# Saabluster REV Captor (3xXM-L2, 3x18650, Flood) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO+



## selfbuilt (Aug 6, 2014)

*Warning: pic heavy, as usual.*

_*Reviewer's Note:* This is a review of a custom light, from the One Stop Throw Shop (formerly known as OMG Lumens) run by CPF builder saabluster (aka Michael Johnson). _

Michael (saabluster) is well known for his specialty of making maximally-driven, throw-focused lights. He has recently ventured a little further afield, with his first flooder – and a rather unique one at that - the REV Captor.















The first thing eagle-eyed readers might notice is the great similarity of the physical build of the REV Captor to the Supbeam X40.  This is not entirely surprising, as Supbeam functions as an OEM supplier to other flashlight makers (as well as producing lights under their own name). The REV Captor is a unique light, made to Michael's specifications. So while there are bound to be some similarities in form and function to the X40, you can rest assured the REV Captor is a unique light with its own set of distinctive features.

As always, I will put this light through its paces using my standard testing protocol (as well as a few new measures). Let's start with the manufacturer's specs:

*Manufacturer's Specifications:*
_Note: as always, these are only what the manufacturer reports. To see my actual testing results, scroll down the review._


LED: three Cree XM-L2 LEDs (2 cool white and 1 warm white for enhanced CRI)
Runs on (3) 18650 rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries sold separately. You absolutely must use high quality "protected" cells.
Max 2500 lumens output
Infinite brightness magnetic control ring ,minimum brightness : 3 lumen ,fully variable from minimum 20 lumen to maximum 2500 lumens; - Max viewing distance is about 300' depending on ambient weather and light as well as target albedo
Working voltage: 4V to 13V.
Max runtime: 1200 hours.
Impact resistant: 1.2 meters.
Waterproof to IPX-6
Size: 181(L)x 68.00(bezel diameter) unit: mm.
Weight: 520g without battery.
Stainless 304 bezel and rotate-ring
Can directly recharge batteries with included magnetic charge cable. Comes with an AC-DC adapter and a car charger for charging the batteries inside the flashlight at home or on the go.
Aircraft grade aluminum body structure.
Premium type III hard anodized anti-abrasive finish.
Ultra-clear tempered glass lens with anti-reflective coating.
Momentary forward click tactical switch.
Stand-by mode for easy on-off switching in session
Tactical knurling for firm grip.
Mechanical reversed polarity protection design for battery carrier.
Intelligent highly efficient circuit board design for max performance
and long run time.
Specially designed for Law Enforcement, Self-defense, Hunting, Search & Rescue and Outdoor activities.
Intelligent temperature controlled light output for user safety.
Regarding Charging: Input : 5V DC Output : 4.2V DC/500MA *3 MAX
Charging time: depends on the capacity of the batteries , Charging time = battery capacity/500mA + 0.5 hour
Comes with: REV Captor, carrying case, spare O-rings, magnetic USB charging cord, car charging adapter, home AC charging adapter(US style), holster, user manual, and lanyard. 
This is also covered by our standard limited lifetime warranty.
MSRP: $349














The REV Captor came in the standard Supbeam presentation-style case, with metal closing flap and hinges. Inside, in cut-out packing foam, was the light along with a wrist lanyard, belt holster with closing flap, extra o-rings, spare tail switch boot cover, USB charging cable with AC adapter and DC car adapter, manual, and business card from the One Stop Throw Shop. 













From left to right: AW Protected 18650; REV Captor; L3 (Supbeam) X40; Supbeam K50; Olight SR52. 

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

*REV Captor*: Weight: 498.3g (~637g with 3x18650), Length: 182mm, Width (bezel): 68.0mm
*L3 Illumination (Supbeam) X40*: Weight: 517.2g (~655g with 3x18650), Length: 182mm, Width (bezel): 68.0mm
*SupBeam K50vn*: Weight: 645.9g, Length: 230mm, Width (bezel): 90.1mm
*SupBeam K50*: Weight: 645.0g, Length: 230mm, Width (bezel): 90.1mm
*Fenix TK61*: Weight: 605.7g (790g with 4x18650), Length: 218mm, Width (bezel): 96.0mm
*Fenix TK61vn*: Weight: 608.0g (792g with 4x18650), Length: 218mm, Width (bezel): 96.0mm
*Fenix TK75*: Weight: 516.0g (~700g with 4x18650), Length: 184mm, Width (bezel): 87.5mm
*Nitecore TM15:* Weight: 450.6g (~634g with 4x18650). Length: 158mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm
*Sunwayman T60CS:* Weight: 338.9g (~477g with 3x18650), Length: 145.0mm, Width (bezel): 60.0mm














The physical build of the REV Captor is similar to the Supbeam X40, with a few significant exceptions. Let's start with the common elements. Like the X40, anodizing is a flat black, with aggressive knurling present over most of the handle. Combined with the control ring flats and heatsink fins in the head, I would say overall grip is pretty good. Light can roll fairly easily, but the indented flats in the head help limit that somewhat. 

