SPERAS TH4 Hunting Light Review
SPERAS TH4#
- Specifications
- Introduction
- Torch in use
- Build quality
- LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam
- Size and comparison
- User interface
- Batteries and charging
- Performance
- Beamshots
- Conclusion
- Price
- Product page
Specifications#
| Brand/model | SPERAS TH4 |
|---|---|
| LED | White, Green, Red, Infrared (IR850) |
| Maximum lumens | 800 lm |
| Maximum beam intensity | 136,500 cd |
| Maximum throw | 739 m |
| Battery | 1*21700 |
| Onboard charging | Yes (USB-C) |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Modes | Smooth ramping |
| Blinkies | - |
| Reflector | Optic |
| Waterproof | IP68 |
| Review date | August 2024 |
Introduction#
The SPERAS TH4 is a hunting light with four emitters: Green, White, Red and Infrared (850nm). A rotary switch controls the brightness. The head can be twisted to zoom in and out. And there is built-in USB-C charging.
The remote pressure switch has heaps of options: On, off, momentary on (memory), momentary on (100%), increase the brightness, and decrease the brightness.
I have reviewed a few SPERAS torches in the past. I really like the SPERAS M4 pocket thrower.
SPERAS provided this torch for review. I have not been paid for this review nor have I held back my opinions of this torch.
Packaging#
The SPERAS TH4 comes in a case with a foam cutout to fit the light and accessories.
The following was included in the box:
- SPERAS TH4.
- SPERAS S50 21700 3.6V Li-ion 5000mAh battery.
- Scope clamp.
- Remote pressure switch with three switches.
- Two spare o-rings.
- USB-A to USB-C cable.
- User manual.
Torch in use#
The SPERAS TH4 is a good size for my hand. It feels comfortable but it is slightly top heavy.
The head can be twisted to zoom in and out. The action is smooth. It came well lubricated.
A rotary switch on the head has G, W, R and IR markings for selecting the Green, White, Red or Infrared light. The switch is well lubricated and it gives a satisfying click when it is rotated and clicks into place for the next LED.
A rotary switch on the tail can be clicked to turn the light on and off and it can be rotated to adjust the brightness. It gives a satisfying click when pressed and it turns smoothly. You could press and hold the button for momentary on.
There are two stands around the tailswitch with lanyard holes. This design helps prevent the switch from being accidentally rotated and it allows the light to tailstand.
Build quality#
The SPERAS TH4 is made of aluminium and it has a matte black finish. There are no sharp edges.
The threads came well lubricated and the tailcap is relatively easy to screw on.
There are two springs at the head and there is one spring at the tail. Button top and flat top 21700 cells work. It would be nice to see two springs at the tail end.
There is a little bit of play in the tail switch when rotating it. I sometimes accidentally adjust the brightness when clicking the switch. That said, the switch is firm when clicking it.
LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam#
The SPERAS TH4 has four emitters: White, Green, Red and Infrared.
The infrared emitter has a wavelength of 850nm.
The lens looks a bit like a fresnel lens. This may help with focusing the beam.
White, Green#
The white emitter is domeless and it has a circular phosphor layer. The green emitter has a dome.
Red, Infrared#
The red and infrared emitters have domes.
CCT, CRI, and duv#
I have taken Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) and Colour Rendering Index (CRI, RA of R1-R8) measurements with the torch positioned one metre away from an Opple Light Master Pro III (G3).
The CCT is around 8300K, the CRI is around 73 and the Delta u, v is close to neutral (pure white) for the White light on High while zoomed out (flood).
The beam produced has a sharp edge around the spill while zoomed out (flood). There is a bit of tint shift around the edge.
While zoomed in (focus), I can see the outline of the actual LED appear on a wall in the middle of the beam.
