He posts early in the morning, I wake up early to go out and metal detect before people are awake and then I see luxwad post while I'm scrolling youtube
Awesome! I gave this hobby up a couple years ago when I realized how ignorant I was, and will forever be about lithium ion cells. I got so scared about them and my flashlights I literally just gave everything away for free. In doing so I lost a lot more than just a single hobby... I quickly realized I couldnt live without the utility of illumination I'd come to rely like a 6th sense. So I bought my first AA light. (I had never cared about them when I had Lithium-Ion super powers lol) A Convoy T3 with a Nichia 219b that has been my only light for the past couple years. Pretty excited that now I can finally get a cool flashlight again. And an Emisar at that! They always scares me the most lol
@bronzeback29 All my cells were unprotected except for two Olights. I had around 15-20 different lights and random unprotected cells. When I was a member of The Budget Light Forum trying to eductae myself, it seemed I was gettin a 50/50 mix of "You're fine, have fun and enjoy your lights." As well as more detailed explantions of how things really work and why I need to be careful and really understand what im doing or else danger/fire/explosion or the less excitin, flashlight or cell gets fried/broken. Which I just cant afford. All of which was just over my head. I really miss my super powers, and late night exploring. It really was a multitude of hobbies in one. My Convoy L21B with SFT40 was so cool! haha...
Thank you for getting me into the hobby! I’ve always liked flashlights but never seriously got into the hobby. Out of the blue TH-cam recommended me this video and you’ve got me hooked! Just received the D3AA in titanium and freaking love it. I cannot thank you enough, it is so awesome! (except for my bank account)
I really like the D3AA. I'll definitely have to get a production model sometime. For daily use though, I carry a D4K because it holds about 7X as much fuel while still being just small enough.
Fantastic video as always. I think the Skilhunt EC200 is the perfect 18650 alternative to the output of the D3AA, while being one of the smallest 18650 flashlights. It might as well be the D3AA with an 18650 battery attached.
I've honestly been pondering a 14500 light for awhile and just got a TS10 V2 per the last video but I was wondering about this one due to it's size. The emitter head still looks kinda chunky but seeing it compared to a D4V2 makes me think it'll be pleasantly small in the pocket so I may have to give it a go!
Ya im use to carrying the sofirn if25a so im use to a 21700 flashlight so i don't have much of a need to go all the way down to a aa size but i could see people wanting them
@@LuxWad honestly, so much more important to me than turbo. Thanks for showing that! I literally bought one after seeing this. Been wanting to try a hank light for a while, and this looks perfect. 😄
Hey LuxWad, I had a quick question - now that there's been some time to settle since this release, is this still the only light on the market to specifically use both this new driver from thefreeman (really wish this thing had a formalized name), and the specific AVR32DD20 microcontroller? Or is this specific combo limited to lower powered lights or just specific emitters that cannot use both the driver and specific microcontroller as seen here?
So far it's the only light using this driver. I believe it is the same driver that ToyKeeper labelled as being for the FW3A in one of the firmware builds, so it may show up in that light, but again, I haven't seen it in use anywhere else yet. The MCU wil appear in future drivers for many Anduril lights, such as the new Lume X1 drivers available from Hank. There's nothing about the driver that would limit the emitters available to any other similar driver
Do you know if the rgb switch is always in sync with the aux lights? It would be nice to be able to configure them separately but my assumption is they are on the same channel.
@@LuxWad Yeah since your video came out I've been researching more in case I wanted to get one and found a review of the NIMH being mishandled by the driver and sometimes pulling full current like as if it was a 14500. Maybe I will stay away from version 1 of this driver firmware and see if this is corrected in a few months. Those voltages of 14500, NIMH have been handled fine in many other flashlights so hoping they just need to fix some bugs in the code!
Hey Lux (or anyone that can give me some advice) being very new to this side of the hobby, is it still worth getting the d4v2 or any other hank light that is currently on offer or should I wait for them to get them same changes that the d3aa has?
@@LuxWad Thank you so much for the quick reply! I guess I'll go ahead and pull the trigger on the d4v2 especially since there's a sale going on right now.
