Speras PZ18 Zoomable Flashlight Review
The Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight offers great throw or flood. The included 18650 cell can be charged via built-in USB-C! The e-switch has an indicator, too!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight product page.
Versions
I think there’s just one version of the Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight.led and
Price
Speras has the PZ18 zoomable flashlight for $65.99 right now.
What’s Included
- Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight
- Speras EB31 18650
- Charging cable
- Lanyard
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The build quality on the Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight is good. There are not really any concerns to mention; the build quality is on par with the price.
The head can be pushed all the way in (flood) or all the way out (throw)
The head doesn’t have to be twisted to extend, which I find to be a nice feature.
Both the head and tail have springs.
The tailcap spring is much beefier, though. I couldn’t get the cell tube off the head, but the tailcap has very smooth removal.
Size and Comps
Flood: 131mm x 36mm x 25.4mm
Focus: 149.7mm x 36mm x 25.4mm
Weight: 137g (without 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+. The version below is a custom laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on an engraved orange host right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to buy your Convoy S2+ now!
Also above is the light beside a TorchLAB BOSS 35, an 18350 light. I reviewed the aluminum version of that light in both 35 and 70 formats. I also reviewed that specific edition, the “Oveready BOSS FT Collector Vintage Brass” 35. I love it!
Retention and Carry
Only a lanyard is included for carrying the Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight. It attaches through this tailcap hole.
Power and Runtime
The Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight is powered by a single lithium-ion cell, and an appropriate cell is included. It’s a 3100mAh 18650, and appears to be standard.
The cell goes into the light positive end first.
Here are a few runtimes. Somehow I ran Turbo twice, but I included the data anyway.
There are some big stepdowns on Turbo and a fairly reasonable stepdown on High. After the stepdown, the output remains fairly constant throughout, until the light responds to the cell being lower voltage. This is pretty good (for a zoomie?); output is fairly high.
Charging
Charging takes place via a USB-C port near on the head end.
A USB to USB-C cable is included.
Charging looks good, at around 1A. It’s also very consistent between A and C sources.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1600 | 1.8h | 1356 (0s) 1273 (30s) |
5.15 |
| High | 800 | 2h | 866 (0s) 852 (30s) |
2.93 |
| Medium | 400 | 2.3h | 420 | 1.25 |
| Low | 100 | 10.5h | 103 | 0.27 |
| ECO | 20 | 51h | 24 | 0.06 |
Pulse Width Modulation
A very nice surprise for a zoomie flashlight – no PWM!
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
The Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight has one indicating e-switch for control. The user interface is pretty guessable.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | On (Memory) |
| Off | Hold | ECO |
| On | Click | Off |
| Any | Double click | Turbo |
| Any | Triple click | Strobe |
| Strobe | Triple Click | SOS |
| Strobe/SOS | Click | Previous state |
| On | Hold | Mode advance (LMH only) |
LED and Beam
Speras says the emitter is a Luminus SST-40. It’s cool white! In the flood setting, you’ll see the view below.
And when fully focused, the emitter isn’t visible at all.
Fully zoomed in (right, below), the emitter die is very clearly visible. I don’t love it or hate it, but it does mean the focus option is very throwy!
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
The Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight is very cool white and low CRI.
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.
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!
Summary and Conclusion
As far as zoomable lights go, the Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight is a nice option. I like it mainly because it doesn’t have PWM! I do not love how cool white the output is. The build quality is good and the price is reasonable – this is probably good option for those relatives who won’t let go of the notion that zoomable lights are the best lights!
The Big Table
| Speras PZ18 zoomable flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Luminus SST-40 |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $65.99 |
| Cell: | 1×18650 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | with or without cell and/or tailcap: ECO only |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1600 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1270 (79.4% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 131.61 (Focus) 1.37 (Flood) |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 420 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 1646lux @ 5.753m = 54478cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 466.8 (111.1% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 7100-8900 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Speras |
| All my Speras 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 I like
- Complete Package
- Zoomable feature doesn’t require twisting
- Good build quality
- Charging works well
- Nice and simple user interface
- Output is respectably high
What I don’t like
- Very cool white
- Low CRI
Notes
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