1TAC TC1200 - Flashlight Scam??
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- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- Let's test the 1TAC TC1200 and see if it stands up to their claim of 1200 lumen output. If you like this flashlight as much as I do, go to this link at Amazon.com amzn.to/2wQlEzg and you'll save $16 under what my wife paid for it.
You can support my channel by shopping online through my Amazon portal at amzn.to/38grJ6P
I have nothing but good to say about 1Tac. I bought 2, one for my wife and one for yours truly. My flashlight failed over a year later due to the end cap switch breaking. I emailed 1Tac to see if I could purchase a new end cap. What was their response? They sent me a brand new and improved TC1200 Pro at no charge! It is brighter and more compact. You should deal with this company. They are very good.
It's been a while since I made this video, but our 1TAC is the primary flashlight we use on a regular basis. I have no problem with the flashlight! It's just how the flashlight is marketed with exaggerated claims and we paid too high a price. Ours is still working great.
Thank you for the review! I saw a Facebook ad too and the marketing was amazing and made me want to get many for myself and my loved ones so we could be safe. Before I spent the money, I asked my mom if I was just being a sucker to the marketing and she said to look at reviews. I’m so glad I did and happened to find your video!
I still use my 1TAC and it has held up just fine over the years. The key is to not overpay for it. We paid in the $50's and you can find them out there for 1/2 that price. Buyer beware. :)
JUNK! $4.00 rebranded Alibaba flashlight!
Send me the Alibaba link with this same identical flashlight without the brand, or shut up.
Gear light on Amazon sells them for two for $16. I would not pay much more. They are nice.
I got so scammed. Came across my newsfeed that CVS was giving free gift away. All I had to pay was shipping 6.00.
Soon. I had a 49.99 dollar fee on my bank statement. Chase is investigating if they will refund my $50.
What a joke when I tried calling the phone number. Who know what else will be getting and what charges I will be receiving. I am so mad at myself for falling for this. Ughh
I feel your pain. I was scammed 40 years ago by a company that promised I would win either a grandfather clock, a bass boat or something else. It turned out the grandfather clock was made out of particle board with a electric watch glued to it. The bass boat was an inflatable rubber dingy, etc. I think I got my money back eventually. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Thank you so much for the video
ima4ster , I just ordered 2x 1tac flashlights 30 minutes before I saw your video, by min 4.26 of your videos I pause got on the phone and canceled my order . saved me money , thanks , gonna continue looking for a real bright light
Oh my. I wasn't trying to talk anybody out of purchasing this flashlight....just paying a fair price for it. What were they charging for the one you ordered?
The focusing is for distance. I have one and I paid $15 at Walmart for it, and it works best with a 18650 battery. Thanks for the review.
I did a follow-up video where I used a lithium battery. It did perform better, but still nowhere near the 1200 lumen in my opinion.
Thanks a lot for the review. It really helped me make my decision not to buy it. I have better flashlights compared to this one. The 1200 lumens did not seem consistent with what I would have expected for brightness.
For what it's worth, we used our 1TAC the most of any flashlight. It disappears a while back and we really miss it.
Thanks - you saved me a lot of money, since I almost purchased five of them from their website, just to get them for $29 ea. But my brother gave all of us in the family big magnalites a few years ago that work just fine. These are smaller, but after seeing your comparison I'm thinking this flashlight is a scam. Maybe going to a police supply store will yield a brighter choice. Plus, the other commenters on your video have good suggestions, too. Thanks again.
Unfortunately, consistency isn't this flashlight's strong point, so everybody's experience can be different. I know I commented in the video that the light would switch from one mode to another seemingly by itself. Somebody commented that that wasn't possible and his was just fine. I wouldn't lie about that! At $20, I would take a chance with this light. At $50, I'd walk on by. It's pretty much a function of cost.
I have one that was ordered as a gift from my father. It is the TAC 1200 CREE version and is a BEAST!! When fully charged, my light easily meets advertised lumens and I wouldn't rely on anything else. It came in a durable plastic box lined with protective foam, 3 lithium ion rechargeable batteries, a belt case, and 3 different recharging options.
This was my favorite go-to flashlight for several years. My wife lost it walking the dog and we miss it. My main point in the video was the price. I saw the same flashlight for much cheaper. They sell for a wide range of prices online.
You are correct I did have the opportunity to view your second video and it does seem the lithium battery truly makes the difference.
@@bushleaguesociety I measured these with my integrating light tube which has been calibrated, and it was a tad above 300 lumens. The thing that fools a lot of people is the way it focuses the beam into a tight spot, and they think it's brighter than the lumens it's actually producing. Lumens = a measurement of all the light produced. Lux = a measurement of the brightest part of the beam, often the center. This is what people often get wrong and think just because the center is brighter than X flashlight, it's higher lumens.
Thank you soooo much for your review. I was just about to purchase one but 3 get 3 free just because of the beam that was promised. You save me a bunch of money and frustration
It really is a decent flashlight.....just don't overpay like I did.