Labels are sharp and clear, and include a small indentation below the control ring filled with GITD paint on the REV Captor. This is to help you orient the light (more on that in a moment).

There are flat indents on the control ring to help with feel. There is a label mark on the control ring that lines up with the labels on the head. Going clockwise, the output modes are min output "3 lms" (first detent), lowest level of the continuously-variable ramp (second detent), output ramp, "max" output (third detent) and "standny" (fourth detent). Unlike the X40, there is no strobe mode on the REV Captor. The detents are firm at each level, with even resistance across the ramp area. 

Screw threads are traditional triangular cut, but seem of good quality. They are anodized for lock-out. 

The light can tailstand stably, and the tailcap cut-outs facilitate access to the switch. Switch is a forward clicky switch (i.e., press for momentary, click for locked-on). Switch feel has a slightly longer traverse than typical, with a definite click. There is a charging dock in the tail that connects to the supplied USB-cable. See below for a discussion.






There is also a small LED indicator next to the charging dock. It is green when the light is on and the batteries are well charged (or, when charging, if the batteries are fully charged). It is orange when on and the batteries are partially discharged. It is red when on and the batteries are running low (or when batteries are being charged), and flashing red when the on and the batteries are <10% (or if there is a fault when charging and the charger has shut-off).






There is a triple set of springs in the base of the battery tube that make contact with the carrier. Normally, a single spring would be needed for simple operation, and two springs for in-series charging. The addition of a third spring (along with a more complex wiring design inside the carrier) allows the light to actually charge the cells in parallel, not series. This is a much safer way to charge cells.  FYI, I notice the contact board says SupBeam … 

Let's take a closer look at the battery carrier: 






















As you can clearly see above, this is the exact same carrier sold on the X40 (i.e., note the model labels). This is a good quality metal battery carrier that holds 3x 18650 cells. The positive contact points inside the carrier are slightly raised, so all types of 18650 cells should work fine (i.e., true flat-tops, wide and small button-tops). Longer cells may be a bit tight with the base springs, but my protected 3100mAh cells all fit (although some wider cells may make it harder to fit the loaded carrier back into the handle). Unlike other carriers, all the cells point the same way here (i.e., negative terminals at the base, positive terminals toward the head). Again, the innovative carrier is a 3s1p arrangement for operation (i.e., all cells in series), but charges in a 1s3p arrangement (i.e., all cells in parallel).

Physically, the carrier only fits one way, with the contact board facing the springs in the tailcap. The inner-most positive contact of the carrier is recessed at both ends, and there is a large metal plate at the carrier end that contacts toward the head. Note that the negative current path is carried by the body of the light. The positive path connects through the spring in the head unit.

Note that CR123A are not supported – the REV Captor is 3x18650 only.






As with the X40 (and other Supbeam lights), the charging dock is magnetic and there is no open voltage at the tail (i.e., no risk of shorting when cells are loaded). What you see at the exterior base are two metal circular contacts – these are connected to the terminals of the carrier through the springs. The charging cable directly attaches to the external contacts through a strong magnetic connection.










Both AC and 12V DC adapters were provided.










Because of the strong magnetic pull of the charging cable head (i.e., it will attach itself to anything made of metal), I generally recommend you connect the head to the flashlight before you connect the AC/DC outlet. The risk of accidentally shorting the cable is quite low, as there is a raised plastic divider separating the inner and outer contacts on the head. But given that the magnet is fairly strong, I wouldn't want to trust that tiny bit of plastic to rule out the potential for even a momentary short. 






Scroll down for some direct measures of charging time, using the USB cable with or without the AC adapter. 

And now, for the truly distinctive part of the REV Captor – the head: :devil:










Ok, so what are you looking at above? :thinking: The actual emitters are obscured by the "holographic" diffusion film on the lens. This produces a very unique beam pattern, as you will see later in the beamshots (i.e., it is not a standard diffuser by any means). Let's take a closer look at it:










The angled shot above shows what Michael describes as interference patterns between the smooth surfaces of the film and the glass lens. These do not affect the beam, although they do tend change subtly as the head heats up. And as you can probably guess, there are 3 XM-L2 emitters hidden behind there. Let's turn the light on low and take a look:






There are two cool white XM-L2's and one warm XM-L2 - to improve the color rendition index (CRI), and move the overall tint closer to neutral. Thanks to the heavy diffusion, the color tints blend together quite well in the beam's projection. Scroll down for a comparison of beamshots.

If you want to see what the standard X40 head looks, please check out my review of that model. As you would expect, the reflector typically has deep emitter wells, overlapping a significant amount in the middle. 

*User Interface*

Interface is generally comparable to the X40 – except Strobe has been replaced by a Standby mode on the ring of the REV Captor.

Turn the light off/on by the tailcap clicky – press for momentary, press and release (i.e., click) for constant on. 

