at all about the DI pills, so I can't say its abnormal. The old Dereelight 3SD, as well as the Tiablo MA6, hum a bit... oh well, nothing to worry too much about 

I've heard a lot of great stuff about the DBS w/OP... I'll have to get it for myself when I order


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## TeaQue (Jan 30, 2008)

I just updated my post...looks like my issue was actually a loose switch in the tailcap. I tightened it all back up and so far so good 

Oh well, adding nyogel myself at least gave me some piece of mind!


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## WadeF (Jan 30, 2008)

TeaQue said:


> I just updated my post...looks like my issue was actually a loose switch in the tailcap. I tightened it all back up and so far so good
> 
> Oh well, adding nyogel myself at least gave me some piece of mind!


 
I had a similar issue with a switch in my CL1H, the switch's contact wasn't making good connection with the tailcap. I just had to adjust it a little and tighten it back up and it's been working 100% of the time since. Since the Dereelights are so modular you have to make sure everything is together properly and making good connection. Some people see that as a con, but I love the fact I can tinker with my Dereelights.


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## TeaQue (Jan 30, 2008)

I don't see it as a con at all! Its nice being able to break down a light with ease.

I can't wait until something better comes out from dereelight so I can upgrade


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## WadeF (Jan 30, 2008)

Hopefully Dereelight can get some R2 WC's and make sure they are getting a true 1.2A to them. The early reports are a bit disappointing. I'll see how my pills perform.

I took a 3SD pill and put my own Cree R2 in it, I forget if it was a WC or WG tint, I think WG. It's putting out more total lumens than the Q5 pills, and gives me higher lux #'s. I think the higest I ever saw from my Q5 pills in my DBS was around 26,900LUX. The R2 was giving me 29,000 on start up. 

So the R2 is capable of out performing the Q5's.


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## FlashCrazy (Jan 31, 2008)

WadeF said:


> Another thing to keep in mind is many people on CPF say the WC tint looks the brightest to our eyes, when compared with a warmer tint LED of the same lumen value. Also a lux meter may be more sensative to one tint over another.


 
Exactly. Lux meters are calibrated for particular wavelengths, one may be more accurate with "cooler" color temps, while another may be more accurate with "warmer" color temps. I think that many meters give higher readings with cooler color temps, relative to warmer color temps. 

Edit: I guess I should've said cooler color temp emitters will give a higher lux reading than warmer tints, all other parameters being equal.


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## WadeF (Jan 31, 2008)

FlashCrazy said:


> Exactly. Lux meters are calibrated for particular wavelengths, one may be more accurate with "cooler" color temps, while another may be more accurate with "warmer" color temps. I think that many meters give higher readings with cooler color temps, relative to warmer color temps.


 
I don't have all the answers here, but when I get my DBS V2 I will test the output of the R2's against my Q5's on my two LUX meters and my photographic light meter.


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## Glenn7 (Feb 1, 2008)

Well I received my 2SD R2 pill and a new double coated AR lens for my DBS V1 - took some under exposed photo's with the same manual settings on my DSLR [D200] of the both Q5 & R2 pills in my DBS V1.
My results are that the R2 is definitely at least 10% brighter minimum than the Q5 3SD that I have - and I have found that in my DBS V1, I screw the pill all the way in then back it off three quarters of a turn to make the hot spot even with no dark hole [donut] in the center at about 25 feet or more.
I have found that, as others here have said - that screwing the pill in or out can change the hot spot dramatically on the wall in doors [which can give really high or much lower readings as i have seen people quote]- so I think balance is the key!
The reason I bought the 2SD pill - was that I bought this torch in the first place as a thrower and the DI pill seems too fiddly [as I dont use the 50% setting on the 3SD as it is - but was a good thought at the time] - so I only use 100% [90% of the time] and only use the 5% setting for emergency and preserving night vision.
Also maybe its just me [probably in my head] but I just thought that the 2SD should be driven harder than the DI one - as they are messing around regulating the power a lot [maybe just the physics of things].
Now to tint - it is a slight yellow with a hint of green tint - but definitely not incandescent orange - to my eye and brain the Q5 is the tint that like [because its pure and white] - so in absolute darkness the white [Q5] is great but in reality our eyes are more sensitive to green/orange/yellow and if there is any other light sources [ie: street/car/ lights] this R2 does cut through better and throw further.
So I suppose if you live in the wilderness Q5 would be a good choice - but in a city or the burbs the R2 would cut through the light pollution better - but still 10% better is 10% better.
But only till they bring out the T5 emitter!!  :shakehead - that comes with a set of flame retarded gloves  :ironic: - the R2 is the most powerful drug for us just now :wave:


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## TITAN1833 (Feb 1, 2008)

Hello glenn,I will just pick you up on one thing the DI pill and 2SD are both driven at 1.2A,but I agree with alot you say here


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## Glenn7 (Feb 1, 2008)

TITAN1833 said:


> Hello glenn,I will just pick you up on one thing the DI pill and 2SD are both driven at 1.2A,but I agree with alot you say here


yer I know - but like I said it was in my head :duh2: what a doof!
:wave:


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## TITAN1833 (Feb 1, 2008)

Glenn7 said:


> yer I know - but like I said it was in my head :duh2:
> :wave:


oops sorry glenn,I guess I should clear my focals :laughing:


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## Stereodude (Feb 1, 2008)

Glenn7 said:


> [as I dont use the 50% setting on the 3SD as it is - but was a good thought at the time] - so I only use 100% [90% of the time] and only use the 5% setting for emergency and preserving night vision.