$29 for a $5 flashlight
I bought 6
$1 flashlight
When its zoomed in to the square it's clearly brighter than the other one. the 1200nm output only applies when its fully zoomed in to make the square
So I had to do it. If you pull up the Duracell AAA battery datasheet, it shows a nominal resistance of 0.25 Ohms (250 mOhms) per cell. These are configured in series, so 0.75 Ohms cell resistance. Looking at the discharge graphs, these things are rated at 1.5V/cell, but they are going to drop FAST with a high current load. I'll be generous and give them 1.4V under load (they WON'T be that high...). Current through a LED is easy to calculate is (battery voltage - LED forward voltage drop) / resistance. If we assume 1500mA, then we are looking at 3.05V drop from the LED, so the math says we can get a MAX of 1533mA out of three VERY FRESH AAA cells into that LED. ASSUMING they picked the best bin for that LED (aka: most expensive...), 1500mA gives us only 618lms per the datasheet. IF they went with the lowest bin (given the price, probably...) we are in the 502lm range instead. And all of that is lumens being emitted by the LED diode and does not take into account ANY light lost, absorption, scattering, etc. So yeah, it is no where NEAR 1200 lumens on three AAA batteries. This does not take into account the circuitry inside the flashlight either. If you switch to a GOOD 16850 cell with 3.6V (fresh charge) and less than 100mOhms internal resistance (GOOD 16850 cell), then you see it CAN deliver 3000mA (actually 5500mA without the current limiting circuit in the flashlight) and can get close to theoretical limit of 1200 lumens. IF they picked the best bin of LEDs, otherwise they can't even hit that WITH that good 16850.
Thanks for thinking that through for the rest of us. I was just relying on the obvious observations from a use test. By the way, I did a follow-up video replacing the AAA's with an 18650. The 1TAC performed better, but still seemed much less than advertised. In any case, I enjoy the flashlight and I'm carrying it this weekend on a trip. I just wish we hadn't paid as much.
I got 10 of these to give as gifts to all of my uncles. You forgot to test the water resistance. That's another good feature. I put it in the dishwasher and it still works great
Glad they still work for you! :) I just got back from Costa Rica (see last video) and this was the flashlight that I chose to take along. You'll see it in my latest video.
Thanks I appreciate the honest review. I don't know how all the companies can get away with say 1200 lumens etc when they obviously aren't. Hard to find a good bright light at a reasonable price.
I stick with reputable manufacturers like Fenix and Streamlight.
plenty of quality lights on Amazon that are well worth the money.
I just checked, my daughter got me a "tactical Christmas stocking", with one of those in it. It even has the same zoom markings on the bezel. Now we can be flashlight buddies, oh ya!
Neat, although I'd rather be Hinderer XM-18 buddies. :)
Live in the UK, bought a Chinese one off amazon for £7.99 (less than $10) a few years ago, came with 18650 batter + charger, 5 modes including strobe, works just as bright as your “high end” one, they all use the T6 cree LED, they all have the same max power if u use the 18650 (3.7V), Chinese copies may use a knockoff LED but tbh it works just as good, don’t see myself driving a truck over mine so I’d go for the Chinese ones & save $50-90.
The only good thing that I can say about our 1TAC is that this video reimbursed us for the cost of it. So from that standpoint, it was free.
Glad i saw this video! I had just told my wife i wanted one for my b-day or next x-mas? In the ad i saw it said this light not only could start a fire ,it could burn threw plastic tarps and even thin metal. I wanted a couple of them to ad to our bugout bags and one for camping? But after this i can say im glad my b-day was far off! Hahaha Of course i would have tried one before placing them in our bugout bags and such but damit im sick of so many people trying to tip off others! Another reason why i only buy American made! The only things i do buy that are not are things u cant get in our economy, things that just are not build or made here. From now on U.S. made or not at all!!!
I suggest an O-light. Reasonably priced and dependable.
I purchased a Quantum from Harbor freight because it was 9 dollars and it's awesome. It's identical to yours but way brighter. Going to purchase several more for hurricane season
It's a good flashlight....just have to be a good shopper to get a good deal.
You need to have the same power supply in each light. Having alkaline batteries in one and L-ion in another is not a controlled experiment.
I have a followup video where I use similar batteries. It does put out more light, but still nowhere near what they advertise.
@@ima4ster their is no way it is 1200.
@@ima4ster its a bad deal .it is not wroth 60.00 dollars .
@@rickeybullington68 We have enjoyed this light, but it would be fairly priced at $20-$30.
@@ima4ster harbor freight has one thatlooks just like it and does the same thing for 13.98
Just some simple observations first it's made in China so what do you expect it might be good at might not be. Second it's a gift from your wife so if you value your relationship don't let her see this video.
No worry there, she doesn't watch my videos! :)
@@ima4ster well that's good to hear you never know how they're going to react it could be a very innocent thing but they might get offended because it's something that they gave to you as a gift. I watched your follow-up video and the performance of the gifted flashlights actually seems pretty good I guess it boils down to which do you prefer the flashlight that has a stronger hot spot in the middle or one that's more even throughout the beam either way it does seem pretty good compared to the other light
it may say ON the item 1200 lumens, but I saw an ad where it stated UP TO 1200 lumens
It was nowhere close to 1,200 lumens though.
I agree with charlietow . We have the 1TAC flashlights and headlamp EXCEPT we use the 1TAC Lithium Ion batteries in them and we are very happy with their light output/performance. I could be mistaken but I think you can substitute that entire alkaline battery dock thing for one 18650 Lithium-Ion battery and you’d probably get a lot more light output out of it! I’d love to see a follow up video using the Lithium-Ion battery!!😽
I did a follow-up video where I used similar batteries. It did put out more light, but still nowhere near what they advertise.
