Acebeam H16 Fishing Headlamp Review
Acebeam has released the H16, a dual-fuel (14500/AA) headlamp intended for fishing! This headlamp uses a high CRI 5000K Nichia emitter, too!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a referral link to the Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp product page at killzoneflashlights.com.
Versions
A couple of versions of the Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp are available. The body is the same, but the emitter is available in 5000K high CRI (seen here) or a higher output 6500K version.
Price
The Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp lists for $44.90. It’s available on Amazon.com, too, and often for less than $44.90. In fact, on Amazon right now there’s a 15% off coupon, too!
Short Review
As much as I like (and still use) the Pokelit, I like the H16. Basically, it’s an e-switch headlamp version of the Pokelit, with many of the same great features (such as the Nichia 519a and great beam profile). I love the Pokelit counterpart, and it’s always good to have a new headlamp! The headband is great, the usability is great, the user interface is great – it’s all great! Particularly for the price, it’s a must-have!!
Long Review
The Big Table
| Acebeam H16 Fishing Headlamp | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Nichia 519a (5000K, High CRI) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $44.90 at killzoneflashlights.com |
| Cell: | 1×14500 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C (on cell) |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | – |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 650 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 482 (74.2% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 3.96 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 86 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 97lux @ 4.517m = 1979cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 89.0 (103.5% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | 5000 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 4800-5100 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Acebeam |
| All my Acebeam reviews! | |
| Acebeam H16 Fishing Headlamp | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Nichia 519a (5000K, High CRI) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $44.90 at killzoneflashlights.com |
| Cell: | 1xAA |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | None for AA cells |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | – |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 134 |
| Candela per Lumen | 3.65 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | – |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 25lux @ 4.426m = 490cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 44.3 |
| Claimed CCT | 5000 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 4800-4900 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Acebeam |
| All my Acebeam 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
- Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp
- Acebeam 920mAh 14500
- Charging cable (USB to USB-C)
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Headband
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp is very much similar to some other flashlight-style lights Acebeam has made lately. The Pokelit AA (in aluminum, for example, or copper) is essentially the same light with the H16 being a headlamp version. That’s actually a great thing because the Pokelit is a great light. Almost all the things I said about the Pokelit are true about the H16, and they certainly excel in the same ways.
The build quality of the Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp is just fine. No issues or concerns to mention. I’ll add that Acebeam calls this (in their product title) a “fishing” headlamp. I’m not sure what makes this extraordinarily fishy, but it’s very useful outside of the fishing realm, too. So don’t get bound up in the name that Acebeam uses; this is a multi-functional headlamp, capable of use during many tasks.
The head has some deep cooling fins.
In the tailcap is a spring and a magnet. The magnet is perfectly suitable for holding the H16.
Below you can see the positive contact – just a button.
Size and Comps
81.6mm x 19mm x 17mm (body), and 53.5g with the included cell.
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here (usually the third photo). If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll also show that (usually in the fourth photo).
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. Mine’s a custom “baked” edition Nichia 219b triple. A very nice 18650 light.
Also above on the left is a new feature light!! Laulima Metal Craft sent this titanium Todai for some size comparison photos like the ones above. Laulima has a bunch of incredible items. I’ve tested one (the Laulima Metal Craft Hoku) (the official site for Hoku is here) that was a Friend Fund Friday review. I was impressed enough by that Hoku that I bought a Laulima Metal Craft Diamond Slim (also in tumbled aluminum) (review is upcoming!) These lights by Laulima have impeccable build quality and not only that, they’re quite configurable. There are some (great, actually) default configurations, but Joshua Dawson (of Laulima Metal Craft) is open to ideas and emitter options and the like. I haven’t reviewed this Todai, but I have to say, it feels absolutely fantastic and I love it thus far. (Notably, I love how warm and eggy those emitters look through the TIR.)
Retention and Carry
The Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp is primarily a headlamp. Acebeam includes this great orange headband with a silicone connector. It works great for the H16!
The light must be slipped into these stretchy bands. On the light body are two grooves just suited for the silicone loops.
Using the headband does mean you can’t use the pocket clip, though.
