Hello. Really well-produced review you've made! I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but several of the issues you mentioned have already been fixed. These things are continuously evolving, so information goes out of date pretty quickly. I hope it's okay if I just write out some notes and thoughts along with video timestamps... This comment isn't a review of the D4. It's not even a review of a review of the D4. It's more like... a cross between editorial notes and absent-minded rambling, both unsolicited. So take it all with a grain of salt. (comments below, due to comment length limits, apologies in advance for lack of brevity)
3:00 The board color doesn't necessarily reflect the type of driver. In my experience, Hank often seems to use one color for the first batch and another color for the second batch. The D4 driver type is more reliably indicated by the presence or absence of components on the spring side of the board, like a capacitor. FET+1 drivers are clean on the spring side, while linear D4 drivers have a few components visible. 4:29 Thermal goo on the optic isn't usually there to hold it in place; it's mostly just a side effect of using too much goo on the pill. It just squishes into any available space when compressed... like the holes for the optic legs. 6:10 I'm not generally going to object to someone using a song I made in a review about a light I helped make, but it's usually a good idea to get permission first and work out the technical details before publishing. UA-cam does some pretty crazy things sometimes with ContentID, so if we're not careful, either one of us could end up getting a copyright strike that neither of us initiated. 6:17 Hank is currently in the process of updating as many lights as possible to Anduril 2, so a significant amount of the UI details in the video may be inaccurate pretty soon. If you do a video on it, I'd recommend covering v2. 7:16 Stepped mode now allows 1 level, for people who want a single-brightness light. The one level is set halfway between floor and ceiling. 7:30 2H in lockout now goes to the manual memory level, if there is one, instead of the second ramp floor. 7:50 Muggle mode has been replaced by the less-interestingly-named "Simple UI". The old name was fun, but some people found it insulting. Muggle mode was a janky afterthought which was never really very good, while the simple UI is much more robust and configurable. Similar purpose, but done more properly instead of being an afterthought. 8:30 Sunset mode has been removed and replaced. Instead, there is now a sunset timer available in both normal ramping and candle modes. Basically, go to whatever ramp or candle settings you want, then do a 5H to activate the sunset timer. Each blink adds 5 minutes to the timer, so hold until the desired timer value is reached. 8:44 Manual memory has been extended to add a timer, a.k.a. "hybrid memory". It behaves like automatic memory, but resets brightness to the manually-memorized level after the light is off for long enough to reach the configured timer value. That way, it'll stay where you set it during a session, but resets to your preferred default between sessions. 10:33 The rainbow speed has been a matter of disagreement between me and Hank. He keeps wanting me to speed it up so the light will be more eye-catching in "attract mode", but I think that's annoying and generally set it slower. So the speed has gone back and forth a few times. This will probably be resolved soon by a structural change to the config / build system, so there can be multiple config flavors per hardware model, and people can then choose whether to run Hank's version or mine or someone else's. The rainbow speed, of course, is not the only setting which will differ... it's just one example. 10:35 Party strobe bug... means that you got a firmware version which wasn't supposed to be used, but ended up shipping due to a bit of miscommunication or misunderstanding. The "d4v2.5" firmware was a one-shot temporary build produced by request for hardware I didn't have access to. I tested it on an old KR4 prototype, since that was the closest I had, and it worked there... but people reported an issue with party strobe on production hardware, so I immediately fixed it. At the same time, I merged the "d4v2.5" build into the "kr4-nofet" build, since they were both electrically compatible. Then I asked Hank to update, but he didn't understand and kept using the old version. This wasn't resolved until quite a while later when I found out he hadn't updated. 11:32 The mid-ramp blink and button brightness increase happen at the same part of the ramp. Both are intended as reference points for when some sort of important milestone has been reached, but the exact location varies depending on the exact type of light and where the natural boundaries are in its hardware. With ~50 supported models, there is a lot of variation. 12:20 Aux LED controls have all been moved to 7C / 7H, for consistency. 12:38 Three special modes now. Disco, rainbow, and voltage. Also, I'm surprised you got one with only 3 voltage levels... that version is pretty ancient and I thought Hank stopped using it a long time ago. 13:06 Aux LEDs too bright on high mode... I agree. I tried to convince Hank to reduce that, and kind of succeeded, but it's still too high. At least he didn't do his initial design, which was 10X brighter and used 10X more power. 13:30 Colors unbalanced on low. Yeah. Haven't found a solution to that. The high mode's brightness is configured with resistors, so it can be balanced... but low mode uses the attiny's internal resistor, and there's no way to adjust it. Also, since it's a completely passive design based only on resistance, the current draw (and to some extent, the color) changes with battery voltage. 15:15 Same story for the button LEDs. It can't do an in-between brightness. I'd prefer if Hank made the high mode lower, but he likes it higher. 15:21 If you want side and front aux LEDs to have independent settings, there is a code branch available for that. However, most of the people who tried it (including the author) ended up switching back because they found they didn't like it as much as they expected. 17:37 The linear driver only keeps output steady until the battery voltage drops below the LED voltage. Then it follows a direct-drive-like curve which slowly declines over time. But this usually doesn't happen until the battery is pretty low... especially on E21A since it has very low Vf. 17:50 The linear driver's poor resolution toward bottom of the ramp was fixed very recently. It now gives smoother adjustments than the FET+1 model. However, the bottom can still flicker on some lights because drivers some seem to have a stronger lowpass filter than others. It's rock steady on my D4v2 Ti E21A, but flickers on my old KR4 SST-20 prototype. 17:55 The slow activation at 1/150 is partially fixed, and I expect to have a more complete solution done within a few days. Also, the steady level has moved up from 3/150 to about 11/150, due to increasing the resolution of low modes. It's the same brightness, though. This slow activation is entirely an analog property of the regulation circuit, so unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a way for the firmware to detect and compensate for it. It's like how human eyes take a while to adjust from bright light to dim light, except in this case the torch basically blinds itself and then takes a little while to recover. 18:30 I've never seen the 1/150 "ultralow" level fail, but I don't have a lot of hardware to test. Have you been able to reliably reproduce that behavior? If so, how? What conditions make it happen, or not happen?
19:28 The FET+1 makes an audible sound? It should be about 15.6 kHz, but the sound in the video seems to be about 6.3 kHz... oh wait, it says 40% speed, and 15.6 * 0.4 = 6.24. Yeah, okay, that's expected. It could be fixed by changing the attiny chip from "phase correct" PWM to "fast" PWM, but that has some side effects like making the LEDs stay on slightly during modes when they're meant to be off. Perhaps while I'm messing with PWM settings I could make it change the wave generation mode depending on the ramp level. It'll be tricky to fit into the API, but maybe I can figure out something. It'd need to have the ramp segmented into different, um, ... gears? Not sure if car analogies really work here. 20:45 There is nothing about the linear driver which would make it degrade weak batteries any more than the FET+1 driver does. If anything, it's the other way around. However, neither one is a boost driver, so they won't attempt to pull extra current to compensate for low voltage. The primary risk to batteries is if a weak cell is used for extended amounts of time on direct-drive turbo, especially on LEDs with a low Vf. Direct drive is only limited by the resistance of the circuit components, basically the strain it puts on them, and the location of that strain depends on the components. For a linear or direct-drive driver, the ideal setup is for battery voltage to be exactly the same as the LED voltage. If the battery is too low, the LEDs get dimmer. If the battery is too high, the extra voltage must be burned off somehow... usually as heat. The key questions then are how much heat, and where. For a direct-drive circuit, resistance (and thus heat) is balanced between the LEDs, the battery, and the springs and wires connecting them. Each part provides some resistance, and converts some of the power to heat. LED Vf rises with current, while battery voltage falls with current, and flow settles where the curves intersect. There's also a small gap between for the springs and wires, but this is almost negligible on Hank's lights because he uses very low-resistance parts. For a very strong battery, most of the strain falls on the LEDs. Like, hook up a 500A battery, and it'll quickly turn the LEDs to smoke unless it wasn't fully charged. Battery voltage doesn't sag much at all under load on high-amp cells, so instead, the LED voltage must rise to make up the difference. But they can only rise so far (and get so bright) before they go poof. For a very weak battery, internal resistance is high so most of the heat (and strain) happens inside the battery... and it can end up damaged even while the LEDs are barely warm. So the recommended cells are chosen to balance these factors in a safe way. The battery may be physically separate, but it's a surprisingly important part of the overall circuit design. How the linear driver differs is ... it has one additional component soaking up some of the load. In particular, it tanks most of the heat which would otherwise go to the LEDs. The regulator adds a variable amount of extra resistance, which reduces the load on the LEDs and sometimes the battery too. This makes it a bit safer overall, even for weak cells. But if you used a high-voltage battery (like two 18350s in series) and a low-voltage emitter (like 2V red LEDs), the regulator itself could get melted while absorbing the difference. 21:28 219B / 219C LEDs can handle direct-drive reasonably well, though they ship with a version which reduces the maximum duty cycle by about half or a third, because they otherwise may begin to die within a few weeks or months when used on turbo with a strong cell. E21A, however... turns into smoke within seconds when used in a direct-drive circuit. So for those it's important to _never_ use the DD FET. 23:15 Hank does tint mixes sometimes, and other custom builds, but please keep requests to a minimum because it causes a lot of extra work for him and he wants to see his family once in a while. 24:15 The SST20 4000K configuration is toward the low end of the brightness scale for this light, with some of the most heat and worst efficiency. My favorite style is XP-L HI 4D (~4400K), but Hank unfortunately doesn't offer it right now. It makes a nice neutral CCT with a slightly pink tint, with the most lumens and least heat, while also being nearly at the top of the throw spectrum and producing almost no "rainbow effect" across the beam. 33:24 It may be worth noting that high CRI isn't actually the same thing as accurate color rendering. CRI refers to a mathematical formula which is, unfortunately, imperfect... and there are numerous cases where a lower-CRI light displays colors more accurately. SST-20 is particularly known for its green tint when used in a reflector or optic, and for its unusually poor blue rendering. It tends to make browns look more yellow, and makes pinks look more like a salmon color. However, some people don't mind its "lemongrass" tint, and it's a popular choice since it's cheap and it makes more lumens than other high-CRI options. Personally, I find it to be one of the most unpleasant LEDs I've ever used... except when it's in a mule configuration with no optics. In that arrangement, most of the green is emitted sideways and absorbed by the host, while the pinker shades go forward. If I understand correctly, this is what the LED was actually designed for, like when being used in street lights or overhead light panels. Big LED manufacturers mostly don't care about flashlights, because the market is too small. 28:28 Allowing the highest levels to be obtained with a low battery... this isn't because of regulation. It's just because the E21A LEDs have very low Vf, so the battery curve and LED curve don't intersect until the battery is very low. All the regulator does is burn off the difference between the two. 35:00 Pill color affects the flood color at the outer edges of the beam, but not the hotspot. 37:00 Despite trying several times, I still haven't convinced Hank to make a general-purpose EDC light... probably because that sort of thing wouldn't have the big numbers his company is known for. But I'd really like to see something like a Noctigon version of the ZL SC64 or Olight S2, a compact, lightweight, single-LED light designed to be practical instead of a minmaxed hotrod.
