# Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15



## Bigmac_79 (Jul 24, 2012)

Niteye is a relatively new flashlight brand, owned by a company that has been around for a while. For a time, JETBeam lights have been distributed by SYSMAX, but due to a recent disagreement, that partnership has ended. From this disagreement, the company previously producing JETBeam lights began producing lights under the Niteye brand. In the past few months, we've seen quite a variety of lights from Niteye, from small single-cell lights to large multi-emitter lights. Now, Niteye has produced a light very similar to their popular EYE10 model, the EYE15.




_Thanks to Niteye for providing the EYE15 for review.
_
I’ll be reviewing the EYE15 in two sections: first, I’ll discuss the light objectively (the facts about the light itself), then I’ll discuss the light subjectively (my impressions about the light's performance when used for specific applications). If you have any other specific applications you'd like the light tested for, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

4-Minute Overview

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

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


Objective

*Manufacturer's Specifications*

Price: $85




*
Packaging*









The EYE15 comes packaged in a cardboard box with a sketch of the light on top, and the specs stickered onto the sides.







Inside the box, the EYE15 sits in a foam cutout. Below the light are the accessories.


*Construction Quality*

_(Note: A dent at the tail may be visible in some of the pictures. The light did not arrive that way, I dropped it once during the photo shoot.)_








The EYE15 is has a dark grey anodized aluminum body, with a stainless steel bezel and and titanium alloy clip. It's powered by a single 18650 sized lithium ion battery, or two CR123 lithium primaries. It's pretty slim, not much bigger around than the battery it uses, but the magnetic control ring adds a little extra length.

Let's take a closer look, starting at the head and working back.









The EYE15 uses a Cree XM-L emitter in a textured reflector. Due to the large emitter and small reflector, this is a pretty floody light.









The EYE15 is completely controlled by the magnetic ring on the head. More details on the operation of the ring can be found in the Performance section.

One of the criticisms of the EYE10 was that the ring was only textured halfway, and the other half was smooth. In the EYE15, Niteye maintains it's "half" ring style by making half of the ring textured with grooves, and the other half textured with large rectangles, with just a small smooth section in between.









The body of the EYE15 is completely round, and covered in knurling everywhere except for two smoothed sections. One section shows the series and model name, the other shows the Niteye name and website.









The clip of the EYE15 is secured by two allen-screws, the wrench being supplied along with the light, so that the use can attach/remove the clip as desired. The clip does not quite make contact with the body, so it keeps a loose hold on whatever you clip it to. 









The EYE15 has no tail switch, being completely controlled by the ring. Instead, a small post is recessed into the tail, with a hole to attach the included split-ring/lanyard. Because the post is recessed, the EYE15 can do a solid tail stand.

Now, let's take the light apart.





Without the use of tools, the EYE15 comes apart into two pieces: the head and the body/tail.









Inside the head, a the small white plastic ring surrounding the positive contact terminal acts as mechanical reverse polarity protection, by keeping the negative end of the battery from being able to reach the terminal. This keeps the light from being damaged if the battery is inserted backwards. The drawback is, this also makes it difficult for flat-top cells to make contact with the terminal. In my tests, I found that the light would turn on using AW brand 18650 cells, but not Callies' Kustoms. All button-top cells I tested made contact just fine. The only exception would be if a button-top cell had an abnormally wide button.







An 18650 battery inserted into the body will extend well beyond the end of the body, making it easy to remove for battery changes.

Dimensions





Accessories












The EYE15 comes with an allen-screw clip and allen wrench, lobster-claw lanyard, and a spare o-ring.

The lanyard attaches to a hole in the inner post of the tail using a small split-ring, and also has a button for adjusting the loop in the lanyard.


*User Interface*

The EYE15 user interface is just about as simple as possible, using only a magnetic control ring.

When fully turned to the left (with the light pointing away from you), the EYE15 is off. Turning the ring to the right will gradually increase the brightness, and all the way to the right is maximum brightness.

The EYE15 also has a Strobe and SOS mode available. To access Strobe, turn the ring to a position at the right (it doesn't necessarily have to be the max position, but it's easiest there). From there, turn the ring to the left then back to the right twice. The light will then be in Strobe at whatever level the ring is set to, until turned to the Off position. To access SOS, follow the same procedure, except turn the ring to the left then right three times.

For more details about the performance of the ring, check the Performance section.


*Action Shots*

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

Light in Hand








White Wall (Minimum, Medium, Max)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 1/20"
_







BeamSlice




MugShot




Indoor Shots (Control, Max)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 1"
_





Outdoor Shots (Control, Max)
_ISO 100, f/3.3, 2.5"
_






*Performance*

Submersion: I submerged the EYE15 under about 3 feet of water for about an hour, using the ring during that time. After the test, I could find no evidence of water entering the light, and performance was unaffected.