@LuxWad I just got mine. It's about 1/4" longer than D4K. Super bright. I got the 70.3 4000k. RGB isn't as bright because of the foggy TIR lens but it's still cool.
i prefer 16340 but those lights are not in right now. 27 grams battery included is perfect for helmet mounted use and don't mind the 40 minute runtime that much. of course it wouldn't be too bad to configure all lights for about 2 hours sustained use and adjust the output for that number, but we're doing the silly lumen wars instead
I do quite like 16340 as well, sad to see nobody is really developing lights in that size anymore. The big advantage to me for 14500 is the dual-fuel ability.
Hi Lux, thank you so much for your videos, they’re truly fantastic and really well made! I’ve been following you for a few months now, and I’ve watched several of your videos multiple times. Anyway, I wanted to ask for your advice. I’d like to buy my first Hank, but for the past few weeks, I haven’t been able to decide which one. I already own several flashlights, so I don’t really need something that’s highly functional, but more for fun/pleasure... I like the D3 because it’s small, and aesthetically I prefer it, a little toy to keep in the office and wherever I go; The D4v2 seems like a good compromise for performance, but then I tell myself that for a few more grams and millimeters, the D4K is worth it... What would you recommend?
The d3aa is the probably the best intro light if you want something 'fun', since it's Packed with features and is quite inexpensive. The battery options are also very convenient. The D4K gives more 'wow' factor though with its much higher output, and is the light I prefer. I think you'll be surprised by how small it still is.
@@marcosbe12 did you get the d4k? I have one, most of my flashlights run 21700s, the thing I value most is long run time, although I have a Sofrin sp10 pro which is a AA/14500 light, and a Emisar kc1 which is a AAA light, I also have flashlight I forget the name that runs a weird short battery a 13 something or other battery I just ordered the flashlight in this video, the D3aa
I just realized that lot of Hank lights suck when used in high mode. I own the KR4 which is fnatastic light and D4SV2 which is very good but the D4V2 and D4K sucks in high modes. They will ramp down a lot very shortly even just from the high mode. Hank should improve cooling for those lights, even bigger head would be acceptable but the performance right now sucks. What do you think? ..... I'm considering to make a video on this issue and its going to be ugly,.....not like yours :) .
It's just the nature of these lights, the head isn't big enough to sink all that heat - you can't beat physics. It's why I don't recommend these lights very often to people looking for something more practical. However, the boost driver really helps to improve sustained output.
I love ny d3 i got mine on release and its been in my pocket daily since. Pretty dog standard 5700k dd 519a configuration boost driven it runs forever i usually only charge it once every 1.5 weeks
You're not going to get that much power for $50. I recommend looking at the Sofirn Q8 Plus, 13k lumens for $130. Th Sofirn SP36 Pro is 8k lumens for $70.
To me, 18650 is dead now we’ve got some amazing lights in both 14500 and 21700. It’s kind of halfway between 14500 and 21700 in a way that it can’t really do either particularly well. For edc and close range type scenarios I appreciate the small form factor of the 14500, and then for higher power outdoor use the 21700s give you more power for really a not much larger package size.
Definitely makes sense. I find it to be a perfect in-between size, where 21700 is just a bit too large for EDC and 14500 isn't large enough to be useful.
I prefer AAA lights for the pocket edc and then I grab 18650 lights if I'm going somewhere I know I'll need good light. I don't have any 21700. IMO 14500 is kind of just an awkward size. This light in particular I think it's a little too bulky compared to other 14500 capable lights like the Tool AA. I think 2x AA lights are a nice form factor, though.
Another good video. But I basically feel the same way that you do. It’s nice that it has a new driver, but it’s not as revolutionary as the forums would have you believe. Dual fuel just doesn’t work for me. At least not alkaline or eneloops compatibility. As good as the latter is, I just see no further need of nickel-based batteries. And I will never use an alkaline. And I prefer single emitter lights.
