Beamshots of AA flashlights, may 2010
This beamshot includes a variety of AA flashlights with the focus on compact lights and titanium lights. The included lights are (Same sequence as picture): Volere AA, Quark AA, JetBeam Jet-I pro V3, TLR Titanium, Quark Mini AA, NiteCore EZ AA, ITP A2 EOS, Maratac AA, JetBeam E3S, Proton Pro
Note: Jet-I also support LiIon, but I had some contact problem with my batteries and did not test it with them.
First a comparison of maximum brightness for these lights (Done with a ceiling bounce), some of the lights support both regular AA batteries and 14500 LiIon batteries and the LiIon gives a boost to brightness. As can be seen there are a large difference of the maximum brightness, the LiIon is brighter than NiMH and some lights are designed for runtime, rather than maximum brightness.
Combining all the brightness settings in the same graph, it can be seen that there are big differences in both maximum and minimum brightness in the different lights. Quark and Proton Pro has the widest range, E3S and Volere has the narrowest range. Jet-I, TLR and Proton Pro can be adjusted to any brightness in their range, the other lights has a couple of fixed settings.
Measuring lux at two meters, gives an idea how far the hotspot in the light will throw. As usual JetBeam knows how to make a tightly focused light. One interesting thing is the Quark Mini, the cool is brightest, but has less throw than the neutral (This is due to different leds, se photo below).
Beam profile
Note that the Volere and the Mini neutral has a different color of light, than the other. This is due to the lower color temperature of the led.
Volere AA, Volere AA (14500), Quark AA
Quark AA (14500), JetBeam Jet-I pro V3, TLR Titanium
TLR Titanium (14500), Quark Mini AA cool, Quark Mini AA neutral
NiteCore EZ AA, ITP A2 EOS, Maratac AA
JetBeam E3S, Proton Pro, Proton Pro red
Beam profile, reduced exposure
The reduced exposure makes it possible to compare the hotspot brightness.
Volere AA, Volere AA (14500), Quark AA
Quark AA (14500), JetBeam Jet-I pro V3, TLR Titanium
TLR Titanium (14500), Quark Mini AA cool, Quark Mini AA neutral
NiteCore EZ AA, ITP A2 EOS, Maratac AA
JetBeam E3S, Proton Pro
Low
The lowest level on the lights, this is with the same exposure as the high level.
Volere AA, Volere AA (14500), Quark AA
Quark AA (14500), JetBeam Jet-I pro V3, TLR Titanium
TLR Titanium (14500), Quark Mini AA cool, Quark Mini AA neutral
NiteCore EZ AA, ITP A2 EOS, Maratac AA
JetBeam E3S, Proton Pro
Low, increased exposure
Here I increased the exposure of the low levels, making it possible to compare the lights. But the low level on the Quark and Proton Pro are to low to register, even with the increased exposure.
Volere AA, Volere AA (14500), Quark AA
Quark AA (14500), JetBeam Jet-I pro V3, TLR Titanium
TLR Titanium (14500), Quark Mini AA cool, Quark Mini AA neutral
NiteCore EZ AA, ITP A2 EOS, Maratac AA
JetBeam E3S, Proton Pro, Proton Pro red (At max. brightness)
Dark reference:
Volere AA
This light has 3 levels, it can use both NiMH and LiIon batteries.
For more information see my review of the light.
Low, medium, high with NiMH:
Low, medium, high with LiIon:
Low with NiMH:
Medium with NiMH:
High with NiMH:
Low with LiIon:
Medium with LiIon:
High with LiIon:
Quark AA
The titanium model was a special edition, the regular version is in aluminum.
This light has 5 levels and 3 flashing modes, it can use both NiMH and LiIon batteries.
For more information see my Danish review of the light.
Low, #2, #3 with NiMH:
#4, high with NiMH:
Low, #2, #3 with LiIon:
#4, high with LiIon:
Low with NiMH:
#2 with NiMH:
#3 with NiMH:
#4 with NiMH:
High with NiMH:
Low with LiIon:
#2 with LiIon:
#3 with LiIon:
#4 with LiIon:
High with LiIon:
JetBeam Jet-I pro V3
This light has 3 settings that each can be programmed to any brightness or flashing mode, it can use both NiMH and LiIon batteries.
Min., Max. with NiMH:
Min. with NiMH:
Max. with NiMH:
TLR Titanium
This light has 3 settings that each can be programmed to any brightness or flashing mode, it can use both NiMH and LiIon batteries.
Min., Max. with NiMH:
Min., Max. with LiIon:
Min. with NiMH:
Max. with NiMH:
Min. with LiIon:
Max. with LiIon:
Quark Mini AA
The light exists both in titanium and aluminum, and also with different color temperature leds.
This light has 3 brightness levels and 3 flashing settings, it uses NiMH batteies.
The two different leds, warm is on the left and has the smallest chip (The yellow part in the led).
Low, medium, high with cool white led:
Low, medium, high with neutral white led:
Low with cool white led:
Medium with cool white led:
High with cool white led:
Low with neutral white led:
Medium with neutral white led:
High with neutral white led:
NiteCore EZ AA
The light exists in different colors (black, blue and red).
It is a twisty with two levels, level is controlled by how much it is twisted together.
For more information see my Danish review of the light.
Low, high:
Low:
High:
ITP A2 EOS
This light has 3 levels and uses on/off twist to change level. The light uses NiMH batteries.
Low, medium, high:
Low:
Medium:
High:
Maratac AA
This light has 3 levels and uses on/off twist to change level. The light uses NiMH batteries.
Low, medium, high:
Low:
Medium:
High:
JetBeam E3S
This light is made in stainless steel, twisting the head will change between the two levels, it is turned on with the tail switch. It uses NiMH batteries.
Low, high.
Low:
High:
Proton Pro
This light is controlled with a side switch, it controls both the red and the white led, each can be set to any brightness from min. to max.. The light also has some flashing modes. It uses NiMH batteries.
Min, max, red (max).
Min:
Max:
Red (max):