Heat: When on max output, the EYE15 heats pretty quickly, getting uncomfortable to hold at about 5 minutes, and maintaining that heat until the battery starts to get low. The heat is mostly concentrated at the head, with only a small amount felt from the body, and almost none from the tail section. The fact that it reaches its max heat so quickly leads me to believe that the light is dissipating the heat into the air and my hand fairly well.

PWM: The EYE15 uses pulse-width modulations to control the output throughout the entire length of the ring's travel. At lower outputs, the PWM is visible only when moving the light very quickly and looking at the emitter, or shining the light onto quickly moving small objects (like falling water drops). At higher outputs, the PWM remains but I could not detect it by eye, it was only detectable by viewing through my camera at a very fast shutter speed.

Drop: I dropped the EYE15 from a height of about 1 meter onto various surfaces (grass, carpet, packed dirt, wood). The light sustained a dent in the tail section, but still functions without any trouble.

Reverse Polarity Protection: The EYE15 uses mechanical reverse polarity protection, so that when a battery is inserted backwards it won't make electrical connection with the head of the light. However, this also means that flat-top cells can have trouble in this light. For more details and pictures, you can see the Construction section.

Over-Discharge Protection: When the battery voltage becomes low, the EYE15 begins to flicker and then strobe on and off. Ideally, you should recharge the battery before this point. The light can flicker for about 2 hours before the protection circuit kicks in.

Spectral Analysis




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

Output, Current Draw and Runtime

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

*Runtime/Output Graph
*



Time Regulated: 1 hr 34 min
ANSI Time: 1 hr 56 min

At the end of the run, the PWM becomes visible and the light begins to flash on and off. This graph has been truncated to show detail, but the flickering continues about two hours after this point.

Throwing Distance

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

*Peak Beam Intensity: *3392cd
*Throw Distance: *116m

Magnetic Control Ring

The ring of the EYE15 includes 12 click-stop positions, including off. However, the ring is infinitely variable, so each position does not necessarily represent a specific brightness level, but are simply mechanical stops along the stepless brightness increase. This means that when you go a certain position (not off or max), there is a little "wiggle room" within that position, and on some this wiggle room will produce a noticeable difference in brightness. 

Below, I've included a graph of the output at each position on the ring:





When using a single 18650, turning from Off to the first position will not turn the light on, but you have to turn to the second position. When turning from position two to position one, the light will stay on. In other words, position one is off while going up and on when going down. In my experience, this is similar to the performance of magnetic control rings on other lights, the point on the ring that will turn the light on being farther up than the point at which it will turn off. This is most likely because the ring controls the current sent to the light, not necessarily the brightness, and it takes more current to turn a light on than it does to keep it on (that's why your parents always told you not to flip your house lights on/off repeatedly ). So, on the EYE15, position one does not supply enough current to turn the light on, but it does supply enough current to keep the light on.

Also, because the ring is infinitely variable, and doesn't have even brightness increase along it's entire path, the difference in brightness between each position is not always the same. Some transitions have a very small visible increase, and others have a relatively large increase between between positions.


Subjective Review

Quick break down:

+ Strobe and SOS available in adjustable output
+ Magnetic control ring
+ Slim profile, head same size as body
+ Grip on ring all the way around
+ Sturdy, removable clip
+ Smooth beam
+ Very good regulation
+ Good ramping at high positions
+ Recessed lanyard attachment allows tailstand
+ Tint closer to neutral than cool
+ Long enough to be comfortable in hand
+ Allen screws for clip - classier than phillips

- Minimum output is a bit too high
- Not much visible difference in output on low positions

The EYE15 is, to my knowledge, the first light to implement a magnetic control ring in a slim (head the same size as the body) format. While it's not perfect, it is very well done.

To start, I'll say that if you haven't tried a light with a magnetic control ring, you need to. If you've read my past reviews, you'll know that this is by far my favorite UI for most tasks. For some tasks, you'll want the old fashioned clickie switch, but I believe that most tasks are better served with the control ring. For greater output, turn the ring one direction, and for less output, turn the ring the other direction. This is great, because you can get easily to the output you want without going through outputs you don't want. A control ring light running from an 18650 lion, with this slim profile, is a very appealing setup.

One that that really stand out here, that I also haven't seen in other light, is the ability to adjust the brightness of the Strobe or SOS mode. They are unlikely to be activated by accident, and not particularly easy to activate when you're trying, but once on, turning the ring to the right or left will adjust the brightness of the Strobe or SOS signal. Most lights have a set output level for these modes (usually max), but the EYE15 allows the potential for any brightness of Strobe or SOS within the light's output range. This means a high-output, attention-getting strobe is available in the same package as a long-running, low output SOS beacon, or whatever combination you need.

