Olight Perun 2 Mini

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Olight Perun 2 Mini review

Olight Perun Mini 1 vs Mini 2 specifications

Brand/modelOlight Perun MiniOlight Perun 2 Mini
LED?? (5700K-6700K)
Max. Lumens1,000 lm1,100
Max. Beam intensity / distance2,500 cd5,950cd
Battery config.1634016340
Onboard chargingProprietary magnetic chargingProprietary magnetic charging
Modes55 + red
BlinkiesSOSRed SOS
ReflectorTIR honeycombclear TIR
WaterproofIPX8IPX8
Review dateJune 2022December 2022

Introduction:

Olight has a wide range of flashlights, ranging from tiny keychain lights like th Oligh Mini to massive lumen monsters like the X9R. But besides flashlights, they make all sorts of other gear as well. How about knives? Yup. How about pens? Yup. How about table lamps? Yup. But they also have a nice array of headlamps. I reviewed the Olight Perun Mini 1st version, the predecessor. It’s an upgraded version with a few new features.

BTW. just like the first version, they are available in 2 beam temperatures: cool white (5700K-6700K) and neutral white (4000K and 5000K). The one for this review is the cold white 5700-6700K.

Package quality.

The Olight Perun Mini 2 arrives in a simple yet good-looking carton board box. It has a seal, so you can’t open it up, and then close it secretly. And there are quite a number of accessories inside the box:

  • The flashlight: Olight Perun 2 Mini
  • Rechargeable lithium-ion battery loaded inside the flashlight (Olight ORB-16C06-6C 16340 type with 650mAh) (upgraded from the 550mAh on the Perun 1 mini)
  • Pocket clip (attached)
  • Magnetic USB cable (black head with 1A)
  • Head strap

Flashlight in use

There are 2 main types of headlamps. Ones with the light source in the center (the traditional style) and the right-angle ones, like this Olight Perun 2 Mini. The latter has a few benefits because you don’t really have to use it as a headlamp. You can also use it as a ‘normal’ flashlight.

Olight gives you about 4 ways to carry/use the Perun 2 Mini.

  1. Use as a normal flashlight (removed from the headband)
  2. Use a lanyard for carrying (no lanyard included, but there is a lanyard hole)
  3. Use the 2-way pocket clip
  4. Use the built-in magnet in the tailcap to stick it to something metal

Because of the multitude of ways to carry and use this light, you can basically use it for any close-up task, ranging from walking around the campsite, for work around the house, or just walking the dog at night. It’s very lightweight, so you can throw it in your backpack, and you won’t notice it.

There’s only 1 electronic switch, located at the front of the light. It has a faint click sound, but it’s easy to use.

You don’t need to worry about the light rolling off an inclined surface because it doesn’t roll, not even with the pocket clip removed. And tailstanding is no problem, especially if it’s standing on something metal (ferromagnetic metals).

Olight also upgraded the way you use it as a headlamp. Instead of a velcro pouch, with a plastic holder, they moved away from this, and have the plastic mount attached to the headband without velcro. And instead of using the plastic mount to position the headlamp up or down (because the pocket clip could only be placed in 1 direction) you can now just twist the flashlight itself. That’s because the pocket clip can be moved around the body.

The band has a couple of reflective marks, so you will also be seen from the rear and side from a long distance. You can adjust the size of the headband, from very small (good for kids) to really large (to use on a helmet). I think this new design is better than the old one.

The current plastic holder has 3 attachment points. The 3rd one, on top, is not used. So you could potentially use a 3rd party headband with 1 band going over your head for increased stability.

I like how Olight is trying new ways (with the former version) and continues to find the right balance between features, functionality, and usefulness.

Build Quality, and Warranty

Olight never really disappoints when it comes to build quality and design. The Perun 2 Mini isn’t really big, but Olight took care of the exterior and interior, including the packaging. They also changed the design and machining on the 2nd version. I honestly preferred the matching on the older version though.

There is no tailcap, so the battery tube is 1 piece with the magnet at the bottom. The magnet is used to connect with the charging connector.

Olight builds high quality flashlights with very good quality materials. But, unfortunately, some of their limited edition lights have weak anodization/coating. Fortunately, removing and re-attaching the pocket clip didn’t leave any damage or scuffs on this one. So the orange anodization seems to be pretty strong.

Talking about anodization. Besides orange, you can also get the normal black, or the lime green version. I’m pretty sure they will have more colors son. So keep an eye on their store.

The pocket clip is almost as long as the flashlight and it’s a two-way clip. You can remove it without too much hassle, but you can also rotate it around the flashlight, unlike the first version. The first version had 1 that could only be placed in 1 position. This new version can be rotated around the light in different positions.