In 2006 I was looking for a decent 🔦 and was advised to get ledlenser P7.As i wasn't looking for a profesional flashlight.So i got one,it lasted up until the last week when i sadly lost it.Because technology stepped up so much over the last 16years i decided to look for other brand to replace my beloved P7 and came across this "awesome " tc1200.I was soooo near of ordering one!So thank you very much for your review sir.I shall stay with ledlenser after all 🙂.
This is a link to the flashlight that I went with and we love it. amzn.to/3vLgKAs
@@ima4ster I know this one,it was recalled by the company do to safety.
I had that light for a short time. Trashed it. Stick with Thru-nite or Olight.
They're making out like bandits with all the sales from misleading ads.
A1tactical makes some nice flashlights too which are off of the thrunite 👍
Eagletac as well
I have this exact flashlight (actually bought four at the same time for bulk discount). They were not very bright with AAA batteries...I bought a four pack of the 3.7v rechargeable batteries and put one in the flashlight and it was WAY better and brighter! The Flashlights come with a plastic tube insert that goes around the large, single 3.7v battery, I didn't see you mention that at all. My TC1200 with the 3.7v battery is def 1200 lumens and by far the brightest flashlight I've ever seen....
I did a follow-up video with an 18650. It was much brighter, but still not up to the advertised 1200 lumens. It is a useful flashlight, but I disagree with their advertising and prices are all over the board. We paid too much for ours.
I love flashlights and have purchased many over the years. I believe it's a scam. No way is that light putting out 1200 lumens. Being a first responder for many years and in the medical field for over 30 years I've bought and compared many flashlights. It has cool options put the out put seems to lack greatly
I've found the flashlight to be very useful, but definitely not living up to the light output.
I'd be most interested to know what you ended up deciding to carry, since you have tried so many over the years
If I
I love the 1Tac! I got it for fathers day 2 years ago. I'm a realtor in a 24 hr town (Reno), so I show folks homes at all hrs of the night. I've taken this flashlight with me for years on showings. I trust it and it works amazing. I tried putting the 3 AAA batteries, but it works so much better with an 18650 cell.
I agree wholeheartedly. :) I have multiple flashlights and the 1tac is our go to flashlight. My wife uses it to walk the dog at night and she reminded me to recharge it yesterday. My only issue is the range of prices out there. We overpaid, but that's our fault.
Came across your review thought I might add my two cents worth. I have three of these flashlights and I really like them. They are built like a tank. They are tough enough I would not hesitate to use as part of my self defense. I had a switch to go bad on one light, sent email through the 1TAC website on Sunday evening got a phone call next day. Lifetime replacement part is on the way to me all I paid was $5 shipping charge no questions no hassle. Pretty good customer service in my book. Type of battery really affects performance dramatically, I use Energizer lithium.
Only worth $5
I'd pay $15
What surprised me was that it wasn't even rechargeable. For big money that would be a must!
We lost ours and although I think it was too highly priced, we miss it! It was a very dependable flashlight.
Well I bought 3 of them 3 years ago and the button has fell apart on all 3, sadly I just bought 3 more off of an ad and it has been 9 days not even an email letting me know shipping or that they received order with receipt just like all of the other items that I purchase online. The only good part was that I did pay through paypal so it wont be hard to get my money back.
Fortunately, we only bought 1 and it has held up OK.
This light is made by one company in China that gets rebranded by many different company's who then sell it as a high power tac light lol. I bought one for work purposes, it cost me £8 about $12 on ebay and arrived with 2 x 18650 batterys and a charger and the case like yours. Been using it for 2yrs trouble free. It's a take on a scam a falsely advertised light but it does what i need it to do..
Yes, they have false advertising, but I do enjoy the flashlight.
The zoom function, as indicated on the bell of the light, shows that the supposed high power level of the light is available at the highest zoom position. Other less illuminating lower power levels are indicated as the zoom level is decreased. Or at least this is how I read it.
If that was intended by their illustration, I didn't get it. It is possible that they achieve the advertised light output at the highest zoom position, but if that is the case, they should state it clearly. I'm not sure that they even achieve it though at any zoom level.
I got my lumintop EDC05 yesterday and I'm impressed. $30 is more than I would usually pay for a flashlight but it's tiny (like a roll of dimes but lighter) and it's for real 800 lumens. Also received my Convoy C8+ XPL- HI 8x7135 chips conservatively rated at 1100 lumens. It's a serious thrower.
You're good to go for flashlights. I assume you must be a reviewer. I'll check out your channel.
@@ima4ster + Actually not a reviewer, maybe I should be described as a collector. I also like to get bang for the buck. I just wanted to share with others that there are options that maybe they don't know about. I'm learning that after a certain point, you have to double the power to achieve a noticeable difference. Like double the power only looks 10-20% brighter. Head design is more important than power for throwing. Orange peel and possibly roughing up the surface of the lid of the LED for flood. The late model LEDs are more efficient producing up to 130 lumens per watt which should lead to longer runtimes. The Convoy C8+ is the better buy than the ThruNight Catapult V6 at about 1/3 the cost and the Convoy has much better spill than the generic Skywolfeye, while having a hotter spot for throwing. The lumintop EDC05 is excellent for power to size ratio but at about $30 kind of pricey, plus people have reported some quality control problems with the button. Mine works fine for now. I did get in my drop in LED and driver's for the UF 501-502, I don't have a body to drop them in yet, but I will get one. I will let you know how it goes.