If you like using zoomie lights, then the SPERAS TH4 is a good option. The hot spot is pretty tight when you zoom in.
| LED | Zoom | Mode | CCT (K) | CRI (Ra) | x | y | Duv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Flood | High | 8347 | 73.8 | 0.2933 | 0.2968 | -0.0032 |
Calculate Duv from CIE 1931 xy coordinates
Dimensions and size comparison#
Dimensions#
I took the following measurements using a digital caliper.
| Measurement | Unit (mm) |
|---|---|
| Mininum length | 164.67 |
| Maximum length | 177.0 |
| Head diameter | 54.4 |
| Tube diameter | 25.4 |
| Tail diameter | 31.0 |
| Battery diameter | 21.48 |
| Battery length | 74.6 |
Weight#
I took the following measurements using a digital scale.
| Weight | Unit (g) |
|---|---|
| Torch | 217.13 |
| Battery | 70.7 |
| Torch with battery | 287.83 |
Size comparison with its competition#
From left to right: SPERAS TH4, Sofirn C8L, Armytek Predator Pro Warm
User interface#
The SPERAS TH4 can be controlled with three things that rotate!
The head can be twisted outward to focus the beam (zoom in) or it can be twisted inward to make the beam floody (zoom out).
The brightness can be controlled by rotating the tail switch.
A Green, White, Red or Infrared (IR850) LED can be selected by rotating the large rotary switch to the G, W, R or IR position.
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Press the tail switch within 0.3 seconds | On (memory) |
| Off | Press and hold the tail switch for more than 0.3 seconds | Momentary On (memory) |
| Off | Rotate the tail switch clockwise | Increase the brightness while the light is off |
| Off | Rotate the tail switch counterclockwise | Decrease the brightness while the light is off |
| On | Rotate the tail switch clockwise | Increase the brightness |
| On | Rotate the tail switch counterclockwise | Decrease the brightness down to 3% |
| On | Press the tail switch | Off |
Remote Switch#
The remote pressure switch can be attached to the USB-C port.
It has three buttons: S1, S2 and S3.
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click S1 | On (100%) |
| Off | Press and hold S1 for 0.3 seconds | Momentary On (100%) |
| Off | Click S2 | On (memory) |
| Off | Press and hold S2 for 0.3 seconds | Momentary On (memory) |
| On | Press and hold S1 | Increase the brightness |
| On | Press and hold S3 | Decrease the brightness down to 3% |
| On | Click S2 | Off |
Strobe#
There is no strobe mode.
Mode memory#
There is mode memory when using the remote pressure switch. Clicking S2 from off will recall the last used brightness level. Pressing and holding S2 for 0.3 seconds will momentarily turn the torch on in the last used brightness level.
The tail switch determines the brightness when the remote pressure switch is not attached.
Battery Level Indicator#
The indicator LED near the USB-C port will display the following for 5 seconds when the torch is on.
| Colour | Battery level |
|---|---|
| Green | > 30% |
| Red | ≤ 30% |
Low voltage protection#
There is low voltage protection.
I tested low voltage protection by connecting the torch to a bench power supply and then by lowering the voltage from 4.2V to 0V.
| LED | Mode | LVP? | Cut-off voltage |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | High | Yes | 2.85V |
| Green | High | Yes | 2.93V |
| Red | High | Yes | 2.80V |
| White | Low | Yes | 2.64V |
| Green | Low | Yes | 2.64V |
| Red | Low | Yes | 2.62V |
Pulse Width Modulation#
There is PWM but I did not notice any visible PWM (flickering).
I measured the PWM of the light with a Zoyi ZT-703S oscilloscope.
White (Low), White (High)
What I like about the UI#
- Simple to use.
- Direct access to 100% from off with or without the remote pressure switch.
- Direct access to 3% from off without the remote pressure switch.
- The remote pressure switch has heaps of options: On, off, momentary on (memory), momentary on (100%), increase the brightness, and decrease the brightness.
What could be improved#
- A Strobe mode would be nice.
- Direct access to 3% by pressing and holding S3 from off would be nice.
- It would be nice to see the light flash at the top and bottom of the ramp when using the remote pressure switch to control the brightness.
Batteries and charging#
Battery#
A protected button top SPERAS S50 21700 3.6V Li-ion 5000mAh cell was included in the the torch. It arrived with a voltage of 3.59V.
