I just ordered a blue SP10B as it looks like a very decent 14500 EDC light with side switch for the price… and a possible affordable replacement for the UT01 - have a pile of them i can’t honestly gift out considering the reported potential issues in another thread.
However, reading the above comments regarding the UI… it reminds me of the Astrolux S42 fiasco - great light with a terrible UI. I’ll see for myself when i have it in hand.
The SP10B has a nice UI (for me)!
–3 regular modes: a true Moonlight mode; a nice Low (despite there is a “high” jump from moonligh); and a Medium that on 14500 Li-Ion has a similar level as the High mode on AA Alkaline or NI-MH ;
- 2 special modes: Double click for High and 3 clicks for Strobe!
And lockout with 4 clicks (initially it was hard to enter it, but with some use you get the timing to lock/unlock).
I use it with 14500 battery and it is quite nice! Maybe UT01 / Manker E11 has higher output on the highest level, but the SP10B is quite nice, specially for the price :+1:
I’d only change it to not have memory and always start on Moonlight, but that’s me
And the LED tint is good as well, a Neutral white, no artifacts or major tint shifts! (at least on mine).
I guess it will depend on your use and your personnal preferences of the UI! But overall it is nice!
I like it. No memory was the only thing I disliked about my TG06. Always starting on high/turbo, was generally too much. The UI on this takes a little getting used to, but after carrying for a couple weeks, I’m used to it. Memory start on high, double click for turbo :+1: Reversible clip and I would buy stock.
Hum, please note that on the User Manual, the manufacturer doesn’t say it takes Ni-MH batteries (although it takes it of course). Maybe it is because of that specific aspect that it doesn’t mention use the Ni-MH!
I will avoid using Ni-MH on it. Had bad experiences with lights that drained some batteries too much, ’cause they don’t have LV warning nor protection.
Yup, it gets a bit to get used to it, specially because you always think it has 2 modes as the moonlight is so low
And I agree with you, reversible clip should make this light even better!
Sofirn could revise this, not only on the SP10A/B but also on the SF14 (all use the same tubes…).
Hate alkaleaks at this point, got a bunch of LFP cells instead which I’m using.
First thing I noticed is that LFP (3.2V) levels are equivalent to alkaleaks (1.5V), not Li-ion (3.7V+). Odd. No idea why. Thought the higher voltage would give me the higher levels per mode. Both sets levels look identical, even after a few times flipping back’n’forth. I might be wrong, though, but to me, turbo(alkaleak) = turbo(LFP).
Now, there’s nothing scientific I’m doing, no lumenometer, nothing, just white-ceiling tests for both cells.
Forgot about damned strobe. Thought it didn’t have any, but yeah, mine can get to it in 3 clicks.
Lockout/Unlock can be 4 clicks or sometimes 5 (random). Doesn’t bug me.
Yeah, would prefer not so high a jump between firefly and low, but it doesn’t bug me… yet. For looking up-close, it’s absolutely perfect, but for, say, checking a clock on the far wall, it might be too dim, and low will definitely be too bright. My SF31W and TK4A have a perfect clock-on-wall moonlight level. Nice and low without being too low. But this is true firefly mode, not even moonlight, so is quite nice for just looking down to see where your slippers are.
Yeah, nice beam, not too fried-eggy at all, just a bit of a yellow corona around the hotspot.
Still, rather nice for an AA-based light, overall! Think I’ll put this in rotation…
Amazon had a package deal the last week of December where I picked up this light, a Sofirn SF31, 18650 and USB charger for $16 but that deal has passed. Always good to look at the bottom of the main description for offers like that. I almost missed it.
I received from AE the blue SP10B a couple days ago - the black was out of stock.
Very nice AA/14500 light with side switch for the price! Very bright too. From what i can measure off a ceiling bounce, it is a tad brighter then UT01 and Mi7 and it is noticeable in real use. I also like the beam.
The only annoyance is the UI and mode spacing. Although i do have a number of lights with the ‘long press’ for on/off, i still don’t like it much. I can get used to it if i use one of those lights on a regular basis but each time i pick one at random i struggle to turn it on and off.
The other issue is the gap between what amounts to a very low moon mode and a rather bright mid mode. There should be a ‘regular’ low mode in between.
Overall a very good value 14500 light.
Well done Sofirn! :+1:
I”m guessing the black SP10B run out of stock during the flash sale. I think their SP10A which comes in black is now being sold as the black SP10B. They updated the SP10A with the newer driver so it is practically the same light.