ITP H01 1xAAA Headlamp (XP-E Q5) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS and more!

selfbuilt · 27.04.2011, 10:15

ITP H01 1xAAA Headlamp (XP-E Q5) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS and more!

Warning: pic heavy, as usual.

Specifications:

LED Type: Cree XP-E Q5
Function: Low-Med-High
Finish: HA Type Ⅲ
Reflector: Orange Reflector
Lens:Anti-shattering ultra clear lens, anti-scratching and anti-slip
Water and Dust Resistant to IP68
Switch: Head Twisty Switch
Mil-spec: MIL-STD-810F
Battery: 1 x AAA, 1 x Rechargeable NiMh AAA, or 1 x 10440 (due to the small body size, 10440 batteries are not recommended since it may cause the light becoming hot very quickly).
Functions and Runtime Three output levels: Low 1.5 lumens (50 hours) -> Medium 18 lumens (4 hours) ->-High 80 lumens (55 minutes)
Standard Accessories: 1 x Clip, 2 x O-rings, 1 x Manual
Size and Weight: L 52.5mm (2.07’’) x D 16.2mm (0.64’’) x W 36.2mm (1.43’’) , 22.8g (Excluding Battery and belt), 50.8g (Excluding battery)
Estimated MSRP ~$30

The H01 is ITP’s first foray into the headlamp world. The H01 is a side-projecting 1xAAA light with a headband attachment.

Inside the simple plastic clamshell packaging is the light, spare o-rings, headband with rubber light holder, and manual.

From left to right: Duracell alkaline AAA, ITP H01, Tiablo E3A, 4GREER WS1, 4Sevens ReVo, Preon 1, Titanium Innovations LuminaTi, Lumapower Avenger GX, Eagletac PN20α, LiteFlux LF2XT, Maratac AAA.

From left to right: ITP H01 (1xAAA), Zebralight H50 (1xAA), Zebralight H31w (1xCR123A), Petzl Tikka XP (3xAAA)

ITP H01: Weight: 22.7g, Length 53.7mm x Width 37.2 (max body) or 15.4mm (bezel)

The H01 is pretty small for a headlamp – the light isn’t much bigger than a 1xAAA cell. This is smaller than any of my other headlamps shown above.

The design is a little different – the removable head is mounted on the side of the light, with the battery inserted into a sleeve that is accessed by the tailcap.

You rotate the light within the plastic headband attachment to angle the beam up or down.

In keeping with its twisty status, both sets of screw threads (head and tail) are anodized, although I recommend you use the tailcap for lock-out.

Light can tailstand and headstand.

Lettering is sharp and clear, in bright white the shiny black finish (hard anodized). No chips or flaws on my sample. There is some mild knurling on the tailcap and head, to help with grip on these components.

In keeping with the diminutive size, the light uses a XP-E emitter (Q5 output bin). The reflector is not overly deep, and OP textured.

And now for the requisite white wall hunting

. H01 on Hi on Sanyo Eneloop AAA compared to Zebralight H31w (neutral white) on 1xRCR on the lower Hi mode (Hi1), about ~0.5 meter from a white wall.

Note: The camera is set to automatic white balance, to try and even out the tint differences. Rest assured, the H01 is actually very white looking in real life!

Sorry for the quality of the white wall beamshots – I’ve recently moved, and haven’t had a chance to set up a proper beamshot closet yet. What you are looking at below is recently primed drywall.

Again, tint above is an artifact of the camera white balance. Key point is that the overall profile of the H01 is actually similar to the Zebralight H31w. The H01 hotspot is slightly more defined, with a sharper edge (i.e. not much of a corona, unlike the H31w).

User Interface

Battery is inserted by removing the tailcap (side that opens). Battery is inserted into a brass sleeve, with the negative terminal to the tailcap spring.

On/Off and mode switching is controlled by tighten-loosen switches of the head. Tighten the head (clockwise) all the way to turn on the headlamp.

When the light is on, do a loosen-tighten switch of the head within 1 sec to change the output mode. The output sequence is Lo -> Med - > Hi.

The headlamp doesn't have mode memory (although it says it does in the manual).

Simply loosen the head to turn off the headlamp.

The tailcap threads are anodized, you can also lock-out the light at the tailcap.

PWM and Strobe

Light uses high freq PWM – measured at 2.43 kHz and 2.45 kHz on Med/Lo. This is high enough to not be generally detectable in use.

There is no strobe mode.

Testing Method: All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for the extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

Throw values are the square-root of lux measurements taken at 1 meter from the lens, using a light meter.

Throw/Output Summary Chart:

One thing to note – the H01 maintains reasonable output levels on 10440 Li-ion.

Output/Runtime Comparison:

Note that I haven’t tested the performance on 10440, as there is no over-discharge protection (ODP) for unprotected 10440 cells. But you can see the relative initial outputs in the graphs above.