The cell was isolated with a piece of plastic to prevent accidentally turning the torch on.
I tried the following cells:
| Cell | Top | Compatible? | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPERAS S50 21700 3.6V Li-ion 5000mAh | Button | Yes | |
| Molicel P45B 21700 3.7V Li-ion 4500mAh | Flat | Yes |
Charging#
The SPERAS TH4 has a USB-C port in the side of the tailcap for 5V/1A charging.
Power supply: PinePower Desktop USB-C
USB Meter: AVHzY CT-3
Room temperature: 11 C
I charged the included battery from 3.13 to 4.19V inside the SPERAS TH4.
It took about 6 hours to fully charge at a rate of 5V 1.6A.
Charging status indicator#
The charging status indicator near the USB-C port is red while charging and green when charging is complete.
Performance#
Specifications from the manual:
Flood
| FL1 STANDARD | White | Red | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output (lumens) | 800 + 24 | 150 + 1.2 | 200 + 4.5 |
| Runtime | 2h 24min | 2h 24min | 2h 24min |
| Beam Distance (metres) | 79 | 39 | 45 |
| Beam Intensity (cd) | 1,563 | 375 | 500 |
Focus
| FL1 STANDARD | White | Red | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output (lumens) | 480 + 15 | 68 + 0.8 | 105 + 3 |
| Runtime | 2h 24min | 2h 24min | 2h 24min |
| Beam Distance (metres) | 739 | 329 | 382 |
| Beam Intensity (cd) | 136,500 | 27,137 | 36,530 |
Lumen measurements#
I measured the current at turn on with a bench power supply.
| LED | Zoom | Mode | Amps at start | Specs | Lumens @turn on | Lumens @30 sec | Lumens @10 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Flood | Low | 0.045 A | 30 | 30 | 30 | |
| White | Flood | High | 3.000 A | 800 + 24 | 1,006 | 841 | 476 |
| Red | Flood | Low | 0.009 A | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | |
| Red | Flood | High | 1.181 A | 150 + 1.2 | 170 | 164 | 154 |
| Green | Flood | Low | 0.027 A | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Green | Flood | High | 1.464 A | 200 + 4.5 | 196 | 186 | 175 |
| White | Focus | Low | 0.045 A | 22 | 22 | 22 | |
| White | Focus | High | 3.000 A | 480 + 15 | 641 | 573 | 276 |
| Red | Focus | Low | 0.009 A | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | |
| Red | Focus | High | 1.181 A | 68 + 0.8 | 147 | 140 | 134 |
| Green | Focus | Low | 0.027 A | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Green | Focus | High | 1.464 A | 105 + 3 | 159 | 152 | 144 |
My DIY lumen tube has not been calibrated for red light. The lumen measurements might be higher than expected.
The lumen output is slightly better than expected for the White light.
Standby drain#
50.3 µA
Runtime graphs#
I used my own DIY lumen tube with a TSL2591 sensor and forked bmengineer’s project RuTiTe to record runtimes.
Note: Lumen measurements may be off by 10% with my DIY lumen tube.
The room temperature was approximately 11 C.
Runtime#
Here is a summary of the runtime results:
| LED | Zoom | Mode | User manual | Runtime | Turn off | Final voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Flood | High | 2h 24min | 2h 8min 15s | 2h 8min 15s | 3.13 |
| White | Flood | Low | 48h | 12h+ | 12h+ | 3.75 |
| Red | Flood | High | 2h 24min | 4h 18min 13s | 4h 18min 13s | 3.17 |
| Red | Flood | Low | 48h | 12h+ | 12h+ | |
| Green | Flood | High | 2h 24min | 3h 50min 33s | 3h 50min 33s | 3.16 |
| Green | Flood | Low | 48h | 12h+ | 12h+ | |
| White | Focus | High | 2h 24min | 2h 14min 4s | 2h 14min 4s | 3.10 |
| White | Focus | Low | 48h | 10min+ | 10min+ | |
| Red | Focus | High | 2h 24min | 4h 16min 9s | 4h 16min 9s | 3.17 |
| Red | Focus | Low | 48h | 10min+ | 10min+ | |
| Green | Focus | High | 2h 24min | 3h 57min 18s | 3h 57min 18s | 3.14 |
| Green | Focus | Low | 48h | 10min+ | 10min+ |
“Runtime” is the time until the output reduces to 10% of the output at 30 seconds (as per the ANSI/PLATO FL1 2019 Standard).