Also, it's worth noting that to my eyes, the tint of my sample of the EYE15 is a lot closer to what most of us would call "neutral" than "cool". My measurements on the spectrometer, while not yet able to give a precise color temperature in kelvin, do show a proportionally higher peak in the higher frequencies than that in the lower "cool" colors, which confirms what my eyes see. So, while I wouldn't call this a "neutral" tint bin, it's pretty close.

Lastly, I just really like the way the EYE15 fits in my hand. I've been using a SWM V10R or V11R as an EDC for quite a while, and with hands as large as mine, it can sometimes be a bit awkward. With the EYE15, the extra length makes it a lot easier to hold comfortably. However, I do find the EYE15 just a bit too long to keep in some pants pockets. I'm not sure if there is much room for Niteye to decrease the length of the EYE15, as the magnetic control ring does require a significant amount of space, but I would like the EYE15 to be a bit shorter.

The one thing I want to really highlight for improvement here is the need for a lower low. By reports I've heard, the EYE10 has a lower minimum output than the Sunwayman V series (sometimes being difficult to tell if it's on or off in the daylight), which is very impressive, and I was hoping for the same thing on the EYE15. However, Niteye claims a 5 lumen low for the EYE15, and while I appreciate the accuracy of their claim, I do wish the minimum brightness was lower. The ability to use this light at night without ruining night vision or waking a sleeping child would make the EYE15 indispensable. 

Overall, I don't hesitate recommending the EYE15. This light will excel indoors and at close ranges, though due to the small head it won't through very far. The slim profile will allow you to carry the light with you easily, and the range of output will be useful for many type of situations.


*Long Term Impressions*

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


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## Colonel Sanders (Jul 25, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*

Oh no....it has the same godawful adjuster ring as my EYE10. Niteye, PLEASE make it grippy *ALL THE WAY* around. 

...And give me a neutral option. Then, I'm sold...again. Thanks!


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## cyclesport (Jul 25, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*



Colonel Sanders said:


> Oh no....it has the same godawful adjuster ring as my EYE10. Niteye, PLEASE make it grippy *ALL THE WAY* around.
> 
> ...And give me a neutral option. Then, I'm sold...again. Thanks!



This light appears to have a control ring with half the same knurling as the EYE 10, and vertical milled slots on the other half. Other pics online show this better. Having the EYE 10, I always wondered why half the ring was smooth as well...it does hinder getting a decent grip, although it never bothered me as much as most owners of this light.

Niteye is becoming very prolific with their product line-up...They're manufacturing interesting products with seemingly good build quality and unique designs. I'm anxious to see the full review of this new (apparently) 18650 version of the EYE 10.


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## TweakMDS (Jul 25, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*

Due to the dimensions I got a little bit excited thinking this was a single AA light, but it's 18650/2x123. Eitherway, the half knurling seems to be "fixed" with this one, as they added some grip on the other side. Still, full all around knurls would have been preferable.


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## Colonel Sanders (Jul 25, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*

Oh, ok, I see the vertical slots now. :thumbsup: Still, why not just keep with the knurling all the way around? 

I'm guessing this 18650 version will not have the extreme output turbo mode like the EYE10 does when used with IMRs. I hope I'm wrong.


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## cyclesport (Jul 25, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*



Colonel Sanders said:


> Oh, ok, I see the vertical slots now. :thumbsup: Still, why not just keep with the knurling all the way around?
> 
> I'm guessing this 18650 version will not have the extreme output turbo mode like the EYE10 does when used with IMRs. I hope I'm wrong.



Chinese dealer websites are showing Niteye graphics claiming 500 lumens and choice of 2 X CR123's or 1 X 18650 power choices.


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## Colonel Sanders (Jul 25, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*



cyclesport said:


> Chinese dealer websites are showing Niteye graphics claiming 500 lumens and choice of 2 X CR123's or 1 X 18650 power choices.



Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. With a fresh charged IMR 18350 the EYE10 will match the output of an SC600. And 500L is about two clicks down from the top.


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## cyclesport (Jul 25, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*



Colonel Sanders said:


> Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. With a fresh charged IMR 18350 the EYE10 will match the output of an SC600. And 500L is about two clicks down from the top.



Heat_ is_ an issue w/the EYE 10 using 3.7v 18350's or 16430's on the 11th click, but that's what I like about this particular UI...you can simply dial it back 2/3 clicks and avoid the kind of heat that has potential for damage and still have lots of light. As opposed to (as an example) a light like the new ET D25C clicky with a 16340 Li-ion, where you go from low to 770+ lumens and nothing in between. Kinda kills the practicality of the light.

