FieldLume TAC30 SFT42R Tactical Torch Review
FieldLume TAC30#
- Specifications
- Introduction
- Torch in use
- Build quality
- LED, bezel, lens and reflector
- Size and comparison
- User interface
- Batteries and charging
- Performance
- Beamshots
- Thermal Images
- Conclusion
- Price
- Product page
Specifications#
| Brand/model | FieldLume TAC30 |
|---|---|
| LED | Luminus SFT42R |
| Maximum lumens | 2,400 lm |
| Maximum beam intensity | ? cd |
| Maximum throw | 590 m |
| Battery | 21750 |
| Onboard charging | No (USB-C battery) |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Modes | 5 |
| Blinkies | Strobe, SOS, Beacon |
| Reflector | Smooth |
| Waterproof | IP65 |
| Review date | September 2026 |
Introduction#
The FieldLume TAC30 SFT42R is a tactical torch from a new torch brand in Melbourne, Australia.
Leo from FieldlLume reached out on socials. I met up with his colleague, Will, at a cafe about 15 minutes away.
The TAC30 looks very similar to the SABERTOOTH ST-DT1 Ultra on BLF. That’s because it is from the same factory.
FieldLume kindly provided this early production sample for review. I have not been paid for this review nor have I held back my opinions of this torch.
Packaging#
The torch comes in a FieldLume branded box.
The following is included in the box:
- FieldLume TAC30.
- FieldLume 21750 3.7V Li-ion 5000mAh USB-C battery.
- USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
- Holster.
- User manual.
User manual#
The specifications in the user manual are slightly different compared to the specifications online. FieldLume may be revising the mode spacing for the user interface after early feedback so that Moonlight and Low are lower.
Torch in use#
The FieldLume TAC30 feels comfortable to hold.
The torch produces a throwy beam with an intense hot spot and a narrow spill.
The reverse-clicky tail switch and the design give the torch a tactical look and feel.
There is two-way pocket clip.
The torch is thin enough to fit most scope mounts if mounting to a rifle.
The holster is decent.
The holster has a velcro loop to attach it to a bag or a vest. It also has a ring.
Build quality#
The FieldLume TAC30 is made of aluminium and it has an anodised red finish. It is also available in yellow.
There are no sharp edges.
The black cutouts provide a bit of grip.
The torch cannot tailstand because the reverse-clicky tail switch sits slightly proud.
There switch cover feels firm.
The square cut threads did not come lubricated. I managed to break the o-ring by misaligning it while tightening the tailcap. FieldLume may want to use a slightly thicker o-ring.
Overall, the build quality is good.
LED, bezel, lens and reflector#
The FieldLume TAC30 has a cool white Luminus SFT42R emitter, a smooth reflector, a glass lens and a steel strike bezel.
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 five metres away from an Opple Light Master Pro III (G3).
The CCT is around 6460K, the CRI is around 67 and the Delta u, v is positive (slightly green).
The beam produced has an intense hot spot surrounded by a narrow spill. It is a throwy beam.
| Mode | CCT (K) | CRI (Ra) | x | y | Duv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonlight | 6307 | 66.8 | 0.3154 | 0.3376 | 0.0062 |
| Low | 6345 | 67.0 | 0.3149 | 0.3360 | 0.0057 |
| Medium | 6548 | 67.9 | 0.3118 | 0.3301 | 0.0042 |
| High | 6584 | 68.0 | 0.3113 | 0.3288 | 0.0038 |
| Turbo | 6519 | 67.9 | 0.3123 | 0.3302 | 0.0040 |
Calculate Duv from CIE 1931 xy coordinates
Dimensions and size comparison#
Dimensions#
I took the following measurements using a digital caliper.
| Measurement | Unit (mm) |
|---|---|
| Length | 165 |
| Head diameter | 36.96 |
| Tube diameter | 26.96 |
| Tail diameter | 29.92 |
Weight#
I took the following measurements using a digital scale.
| Weight | Unit (g) |
|---|---|
| Torch | 163.25 |
| Battery | 71.5 |
| Torch with battery | 234.75 |
Size comparison with its competition#
From left to right: FieldLume TAC30, NEXTORCH TA30C MAX, Armytek Predator Pro Warm, Amutorch XT35
User interface#
The FieldLume TAC30 has a reverse-clicky tail switch.
There are four modes in the Daily mode group: Moonlight, Low, Medium and High.
There is one mode in the Tactical mode group: Turbo.
