Armytek Wizard Pro Prototype Long-Term Testing

[Knight_Light]

Pocket clip pictures posted.

 

[Knight_Light]

Thanks very much, Knight_Light, for your excellent, detailed, and ongoing review of what looks like a wonderful headlamp.

You’re quite welcome.

I'm especially impressed with how long it works at medium levels with a single battery.

The runtimes are really something else. I will be redoing some of the tests utilizing a Panasonic 3400 mAh cell. I am curious to see how much more runtime can be had.

Armytek's specs on its water resistance (33 yd of submersion) and impact resistance (a drop of 33 ft) look incredible.

I haven’t tested either one of those yet. My guess is it will do fairly well with the impact test, unless it lands awkwardly onto the lens. The headlamp is built like a tank.

The waterproof rating I am a little less confident about. That is why I will be testing it down to only 10 feet for 10 minutes, but I will be making it into a dynamic waterproof test. If it passes the dynamic waterproof test at 10 feet that will be quite an accomplishment in its own right.

While it sounds like getting some hiking shots of the beam has posed some challenges, I wonder if you might be able to post some beam shots taken against a white wall. It would be great to see the tint and to get some sense of how the headlamp distributes light. Thanks so much for all your help!

I have already taken the headlamp hiking and camping on numerous occasions. It’s not the hiking part, it’s the camera part that I am having a hard time with. Lol

So until I get the night photography thing sorted out you can see a beam shot that was not taken by me at the following link.

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?288932-Armytek-wizard

 

[KDM]

Excuse me if I missed it, when is estimated release date?

 

[Knight_Light]

Excuse me if I missed it, when is estimated release date?

I personally do not know. And Armytek has not indicated anything on the forums. When asked by others on the forums their reply is “soon”. According to the timeline manufacturers function under, soon can be two weeks or it could be two months. lol

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

Why did I have to open this thread? Nice review and now I'm clutching my wallet in vain. I know I'll just have to have one. I've been around here long enough to know better than to start opening and reading threads like this. Perhaps Armytek can delay the release long enough for me to forget about this headlamp... not likely.

 

[Knight_Light]

Why did I have to open this thread? Nice review and now I'm clutching my wallet in vain. I know I'll just have to have one. I've been around here long enough to know better than to start opening and reading threads like this. Perhaps Armytek can delay the release long enough for me to forget about this headlamp... not likely.

Thank you for the compliment. I think we both spoke too soon it seems the first units will be auctioned off within the next few days. They announced this morning on CPF marketplace. What that actually means I have no idea but you can read about it at this link. http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/sh...mytek-wizard&p=4758870&viewfull=1#post4758870

 

[Cereal_Killer]

Oh man a TIR! I really don't like TIR's, does it happen to be glass (and/or have a glass lens over the TIR?)

There are multiple lights (several surefires and others) I really wanted/liked but the inclusion of a TIR keept me from purchasing. It's just a personal preference really, otherwise it looks like a great light, this thread is the first place I've seen pictures of it and I'm very surprised by its looks.

 

[Beacon of Light]

I can't believe I am the first to say this but .5 lumen is considered Firefly mode? REALLY? How about .05 lumen to make it more usable? This isn't 2005 any more, do these companies not read posts here on CPF to realize that users as a whole WANT sublumen modes. Heck you'd think competitors of Zebralight would get it. Zebralight does, and their .01 lumen modes don't disappoint. I can't see why other competitors don't get it... I also can't believe that with 67 posts before mine, no one has even mentioned this point? What's going on CPFers are you losing your touch? Where are all the low lumen freaks?

 

[toysareforboys]

I can't believe I am the first to say this but .5 lumen is considered Firefly mode? REALLY? How about .05 lumen to make it more usable? This isn't 2005 any more, do these companies not read posts here on CPF to realize that users as a whole WANT sublumen modes. Heck you'd think competitors of Zebralight would get it. Zebralight does, and their .01 lumen modes don't disappoint. I can't see why other competitors don't get it... I also can't believe that with 67 posts before mine, no one has even mentioned this point? What's going on CPFers are you losing your touch? Where are all the low lumen freaks?

I don't know what the actual lumen level is, of my Zebralight SC600 MKii's lowest mode, but DAMN it's purrrdy :) Lowest mode on the MKii on the left, lowest low on the old SC600 on the right.


LICK FOR HIGH RES or LICK HERE FOR UBER HIGH RES!

I use it all the time, I'm able to go to the bathroom at night without waking up the GF. No other flashlight has went low enough not to wake her up! :(

-Jamie M.

 

[Beacon of Light]

^ exactly my point. Is Armytek not concerned about people (who once they have such a low low, they cannot be without it in a new light) who have to have such a low low? It's like they arent even aware people WANT low lows. Where have these companies eyes and ears been for the last 10 years?

 

[Knight_Light]

Oh man a TIR! I really don't like TIR's, does it happen to be glass (and/or have a glass lens over the TIR?)

There are multiple lights (several surefires and others) I really wanted/liked but the inclusion of a TIR keept me from purchasing. It's just a personal preference really, otherwise it looks like a great light, this thread is the first place I've seen pictures of it and I'm very surprised by its looks.

The TIR optic itself is made from high quality acrylic glass. It is then protected by tempered glass which has an AR coating on it.

