Police 3W LED Mini Flashlight Review

Flashlight Fiesta

Police 3W Mini Torch

Price: 37p - 60p winning bids free shipping

manufacturer: Unknown

Model: Police 3W

Power: 3W Cree™ Q3? Not sure 

Run By: 1x AA 

Focus Type: Fixed

Vendor: various sellers on ebay

Description: Police 3W Tactical Flashlight

Shipped From: Hong Kong

What's in the Packet?: Just the torch + lanyard in some cases

Some are these Police are uniformed, some are undercover

First Impressions
Whilst ebay surfing for torches I noticed a few of these pop up among the lots starting out at 1p and free shipping.
I managed to bag a few for myself at prices between £0.37p and £0.60p. At these low prices it isn't a big loss if they turn out to be crap.
All four Police Mini's arrived at different times and in different packaging. Out of the four there isn't two that are the same! They are all different.
Two of the torches have Police logo on the body but the fonts are different. They both have a keyring lanyard which is quite well made and includes a break away fastener.
The remaining two torches (red and plain black) do not have any identifying logo or lanyard.
The build quality varies between all four surprisingly. Both the branded torches are reasonably well made with good screw threads which are easy to turn.
The unmarked torches on the other hand are poorly made. The screw threads on the end cap are poorly machined and squeak when you attempt to shut the battery in. The plain red and plain black are crap basically.

Not much to take apart here... end cap and a nifty one-piece

All four LED diodes kinda looked the same....sort of

Which one is the real Police 3W?

More Counterfeit Torches?

Have the Counterfeiters  got to these torches too? I can't think why they would bother to be honest but it does appear that amongst these four we have at least three clones. But of what? My money is on the branded torch with the thinner police type face. It Has the  best quality and feel out of them all.

Testing:

Just before testing the fake fatter font police torch died! Yes, so now we only have three to test. Strongly worded email on its way to the seller.

Who said these were 3W? Really? hmmm.. 

Below are some brickwall shots of each torch. There isnt much to separate them but the branded (small font) police torch wins hands down. 

 #1 The real Police 3W torch. Nice and bright

This has to be the best beam and brightness overall. A good torch

 #2 The Red unbranded 3W clone. Not as good

Still a good torch but a little dimmer

#3 The Black unbranded 3W clone. No still not as good 

In fact I'm quite impressed with torch #1. It's throws a decent amount of light for something so small. The others are less impressive. 

Rating: ✅✅✅✅ 4 out of 5 

Out of the four Police 3W's I currently own only one exceeded my expectations. One died completely and the other two are poor replicas. Based on the best one then I would say these are pretty good pocket torches. Very cheap and OK passable quality.

I would definitely buy another Police 3W - it's just a lottery as to wether you recieve a good one.

Retevis R-773 Dual Band Antenna Review

Retevis R-773 Telescopic Dual Band Antenna

Price: £6.99
Manufacturer: Retevis
Model: R-773 
RF Gain: +2dBi
Fitting: SMA female
Suitable For: Baofeng, Pofung + anything SMA male
Vendor: seller via Amazon
Description: Scalable dual band antenna
Shipped From: Hong Kong
What's in the Packet?: Just the Antenna

First Impressions
Another fake Nagoya but this time the company actually puts it's name to it rather than copy the real one.
I was looking at various after market antennas for my Baofeng and I had come across the Telescopic type a few times.
The real version of this antenna is the Nagoya NA-773, and like the NA-701 and NA-771 these have been counterfeited to saturation. Amazon and eBay are awash with 773's and the hinged Telescopic 774. Prices start from around £4 but for some strange reason I opted for a more expensive deal?
The antenna arrived in a envelope. No paperwork inside or anything.
The appearance and feel of this clone was not amazing. Firstly the whole antenna was off center. Meaning that when you screwed it down on the radio it leaned slightly left and right as you screwed it in.  Like the threads/shaft was bent.?
Secondly the plastic heat shroud at the base was poorly cut and looked uneven and bodged.
Recently the seller has agreed to send me another through the post. Which is decent of them.

Testing
I will keep this brief as I'm not too sure if this antennas imperfections could influence the testing.
On both 2m and 70cm this antenna is OK. Not outstanding by any stretch of the imagination. At its fullest extent it will pull in some of the more distant signals especially on VHF but when used on UHF it's really no better than the A-85 stock. This for me is not a good situation as most of what I use this radio for is on UHF.
Try retracting the antenna all the way back into its plastic shroud and it struggles somewhat. But that's to be expected.

One annoying feature of this particular antenna was its tenancy to lean and feel loose. The six individual sections become very wobbly once you have extended the antenna a few times. Now it sags and looks like a piece of limp lettuce.
I don't think this slackness has affected the performance of the antenna. It wasn't very good to start with!

