Nitecore MH10 v2 Flashlight Review

The Nitecore MH10 v2 flashlight is a nice, fairly simple, USB-C charging 21700 light with an indicating switch.  Read on!

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Official Specs and Features

Here’s a link to the Nitecore MH10 v2 flashlight product page.

Versions

Only one version of the MH10 v2.  Changes from the MH10 include going from 18650 to 21700, using USB-C instead of micro-USB charging, among other things.

Price

These are going for $64.95 at NitecoreStore.com (referral link.)

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Short Review

I like the 21700 format, and this light by Nitecore is a good entry into that category.  I like the indicating e-switch, and the UI is very simple.  Charging works great too, and the included cell is also of good quality.  The price isn’t so bad, either.

Long Review

The Big Table

Nitecore MH10 v2 Flashlight
Emitter:	Cree XP-L2 (V6)
Price in USD at publication time:	$64.95 at NitecoreStore.com
Cell:	1×21700
Turbo Runtime	High Runtime
LVP?	Switch Warning
Switch Type:	E-Switch
Quiescent Current (A):	?
On-Board Charging?	Yes
Charge Port Type:	USB-C
Chargetime
Power off Charge Port with no Cell?	No
Claimed Lumens (lm)	1200
Measured Lumens (at 30s)	912 (76% of claim)^
Candela per Lumen	11.7
Claimed Throw (m)	202
Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s)	511lux @ 4.716m = 11365cd
Throw (Calculated) (m)	213.2 (105.5% of claim)^
All my Nitecore reviews!

^ Measurement disclaimer:  Testing flashlights is my hobby. I use hobbyist-level equipment for testing, including some I made myself. Try not to get buried in the details of manufacturer specifications versus measurements recorded here; A certain amount of difference (say, 10 or 15%) is perfectly reasonable.

What’s Included

• Nitecore MH10 v2 Flashlight
• Nitecore 4000mAh 21700
• Lanyard
• Pocket clip
• Spare o-ring
• Charge cable (USB to USB-C)
• 21700 to 18650 adapter
• Belt holster
• Manual

Package and Manual

Build Quality and Disassembly

The threads on this guy are anodized, triangle, and so so long.  Six and a half full turns to remove the tailcap!

The internals have springs on the head and tail both.

Size and Comps

Length 147 mm / 5.79 in
Head Size 25.4 mm / 1.00 in
Weight 77.5 g / 2.73 oz

Retention and Carry

The included pocket clip arrives unattached and is a friction fit clip that can fit in only one slot.  But it’s reversible in that slot.

It’s a nice clip, and sturdy.  The clip also has two holes through which the lanyard may be attached.  That lanyard can also attach to any of the loops on the tailcap.

A belt attachment is included.  This is a nice holster.

The switch is accessible when the light is holstered, and the light can shine out the bottom, as well.

Power and Runtime

Nitecore includes the NL2140, a 4000mAh 21700 cell.

It’s a protected button top.

A 21700 to 18650 (or cr123x2) adapter is included, too.

When a cell is inserted into the light and the tailcap is fully tightened, the indicating switch will blink to indicate cell voltage.  It blinks the actual cell voltage too, which is great.  In this way:  four blinks then pause, then one blink is 4.1V.  Voltage reported for CR123x2 is the average between the two.

Here are two runtimes.  You’ll note that the output only hits 912 lumens at 30s, and only 954 max – well short of the 1200 claimed.  But remember the bezel, which is crenelated, and know that some light will escape the runtime apparatus.  So it measures low, but maybe not that low.

The runtime on Medium is pleasantly well regulated.

During runtimes, when cell voltage gets low, the switch indicates by blinking quickly.  In my tests, the light didn’t turn off, but the switch was indicating for quite some time before I stopped the test.

Charging

Upgraded from the MH10 is that the charge port is USB-C, not micro-USB.  The included charge cable is a USB to USB-C cable.

The charge port is in the head, exactly opposite the switch.  It’s well protected with this press-in rubber cover.

Charging is not only good, but it’s also consistent.

Modes and Currents

Mode	Mode Claimed Output (lm)	Claimed Runtime	Measured Lumens	Tailcap Amps
High	1200	3h45m	912	2.93
Mid	300	8h	263	0.55
Low	55	46h		0.10
Ultralow	1	1500h		0.01

Pulse Width Modulation

After the disaster that was just reviewed, the P20 v2, what you see here is an extremely pleasant surprise.  This 1) isn’t visible and 2) isn’t even PWM.  Why couldn’t the P20 v2 have this too?

For reference, here’s a baseline shot, with all the room lights off and almost nothing hitting the sensor.  Also, here’s the light with the worst PWM I could find.  I’m adding multiple timescales, so it’ll be easier to compare to the test light.  Unfortunately, the PWM on this light is so bad that it doesn’t even work with my normal scale, which is 50 microseconds (50us). 10ms.  5ms.  2ms.  1ms.  0.5ms.  0.2ms.  In a display faster than 0.2ms or so, the on/off cycle is more than one screen, so it’d just (very incorrectly) look like a flat line.  I wrote more about this Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight and explained a little about PWM too.

User Interface and Operation

There’s just one switch on the MH10 v2.  It’s an e-switch on the head and has an indicating feature.

Below you can see the profile of the switch.  It’s not proud, but also easy to find.  And note the USB-C cover – it’d be hard to get the two confused.

Here’s a UI table!

State	Action	Result
Off	Click	On (Mode memory except any strobe)
Off	Hold	Ultralow
On	Click	Off
On	Hold	Mode Advance (ULMH)
Any	Double click	Strobe
Strobe	Hold	Strobe Advance (Strobe > Beacon > SOS)

LED and Beam

The emitter used by Nitecore here is a Cree XP-L2 (V6).  The reflector is mostly smooth and very deep (for a tube light).

All in all, it makes for a tight beam.

These beamshots are always with the following settings:  f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure.

Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b version) (affiliate link)

I keep the test flashlight on the left, and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the right.

I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!

Conclusion

What I like

• Throw is good
• Use of 21700 is appreciated
• Charging at >1A is good (higher rate would be acceptable too)
• Uncomplicated UI

What I don’t like

• Long tailcap threads
• Output doesn’t quite meet specification

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Notes

• This light was provided by Nitecore for review. I was not paid to write this review.
• This content originally appeared at zeroair.org.  Please visit there for the best experience!
• For flashlight-related patches, stickers, and gear, head over to PhotonPhreaks.com!
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