One final note... with a review of this quality, you're probably going to have flashlight manufacturers rushing to send you as many review lights as possible. Don't end up like some past reviewers, who overworked themselves and then swore off flashlights entirely, switching instead to a new hobby: alcohol. I'm not kidding. This is a real thing which has happened more than once.
Thanks for the info all the info and corrections, I pinned this comment so hopefully everyone sees it. There's a couple things I'll try to clarify, UA-cam comments aren't great for this but hopefully it's not too jumbled. I'm a bit unsure of what to do about the Anduril video. For me, a big reason to do it was the idea that any light in the wild with the firmware would work about the same, but since a lot of other models (such as the Lumintop/Sofirn lights) can't be easily updated, I am not sure how to proceed, as just covering one feels incomplete to me. However, I don't want that project to expand into something huge and unmanageble like this one nearly did, trying to explain TWO versions of the interface would just be a nightmare. I also came across your comment explaining the party strobe issue, which was annoying but I figured I would mention since Hank did send the light that way, same with the older version in my FET model. The lights were ordered together in May. Actually that was part of what made this video tricky, while customization and the ability to update is a huge draw, it doesn't feel like a proper review to me without mentioning these issues as they came from the factory. At some point too I had to draw a line on additions to the video. When the ultralow failed, I really had no idea why. I have not been able to reproduce the behaviour, though a couple times in use it started flickering more noticeably. The shot in the video at 18:30 is literally the only time where it actually died out completely, and it even worked fine soon afterwards. The light was just sitting unused on my desk before that happened, I picked it up and started using the lowest ramp levels. As for driver whine, while most others don't seem to hear it the FET model is actually quite audible to my ears, but isn't so bad that I can't use it like some other lights I have. My hearing is quite sensitive though, for now at least. Perhaps this is a misconception but as I understood it, energy being used to produce an audible (or above-audible) noise is energy that is basically just being wasted, so it seemed pertinent to mention as a clearly illustrated manifestation of the lower efficiency due to PWM. If you have further insights on that, I would appreciate it. What you describe with the wave generation changing with the ramp level seems very cool, I am interested to see what result that might have. I also sincerely appreciate the extra info and corrections you provided on drivers here. Until now I've had only the most basic understanding of the technical electrical aspects of flashlights, and making this video required me to learn a lot. Clearly though, there is still much to learn. Regarding the SST20s, I didn't want to cover color rendering much here so I mostly just left it with my thoughts. While I did notice the slightly weird coloration it gave things, I didn't mind it at all and still really like these LEDs. In practice they are still more natural looking to me than the warm E21As, mostly due to the respective color temps. Admittedly though I'm far from a tint snob, as long as the light is warm I'm pretty happy. Interestingly, I did try it out without the optic but I don't remember particularly liking it. I plan on covering the TS21 with the same emitters, so I'll probably address it in more detail there. Hearing about Hank's opinions on the Aux lights is kind of amusing, I definitely am on the side of dimmer lights and slower cycles. There actually was a portion of the video where I explicity stated that customers should not send unnecessary emails to Hank and to look for customizations already available online first, but it was cut, along with lots of other little things that seemed to drag the video down. I regret removing that bit now. I did mention it already on Reddit but I was actually a bit worried about putting your music in here, and I did try to contact you over Reddit, albeit not very hard admittedly. I used the music as a placeholder in my timeline while I waited for a response, and ultimately I just went ahead and used it. I'm sorry about the lack of communication on that. I did hope to use it again for the Anduril video, but I understand if it's a problem. This project was a bit much, it ended up being far more than I initially planned it to be. I definitely will be toning things down for future videos, I want them to be well-made still but I can't sustain huge complicated projects like this. I do hope that this video will bring some attention from manufacturers/retailers, but I will bear your warning in mind. Actually, I'm not entirely sure where I'm going from here, I do have a few more reviews planned out but I don't really want to find myself stuck producing tons of flashlight reviews, lights are great but I'm not real fond of the whole hyper-consumerism aspect of this, especially since lights are really just meant to be tools that realistically don't need upgrades. Honestly, if it weren't for the desire others have expressed to see more reviews, I would consider stopping reviews before too much longer, in favour of pure entertainment instead. So it is a bit of a conundrum, we'll see where it goes.
@@LuxWad As you say, youtube comments aren't great for stuff like this. So... I responded privately. Anyway, take care... and if you decide to do more videos, it sounds like people would enjoy it. But OMG it's a lot of work.
Jackson Lee 5 star! Excellent job on the review of the Emisar D4v2. BEST REVIEW EVER! Long video but worth watching all the way to the END! Thanks for the link to my store 🤙
You knocked it out of the park, this review was as addicting as my flashlight addiction. You really kept me intrigued the whole time, it was well thought out and taught me things that I didn't even know.
This video is ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE! AMAZING JOB!!! As someone that's created video content, I can appreciate the amount of time and work that was put into this video. From the B roll to the script... wow. I almost feel like you spent too much time on this video lol You've got a new subscriber!
Dude. Keep pumping out this quality production standard. Insane. Also, I completely agree with many of your points, particularly regarding the low output of the AUX emitters and the poor mixing of the colours on magenta and yellow. I also think there should be more brightness options for sideswitch and AUX emitters.
The work you put into this video has resulted in a visual quality just as appealing to the eye as your subject matter. Visually impressive and informationally comprehensive! I watched with great satisfaction. Thanks for the effort you obviously invested in this review.
I hope whatever you do for a living, that you're well blessed. You definitely have one of the best product review videos I've ever seen; hands down. The video editing, the videography, time stamps and description in video are all phenomenal! I came across it looking for the best 18650 edc/thrower out there.
This was an impressively informative review. One of the best I’ve ever seen. Definitely earned the thumbs up. As for the light itself, I am extremely impressed by how terrible the regulation is with the linear driver. And only 5 A, it should easily be able to hold 400 to 500 lm. That would probably only be drawing about 2 A. I wonder why the step down is so drastic. There is absolutely no reason for that. And would completely stop me from buying this light.
This video was genuinely spectacular. I want every review I've ever seen to be exactly like this. Clear and concise opinions backed by data and top tier production. Don't stop uploading bro, you're due to explode. You've gain a subscriber!