Not to bust your chops, but the medium level on the 3SD isn't 50%. It's 30-31% from the duty cycle measurements I made from my 3SD pill.


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## TITAN1833 (Feb 1, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> Not to bust your chops, but the medium level on the 3SD isn't 50%. It's 30-31% from the duty cycle measurements I made from my 3SD pill.


And not to bust yours either  but it would be safe to say 5% 50% AND 100% without measuring,as quoted in the specs :devil:


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## Glenn7 (Feb 1, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> Not to bust your chops, but the medium level on the 3SD isn't 50%. It's 30-31% from the duty cycle measurements I made from my 3SD pill.


nah! - bust away - thats interesting 30% - i could swear that mine is about 50% ish.
Well any way if you want to bust my chops - your gunna have to take a ticket and get in line :naughty:


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## Stereodude (Feb 1, 2008)

TITAN1833 said:


> And not to bust yours either  but it would be safe to say 5% 50% AND 100% without measuring,as quoted in the specs :devil:


Yeah, well the specs are wrong.


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## Stereodude (Feb 1, 2008)

Glenn7 said:


> nah! - bust away - thats interesting 30% - i could swear that mine is about 50% ish.
> Well any way if you want to bust my chops - your gunna have to take a ticket and get in line :naughty:


Definitely 30-31% on the 3SD I have (which is the latest shipping rev). Here's the scope plot.


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## TITAN1833 (Feb 1, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> Yeah, well the specs are wrong.


I understand where you are coming from,but generally people just shoot from the specs,without true measuring equipment thats all :devil: in other words we take them for granted sometimes.


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## Stereodude (Feb 1, 2008)

TITAN1833 said:


> I understand where you are coming from,but generally people just shoot from the specs,without true measuring equipment thats all :devil: in other words we take them for granted sometimes.


I understand... IMHO, the 3SD pill is more desirable with a 30% medium than it is with a 50% medium. Why Dereelight isn't advertising that fact is beyond me.


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## adamlau (Feb 2, 2008)

The R2 WH provides superior color definition at a distance and is better suited to cut through inclement weather conditions sans the reflective glare of a Q5 WC. Equally driven, the R2 WH over the Q5 WC is the clear choice in such situations.


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## marc123 (Feb 8, 2008)

Well I got my DBS V2 with R2. The R2 1S I have is noticably brighter than my Q5 1S. The tint is warmer but not as much as I expected and is really a great colour and shows objects more in their true daylight colours. I don't know what happened with some of the other R2 beamshots posted here, maybe I got lucky, but it really is a better brighter beam. 

I am surprised with how narrow the beam actually is on the DBS, I think my Spear has a much wider beam which I probably prefer (I know it is a thrower and what else did I expect!). I might order an OP reflector and see how that goes as it really is a laser beam at the moment which restricts it's use a little bit for me. 

I have noticed some small quality issues with mine, the reflector is slightly uneven near the emitter, the emitter is not centered perfectly, there is some chipping on the ano on the threads and the AW battery rattles about a bit. I am still very impressed despite these small issues. 

I have read a few posts that say the OP reflector really makes this into a great light which still has very good throw but also a more useful beam. I'll think buying the OP over until Alan gets back from holidays. :twothumbs


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## CandleFranky (Feb 8, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> Definitely 30-31% on the 3SD I have (which is the latest shipping rev). Here's the scope plot.


I have the actual 3SD. From the light output I would say, that the middle mode might be 50%, because it is really useful bright. Would 30% mean, that the batterypower in this mode lasts 3.3x times longer then in high mode (100%)? :thinking:


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## Stereodude (Feb 8, 2008)

CandleFranky said:


> I have the actual 3SD. From the light output I would say, that the middle mode might be 50%, because it is really useful bright. Would 30% mean, that the batterypower in this mode lasts 3.3x times longer then in high mode (100%)? :thinking:


Your eyes don't see light in a linear fashion. Your eyes are more logarithmic. That's why your eyes perceive it as closer to 50%.

The battery life I'm not so sure about, but that would be a good guess.


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## CandleFranky (Feb 9, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> Your eyes don't see light in a linear fashion. Your eyes are more logarithmic. That's why your eyes perceive it as closer to 50%.


Yes, that was my guess too. :thumbsup:



Stereodude said:


> The battery life I'm not so sure about, but that would be a good guess.


When runtime on 30% is 3.3x, then the 5% low mode on a Dereelight 3SD should be 20x, which makes aproximatly over 20 hours runtime. :thumbsup:


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## ingokl (Feb 9, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> Not to bust your chops, but the medium level on the 3SD isn't 50%. It's 30-31% from the duty cycle measurements I made from my 3SD pill.