Change output modes by turning the control ring in the head. Arranged from clockwise/left-to-right (looking down at the light, held in traditional flashlight carry), the modes are detent 1 (moonlight) > detent 2 (lowest level of the ramp) > continusouly-variable ramp > detent 3 (max) > detent 4 (standby). 

There is no strobe mode on the REV Captor.

Due to the unique beam profile (which spreads out horizontally), there is a GITD spot below the control ring to help you orient the light before you activate (i.e., have the spot pointing straight up). You will of course quickly figure it out once the light is on, but the spot is a useful indicator ahead of time.

*Video*: 

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



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

FYI, you might want to check out Michael's sales thread here on CPF for a more detailed video showing you the beam pattern. Otherwise, scroll down for my beamshots.

*Ramping Pattern*:

Like the X40, the REV Captor uses a "continuously-variable" ramp that is actually composed of a series of discrete output levels. Technically, all "continuously-variable" ramps actually have discrete levels – it is just a question of how many there are, and if you can notice the steps between them. It is hard for me to give a precise number, but I would say there are at least ~25-30 discrete levels (i.e., the same as the X40). But as these lights gradually move into each one (i.e., it is not a sharp jump), you are not likely to be able to notice the fine gradations in practice. 

Since the REV Captor appears to the same as the X40 in this regard, here's the relative ramp from that review:






The raw data coming out my lightbox doesn't actually give you a good feel for how "visually linear" the X40 and REV Captor are. For that, I have plotted the results on a cube root scale, based on modern perceptual research that shows we actually perceive non-point sources of light according to this power relationship:






The REV Captor/X40 ramps look very linear to my eyes. 

*No PWM/Strobe*

There is no sign of PWM on any level – I believe the light is current-controlled. Even my moonlight mode was flicker-free. :thumbsup:

There is no strobe either.

*Standby Drain*

I don't see any evidence of a significant current drain when the clicky switch is off. 

There is a standby drain when the control ring is set to Standby. I measured this as 13.0mA on the REV Captor. Since the cells are in series when activated, that would translate into about ~10 days before 3100mAh cells would be fully drained. As such, I do not recommend you use the Standby mode for anything more than temporary use. Always make sure the light is clicked off at the tail (or locked out at the head) when not in use.

*Charging Current*

Because the AC charger uses a USB connector to the charging cable, I was able to take direct measures of the REV Captor charging parameters. For these measures, I am using the new Xtar VI01 "USB Detector" (basically a specialized USB current/voltage meter). This model has recently been favorably reviewed by HKJ here.

For charging tests, I started with discharged AW protected 18650 cells, measuring ~3.0-3.4V at rest. For all these tests, I left the USB detector in place during charging, and took periodic readings. Note that the voltage reading on this device refers to the input voltage (i.e., from the charging brick).

Initial charging current and input voltage:










As you can see, charging started at 1.46A with a typical USB 5.37 input voltage ("U" is meant to represent Volts on the top display above). Recall that the AC adapter has a max charging rate of 2A and 5VDC.

After 1 hour of charging, I re-measured charging current and input voltage:










As you can see, the charging current has dropped down to 1.30A at this point, with a consistent input voltage, as expected.

After 4 hours of charging:






Charging current has now dropped to 1.02A, still with a fairly consistent input voltage of 5.45V (not shown)

After 5 hours and 45 mins of charging, the indicator was showing green:










Interestingly, there was still a low current detectable here (0.17A). :thinking:

However, if I unplugged and re-plugged the charger, I got 0A.

Resting voltage of the AW 2200mAh batteries was ~4.17-4.22V. 

This is very reasonable charging time and acceptable resting voltage at termination. 

To test how a standard USB port would work, I ran another test using a group of cells that partially discharged, down to ~3.62V each. When plugged in to AC power (using the 2A AC adapter), I got a charging current of 1.30A. Here is what I got when I then plugged the light into a standard USB 2.0 port.










As expected, the charging current was lower when run on USB (indicating that it would take longer to recharge cells by USB alone). However, this 880mA measured current exceeds the 500mA charging spec of the USB 2.0 standard. :shrug: I have seen these sorts of levels on a number of USB chargers before (including all the Supbeam lights I have tested), and they have not apparently caused any problems on my USB ports. However, as I never recommend you exceed charging specs, I recommend you stick with AC or DC adapter to charge cells in this light.

*Beamshots:*

And now, what you have all been waiting for.  All lights are on their respective max rechargeable battery sources (i.e., 18650s), about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences. 





























































OK, this should be your first indication that something funny is going on with that unique diffuser on the REV Captor.  

Believe it or not, the actual output of the REV Captor is actually pretty close to the X40. Since you can't really see that in the pics above, where is all that light going?

You first clue will come from what happens if I rotate the light 90 degrees or so. In the first shot below, the GITD is pointing straight up. In the second, it is pointing to the side (pointing parallel to the ground).











