# ReviewTheLight: Nitecore EC20 (Compact, 960 Lumens!)



## Bigmac_79 (Oct 16, 2014)

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Nitecore has been one of the leading innovators in the flashlight field, quick to put new technologies into practice. However, they've also shown they keep simplicity in mind, and have released a simple, compact, high-powered 18650 light, the EC20:





_Thanks to Nitecore for providing the EC20 for review._

I’ll be reviewing the EC20 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.

Video Review

Below is a video review of the EC20. Due to my old image hosting site closing down, I've got new restrictions on image uploads and have replaced the "Construction" section of my reviews with a more detailed video review.


_This video is available in 1080p 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: 45 USD







Product Manual











Dimensions





Plus, here's a few shots with some good detail.







































*User Interface*

The EC20 has four regular brightness modes and three flashy modes, all controlled by the side switch.

When you first insert a battery and tighten the tailcap, the blue LED under the switch blinks in two sets to indicate the battery voltage, eg., three blinks then eight blinks would mean 3.8V. You can check it any time with a quick loosening then re-tightening of the tailcap.

To turn the light on, you click the switch one time, and it will turn on in the last regular brightness mode you used. To switch modes, hold the switch for half a second and it will begin to cycle through the brightness modes in the order Moonlight -> Low -> Medium -> High, and will stop when you release the switch. To turn the light off, you give a single click.

Also when the light is off, you can cause the light to ignore the mode memory and go directly to moonlight mode by holding the switch for a second instead of clicking it.

Finally, at any time you can double-click to activate the strobe. Once strobe is activated, you can cycle through the flashy modes in the order Strobe -> SOS -> Beacon by holding the switch.


*Action Shots*

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

Light in Hand








MugShot




BeamSlice




White Wall
_ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/20" 
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Indoor Shots
_ISO 100, f/3.5, 1"
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Outdoor Shots
_ISO 100, f/3.5, 2.5"
_










*Performance*

Submersion: I submersed the EC20 under a foot of water for about an hour, clicking the switch several times. I found no evidence of water entering or damaging the light.

Heat: Heat is not an issue with the EC20 due to it's dropoff on High mode after a few minutes, unless you turn it off and back on immediately to get back to the max output repeatedly.

PWM: I was able to detect very rapid PWM on the Medium and Low modes, but not the Moonlight or High modes. Even on those modes that had it, the PWM was fast enough to only be detectable by my camera set to a very fast shutter speed, not detectable by my eyes.

Drop: I dropped the EC20 from about a meter onto various surfaces (including grass, carpet, dirt, and hard wood), and found no cosmetic or functional damage.

Reverse Polarity Protection: The EC20 includes Nitecore's standard mechanical reverse polarity protection, so that only a button-top can make connection with the terminal in the head (see pictures or video above).

Over-Discharge Protection: You can check the voltage at any time using the voltage readout method (see the UI section or the video), and when the voltage gets low the output will dim, so that's your cue to replace or recharge the battery.


Spectral Analysis





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

Output and Runtime





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

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

*Mode Comparison*

Turbo





High






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.





_Note: A calibration factor of ~6.88% has been added into my throw measurements starting on 9.11.14. To compare the throw of a light I reviewed previous to that date, multiply the candela value by 1.0688 to get the corrected value._


Subjective Review

Quick break down:

+ High output
+ Instant access to moonlight
+ Simple
+ Compact
+ Instant access to hidden strobe
+ Solid tailstand
+ Excellent regulation
+ Exact voltage indication
+ High mode stepdown not as drastic as on the P12
+ Shorter than the P12
+ Sleek design
+ Heat dissipation fins

- No clip
- "High" should be called "Turbo"
- I wish Moonlight and Low were a bit lower
- I like the UI a bit less than the P12

I've done reviews for quite a few Nitecore lights, and the EC20 continues the high standard I've come to expect from them. It's compact, got a great output range, and the perfect regulation pattern. If you're familiar with Nitecore lights, you'll have likely notice the similarity to the Nitecore P12. In fact, it seems to me that these are nearly the same light with just a few changes. So, for more subjective details, check out my review of the P12, the continue reading this to see some of the differences.






The first and most obvious difference is that the EC20 lacks the tail switch that the P12 had. This means that it's a bit shorter (great, because it's an every better candidate for an EDC now), and the UI functions a bit differently. Personally, I prefer the interface of the P12, which uses the rear switch for on/off so the side can be reserved for mode changes, compare to the interface of the EC20 which uses a single switch to do everything. However, the simplicity of a single switch might be preferred in some situations, so it really depends on what you're looking for. For example, the EC20 with only the electronic side switch can offer direct access to moonlight output OR direct access to the last mode used, which is a very useful feature. 





Though the two lights have pretty much the same specs, it seems there have been some slight modifications to the electronics. On High, when the output drops the EC20 doesn't drop down as far, so it maintains a higher brightness for a shorter time.









