Light Lab Novelties: Manker/SkyLumen MC13 II

Introduction

The Manker MC13 II is not a tactical light, but may offer a glimpse into the future of tactical handhelds. It has a super-powerful LED crammed into a portable package, and uses copper to control the massive amount of heat it produces.

The results are impressive, at least for the first thirty seconds.

First Impressions

This light is a collaboration between Manker, a Chinese light brand, and SkyLumen, a well-known flashlight modder in the States. You can buy it either direct from Manker or from SkyLumen (though he only has a few left).

The LED in this light is a Luminus SBT90.2, which is relatively new and stupidly expensive. While an average LED may cost $7, the SBT90.2 runs about $50. This makes sense, considering the SBT90.2 is about nine times larger than the LED found in the SureFire EDC2-DFT or Emisar D1K.

This light utilizes a copper light engine for improved heat sinking (as compared to aluminum), in an effort to control the massive amount of heat generated by the LED. While I don’t have an aluminum version of this light to compare, I can say that in previous tests I’ve noticed copper lights can run harder for longer before stepping down.

The form factor of the Manker makes it ineligible for tactical use. It’s too big for pocket carry and has a proud side-switch that gets bumped easily.

It does have USB-C charging onboard, though I prefer to use an external charger so that I can always have a fully charged battery in the light.

User Interface

Double-click for turbo, hold for moonlight, one click and then hold to cycle throw Low-Med-Hi. The UI is basic, but I wish there was instant access to the highest output setting with a single click.

There are some additional settings which I don’t find useful described on the MC13 II’s product page.

Manufacturer Claims and Specs

Mine came with both the 21700 and 18650 battery tube. If you buy this light directly from Manker, you’ll have to buy the 21700 tube separate. I conducted these tests with the Manker-branded 21700 that I received with the light.

Here are some specs:

Spec	SkyLumen MC13vn90
Head Diameter	40.5 mm
Overall Length (with 21700 tube)	~116 mm
Waterproofing	IP67
Battery Type	21700, 18650 or 18350
Lumens	4600
Candela	140,000
Runtime	Unspecified

Judging by the specs, this light should be outstanding. It claims both more lumens and more candela than the SureFire EDC2-DFT, which has quickly become one of our favorite lights for its ability to throw light great distances and blind would-be assailants.

Can it meet these extraordinary claims?

Into the Lab: Lumens, Candela, Color Temp and CRI

Lumens

Here are the results from our integrating sphere.

That’s quite the drop-off. Let’s get a closer look at those first ten minutes:

Even with the light’s copper light engine, heat kills output quickly.

After thirty seconds, it plummets to around 800 lumens. Output then slumps to ~600 lumens at 45 minutes, raises back to 1,000 lumens at an hour and a twenty minutes, then drops to 30 lumens at an hour and a half. It runs another half hour at this level before dying completely at just over two hours.

By the ANSI-Plato standard, this light produces 1,346 lumens.

For the first thirty seconds, this light can illuminate a massive area at surprising distances. After that, it’s a usable admin light.

Candela

ANSI-Plato spec is to measure candela after the light has been running for thirty seconds. I also measure candela at the instant the light turns on as this is often where manufacturers base their claims.

Candela (0 seconds)	Candela (30 seconds)
107,300	93,670

While the Manker doesn’t meet its claims, these are still some extraordinary numbers. This candela is competitive with the SureFire EDC2-DFT, but its hotspot is significantly larger.

After the thirty second drop-off, the Manker’s candela hovers around 20,000, which in my opinion is the bare minimum for defensive use.

Color Temp and CRI

The Manker isn’t intended to produce high-quality, warm light. Even still, we collected the data so we can compare it to other lights in the industry.

While SkyLumen states that the LED’s output is ~5700K, my readings are around 6500K.

CRI is low at 65.7, and R9 is -19.4.

These results aren’t anything out of the ordinary considering this light’s output and intended use.

Takeaways

The SkyLumen/Manker MC13 II produces a huge amount of light, even though it’s not practical for EDC. As manufacturers continue to push output, though, I wonder if we’ll see the use of more exotic materials (like copper) and more niche LEDs like the SBT90.2. Only time will tell. For now, this light is a fun novelty.

Here’s some quick pro’s and con’s for the MC13 II:

Pro	Con
High output 21700, 18650 or 18350 capability Inexpensive	Made in China Impractical Heats up quickly