Olightstore Warranty:

Orders can be returned for any reason within 30 days from the date the order was received. Returned items must be in the same condition, unworn and in the original packaging. Once you apply for a refund or replacement, we will send you a return label to return the item to us, no need to pay for the shipping cost. Free or promotional items must be returned along with the original item when being fully refunded.

Once your return is received, a refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your original payment method. Please note that it might take 2-5 working days for a refund to show up on any bank statements. For your replacement, we will re-send a new item to you as soon as possible (within two weeks.)

For items purchased from third-party platforms within 30 days, we recommend you contact the original seller first, so they may take care of you. If you have any issues with them, please contact us.

Within 2 or 5 years of purchase: please contact our customer service at [email protected] or click here to apply for the warranty work. We may need your serial number, the date of purchase and a simple description about your issue. If your item needs to be returned for repair or replacement, we will provide you an RMA case number and application form to return the defective light together. You will need to cover the shipping cost, no need to pay for the repair.

LED, Lens, Bezel, Beam, and Reflector

Olight offers 2 LED options, just like the 1st edition. Those are Cold White (5700K – 6700K) and Neutral White (4000K – 5000K). Both versions have low CRI, and the one I have for this review is the cold white version.

Olight wouldn’t be Olight if they didn’t upgrade or adjust a few things. And that’s also visible with the optics. While the previous version used a honeycomb-style TIR optic, the current one is clear, so you can easily see the LED.

I don’t know what kind of LED this is. Is it another Osram P9? They seem to be pretty popular these days.

There is a ring (bezel) keeping the optic in place, and it’s probably press fit.

The beam itself is pretty floody, with a relatively smooth transition between the ‘hotspot’ and spill. It’s not smooth like the gen1, and the beam is not artifact-free.

When walking outdoors, I prefer the gen1 over the gen2, because it has a wider beam, and a smoother transition between hotspot and spill. The beam on the gen2 is a bit more throwy with a more pronounced hotspot.

I used the Opple Light Master III to test the light’s color temperature and CRI (Ra). I tested Moonlight mode at a distance of about 30 centimeters (about 1 foot), and Turbo from about 3 meters.

Here’s the data for the CW version in Moon and Turbo mode:

Moonlight modeTurbo mode
CCT: 5910KCCT: 6271K
CRI (Ra): 69.8CRI (Ra): 71.3
DUV: 0.0048DUV: 0.0028

It’s good to see that Olight printed the color temperature on the flashlight. My v1 had camouflage colors without any markings. And because I had 2, I didn’t know which one was the cold white version. V2 now has that printed, so you can easily see whether yours is the CW or NW version.

BTW. these numbers are pretty close to the v1 version. So I assume they used the same/similar LED.

Dimensions and size comparison

Olight Perun 1 Mini vs Olight Perun 2 Mini Dimensions: 

DimensionsPerun 1 MiniPerun 2 MiniPerun 1 MiniPerun 2 Mini
Length61.7 mm64.2 mm2.43 “2.53″
Head diameter side21 mm22 mm0.83 “0.87″
Tailcap diameter20.7 mm20.8 mm0.814″0.82″

Perun 1 mini vs Perun 2 mini Weight: 

WeightPerun 1 MiniPerun 2 MiniPerun 1 MiniPerun 2 Mini
Without battery:33.7 g36.6 g1.19 oz1.29 oz
With battery52.5 g54.5 g1.85 oz1.92 oz

Flashlight size comparison

Size compared to other Olight flashlights

Group 1: from left to right: Olight Perun 1 Mini, Olight Perun 2 Mini, Olight Baton 3.

Group 2: some comparison pictures between the Perun 1 mini, and Perun 2 mini

Group 3: Headlamps left to right rear: Fenix HM50R v2, Nitecore UT27, old headlamp. Front row, Olight Perun 2 Mini, Olight Perun 1 Mini, Wuben H3

Driver & User Interface:

Here’s how the firmware works.

Available modes:

  • 5: Moon, Low, Medium, High, Turbo, red
  • Red SOS

From OFF:

  • Single-click: to last used mode, mode memory, including Moon
  • Double click: Red (and press and hold to go to red SOS)
  • Triple-click: nothing
  • Press and hold less than 2 sec: Moon
  • Press and hold more than 2 sec: Lockout (long press again to deactivate)

From ON:

  • Single-click: turns off
  • Double click: Turbo
  • Triple-click: nothing
  • Press and hold: toggle between main modes: Low, Medium, and High. (No moon mode, and Turbo mode)

Shortcuts:

  • To Turbo: not possible from off!!
  • To Moon: Long press from off
  • To red: Double click from off

Sleep timer:

  • To activate the sleep timer, you have to do a double click while holding the switch at the second click. In the Anduril manual, this is shown as 2H (2 clicks and hold the switch pressed at the second click). This doesn’t mean that the output reduces slowly, but it will just turn off at either 3 minutes or 9 minutes.
  • When you activate the sleep timer, you see 1 blink (for 3 minutes) or 2 blinks (for 9 minutes). Just turn the light off to de-activate the timer.
  • If you use the timer in Turbo, you will notice a decrease in output after 1 minute, because that’s the normal output drop.