So to sum it up, it works. It's not a great improvement over the stock and this particular one is defective.


Rating:  ✅✅ 2 out of 5
I can hardly give this any more than a 2 rating just now. This one is a quality control disaster so it's only fair to reflect that in my score. I do like the idea of a Telescopic antenna. They do have their benefits.. just not this one.
No I'm dying to see what this replacement is going to perform.

1mW + 5mW Laser Pens Review (Green, Red, Blue)

Flashlight Fiesta

1mW/5mW Laser Pointer Pens

Colour: Red, Green, Blue
Price: £1.50-£1.75 free shipping
Power: ? Green = 532nm diode / Red = 650nm diode / Blue = 405nm
Laser Rating: Blue = Class 2.  Green+Red = Class 3
Run By: 2x AAA
Description: 1mW/5mW Professional Laser Pointers AAA battery

First Impressions

I like the look of these pen style pointers. Memories of the crappy key chain red lasers of yesterday stick in the mind. The piddling low powered button cells were a pain and expensive to replace. These longer pen  shaped lasers offer the chance to use normal everyday alkaline batteries and rechargeables. They are cheap enough to buy but are they any good?

Always Read The Label
Ah yes, the laser warning stickers. It's all very strange. You see every single one of these pens has a slightly different warning stickers on the front.

And the reason for this? Well perhaps there is a difference in label due to where these are shipped. different countries and different regulations? Or these labels are just made up bogus ones? I'm going with the bogus label theory as on closer inspection most have spelling mistakes. And this also raises the question on if the power output rating is indeed what it claims to be.
Unfortunately I have no way of testing these pens to find out.

The build quality of all of these pen lasers is OK on the whole. Although one of  them rattles with the batteries installed and one  has a bad button connection and is liable to cut out at any point whilst you are pressing the button. The contact spring quality on all of these pens is suspect and inconsistent. They can be short and bent over. It doesnt cause too much trouble though.
These dud units were replaced by the seller after reporting the problems.

One noticeable difference between these four laser pens is that one of the 5mW greenss is slightly longer than all the others? The aluminium laser head is bigger and the laser aperture is slightly wider than the rest. Not sure why this is the case. Maybe a different manufacturer?.
I also discovered that both the 5mW greens were noticeably heavier than both the red and blue. Why? As the diode pill is press fitted into the laser main body it will be tricky to remove to have a look. Definitely something more substantial going on in the greens.

The pen on the far right is a bit longer?

Testing

As expected these four pens perform well. The warm up time for these lasers is about the same. its hardly noticeable. The silver push button can be a little hit and miss at times and has a tendency to rattle but all in all they are great for what they are. The green pens were the brightest (the eye is more receptive to green light)  followed by the blue/purple pen with the red seemingly the least bright. I dont feel as though the red is inferior, red lasers are known to be much less visible than green anyway. 

Distance wise, all four lasers could at least project a dot onto a building 50+ ft away. The extra long green 5mW was hitting a building some 200ft away.  Not bad at all. 

The question of whether these pens are all outputting the label claims still remains unanswered but judging by what the blue was putting out I would say that this pen is really a 5mW underneath. Either that or all the others have an exaggerated label! 

It doesn't really matter though.... Im not that bothered.

Rating: ✅✅✅✅  4 out of 5
Overall I'm impressed for what I paid for these. Unfortunately due to the two earlier mechanical failures this review has to be a four tick affair.
These are good value for money provided you dont get a dud through your door!

Fake Ultrafire Mini Cree V Sipik SK-68

Fake Ultrafire's and More Confusion
Following on from my fake flashlight post concerning the ultrafire mini, I decided to add some more conspiracy to the fake debate by taking a look at my recently acquired Sipik SK-68 and noting any differencs over my supposed real Ultrafire Mini's .

Part 2 - Enter the Sipik
 Just a five minute test reveals the differences between these two 'identicle' torches. Looking at them you might think there is very little between them but you would be wrong. pitted againgst the so called original Ultrafire we see this flashlight out perform its cousin by a country mile.
I don't get it? So the original Ultrafire Mini Cree is crap compared to its replica? Either the Sipik SK-68 is an improvement counterfeit or my genuine Ultrafire wasn't all that genuine afterall?!?
It seems that all the positive criticism was worth listening to.
It is a fantastic copy of a fantastic flashlight.
I paid a pound for mine!

  Genuine Ultrafire Mini and the Sipik Mini

Points Of Superiority
1. The Sipik is brighter
2. The Sipik has a better button
3. The Sipik has 3 modes
4. The Sipik has better zoom movement 
5. The Sipik has a better quality spring
6. The Sipik has better screw threads
7. The Sipik has a better lens
8. The Sipik has a better Anodised finish

The Sipik (left) has far better looking electronics

The Sipik is a much better version of the Ultrafire, thats assuming my genuine mini is really genuine.?
The extra rubber o-ring on the zoom head adds a further feeling of security when considering the waterproof qualities of these torches.