I'm hoping, and suspect that the heat will be better dissipated on the EYE 15 though, having more mass since many 18560 lights seem to run on high/turbo much longer than 1 X 123 cell counterparts w/o overheating.


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## Colonel Sanders (Jul 25, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*

*"I'm hoping, and suspect that the heat will be better dissipated on the EYE 15 though, having more mass since many 18560 lights seem to run on high/turbo much longer than 1 X 123 cell counterparts w/o overheating."*

I agree, and that's all the more reason that it should retain the EYE10's blazing 11th click. It can better handle the heat.


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 8, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

Majority of the review is now up. I've got a few more tests to run, then I'll finish it up :thumbsup:


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## eh123456 (Aug 9, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

According to the specs, the lowest for this light is 5 lumens ?
I have the EYE10 and its lowest is VERY low which is very useful to be used to check my son at night without waking him up.
Just wonnder if the EYE15 can go that low ?


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## SPNKr (Aug 9, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

I notice the number of cooling fins is the same as the Eye10, and the dimensions as well. Is this then just the Eye10 with a longer body and slightly improved ring? If so, will it really be much better at cooling the LED than the Eye10?


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## shelm (Aug 9, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*



TweakMDS said:


> Due to the dimensions I got a little bit excited thinking this was a single AA light


Is probably coming as EYE11


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## Lou Minescence (Aug 9, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*

Great photos. Who provided the light for review ?


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 9, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*



eh123456 said:


> According to the specs, the lowest for this light is 5 lumens ?
> I have the EYE10 and its lowest is VERY low which is very useful to be used to check my son at night without waking him up.
> Just wonnder if the EYE15 can go that low ?



I don't have enough data with my lightbox to calibrate it for conversion to lumens yet, but by my eyes I'd say 5 lumens is pretty accurate, about half as bright as the old 10-12 lumen keychain lights. It doesn't seem to go as low as the reports I've heard from the EYE10, and I wouldn't be confident using it to check on my son while he's sleeping.



SPNKr said:


> I notice the number of cooling fins is the same as the Eye10, and the dimensions as well. Is this then just the Eye10 with a longer body and slightly improved ring? If so, will it really be much better at cooling the LED than the Eye10?



It seems to me that at least a few changes were made to the electronics, if nothing else the low seems to be higher in the EYE15. I don't have an EYE10 to do direct comparison, but I might be receiving one for review in the future, so we'll see. It seems to do a fine job of cooling due to the increased mass and surface area of the body, and I've had no issues with heat in my normal use. I plan to formally test the heat buildup today, and I'll post the update when it's done.



Lou Minescence said:


> Great photos. Who provided the light for review ?



Niteye provided the light for review (for your future reference, I always disclose the provider of the review sample in the intro of the review, just underneath the first picture).


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## eh123456 (Aug 9, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*

Thanks very much Bigmac_79 for the prompt reply. If the lowest is really around 5 lumens, then it is not very attractive to me.



Bigmac_79 said:


> I don't have enough data with my lightbox to calibrate it for conversion to lumens yet, but by my eyes I'd say 5 lumens is pretty accurate, about half as bright as the old 10-12 lumen keychain lights. It doesn't seem to go as low as the reports I've heard from the EYE10, and I wouldn't be confident using it to check on my son while he's sleeping.


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 9, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 (Coming Soon)*

OK, got the relative outputs of each click position recorded today and added the graph to the Performance section, along with notes on the PWM.

With the heat, I can't directly compare to the EYE10, but I can say that it did reach max heat within about 5 minutes, which is before the output really falls off, so it seems to me that the body of the light is dissipating the heat well, not letting it rise above that point. It did get uncomfortable to hold near the head, but not actually painful.



eh123456 said:


> Thanks very much Bigmac_79 for the prompt reply. If the lowest is really around 5 lumens, then it is not very attractive to me.



I understand, and I was hoping for a lower low as well. At least they were honest in the specs!


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 10, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

Subjective review completed, along with a few other sections updated.


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## shelm (Aug 10, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

in your review (format) we get 2 photos on max: 1 in the garage, and 1 outdoors. any chance to add more relevant beam shots (plus beam slices), e.g. against a *white wall* (and different brightness levels .. to see the *tint shift*) to see the *greenish corona* better, and comparison beamshots with other similar lights?

we dont have any idea of the hotspot size, looks of the corona, greenishness of the corona, beam profile and artifacts, speckles in the hotspot, etc.

sorry for nitpicking. never mind, let's move on.


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## Diablo_331 (Aug 10, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

Will the head of the Jetbeam RRT-01 thread onto the 18650 body of the EYE15? I think that I remember seeing a post that confirmed the heads of the EYE10 and RRT-01 were interchangeable but I cannot find the post to confirm this. If this is the case will the head of the EYE10 fit the EYE15 body tube? I'd like to use the EYE15 body tube with my RRT-01 head..