“Turn off” is the time until my DIY lumen tube no longer detects more than one lumen.
“+” indicates that the light remained on after recording had stopped.
The runtime for Red and Green are better than expected.
The runtime for White is about 10 to 15 minutes shorter than the expected 2 hours 24 minutes when on High.
The regulation is a bit odd on High for the White light. The output dropped from about 600 lumens to 250 lumens for White (Flood) after 10 minutes. It then jumped back up to 650 lumens for a few minutes and repeated this jump two more times.
Throw#
I took lux measurements with a UNI-T UT383BT at 30 seconds. The High mode for Red, Green and White was measured at five metres while zoomed in and zoomed out.
| LED | Zoom | Mode | Specs (cd) | Specs (m) | Candela measured (cd) | Distance (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Flood | High | 375 | 39 | 575 | 47 |
| Green | Flood | High | 500 | 45 | 600 | 48 |
| White | Flood | High | 1,563 | 79 | 2,325 | 96 |
| Red | Focus | High | 27,137 | 329 | 39,750 | 398 |
| Green | Focus | High | 36,530 | 382 | 40,425 | 402 |
| White | Focus | High | 136,500 | 739 | 150,200 | 775 |
The beam distance is slightly better than expected.
Beamshots#
I went to a local park and I aimed the torch at a tree 70 metres away while using High.
Beamshots were taken using a Sony RX100M2 using 3.2", f3.2, ISO 100, 5000K WB.
Beamshots were taken using a Sony RX100M2 using 1", f3.2, ISO 800, 5000K WB for red and green.
SPERAS TH4 White (High) Focus#
SPERAS TH4 White (High) Flood#
Armytek Predator Pro Warm (Turbo)#
Klarus GL4 (Turbo)#
Sofirn C8L (Turbo)#
It is easier to identify things in the distance with the SPERAS TH4 set to Green and zoomed in (focus). The light uses a green emitter instead of a green filter.
SPERAS TH4 Green (High) Focus#
SPERAS TH4 Green (High) Flood#
Armytek Predator Pro Warm (Turbo) Green Filter#
SPERAS TH4 Red (High) Focus#
SPERAS TH4 Red (High) Flood#
Conclusion#
The SPERAS TH4 hunting light is good for 3-4 hours when hunting out to 100-200 metres.
It is simple to use. I am a massive fan of rotary switches for controlling the brightness.
The remote pressure switch is pretty advanced. It can do more than just turn the torch on and off. It can control the brightness and provide momentary access to 100% (High).
I like how this torch use four different LEDs instead of filters. This seems to allow it to have more lumens and a slightly longer beam distance compared to using filters on a white light.
One big let down is the regulation on High for the White LED. The output is pretty stable but the output dropped for 40 minutes, increased again, dropped for another 15 minutes and so on.
The output was very stable for the Red and Green LEDs.
Overall, the SPERAS TH4 is a decent hunting light and a pretty good zoomie. The quality feels nice. I can recommend it.
Pros:#
- Good build quality.
- Good beam distance.
- Green, White, Red, Infrared (850nm) LEDs.
- Lumen output better than expected.
- Runtime was slightly shorter than expeted for High (White).
- Adjustable beam width.
- Remote pressure switch has a lot of options.
- Built-in USB-C charging.
Cons:#
- Low CRI.
- Regulation for High (White) could be improved. It kept jumping up and down.
Price#
The SPERAS TH4 is US$149 from sperasflashlight.com.
The Armytek Predator Pro Warm Extended Set is US$170 from armytek.com.