With the prospect of another 5 of these arriving soon it could be too early to say if this superb Sipik will be a consistent performer and not just a one off. Far too often quality control goes to hell in these factories and many variations in quality make it out the warehouse doors.

The eBay League Table Of Lunacy

The Top 3 Cheapest eBay Items So Far

Everyone wants a bargain right? And eBay is definitely one of those places to start looking.  Occasionally a few auction lots come along which seem ridiculously too good to miss out on.

The table below shows the three cheapest items won so far on UK eBay.co.uk. All come with free shipping.
It's truly unbelievable! Can these guys actually send me something for 1p?! - this remains to be seen ass I haven't taken ownership yet. 

eBay Product	Shipping	Price £ GBP
3x LED Earpicks	Free	£0.01
3x LED Earpicks	Free	£0.06
Kids LED Torch	Free	£0.15

The Items in Question:

1. 3x LED Earpicks.    1p (yes 1p!)

What on earth are these? 3 different coloured LED wands? These appear to be strange little devices for shoving  down your ear hole to scrape out the wax. Disgusting and probably not a good idea in the first place. This item comes with three different attachments  for different ear widths?! Of course you can just use this as an inexpensive flashlight or salvage the 3x button cell batteries which come supplied with every device. Yeah, I will just do that...

2.  3x LED Earpicks  6p

No point in me explaining this one to you. It's the same three Earpickers but this time from a different ebay seller. I paid a little more for these three Chinese earhole pokers... a wallet busting 6p with free shipping!? lol. It's worth 6p for the batteries

I won't be sticking them down my lug holes thays for sure!

3. Kids LED Flashlight AA battery. 15p

What do we have here? A bright and colourful Kids Flashlight for 15p?! And what looks like a Cree™ Q3 LED diode in each one? It would appear so judging by the promotional photos. I'm actually looking forward to receiving these. I can always salvage the Q3 diodes should the need arise. 

I think I ended up getting 12 of these in total! 

I have the feeling that it will be a long time before I update the table again. lol
Reviews and photos will be posted should these silly cheap items roll in.

Fake Ultrafire Mini Cree Flashlights?

Mr AphoristicInvestigates!

Can You Tell A Real Ultrafire Mini From A Fake?

In a world full of product fakery it would appear that the rather excellent Ultrafire Mini has not escaped the grasp of the counterfeiters.

It seems that most of the Ultrafire flashlight catalogue has been copied and copied in large numbers. Some seem to be direct copies including Ultrafire logos etc, and some have another brand name on them. Is it that easy to tell if you have a genuine Ultrafire or not?

According to some flashoholics some online sellers like eBay and Amazon are awash with such fakery. 

Ultrafire themselves have acknowledged the problem but dont seem to be doing much about it and not giving any clues away as to what we have to look out for. A bit daft really.

Their website is rather vague shall we say.!

http://www.ultrafire-shop.net

YouTube has several videos dedicated to dodgy Ultrafire torches and how to detect one. 

Once you start digging into this subject you find that everybody seems to be saying different things. 

So let's have a little look at the two Ultrafire Mini Cree that I currently own and see if we can make some sense of all this.

..

 Standard Black Ultrafire SK-68

Camouflage Ultrafire SK-68

FAKE Ultrafire Mini's have commonly been reported as: 

• NOT having the registered trademark  ® symbol after the Ultrafire logo

• NOT having 3 different modes, just 1.

• NOT having a ring of holes at the base of the main body

• NOT having adequate rubber o-ring sealants

• NOT having the right length and quality of contact spring.

• NOT having a smooth action zoom lens

• NOT having a Light Radiation warning sticker.

• NOT able to be stood on its head without wobbling

• Generally NOT having the same feel of quality

So how much of this is true? 

 Springs and End Caps different

 Why is the Black Torch smaller? 

The quality of the reflector and chip is better on the Camo (L)

 Both these Len's have a difference in magnification

Noticed the drill holes around the base of the black torch

Left: Cool White LED (Camo) Right: Warm White LED (Black)

Left: much brighter camo.  Right: Dull looking Black

What I discovered:

• BOTH have different shaded white LED's 

• BOTH have different style belt clips

• BOTH have a difference in height 

• BOTH have different convex Lens

• BOTH have different maximum brightness 

• BOTH have different Cree™ logo letter fonts

• BOTH have different end caps + springs

• BOTH have different colour buttons (though slight)

• BOTH have different style Crowns or Bezels

• Only the Black Mini has the warning label

So it would seem that there may be many differences between these seemingly identical torches.  

Some of the differences I have noted on the list are news to me. 