Really helpful video thanks. Looks like several companies are marketing similar products at different price levels, which is why I went to your video. Currently I have a Byblight f12 but it's nothing like as powerful as I expected. Will definitely keep searching!
You can't go wrong with an Olight. This is the one that I carry the most now. amzn.to/3G8nz57
I would say this is definitely not anywhere near 1200 lm and if it's being marketed as such then it is definitely a scam and a ripoff. I would be kinda like going to a car lot and buying a car that is marketed with it having a huge high performance V-8 only to get home and find out it has a modest four-cylinder. Excellent video my friend thanks for sharing.
Maybe this video will prevent somebody else from falling victim to their misleading ads.
I have the Coast Polysteel 600 flashlight. Puts out on High: 579 lumen. On Medium: 187 lumen. On Low: 55 lumen. High beam distance of 856 feet. That's 2 1/2 Football Fields. It also has Twist Focusing to narrow or widen the beam.
Paid $39.95 plus tax. Out preforms the 1Tac flashlight by a huge long shot.
Sounds like a much better deal.
It’s a great flashlight. Especially for around $10 or less. But $50 it’s a rip off.
Exactly!
Got my first Budget Light Forum light today. Sent to me by mistake. I had ordered parts that would go in their A6 light, they sent the light instead. It's supposed to be 1600 lumens. I believe it. On high, you wouldn't want to hold it bare handed more than 60 seconds. I don't think it steps power down either and would probably happily immolate itself if you put it on high and set it down, be warned. The Nitenumen also came. Reasonable 850 lumens in as compact a size (4 inches) as you can expect of a light that accepts 18650 batteries, plus! They found room to include micro USB onboard charging. The Nitenumen requires button top batteries. I wouldn't consider the Nightnumen any kind of weapon, other than blinding effect that it could probably do as well as most but it would in my opinion make a good every day carry, if it doesn't fail on me. The NN looks to be good quality, bummer it requires button top batteries, as I normally use LG Choco batteries that vapers favor for their quality, capacity and reasonable price. I'm running the NN with a small neodyium magnet on one of the LG Choco for testing. I have ThorFire VG15s, TK15, TK15s, TK06 in front of me. All exhibit reddish "warm white" light that I personally don't care for in a flashlight as I wouldn't attempt photography by flashlight and I really don't care how natural the colors look. I want a long lasting setting in the 200 lumens range and bright as I can get for signalling some dark and rainy night if I have car trouble. Filtered through that, the ThorFires all have cheap clips best described as adequate. My pick would be the TK15S, it has a side button to control mode and an on off button at the rear while only being 1/4 inch longer than the other type 15 variants. Note that my first TK06 didn't survive 30 seconds after I put a battery in.
Got the same flashlight at Amazon branded under a different name for $14.00 for a 2 pack. Same flashlight listed under many brands on Amazon (LED Tactical Flashlight). They are cheap but work pretty good.
You got a steal!
XT12GT folks. Can't go wrong. Yes costs more but a beast.. Thanks for the review!
I'll check it out.
Lumens (total light output) are mostly just important if you want floodlight, while Candela (actual brightness of the hotspot) is IMO way more important for hiking. Floodlights light up a relatively wide cone, and is therefore good for worklights and inside tents, but i usually have to push up to at least 30 lumen if i want to get "barely adequate" brightness for hiking, where as even the 5 lumen setting on the Nitecore MT1A is actually PLENTY bright enough, and will therefore give me a much better energy efficiency/battery life (this also depends on the parts used in the flashlight, and although pretty good, the MT1A is not the absolute best when it comes to energy efficiency). Floodlights also have pretty bad throw (beam distance), which is not ideal when i hear branches breaking in the forest, and wonder if a crazy killer moose is lurking in the dark
A more power efficient flashlight - in combination with a few battery banks and at least one powerful solar panel for hiking is also a nice reassurance to have in case war breaks out, and the electrical grid gets targeted. I live about the same latitude as the US/Canada border, and got two 28W solar panels, which is WAY more than i need for summer days with good weather, but its is kinda limiting when its overcast (battery banks help), and very limiting during winters - when it gets dark early, and i need a flashlight for a lot more hours than the rest of the year. I think each solar panel gives around 0.2A (MAYBE 0.3A) during sunny winter days (similar to a cloudy summer day), and a SURPRISINGLY thin layer of clouds drops this down to 30%...
Great input. I have 2 solar panels and keep a battery charged for emergency use to have light or recharge cell phones or flashlights. Concerning lights....I like a variety of flashlights as one that I need for hiking at night is different from the one that I need to read a map in the car or look for something I dropped. Too much light can be blinding in some situations.
if you want a really good flashlight i recommend fenix pd36r. It pushes out 1600 lumens with 5 other settings including a strobe mode.
Fenix is my favorite brand of flashlight. I don't have the pd36r, but I'll look at it.
There's tons of that going on with flashlights LED'S are relatively new and most people don't know the difference from 100lm and 1,000lm stay clear of TV ads do your homework here on youtube there's more junk out there than quality stuff. And always remember if it sounds too good to be true it usually is.
Well said.