Personal preferences one can’t really dispute. But if I may give you a recommendation, give them a second chance. Not only can it be more effective then a reflector but you have a lot of flexibility to create different beam scenarios. You could have a spill as tight as 5° or as wide as 120° for example.

 

[tony613]

I can't believe I am the first to say this but .5 lumen is considered Firefly mode? REALLY? How about .05 lumen to make it more usable? This isn't 2005 any more, do these companies not read posts here on CPF to realize that users as a whole WANT sublumen modes. Heck you'd think competitors of Zebralight would get it. Zebralight does, and their .01 lumen modes don't disappoint. I can't see why other competitors don't get it... I also can't believe that with 67 posts before mine, no one has even mentioned this point? What's going on CPFers are you losing your touch? Where are all the low lumen freaks?

Another +1.

I have an H600w. The low has a stated rating of 0.09 Lm. and is a mode I use very often indoors. I of course use it on higher modes when cycling, and when running in the short daylight hours of winter.

Not being able to see most lights in action, and needing to go on spec sheets alone, I would likely pass on any light whose lowest mode is above 0.1 Lm. Even with all of its strong points, this Armytek currently falls into the "have to pass" category for me, which is a shame. Hope they change this. YMMV.

 

[Knight_Light]

Link to the first official manual now pasted in the review. :)

 

[Beacon of Light]

Not being about to see most lights in action, and needing to go on spec sheets only, I would likely pass on any light whose lowest mode is above 0.1 Lm. Even with all of its strong points, this Armytek currently falls into the "have to pass" category for me, which is a shame. Hope they change this. YMMV.

+1

I can't imagine how many lights and headlamps I have passed on purely for this reason alone. That said the Zebralights suit me fine and all of the ZLs I own get used 97% of the time and the dozens and dozens of other lights/headlamps I own get relegated to being shelf queens. That said I wish there were other competitors that would try to at least one-up Zebralight, if for nothing else than to instill healthy competition. What seems pathetic is a copycat of something like Zebralight, but then fail on a huge scale such as not offering the same or better run-time and same or better low lumens. Heck they are not even close with Zebralight mopping the floor with competitors that are coming to the game years later.

 

[Knight_Light]

Runtime on the 550 lm (Mode 4) has now been CONFIRMED at 3h and 12m with an unprotected 3400 mAh Panasonic battery (NCR18650B). :thumbsup:

 

[Girryn]

^ exactly my point. Is Armytek not concerned about people (who once they have such a low low, they cannot be without it in a new light) who have to have such a low low? It's like they arent even aware people WANT low lows. Where have these companies eyes and ears been for the last 10 years?

What function does a sub .5 lumen low have for you? I have very sensitive night vision and find anything less than 1 lumen in a dispersed beam unusable even with dark adapted eyes. I am having trouble understanding what function such low lows serve other than satisfying an artificial need created by the cpf hivemind.
Even with the more focused beam of my rotary the low modes are not very functional. The only time I use it is when I need light in the middle of the night and my light blocking curtains are still on from the night shift schedule. If the curtains are not on, the the starlight from the window outshines the lowest modes.

 

[Knight_Light]

Thanks for the review so far. Outdoor beam shots in the future ?

As you requested here are the outdoor beam shots of Firefly 1, Firefly 2, and Mode 1. You can view them in the first portion of the review.

 

[Sukram]

Knight Light, thanks, good job! looking forward to the release of this headlamp.

 

[Beacon of Light]

One HUGE example is runtime. Have you ever checked out the runtime specs of a Zebralight? The H502 uses AA batteries mind you, but on the .06 lumen level you get 2 months of continuous light. 2 MONTHS!!!! The .01 lumen level is 3 MONTHS!!!!

I have to laugh when people are all excited when a light's runtime is listed in minutes or hours before failure when Zebralight gives runtime in days, weeks or months. This all adds up to cost savings in batteries or electricity when you have to recharge the batteries. All I ever need to use in any of my Zebralight's are the L1 or L2 in the H502s and the L1 I have set to .06 lumens in one and .01 lumens in the other.

Also you've heard of the "preserving night vision" aspect of low lumen lights haven't you? Also prevents others from being awaken if used at night and it is also a stealth form of light when YOU do not want to be seen.

What function does a sub .5 lumen low have for you? I have very sensitive night vision and find anything less than 1 lumen in a dispersed beam unusable even with dark adapted eyes. I am having trouble understanding what function such low lows serve other than satisfying an artificial need created by the cpf hivemind.
Even with the more focused beam of my rotary the low modes are not very functional. The only time I use it is when I need light in the middle of the night and my light blocking curtains are still on from the night shift schedule. If the curtains are not on, the the starlight from the window outshines the lowest modes.

 

[Knight_Light]

One HUGE example is runtime. Have you ever checked out the runtime specs of a Zebralight? The H502 uses AA batteries mind you, but on the .06 lumen level you get 2 months of continuous light. 2 MONTHS!!!! The .01 lumen level is 3 MONTHS!!!!

I have to laugh when people are all excited when a light's runtime is listed in minutes or hours before failure when Zebralight gives runtime in days, weeks or months. This all adds up to cost savings in batteries or electricity when you have to recharge the batteries.

To me personally the most important and impressive features about a light are the runtime’s at their respective light output levels. I have always been a huge fan of zebra light for these particular reasons (and still am). That is why I am so excited about Armytek putting out the Wizard Pro as it is even more efficient than the zebra lights, to the tune of almost 40% at some light levels.