As you can see the REV Captor puts out its beam of light in a narrow oval-shaped pattern. _Most of the light is be shone outside of the frame of reference of the camera!_

Since these up-close shots will only show you so much, let's turn to floor carpet shots:
















The first image above is the standard X40, while the second two are of the REV Captor (again with the GITD perpendicular or parallel to the floor). When the GITD is facing up, the REV Captor puts out a very wide beam of light (i.e., the second pic above). But when it is turn perpendicular, you can really see how much light is restricted to that narrow band (i.e., look at how bright the center of the carpet is, from all the light pouring out one side of the light). 

Based on these carpet shots alone, you would probably draw the erroneous conclusion that the REV Captor is actually brighter than the X40.  As always, it is hard to find a simple method to compare two lights with such _drastically_ different beam profiles. The REV Captor is extremely dimensionally-limited, leading to a very different emission pattern. You will therefore have to rely on a combination of beam shots to get the right impression.

While on that point, it is good to keep in mind is that the broad diffusion effect turns the entire open end of the light into (effectively) one large single emission surface. On most lights, you get instead a single (or several) ultra-small emitting surfaces. This diffused surface is quite nice for dealing with irregularly shaped objects in your near field of view. Here are some examples to show you what I mean by that.

The first are some shots looking inside my old computer. Both lights are on max (which I wouldn't normally recommend), but it's a chance to compare roughly equivalent output levels. The light is shone upward, from the lower right corner.











Notice how much better the REV is for actually seeing everything inside the casing? You don't blow out your vision in the center of the motherboard, and you can still see things in the corners.

Michael points out that the diffused beam is better for smoothing out shadows, and potentially "seeing around things" better. I don't know if I would go that far, but notice what happens when I picked up one of my dog's toys off the floor:






Not only does everything look better with the REV (in terms of tint, color rendition, and smoothness of beam) - but check out the shadow of the plush squirrel (especially the lower right paw). I don't know about you, but those man-eating claws in the X40 shadow look downright scary. :laughing:

While the shadows do indeed look better with the REV, it is not necessarily a panacea under all conditions. Watch what happens when I do my standard indoor comparison in the basement. The REV Captor is just shown in its horizontal spread orientation (i.e., GITD dot pointing up). 






Again, don't be fooled by the relative lack of brightness – most of light is lost to the far left and right of the frame. But notice how the couch casts a relatively _greater_ shadow on the right side wall than with the other lights? That is because the couch is at about the same height as the REV Captor. Indoors, those other lights are bouncing a lot of light off the ceiling and walls, helping to light up the side wall beyond the couch (i.e., the Captor lights up a narrow but wide band). 

Please don't misunderstand here – the Captor is actually quite useful indoors at lighting a whole area well. But you have to keep in mind the frame of reference and the angle of reflections in an enclosed environment. Ultimately though, it is outside where I believe the REV Captor really shines (pardon the pun),  since you will not be "wasting" light that shines off into space with no return on your investment.

For outdoor beamshots, the first ones below are all done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). 

First a comparison of the two orientations of the REV Captor to the X40. Sequence is X40, REV Captor horizontal, REV Captor vertical






Again, when you turn the REV Captor vertically (i.e., GITD pointed to the left), half the light is pounding into the pavement, and the other half if being blown off into space.  You really are meant to point the REV Captor horizontally, to maximine the amount of life put into your surroundings.

Here's the standard horizontal REV Captor to the Niwalker MM15 and Olight SR Mini:






Ok, again, my standard outdoor beamshot setup doesn't allow you to gauge just how much light is extending beyond the frame. For that, I decided to take a 5-yard step into the frame:






Even this doesn't do it justice – the REV Captor extends much further out on the sides. But it should give you the general idea what to expect – a 170-degree arc of light around you, relatively narrow in height (thus making sure light goes where it is needed, not blown off into space). :twothumbs 

By the same token, you may be annoying your neighbors beside you, if the spill reaches around to illuminate more than you intended. If so, you can easily just rotate the light perpendicular (so that the spill spreads up and down, instead of left and right).  Another point to keep in mind is relative glare always seems to be less with a diffused beam (with its large effective emission surface). I certainly find it more comfortable to view things under a diffuser cover. The flip-side to this is that anyone caught on the periphery of the beam is similarly likely to find it less annoying than an equivalent output of a traditional reflectored light. In any case, this is where the continuously-variable output setting of this light will also come in handy.

Ideally, the best way to show the beam spread would be to stand in a soccer/football field, with the camera located at least one storey up behind you. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to do that just yet … stay tuned in case I come up with something. In the meantime, for proper outdoor shots, please check out Michael's REV Captor thread here at CPF

*Testing Method:* 

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, as described on my flashlightreviews.ca website. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info. 

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).