Absolutely stunning video. I have been on the search for an in-depth review for this flashlight for a while and this is what I needed. Amazing music choice, insane camera work, and clear explanations. Although this is a niche hobby, you are going to be big! Keep up the good work.
The best and most detailed review of D4V2!!! I already have D4SV2 with 4000K SST-20 and a Noctigon DM11 in green color with SST-40 5000K from Hank. After Your review, I ordered a Titanium version of D4V2 with E21A 5000K with amazing floody optics. Subscribed to Your channel.
Stumbled upon your channel while searching for another pocket drain. 😂 Most of the comments here got my sentiments covered. This is beyond expectations. Keep it coming. Subbed.
I subscribed, why? This is the most thorough review I have ever seen in my 43 years of life. I own the original D4, just bought a V2 from Hank.(SST-20 6500k) Thanks for the info good sir!!!
This detailed video helped a lot, thank you so much for all the work! It's not only super informative, but also its aesthetics is just awesome. Just ordered the second D4V2. I like the E21A 2200K version, not so efficient maybe, but beautiful and cosy. Wish there would be a genuine headlamp ...
I can´t believe myself I just watched a 39 minutes video of the Emisar D4 😍 Amazing ! Looking forward to see a video of the Andruil software to be explained. 👍🔦
One of the best video reviews I've ever seen. It may be more than a year old but your style is excellent. I felt like I was back in college listening to one of the best professors. You aced it! I am now one of your subscribers. Thank you for taking the time and having the patience to do such an excellent job. The honesty and informative presentation was so well done I hope Hank has made you a member of his marketing team.
Haha I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was quite difficult to figure out the script for this video so I am happy to hear your thoughts. Hank does not have a marketing team, but I have received a few review lights from him. We have communicated and he enjoys the videos, but I don't accept any payments or allow manufacturers to dictate my scripts so I can avoid any conflicts of interest and remain unbiased for my viewers :)
That is a good review. I would also mention the cheap and readily available flashing kit Hank sells to update the firmware. It is remarkable, as it is the only readily available flashing solution for Anduril lights and with it, you can flash the D4V2 to Anduril2. The newest version of Anduril2 features dynamic PWM which makes for much better low modes (more linear and controlled) with the constant current driver - it really changed the usability of these lights for me.
@@zachmcclintock2041 I am not sure. You can email Hank (the owner) on the email mentioned in his website with your question. He is very good at responding.
Amazing video! Thank you for putting it together. I just recently discovered Hank lights and your video will definitely help me in selecting and optioning my first one.
Thanks, I hope you enjoy the light when it arrives! The 519a seems like an awesome emitter for this light, I haven't been able to try it yet but I might get one
@@LuxWad it's my 40th birthday present to myself! 😅 Been waiting for the 519a to become available! I also opted for the "classic" 219b in warm white just to see what the fuss is about!
Not an expert here, but I do appreciate flashlights and my Nichia 219c Lumintop Tool AA has a lovely 4000K color temp that makes leaves and grass look natural at night. What I don't get is how a 2700K light can have a color rendering index of 98, when to my eyes it obviously shifts colors towards orange or red. 😅 Anyway, this was a very enjoyable review. Cheers.
People keep saying these aren't practical. I work in an underground mine. The only sources of light are manmande. I rely heavily on my handheld along with my headlamp. My headlamp is predominantly used for foot navigation. It just doesn't have the output I'd like to actually do my job. This involves finding and inspecting things from as much as 500-600' away. For this I exclusively use my handheld. I purchased a dual channel D4V2 with W1 and LH351D emitters. It is incredibly practical. Up close, the floody emitters are perfect. They produce enough light to do anything I need to up close. The W1's have enough throw to easily identify objects up to several hundred feet away. In very dusty environmens, or when I need to throw extremely far, I use my KR1 with an SFT-40. But 95% of the time, it's the D4V2. At 50% output, the light is bright enough for most of my work, and gets *slightly* warm to the touch. Even up to 70-80% output it will run for several minutes without getting too hot. Only in turbo does it get uncomfortably hot. This seems to be the sticking point of most people claiming it's impractical. Instead, they recommend lights that simply have a lower max output, which you can easily do in Anduril. You get just as much output as "more practical" lights, while not getting any hotter. The D4SV2 has better throw, and sustained output, but it's also way bigger. I also rarely need the sustained turbo that it gives me. As someone who relies on this light 6 days a week, it's very practical, as long as you choose emitters that match your use-case.
I very much appreciate your insights here. I still do not consider this light practical as the interface is far too complicated for most users, the durability is relatively low, and the driver is inefficient, resulting in lower runtime and lower sustainable outputs. However, the light is now available with a boost driver option, which increases efficiency from ~70% to about 90+, which makes this a much more practical light I think.
@@LuxWad I work in an underground mine, it's surviving for me just fine. As far as battery life, I use it a lot. I carry a spare battery, and I rarely have to use it. As far as sustained output, it will run at 50-70% of max brightness for some time before getting hot or stepping down, and that's already more brightness than most people need. People don't take walks at night or look for something they dropped using turbo. Anduril 2 has a lot of customizability, sure, but with about 15 seconds of instruction anyone can use it in simple mode.
I totally didn't need to watch this review as I've got two flashlights from Hank already, but it was fun, pretty epic and well put together! Owning a KR4 E21A 2700K and D4SV2 W2, after seeing your video I might have to get something with an SST-20 4000K next... I agree with the "enthusiast" label. Perhaps the flashlights with built-in charging (e.g. K9.3, K1) are less of a concern, but there's still the totally unprotected exposed contacts when the body tube is unscrewed to plug in a charging cable, and unscrewing means the threads will eventually need cleaned/lubed too. The Anduril 2 PFM/dynamic PWM change alongside the moon level "jump start" (still being refined) happening right before you released this is sorta unfortunate, but on the plus side, you could decide to cover it in the hinted at driver comparison video. What a time we live in, firmware updates for flashlights with actually meaningful improvements :D Excellent editing, useful and fun commentary on screen, and nice music to accompany this, too. Plus all those chapter markers are great for referring back!
Glad you liked it! I was kind of sad to see the Anduril update when I did, but since I'm covering these lights and the firmware more in the future it's not too big a deal. I wonder though how I'm going to put together the Anduril video, since a lot of older lights from various brands aren't going to be using the new firmware. The flashing pads on the Emisars are definitely a big advantage
I own a couple fw3 lights and due to my typical use case, I’m pretty ok with the shorter runtimes. I’m a glassblower and prefer to work in dimmer conditions.. easier to read heat temps. But sometimes I do need to light the hell out of a piece in progress which is where a high cri hotrod comes in very handy. Since I’m rarely needing it for more than 10 secs at a time, the heat isn’t much of an issue either. I’ve got a ticu model with the 4k sst20 (mine are kinda green at lower levels as well), and a purple aluminum one with 5k xpl-hi. The lights actually came with leds that are in the other but I swapped the stars between them. The driver in the purple one can also be a little weird sometimes so I put all of the “best” parts into the ticu, aka, my main one. The aluminum one also currently has an 18350 tube installed and it’s purpose is mostly novelty… super high output in a tiny purple package. Got em from jlhawaii my intention is to sandblast and stonewash the titanium parts later down the line once they’ve gotten a little scratched up, but I’ll enjoy the shine til then. I’m also considering stripping the anodizing from the purple one. I’m cool with purple, but I mostly. Bought for the sst20 star and it was the only version I could find with those leds. Awesome video though might have to pick one up. I mostly found the fw3 aesthetics more appealing, it’s max output was more in line with my needs and I wasn’t too interested in the aux leds. Both of my fw3 have turboglow gaskets installed anyway.
I like lumintop edc18copper nichia 219c 4000k, fw3brass sst20 4000k, lm10 xpl 5000k titanium, fw21 x9l copper and fw21 pro cupper, and i don't like aux colour light.
Definitely considering the E21A variant for a bedside and around-the-house light. Definitely don’t need a ton of output, but a warm color temperature is much appreciated here. Already have a Zebralight SC600FC mkiv Plus for a workhorse light though.
The E21A is pretty much ideal for that application, especially now that there are some cool new updates to the firmware, so ultralow will work a lot better. I use my E21A on ultralow around the house pretty frequently
@@LuxWad Off topic. For edc, I actually prefer floody, as most times I need a light, I need it to work with things up close, or to illuminate a wide area. I seldom need a lot of distance, though that’s what Turbo is for.
I prefer floodier beams in general, despite my channel name I don't have much use for really throwy lights. That being said I do prefer a bit more intensity for outside, especially since I prefer lower outputs so it's more efficient. Partly why the E21A light is perfect indoors but for me it's not effective outdoors
Again a great vid. Thx. Agree 100%. Love my D2V4 Ti. Only the FWAA in Cu and Ti is a competitor in my edc rotation, because of its form factor 😉. Would be nice to see smaller (AA/14500) version of the D4V2 🤩.