Single-emitter would have been really interesting for this light... but then I would still prefer an 18650 (The KR1 is too fat in my opinion, something like a D4 with just one LED and a TIR optic would be awesome)
A Hank made single emitter 18650 light with a throwy optic and aux LEDs is like my dream light. Like a fun Olight warrior. But alas, it's also the one type of light that apparently Hank says he will never make. And that's too bad. The dm11 is a superb light, just too big for pocket carry
The company seemed really good responding to my emails, and I brought this torch the other week so not sure what you're on about.... BTW this is a torch review TH-cam channel
Androil or what its called is suck , it always does things that you dont want . Way to complicated. Had a fw4a and Just trow it away.. dont work when you need it.. Dude your review is very nice, :) love it
Can’t you just turn the androil to a simple mode. it seem pretty simple to me. One click- last brightness setting and click and hold to increase brightness.
I am not a fan of any led lights besides pretty decrations.they cast to much shadow led light bulbs wash out colors so on.car lights are not goid.there bright to thin to many shadows. I do not uses light on my bike at night because they cast to much shadows yhey screw up your night vision.i do not use flashlights in the dark often just my eyes. I have excellent none super human normal human night vision but I can see goid in the dark.I ride my bike every night in the dark for hours from work.
Interesting! I never thought of shadows as a side effect of light. Now that you mention it, it makes perfect sense. If you dont want to see shadows, do not use light. Better still, keep your eyes closed, but that may not be a good idea when riding a bike.
@wh0tube In all seriousness, I do find that in some applications, having a headlamp can actually hinder depth perception a bit and hide small obstacles in roads/trails because the shadows effectively disappear with light emanating directly from your line of sight. Not sure what the above commenter was trying to say though lol.
@@LuxWad 😁 could it be a factor of beam angle, brightness, and colour temperature? Based on no evidence whatsoever (maybe just a little of my own research backed by i disputable QAnon facts), I have a feeling that wider, brighter, and cooler lights would decrease depth perception. But the best strategy when riding in t(e dark is to ride blindfolded using Jedi techniques. May the force be with you LuxWad, and you @ghostbomb!
It doesn't appear to be identical, but is very similar; basically all the Emisars have the same button. It's one of my favorite eswitches however, what isn't good about yours?
@@LuxWad Hmm maybe I got a bad one. My one lacks really any tactile "clickyness" and requires the finger to be centered exactly over where the switch is and the actual force to actuate the click has to be inline with the switch. So hitting the switch diagonally doesn't work. And just for context, I own about 5 different convoys lights and use my main light every single day.
Always a good day when LuxWad posts!
He posts early in the morning, I wake up early to go out and metal detect before people are awake and then I see luxwad post while I'm scrolling youtube
Seeing this right when it's uploaded on the day my first D3AA should get delivered 😂
so the best part from here is that we will most likely get the rest of the flashlights with the updated driver soon as well
Best torch channel on TH-cam. You're never not killing it, LuxWad
@@CynicAtheist Countries other than the US exist
Awesome!
I gave this hobby up a couple years ago when I realized how ignorant I was, and will forever be about lithium ion cells. I got so scared about them and my flashlights I literally just gave everything away for free.
In doing so I lost a lot more than just a single hobby...
I quickly realized I couldnt live without the utility of illumination I'd come to rely like a 6th sense. So I bought my first AA light. (I had never cared about them when I had Lithium-Ion super powers lol) A Convoy T3 with a Nichia 219b that has been my only light for the past couple years.
Pretty excited that now I can finally get a cool flashlight again. And an Emisar at that! They always scares me the most lol
@bronzeback29 All my cells were unprotected except for two Olights. I had around 15-20 different lights and random unprotected cells. When I was a member of The Budget Light Forum trying to eductae myself, it seemed I was gettin a 50/50 mix of "You're fine, have fun and enjoy your lights." As well as more detailed explantions of how things really work and why I need to be careful and really understand what im doing or else danger/fire/explosion or the less excitin, flashlight or cell gets fried/broken. Which I just cant afford. All of which was just over my head. I really miss my super powers, and late night exploring. It really was a multitude of hobbies in one. My Convoy L21B with SFT40 was so cool! haha...
Babe wake up LuxWad posted
Babe buying flashlights IS NOT a hobby
So cringy. 🤮
@@kaleidoscopeon"I'm a simple man, I see blablabla, I click" 🥱🤢🤡
Thank you for getting me into the hobby! I’ve always liked flashlights but never seriously got into the hobby. Out of the blue TH-cam recommended me this video and you’ve got me hooked! Just received the D3AA in titanium and freaking love it. I cannot thank you enough, it is so awesome! (except for my bank account)
I really like the D3AA. I'll definitely have to get a production model sometime. For daily use though, I carry a D4K because it holds about 7X as much fuel while still being just small enough.