This is the same light as the gear light 2 pack which is 2 of these flashlights for around $15 it isn't 1200L it's only 1000L not a bad product at all I've had mine for a year with no issues but $50 is a rip off
I say SCAM! I had almost the same, but with a twist. Mine was a popup ad when I was on Amazon. The ad listed all the flashlight features you covered but for only $4.99 & free shipping! I examined the ad very, very, very carefully for any gotchas but there were none. I thought $4.99 was not a very big risk soooooo I clicked to order. On the order, they offered a second one for another $4.99. So, deciding 2 are better than one & I could get one for my lovely wife (who I adore), I ordered the 2. Again, no misleading gotchas. Then another popup ad offered a high powered headlamp, same kind of deal $5.99 & double the price & get 2, no gotchas, sooo
I ordered 2 headlamps. Grand total about $23. When I received the products, I was very pleased with the quality & price. They were plenty bright, they'll temp blind/dazzle an intruder, but I'm sure the lumen claim was higher than actual. One flashlight was labeled "Tactical Flashlight" the other labeled "XML-T6". The XML Bell is a little larger & the other's push button is Red vs Orange. All other markings & features were identical to this video. Headlamps were identical, labled "Tactical Headlamp".
Battery set up for all 4 was either 3xAAA or 18xxx.
NOW HERE COMES THE SCAM! Approx 10 days later, my bank sent me a text of possible fraudulent charges--4 charges of $49.99 from 4 different companies. I told them nope, dono where those charges came from & I didn't recognize the Company names. They asked if I had made any recent purchases with that card, & I said only for the $23 worth of 2 flashlights, & 2 headlamps. Bank said charges were listed as "Fitness Balance Bands", "TAC Flare", "Gadget", & " "Hand Held 2 Radio". The Bank gave me their 800 numbers & I called each company. I GOT THE SAME PERSON ANSWERING FOR EACH COMPANY at EACH DIFFERENT 800 NUMBER!!!
She said the 4 extra $49.99 charges were for the 2 flashlights & 2 headlamps I received!! THE $5.99/$4.99 was for a 30 day trial and the $49.99 was an additional charge if I didn't return the items!!! I said NO WAY, NO HOW did I agree to anything so outrageous! I had carefully checked their deal and there was NOTHING like that in the entire order process AND I SPECIFICALLY LOOKED FOR ANY GOTCHAS!
She said regardless, that was the deal, but offered me $20 total back. I said No, I'm having the bank dispute it. She said if I returned the items before 30 days with an RMA number she provided on the box, she would refund the $49.99 charges for 2 items.
For the other 2 items, I had to call two other 800 numbers she gave me! I called THOSE numbers and the SAME girl answered one of them!!! Anyway, I got the same offer, return them before 30 days & the $49.99 charges would be refunded. There would be NO REFUND of the initial $5.99/$4.99 charges nor my return shipping costs! I asked how in the world could I trust that? I'm sticking to the dispute with the bank. We hung up. I haven't heard anything since. The 30 days is up tomorrow. Bank cancelled original card & issued a new one.
The quality of the lights overall is good. Worth? I'd say $25-$35 each. I'm inclined to keep the items & let the bank kick their behinds. However, I could send the lights back. But, assuming I do get refunded, I'm still out my initial $23 plus shipping. I'm kind of torn....
What do you folks recommend???? What would you do??
Scams abound. I would have never guessed you would be scammed that way. Maybe the only clue was that it was too good to be true? For your trouble, I'd keep the gear and let the bank cancel the card. Once, I got a phone call about entering some contest (don't recall the details) that I was guaranteed to win one of 5 prizes. I recall one of the prizes was a grandfather clock and another prize was a bass boat. I fell for it hook, line and sinker. It turns out the grandfather clock was a box of particleboard with a little electric clock glued in place and the bass boat was an inflatable raft. Somehow, with a lot of trouble, I got out of that one.
@@ima4ster me too...
I don't know what to do
@@ima4ster
On UA-cam.
You'd think UA-cam would be on that like they are on ivermectin
Great video. I have one of these, or rather the As Seen on TV Bell + Howell Taclight, which looks identical. I quite like the light actually, due to its compact size and the zoom. With an 18650 lithium ion battery in it, I think it might actually be a genuine 600 lumens as claimed by Bell+Howell.
How much did B&H charge for it? At least they were honest in their advertising.
Thank you for your video. Like your wife, I saw this and was about to order and decided to look for some reviews.
It's always a good idea to do some research before buying. The internet makes it easy to do. Glad you found the info you needed.
Lie-Fa Shen-Dale get a good flashlight from zebralight, acebeam nitecore, fenix, or olight
I've seen this flashlight TC 1200 advertised for a variety of prices. I think your wife got ripped off paying $60. It's advertised for a little over 1/3 that for TWO flashlights in a 2-pack. On the 1Tac website it's advertisement says "2 nautical miles" but other sites say 500 or 600 meters. Not sure who is right but going by your video there's no way this light would shine 2nautical miles. Thanks for the input....it helps me decide.
I guess it all depends on what "shine" means. I don't buy their claims.
Not saying this is a problem and I looked for it, but most video cameras have auto gain, i.e. they adjust the exposure time and chip gain to not saturate the chip, so in essence, when comparing one flashlight, then another the camera will readjust. To do fair comparison, if autogain is used on the camera, to put both beams in the field of view at the same time. Clint Corbins comments were very good.
Thanks for the input. To be honest, I'm not enough of a photographer to know if the autogain was on or not. In any case, I was gauging their light output with my eyes rather than the camera.
