First Impressions:
Another great packaged light from Olight arrived for review
in its padded hard shell case. Has the same look and feel as the other
Olights I have reviewed, except this time in a smaller form factor. Some
may not care to store the light in its provided case, but I think its a
nice touch, besides you would always use the case for something else.
Size/Weight:
The SR51 surprised me the other day when I picked it
up, I thought I didn't have any batteries in it, hit the switch, and it
lit up! Turns out I had a pair of 18650 cells already loaded, its much
lighter than it looks. The size is spot on for a light of this purpose
and output.
Grip/Handling:
The SR51 has the same body style as the other Olights with its large
rectangular knurling. I think its a nice choice for a light this size
compared to a typical fine knurling. Provides plenty of grip without
feeling rough in your hand. The side switch is great also, every light
this size or larger should have a side switch, I find it much easier to
operate than a tail switch on a light this size. This also allows the
light to tailstand since there is no tail switch. I find this to be a
big plus for a light like this. I found myself lighting up a room
several times by sitting the light on the table bouncing the light off
the ceiling. The light is also well balanced in your hand, the side
switch is also in a good position and has a good feel to it, with a
decent click when it is pressed.
Build
Quality:
The build quality of the SR51 is on par with the
other Olights I have seen, good even finish, smooth machining. The
reflector and lens are dust free, and the led is well centered. The
battery carries are very well made also and slide into the body of the
light with little to no play.
Features:
One of the cool features I noticed about the SR51 is
that the red oring seal for the lens, which looks great already, will
actually glow in the dark! The SR51 was also supplied with a diffuser
lens cover that works VERY well. It makes a very smooth even flood of
light which lit up an entire room perfectly. Really makes the light that
much more useful and versatile, since without the diffuser the light has
some really good long distance throw.
One feature that I am not sure that the older Olights had, is
the ability to lock out the light. The SR51 has this feature and I think
its a very useful addition. When the light is on, you press and hold the
switch to cycle between the lights two output levels. If you hold the
switch for about 3 seconds, the light will cycle back and forth about 3
times, then turn off. The light is now locked out, and pressing the
switch will not activate it. This is great for being able to just toss
the light into a backpack and not care. To unlock the light you press
the switch 3 times within a second.
The SR51 also has a hidden strobe function. When the light is
on, simply double click the switch quickly.
Output &
Runtime:
The SR51 packs alot of punch for its relatively small size. The light
orange pealed reflector is perfect for this led. It makes a nice tight
hotspot with a nice perfectly smooth flood. There are virtually no rings
or artifacts around the hotspot. I did notice that the hotspot was a
warm tint with the remaining flood being quite white. At first this was
a bit odd with that much tiny variation in the beam, but I actually
light it alot after using it. I generally like a very white tint, but a
warm tint has better color retention. The warmer hotspot created a much
more natural light which especially looked great outdoors. The
difference in tint really isn't all that noticeable when shinning the
light at t distance and was not irritating at all. Again, for a light of
this purpose, and this output, I found the SR51 to have one of the best
beam patterns I have ever seen.
My one complaint about this light? The fact that it only has
two output levels. This comes down alot to personal preference, but I
light my lights to have alot of output levels so I can choose just he
right level for the situation. I just feel that the SR51 could be even
more useful and versatile if it had at least 4 or 5 levels, especially
if the lowest was quite low. This would give the SR51 a killer runtime
on low, and could be used in tailstand mode to light up a small room for
days if you are in a power outage. I am such a stickler for output
levels, that its the one thing that is stopping me from ordering one of
these lights for myself... actually, I am going to buy one anyway.
Heat
Issues:
I had the light on for at least 10 minutes with
the diffuser on, tailstanding on a table. When I picked up the light the
head was getting warm but not uncomfortable to hold at all and not
nearly hot enough to hurt the led. I don't see why there would be any
heat issues with the SR51, there is plenty of head and body mass to
dissipate the heat.
Pros:
Excellent beam pattern with no artifacts
Easy to operate side switch
Comes with a nice padded hard case
Diffuser is a great included accessory
Able to tailstand
Light weight for its size
Able to run off 6x123 cells or 2x18650 cells
Cons:
Only two output levels
Warmer tint to the hotspot compared the cool tinted flood
Conclusion:
Even though the SR51 is not the most powerful Olight,
I still think it might be my favorite. Sure there are lights out there
that have a higher output and throw even further than the SR51, such as
Olights larger lights the SR90 and SR91. But if you are looking for a
relatively small light that packs a great punch of usable light, the
SR51 is certainly one to look into. Compared to other lights in the 800
to 1200 lumen range, I think the SR51 is probably my overall favorite.
Even though it only has two output levels, and may not be quite as
bright as some of the others, it still seems to be the overall winner
when everything is considered, especially price and bang for buck. The
SR90 and SR91 are amazing lights, don't get me wrong, but unless you
really need that kind of output, you really give up usability with a
much larger heavier light, and pay higher price, mainly due to the
rechargeable packs they use instead of separate cells.
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