As always brilliant,thank you
Fantastic video as always. I think the Skilhunt EC200 is the perfect 18650 alternative to the output of the D3AA, while being one of the smallest 18650 flashlights. It might as well be the D3AA with an 18650 battery attached.
Your content was amazing and so much phenomenal b roll. New to your channel and happy/grateful to subscribe!
I've honestly been pondering a 14500 light for awhile and just got a TS10 V2 per the last video but I was wondering about this one due to it's size. The emitter head still looks kinda chunky but seeing it compared to a D4V2 makes me think it'll be pleasantly small in the pocket so I may have to give it a go!
Why did you go for the 219b's instead of the 519a's?
🤔
There's not a huge boost in output from the 519a in this light. Mostly though I just like to mix things up
Return of the king?!
Ya im use to carrying the sofirn if25a so im use to a 21700 flashlight so i don't have much of a need to go all the way down to a aa size but i could see people wanting them
Mine showed up today and it's better than I expected. Hank did a great job on this one 👍
The D3AA would be a pretty awesome gift to get someone into the hobby. Though for me, my lights get regular enough use that I really want an 18650.
The demo of the extreme moonlight dimming sold me on this one. Looks amazing.
I was very impressed by the moonlight capabilities of this one
@@LuxWad honestly, so much more important to me than turbo. Thanks for showing that! I literally bought one after seeing this. Been wanting to try a hank light for a while, and this looks perfect. 😄
(Well, it would be even more perfect with as a tail clicky, but this still looks great.)
Damn just before they released the D3AA i bought a Sofirn SP 10 pro, wish i just waited a bit i would have got the Emisar
Get SC21 Pro
The Sp10 pro is a great flashlight, no regret bro
Hey LuxWad, I had a quick question - now that there's been some time to settle since this release, is this still the only light on the market to specifically use both this new driver from thefreeman (really wish this thing had a formalized name), and the specific AVR32DD20 microcontroller? Or is this specific combo limited to lower powered lights or just specific emitters that cannot use both the driver and specific microcontroller as seen here?
So far it's the only light using this driver. I believe it is the same driver that ToyKeeper labelled as being for the FW3A in one of the firmware builds, so it may show up in that light, but again, I haven't seen it in use anywhere else yet.
The MCU wil appear in future drivers for many Anduril lights, such as the new Lume X1 drivers available from Hank. There's nothing about the driver that would limit the emitters available to any other similar driver
Looking forward to the 120,000,000 lumen versions on Amazon! 😁👍
Do you know if the rgb switch is always in sync with the aux lights? It would be nice to be able to configure them separately but my assumption is they are on the same channel.
Yes, they mirror the main aux.
@@LuxWad thanks!
Would be good if there was a 2AA battery tube for this one.
That would have been a really cool addition. IDK if this driver would be able to handle a third voltage range without some issues though
@@LuxWad Yeah since your video came out I've been researching more in case I wanted to get one and found a review of the NIMH being mishandled by the driver and sometimes pulling full current like as if it was a 14500. Maybe I will stay away from version 1 of this driver firmware and see if this is corrected in a few months. Those voltages of 14500, NIMH have been handled fine in many other flashlights so hoping they just need to fix some bugs in the code!
I ordered one 3 days ago. Glad my impulse buy seems to be a winner. Sst20 5000k because I'm a lumen pig.
This was super informative, thank you. Do you know if this would take an energizer lithium?
Yes, it will
Which tint 219b's are these?
4500K
Hey Lux (or anyone that can give me some advice) being very new to this side of the hobby, is it still worth getting the d4v2 or any other hank light that is currently on offer or should I wait for them to get them same changes that the d3aa has?
I don't know that a V3 is coming anytime soon, and while the new changes are nice, I would just recommend getting the V2 if you want it.
@@LuxWad Thank you so much for the quick reply! I guess I'll go ahead and pull the trigger on the d4v2 especially since there's a sale going on right now.