The pocket clip is good, despite being a two-way clip. There’s a lanyard hole in the shoulder.
One nice thing about the pocket clip is that when situated properly, you can get very good deep carry with the switch up.
Again, the magnet in the tailcap is great!
Power and Runtime
Included with the Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp is a lithium-ion 14500 cell. However, the H16 will also run on a single AA cell, too (that is, a 1.5V cell – primary or NiMH.)
The cell goes into the light in the usual orientation: button (positive end) toward the head. The included 14500 cell is a standard button top, with a capacity of 920mAh.
Below are a number of runtime graphs. Output with a NiMH (or any 1.5V cell) is (much) lower than with the included 14500 cell.
Looks like my graphs on AA Turbo need some work. You get the idea, though.
Overall I’d say performance is good, and I really appreciate that the Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp runs on lithium-ion and 1.5V cells.
Charging
While the Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp itself doesn’t have built-in charging, the included cell does. That’s USB-C charging, and the port can be seen below.
Acebeam includes a short USB to USB-C cable.
Here are a few charge cycles. Charging looks fine but is a bit slow at around 0.5C. C to C works fine!
While charging, an indicating LED near the button lights in red. When charging is complete, the indicator turns green.
Modes and Currents
| Mode (14500) | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps (@4.2V) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 650-250 | 45s-1h45m | 521 (0s) 482 (30s) |
1.86 |
| High | 230 | 2h | 172 | 0.71 |
| Med | 100 | 8h | 71 | 0.29 |
| Low | 30 | 16h | 14 | 0.05 |
| Ultra-Low | 5 | 58h | 3.5 | 0.014 |
| Mode (AA, NiMH) | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps (1.5V) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | – | – | 134 | (low) |
| High | – | – | 16 | (low) |
| Med | – | – | 2.86 | (low) |
| Low | – | – | 0.06 | (low) |
| Ultra-Low | – | – | – | (low) |
As far as I could see in the product literature, Acebeam doesn’t list specifications for the output on an AA cell.
Pulse Width Modulation
Every mode from both cell types (except maybe) the lowest AA output) uses PWM. It’s not at all bad PWM though, and I don’t find it the least bit noticeable.
Here you can see a “baseline” – a chart with almost no light hitting the sensor.
Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has some of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so bad that I used a post about it to explain PWM! Here are multiple timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make comparing this “worst” PWM light to the test light easier. That post also explains why I didn’t test the WF-602C at the usual 50us scale.
User Interface and Operation
Unlike the Pokelit AA lights, the Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp is controlled by a single e-switch.
The switch is proud and a bit domed, and thus prevents headstanding. That’s not really a problem, though, I would say.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Double Click | On (Mode Memory) |
| On | Click | Off |
| Off | Hold | Ultra-Low |
| On | Double Click | Turbo |
| Turbo | Double Click | Iterate between memorized mode and turbo |
| Any | Triple Click | SOS |
| On | Hold | Low>Med>High |
LED and Beam
In the Acebeam H16 fishing headlamp is a single Nichia 519a emitter. Nichia 519a is absolutely the latest and greatest, and the usage in this little H16 is very good. Acebeam opted for the 5000K High CRI (90) version (but a higher-output 6500K version is also available).
That emitter is paired with a smooth and not-all-that-deep reflector.
In case you forget, the CCT and CRI are marked on the head of the H16.
The photo below is not processed for color – the beam really is this pleasant.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
As stated above, Acebeam calls this a 5000K, CRI90 emitter. I’m happy to report that mine seems to be at or above 90 CRI for every mode. In fact, the lowest I tested was 93 CRI, with the CRI otherwise being around 97!! That is very good.
Beamshots
These beamshots always have the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. These photos are taken at floor level, and the beam hits the ceiling around 9 feet away. Below you can get an idea of how low the output with an AA cell really is (bottom row).
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
- Uses Nichia 519a emitter
- 5000K and High CRI
- Nice e-switch interface
- Uses both 14500 and AA (“dual-fuel”)
- Great low price!!
What I don’t like
- Double-click to turn on
Notes
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