I have the tint ramping version in titanium. It's an absolutely awesome flash light. I work in a scrap yard and it's survived the forklift running it over! I really hope that Hank starts adding USB C charging in future models.
I ordered this light for work because it’s the only one that I could find that has a diffused optic option. I ordered it with a boost driver and an sst 20 4000k for a high cri. I also needed a magnetic tail cap with a 18650 battery in a small package. Here’s hoping it works out. I have so many flashlights that I don’t work for me.
As amazing as this light is, I have this and the S, the way it feels in your hand is like sitting in a new Porsche, the power and quality is palpable. I got a lot of the optional bits and the 350 tube is beyond special. In cyan of course. On a side note, the heads on my Sofirn SC31 pro and Wurrkos FC11 are interchangeable. Purple and green.
Amazing review but I cant fully agree with the battery life issues. I think the options these flashlights provide can be great for optimizing battery life. I have both the D4V2 with the linear driver E21A in 4500k and the FET SST-20 in 5000K. The E21A and linear driver is awful with only about half the run time when set to match close to the same output. However with the SST-20 version I have it set to stepped modes with the ceiling at about 250 lumens. I only use turbo to show off the light or for extremely rare situations so most battery cycles are with no turbo and just using high I'll get about 5 hours with no ramp down. Most pocket flashlights I own have modes that are lower or much more than 250 lumens and will ramp down. Using the D4V2 this way is a great work light and its just warm to the touch at that output.
Hello any idea why the aux lights won't shut off on my d4v2 ? I've tried bringing back 2 simple ui then back 2 advanced..7 clicks 2 cycle through aux lights and still nothing?I've also tried breaking contact with the tail cap and no luck?
Just ordered my 2nd d4v2, my first one just recently stopped clicking. I am also trying to get a whole new head for my old one, cause who wouldn't want 2 of these amazing flashlights??
Congratulations for this great video. Absolutely! There are questions about the D4V2 with the LED E21A neutral white, 4500K, R9080 (i.e. CRI 90). What is the difference in luminosity between Nichia 219BT-V1, 4500K and Nichia E21A, 4500K? How many lumens do these have compared to the SST-20?
I know it's an oldie but, what battery would you recommand for a D4V2 in 18350 config ? I'm in Canada so i importing batteries is no fun. Some Vape shops have 18350s with 10A continus discharge and 15A max. Would it be good ? Thanks
I honestly don't much of anything about 18350 batteries, I have only used the Keeppower 1100mAh model and it's terrible. I imagine the battery you mentioned would be just fine.
Amazing amount of information here, but can you recommend a sort of "beginner Anduril video" for those of us with our first Anduril light (Emisar d4v2 for me) that goes a little slower and in more detail regarding operation of the light? Thanks!!
I'm not aware yet of any recent detailed videos that go through the whole UI, but Flashlight Enthusiast had a couple good videos on his channel that go over the operation. I recommend looking at a text-based manual, particularly this guide: ivanthinking.net/thoughts/anduril2-manual/
Well done! Looks like a lot of effort made to make this video. This made me want to get one of these lights. Have you seen the lumintop fw3a and sofirn if25a? Maybe include size and beamshot comparisons to other lights. Great 🔦 review! 👍
I'm glad you like it! I think the FW3A is pretty cool, I like the D4V2 more though. The IF25A is really good, it's a great value light. I am reviewing the Wurkkos TS21 soon, which is very similar and might be better than the IF25A if you're interested in that
Hey LuxWad. This is a huge undertaking but could you make a video going over every LED option that Hank has on his website? I haven't seen anyone do this, and it would place your video as the defacto resource for all people just getting into Emisar ligts.
Thanks for this excellent and very professional review, much appreciated since I have been thinking about getting one of these lights. Cool to see ToyKeeper getting involved too.
Yeah it's a bit better, and the quality control is much higher. Lumintop has been slowly cutting corners in their FW lights to increase profit margins, while Hank has actually improved His components over time (such as the switch)
Anduril only allows a maximum of 70C, which is well below the limits of the components. Certain LEDS though might not be able to handle it, but I've never heard of any issues with burnouts, the lights are configured with the right driver to prevent that
@@LuxWad Thanks for the reply! This video was amazing. The production quality of all your videos is outstanding. Keep up the great work, and thanks again.
I noticed hanks now selling dual channel w tint ramping. Say I got 519a 2700 and 5700k when only 2 is lit that's half the lumens as. 4? What if both on at same time what color would you get? In between like 4000k?
The dual-channel will be the same output as the single channel, it just drives the 2 leds harder - it's not as bright on Turbo however. You should get about 4000K, mixing two different CCTs also always results in rosier tints
Hey, I want to buy this light but I'm unsure what LEDs I want. I thought of going with the dual setup (tint model) with these two: CH1: XP-L HI in 4000K CH2: W2 in 6000K I want the light to be able to throw a little on one channel, and offer a smooth flood on the other channel. I also wanted a warm and cool light source, but not too far separated to avoid an ugly turbo look. Do you think 4000K is warm enough? I'm going with the TI model with amber switch just like you did.
It's a tough choice. I would probably recommend W1 over W2 as you will get more throw, but it's not a pretty beam in the Carclo optic. For flood, the LH351D is much floodier than the XP-L, the 219b is a bit floodier as well. I think 4500-5000K would look a bit better with the 6000K emitter, but 4000K should be fine too.
14:10 - Yes it does impact battery life. The difference being small for one person's opinion doesn't make it correct to say that it doesn't affect battery life. Also, you don't negate the self drain by having the auxiliary lights on. You add to it. It's addition so you just drain the battery faster.
![PRACTICAL Hotrod! [Emisar D4SV2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6Hz0EPsUOGA/mqdefault.jpg)
![PRACTICAL Hotrod! [Emisar D4SV2]](/img/tr.png)
![Crazy Hotrod Flashlight! - Emisar DT8 [In-Depth Review]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zSHO2Nfiyso/mqdefault.jpg)
Hello. Really well-produced review you've made!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but several of the issues you mentioned have already been fixed. These things are continuously evolving, so information goes out of date pretty quickly. I hope it's okay if I just write out some notes and thoughts along with video timestamps...
This comment isn't a review of the D4. It's not even a review of a review of the D4. It's more like... a cross between editorial notes and absent-minded rambling, both unsolicited. So take it all with a grain of salt.
(comments below, due to comment length limits, apologies in advance for lack of brevity)
3:00 The board color doesn't necessarily reflect the type of driver. In my experience, Hank often seems to use one color for the first batch and another color for the second batch. The D4 driver type is more reliably indicated by the presence or absence of components on the spring side of the board, like a capacitor. FET+1 drivers are clean on the spring side, while linear D4 drivers have a few components visible.
4:29 Thermal goo on the optic isn't usually there to hold it in place; it's mostly just a side effect of using too much goo on the pill. It just squishes into any available space when compressed... like the holes for the optic legs.
6:10 I'm not generally going to object to someone using a song I made in a review about a light I helped make, but it's usually a good idea to get permission first and work out the technical details before publishing. UA-cam does some pretty crazy things sometimes with ContentID, so if we're not careful, either one of us could end up getting a copyright strike that neither of us initiated.
6:17 Hank is currently in the process of updating as many lights as possible to Anduril 2, so a significant amount of the UI details in the video may be inaccurate pretty soon. If you do a video on it, I'd recommend covering v2.
7:16 Stepped mode now allows 1 level, for people who want a single-brightness light. The one level is set halfway between floor and ceiling.
7:30 2H in lockout now goes to the manual memory level, if there is one, instead of the second ramp floor.
7:50 Muggle mode has been replaced by the less-interestingly-named "Simple UI". The old name was fun, but some people found it insulting. Muggle mode was a janky afterthought which was never really very good, while the simple UI is much more robust and configurable. Similar purpose, but done more properly instead of being an afterthought.
8:30 Sunset mode has been removed and replaced. Instead, there is now a sunset timer available in both normal ramping and candle modes. Basically, go to whatever ramp or candle settings you want, then do a 5H to activate the sunset timer. Each blink adds 5 minutes to the timer, so hold until the desired timer value is reached.
8:44 Manual memory has been extended to add a timer, a.k.a. "hybrid memory". It behaves like automatic memory, but resets brightness to the manually-memorized level after the light is off for long enough to reach the configured timer value. That way, it'll stay where you set it during a session, but resets to your preferred default between sessions.
10:33 The rainbow speed has been a matter of disagreement between me and Hank. He keeps wanting me to speed it up so the light will be more eye-catching in "attract mode", but I think that's annoying and generally set it slower. So the speed has gone back and forth a few times. This will probably be resolved soon by a structural change to the config / build system, so there can be multiple config flavors per hardware model, and people can then choose whether to run Hank's version or mine or someone else's.