Pretty cool I'm rocking a sealey 2500sb just now seen them ? Your thoughts if yes? Lol 👍
I just ordered the new 4000 lumen Emisar DA1K. I chose XHP70.3 4000k. I have yet to see a review for it yet
I did order one but it will probably be a while before I can make a video about it
@LuxWad I just got mine. It's about 1/4" longer than D4K. Super bright. I got the 70.3 4000k. RGB isn't as bright because of the foggy TIR lens but it's still cool.
whereis the button aux mirror option?
On a Li-ion battery, the stabilization does not know what it is doing. The graph looks good on eneloop. Something went wrong.
That's pretty typical for these lights, when pushed that hard they tend to fluctuate more.
Does the RGB aux work in idle mode with AA aswell?
Yes
All functions are exactly the same
Yo, facewad. We missed you.
i prefer 16340 but those lights are not in right now. 27 grams battery included is perfect for helmet mounted use and don't mind the 40 minute runtime that much. of course it wouldn't be too bad to configure all lights for about 2 hours sustained use and adjust the output for that number, but we're doing the silly lumen wars instead
I do quite like 16340 as well, sad to see nobody is really developing lights in that size anymore. The big advantage to me for 14500 is the dual-fuel ability.
i have so many flashlights, why do i want more flashlights?
You should probably stop watching this channel 😂
Hi Lux, thank you so much for your videos, they’re truly fantastic and really well made! I’ve been following you for a few months now, and I’ve watched several of your videos multiple times.
Anyway, I wanted to ask for your advice. I’d like to buy my first Hank, but for the past few weeks, I haven’t been able to decide which one.
I already own several flashlights, so I don’t really need something that’s highly functional, but more for fun/pleasure...
I like the D3 because it’s small, and aesthetically I prefer it, a little toy to keep in the office and wherever I go;
The D4v2 seems like a good compromise for performance, but then I tell myself that for a few more grams and millimeters, the D4K is worth it...
What would you recommend?
The d3aa is the probably the best intro light if you want something 'fun', since it's Packed with features and is quite inexpensive. The battery options are also very convenient.
The D4K gives more 'wow' factor though with its much higher output, and is the light I prefer. I think you'll be surprised by how small it still is.
@@LuxWad thank you so much!
@@marcosbe12 did you get the d4k? I have one, most of my flashlights run 21700s, the thing I value most is long run time, although I have a Sofrin sp10 pro which is a AA/14500 light, and a Emisar kc1 which is a AAA light, I also have flashlight I forget the name that runs a weird short battery a 13 something or other battery
I just ordered the flashlight in this video, the D3aa
@@digginggopher In the end, I decided to treat myself and I’ll buy both for Christmas!
Let me know how you’re getting on with the D3aa!
Did you measure the throw?
Nice 👍
I just realized that lot of Hank lights suck when used in high mode. I own the KR4 which is fnatastic light and D4SV2 which is very good but the D4V2 and D4K sucks in high modes. They will ramp down a lot very shortly even just from the high mode. Hank should improve cooling for those lights, even bigger head would be acceptable but the performance right now sucks. What do you think? .....
I'm considering to make a video on this issue and its going to be ugly,.....not like yours :) .
It's just the nature of these lights, the head isn't big enough to sink all that heat - you can't beat physics. It's why I don't recommend these lights very often to people looking for something more practical. However, the boost driver really helps to improve sustained output.
Aiwa 😘💕👍👍
I love ny d3 i got mine on release and its been in my pocket daily since. Pretty dog standard 5700k dd 519a configuration boost driven it runs forever i usually only charge it once every 1.5 weeks
HELP I need the brightest flashlight ever for lighting up a big ass field at night for like 50 euros
You're not going to get that much power for $50. I recommend looking at the Sofirn Q8 Plus, 13k lumens for $130. Th Sofirn SP36 Pro is 8k lumens for $70.
sold out :/
To me, 18650 is dead now we’ve got some amazing lights in both 14500 and 21700. It’s kind of halfway between 14500 and 21700 in a way that it can’t really do either particularly well. For edc and close range type scenarios I appreciate the small form factor of the 14500, and then for higher power outdoor use the 21700s give you more power for really a not much larger package size.