One commenter made the observation the 'weaker' looking flashlight had the bigger diameter beam so its hard to say which had more total power. But you really can't trust your eyes either, the eyes and brain do imazing image processing and the eyes have a very wide dynamic range. Thats why photographers could really never just guess at an exposure but need good light meters to get the exposure right. Put on a set of pink ski goggles, everything will look pink for about 30 seconds, then your brain will color correct the image.
I bought an un-marked flashlight that appears to be exactly like yours. The paperwork said it was 1000 lumans.
The add offered the light for free, just pay $4.95 shipping. So I ordered one. It arrived about a week later, minus the 18650 battery and charger that the ad said was included.
After using it for about 2 weeks, and comparing it to my normal brands (Streamlight and Thrunite), I have to say that all in all it as a decent light.
Pros:
Good ergonomics, easy to use, decent construction although not as solid as the other brands. The way it focuses and consistent light was superior, and the light's best feature.
Cons:
The laughable bullshit in the advertisement.... The dishonesty in not sending the battery and charger as advertised, The basically un-useable lanyard, and the lack of a pocket clip.
Value:
Free does not mean $4.95.... But at that total price, it's a good value. I would not pay anywhere near $50.
There are a number of comments about was this a fair comparison due to using different batteries in the two flashlights comparied. I have two TC1200s, I put Alkaline (Kirtland, dated 2023) in one and a 18650-1A (2600 mH, Nuon, right from box supposedly charged) in the other. Adjusted both for ~ same size beam, photographed both at the sametime on a white wall with the camera adjusted so the center of the beams would be about 1/2 of a fully saturated pixel. The image (not processed, but the two beams ID'ed in Photoshop) can be found here: drive.google.com/open?id=1i2koCqhSo5EeaomzohVRcJECBxWfnH6Z . Looking at the image the AAA beam looks more blueish , but looking at the pixel values in photoshop, both beams have about the same blue values, its the red and green values that are higher in the 18650 beam. Therefore the 18650 beam has overall a higher power.
Good work. I was contacted by a rep of a flashlight company concerning this video. They shared with me some technical info that I haven't digested yet about the led rating. Basically, they said that the led in this flashlight is not possible of putting out the light as advertised regardless of battery. I may try to share that info somehow. This video is getting a lot of views.
Is it possible that the 1200 Lumen is only achieved when zoomed in or possibly only 1200 lumens with the rechargeable battery installed?
I did a follow-up video with the rechargeable battery. It put out more light, but nowhere near advertised. It is possible that it gets 1200 lumen when fully zoomed in, but the advertising should explain that.
Agreed...Have the same flashlight and I always figured I was getting my full 1200 lumens when I was zoomed in on high mode.
Put the 18650 battery in it and it will be brighter
I did a follow-up video where I did just that. :)
@@ima4ster I couldn't find the follow up video of you using that other battery in your videos.
my flashlights are 500 lumens and i paid about 15 dollars a pair for them. they look like that tac1200, have low and high modes, strobe and 395nm uv. they are made by letion.
Needless to say, we overpaid for ours. :(
The flashlight may be sort of a scam because the seller claims that it's 1200 lumens but the light output maybe a little less then what it should be giving out and plus with the name of the light. Although, I still think It's good flashlight for all occasions being bright minus the negatives.
It was our go-to flashlight. I put an 18650 battery in it and my wife loved to use it to walk the dog at night. Unfortunately, it has gone missing. We miss our 1TAC.
$50!?! i got mine for $8. For $8, i thought it was a good flashlight.
Definitely! :)
Thats a 5-6.00 flashlight all day long on banggood and other sites. For that kind of money you spent for that itac, you should check out what you could get on banggood, it will knock your socks off and i have seen some bright flash lights. I got one that i only paid 8 bucks for that is 1200 lumens and you should use the 18650 batteries instead of them AAA's.
I'll check banggood out. By the way, I did a follow-up video using an 18650 battery.
Thank you for the review. It was very well done. I will not be getting one of these. I have been reluctant for a while about these kinds of flashlights but you clarified very well every bit of skepticism I had regarding these Chinese falsely advertised flashlights.
For what it's worth, I enjoy mine....just be careful what you pay for it.
Pretty interesting, I'm always curious if these lights do what they promise
It would be very interesting to hear how they justify the 1200 lumen rating. The brightest the light can go is totally zoomed in on a small area, but it isn't 1200 lumen then either.
thanks for this review iv got the Nebo redline v 500 lumens and is just amazing kills this one off 1200 lumens more like 200
My wife fell for the marketing. I appreciate her desire to buy me something to review though.
The Amazon link is now out of stock. Also, they claim a Cree XM-L3 LED, which _doesn't yet exist_ (only 2 generations of XM-L released so far).
I’ve been getting spam email ads for these for years. I almost just want to buy one just to shut them the hell up.
:) I'm betting you'd get twice as many email ads after you bought one.
What I can tell you is that is yet another fake tactical light and it does go under different names. It can sometimes be found for $9.00 or less.
We was our most used flashlight and it never let us down. Somehow it got lost though recently. We miss it.
Glad that it works for you. At the end of the day that is all that matters. We lost a light at my house to. I guess we will both be looking. Hope you find it.
Ever heard of ASMR? Listening to you talk is a little ASMR to me lol
I think I've heard it. Not sure how I remind you of that???