Overall, I find the EC20 to be more geared toward general purpose use, where the P12 has more of a "tactical" feel to it's interface. If you're looking for a compact EDC with a great output range, and (like me) you don't mind the extra size to get the extra power of an 18650 battery, the EC20 is an excellent choice.


*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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## CelticCross74 (Oct 18, 2014)

So whats the difference between the EC20 and P12? Ive got the P12 and it stinks doesn't hold a candle to my PD35's. Thus i am going to presume the EC20 stinks as well. They look the same have identical outputs etc.


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 18, 2014)

CelticCross74 said:


> So whats the difference between the EC20 and P12? Ive got the P12 and it stinks doesn't hold a candle to my PD35's. Thus i am going to presume the EC20 stinks as well. They look the same have identical outputs etc.



The main difference from the P12 is that the EC20 does not have a tail switch, so it has a slightly different UI and is a bit shorter. Also, as you can see on the graph, the stepdown on High is slightly different, so there have been some minor changes to the regulation circuitry. 

I can't compare directly to the PD35 b/c I don't have one. In what way do you find the PD35 outshines your P12? I measured my P12 to hit over 900 lumens, and the PD35 is only rated for 850 as far as I can tell, so they should be pretty comparable in brightness.


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## jimbo231 (Oct 20, 2014)

Am I missing something or does their website leave out the fact that there's the step down?


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 21, 2014)

jimbo231 said:


> Am I missing something or does their website leave out the fact that there's the step down?



I don't see anything specifically discussing it, but I think you just have to sort of know that with current tech we can't keep up a full 960 lumens for over an hour. I don't think it was intentionally misleading, likely it didn't occur to them to list it. 

Good thing too, or I'd be put of of a job (hobby  )!


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## jimbo231 (Oct 22, 2014)

Bigmac_79 said:


> I don't see anything specifically discussing it, but I think you just have to sort of know that with current tech we can't keep up a full 960 lumens for over an hour. I don't think it was intentionally misleading, likely it didn't occur to them to list it.
> 
> Good thing too, or I'd be put of of a job (hobby  )!



Ahhhh ...thought so. Another thing.....why is there a second drop down on your chart around 40 min?


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 22, 2014)

jimbo231 said:


> Ahhhh ...thought so. Another thing.....why is there a second drop down on your chart around 40 min?



I don't know for sure why Nitecore programmed it like they did, but my guess would be that the first drop down is to prevent too much heat buildup, and the second would be for lowering the output in a controlled fashion when the battery voltage is no longer high enough to maintain the 500lm output level.


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## RupertDBear (Oct 29, 2014)

Just got my EC20
I agree with your quick breakdown.
Awesome little beast. Rather unique UI. (I took delivery of a TN32 :thumbsup: last week and I definitely prefer the forward clicky with control ring UI.) I have played with it for a while and the UI is growing on me. If this is your only EDC (hah!) I think you will get used to it.
Other comments:
As an avid camper the instant firefly mode will come in handy. 
I compared the strobe on the EC20 and the TN32 and the EC20 is just plain nasty (My eyes are still smarting from getting too much reflection off a white refrigerator). 

I will use this as my EDC (lots of use as sunset is now earlier than 6pm) and see how I like it over my compact AA DX Extreme junkers.

p.s. My EC20 was DOA. Quick check with ohm meter showed no contact between tail spring and forward edge of tube. A little emery cloth cured the problem.


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## Ryp (Oct 29, 2014)

CelticCross74 said:


> Ive got the P12 and it stinks doesn't hold a candle to my PD35's.



You must have got a lemon because the P12 is great. It has a moonlight mode, a low battery/voltage indicator, and can tail-stand; all of which, the PD35 does not have.


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 30, 2014)

RupertDBear said:


> ...
> I compared the strobe on the EC20 and the TN32 and the EC20 is just plain nasty (My eyes are still smarting from getting too much reflection off a white refrigerator).
> ...



For science!


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## martinaee (Oct 30, 2014)

I see the Fenix E35ue is a little bit shorter. I like the general high mode of near 400 lumens on the E35 too. Actually the modes seem really well spaced on the E35ue.

Are there 18650 lights smaller than even the E35ue?


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## Bigmac_79 (Oct 31, 2014)

martinaee said:


> I see the Fenix E35ue is a little bit shorter. I like the general high mode of near 400 lumens on the E35 too. Actually the modes seem really well spaced on the E35ue.
> 
> Are there 18650 lights smaller than even the E35ue?



I don't have an E35UE, but I'm working on a review for Olight's S20R, and it's very tiny.


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## Bigmac_79 (Nov 18, 2014)

Sorry for the delay. Video posted, subjective portion to be finished soon.