The max output of the REV Captor doesn't seem that far below the standard X40 (listed as the L3 Illumination X40 above) – despite the one warm XM-L2 and the diffuser coating. Of course, that estimate is hard to obtain – depending on how I rotate the light in the lightbox and ceiling bounce tests, output can drop by up to ~10% (i.e, I get anywhere from 2400-2700 estimated lumens in testing, as I turn the light).

The REV Captor is clearly not a great thrower, given that most of the light is redirected to a narrow band in an arc around the light.

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*

_Note: All my standard 18650 runtimes are done using AW protected 2200mAh._

Also, the X40 comparable is listed as "L3 X40" in the graphs below.










Again, take the relative output estimates with a greater grain of salt than usual, given the unique beam pattern.  As you might expect, I get a very similar regulation and runtime pattern as the standard X40. Although fully flat-regulated at most output levels, on max the light appears to be largely direct-drive. But that depends somewhat on the actual 18650 cells used. Here is comparison of my 2200mAhs to the more common 3100mAh NCR18650A-based batteries:






As expected, the REV Captor runs for longer on 3100mA cells – with longer time at near-max outputs.

Overall output/runtime efficiency is excellent, considering the diffuser film (which will cause some light loss) and the one warm XM-L2 emitter. I would certainly consider the REV Captor to be on par with other current-controlled lights

*Potential Issues*

The REV Captor has a very unique beam profile, with most of the light distributed in a wide arc with a narrow height band. Of course, that's presumably why you are interested in the light, right?  If you find the side-spill is greater than you want, you can easily rotate the light so that it is dispersed up and down instead.

The REV Captor doesn't support CR123A or RCR (i.e., 18650 only).

The magnetic charging cable worked well in my testing, with no open voltage reading at the tailcap (and so no risk of shorting your batteries inside the light). The REV Captor uses the innovative Supbeam carrier that supports in-series running of the light, but in-parallel charging. This is good news for in-light charging, as in-series is not recommended for multiple cells.

*Preliminary Observations*

The REV Captor is certainly unique in my testing – I have never seen such a distinctive beam pattern. oo:. Virtually all the light is distributed within a very wide but narrow arc. This makes the REV Captor uniquely suited for tasks where you want to illuminate a wide surface evenly (e.g., surveying a field outdoors).

Physically, the build is very similar to the Supbeam X40 – right down to the common battery carrier and charging mechanism. This is no surprise – Supbeam functions as an OEM manufacturer, as well as a brand-maker in their own right. You get all the basic features of the X40 here – but with a completely unique beam, and some interface tweaks. Some of my favorite build features include the physical clicky off-on switch (i.e., no standby drain), and the visually-linear, continuously-variable ramping control ring. Some other nice touches are the "near-moonlight" mode (i.e., ~1 lumens in my testing), the physical lock out, and an in-light/in-parallel charging solution. :thumbsup:

But the beam is the hold-out feature here. Early in my "flashlight career", I experimented with DIY diffuser films. I found that some of them could indeed "elongate" a hotspot along one axis – but I never saw anything that produced the sort of extreme effects seen here. oo: The inclusion of the one warm XM-L2 emitter works well to give the light an overall "neutral" tint cast (given the extreme diffusion effect).

The REV Captor is an innovative light, built around an existing framework that has excellent features. I am not sure if the beamshots in this review really do it justice. I recommend you check out the video in Michael's REV Captor thread here at CPF for more info. 

This is a true flood light that actually puts the light where it is needed – on the ground all around you, not wasted up into outer space.  As always, I'm interested to what members here think of the novel beam dispersion. :wave:

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REV Captor provided by saabluster (One Stop Throw Shop) for review.


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## saabluster (Aug 6, 2014)

Thank you for the review Selfbuilt! There's a couple things I want to touch on. What appears as bubbles on the film are in fact interference patterns created by the two smooth surfaces of the film and the glass window being in close proximity. As you noted it does not affect the beam. Also when it comes to the light's usefulness in a crowded urban environment it should be noted that the super wide beam which could in some circumstances be unwanted is easy to rectify. Since the beam is constricted in one axis all that is required is to rotate the light such that the beam is constricted the other direction. In fact with this light you are never more than a quarter turn away from correct orientation for any given situation. :thumbsup: The other thing to mention in this regard is that due to the diffuse nature of the emission the light it will appear as less intense to someone looking into the beam than a normal reflector flashlight given equivalent lighting levels on the subject. 

Also wondering if the video you put in there was supposed to be of the K50 or my light? Either way thanks for your hard work on this!


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## AnAppleSnail (Aug 6, 2014)

That is a neat light - It emits light completely differently than anything I've seen. Have you considered a 'flip up' diffuser for some of your throwy lights? Having an F04-style diffuser would make an impressive beam pattern with several high-output lights available now. Perhaps the holographic film isn't so easy to repurpose, though...


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## selfbuilt (Aug 6, 2014)

saabluster said:


> What appears as bubbles on the film are in fact interference patterns created by the two smooth surfaces of the film and the glass window being in close proximity. As you noted it does not affect the beam.