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 10, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



shelm said:


> in your review (format) we get 2 photos on max: 1 in the garage, and 1 outdoors. any chance to add more relevant beam shots (plus beam slices), e.g. against a *white wall* (and different brightness levels .. to see the *tint shift*) to see the *greenish corona* better, and comparison beamshots with other similar lights?
> 
> we dont have any idea of the hotspot size, looks of the corona, greenishness of the corona, beam profile and artifacts, speckles in the hotspot, etc.
> 
> sorry for nitpicking. never mind, let's move on.



No offense taken, I know that you speak your mind shelm 

Don't worry, this review is still in progress. I do plan to add the white wall shot and beamslice (along with throw measurements as well). Trouble is, I moved recently and am having trouble locating a white wall! You'll notice my other reviews in progress don't have the white wall shots either.

I wasn't planning to post more than the max brightness shot for each location, but if you'd like to see multiple brightness levels to check for tint shift, I can make that happen, no problem. 

Keep your eyes open, I'll be posting the rest of the review as soon as I have it ready.

:thumbsup:


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 10, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



Diablo_331 said:


> Will the head of the Jetbeam RRT-01 thread onto the 18650 body of the EYE15? I think that I remember seeing a post that confirmed the heads of the EYE10 and RRT-01 were interchangeable but I cannot find the post to confirm this. If this is the case will the head of the EYE10 fit the EYE15 body tube? I'd like to use the EYE15 body tube with my RRT-01 head..



I'm sorry I can't answer this, I don't have an RRT-01 or an EYE10, though Niteye suggested they might be sending me an updated version of the EYE10 for review some time later this month.


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## shelm (Aug 10, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



Bigmac_79 said:


> No offense taken, I know that you speak your mind shelm
> 
> ...
> 
> ...



Thanks Bigmax_79, you da man!!!


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## Diablo_331 (Aug 10, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



Bigmac_79 said:


> I'm sorry I can't answer this, I don't have an RRT-01 or an EYE10, though Niteye suggested they might be sending me an updated version of the EYE10 for review some time later this month.



Do you happen to have a thread gauge to find out what size they are? Thanks for doing this review. This would be the perfect nightstand light for me if it can fit the RRT-01 head.


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 10, 2012)

Diablo_331 said:


> Do you happen to have a thread gauge to find out what size they are? Thanks for doing this review. This would be the perfect nightstand light for me if it can fit the RRT-01 head.



I don't have a thread gauge, but I have a few friends who might. I'll look into it, and I'll let you know if I can get a hold of one.

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


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 13, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

A quick update:

Unfortunately, my camera was damaged during the meteor shower last night :sigh:, so the rest of the beam shots for this light will be postponed indefinitely.


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## cyclesport (Aug 13, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



Bigmac_79 said:


> A quick update:
> 
> Unfortunately, my camera was damaged during the meteor shower last night :sigh:, so the rest of the beam shots for this light will be postponed indefinitely.



Too bad...I imagine a meteor hitting a camera would do a lot of damage? Not to mention the gigantic crater, scorched earth, millions dead, etc?


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 13, 2012)

cyclesport said:


> Too bad...I imagine a meteor hitting a camera would do a lot of damage? Not to mention the gigantic crater, scorched earth, millions dead, etc?



Unfortunately nothing so exciting, I bumped into the tripod in the dark.

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


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 13, 2012)

cyclesport said:


> Too bad...I imagine a meteor hitting a camera would do a lot of damage? Not to mention the gigantic crater, scorched earth, millions dead, etc?



Unfortunately nothing so exciting, I bumped into the tripod in the dark.

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


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## phips (Aug 21, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

Thanks for the review, generally a very nice concept imo.
What I would like to see though:
- current control instead of pwm (if this is possible with a rotary interface)
- a consistently knurled selector ring
- just one 'click' from off to on (why a variable output light has stops is beyond me)
- lower low


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 21, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



phips said:


> Thanks for the review, generally a very nice concept imo.
> What I would like to see though:
> - current control instead of pwm (if this is possible with a rotary interface)
> - a consistently knurled selector ring
> ...



You're welcome :thumbsup: 

I agree that I generally prefer current control, but the PWM here is fast enough that I don't see it while using the light, so it doesn't really bother me. As for the click stops, I do really like my control ring lights that don't have them, but it's also nice to have a sort of reference point where you can expect a certain output at a certain click. I also agree, a lower low would be very nice, and very possibly make this an ideal EDC.


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## cyclesport (Aug 21, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



phips said:


> Thanks for the review, generally a very nice concept imo.
> What I would like to see though:
> - current control instead of pwm (if this is possible with a rotary interface)
> - a consistently knurled selector ring
> ...



