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Displaying reviews posted by certified DX gadget owners first, followed by all other posted reviews.
Call it VB-32 Q5
Posted by lightbug on 1/25/2008
Involvement: Expert (understands the inner workings) - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

Price:
Ease of Use:
Build Quality:
Usefulness:
Overall Rating:

Pros: 1.)Very Bright, much brighter than my UF C2 CREE-P4 and other CREE lights.
2.)Remembers the last mode
3.)No Strobe mode
4.)Lowest mode is really low
5.)Very responsive forward clicky
6.)Compatible with all my Trustfire and Ultrafire 18650 and 16340 batteries.
7.)Solid build quality.


Cons: 1.)Too many modes, total 32. Wish it was 5 or 6 modes
2.)HA III anodizing is not perfect. But it is acceptable.

Other Thoughts: Improve the type 3 anodizing and reduce the number of modes will make this light perfect.

Bottomline: One of the best value light.

Good light, but not perfect.
Posted by thefish on 1/5/2008
Involvement: Expert (understands the inner workings) - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

Price:
Ease of Use:
Build Quality:
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Pros: It is bright but not Q5 bright I would say more like P4/Q2. This thing on high is just about the same as by standard (not LED) 3D M@g with fresh batteries. The levels are nice but there is a big jump from lowest to the next level. Fits my protected 18650's perfectly SKU 5790.

Cons: Questionable how the +/- buttons will hold up to the elements.

Other Thoughts: For the price I would easily say this is the best light I have purchased, but it took almost 2 months to show up.

Bottomline: If you are looking for a 18650 based multilevel light I would get this one.

Who wouldn't like this Light??
Posted by doubleD on 12/21/2007
Involvement: General (knows how to use it) - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

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Ease of Use:
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Pros: Very good construction and machining.

Rear clicky is excellent; forward/momentary, very easy to access/engage and silent.

Light beam is moderately bright with small, tight hot spot and extreme spill with no rings, etc.

Body color is very nice and finish is good. Like others have stated is does have lateral darker grey lines but who cares.

The low levels are very useful with ample settings.

Cons: Yes, like others did hope for this Q5 to burn down trees. Output is very good in perhaps the 120+ range(best guess).

Upper level brightness levels are more difficult to differentiate, but there.

Is a wee bit larger than most (2)123s and is about the size of an average (2)AA light.



Other Thoughts: Only had to light a few days so assuming the switches will hold up.

Bottomline: Bottom Line: this is an excellent light.

Variable output on barrel, great fit and finish, excellent forward clicky, all for US $30.

If I could only have one flashlight, this would be the one. Thanks DX.

VB-16 HA-III Q5 Cree 16-Mode Flashlight
Posted by cheesey on 12/15/2007
Involvement: General (knows how to use it) - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

Price:
Ease of Use:
Build Quality:
Usefulness:
Overall Rating:

Pros: 1) Variable brightness Q5 light for $30
2) Can use 18650, 2 cr123 or rcr123, very flexible power input
3) Nice tint on mine, warm white on the lower levels n pure white on the highs
4) Machining is good for this price range, no sharp edges.
5) Attractive silver grayish HA3 finish (albeit with blemishes)
6) Glass lens and OP reflector give pretty good beam profile, with plenty of very visible spill & a useful hotspot.
7) Comes with a forward/momentary clickie and can actually turn off the light by unloosening the tail cap, very good.
8) Will remember last turn off brightness level, even after removing the battery
9) Low levels can be real low, coupled with good runtimes, which is what i need, not how bright it will goes, though on high it's my brightest cree lights compared to my other 3 P4.

Cons: 1) Too long for a 18650/2 x cr123 lights
2) HA3 finish show dark gray lines running along the length of the light. Actually i can live with those lines, they dont really look aweful with the HA3 silver finish imo.
3)As with alot of budget chinese lights, we really have to depend alot on luck to get a good light or a lemon.

Other Thoughts: Well, what can i say, this light is the most worthy of 30 bucks i ever spend on my lighting hobby since 2004. I mean, 30 bucks for a variable brightness ha3 multi option battery input torchlight, i can't really ask more...maybe they could improve on the ha3 and they can start selling it by the truckload.

Bottomline: Best 30 bucks spend on a light, that is if u do not receive a lemon or lemon potential on the light. (Btw, my definition of lemon don't refer to the dark gray lines on the ha3 finish cos i think every 1 of us who receive it so far got the same anomaly, so well, sadly the gray lines is a norm in the Q5 VB-16)

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