Did you directly measure the LED current? If so the spec saying 50% isn't thaaat wrong as it is refering to the output. Looking at the relative Intensity vs. current chart of the XRE and and assuming the LED is driven at about 1A at 100% output you get a relative intensity of about 220%. At 30% of the current (300mA) yout get a relative intensity of 90% which is *41%* of the maximum output. Ok...ist is still not 50% but much closer than 30%.


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## Stereodude (Feb 9, 2008)

ingokl said:


> Did you directly measure the LED current? If so the spec saying 50% isn't thaaat wrong as it is refering to the output. Looking at the relative Intensity vs. current chart of the XRE and and assuming the LED is driven at about 1A at 100% output you get a relative intensity of about 220%. At 30% of the current (300mA) yout get a relative intensity of 90% which is *41%* of the maximum output. Ok...ist is still not 50% but much closer than 30%.


No, I measured the duty cycle of the light at Med. It's ~31%.


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## ingokl (Feb 9, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> No, I measured the duty cycle of the light at Med. It's ~31%.



Waht I meant was...did you measure the duty cycle of the current or the output. If the letter..... I take everything back :wave:


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## Stereodude (Feb 9, 2008)

ingokl said:


> What I meant was...did you measure the duty cycle of the current or the output. If the latter..... I take everything back :wave:


Uh... The current during the on cycle time of the driver is the same regardless of the duty cycle. That's how PWM works. The Width of the pulse changes. However, the scope plot you're seeing is a voltage measurement across the LED.


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## ingokl (Feb 10, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> Uh... The current during the on cycle time of the driver is the same regardless of the duty cycle. That's how PWM works. The Width of the pulse changes. However, the scope plot you're seeing is a voltage measurement across the LED.



Yes, you are absolutely right. Well...I know how PWM works...but didn't contemplate enough about it


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## ernsanada (Feb 14, 2008)

I took another lux reading of my DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 because it looks dimmer from when I first received my DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 .

These are the lux readings I got. I am using a Meterman LM631 Light Meter measured at 1 meter. I waited 2 minutes before taking the readings. I am using AW's Protected 18650.








1st Reading, DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 - 20,121 lux @ 1 meter

2nd Reading, DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E WH R2 SMO 18650 - 5,750 lux @ 1 meter


There must be something wrong with the pill.


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## WadeF (Feb 14, 2008)

So when you ramp it up, get the 3 blinks to indicate max output, you only get that reading? Hope the DI pills aren't short lived. So far so good with the 2 I have.


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## ernsanada (Feb 14, 2008)

WadeF said:


> So when you ramp it up, get the 3 blinks to indicate max output, you only get that reading? Hope the DI pills aren't short lived. So far so good with the 2 I have.



Yes that is what's happening.


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## WadeF (Feb 14, 2008)

ernsanada said:


> Yes that is what's happening.


 
Bummer. I guess it's not shorting out or anything? Could the emitter have been damaged if you were swapping pills around? My fear is i'll tear the Cree dome off when I'm swapping pills around.


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## ernsanada (Feb 14, 2008)

WadeF said:


> Bummer. I guess it's not shorting out or anything? Could the emitter have been damaged if you were swapping pills around? My fear is i'll tear the Cree dome off when I'm swapping pills around.



No I don't think the emitter was damaged by swapping the pills around.

This pill has a cover the only exposed part is the emitter.


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## LifeNRA (Feb 15, 2008)

My R2 1SM-1 pill only lasted for a couple of minutes before it went to what I would call a low mode. 
It was very bright for those first couple minutes.
I tried everything but never could get it to be bright again.
It works but is stuck on very low output.

I don't have a lux meter so I don't know how many lux it is putting out.

Alan sent me a Q5 pill and I just got it today. I have had it on and off for around an hour total runtime and it is still very bright.

I want to add that Alan was very easy to work with and took care of me right away. :thumbsup:


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## ernsanada (Feb 20, 2008)

I just received the DI Q5 for my DBS V2.

These are the lux readings I got. I am using a Meterman LM631 Light Meter measured at 1 meter. I waited 2 minutes before taking the readings. I am using AW's Protected 18650.







DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E DI WH R2 SMO 18650 - 20,121 lux @ 1 meter

DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E DI Q5 SMO 18650 - 19,260 lux @ 1 meter


DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E DI Q5 SMO 18650 @ 32'






DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E DI WH R2 SMO 18650 @ 32'


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## ernsanada (Mar 4, 2008)

I just received the 3SD Q5 for my DBS V2.

These are the lux readings I got. I am using a Meterman LM631 Light Meter measured at 1 meter. I waited 2 minutes before taking the readings. I am using AW's Protected 18650.







DBS V2 3SD Cree XR-E DI Q5 SMO 18650 - 20,550 lux @ meter

DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E DI Q5 SMO 18650 - 19,260 lux @ 1 meter

DBS V2 DI Cree XR-E DI WH R2 SMO 18650 - 20,121 lux @ 1 meter


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## 276 (Apr 7, 2008)

do u think the tint would be the same on all the R2 versions. I was looking on
www.pts-flashlights.com where i saw them looking at the thunder or storm model but if the q5 is more white i think i like that more.


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