The rainbow speed, of course, is not the only setting which will differ... it's just one example.
10:35 Party strobe bug... means that you got a firmware version which wasn't supposed to be used, but ended up shipping due to a bit of miscommunication or misunderstanding.
The "d4v2.5" firmware was a one-shot temporary build produced by request for hardware I didn't have access to. I tested it on an old KR4 prototype, since that was the closest I had, and it worked there... but people reported an issue with party strobe on production hardware, so I immediately fixed it. At the same time, I merged the "d4v2.5" build into the "kr4-nofet" build, since they were both electrically compatible. Then I asked Hank to update, but he didn't understand and kept using the old version. This wasn't resolved until quite a while later when I found out he hadn't updated.
11:32 The mid-ramp blink and button brightness increase happen at the same part of the ramp. Both are intended as reference points for when some sort of important milestone has been reached, but the exact location varies depending on the exact type of light and where the natural boundaries are in its hardware. With ~50 supported models, there is a lot of variation.
12:20 Aux LED controls have all been moved to 7C / 7H, for consistency.
12:38 Three special modes now. Disco, rainbow, and voltage. Also, I'm surprised you got one with only 3 voltage levels... that version is pretty ancient and I thought Hank stopped using it a long time ago.
13:06 Aux LEDs too bright on high mode... I agree. I tried to convince Hank to reduce that, and kind of succeeded, but it's still too high. At least he didn't do his initial design, which was 10X brighter and used 10X more power.
13:30 Colors unbalanced on low. Yeah. Haven't found a solution to that. The high mode's brightness is configured with resistors, so it can be balanced... but low mode uses the attiny's internal resistor, and there's no way to adjust it. Also, since it's a completely passive design based only on resistance, the current draw (and to some extent, the color) changes with battery voltage.
15:15 Same story for the button LEDs. It can't do an in-between brightness. I'd prefer if Hank made the high mode lower, but he likes it higher.
15:21 If you want side and front aux LEDs to have independent settings, there is a code branch available for that. However, most of the people who tried it (including the author) ended up switching back because they found they didn't like it as much as they expected.
17:37 The linear driver only keeps output steady until the battery voltage drops below the LED voltage. Then it follows a direct-drive-like curve which slowly declines over time. But this usually doesn't happen until the battery is pretty low... especially on E21A since it has very low Vf.
17:50 The linear driver's poor resolution toward bottom of the ramp was fixed very recently. It now gives smoother adjustments than the FET+1 model. However, the bottom can still flicker on some lights because drivers some seem to have a stronger lowpass filter than others. It's rock steady on my D4v2 Ti E21A, but flickers on my old KR4 SST-20 prototype.
17:55 The slow activation at 1/150 is partially fixed, and I expect to have a more complete solution done within a few days. Also, the steady level has moved up from 3/150 to about 11/150, due to increasing the resolution of low modes. It's the same brightness, though.
This slow activation is entirely an analog property of the regulation circuit, so unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a way for the firmware to detect and compensate for it. It's like how human eyes take a while to adjust from bright light to dim light, except in this case the torch basically blinds itself and then takes a little while to recover.
18:30 I've never seen the 1/150 "ultralow" level fail, but I don't have a lot of hardware to test. Have you been able to reliably reproduce that behavior? If so, how? What conditions make it happen, or not happen?
19:28 The FET+1 makes an audible sound? It should be about 15.6 kHz, but the sound in the video seems to be about 6.3 kHz... oh wait, it says 40% speed, and 15.6 * 0.4 = 6.24. Yeah, okay, that's expected. It could be fixed by changing the attiny chip from "phase correct" PWM to "fast" PWM, but that has some side effects like making the LEDs stay on slightly during modes when they're meant to be off.
Perhaps while I'm messing with PWM settings I could make it change the wave generation mode depending on the ramp level. It'll be tricky to fit into the API, but maybe I can figure out something. It'd need to have the ramp segmented into different, um, ... gears? Not sure if car analogies really work here.
20:45 There is nothing about the linear driver which would make it degrade weak batteries any more than the FET+1 driver does. If anything, it's the other way around. However, neither one is a boost driver, so they won't attempt to pull extra current to compensate for low voltage.
The primary risk to batteries is if a weak cell is used for extended amounts of time on direct-drive turbo, especially on LEDs with a low Vf. Direct drive is only limited by the resistance of the circuit components, basically the strain it puts on them, and the location of that strain depends on the components.
For a linear or direct-drive driver, the ideal setup is for battery voltage to be exactly the same as the LED voltage. If the battery is too low, the LEDs get dimmer. If the battery is too high, the extra voltage must be burned off somehow... usually as heat. The key questions then are how much heat, and where.
For a direct-drive circuit, resistance (and thus heat) is balanced between the LEDs, the battery, and the springs and wires connecting them. Each part provides some resistance, and converts some of the power to heat.
LED Vf rises with current, while battery voltage falls with current, and flow settles where the curves intersect. There's also a small gap between for the springs and wires, but this is almost negligible on Hank's lights because he uses very low-resistance parts.
For a very strong battery, most of the strain falls on the LEDs. Like, hook up a 500A battery, and it'll quickly turn the LEDs to smoke unless it wasn't fully charged. Battery voltage doesn't sag much at all under load on high-amp cells, so instead, the LED voltage must rise to make up the difference. But they can only rise so far (and get so bright) before they go poof.
For a very weak battery, internal resistance is high so most of the heat (and strain) happens inside the battery... and it can end up damaged even while the LEDs are barely warm.
So the recommended cells are chosen to balance these factors in a safe way. The battery may be physically separate, but it's a surprisingly important part of the overall circuit design.
How the linear driver differs is ... it has one additional component soaking up some of the load. In particular, it tanks most of the heat which would otherwise go to the LEDs. The regulator adds a variable amount of extra resistance, which reduces the load on the LEDs and sometimes the battery too. This makes it a bit safer overall, even for weak cells. But if you used a high-voltage battery (like two 18350s in series) and a low-voltage emitter (like 2V red LEDs), the regulator itself could get melted while absorbing the difference.
21:28 219B / 219C LEDs can handle direct-drive reasonably well, though they ship with a version which reduces the maximum duty cycle by about half or a third, because they otherwise may begin to die within a few weeks or months when used on turbo with a strong cell.
E21A, however... turns into smoke within seconds when used in a direct-drive circuit. So for those it's important to _never_ use the DD FET.
23:15 Hank does tint mixes sometimes, and other custom builds, but please keep requests to a minimum because it causes a lot of extra work for him and he wants to see his family once in a while.
24:15 The SST20 4000K configuration is toward the low end of the brightness scale for this light, with some of the most heat and worst efficiency.
My favorite style is XP-L HI 4D (~4400K), but Hank unfortunately doesn't offer it right now. It makes a nice neutral CCT with a slightly pink tint, with the most lumens and least heat, while also being nearly at the top of the throw spectrum and producing almost no "rainbow effect" across the beam.
33:24 It may be worth noting that high CRI isn't actually the same thing as accurate color rendering. CRI refers to a mathematical formula which is, unfortunately, imperfect... and there are numerous cases where a lower-CRI light displays colors more accurately.
SST-20 is particularly known for its green tint when used in a reflector or optic, and for its unusually poor blue rendering. It tends to make browns look more yellow, and makes pinks look more like a salmon color. However, some people don't mind its "lemongrass" tint, and it's a popular choice since it's cheap and it makes more lumens than other high-CRI options.
Personally, I find it to be one of the most unpleasant LEDs I've ever used... except when it's in a mule configuration with no optics. In that arrangement, most of the green is emitted sideways and absorbed by the host, while the pinker shades go forward. If I understand correctly, this is what the LED was actually designed for, like when being used in street lights or overhead light panels. Big LED manufacturers mostly don't care about flashlights, because the market is too small.
28:28 Allowing the highest levels to be obtained with a low battery... this isn't because of regulation. It's just because the E21A LEDs have very low Vf, so the battery curve and LED curve don't intersect until the battery is very low. All the regulator does is burn off the difference between the two.
35:00 Pill color affects the flood color at the outer edges of the beam, but not the hotspot.
37:00 Despite trying several times, I still haven't convinced Hank to make a general-purpose EDC light... probably because that sort of thing wouldn't have the big numbers his company is known for. But I'd really like to see something like a Noctigon version of the ZL SC64 or Olight S2, a compact, lightweight, single-LED light designed to be practical instead of a minmaxed hotrod.
One final note... with a review of this quality, you're probably going to have flashlight manufacturers rushing to send you as many review lights as possible. Don't end up like some past reviewers, who overworked themselves and then swore off flashlights entirely, switching instead to a new hobby: alcohol.