Updated the text. 



saabluster said:


> Also when it comes to the light's usefulness in a crowded urban environment it should be noted that the super wide beam which could in some circumstances be unwanted is easy to rectify. Since the beam is constricted in one axis all that is required is to rotate the light such that the beam is constricted the other direction. In fact with this light you are never more than a quarter turn away from correct orientation for any given situation. :thumbsup:


That's a great point! I've just updated those two comments I made in the beamshot and potential issues sections. :thumbsup:



> Also wondering if the video you put in there was supposed to be of the K50 or my light? Either way thanks for your hard work on this!


Ooops. Sorry about that. Just fixed it with the right video. 



AnAppleSnail said:


> Have you considered a 'flip up' diffuser for some of your throwy lights? Having an F04-style diffuser would make an impressive beam pattern with several high-output lights available now. Perhaps the holographic film isn't so easy to repurpose, though...


That's a good question, I too am curious to hear Michael's view. I wonder how the film would look on a single emitter light? :thinking:


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## selfbuilt (Aug 6, 2014)

saabluster said:


> The other thing to mention in this regard is that due to the diffuse nature of the emission the light it will appear as less intense to someone looking into the beam than a normal reflector flashlight given equivalent lighting levels on the subject.


Yes, I fully agree with this comment as well. :thumbsup:

I haven't talked about glare much in the review, as I find it a hard topic to objectively demonstrate. But I am happy to point it out in a separate post, as I think it is a key advantage of all diffused lights. I can only assume it is the larger effective emission source (i.e., the whole lens vs the small individual emitter die) that helps drastically cut the perceived glare off objects.

I have no doubt the physics of this is fascinating - but in a practical sense, I am personally well acquainted with how one's subjective impressions can change depending on what is going on in the eye. Increased glare due to pupil dilation at night (with the concomitant effects of increased scatter within the eye, distortions due to lens hardening, and the problem of our not-perfectly spherical corneas) is one we are all familiar with. But I also know how any amount of inflammation (especially in the cornea) can greatly accentuate glare (not to mention overall light sensitivity). 

All of this makes it hard to objectively demonstrate, but I think the internal computer pics can at least give viewers the general idea of why a diffuser can be a wonderful thing! :wave:


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## jonwkng (Aug 6, 2014)

Hey, *selfbuilt*! Another great review, pleasantly suprised to see the REVCaptor reviewed.:thumbsup:

Nice to see that you've adapted your usual beamshots to include PC interiors, killer squirrel plush toys and carpet shots, but they are quite effective in conveying the unique beam pattern of the light. 

As mentioned, the beamshots in Michael's video do give a better representation of the beam spread.

Like I said previously to Michael, in my opinion, the REVCaptor definitely does for flooders what the Deft-X did for throwers. :thumbsup:


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## saabluster (Aug 6, 2014)

AnAppleSnail said:


> That is a neat light - It emits light completely differently than anything I've seen. Have you considered a 'flip up' diffuser for some of your throwy lights? Having an F04-style diffuser would make an impressive beam pattern with several high-output lights available now. Perhaps the holographic film isn't so easy to repurpose, though...





selfbuilt said:


> I too am curious to hear Michael's view. I wonder how the film would look on a single emitter light? :thinking:


It could be used with F04 style attachments. I would say that trying to achieve this type of beam really does require a ton of light since it is being spread over such a large area. Throwers are more often than not single LED lights and the resulting beam from a single LED light and the diffuser would be less than ideal in my opinion. Well, assuming ones' goal was optimizing the flood side. In the end every engineering decision is a decision of what compromises to make.


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## Mr. Tone (Aug 6, 2014)

Very nice review, selfbuilt, and very nice design, Michael. It is cool that you developed a true original floody light to complement your fleet of super-throwers


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## selfbuilt (Aug 6, 2014)

jonwkng said:


> Nice to see that you've adapted your usual beamshots to include PC interiors, killer squirrel plush toys and carpet shots, but they are quite effective in conveying the unique beam pattern of the light.
> As mentioned, the beamshots in Michael's video do give a better representation of the beam spread.


Yes, I agree that the beamshots in Michael's video capture the expanse of the beam very well - they are a good summary. Not so easy for me to replicate anyway, so I thought I'd try adapting my usual test bed. 

As such, I am glad someone picked up the killer squirrel - he might become a new standard!  I believe it was DM51 who coined the "integrating carpet" moniker, when I first thought of using that means to show off a beam pattern. I suppose we could have "Rocky the squirrel" shots ... although given how quickly my girl goes through her toys, the stuffing may not last for too many more lights. :laughing:


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## InfinitusEquitas (Aug 6, 2014)

SB, did you by any chance also measure the X40 that this light is being compared to?

Based on those pictures, that diffusion cover is fantastic.