I have the Eye 10 and it's a current controlled light...as is the Eye 15. Niteye clearly states this "cc drive" on their website that now shows the Eye 15.


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 21, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



cyclesport said:


> I have the Eye 10 and it's a current controlled light...as is the Eye 15. Niteye clearly states this "cc drive" on their website that now shows the Eye 15.



My review sample definitely uses pulse-width modulation to lower the output. It's visible when you move the light quickly while looking directly at the emitter. I've noticed that some manufacturers say "current controlled" to mean what many of us on CPF would call "current regulated", that they control the current to maintain a consistent output. If you check my review, you'll see the output graphs shows that they light does have output regulation. Either way, my EYE15 does use PWM.


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## cyclesport (Aug 21, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



Bigmac_79 said:


> My review sample definitely uses pulse-width modulation to lower the output. It's visible when you move the light quickly while looking directly at the emitter. I've noticed that some manufacturers say "current controlled" to mean what many of us on CPF would call "current regulated", that they control the current to maintain a consistent output. If you check my review, you'll see the output graphs shows that they light does have output regulation. Either way, my EYE15 does use PWM.



Not doubting you. Perhaps you review sample, being a pre-production light, does indeed utilize PWM. 

However, moving my copy of the Eye 10 quicky (which always reveals PWM in any light...even at higher frequency) and every shake test, fan test, etc. I perform with my Eye 10 does not reveal _even a hint_ of PWM. Therefore I have to assume it is cc (unless current regulated lights show no visable signs of pulsing as well)? Seems iv magnetic control ring lights usually are current controled as well, eg: Sunwayman V10R & V11R, and JetBeam's RRT-01, etc.


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 21, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



cyclesport said:


> Not doubting you. Perhaps you review sample, being a pre-production light, does indeed utilize PWM.
> 
> However, moving my copy of the Eye 10 quicky (which always reveals PWM in any light...even at higher frequency) and every shake test, fan test, etc. I perform with my Eye 10 does not reveal _even a hint_ of PWM. Therefore I have to assume it is cc (unless current regulated lights show no visable signs of pulsing as well)? Seems iv magnetic control ring lights usually are current controled as well, eg: Sunwayman V10R & V11R, and JetBeam's RRT-01, etc.



Good to know the EYE10 does not use PWM, thanks! It's possible that Niteye has updated the EYE15 and removed the PWM, but to be clear, I haven't heard from them one way or the other if my review sample is a production or pre-production version.


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## veedo (Aug 27, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

anyone ever figure out if the eye15 head will screw on the eye10 body, or vise versa?


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## brag (Aug 29, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

Thanks for the review!!!

You mentioned the Callies 18650 didn't work, was it the length the light didn't like, or was it a flat-top cell?

Big thanks


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## Bigmac_79 (Aug 29, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



veedo said:


> anyone ever figure out if the eye15 head will screw on the eye10 body, or vise versa?



No luck finding out yet, I may review an EYE10 in the future, but I don't have one at the moment.



brag said:


> Thanks for the review!!!
> 
> You mentioned the Callies 18650 didn't work, was it the length the light didn't like, or was it a flat-top cell?
> 
> Big thanks



You're welcome . Yeah, the CK 3100 don't work, but AW 3100 and Trustfire 2400 do. The AW are also flat-tops but a slightly different style. I haven't had a light before where one could make contact with the head but the other couldn't, but the reverse polarity protection here is a bit different than I've seen before too. The CK do fit in the light, but it may be that they are too long to let the head screw down all the way. It's tough to say without being able to see in there while the head is attached :thinking:. If I find a way to figure it out I'll update here.


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## brag (Aug 30, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

Thanks for the Callies 3100 info.


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## Bigmac_79 (Sep 13, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

New camera arrived, beamshots added, review complete!


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## cyclesport (Sep 13, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



Bigmac_79 said:


> New camera arrived, beamshots added, review complete!



Great final review Bigmac...very well done! The new camera's pics are great as well...just stay out of meteor showers from now on!


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## RBWNY (Sep 24, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

Has anyone tried 18350's in this light? Do we know if it would supply similar (turbo) lumens to the "10"? I just got the Eye15 today...and already have the Eye10, where I use a 18350 exclusively. I could try 2 18350's but don't want to burn it out by mistake. Would be very cool if it can handle `em :naughty:.


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## Bigmac_79 (Sep 24, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



RBWNY said:


> Has anyone tried 18350's in this light? Do we know if it would supply similar (turbo) lumens to the "10"? I just got the Eye15 today...and already have the Eye10, where I use a 18350 exclusively. I could try 2 18350's but don't want to burn it out by mistake. Would be very cool if it can handle `em :naughty:.



