Flashlight News & Reviews

Olight, Reviews

Olight H1 Nova, Compact Headlamp and Flashlight

Olight H1 Nova is a high performance (max 500 lumens) compact headlamp that can be converted into a flashlight simply by removing its headband and put pocket clip on it. In simple words, Olight H1 Nova is a successor for Olight S1 Baton in a form of a headlamp.

Max Output500 lumens
Lowest Output2 lumens
Max Runtime15 days
Beam Distance66 m
Water ResistanceIPX8 (waterproof up to 2 meters)
Impact Resistance1.5 m
Head Diameter0.8 in. / 21 mm
Length2.3 in. / 58.5 mm
Battery TypeRCR123A/CR123A/16340
Weight1.74 oz / 49.5g (excluding battery)

It came inside a nice carrying case with zipper around it that I believe you’ll find it very useful for many purposes.

olight h1 nova carrying case

The package contents inside the carrying case are:

  • Headlamp
  • Rubber headband
  • Pocket clip
  • CR123 battery (primary)
  • Manual book
  • Olight brochure

olight h1 nova package contents

And here’s the headlamp itself, Olight H1 Nova, a compact sized headlamp inspired by the famous S1 Baton. Olight H1 comes with a highly efficient CREE XM-L2 LED and TIR lens which is suitable for close to medium range lighting.

olight h1 nova close-up

The switch is located on the top with thin bluish PVD ring around it. Visually appealing.

olight h1 nova pocket clip and fins

The head also decorated with fins and curves that will help disseminate the heat from the LED emitter.

A video posted by LumenZilla (@lumenzilla) on Nov 9, 2016 at 7:34pm PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

It came with primary CR123 battery pre-installed. A thin plastic film was inserted between the battery and tail cap to avoid accidental activation during delivery.

olight h1 nova battery

Just like in S1 Baton, the battery must be inserted in reverse direction.

Olight made a nice approach by printing the battery installation direction label inside the tube instead on the body. This time, nobody will have any objection.

olight h1 nova polarity direction label

olight h1 nova negative polarity contact spring

It also has magnetic tail cap so H1 Nova can be attached on to any ferrous metal surfaces for free hand operation.

I couldn’t recall who made the first flashlight with magnet on tail cap but I must agree that this is a good idea and the idea is adopted by many flashlights manufacturers in no time.

olight h1 nova magnetic tailcap

The UI is almost identical to S1 Baton but H1 Nova packed with more features. It has a lock-out feature so you won’t press the button by accident (which is quite large) and activate the light.

olight h1 nova on hand

On medium, high, and turbo mode, the light will be turned on and off gradually to protect eyes from temporary blindness on sudden brightness change.

operating olight h1 nova

One thing to notice is that the turbo mode will last for only 3 minutes before it steps down into high mode. This is very understandable and a necessary feature to prevent damage caused by excessive head from the emitter.

olight h1 nova specifications

Pros:

  • Compact and lightweight
  • Available in cool white and neutral white
  • The carrying case is a plus
  • Silicone mount on headband is easy to attach or detach
  • Lockout feature

Cons:

  • Disabling lock out mode takes more than 2 seconds. This may be inconvenience for some person.

Leave a Reply