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## AnAppleSnail (Aug 7, 2014)

saabluster said:


> It could be used with F04 style attachments. I would say that trying to achieve this type of beam really does require a ton of light since it is being spread over such a large area. Throwers are more often than not single LED lights and the resulting beam from a single LED light and the diffuser would be less than ideal in my opinion. Well, assuming ones' goal was optimizing the flood side. In the end every engineering decision is a decision of what compromises to make.



Part of that compromise might even be to cover half (Which half?) of the F04 with the holographic diffuser, and to leave the rest clear (Or diffused to lesser extent). A 'sticker' with very good adhesive could let us modify an F04-type diffuser to have a custom amount of flood/throw balance. With the diffuser so close to a small reflector, the spot:spill ratio is generally related to the surface area of the window that is covered.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 7, 2014)

InfinitusEquitas said:


> SB, did you by any chance also measure the X40 that this light is being compared to?


Yes, it is listed in the tables and runtime graphs as "L3 Illuimination X40" (as that was the version that I tested). Full review is available here. 

As far as I know, it is the same as the currently shipping Supbeam-branded X40s. The difference at the time was that the L3 Illumination version was the first to use XM-L2 emitters (i.e., the original Supbeam X40 was XM-L). But since all current X40s are XM-L2, it should still serve as a good comparable.


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## InfinitusEquitas (Aug 7, 2014)

selfbuilt said:


> Yes, it is listed in the tables and runtime graphs as "L3 Illuimination X40" (as that was the version that I tested). Full review is available here.
> 
> As far as I know, it is the same as the currently shipping Supbeam-branded X40s. The difference at the time was that the L3 Illumination version was the first to use XM-L2 emitters (i.e., the original Supbeam X40 was XM-L). But since all current X40s are XM-L2, it should still serve as a good comparable.



My bad, not sure how I missed that


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## panag (Aug 7, 2014)

great review selfbuilt!!! thank you again


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## hikingman (Aug 12, 2014)

As Saab's first purchaser of this light, I have enjoyed it immensely and it's singular greatest achievement IMO is the neutral color rendering. Better than my MTG2 lights which are my favorites aside from the REV. Walking at night, it is great to see a fern have the color of a fern! When on a dense forest trail in my redwoods country, it lights up enough area around me that I can get an almost daylight like forest experience. The difference obviously is you see only so much and then all goes black. But it is so much better than a typical "tunnel" view of a "regular" flashlight.

The REV's only competitors, if you will, are my 2 MTG2 lights I have that can take Olight diffusers: the Thrunite TN35 (modded by Vinh), used with the SR91 diffuser; and the Eagletac MX25L3 used with the SR51 diffuser. The latter is perhaps my most flexible flashlight due to its excellent UI, weight, size, durability and optional use with diffuser.

But the REV Captor has no peers when it comes to the nature of its diffusion, which is so "smooth" and glare free, and that color rendition. Aim it at something close and you get glare free illumination, whereas the other two lights still have hotspots even with the diffusers. Totally different experience! And, hooray, we have a light with unique oval beam that doesn't shine a bunch of useless light up in front of you. For those of us living in foggy moist air, that makes a tremendous difference.

If I were to quibble some, I wish the Captor could be a mite brighter straight ahead than to the sides when I am on a trail. However, as an area light, the evenness of the illumination is a plus. I am trying to create something, similar to a lens shade, but semi-translucent, which would do the trick. To be honest, this is only an issue when I am on a trail with dense vegetation where the excellent side light can actually be slightly distracting. Never a perfect world 

The perfect version 2 (?) REV Captor would have a similar beam profile, but with ability to flip the diffusion aside, as mentioned by others, and provide a "regular" brighter beam. Not a thrower, per se, but still one with a little more reach. To achieve this, I normally carry 2 lights, plus a pocket EDC - another REV by the way! But if I could _only_ have one flashlight with me, it will likely be the Captor.

Dave


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## Devildude (Aug 13, 2014)

hikingman said:


> As Saab's first purchaser of this light, I have enjoyed it immensely and it's singular greatest achievement IMO is the neutral color rendering. Better than my MTG2 lights which are my favorites aside from the REV. Walking at night, it is great to see a fern have the color of a fern! When on a dense forest trail in my redwoods country, it lights up enough area around me that I can get an almost daylight like forest experience. The difference obviously is you see only so much and then all goes black. But it is so much better than a typical "tunnel" view of a "regular" flashlight.
> 
> The REV's only competitors, if you will, are my 2 MTG2 lights I have that can take Olight diffusers: the Thrunite TN35 (modded by Vinh), used with the SR91 diffuser; and the Eagletac MX25L3 used with the SR51 diffuser. The latter is perhaps my most flexible flashlight due to its excellent UI, weight, size, durability and optional use with diffuser.
> 
> ...



Great Dave, as if I need any more excuses to buy this light. Just got to get past a few more bills and it will be mine. Michael creates works of art, just have to have the price of admission. I agree with the MX25L3, it is one of the most versatile lights in my collection next to the TN31mb. The SX25L3 is real close though. Living in central New York I would have no idea about fog (maybe). Good to see that this will have some justification for the purchase, just have to wait until the bears go to sleep before I go into the woods at night on one of my days off.