Perhaps I have unearthed a few new ones? lol

What constitutes a genuine product and what is considered a fake is a minefield of miss information. With so many differing opinions it's safe to say that they all can't be right!.

And anyway, what does a REAL Ultrafire Mini actually look like?

How do these people know? Unless you buy direct from the Ultrafire store then who knows what's real and what's not?

In this instance I'd say that perhaps both of mine are Fakes? I just don't know?

But would that really be such a problem if they were? No, not at all, the fact that i only paid a £1 each for these makes them disposable. Who cares as long as they offer good performance and reliability. They both exceeded my expectations. Case closed for now.

On a side note, I'm expecting a consignment of Sipik SK-68's any day soon which although a blatant clone of the mini, are very highly regarded for their build quality.  

UV-21 Ultra Violet Torch Review

Flashlight Fiesta

UV-21 LED Ultra Violet Torch

Price: £2.50 buy it now

Manufacturer: ? Generic

Model: UV21

Power: 21x 5mm diodes . Output unknown

Run By: 3x AAA batteries

Vendor: seller ebay

Description: 21 LED Ultra Violet flaslight.

Shipped From: China

What's in the Packet?: Just the torch

This end cover looks like cheap crap. Should be metal!

First Impressions

Another day, another black light torch and this time we have far more LED's on offer than the entry level 9 LED type of past reviews.

Expectations are high with this model following the Stella performance put in by the weedy little UV-9  I'm not expecting a brighter torch but more of a beam spread due to the extra 5mm diodes. I hold my breathe.

This item arrived in usual Hong Kong style. Just about adequately packaged with the added chance of damage.

Under closer scrutiny we find that this UV light looks solid and well made with a nice aluminium finish.  The head is solid enough but probably not that waterproof due to the flimsy looking plastic end cover. (The bit with the holes in)
There is a rubber O-ring at the battery cover cap but I fear that this will be just as ineffective at repelling water as the holey led cover. Don't chuck this in a pond would be my advice.

Testing
As expected this torch performs really well.  The large head offers a wider beam of light. but it's no brighter than the smaller UV9 model.
This is not a big deal.  The brightness offered by this torch is enough to be effective and not too hungry on power to chew through your batteries every five minutes.
It does it's job...in a stylish way

 This pencil was blindingly fluorescent! 

The Garden bush test up close and purple

Rating:✅✅✅✅  4 out of 5

This UV torch is pretty good value for money. it's certainly not the best black light torch out there but it is a good one for under a fiver. you can't really argue with that.

So why hasn't his torch gotten full mark in this review? Well that crappy hole ridden end plate is annoying me just enough to keep this from a full 5 ticks 😣 too bad.

Its Still worth buying one

60x LED Mini Microscope Review

Flashlight Fiesta

60x Mini LED Microscope with UV 

Price: 99p Buy it now free shipping

Manufacturer: ??

Model: ? 

Power: 2x white straw hat LEDs / 1x UV straw hat LED

Run By: 3x LR1130 cells (supplied)

Vendor: seller via ebay

Description: currency detecting Microscope 60x magnifier

Shipped From: China
What's in the Packet?: Mini Microscope, Pouch and instructions.

First Impressions

OK so it's not really a torch/flashlight in the conventional sense but it is a super small jewellers type magnifier assisted by two quite bright LED's and a single black light UV LED just in case you want to check the house for cat pee?!
This item arrived within about a fortnight. And much like the last one I ordered, it came in a little blue box with a storage pouch and some instructions.
Firstly looking at the pouch, it's actually quite nicely made considering it faux leather. It's soft and protects the Microscope very well.
The instructions are in both English and Chinese but you won't be needing these.

The body of the Microscope is in two parts. The business end of the device (lens, zoom tube etc) is made from good quality plastic. Quite solid.
On the other side of the hinge we have the LED lighting module. This is made from aluminium and feels durable. The 3x button cell batteries live inside this section along with The LED's and switch.  The LED rocker switch seems durable for the amount of use its likely to get.
Overall excellent value for money so far

All this for 99p shipped!? Bargain madness

Testing
As a miniature Microscope this performs really well.
Zooming in and out of a subject under glass is simple and effective. Adding the two white lights is an added bonus in low light situations.
I have no real reason to check counterfeited bank notes but if I did the added UV feature would be really handy. Although not a bright as the main two LEDs it throws enough out to be effective.

White light LED close up of the box

Ultra Violet close up of the box

Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5
A very useful and very inexpensive mini gadget.
Cheap enough to buy for christmas stocking fillers or just as a gift for someone.
In my experience both adults and children have taken a keen interest and I'm currently ordering more for different people!
For something so cheap it doesn't feel as if it will fall to pieces any second. I expect a few years of service from these.
Buyers will be impressed by the build quality and love the white and UV lighting.  Fantastic!