Blinky modes menu:

  • Only SOS. Enter this mode with a triple click.

Low battery warning:

  • Not that I noticed in the graph etc. There is low voltage protection, and the resting voltage at the end of the runtimes is around 3.1V.
  • There is a small little LED in the switch that shows the battery level. But when you are wearing it on your head, you won’t be able to notice that!

Lock-out mode:

  • Yes, you can access the electronic lock-out mode with a long-press from off (it first turns on in Moon, and then turns off, which indicates lockout mode is activated). When you press the switch, you will get moon mode temporarily.

PWM:

  • Yes, but not visible in lowest modes

Olight ORB-16C06-6C battery & charging

Note: the battery needs to be inserted with the negative terminal towards the head.. This is the opposite of a normal flashlight.

Olight included an IMR 16340 battery, with the following product name: Olight ORB-16C06-6C. It has a capacity of 650mAh, which is also an upgrade from the 550mAh of the first Perun Mini. I also noticed that the product number is ending with 6C instead of 10C for the former. I feel like this has to do with the maximum discharge current. The new version might have a lower maximum discharge current. But I don’t know for sure. And all that matter is how the flashlight performs. I don’t really care too much about the maximum discharge current if the light doesn’t need it. End of story.

Just like all the other Olights, this one uses a magnetic charge cable, which is included in the package. The cap shows it can do 1A, which is lower than some other Olight cables, like the MCC3 that can go up to 2A. It starts charging at around 600mA, and goes up to nearly 900mA. It charged the battery from empty to full in 1 hour and 11 minutes. This is about the same as the manual states: 70 minutes.

I also tested it with a blue magnetic charging cable. One that is supposed to charge faster. It’s interesting to note that the battery doesn’t charge for the first 1-2 minutes after you connect it. After that it will increase the charge current and the maximum I saw was a bit above 900mA. While the included cable just started charging right away. Also interesting to note is that the blue charging cable took longer to charge the battery. maybe because it reduced the charging current after 1 hour, and kept dropping till it finally finished after about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Please keep in mind that you don’t have to charge the battery inside the flashlight. You can also use a normal battery charger, as long as you connect them the right way. You shouldn’t touch the positive terminal of the charger to the silver ring next to the positive terminal on the battery (which is the negative terminal). Be warned.

You’d probably think you can’t use a normal 16340 battery in this light, and you’re wrong. You can use normal, short 16340 batteries, but you can’t charge it loaded in the flashlight. I’m not 100% sure if that would void warranty, but it doesn’t seem to be.

Testing the Olight ORB-16C06-6C

I tested the battery that was included, in my SkyRC MC3000 charger.

While the previous version of this battery was rated at 550mAh, and during my testing reached over 650mAh, this new version is claiming 650mAh, but I tested it at 616mAh. I had set the discharge current at 500mA and the cutoff voltage at 2.85V. As soon as the charger discharged it to 2.85V, it stopped the discharge, and the Voltage jumped back up.

In the following image, you can see that the voltage jumped back up to 3.41V after a couple of hours.

Performance test

Lumen measurements:

The output measurements in this review are based on my homemade integrating spheres, each equipped with an Extech SDL400 Lux Meter. For consistency and accuracy, a calibration light (Convoy S2+ with 249lm and a Convoy S2+ with 261lm) is measured prior to each set of lumen measurements.
For high-output lights, one of the lux meters uses an ND camera filter to prevent the lux meter to max out. This is either the Kenko PRO1D ND16 up till about 80,000 lumens or Gobe ND32 for anything above.

Perun 1 mini vs Perun 2 mini: output

Perun 1 Mini with cool white emitter (tested with Olight ORB 16C05-10C)

Perun 1 MiniSpecsMeasured @ turn on@ 30 sec
Moon2 lm1.631.63
Low15 lm1414
Med65 lm5857
High250 lm239238
Turbo1000 lm991 lm975

Perun 2 Mini with cool white emitter. Tested with Olight ORB-16C06-6C.