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## hikingman (Aug 13, 2014)

Devildude said:


> Great Dave, as if I need any more excuses to buy this light. Just got to get past a few more bills and it will be mine. Michael creates works of art, just have to have the price of admission. I agree with the MX25L3, it is one of the most versatile lights in my collection next to the TN31mb. The SX25L3 is real close though. Living in central New York I would have no idea about fog (maybe). Good to see that this will have some justification for the purchase, just have to wait until the bears go to sleep before I go into the woods at night on one of my days off.


 
Bears sleep at night? You kidding?

One night I spent with a friend in the woods, one of literally hundreds of nights on the trail, we had 7 bears within 30 feet of our sleeping bags - at the same time! All the commotion was due to a female and 2 cubs "checking us out" while we were asleep and when one of us woke up, she spooked and sent herself and 2 cubs about 15 feet up a fir tree next to us. Then she started snorting and hissing, etc. Just making a big fuss. We were so tired after 20+ miles walking, we were brain dead! All the noise brought 4 more bears into plain view from the last flames of a dying campfire that I had rekindled.

Two little yearlings were particularly frisky and one walked along an old fallen tree and stopped right above where I was in my sleeping bag. To my everlasting surprise it then jumped down off the log and landed right beside me and then strolled back to where his companion was about 20 feet away. We actually felt no harm or intent to harm from any of them. To top it off, another bear was in ear shot just tearing up a rotten log or something. It was quite a symphony of noises. Soon they were all bored with us and we fell asleep.

Woke up the next morning exhausted and mama bear and 2 cubs were quiet and further up the tree. Literally 200 feet away were wildlife biologists we were scheduled to meet that morning. They all told us they would have moved! Then again, they hadn't hiked 20 miles either. The area we were in - the Marble Mts. Wilderness in northwest California - is just prime black bear habitat. Saw them all the time.

True story - honest! Oh, my only flashlight was a piece of crap barely good enough to light up the insides of a pack...

Dave


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## Devildude (Aug 14, 2014)

I am only waiting for the snow to start flying again to hit the woods in the dark. Working third shift makes it only a weekend endeavor right now, more fun when there is less foliage to swallow the light. I have had a couple of friends tell me about a black bear sitting in my driveway while I was sleeping though. it will be interesting to compare it to the Deft-X, best of flood and throw with a dash of Rev Ardor and TN31mb for good measure. I bought some more batteries so all can play at once.


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## tilnow (Aug 17, 2014)

How is the performance of the REV Captor vs the MM15vn or the Eye40vn? Does anyone has these flashlights to compare? Saabluster mentioned he has the furthest throwing flashlight, does anyone has the review on this or what's it called? Price? Thx.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 17, 2014)

tilnow said:


> How is the performance of the REV Captor vs the MM15vn or the Eye40vn? Does anyone has these flashlights to compare?


Compare it what way? I included the stock MM15 in the beamshots and tables. If you want to see how the MM15vn (dedome and dome on) compare to the stock MM15, you can check out this review. The output scale for my runtime graphs is the same, so you can compare output over time to the runtimes in this review.


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## Swedpat (Aug 17, 2014)

Thanks Selfbuilt for another great review! :thumbsup:

I am not honest if I say I really need this light. But it's attractive...


Saabluster, I sent a contact request at your website, did you receive it?


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## Ray-o-light (Aug 17, 2014)

When venturing out on weekends, I often find myself setting up camp late on Friday night. This light might be just the ticket for setting up camp in those situations. Only wish it had a tripod mount thread hole.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 17, 2014)

Ray-o-light said:


> Only wish it had a tripod mount thread hole.


That's a good point. This is one light where I can see that being potentially really useful.


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## rickypanecatyl (Aug 20, 2014)

From the 100 yd beam shots it looks like it would make the best driving light.


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## AnAppleSnail (Aug 20, 2014)

rickypanecatyl said:


> From the 100 yd beam shots it looks like it would make the best driving light.



I'd hate to be driving TOWARDS it...


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## Trevtrain (Aug 31, 2014)

Thanks Selfbuilt for another great review.
Not sure I'm in the market for a light like this but I like to see innovation in the flashlight industry and Michael has long been known for that.



selfbuilt said:


> Ideally, the best way to show the beam spread would be to stand in a soccer/football field, with the camera located at least one storey up behind you. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to do that just yet … stay tuned in case I come up with something. In the meantime, for proper outdoor shots, please check out Michael's REV Captor thread here at CPF



Just for something to think about.....

Had the chance to play with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 the other day. This camera has inbuilt wifi and can be controlled from a smartphone app.
I'm sure there are other makes/models with similar options.
Definitely much more useable than what I assume you have been doing with a self-timer?

Of course, significant investment of funds, etc......


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