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## CelticCross74 (Nov 29, 2014)

My PD35 vs P12 argument-

First off I have 3 PD35's one of which is the new 2014 edition as well as the P12 so I have lots of comparison time with them. Granted the P12's voltage indicator is pretty cool as is the moonlight mode. My main gripe about the P12 is that it feels thin and cheap compared to my PD35's. I find the P12's anodizing to be thin and cheap. Also the P12 gets blazing hot way to fast for me and my biggest gripe about the P12 is the awful purple tint the beam has which to me just screams "cheap LED".

As for my PD35 being "only" 850 lumens to the P12's 950 the most I could do would be to point you to Selfbuilt's PD35 review where he gets 950+ OTF lumens as opposed to the rated 850. I have always thought the PD35 was underrated from the factory and it apparently is.

Where my "850" outshines the P12-beam profile is perfect for close up to med range work. I freaking love the big fat hotspot and blinding spill but I mostly like the more neutral tint vs the P12's nasty purple tint. Side by side my "old" 850 lumen PD35 does indeed seem a touch brighter than the P12. Also the P12's beam profile seems more meant for medium range work with its slightly higher candela, smaller hotspot and less intense spill.

UPDATE-just ordered the new 2015 1000 lumen P12 from GG. This should be interesting


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## CelticCross74 (Dec 22, 2014)

my beloved PD35 croaked!! It just flickers then goes out now Ive gotta deal with Fenix CS oh well. Over the past month Ive gotten the EC20 as well as the new 1000 lumen P12. I dont know how Nitecore did it but all my previous complaints about the P12 have been corrected. I like the EC20 but like the new P12 even more as it has a clip a clicky switch and comes with (albeit cheesy plastic) a tactical ring. Excellent review my man you sold me on both the EC20 and getting the new P12 as well!


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## Bigmac_79 (Jan 1, 2015)

CelticCross74 said:


> my beloved PD35 croaked!! It just flickers then goes out now Ive gotta deal with Fenix CS oh well. Over the past month Ive gotten the EC20 as well as the new 1000 lumen P12. I dont know how Nitecore did it but all my previous complaints about the P12 have been corrected. I like the EC20 but like the new P12 even more as it has a clip a clicky switch and comes with (albeit cheesy plastic) a tactical ring. Excellent review my man you sold me on both the EC20 and getting the new P12 as well!



Glad you like the reviews and the lights!


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## Chay (Jan 11, 2015)

This light at about $50, seems so temping  Maybe I'll get it some time down the road...


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## johnnyb01 (Jan 11, 2015)

picked up this light, a nitecore i2 charger, a nitecore NL189 (3400mAH 18650 li-ion bat) and 2 edisonbright CR123 batteries for $55 on a week or so ago, so far very pleased with everything in the bundle, to quote rupert the strobe is nasty, the location beacon even more so in a dark room because it gives your eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark before a quick flash.


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## Chay (Jan 12, 2015)

johnnyb01 said:


> picked up this light, a nitecore i2 charger, a nitecore NL189 (3400mAH 18650 li-ion bat) and 2 edisonbright CR123 batteries for $55 on a week or so ago, so far very pleased with everything in the bundle, to quote rupert the strobe is nasty, the location beacon even more so in a dark room because it gives your eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark before a quick flash.



Wow, that's quite a deal! Here in Canada, we rarely get those kind of deals


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## johnnyb01 (Jan 15, 2015)

Chay said:


> Wow, that's quite a deal! Here in Canada, we rarely get those kind of deals


its still out there, on amazon. not sure how kosher it is to post the seller on this site tho, also not sure but $55 american would be what $170 canadian?

:laughing:


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## Chay (Jan 17, 2015)

johnnyb01 said:


> its still out there, on amazon. not sure how kosher it is to post the seller on this site tho, also not sure but $55 american would be what $170 canadian?
> 
> :laughing:



With the Canadian dollar going down everyday, wouldn't be surprised :laughing:


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## Ridgeline (Apr 15, 2015)

How does one work around the fact that this flashlight, for me anyways, is prone to turning itself on when carried in a pocket? I leave it in the moonlight mode, so that it comes on in this mode, but I still do not like the fact of wasting battery power needlessly. 

Does unscrewing the tail cap after each use, and reconnecting the tail cap and seeing the voltage, cause undue strain on the light or battery? Other solutions? PS< great light for the $$


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## Bigmac_79 (Apr 18, 2015)

Ridgeline said:


> How does one work around the fact that this flashlight, for me anyways, is prone to turning itself on when carried in a pocket? I leave it in the moonlight mode, so that it comes on in this mode, but I still do not like the fact of wasting battery power needlessly.
> 
> Does unscrewing the tail cap after each use, and reconnecting the tail cap and seeing the voltage, cause undue strain on the light or battery? Other solutions? PS< great light for the $$




I haven't really found a reliable for this solution, as removing the battery every time it's not in use is quite a pain. So, this has turned into a light that I keep on the shelf by the back door, to grab quickly when I want to step outside at night. That way, the lack of lockout isn't really an issue, and in fact means I don't have to worry about taking extra time to turn the light on if I want to use it in a hurry.


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