Potential Issues

The light has a more focused hotspot than some headlamps. For close-up work, it may be hard to get the light perfectly positioned on your head.

The light holder on the headband is larger than typical for a headlamp. Also, because of its design, it has to potential to turn off the light when angling the light upwards (i.e. the tailcap unscrews slightly, breaking contact).

Light does not have an over-discharge protection (ODP) feature for 10440 Li-ion batteries.

The light doesn't have mode-memory (although it says it does in the manual).

Preliminary Observations

This is probably one of the smallest and cheapest headlamps I’ve come across. Despite the fairly basic build, I am actually fairly positive of its performance in actual use.

The levels are well spaced on all batteries (including 10440). Output/runtime efficiency is quite good - very consistent with other ITP-made lights that use this emitter (i.e. ITP A3, Maratac 1xAAA). Although the Med mode is a bit brighter, the H01 is basically just a side-projecting ITP A3/Maratac AAA.

The head twist works well for mode-changing – my sample is a bit stiff, but at least there is no play in the threads. There is also no distracting strobe/SOS modes to worry about – the light worked consistently, and as expected.

IMO, the most important thing in a headlamp is the beam pattern. My favourite headlamp is an old Petzl Tikka XP that I long-ago modded to a SSC P4 - the optic provides a fairly tight beam without a distracting hotspot, and the built-in diffuser cover can be slid over for full flood for up-close work.

In that regard, the H01 worked better than I expected, given the small reflectored head. As you can see in the beamshots, overall spillbeam width is similar to my Zebralight H31w – which is certainly acceptable for headlight use. However, the H01’s hotspot is a bit more sharply defined than the H31, which I find counter-productive for up-close work. Getting the angle right in the holder can also require a bit of fussing, as the H01’s head projects further forward.

Frankly, I think the easiest solution would be an optional small diffuser cover, to smooth and broaden the beam.

I also wonder about the design choice of using 1xAAA … for a small increase in size and weight, the much higher capacity 1xAA might have been a good idea. But I know there are differences of opinion here.

End of the day, this is certainly a very serviceable budget headlamp option. I also like the thoughtfulness of including the basic clip, in case you want to use it as a forward-projecting clip-on light.

----

H01 supplied jointly by GoingGear.com and BatteryJunction.com for review.