I'm going to try to get the Alonefire version of this with the XP-L HI V6. They want $8 plus shipping. They also sell the run of the mill for a little over $6.
Let us know what you think of it.
Hello..thanks for your honesty here..I've bought a few lights similar to this in the past and they're all roughly the same...they all seem to use the same tail switch with the annoying strobe and sos feature...I have 1 or 2 of them still kicking around in a drawer but I have long moved on to better flashlight options...these lights I have cost me about 10-12 bucks on eBay..they're all Chinese crap..hit and miss...mostly miss...so yes unfortunately I think your wife overpaid but she didn't know at the time..that's the nature of the China scams ,they get us all at one time or another...take care bud
This light has an annoying habit of moving through the different light modes at random times. It would suit me if it just had a couple of modes. I do use this light a good bit....it's maybe my most used flashlight.
@@ima4ster i know what you mean..i'm to the point where i just like ON/OFF and thats about it..forget all the other nonsense i have to scroll through to get the beam i want.lol.
I just bought one for $9.99 is a good deal light works pretty good alot brighter than other $10 flash lights. But I feel it's a rip off at $40-$50
I agree. It's all based on what you pay for it.
I got my Primitive Survivors XT808 for free. Just paid $10 shipping. I researched it afterwards and seen they go from $50-$100. I didn't get the rechargeable battery and hard case with it, which is fine bcuz I already have the rechargeable battery from my tactical laser light. And they're only around $5 on eBay. My XT808 tactical is SUPER bright. Sells for $80 on Amazon. I got a steal. THANKS PRIMITIVE SURVIVORS!!!
That was a deal!
Also the 1200 lumen light will run on a 18650 battery, if you like the zoomable flashlights coast or led lenser both make the best in my opinion. Nice vids bud
I did a follow-up video with an 18650. Its performance improved, but not by much.
I bought this "lighter" app, it claimed I'd never need to buy a lighter again. It never lit up & it would have random lung cancer pop ups.
So I guess it worked. You don't want cancer right? Don't buy a lighter ever again.
Just borrow one from another person. That's what chain smoking is all about.
*I have an $1200 dollar flashlight made in China too. It's my cellphone. It's sucks no review needed*
I feel your pain!
Olight is still the brightest flashlight on the market today
I have several Olights!
Yeah I saw this on Instagram. You saved me 75 bucks. Anything advertised on instagram is just crap, or you never even get it and is a scam.
$75 is definitely overpaying for this flashlight. $25 would be about right.
THANKS !! You saved me $40.00 !
$40? We paid more like $60! You had a steal.
I have a similar one. It puts a lot more power when you use a high drain 18650 rechargeable battery. What can you expect from 3AA’s?
Ron Kantrowitz I did a followup video with an 18650.
I came across an ad for this light and started looking for more info. My rifle light is rated at 800 lu and is my standard. The moment I saw this light has no reflector and relies on a lens it lost my attention. I have a few free lights that use that feature. While acceptable, they don't come to my tactical standard. This looks like basic junk.
I make use of it because we've already purchased it, but it isn't worth more than $15-20.
I appreciate your review and yes it's a falsely advertised scam. Thank you👍
We lost that flashlight and even though it was over-priced, it was our most used flashlight.
Well if nothing else, I believe the lumen rating can be misleading. Here's one example I was able to find. And I'm sure there are other factors that make a difference when trying to compare them.
"A high quality reflector used in a 1 lumen flashlight can out perform a 10 lumen flashlight that has a cheap reflector or no reflector at all. So quality does play a role in the light distance of a torch."
I was thinking, in your video you show the zoom effect of the dimmer looking flashlight. When zoomed in, the light did look to be much brighter, but in a smaller area. Maybe that's where the unit gets its rated 1200 lumen. You should research the subject further. I will, but it's getting harder to find good info on the web when everything is geared towards money making.
Thanks for you review.
you should have used 18650's for the TAC more juice longer.
I did use an 18650 in a follow-up video.
Your poor wife buys you a gift so you can rant about how disappointed you are in her junk gift. Don't be surprised if she gets you giftcards for the rest of your life. 🤣
I got a Starbucks gift card this Christmas! :)
very great information but for a small flashlight you need at least 2000 lumens
I'm pretty happy with the flashlight, except for the price and false advertising. It puts out enough light for most uses.
3XAAA batteries can't generate the power needed for 1200 lumen; that was the big give away from the start. Don't let them take you for a ride. Go to the Hennie Heynes site for a decent torch/flashlight, not cheap but proper gear ! !
I did a 2nd video where I substituted an 18650 battery for the AAA's. It put out more light, but still nowhere near 1,200 lumens.
Good review, it's a decent flashlight. I really appreciated the thorough explanation and views
It is a decent flashlight....just don't overpay like we did.
I ordered the light that advertises as a torch that burns through lead. An add here on UA-cam. I received it and it's just a damn flashlight!!! I paid $50 bucks....I'm so angry. If you've been screwed as well??? Please let me know. We need a class action lawsuit !!!
Hopefully you're a lawyer that can lead the charge!
@@ima4ster Dr!! LOL. Happen to you too???
Probably just another Ultrafire XML T6 copy, you will be able to squeeze 400-500 lumens out of it with an 3.7v 18650 battery but that's it. It says it has "Cree XM-L3 HI", but as far as I know I don't believe such a LED even exists. Pretty much every feature in the description on Amazon is bullshit.