Perun 2 MiniSpec@ turn on30 seconds10 minutes
Moon2 lm2 lm2 lm
Low15 lm17 lm17 lm17 lm
Med60 lm65 lm65 lm65 lm
High250 lm251 lm252 lm251 lm
Turbo1100 lm1090 lm1069 lm248 lm
Red light40 lm42 lm41 lm40 lm

Parasitic drain:

  • Can’t measure.

Runtime: Battery life

The runtime tests were done in the 50cm home made integrating sphere, combined with the Extech SDL400 data logging Lux Meter.

Perun 1 Mini Runtimes

Perun 1 MiniSpecified runtimeMeasured runtime (ANSI FL1)Time till shut off
Moon4.5 days
Low25h27 h51min27h 51min
Med6h7h 24min7h 24min
High1h38min1h 37min2h 01min
Turbo*1h26min1h 24min1h 53min

Perun 2 Mini runtimes

Perun 2 MiniSpecified runtimeMeasured runtime (ANSI FL1)Time till shut off
Moon10 days
Low26h24h 43min24h 43min
Med7h7h 02min7h 02min
High1h 40min1h 53min2h 03min
Turbo1h 25min1h 20min1h 54min
Red mode2h 30min2h 47min2h 47min

If you look at all these numbers, the Perun 2 and Perun 1 are pretty close. If you had to choose between these 2, it wouldn’t really be the difference in runtimes in the highest modes. The low modes could make a difference though, as well as the usability. Those are the differences you would have to care about.

ANSI FL1 standards: The runtime is measured until the light drops to 10% of its initial output (30 seconds after turn on). This does not mean that the flashlight is not usable anymore. The last column shows how long the light actually works, till it shuts off. If there is a + symbol, it means that the test was stopped at that particular point, but the light was actually still running. This happens on certain occasions, with certain drivers, firmware, or batteries.

Throw Measurement: Peak beam intensity and beam distance

Measurements were taken indoors at 5 meters with a Hagner E4-X Lux Meter. (30 seconds after turn on)

Perun 1 MiniSpecsMeasuredMetersYards
CW Med150 cd2427
CW High650 cd5156
CW Turbo2,500 cd2,700 cd104114
Perun 2 MiniSpecsMeasuredMetersYards
Moon000
Low100 cd2022
Med375 cd 3942
High1,425 cd7583
Turbo5,950 cd6,125 cd157171

Low and Moon modes were too weak to give any useful data at 5 meters.

Extra info: Peak beam distance according to ANSI FL1 standards: The calculated value of distance in meters at which the flashlight produce a light intensity of 0.25 lux. (0.25 lux is about the brightness of a full moon shining on an object).

Beamshots

For the following beamshots, I used a Canon EOS 5D Mk2 with a 50mm lens. The manual settings: ISO1600, 1/4sec , F4, 5000K.

The shed is about 65 meters / 71 yards away, and the reflective fence is about 200 meters.

Disclaimer: This flashlight was sent to me for review at no cost by Olight. I have not been paid to review, nor have I been holding back on problems or defects.

Final Verdict

Pros

  1. 4 different ways to use and carry
  2. Plenty bright at turn on
  3. No visible PWM
  4. Available in CW and NW
  5. Plenty lightweight
  6. Great runtimes
  7. High quality
  8. Nice design
  9. Flashlight has CCT printed on it, so you can easily see which version it is
  10. Headband is every more lightweight than ver1.
  11. Direct access to red light from off

Cons

  1. 16340 has a low capacity compared to 18350 or 18650
  2. Perun 2 Mini is a bit more throwy, and therefor the beam has a more distinct hotspot, which may not be ideal for certain activities.
  3. Red is not accessible from the main modes
  4. Battery level indicator is built in switch, but you can’t see that while wearing it on your head!

Explanation on star ratings:

1: Avoid: my phone flashlight would be a better choice – 2: Poor: significant defect or issues; almost unusable – 3: Average: some defects or issues; but still usable 4: Good: recommended (minor issues) – 5: Great: highly recommended

Reviewer Marco
Author: Marco

4.5 stars: ★★★★⋆

The Perun 2 Mini is a very nice little flashlight, with lots of features. They are available in a few different colors as well as 2 LED options.

The 2 LED options you have, are CW and NW, and both are low CRI.

The beam is relatively okay, but I personally like the beam on the gen1 more for walking. The gen1 has a wider hotspot, and smoother transition between hotspot and spill.

The new red light could be something people would like to have. It’s just a pity that you can’t access it from the normal white light menu.

Buy Olight Perun 2 Mini with 10% discount coupon

Use our exclusive 1lumen discount code to get an extra 10% off anything you order at Olightstore.com (USA). Coupon code: 1lumen

Note: the link below goes to the black version. But they have the other colors linked

1lumen selects and reviews products personally. We may earn affiliate commissions through our links, which help support our testing.