I'm not kidding. This is a real thing which has happened more than once.
Thanks for the info all the info and corrections, I pinned this comment so hopefully everyone sees it.
There's a couple things I'll try to clarify, UA-cam comments aren't great for this but hopefully it's not too jumbled.
I'm a bit unsure of what to do about the Anduril video. For me, a big reason to do it was the idea that any light in the wild with the firmware would work about the same, but since a lot of other models (such as the Lumintop/Sofirn lights) can't be easily updated, I am not sure how to proceed, as just covering one feels incomplete to me. However, I don't want that project to expand into something huge and unmanageble like this one nearly did, trying to explain TWO versions of the interface would just be a nightmare.
I also came across your comment explaining the party strobe issue, which was annoying but I figured I would mention since Hank did send the light that way, same with the older version in my FET model. The lights were ordered together in May.
Actually that was part of what made this video tricky, while customization and the ability to update is a huge draw, it doesn't feel like a proper review to me without mentioning these issues as they came from the factory. At some point too I had to draw a line on additions to the video.
When the ultralow failed, I really had no idea why. I have not been able to reproduce the behaviour, though a couple times in use it started flickering more noticeably. The shot in the video at 18:30 is literally the only time where it actually died out completely, and it even worked fine soon afterwards. The light was just sitting unused on my desk before that happened, I picked it up and started using the lowest ramp levels.
As for driver whine, while most others don't seem to hear it the FET model is actually quite audible to my ears, but isn't so bad that I can't use it like some other lights I have. My hearing is quite sensitive though, for now at least. Perhaps this is a misconception but as I understood it, energy being used to produce an audible (or above-audible) noise is energy that is basically just being wasted, so it seemed pertinent to mention as a clearly illustrated manifestation of the lower efficiency due to PWM. If you have further insights on that, I would appreciate it.
What you describe with the wave generation changing with the ramp level seems very cool, I am interested to see what result that might have.
I also sincerely appreciate the extra info and corrections you provided on drivers here. Until now I've had only the most basic understanding of the technical electrical aspects of flashlights, and making this video required me to learn a lot. Clearly though, there is still much to learn.
Regarding the SST20s, I didn't want to cover color rendering much here so I mostly just left it with my thoughts. While I did notice the slightly weird coloration it gave things, I didn't mind it at all and still really like these LEDs. In practice they are still more natural looking to me than the warm E21As, mostly due to the respective color temps. Admittedly though I'm far from a tint snob, as long as the light is warm I'm pretty happy. Interestingly, I did try it out without the optic but I don't remember particularly liking it. I plan on covering the TS21 with the same emitters, so I'll probably address it in more detail there.
Hearing about Hank's opinions on the Aux lights is kind of amusing, I definitely am on the side of dimmer lights and slower cycles.
There actually was a portion of the video where I explicity stated that customers should not send unnecessary emails to Hank and to look for customizations already available online first, but it was cut, along with lots of other little things that seemed to drag the video down. I regret removing that bit now.
I did mention it already on Reddit but I was actually a bit worried about putting your music in here, and I did try to contact you over Reddit, albeit not very hard admittedly. I used the music as a placeholder in my timeline while I waited for a response, and ultimately I just went ahead and used it. I'm sorry about the lack of communication on that. I did hope to use it again for the Anduril video, but I understand if it's a problem.
This project was a bit much, it ended up being far more than I initially planned it to be. I definitely will be toning things down for future videos, I want them to be well-made still but I can't sustain huge complicated projects like this. I do hope that this video will bring some attention from manufacturers/retailers, but I will bear your warning in mind.
Actually, I'm not entirely sure where I'm going from here, I do have a few more reviews planned out but I don't really want to find myself stuck producing tons of flashlight reviews, lights are great but I'm not real fond of the whole hyper-consumerism aspect of this, especially since lights are really just meant to be tools that realistically don't need upgrades. Honestly, if it weren't for the desire others have expressed to see more reviews, I would consider stopping reviews before too much longer, in favour of pure entertainment instead. So it is a bit of a conundrum, we'll see where it goes.
@@LuxWad As you say, youtube comments aren't great for stuff like this. So... I responded privately.
Anyway, take care... and if you decide to do more videos, it sounds like people would enjoy it. But OMG it's a lot of work.
This is the first video I watch from you and the videography is fire! You are the Teddy Baldassarre of flashlights!
I know that it’s gonna get better and better each vid but I’m still floored at the production quality
Jackson Lee
5 star! Excellent job on the review of the Emisar D4v2. BEST REVIEW EVER! Long video but worth watching all the way to the END! Thanks for the link to my store 🤙
You knocked it out of the park, this review was as addicting as my flashlight addiction. You really kept me intrigued the whole time, it was well thought out and taught me things that I didn't even know.
This is an extremely high-quality review! Thank you for spending the time to make this.
This video is ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE! AMAZING JOB!!! As someone that's created video content, I can appreciate the amount of time and work that was put into this video. From the B roll to the script... wow. I almost feel like you spent too much time on this video lol You've got a new subscriber!
Haha thanks! You're right, I did spend a little too much time on this one, it was pretty fun
😳 best d4v2 review ever!!!! Thank you
Maybe the best review of anything!
Dude. Keep pumping out this quality production standard. Insane.
Also, I completely agree with many of your points, particularly regarding the low output of the AUX emitters and the poor mixing of the colours on magenta and yellow. I also think there should be more brightness options for sideswitch and AUX emitters.
The work you put into this video has resulted in a visual quality just as appealing to the eye as your subject matter. Visually impressive and informationally comprehensive! I watched with great satisfaction. Thanks for the effort you obviously invested in this review.
Whoa! The quality of this review is like... NEXT LEVEL! Thank you!
The effort you put into this review really shows.
Wow… that production quality is just..*chefs kiss*
Subbed and thank you.
I hope whatever you do for a living, that you're well blessed.
You definitely have one of the best product review videos I've ever seen; hands down. The video editing, the videography, time stamps and description in video are all phenomenal!
I came across it looking for the best 18650 edc/thrower out there.
wow this is one of the best production i have seen , amazing work !!!!
The production of this video was outrageously good. The intro was a masterpiece
This was an impressively informative review. One of the best I’ve ever seen. Definitely earned the thumbs up. As for the light itself, I am extremely impressed by how terrible the regulation is with the linear driver. And only 5 A, it should easily be able to hold 400 to 500 lm. That would probably only be drawing about 2 A. I wonder why the step down is so drastic. There is absolutely no reason for that. And would completely stop me from buying this light.
This video was genuinely spectacular. I want every review I've ever seen to be exactly like this. Clear and concise opinions backed by data and top tier production. Don't stop uploading bro, you're due to explode.
You've gain a subscriber!
Absolutely stunning video. I have been on the search for an in-depth review for this flashlight for a while and this is what I needed. Amazing music choice, insane camera work, and clear explanations. Although this is a niche hobby, you are going to be big! Keep up the good work.
Damn! This is one of the best if not the best flashlight reviewer on youtube.
Absolutely one of the best review videos I’ve ever watched.
I really appreciate the professionalism of the edit and b-roll . Well made.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
The production quality of this review beats out Hollywood man, such fantastic and gorgeous visual work!
best review on a flashlight i have ever seen on youtube, well done
The best and most detailed review of D4V2!!! I already have D4SV2 with 4000K SST-20 and a Noctigon DM11 in green color with SST-40 5000K from Hank.
After Your review, I ordered a Titanium version of D4V2 with E21A 5000K with amazing floody optics.
Subscribed to Your channel.
My mind is always blown with how well-produced his videos are. Can't wait to see what others await us in the future.
Stumbled upon your channel while searching for another pocket drain. 😂 Most of the comments here got my sentiments covered. This is beyond expectations. Keep it coming. Subbed.
Dude … how do you only have 900 followers , your work is brilliant
Wow... Intro like a Hollywood Trailer! Never seen a better Review before! High Class Video! Greats from Germany.
Great video. I’m actually blown away by your details and your editing. Thanks for sharing. I’m definitely getting one!
I don't see how he doest have more subscribers. Great videos and high quality 👌
Thanks!
I was not prepared for this much quality and passion. Well done!
FANTASTIC channel dude. Idk how you arent huge. Keep at it!
I subscribed, why? This is the most thorough review I have ever seen in my 43 years of life. I own the original D4, just bought a V2 from Hank.(SST-20 6500k) Thanks for the info good sir!!!
Glad it was helpful!
The BEST flashlight rewiew I EVER seen 💪 Thank you for the great Wort 😎 And Yes it's very addictive to play with Hanks lights 🤣
This detailed video helped a lot, thank you so much for all the work! It's not only super informative, but also its aesthetics is just awesome. Just ordered the second D4V2. I like the E21A 2200K version, not so efficient maybe, but beautiful and cosy. Wish there would be a genuine headlamp ...