I would value this flashlight at 5-7 dollars, if you're looking for a flashlight during a 2 week vacation and just want to toss it afterwards, this may be the light for you.
Edit: uh, just noticed the second video.
Yeah, I made a second video to see the difference in output with an 18650 battery. It made some difference but still nowhere near 1200 lumens.
If it is an Cree XML2 as it says on the side of the box, you would get around 900 lumen out the front on a fully charged 18650. But taking into account all the lies these guys pull, I'm assuming they just bought an Ultrafire XML T6 copy and put their name on the body (like 100 other before them). They buy a cheap flashlight + cheap holster + decent looking box, and then they resell for 60 bucks with facebook ads and a boatload of lies.
eu.banggood.com/Wholesale-Warehouse-MECO-CREE-XML-T6-1600LM-5-Mode-Zoomable-LED-Flashlight-1x18650-wp-Eu-982565.html?rmmds=category
Are you saying the ultrafire xml t6 is the real deal? If so I agree.
It's definitely XM-L2. See beam shot at 5:06. Only 2 notches visible, compared to 3 for a 1st-gen XM-L.
Looks like a normal flashlight's output to me, nothing like the blinding flood 1TAC shows illuminating a whole house
I like the zoom feature, but as far as total output, I would guess 300-500 lumens max.
Nice video but you are comparing lithium power to AAA battery power. The CREE element can only be as bright as it's power source allows. In other words, both lights are equipped with CREE elements, therefore you need to look to the power source for the power comparison! You should have received a sleeve that allows for the insertion of an 18650 Lithium. Why don't you give it a try, using a fully charged lithium in each light? With regard to price, I believe it is too high. Keep on keep'n on! :)
You found my follow-up video, I see. Yes, I looked a little further into it. I really like the 1TAC, especially the ability to adjust the output of the light. I just think they use misleading statements in their ads and the price is too high.
I hope my bank can get money back...
Robbing the poor is criminal
Good review. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
PLEASE EVERYONE DO NOT FALL FOR THIS SCAM!!!!! These lights only have Cree XM-L T6 led bulbs in them. Those led's are outdated. There are better flashlights with version 2 and now version 3 cree leds in them. I prefer a series of Cree LED's. Please take note of these: MT-G2; XP-G3; XP-L; XM-L2 U4; XHP35; XHP50.2; XHP70.2.
Thanks for commenting. You know your LED's!
Not just that they dont tell you everything clear down to service. it draws moisture which the reps said its water proof then in the same call she changed up now its water resistance. In PA thats a big difference. I fill that flash lite is a knock off of several different names.
I have to agree. That said, I find it useful and it has become my go to flashlight for general use around the house. I paid too much for it though.
I have a cheapo flashlight similar to the Itac and it doesn't put out the promised lumen, but I still really like it.
That pretty much sums up how I feel about this iTAC....except that it wasn't cheap.
I found a brand that if they aren't scamming offers some variants with XP-L V6 or XML2 U2 U3. It's called Alonefire. Unfortunately, since I currently do not have a street and number address, I can't order from Shoppee here. I was going to order about$80 worth of flashlights and batteries, just to check them out. You usually don't get zoom lenses with the better LED.
Good to know. I haven't heard of Alonefire, but I'll check it out.
I don't have a street address and have the same problem with some merchants. My postmaster said to use the post office's street address.
@@stormconnors - I know lots of people who pick up their mail at the post office, but my deliveries are by courier, LBC or Ninjavan. I have asked my domestic help, more like lunatic keepers and they will see I get a delivery by Black Arrow, the courier shopee uses. I have some interesting stuff coming. Don't see many XPL-HI V6 zooming lens lights. Thanks for the suggestion though.
Rip off but not a scam. There probably fake 1tac websites. 1tac a a bit dodgy, they had a video on Facebook about how the owner of 1Tac invented the LEF road Flate after some family members died on the road side. It deserved an Oscar, not a dry eye while the owner laughs all the way to the bank. .
Yes, I agree with your assessment. By the way, we lost our 1TAC a year or so ago and we really miss it. It was our go-to flashlight. We have our fingers crossed that it will still turn up.
It's everything you said it is but a great flashlight. The one I have is supposed to be 2000 lumen and I guarantee it isn't 200
60$ can easily get you a rechargeable 5,000 lumen light in the same form factor from a brand like sofirn, thease lights are all over the place and definitely not worth more than 10$ 60$ is a complete ripoff.
I agree wholeheartedly.....but this was a gift.
I hate having to cycle through the modes to switch off my light. When I want my light off I want it off NOW, not after pressing a button five times. Anyone know of a flashlight with separate on-off and mode switches?
Well, when he zoomed in, to the small square, it was really bright
Yes, I noticed that too. I don't have any way of measuring whether that small square of light approached their advertised lumens.
No ways that's 1200 lumens , might not even be 200 lumens
It was false advertising for sure.
The company makes me a little suspicious, they have two conflicting stories on how their hazard lights were invented, and both seem like a lie. As far as reviews I've seen some good reviews and some bad reviews.
I'd say my review was mixed. We actually used the flashlight a lot....it was my wife's favorite flashlight when walking the dog. But it was over-hyped and too costly.
Where is the itac made???
My money is on "Made in China."