Definitely makes sense. I find it to be a perfect in-between size, where 21700 is just a bit too large for EDC and 14500 isn't large enough to be useful.
I prefer AAA lights for the pocket edc and then I grab 18650 lights if I'm going somewhere I know I'll need good light. I don't have any 21700. IMO 14500 is kind of just an awkward size. This light in particular I think it's a little too bulky compared to other 14500 capable lights like the Tool AA. I think 2x AA lights are a nice form factor, though.
take my money
Another good video. But I basically feel the same way that you do. It’s nice that it has a new driver, but it’s not as revolutionary as the forums would have you believe. Dual fuel just doesn’t work for me. At least not alkaline or eneloops compatibility. As good as the latter is, I just see no further need of nickel-based batteries. And I will never use an alkaline. And I prefer single emitter lights.
Single-emitter would have been really interesting for this light... but then I would still prefer an 18650 (The KR1 is too fat in my opinion, something like a D4 with just one LED and a TIR optic would be awesome)
A Hank made single emitter 18650 light with a throwy optic and aux LEDs is like my dream light. Like a fun Olight warrior. But alas, it's also the one type of light that apparently Hank says he will never make. And that's too bad. The dm11 is a superb light, just too big for pocket carry
The light is too flooded in my opinion. A headlamp can have such a beam. I don't like this kind of light in a flashlight.
Standard optic, floody optic and throwy optic are all available options for the D3AA
Also go for a throwy LED like the Osram W1 CSLNM1 and the thowy optic.
So I see you're another one of those companies that make it impossible to try to talk to you or buy your product😢
Me?
The company seemed really good responding to my emails, and I brought this torch the other week so not sure what you're on about....
BTW this is a torch review TH-cam channel
Androil or what its called is suck , it always does things that you dont want . Way to complicated. Had a fw4a and Just trow it away.. dont work when you need it..
Dude your review is very nice, :) love it
You threw away a FW4A?
@@LuxWad jup. I think something was wrong with The software. It did all kind of wierd things.. Output of the thing was really inpressive tho.
Can’t you just turn the androil to a simple mode. it seem pretty simple to me. One click- last brightness setting and click and hold to increase brightness.
@@thatyoutubeguy7583 yeah but when you carry it and press the button accidentally it will do different settings.. It was a nightmare light
I am not a fan of any led lights besides pretty decrations.they cast to much shadow led light bulbs wash out colors so on.car lights are not goid.there bright to thin to many shadows. I do not uses light on my bike at night because they cast to much shadows yhey screw up your night vision.i do not use flashlights in the dark often just my eyes. I have excellent none super human normal human night vision but I can see goid in the dark.I ride my bike every night in the dark for hours from work.
Interesting! I never thought of shadows as a side effect of light. Now that you mention it, it makes perfect sense. If you dont want to see shadows, do not use light. Better still, keep your eyes closed, but that may not be a good idea when riding a bike.
@wh0tube In all seriousness, I do find that in some applications, having a headlamp can actually hinder depth perception a bit and hide small obstacles in roads/trails because the shadows effectively disappear with light emanating directly from your line of sight.
Not sure what the above commenter was trying to say though lol.
@@LuxWad 😁 could it be a factor of beam angle, brightness, and colour temperature? Based on no evidence whatsoever (maybe just a little of my own research backed by i disputable QAnon facts), I have a feeling that wider, brighter, and cooler lights would decrease depth perception. But the best strategy when riding in t(e dark is to ride blindfolded using Jedi techniques. May the force be with you LuxWad, and you @ghostbomb!
Does it have the same switch as the DW4? My DW4 switch is utterly terrible. All of my Convoys had way better e-switches imo.
It doesn't appear to be identical, but is very similar; basically all the Emisars have the same button. It's one of my favorite eswitches however, what isn't good about yours?
@@LuxWad Hmm maybe I got a bad one. My one lacks really any tactile "clickyness" and requires the finger to be centered exactly over where the switch is and the actual force to actuate the click has to be inline with the switch. So hitting the switch diagonally doesn't work.
And just for context, I own about 5 different convoys lights and use my main light every single day.