There are three blinky modes that can be accessed from any mode group: Strobe, SOS and Beacon.
Daily Mode#
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Press the tail switch | On (memory) |
| On | Press the tail switch | Off |
| On | Half press the tail switch | Cycle (Moonlight, Low, Medium, High, Turbo) |
| On | Half press the tail switch three times | Cycle (Strobe, SOS, Beacon) |
| On | Half press the tail switch four times | Tactical Mode |
Tactical Mode#
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Press the tail switch | Turbo |
| On | Press the tail switch | Off |
| On | Half press the tail switch three times | Cycle (Strobe, SOS, Beacon) |
| On | Half press the tail switch four times | Daily Mode |
Mode memory#
There is mode memory. The last used mode (Moonlight, Low, Medium, High) in the Daily mode group is memorised.
Strobe#
Strobe appears to have a constant frequency.
Strobe, SOS, Beacon
I measured Strobe, SOS and Beacon with a Zoyi ZT-706S oscilloscope using High Speed mode.
Low voltage protection#
There appears to be low voltage protection.
The light starts flashing slowly at 2.64V. The light turns off around 2.5V.
I tested low voltage protection by connecting the driver of the torch to a bench power supply and then by lowering the voltage from 4.2V to 0V.
Pulse Width Modulation#
I did not notice any visible PWM (flickering).
I measured the PWM of the light with a Zoyi ZT-706S oscilloscope.
Moonlight, Low, Medium, High, Turbo
What I like about the UI#
- Two mode groups: Daily Mode and Tactical Mode.
- Direct access to Turbo from off in Tactical Mode.
- Strobe, SOS and Beacon can be accessed from either mode group.
- Mode memory.
What could be improved#
- The mode spacing could be improved. Moonlight could be lower.
Batteries and charging#
Battery#
The FieldLume TAC30 comes with a FieldLume 21750 3.7V Li-ion 5000mAh USB-C battery. It arrived with a voltage of 3.92V.
It is interesting that FieldLume opted to call this a 21750 cell to acknowledge that the USB-C charger and protection circuit add to the overall length of the 21700 cell. A NEXTORCH 21700 cell is about the same length.
The cell was isolated with a piece of plastic to prevent accidentally turning the torch on.
I tried the following cells:
| Cell | Top | Compatible? |
|---|---|---|
| EVE 50PL 21700 3.6V Li-ion 5000mAh | Button | Yes |
| FieldLume 21750 3.7V Li-ion 5000mAh USB-C | Button | Yes |
| Molicel P42A 21700 4200mAh | Flat | Yes |
| NEXTORCH 21700 5000mAh USB-C | Button | Yes |
| Wuben ABD4800 21700 3.6V Li-ion 4800mAh | Button | Yes |
Most 21700 cells works. Unprotected flat top 21700 cells may disconnect when you rattle the torch hard.
Charging#
The torch does not have built-in charging.
The included battery has USB-C charging.
Power supply: XTAR 45W USB-C
USB Meter: ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C Amazon Australia
Room temperature: 15 C
I took 3 hours 7 minutes to charge the included USB-C battery from 2.86V to 4.147V at a rate of 5V/1.5A. I disconnected and reconnected the USB-C cable to fully charge the battery to 4.20V.
The charging status indicator in the battery is red while charging and it is green when charging is complete.
Power supply compatibility#
I tried the following power supplies:
| Power supply | USB Type | Protocol | Does it charge? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PinePower Desktop | USB-C | PD | Yes |
| PinePower Desktop | USB-A | QC | Yes |
| PinePower Desktop | USB-A | Yes |
USB-C to USB-C charging works.
Performance#
Specifications from the manual:
| FL1 Standard | Turbo | Moonlight | Low | Medium | High | Strobe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output (lumens) | 2,400 | 30 | 120 | 650 | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Runtime | 1min + 1h 17min | 78h | 18h | 2h 57min | 1h 18min | |
| Beam Distance (metres) | 590 |
I used the included battery for the following tests.
Lumen measurements#
I used a bench power supply to measure the current at turn on for Moonlight, Low, Medium and High. I used a Zoyi ZT-QS7 clamp meter for Turbo.
| Mode | Amps at start | Specs | Lumens @turn on | Lumens @30 sec | Lumens @10 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonlight | 0.08 A | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Low | 0.32 A | 120 | 122 | 120 | 119 |
| Medium | 2.01 A | 650 | 669 | 648 | 626 |
| High | 3.90 A | 1,200 | 1,193 | 1,147 | 1,075 |
| Turbo | 10.05 A | 2,400 | 2,359 | 2,036 | 1,062 |
Note: Lumen measurements may be off by 10% with my DIY lumen tube.
