Hi guys !!!

Today we will see a beautiful diving flashlight sent to me by XTAR for the review: the XTAR WALRUS D08

Product description

The XTAR D08 Walrus is a professional "Diving flashlight" to be used during deep dives and as a main lighting source for underwater photography. The torch produces 2000 real lumens of output and thanks to the particular LED that offers a CRI ≥ 95 the colors of the photos are very balanced and natural. The 120 ° beam is therefore total flood and guarantees uniform and bright coverage for cameras with a wide range of shots. The particular secondary red led allows you to take pictures of the fish fauna without disturbing or frightening it. In addition, the red light allows you to adjust the bluish color of the photos caused by the natural absorption of red light by the water. The D08 is equipped with a practical side switch for switching on / off and a large rotating magnetic switch on the tailcap that allows you to adjust the light intensity of the main LED and to activate the red LED.

Packaging and content

The XTAR WALRUS D08 comes in a practical nylon case, well made, rigid and very robust. It allows the torch and its rich accessories to be transported in an orderly manner.

Inside there is also an additional mesh pocket to store any extra accessories.

Externally, the rubberized XTAR logo is shown and the closure is guaranteed by a double zipper.

The equipment is really generous, we have:

Walrus D08 LED diving torch

4x Xtar 18650 3500 mAh battery

MC4 battery charger

Power supply for MC4 charger

Lanyard

3x Spare O-ring

A lens cleaning cloth

Flashlight manual

Charger manual

Warranty Card

Main features and technical details

High performance underwater torch

Operating Modes: High / Low / SOS / Red

Luminous Flux: Up to 2000 lumens

NV4W144AMT (2000 lumen) white LED / Cree XP-E2 (180 lumen) red LED

(2000 lumen) white LED / Cree (180 lumen) red LED Beam Range: 40 m

Beam Intensity: 395cd

Batteries Required: 4 x 18650 lithium-ion

Run Time: Up to 76 hours on lowest setting

Body Colour: Black

Body Material: 6N01 aircraft-grade aluminium alloy

Body Finish: Type III hard anodised anti-abrasive finish

Switch Type: Push button magnetic induction switch

Convex Lens ultra trasparent for a total flood beam

Impact Resistance: 1 m

Environmental: Waterproof to 100 metres

Warranty: 2 years

Regulatory Compliance: CE / RoHS

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length: 150 mm

Head Diameter: 57 mm

Barrel Diameter: 59 mm

Tail Diameter: 56.5 mm

Weight without batteries: 465 g

Weight: with batteries: 660 g

Output Levels and runtimes

The D08 has 2 levels + strobe for the main LED and 1 level for the red LED divided as follows:

High: 2000 lm (measured 1889 lm)[/color] – 4.1hrs

Low: 900 lm (measured 897 lm)[/color] – 8.16hrs

SOS: 500 lm (measured 303 lm)[/color] – 72hrs

Red: 180 lm (measured 165 lm)[/color] – 12.2hrs

The runtime diagrams of the "High" level are shown below, using the 3500mAh 4x18650 XTAR included in the package as the power source. The test was conducted with the torch immersed in water inside a basin placed at the entrance of the lightbox to simulate an approximate dive.

High Level – Water Cooling – 4x18650 XTAR 3500mAh

High Level – Water Cooling – 4x18650 XTAR 3500mAh

Body and materials

The XTAR WALRUS D08 certainly is not a small flashlight. The weight with batteries is around 650 grams. However, it has a fairly compact shape and is comfortable to hold.

The 56mm wide head has a spring-loaded magnetic switch used for switching on and off.

Near this switch, there are three blue status LEDs that indicate the remaining amount of battery power.

Around the head there is also a removable rubber ring where it is possible to connect the wrist laynard. This system allows you to cushion the tugs on the wrist if the torch is released.

The very large lens is an aspheric of good quality and allows for an excellent flood beam. The LEDs are in a very advanced position and surrounded by a large white plastic plate. The main LED is well centered while the red LED is slightly out of focus.

The Bezel is made of stainless steel and is not protruding.

The body as well as the head is substantially smooth but with a good anodization.

To insert the batteries just unscrew the ring nut screwed to the tailcap and that perfectly seals the torch. A finish using lamellar knurling helps in the grip.

On the tailcap are printed letters that indicate the various possible selectable levels (H for High, L for Low, O for Off, R for Red and SOS for the SOS mode).

The switch to the tailcap is magnetic, so there is no possibility that the water can penetrate inside during its use

On the inside of the tailcap / rotary switch, we have 6 springs, gold plated, 4 of which in direct contact with the negative poles of the batteries. There is also a temperature sensor and a pin that forces the tailcap to be installed correctly

At the positive pole, we have the printed circuit with conductive beads. XTAR recommends using Top Button cells to ensure better contact.