The specs on the EYE15 list a working voltage up to 8.4V, which means it ought to be able to handle 2x18350. However, the documentation I got didn't list 2x16340 or 2x18350 as possible battery configurations for this light, so I sent Niteye an email asking about this, but haven't heard back yet. 

I don't have any 18350s, but when I get the chance to give 16340s a try I'll let you know what happens.


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## RBWNY (Sep 24, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*



Bigmac_79 said:


> The specs on the EYE15 list a working voltage up to 8.4V, which means it ought to be able to handle 2x18350. However, the documentation I got didn't list 2x16340 or 2x18350 as possible battery configurations for this light, so I sent Niteye an email asking about this, but haven't heard back yet.
> 
> I don't have any 18350s, but when I get the chance to give 16340s a try I'll let you know what happens.



Haven't read the booklet yet, but find it odd they don't mention 16340!! -- but recall they strongly advised against using a 18350 in the "10"...or at least in very limited use on turbo. I have the cells anyway, so I can give it a careful try.


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## RBWNY (Sep 24, 2012)

*Re: Object/Subject Review: Niteye EYE15 [In Progress]*

On second thought....IMR's in series might not be a good idea with the "15". They have no protection and the cell closest to the head would probably discharge quicker, so they'd have to be checked every few minutes to avoid any possible problems. Don't know if the light itself has discharge protection or not. I'm sure 16340's would be as fine as in any other 18650 light.


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## sspc (Sep 29, 2012)

Thanks for the detailed review! Greeat pics and info.

Is is confirmed that the low is around 5 lumens? I pocket carry a Eagletac D25LC2 twisty and love the smallish form factor (apprx 109mm long). My only dissapointment with the ET is the low appears to be around 10-20 lumens. The eye15 looks like a great alternative but I don't know if I would get the eye15 if the low is over 10 lumens like the ET.


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## sspc (Oct 1, 2012)

sspc said:


> Is is confirmed that the low is around 5 lumens...I pocket carry the Eagletac D25LC2 twisty...The eye15 looks like a great alternative but I don't know if I would get the eye15 if the low is over 10 lumens like the ET.


 
Bump


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## RBWNY (Oct 2, 2012)

I like this light. As the OP said, the PWM isn't noticeable under normal usage. I've been using a 18650, and it's been working very well. True, that it doesn't come on until about the third click, and doesn't go as low as the Eye 10, (but unless it's pitch black [indoors] it's not much of an issue). As the poster above asked, I'm certain the lowest low is lower than 10 lumens. That setting only "seems" bright in the middle of the night.


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 2, 2012)

I don't have a way to accurately measure outputs in lumens yet, but it does seem to me about half as bright as standard keychain lights that are accepted to be in the 10-12 lumen range, so I would guess the low mode to be about 4-6 lumens on a fresh 18650.


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## sspc (Oct 2, 2012)

Thanks guys


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## RBWNY (Oct 2, 2012)

RBWNY said:


> True, that it doesn't come on until about the third click,



Well actually, it turns on at the 2nd click...and remains at the same (lowest) level for the next 3 clicks! - until it advances again. That's really kinda strange..which I hadn't noticed before.


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## sspc (Oct 3, 2012)

RBWNY said:


> Well actually, it turns on at the 2nd click...and remains at the same (lowest) level for the next 3 clicks! - until it advances again. That's really kinda strange..which I hadn't noticed before.


That is interesting.I re-watched the video (nice vid Bigmac) and I do see that the output doesn't change for click positions 2,3 and 4. The output then increases on click position 5 and so on.


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 3, 2012)

Actually, when I measured the output at the lowest positions, there really is a tiny bit of increase in output. However, it's not enough for me to detect by eye alone, even in a dark room. 

You can decide for yourself the value of an output increase not visible to the human eye in a dark environment


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## peterscm (Oct 25, 2012)

I have both Eye10 and Eye15. Confirmed both head unit are interchangable.

I tried 2x 18350 (Ultrafire) on Eye15 but cannot detect (using naked eye) any different in max brightness as compare using 1x 18650.


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 27, 2012)

Thanks for that info peterscm!


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## BlackhawkB (Oct 31, 2012)

I am looking for an "infinitely variable" light using 18650, so I am getting interested in this light.

Is there a way to open the light and access the reflector, and even better the driver ?
Or is everything glued together ?
I wonder if it is possible to mod a bit this light for more output, because 500 lumens is barely 1.4A draw...