Runtime graphs#
I used my own DIY lumen tube with a TSL2591 sensor and forked bmengineer’s project RuTiTe to record runtimes.
The room temperature was approximately 15 C.
Runtime#
Here is a summary of the runtime results:
| Mode | User manual | Runtime | Turn off | Final voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1min + 1h 17min | 1h 18min 12s | 4h 29min 2s+ | 2.54 |
| High | 1h 18min | 1h 20min 26s | 2h 26min 14s+ | 2.59 |
| Medium | 2h 57min | 2h 31min 24s | 4h 3min 58s+ | 2.58 |
| Low | 18h | 15h 13min 37s | 17h 36min 30s+ | 2.62 |
| Moonlight | 78h | 24h+ | 24h+ |
“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 1 lumen.
“+” indicates that the light remained on after recording had stopped.
The runtimes for Turbo and High are pretty good. Medium and Low runtimes fell slightly short.
The output looks very stable. That said, the torch does get warm!
Throw#
I took lux measurements with a UNI-T UT383BT at 30 seconds. Each mode was measured at five metres.
| Mode | Specs (cd) | Specs (m) | Candela measured (cd) | Distance (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonlight | 1,750 | 83 | ||
| Low | 7,675 | 175 | ||
| Medium | 43,450 | 416 | ||
| High | 74,775 | 546 | ||
| Turbo | 590 | 131,475 | 725 |
Beamshots#
I went to a local park and aimed the torch at a tree 70 metres away while using Turbo.
Beamshots were taken using a Sony RX100M2 using 3.2", f3.2, ISO 100, 5000K WB.
FieldLume TAC30 (Turbo)#
NEXTORCH TA30C MAX (High)#
Armytek Predator Pro Warm (Turbo)#
Amutorch XT35 (High)#
Thermal Images#
I used a Thermal Master Thor 002 thermal camera to measure the temperature of the torch while using Turbo mode. Promo code: THERMALBF10
Room temperature: 15 C
| Time (hh:mm:ss) | Max Temperature |
|---|---|
| 00:00:00 | 18.1 C |
| 00:10:01 | 51.0 C |
| 00:20:00 | 61.6 C |
| 00:30:00 | 66.2 C |
| 00:40:00 | 67.5 C |
| 00:50:00 | 67.3 C |
| 01:00:00 | 66.4 C |
| 01:10:00 | 65.4 C |
Conclusion#
I am pretty happy with how the FieldLume TAC30 performed.
The lumen output and runtime are pretty close to what FieldLume claim.
The beam distance is better than expected. I measured over 700 metres while they only claim up to 590 metres.
There are a few things that could be improved:
- Add lubricant to the tail threads.
- Add a 60 C thermal limit so that the surface does not reach 67.5 C after 40 minutes.
- Add USB-C charging to the torch itself.
- Adjust the mode spacing so that Moonlight and Low are lower.
This is a pretty exciting torch for FieldLume to start with!
Pros:#
- Good build quality.
- Stable output.
- Good beam distance.
- Good shape for striking.
- Tube will fit most scope mounts.
- Holster included.
- Decent runtimes for Turbo and High.
- Wide range of 21700 sized cells fit.
Cons:#
- Surface temperature reached 67.5 C within 40 minutes of using Turbo.
- Runtimes fell slightly short for Medium and Low modes.
- Threads did not come lubricated.
Price#
The FieldLume TAC30 is AU$169.99 from fieldlume.com.au (affiliate link)
The NEXTORCH TA30C MAX is AU$314 rom nextorchaustralia.com.au
The FieldLume TAC30 is almost as good as the NEXTORCH TA30C MAX while being almost half the price.
It is priced relatively competitively compared to other tactical torches sold in Australia.
The Convoy L21B SFT24R from piercingthedarkness.co.nz is slightly better value if you are looking for a torch for hunting rather than tactical use. Jacob provided suggestions to Simon (Convoy) to produce a lightweight version of the L21A and he came up with the L21B for hunters.
Product page#
TAC30 at fieldlume.com.au (affiliate link)
I may earn a commission if you use an affiliate link or a promo code. This will help fund future torch reviews and tutorials.