The lettering is well done and we find it on the head with the brand and the model of the torch, near the tailcap with directions for opening and closing. Finally, a tiny triangle indicates the level selected by the rotating magnetic switch.

The classic ¼ screw, located on the opposite side of the side switch, allows you to mount the torch on a tripod or on underwater equipment.

Some shots in its natural environment

Supply

The D08 is powered by 4x18650 in parallel (included in the package). It can also be powered by one, two or three 18650 batteries, obviously with a proportionately lower runtime than using 4 cells.

The XTAR MC4 charger also comes with the D08. This allows you to recharge all types of cells:

3.6V / 3.7V Li_ion / IMR / INRICR 10440, 114500, 14650, 16340, 17335, 17500, 18350, 18650, 18700, 20700, 21700, 22650, 25500, 26650.

Do not 20700 and 21700 protected can be loaded.

The MC4 also features reverse polarity protection, short circuit protection and the "OV Activation" function which allows you to restore life to batteries that have not been used for a long time or have a voltage of 0V.

All four MC4 slots allow charging the batteries with a current of 500mAh while only the first and fourth, can have a higher current output of 1000mAh. This function is automatically set by the charger for high-amperage cells like the 26650.

For each slot, moreover, there is a status LED that indicates the progress and the recharge status of the batteries:

Green LED: Stanby or Charge completed

Red LED: Charge or "0v Activation" Function

LED Off: Power supply not connected or Polarity reversed

A 5V 2.1A USB charger to power the MC4 is included in the package

User Interface

The user interface is very simple and intuitive. To turn the torch on or off, simply press the side button.

To select the brightness or choose the type of LED, simply rotate the magnetic switch in the queue. It will go from the following levels: R - H - L - O - SOS or Red - High - Low - Off - SOS.

The D08 can be locked out to prevent accidental activation. With the light off press the power button 5 times in quick succession and the light will flash once it is in lockout. Repeat the same process to take the light out of lockout mode.

Above the on / off button there are three status LEDs that show the remaining battery power:

Three LEDs indicate a charge of more than 75%.

Two LEDs indicate a charge between 50-75%.

A LED indicates a charge between 16-50%.

A flashing LED indicates a residual charge of less than 16% and therefore approximately 30 minutes of autonomy.

Beam, Tint and Beamshots

The bundle as we mentioned earlier turns out to be very large (120 degrees). It is very uniform and does not have any artifact. Using the white main LED, in the outermost part of the beam, a slight yellowish tint is visible, given by the aspherical lens. The rest of the beam has no color change and is perfect. The color of the main LED is a beautiful Neutral, very pleasant. Thanks to the high CRI ≥ 95 (color rendering index) the color rendering is exceptional. We are on 5000K. A useful feature for underwater photography is certainly the secondary red LED, which makes it possible to compensate for the natural lack of red light in water and at high depths. Now it is impossible for me to shoot at sea and to be able to appreciate the qualities of the beam, the beamshots have been made, as usual, on the mainland. XD

Beamshot #1

Low Level

High Level

Red Level

Beamshot #2

Low Level

High Level

Red Level

Beamshot #3

Low Level

High Level

Red Level

Beamshot #4

Low Level

High Level

Red Level

Beamshot #5

Low Level

High Level

Red Level

Beamshot #6

Low Level

High Level

Red Level

Beamshot #7

Low Level

High Level

Red Level

Beamshot #8

Low Level

High Level

Red Level

Other shots…

Dimensional comparison with other flashlights in my possession

Conclusions

The Xtar Walrus D08 is a professional diving torch (up to 100 meters deep) that offers a power of over 1800 lumens of natural light (2000 declared by the parent company), thanks to the main LED, and about 180 lumens of Red light for quality photographic shots in the depths of the sea.

With its 395cd and a throw of 40mt allows you to have a real wall of light and illuminate well in the immediate vicinity within 15-20 meters away. The flashlight can be defined as total flood, the beam is really very wide.

The tintis Neutral and thanks to the CRI ≥ 95 makes the colors very well.

Right choice for power supply with batteries in parallel and therefore also the possibility, if necessary, to power the torch with less than 4 cells. I really liked the rotating magnetic switch in the tail, very practical and easy to handle even when seen from a large size.

The side button is very protruding and easy to activate even if you use gloves. I also found useful the presence of the status LEDs that allow you to understand the amount of residual charge of the cells.

The kit with which the D08 arrives is complete with everything. The hard case is practical and comfortable and allows you to keep everything in order. Excellent product recommended for diving or photography