I can´t believe myself I just watched a 39 minutes video of the Emisar D4 😍 Amazing ! Looking forward to see a video of the Andruil software to be explained. 👍🔦
Haha glad you enjoyed it! The Anduril video should be a fun one
this is no doubt one of the best reviews i've seen for anything on youtube
One of the best video reviews I've ever seen. It may be more than a year old but your style is excellent. I felt like I was back in college listening to one of the best professors. You aced it! I am now one of your subscribers. Thank you for taking the time and having the patience to do such an excellent job. The honesty and informative presentation was so well done I hope Hank has made you a member of his marketing team.
Haha I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was quite difficult to figure out the script for this video so I am happy to hear your thoughts.
Hank does not have a marketing team, but I have received a few review lights from him. We have communicated and he enjoys the videos, but I don't accept any payments or allow manufacturers to dictate my scripts so I can avoid any conflicts of interest and remain unbiased for my viewers :)
great job, all said and done, nice to look at and easy to understand information. That's why I bought this lantern, but I already have a Convoy.
Loved the video, especially the intro. Noticed some cool new transitions. 💯 Keep up the awesome video making.
BEST FLASHLIGHT REVIEWER ON THIS EARTH!
That is a good review. I would also mention the cheap and readily available flashing kit Hank sells to update the firmware. It is remarkable, as it is the only readily available flashing solution for Anduril lights and with it, you can flash the D4V2 to Anduril2. The newest version of Anduril2 features dynamic PWM which makes for much better low modes (more linear and controlled) with the constant current driver - it really changed the usability of these lights for me.
Do new ones have the anduril 2 installed?
@@zachmcclintock2041 I am not sure. You can email Hank (the owner) on the email mentioned in his website with your question. He is very good at responding.
@@zachmcclintock2041 I specifically ordered with anduril 2, was possible without surcharge. No issues with low light ramping.
Nice detailed review and the overall quality of the video production is great.
Great production quality and great content. Thank you!
Wow, I'm stunned by this flashlight!
You do such great work on these videos. I hope you keep them coming and get more subs. You’ve earned it. Thanks.
This video is so good, you make great content! Great camera work!
Amazing video! Thank you for putting it together. I just recently discovered Hank lights and your video will definitely help me in selecting and optioning my first one.
The rain shot with the ti model was probably my favorite
Wow this was a long one and man did I learn so much. Thank you very much.
Man, you need to make a movie about the history of the flashlights. Cover ALL companies, and every interesting details
Today I received my first D4V2 and ordered my second one right away :)
I’m subscribing just for the immense effort you put into this video. Cheers!
Nice video! I watched it 3 times already. Keep up the good work!
😂 I hope that was an enjoyable 2 hours, glad you liked it!
Fantastic video, I've just ordered a 2 channel Ti model with 519a and 219b LEDs, looking forward to it!
Thanks, I hope you enjoy the light when it arrives! The 519a seems like an awesome emitter for this light, I haven't been able to try it yet but I might get one
@@LuxWad it's my 40th birthday present to myself! 😅 Been waiting for the 519a to become available! I also opted for the "classic" 219b in warm white just to see what the fuss is about!
Thanks review, i just bought titanium sst20 2700k.
Your review is awesome. Very informative and modern. Subscribed.
Very well made video as always
Great video. The quality is great, and this has helped me a lot thanks.
Nice review. You come off as genuine and obviously put a lot of effort in.
A long awaited review! Yesss
I hope you enjoy!
Great production quality to this video! The B roll was really impressive for a niche flashlight review (which means fewer clicks).
Not an expert here, but I do appreciate flashlights and my Nichia 219c Lumintop Tool AA has a lovely 4000K color temp that makes leaves and grass look natural at night. What I don't get is how a 2700K light can have a color rendering index of 98, when to my eyes it obviously shifts colors towards orange or red. 😅 Anyway, this was a very enjoyable review. Cheers.
People keep saying these aren't practical.
I work in an underground mine. The only sources of light are manmande. I rely heavily on my handheld along with my headlamp. My headlamp is predominantly used for foot navigation. It just doesn't have the output I'd like to actually do my job. This involves finding and inspecting things from as much as 500-600' away. For this I exclusively use my handheld. I purchased a dual channel D4V2 with W1 and LH351D emitters. It is incredibly practical. Up close, the floody emitters are perfect. They produce enough light to do anything I need to up close. The W1's have enough throw to easily identify objects up to several hundred feet away. In very dusty environmens, or when I need to throw extremely far, I use my KR1 with an SFT-40. But 95% of the time, it's the D4V2. At 50% output, the light is bright enough for most of my work, and gets *slightly* warm to the touch. Even up to 70-80% output it will run for several minutes without getting too hot. Only in turbo does it get uncomfortably hot. This seems to be the sticking point of most people claiming it's impractical. Instead, they recommend lights that simply have a lower max output, which you can easily do in Anduril. You get just as much output as "more practical" lights, while not getting any hotter. The D4SV2 has better throw, and sustained output, but it's also way bigger. I also rarely need the sustained turbo that it gives me.
As someone who relies on this light 6 days a week, it's very practical, as long as you choose emitters that match your use-case.
I very much appreciate your insights here. I still do not consider this light practical as the interface is far too complicated for most users, the durability is relatively low, and the driver is inefficient, resulting in lower runtime and lower sustainable outputs.
However, the light is now available with a boost driver option, which increases efficiency from ~70% to about 90+, which makes this a much more practical light I think.
@@LuxWad I work in an underground mine, it's surviving for me just fine.
As far as battery life, I use it a lot. I carry a spare battery, and I rarely have to use it. As far as sustained output, it will run at 50-70% of max brightness for some time before getting hot or stepping down, and that's already more brightness than most people need. People don't take walks at night or look for something they dropped using turbo.
Anduril 2 has a lot of customizability, sure, but with about 15 seconds of instruction anyone can use it in simple mode.
This video is absolutely insanely well made and thorough. Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
I totally didn't need to watch this review as I've got two flashlights from Hank already, but it was fun, pretty epic and well put together! Owning a KR4 E21A 2700K and D4SV2 W2, after seeing your video I might have to get something with an SST-20 4000K next...
I agree with the "enthusiast" label. Perhaps the flashlights with built-in charging (e.g. K9.3, K1) are less of a concern, but there's still the totally unprotected exposed contacts when the body tube is unscrewed to plug in a charging cable, and unscrewing means the threads will eventually need cleaned/lubed too.
The Anduril 2 PFM/dynamic PWM change alongside the moon level "jump start" (still being refined) happening right before you released this is sorta unfortunate, but on the plus side, you could decide to cover it in the hinted at driver comparison video. What a time we live in, firmware updates for flashlights with actually meaningful improvements :D
Excellent editing, useful and fun commentary on screen, and nice music to accompany this, too. Plus all those chapter markers are great for referring back!
Glad you liked it! I was kind of sad to see the Anduril update when I did, but since I'm covering these lights and the firmware more in the future it's not too big a deal. I wonder though how I'm going to put together the Anduril video, since a lot of older lights from various brands aren't going to be using the new firmware. The flashing pads on the Emisars are definitely a big advantage
Awesome vid! Newbie to this LED Flash world! Well done! Subscribed!
I own a couple fw3 lights and due to my typical use case, I’m pretty ok with the shorter runtimes. I’m a glassblower and prefer to work in dimmer conditions.. easier to read heat temps. But sometimes I do need to light the hell out of a piece in progress which is where a high cri hotrod comes in very handy. Since I’m rarely needing it for more than 10 secs at a time, the heat isn’t much of an issue either. I’ve got a ticu model with the 4k sst20 (mine are kinda green at lower levels as well), and a purple aluminum one with 5k xpl-hi. The lights actually came with leds that are in the other but I swapped the stars between them. The driver in the purple one can also be a little weird sometimes so I put all of the “best” parts into the ticu, aka, my main one. The aluminum one also currently has an 18350 tube installed and it’s purpose is mostly novelty… super high output in a tiny purple package. Got em from jlhawaii my intention is to sandblast and stonewash the titanium parts later down the line once they’ve gotten a little scratched up, but I’ll enjoy the shine til then. I’m also considering stripping the anodizing from the purple one. I’m cool with purple, but I mostly. Bought for the sst20 star and it was the only version I could find with those leds.
Awesome video though might have to pick one up. I mostly found the fw3 aesthetics more appealing, it’s max output was more in line with my needs and I wasn’t too interested in the aux leds. Both of my fw3 have turboglow gaskets installed anyway.
I like lumintop edc18copper nichia 219c 4000k, fw3brass sst20 4000k, lm10 xpl 5000k titanium, fw21 x9l copper and fw21 pro cupper, and i don't like aux colour light.