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## Southpaw1925 (Nov 1, 2012)

Bigmac_79 said:


> Niteye is a relatively new flashlight brand, owned by a company that has been around for a while. For a time, JETBeam lights have been distributed by SYSMAX, but due to a recent disagreement, that partnership has ended. From this disagreement, the company previously producing JETBeam lights began producing lights under the Niteye brand. In the past few months, we've seen quite a variety of lights from Niteye, from small single-cell lights to large multi-emitter lights. Now, Niteye has produced a light very similar to their popular EYE10 model, the EYE15.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What batteries do you recommend to get the highest output? 2 16340s, or 18650? I read somewhere that an eye10 reached over 600 lumens on an imr. I was hoping this would be the case for the eye15.


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## Bigmac_79 (Nov 1, 2012)

BlackhawkB said:


> I am looking for an "infinitely variable" light using 18650, so I am getting interested in this light.
> 
> Is there a way to open the light and access the reflector, and even better the driver ?
> Or is everything glued together ?
> I wonder if it is possible to mod a bit this light for more output, because 500 lumens is barely 1.4A draw...



I'm not much of a modder so I can't say for sure how easy it will be. The bezel seems glued down, but inside the head a small screw holds the pieces together. 






(screw at the bottom right)

It's not a standard phillips or hex, looks like a sort of star shape. I think I have a bit that can get that open, I'll give an update when I find it and give it a try.



Southpaw1925 said:


> What batteries do you recommend to get the highest output? 2 16340s, or 18650? I read somewhere that an eye10 reached over 600 lumens on an imr. I was hoping this would be the case for the eye15.



I never got a confirmation from Niteye if the EYE15 could handle two 16340's or 18350's, so I never tried them. Peterscm posted up above that he tried them and couldn't tell any difference. 

I also have seen others report that the EYE10 does get brighter on an IMR, but I don't yet have any IMR cells to test in the EYE15. I do know that the driver for the EYE15 is different than the driver for the EYE10 TIC I'm currently reviewing, so I can't say if they will behave the same with an IMR cell.


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## turkeylord (Oct 3, 2013)

Bump...

Bigmac - did you ever succeed at dissasembling the head?

Anyone heard if they intend to update to XM-L2? I'd love a XM-L2 neutral EYE15, especially if they removed the level click-stops.


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 13, 2013)

turkeylord said:


> Bump...
> 
> Bigmac - did you ever succeed at dissasembling the head?
> 
> Anyone heard if they intend to update to XM-L2? I'd love a XM-L2 neutral EYE15, especially if they removed the level click-stops.



The screw came out easy enough, but below that metal and plastic ring is a circuit board that's loose enough to wiggle but attached to something on the other side, my guess is the wires to the LED. Because the attachment is on the far side, you can't get it at with a solder gun. I'm pretty sure they screwed the circuit board in with that ring, then soldered it from the far side, then glued down the bezel on top.

I haven't heard anything at all from Niteye recently, but I agree that an Eye15 without and the stops (and an updated emitter of course) would be excellent. My EYE10 is still one of my favorites because it doesn't have the stops and thus goes lower than any other light I own.


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## turkeylord (Oct 13, 2013)

Bigmac_79 said:


> The screw came out easy enough, but below that metal and plastic ring is a circuit board that's loose enough to wiggle but attached to something on the other side, my guess is the wires to the LED. Because the attachment is on the far side, you can't get it at with a solder gun. I'm pretty sure they screwed the circuit board in with that ring, then soldered it from the far side, then glued down the bezel on top.
> 
> I haven't heard anything at all from Niteye recently, but I agree that an Eye15 without and the stops (and an updated emitter of course) would be excellent. My EYE10 is still one of my favorites because it doesn't have the stops and thus goes lower than any other light I own.


Ok, good to know. Niteye didn't respond to my website inquiry either. I think it would make an excellent EDC light.


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## gunga (Oct 13, 2013)

While not positive, I'm guessing the head is the same as the eye10 and very similar to the jetbeam rrt01. It's possible to dismantle. Take off the bezel to change the emitter. Take the LED out before dismantling further or you will rip the wires out of the circuit. This is very bad. It splits just above the control ring for changing of lube etc. It you don't like the dentents, you can take the spring and ball bearing out. You will lose the detent at the off position though. You could also try filling the unwanted detents with epoxy etc.


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## turkeylord (Oct 13, 2013)

gunga said:


> While not positive, I'm guessing the head is the same as the eye10 and very similar to the jetbeam rrt01. It's possible to dismantle. Take off the bezel to change the emitter. Take the LED out before dismantling further or you will rip the wires out of the circuit. This is very bad. It splits just above the control ring for changing of lube etc. It you don't like the dentents, you can take the spring and ball bearing out. You will lose the detent at the off position though. You could also try filling the unwanted detents with epoxy etc.


I did search for pics of a dismantled rrt-01, but didn't find anything. Maybe I'll order one and try it out. Thanks for the info.


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