Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a Flashlight Review

The Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight uses a high CRI Nichia 519a R9080 emitter at 5000K. It has Skilhunt’s great user interface, too. Read on!

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Official Specs and Features

Here’s a referral link to the Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight product page.

Versions

Of course, this is v4+, so there are previous versions. I’ve tested some before (Skilhunt M150, Skilhunt M150 V3, Skilhunt M150 V4). Currently available are four emitters: Luminus SFT25R cool white, Nichia 519A (with three sub-options), TN Cool white, and F35R (review upcoming!). There are also four body colors: grey, green, black, and orange. You can get a kit without a cell, or pick between two cells.

Price

As shown here, the Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight sells for $49.50. Here’s a referral link to the Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight product page.

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What’s Included

• Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight
• Skilhunt 920mAh 14500 cell
• Charge cable
• Lanyard
• Pocket clip
• Manual
• Nylon mesh pouch
• Spare o-rings (2)

Package and Manual

Build Quality and Disassembly

Skilhunt alights are usually well-built, and the M150 V4+ Nichia 519a is no exception. Maybe more importantly, the design language between this and the other Skilhunt lights is very consistent! I did get two of these M150V4+ lights and tried to do something a bit different. I’ll still post the lights in separate posts (to keep the data separate), but many of the photos will be in both posts. The bodies are the same other than color, and you can get any color body with any emitter. So it seems to make sense to do it this way. (It’s surprisingly harder from an edit standpoint, though. Boo!)

You may wonder what the difference is between this Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight and previous versions. There are some output changes, but most importantly, the new driver from the V4 edition of the M150 is now reported to have higher output!

The threads are square-cut and lubed an appropriate amount. A spring in the tailcap is also removable so that the magnet can be removed, too. I know this spring is removable because at one point during testing, the spring came out and the magnet came out, too. It was easy to replace, though.

The head end has only a button – no spring.

Size and Comps

Officially:
Length: 84.0 mm
Head diameter: 21.0 mm
Body diameter: 18.0 mm
Weight: 34 g (without battery)

Notably, those are the same dimensions as the M150V4, which is the same as the M150V3

Here’s the light in hand:

Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. This is a brass version, which is a good bit heavier than aluminum, but has the same dimensions: 24mm in diameter by 117.5mm in length.

Also in the photo above, my Standard Reference Material (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 light. While I have not reviewed or tested the Gunner Grip version seen here, I have tested a Hanko Machine Works Trident Total Tesseract in brass. I love the Trident, and it’s a striking contrast to the inexpensive Convoy S2+, another great SRM.

Retention and Carry

A pocket clip is included. It’s a pretty nice friction-fit two-way clip.

The pocket clip can be installed on the head or tail end. Each shoulder of the clip has a lanyard hole, too!

Also included is a lanyard, which attaches either through the pocket clip (less recommended) or the tailcap, where there is a hole for this express purpose.

The tailcap has a magnet, too, which is strong enough to hold the light securely.

Above, you may note a new holder for my magnetic-tailcap items. That’s the Exceed Designs Hyzer Titanium Mini Hatchet D2 axe. The handle (as the name suggests) is titanium. But the blade is D2 steel and perfect for retaining magnetic tailcap flashlights! The Hyzer is available in a bunch of cerakote body colors as well as different-thickness D2 heads.

Finally, there’s a mesh baggie for carrying the Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight. This always ships separately, but I managed to stuff it into the box. I do believe it’s an included accessory, though.

Power and Runtime

The Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight is sized for a 14500, and an appropriate cell is included. My package was the combo that includes this 920mAh 14500, seen below. Two cells are available. I think the only (or at least “main”) difference is capacity.

The 14500 fits into the M150v4+ with the positive terminal toward the head, as seen below.

In case you forget that bit of information, there’s a sticker just inside the tube to help.

Here are a number of runtime tests. I wouldn’t say there’s anything super surprising here. Output is very stable once a stepdown has happened, and low voltage protection is observed. There’s also a low voltage warning in the indicating e-switch. The switch also indicates the power level upon turning the M150V4 on. The indication it gives indicates the power level as follows:

Blue constant: 100-80% power
Blue blinking: 80-50% power
Red constant: 50-20% power
Red blinking: 20-0% power

I have tested other M150s with Nichia 519a, so if you are inclined, you might see if Skilhunt is being accurate with “improved efficiency.” Based on a cursory glance, I’d say this version is probably a bit more efficient.

The temperature lines in these charts are included as general context, not precise measurements. The values represent the range (min to max) during testing, but should not be taken as exact readings. Temperature sensors are attached however feasible and not always on the bezel or hottest spot (assuming that can even be clearly defined). Even with ideal placement, too many variables affect temperature to definitively state a specific max value.

Charging

The light also has built-in charging. There’s a connector opposite the switch. One end is a USB plug, and the other is a proprietary magnetic connector. This is the MC-10 charger.

Charging on a 14500 cell proceeds at around 1A, which is plenty fast (around 1C) for this 920mAh 14500 cell. Charging looks very good.