27.04.2011, 10:15	1
selfbuilt Увлеченный Регистрация: 26.04.2011 Последняя активность: 10.11.2015 10:40 Адрес: Canada Сообщений: 412 Сказал(а) спасибо: 0 Поблагодарили: 349 раз(а) в 129 сообщениях	ITP H01 1xAAA Headlamp (XP-E Q5) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS and more! ITP H01 1xAAA Headlamp (XP-E Q5) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS and more! Warning: pic heavy, as usual. Specifications: LED Type: Cree XP-E Q5 Function: Low-Med-High Finish: HA Type Ⅲ Reflector: Orange Reflector Lens:Anti-shattering ultra clear lens, anti-scratching and anti-slip Water and Dust Resistant to IP68 Switch: Head Twisty Switch Mil-spec: MIL-STD-810F Battery: 1 x AAA, 1 x Rechargeable NiMh AAA, or 1 x 10440 (due to the small body size, 10440 batteries are not recommended since it may cause the light becoming hot very quickly). Functions and Runtime Three output levels: Low 1.5 lumens (50 hours) -> Medium 18 lumens (4 hours) ->-High 80 lumens (55 minutes) Standard Accessories: 1 x Clip, 2 x O-rings, 1 x Manual Size and Weight: L 52.5mm (2.07’’) x D 16.2mm (0.64’’) x W 36.2mm (1.43’’) , 22.8g (Excluding Battery and belt), 50.8g (Excluding battery) Estimated MSRP ~$30 The H01 is ITP’s first foray into the headlamp world. The H01 is a side-projecting 1xAAA light with a headband attachment. Inside the simple plastic clamshell packaging is the light, spare o-rings, headband with rubber light holder, and manual. From left to right: Duracell alkaline AAA, ITP H01, Tiablo E3A, 4GREER WS1, 4Sevens ReVo, Preon 1, Titanium Innovations LuminaTi, Lumapower Avenger GX, Eagletac PN20α, LiteFlux LF2XT, Maratac AAA. From left to right: ITP H01 (1xAAA), Zebralight H50 (1xAA), Zebralight H31w (1xCR123A), Petzl Tikka XP (3xAAA) ITP H01: Weight: 22.7g, Length 53.7mm x Width 37.2 (max body) or 15.4mm (bezel) The H01 is pretty small for a headlamp – the light isn’t much bigger than a 1xAAA cell. This is smaller than any of my other headlamps shown above. The design is a little different – the removable head is mounted on the side of the light, with the battery inserted into a sleeve that is accessed by the tailcap. You rotate the light within the plastic headband attachment to angle the beam up or down. In keeping with its twisty status, both sets of screw threads (head and tail) are anodized, although I recommend you use the tailcap for lock-out. Light can tailstand and headstand. Lettering is sharp and clear, in bright white the shiny black finish (hard anodized). No chips or flaws on my sample. There is some mild knurling on the tailcap and head, to help with grip on these components. In keeping with the diminutive size, the light uses a XP-E emitter (Q5 output bin). The reflector is not overly deep, and OP textured. And now for the requisite white wall hunting . H01 on Hi on Sanyo Eneloop AAA compared to Zebralight H31w (neutral white) on 1xRCR on the lower Hi mode (Hi1), about ~0.5 meter from a white wall. Note: The camera is set to automatic white balance, to try and even out the tint differences. Rest assured, the H01 is actually very white looking in real life! Sorry for the quality of the white wall beamshots – I’ve recently moved, and haven’t had a chance to set up a proper beamshot closet yet. What you are looking at below is recently primed drywall. Again, tint above is an artifact of the camera white balance. Key point is that the overall profile of the H01 is actually similar to the Zebralight H31w. The H01 hotspot is slightly more defined, with a sharper edge (i.e. not much of a corona, unlike the H31w). User Interface Battery is inserted by removing the tailcap (side that opens). Battery is inserted into a brass sleeve, with the negative terminal to the tailcap spring. On/Off and mode switching is controlled by tighten-loosen switches of the head. Tighten the head (clockwise) all the way to turn on the headlamp. When the light is on, do a loosen-tighten switch of the head within 1 sec to change the output mode. The output sequence is Lo -> Med - > Hi. The headlamp doesn't have mode memory (although it says it does in the manual). Simply loosen the head to turn off the headlamp. The tailcap threads are anodized, you can also lock-out the light at the tailcap. PWM and Strobe Light uses high freq PWM – measured at 2.43 kHz and 2.45 kHz on Med/Lo. This is high enough to not be generally detectable in use. There is no strobe mode. Testing Method: All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for the extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling. Throw values are the square-root of lux measurements taken at 1 meter from the lens, using a light meter. Throw/Output Summary Chart: One thing to note – the H01 maintains reasonable output levels on 10440 Li-ion. Output/Runtime Comparison: Note that I haven’t tested the performance on 10440, as there is no over-discharge protection (ODP) for unprotected 10440 cells. But you can see the relative initial outputs in the graphs above. Potential Issues The light has a more focused hotspot than some headlamps. For close-up work, it may be hard to get the light perfectly positioned on your head. The light holder on the headband is larger than typical for a headlamp. Also, because of its design, it has to potential to turn off the light when angling the light upwards (i.e. the tailcap unscrews slightly, breaking contact). Light does not have an over-discharge protection (ODP) feature for 10440 Li-ion batteries. The light doesn't have mode-memory (although it says it does in the manual). Preliminary Observations This is probably one of the smallest and cheapest headlamps I’ve come across. Despite the fairly basic build, I am actually fairly positive of its performance in actual use. The levels are well spaced on all batteries (including 10440). Output/runtime efficiency is quite good - very consistent with other ITP-made lights that use this emitter (i.e. ITP A3, Maratac 1xAAA). Although the Med mode is a bit brighter, the H01 is basically just a side-projecting ITP A3/Maratac AAA. The head twist works well for mode-changing – my sample is a bit stiff, but at least there is no play in the threads. There is also no distracting strobe/SOS modes to worry about – the light worked consistently, and as expected. IMO, the most important thing in a headlamp is the beam pattern. My favourite headlamp is an old Petzl Tikka XP that I long-ago modded to a SSC P4 - the optic provides a fairly tight beam without a distracting hotspot, and the built-in diffuser cover can be slid over for full flood for up-close work. In that regard, the H01 worked better than I expected, given the small reflectored head. As you can see in the beamshots, overall spillbeam width is similar to my Zebralight H31w – which is certainly acceptable for headlight use. However, the H01’s hotspot is a bit more sharply defined than the H31, which I find counter-productive for up-close work. Getting the angle right in the holder can also require a bit of fussing, as the H01’s head projects further forward. Frankly, I think the easiest solution would be an optional small diffuser cover, to smooth and broaden the beam. I also wonder about the design choice of using 1xAAA … for a small increase in size and weight, the much higher capacity 1xAA might have been a good idea. But I know there are differences of opinion here. End of the day, this is certainly a very serviceable budget headlamp option. I also like the thoughtfulness of including the basic clip, in case you want to use it as a forward-projecting clip-on light. ---- H01 supplied jointly by GoingGear.com and BatteryJunction.com for review.