Definitely considering the E21A variant for a bedside and around-the-house light. Definitely don’t need a ton of output, but a warm color temperature is much appreciated here. Already have a Zebralight SC600FC mkiv Plus for a workhorse light though.
The E21A is pretty much ideal for that application, especially now that there are some cool new updates to the firmware, so ultralow will work a lot better. I use my E21A on ultralow around the house pretty frequently
@@LuxWad Off topic. For edc, I actually prefer floody, as most times I need a light, I need it to work with things up close, or to illuminate a wide area. I seldom need a lot of distance, though that’s what Turbo is for.
I prefer floodier beams in general, despite my channel name I don't have much use for really throwy lights. That being said I do prefer a bit more intensity for outside, especially since I prefer lower outputs so it's more efficient. Partly why the E21A light is perfect indoors but for me it's not effective outdoors
On Anduril2 you can set are Aux-Led on another setting for lockout mode. It’s awesome.
Same with Anduril 1.
Features like this is why I got this flashlight which then introduced me into this hobby.
Again a great vid. Thx. Agree 100%. Love my D2V4 Ti. Only the FWAA in Cu and Ti is a competitor in my edc rotation, because of its form factor 😉. Would be nice to see smaller (AA/14500) version of the D4V2 🤩.
A 14500 version would be very cool! Hank has gotten tons of requests for it, so I wouldn't be surprised if we get one eventually
I have the tint ramping version in titanium. It's an absolutely awesome flash light. I work in a scrap yard and it's survived the forklift running it over! I really hope that Hank starts adding USB C charging in future models.
Great work, thank you for the useful and thorough review.
I ordered this light for work because it’s the only one that I could find that has a diffused optic option. I ordered it with a boost driver and an sst 20 4000k for a high cri. I also needed a magnetic tail cap with a 18650 battery in a small package. Here’s hoping it works out. I have so many flashlights that I don’t work for me.
Good luck, hope this one fills your needs!
Thanks for review: most excellent. Me cheap - no want to buy wrong light. Me like flashlight- want good one. Thanks for explain this!
Your channel deserves so much more attention than it is getting. Amazing production value and great info.
As amazing as this light is, I have this and the S, the way it feels in your hand is like sitting in a new Porsche, the power and quality is palpable. I got a lot of the optional bits and the 350 tube is beyond special. In cyan of course. On a side note, the heads on my Sofirn SC31 pro and Wurrkos FC11 are interchangeable. Purple and green.
Amazing review but I cant fully agree with the battery life issues. I think the options these flashlights provide can be great for optimizing battery life. I have both the D4V2 with the linear driver E21A in 4500k and the FET SST-20 in 5000K. The E21A and linear driver is awful with only about half the run time when set to match close to the same output. However with the SST-20 version I have it set to stepped modes with the ceiling at about 250 lumens. I only use turbo to show off the light or for extremely rare situations so most battery cycles are with no turbo and just using high I'll get about 5 hours with no ramp down. Most pocket flashlights I own have modes that are lower or much more than 250 lumens and will ramp down. Using the D4V2 this way is a great work light and its just warm to the touch at that output.
Як ваше загальне враження від е21а?
Hello any idea why the aux lights won't shut off on my d4v2 ? I've tried bringing back 2 simple ui then back 2 advanced..7 clicks 2 cycle through aux lights and still nothing?I've also tried breaking contact with the tail cap and no luck?
Just ordered my 2nd d4v2, my first one just recently stopped clicking. I am also trying to get a whole new head for my old one, cause who wouldn't want 2 of these amazing flashlights??
Great review!👏🏻
Superb review. Great Job.
Congratulations for this great video. Absolutely! There are questions about the D4V2 with the LED E21A neutral white, 4500K, R9080 (i.e. CRI 90). What is the difference in luminosity between Nichia 219BT-V1, 4500K and Nichia E21A, 4500K? How many lumens do these have compared to the SST-20?
The E21A will give you about 1,000 lumens max, while the 219b will double that. SST20 in 4000K will produce about 3,300 lumens max
@@LuxWad Do you have experience how much power LED LH351D (4000K) can have?
About 4,000 lumens
@@LuxWad 😎🙏
Professional work 👍
I know it's an oldie but, what battery would you recommand for a D4V2 in 18350 config ? I'm in Canada so i importing batteries is no fun. Some Vape shops have 18350s with 10A continus discharge and 15A max. Would it be good ? Thanks
I honestly don't much of anything about 18350 batteries, I have only used the Keeppower 1100mAh model and it's terrible. I imagine the battery you mentioned would be just fine.
Amazing amount of information here, but can you recommend a sort of "beginner Anduril video" for those of us with our first Anduril light (Emisar d4v2 for me) that goes a little slower and in more detail regarding operation of the light? Thanks!!
I'm not aware yet of any recent detailed videos that go through the whole UI, but Flashlight Enthusiast had a couple good videos on his channel that go over the operation. I recommend looking at a text-based manual, particularly this guide: ivanthinking.net/thoughts/anduril2-manual/
Well done! Looks like a lot of effort made to make this video. This made me want to get one of these lights. Have you seen the lumintop fw3a and sofirn if25a? Maybe include size and beamshot comparisons to other lights. Great 🔦 review! 👍
I'm glad you like it!
I think the FW3A is pretty cool, I like the D4V2 more though. The IF25A is really good, it's a great value light. I am reviewing the Wurkkos TS21 soon, which is very similar and might be better than the IF25A if you're interested in that
@@LuxWad I'm looking forward to that TS21 review. I hope the tint is as nice as the IF25a.
Hey LuxWad. This is a huge undertaking but could you make a video going over every LED option that Hank has on his website? I haven't seen anyone do this, and it would place your video as the defacto resource for all people just getting into Emisar ligts.
Thanks for this excellent and very professional review, much appreciated since I have been thinking about getting one of these lights. Cool to see ToyKeeper getting involved too.
Phenomenal review
great video! Just got my first ! d4k MAO with 519a 27000 and 519a 3500. its absolutely stellar and im already building my next lmfao.
Hello.I have emisar d4v2 xpl-hi.So I wonder if there is same size,lumens flashlight as emisar but with more throw or to go with d4v2 osram w2?
Thanks for the review. Is it better than Lumintop FW3A in terms of build quality?
Yeah it's a bit better, and the quality control is much higher. Lumintop has been slowly cutting corners in their FW lights to increase profit margins, while Hank has actually improved His components over time (such as the switch)
@@LuxWad Thanks a lot
Is there a danger of setting the thermal limit too high and causing damage to this light, or any light running Anduril?
Anduril only allows a maximum of 70C, which is well below the limits of the components. Certain LEDS though might not be able to handle it, but I've never heard of any issues with burnouts, the lights are configured with the right driver to prevent that
@@LuxWad Thanks for the reply! This video was amazing. The production quality of all your videos is outstanding. Keep up the great work, and thanks again.
Hey! What lanyard are you using for the lights?
They come with a cheap little lanyard, that's all I'm using
I noticed hanks now selling dual channel w tint ramping. Say I got 519a 2700 and 5700k when only 2 is lit that's half the lumens as. 4? What if both on at same time what color would you get? In between like 4000k?
The dual-channel will be the same output as the single channel, it just drives the 2 leds harder - it's not as bright on Turbo however.
You should get about 4000K, mixing two different CCTs also always results in rosier tints
@@LuxWad You mean if the 2 5700k led only was on it would be the same lumens as if all 4 5700k we're on if it was 5700 quad?
Not on turbo, the max output will be less than half as there is half as many LEDs and no FET. But they would be the same on the lower modes
Hey, I want to buy this light but I'm unsure what LEDs I want.
I thought of going with the dual setup (tint model) with these two:
CH1: XP-L HI in 4000K
CH2: W2 in 6000K
I want the light to be able to throw a little on one channel, and offer a smooth flood on the other channel.
I also wanted a warm and cool light source, but not too far separated to avoid an ugly turbo look.
Do you think 4000K is warm enough? I'm going with the TI model with amber switch just like you did.
It's a tough choice. I would probably recommend W1 over W2 as you will get more throw, but it's not a pretty beam in the Carclo optic. For flood, the LH351D is much floodier than the XP-L, the 219b is a bit floodier as well. I think 4500-5000K would look a bit better with the 6000K emitter, but 4000K should be fine too.
14:10 - Yes it does impact battery life. The difference being small for one person's opinion doesn't make it correct to say that it doesn't affect battery life.
Also, you don't negate the self drain by having the auxiliary lights on. You add to it. It's addition so you just drain the battery faster.
I didn't say it negated the drain, I said it was negligible and thus not a concern.
Well made video. Great light, I have several.