Modes and Currents

Mode	Mode Claimed Output (lm)	Claimed Runtime	Measured Lumens	Tailcap Amps (4.2V)
T1	660-235-175	1m/75m/10m	673  (0s) 614 (30s)	3.91
T2	430-235-100	3m/75m/20m	411	1.40
H	235-63	80m/30m	220	0.57
M1	100	240m	90	0.20
M2	18	20h	20	46mA
L1	1.5	150h	1.53	6.3mA
L2	0.05	/	0.1	2.7mA

Pulse Width Modulation

There’s no PWM on any mode. Yay!

Click here to 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

There’s a single switch on the Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight. It’s a side e-switch, with an indicator in the center. It’s a big, secure switch with a very positive but quiet click. I very much like this switch. The switch seems unchanged from the previous iterations of the M-series. The user interface has been updated, but it is the same as other new Skilhunts. That’s a very good thing – it’s a great user interface.

The cutout for the switch in the head is the same size as the charge connector, and while it’s hard to distinguish between the two while holding the light, I found that it didn’t matter; I’ll just pinch the light with both spots between my fingers and activate the light.

The user interface could be a bit daunting, but it’s very straightforward when you get used to it. It’s also very logical and provides access to low from off, which is as close to a requirement for a user interface as I have.

Here’s a user interface table!

State	Action	Result
Off	Hold	Low (Memory between L1 and L2)
L1 or L2	Hold	Iterate between L1 and L2
Off	Click 4x	Lockout (Three blinks of the emitter to confirm)
Lockout	Click 4x	Unlock to Low group (memory, can be L1/L2)
Lockout	Click 2x	Iterate lockout indicator^
Lockout	Hold	Momentary L2
L1/L2	Click	Off
L1/L2	Click Release, Click and hold	M2
Off	Click	On in “Main Group” (Mode memory M2/M1/H)
Main Group	Hold	Mode advance (M2 > M1 > H)
Main Group	Click	Off
Main Group, Off, or Low group	Click 2x	Turbo Group (T1/T2)
T1/T2	Hold	Iterate between T1 (higher) and T2 (lower) output
T1/T2	Click	Off
T1/T2	Click 2x	Main Group (memory output)
Main Group, Off, or Low group	Click 3x	Strobe Group (with memory)
Strobe Group	Click 3x	Previous Group (T1/T2 or M2/M1/H, depending on how you accessed Strobe Group)^^
Strobe Group	Hold	Strobe Advance (S1 > S2 > S3)
Strobe Group	Click	Off

LED and Beam

This is the Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight, so it has a Nichia 519a emitter. This emitter is a great choice for high CRI output. Other options are available for high output (more lumens)!

Here’s a side view of the reflector, which I think is the same in both these emitter versions.

Below you can see the Nichia 519a (right) with the Skilhunt-made F35R. More on that later (tomorrow? Testing is complete…), but the short version is that I like the F35R emitter version way more. The photo below perfectly encapsulates why!

LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)

Skilhunt states that the Nichia 519a used in the M150V4 is “5000K” and CR9080 emitters. They test a bit warmer than that, which is great! The CRI is very high, of course.

CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) refers to the measurement of the color appearance of light, expressed in Kelvins (K), which indicates whether the light is warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A lower CCT (below 3000K) is considered warm light, while a higher CCT (above 5000K) gives cooler, bluish light.

CRI (Color Rendering Index) is a measure of how accurately a light source renders colors in comparison to natural sunlight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, higher CRI values indicate that colors appear more true to life and vibrant, similar to how they would look under the sun.

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. These photos are taken around 18 inches from the door.

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

Summary and Conclusion

I love the Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight just as much as I love previous M150s. I don’t love the proprietary magnetic charging, though (the EC150’s USB-C is an upgrade!). I love the Skilhunt user interface, particularly the click/hold from the lower modes to Low (of the main group). I’d like that to work to get to the lower Turbo mode, too! Finally, I love that it can run both 14500 lithium-ion and 1.5V, too!

The Big Table

Skilhunt M150v4+ Nichia 519a flashlight
Emitter:	Nichia 519a (5000K High CRI R9080)
Price in USD at publication time:	$49.50
Cell:	1×14500
Runtime Graphs
LVP?	Yes
Switch Type:	E-Switch
Quiescent Current (mA):	?
On-Board Charging?	Yes
Charge Port Type:	Proprietary Magnetic
Charge Graph
Power off Charge Port
Claimed Lumens (lm)	660
Measured Lumens (at 30s)	614 (93% of claim)^
Candela per Lumen	7.8
Claimed Throw (m)	128
Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s)	206lux @ 4.88m = 4906cd
Throw (Calculated) (m)	140.1 (109.5% of claim)^
Claimed CCT	5000K High CRI R9080 5000
Measured CCT Range (K)	5000K High CRI R9080 4500-4900 Kelvin
Item provided for review by:	Skilhunt
All my Skilhunt 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

• Higher output in this V4+ version
• Great build quality
• Emitter options
• High CRI (in the Nichia 519a version)
• Can run 1.5V and 4.2V cells
• Great user interface
• Available in orange body!

What I don’t like

• Price creep. ($2 more than the previous version)

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Notes

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