The Emisar D1K: SureFire performance at a Fraction of the Cost

Introduction

We recently reviewed the SureFire EDC-DFT lights, which we hailed as having the “best candela of any everyday carry light we’ve tested.” Well, out of curiosity, I placed an order for an Emisar D1K, a Chinese-made light which claims 900 lumens and 110,000 candela — that’s 10% higher candela than the SureFire, and for a fraction of the price.

What I found surprised me.

Background

Since the release of the Modlite OKW, we’ve seen something of a candela craze. Rightfully so, as candela is helpful for blinding potential assailants, throwing light great distances, and punching through tinted windows. These lights also enjoy prolonged runtimes due to their lower lumen output.

Unfortunately, since many high-candela handhelds are produced by US-based manufacturers, they’re expensive- the SureFire EDC2-DFT is $309.

Enter the Emisar D1K. It claims to perform better than the SureFire, at a fraction of the cost ($40 after shipping).

Can it meet these extraordinary claims?

First Impressions

The Emisar D1K offers a variety of emitter options. We selected the W1 6000K CSLNMI.TG as it had the highest candela claim of any of the configurations.

The D1K is different in form than a tactical light, as it has a side-switch and uses 21700 cells, as opposed to the more common 18650. The 21700 capability allows for better runtimes and aggressive continuous load but breaks compatibility with prime cells.

While I generally prefer tail switches, the side switch on the Emisar isn’t bad. It’s backlit, which can be helpful for finding it in the dark or on the nightstand.

As regards size, I’m impressed by how small this light is. The head is only slightly larger than the SureFire’s and it is significantly shorter overall. This makes it totally manageable for everyday carry if you’re already accustomed to carrying a fullsize flashlight.

User Interface

The user interface/software this light uses is loved by some and hated by others.

I would say it is not ideal for tactical use out-of-the-box, as there are many settings which can be activated accidentally. While the light can be reprogrammed to behave more predictably, it takes some time to figure out the user manual.

Overall, I prefer the barebones functionality of the SureFire.

Manufacturer Specs and Claims

Specification	Emisar D1K	SureFire EDC2-DFT
Head Diameter	35mm	32mm
Overall Length	116mm	150mm
Waterproofing	IP67 (Waterproof to 1 Meter)	IPX7 (Waterproof to 1 Meter)
Battery Type	Unprotected 21700	Protected 18650, or 2x CR123A
Lumens	900 (depends upon configuration)	700
Candela	110,000 (depends upon configuration)	100,000
Runtime	Unrated	2.75 Hours

Into the Lab: Lumens, Candela, and Runtime and CRI

Lumens

The D1K allows the user to set the maximum allowable temperature of the light, which by default is 45°C (113°F). I also did a round of testing with the thermal ceiling set to 50°C (122°F) to see if it made a difference in output.

For these tests, I used Samsung 40T 21700’s. These batteries have a very high constant discharge rating, making them a good choice for this application. The SureFire is running the cell that came with it.

From the above chart, we can see all three curves are strikingly similar. I cut the testing off at three hours, though the Emisar continued to produce very low light for another half hour, and the SureFire produced <50 lumens for another hour.

Let’s get a closer look at the first ten minutes:

Here we can see that the D1K outperforms the SureFire by a decent margin through the first ten minutes, regardless of thermal limits. The ANSI-Plato lumens, which average the light’s output from thirty seconds to two minutes, show just how much the D1K outperforms the SureFire:

	Emisar D1K (50C Ceiling)	Emisar D1K (45C Ceiling)	SureFire EDC2-DFT
ANSI-PLATO Lumens	756	753	586

Runtime

Runtime, as per ANSI-Plato spec, is how long a light can sustain an output over 10% of its claimed maximum lumens. For the D1K, this would be 90, and for the SureFire, this would be 70.

	Emisar D1K (45C Ceiling)	Emisar D1K (50C Ceiling)	SureFire EDC2-DFT
ANSI-Plato Runtime	2:31:42	2:21:10	2:39:02

By this metric, the SureFire wins, and it’s important to consider that it also continued to produce ~50 lumens for another hour, which could be useful in some situations.

Candela

ANSI-Plato spec is to record candela at thirty seconds. I include candela from the moment of turn-on because this is often the number that manufacturers will claim on their specs.

	Emisar D1K (45C and 50C Ceiling)	SureFire EDC2-DFT
Candela (0s)	113500	104100
Candela (30s)	106400	96550

For the candela tests, results did not change with differences in the thermal ceiling. This is because by the time the D1K has run for 30 seconds, it has not yet reached either the 45 or 50 degree limit.

Again, the D1K edges out the SureFire. It’s impressive that even at thirty seconds, the D1K outshines the SureFire’s max output at turn-on.

Color Temp and CRI

For these two lights, Color Temperature and CRI are not the goal. As far as I know, there are no emitters which can perform this way and still have high CRI or low color temperature (if you’re aware of such an emitter, please let me know in the comments!). As a result, we can expect high color temperatures (6000K+) and low CRI (<70).

From the above charts, we can see that our expectations were right about on track. The difference in CRI is negligible: 68.8 for the D1K, and 70.8 for the EDC2-DFT. The difference in light temperature is also visually unnoticeable, 6467K for the D1K and 6655K for the SureFire.

These results are so similar, in fact, it makes me suspect that these two lights may be using the same LED: the Osram W1 CSLNM1.TG. After all, there are only so many emitters, and only a fraction of them are suitable for high-candela flashlights.

Takeaways

I like the Emisar and will continue to carry it. Shan likes his EDC2-DFT and will continue to carry his.

Either one is a win, but for those looking to save some money (or who just want the best specs), the Emisar D1K is a good choice. For those who use their lights for work, the SureFire may be better, but without doing a durability test it’s hard to say. If you’d like to see us destroy some of these lights, let me know down in the comments.

I’m unsure how Emisar handles repairs/replacements. I could not find any warranty information on their page. In the event that a light breaks, you may end up buying a new one. Or just buy two to start with.

SureFire, in our experience, has great customer service.

Here are some pros and cons of going with the D1K:

Pro	Con
Industry-leading output 21700 Compatibility 2.5 Hour Runtime Compact Inexpensive Tons of emitter options	Fidgety software No explicit warranty Side-switch Not made in USA

Here are some pros and cons of going with the SureFire:

Pro	Con
(almost) Industry-leading output Dual fuel (18650/CR123A) 2.5+ Hour Runtime Straightforward UI SureFire Warranty and CS Tail-switch Designed and Manufactured in USA	150mm Overall Length Expensive

Do you have either of these lights? Does the cost and output of the Emisar obsolete the SureFire? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!