I've been mulling over for some time now between these 2 lights. I haven't really seen much discussion or comparison between these two. Is the buck driver really that much better?
What I like about the E12C is the waterproof rating and the redesign. It is also a little cheaper.
The E12R has the buck driver which everyone really likes, but I have no experience with it.
They both function as a powerbank which I think is really cool. The E12C has 3 amps output vs 2 amps of the E12R.
Does anyone have any experience with these lights or anyone who would like to chime in?
I'm not sure where you got the amp ratings but the Lume1 driver in the E12R is regulated to 6A and has FET for turbo. The E12C has a FET+12 driver with a max regulated level of 4.2A but it is much less efficient compared to the buck driver.
Another advantage for the E12R is the optic. It's a much better optic with a nice round throwy hotspot.
I actually own both of these lights and am currently trying to sell my E12C lol
Edit: I see now that you're talking about the power bank amp ratings 🤦‍♂️
Oh man, I forgot the E12R also had FET. I must have gotten the Emisar boost driver mixed up with this one. It seems the only advantage then is the IP rating. I don't plan on going diving with the light or using it in the pool haha. What kind of emitter do you have on yours?
I have both, E12r all the way due mostly to the better driver and optic. Plus I also like how it's visually smaller due to the way the button area is flat rather than angled. (Some speak highly of the angled button's ergonomics though so ymmv.) Another thing is the smooth ramping on my E12c isn't very smooth at all.