Why dont they try a kind of “very light” OP reflector then, if SMO is a problem? Again, something like the K65 has.
Risking to open up old wounds, I would like to add that a buck driver like in the Convoy L6 would be far more promising than using an FET like in the BLF GT70. Especially with this host size and less mass for heat dissipation a more regulated output of a bit less than what FET/DD can provide would be far better. What good is a flashlight that becomes hot within 2-3 minutes at direct drive and need to step down significantly afterwards? Personally, I like to have the flashlight maintain its maximum output until cells are depleted.
Concerning using an SMO instead of OP reflector: +1 
sorry but only 550m throw isnt really special…. and different reflector now ? meh… i think i will stick to the l6 for now and pass on this light perhaps later one i might get one depending how final will perform.
and how can batteries be a problem? cant they just use the keeppower 6000mah? those should have enough amps or?
I view it like that:
Let’s assume that makers consider a driver design, including mode selection.
They can set any mode (regardless if it’s the lowest or the highest) at some very wide range, from very low to very high.
The points at the low end of spectrum will have their runtime at max limited by battery capacity: runtime = battery_capacity/power_consumption
At the high end light is thermally limited. Runtime ~= thermal_capacity/power_consumption
I write ~= to denote “is close to” because really it’s not an equality, but with heavily overpowered lights that’s close.
You’d like to set the max to before thermals enter the game.
I’d like to set the middle to before thermals enter the game and max to as high as feasible. Such light can do everything a weaker one can, but can also do more……at least if we consider only the “what’s the max” question.
In practice MAX is a special mode that often has a shortcut making it easily accessible. Max-thermally-stable doesn’t have such shortcut (maybe it should). Also a buck driver would be somewhat mode efficient. Anyway, I don’t see a point of reducing max for the sake of reducing max.
I agree that 550m of throw is a bit underwhelming. Not sure if the amperage or the reflector is the main factor in that number? But if the smooth reflector significantly improves the throw, then that would seem to be the best option, given that this is a dedicated thrower where beam pattern shouldn’t matter much.
Yes, I’d probably be interested in a combo.
The HEAD diameter is 90mm (15mm bigger than the L6 and S70), so the reflector should be about 77mm.
The idea of this light is an updated version of the L6 and S70. For example, having the newer XHP70.2 emitter and a high powered driver. Two of the most common mods people do with the L6/S70, but in a factory package which means no mod skills are needed and it’s cheaper. Sofirn is succeeding in this regard.
I personally was hoping for a SMO reflector because I prefer it on my modded L6. Said light does 830 meters, so I was really hoping to get 900 to 1000 meters from this bigger reflector. Even 800 meters would be good for a completely factory light.
This is like asking “How hard can it be for BMW to sell me a Mercedes?”
It can be hard. The price might be higher, you may not get a warranty, etc…
Things would be easier if there where a 3rd party selling the lights or if they didn’t already carry their own brand of batteries.
Tracy said her boss made some calls to try and source some different batteries from companies I recommended (such as the Shockli 5500mah and KeepPower 6000mah), but there were “a lot of worries involved with selling batteries from another factory” so I did not ask for details.
I guess everyone has their opinion on driver type and you can’t please everyone.
Plus I like FET. I can set my own brightness thanks to ramping and can have the maximum sustainable output if I want. As the batteries drain, I can bump up the output slightly to keep it constant.
I’m sure you could swap in a buck driver if you want. Same as you would an L6 or S70. Lexel offers them here using NarsilM.
THIS
I see, you are right, a 77mm reflector is quite a bit less. In my calculation comparing it to the GT70 that would get me to 220 kcd (sorry, I’m not so good in the “throw distance” unit), while your ideal 900 meter would be 200 kcd. We are not so far apart then 
Let’s hope that Sofirn sees this as important too.
76 kcd/550m is very close to stock L6 (from Matt at Adventure Sport Flashlights vdo) with L6 only +/-3500lm and 15cm smaller reflector but SP70 with +5000lm so I think something must be wrong here.
I don’t know if Sofirn tried different centering ring heights to try and improve the hot spot. I’ll ask them.
Unbelievable that they only got 550 meters with almost 6,000 lumens in a reflector of that size! I was expecting a smaller sized GT70. With only 550 meters throw, this light would be a great flood light but it’s quite wasteful for a single emitter flood light to require such a large diameter head. I wonder if Sofirn measured it incorrectly or is trying to be conservative with their ratings
I recall my first CREE XHP70.2 “thrower”. It was an Acebeam T21 modded with this new LED. It was too floody for my expectations and desire and I sold it. When I watch Charles Bridgtec video of the even bigger reflector Imalent RT70, the end of that fenceline - treeline isn’t impressively reached.
I think my Lumintop BLF GT70 is the very first CREE XHP70.2 flashlight that duplicates the Olight SR90 beam profile. Thick and straight beam - spot does not flood out. :partying_face:
If they stick with OP reflector then they can use old XHP70 emitter to get rid of yellow corona with .2.
But they definietly need to drive it harder like 8-9A to make above 5000 lumens.
I sent them a message if they want to send me a proto with smooth reflector. And I can 3D print multiple centering rings and measuring them what is the best.
In my BLF GT jumped intensity from 900kcd to 1174 kcd just modifying the centering ring thickness.
I R100 resistor modded a Thorfire S70 as and I got 5100 lumens and 87800 cd with 8,2A current draw. And it is a much smaller light.
Please sofirn allow me to help 
This is roughly what I was hoping for too (albeit with absolutely no empirical data to base my wish on. 
)
Some of Sofirn lights were under rated ,is it possible of something different in the way of their measurement.
Beautiful light, not impressed by the output :weary:
I wonder if they would be willing to sell it as a host with a SMO reflector? Please convey to Sofrin that the design is nice, but we need a long range thrower from this. :+1:
I think the throw range depends on how deep the reflector is not how big it it.
No. It depends on area. Double area = double throw.