It looks like the SP33 is about the same hotspot size or just a bit bigger. It’s hard to tell.
It looks like it has a faint donut shaped beam. It might need some tweaking (raising or lowering the reflector) to smooth it out. Then again, the picture might be exaggerating it and it looks fine in person.
(not sure if the KDLitker C8.2 XHP50.2 sample used here is performing sub-optimally since it seems not as bright as it claims to be, listed is supposed to be 2500 lumens, but Sofirn C8F is also listed around 2580 lumens and the C8F is notably much brighter)
Meanwhile, I have received my SP33 XHP50.2 some days ago. As there's quite some interest in the new version I thought I share some impressions of it.
Please excuse my modest English and photography skills as well as the picture quality.
I wouldn't advertise them with "shot on iPhone", though. :-D
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First of all, I felt a bit worried when unboxing the SP33 from its carboard box and found it backwards/wrong placed in its blister pack. Due to this wrong position the side switch was partially pressed down all the time. Fortunately, it did not seem to have taken damage from it.
Lo and behold, the SP33 with its accessories, i.e. the flashlight itself, a lanyard, spare o-rings, an out-of-date manual (more about it below), a thank you card and a small bag of silica gel.
Okay, what's wrong with the manual? Well, it actually is the SP33 manual but it's the one for its predecessing SP33 that came with XP-L and less lumens. The good news is, you can download the new one right away from this ► link ◄ both in English and German language.
A closer look onto the tailcap and its spring.
A closer look into the tube, onto the driver and its spring reveals that the SP33 can be operated with all kinds of 26650 batteries.
Threads are well-fabricated but not lubricated at all. Make sure to apply some grease on it.
The side switch is raised and rather easy to find when in complete darkness.
Its working point is nice and neither too firm nor too squashy. In its center you see an indicator LED.
It comes with a simple but effective 18650 adapter tube.
The SP33 does not use an AR coated lens, i.e. there is a potential to increase output by a better glas lens.
The XHP50.2 is well-centered into the orange peel reflector.
My Keeppower 6.000mAh (PLB55-A cell) slipped gently into the tube without any sensible friction along the inner tube side. The tube is rather massive and hefty.
Once you turn on the SP33 the indicator LED will light up in green (if battery voltage is fine) for some seconds.
Sofirn successfully managed to keep away most of possible dust from the reflector and the inner side of the lens. Well done Sofirn!
Neither my highly sophisticated super-duper iPhone 6S camera nor my poor eyesight managed to discover any PWM even on low modes. Outstanding! :-)
A quick'n dirty whitewall (approx. 1 1/2 feet from distance) shot on low mode...
Another quick'n dirty whitewall shot on turbo. It's a typical beam pattern for XHP50.2 with a nearly invisible yellow dot in the very center, a bright close to neutral white spot and a yellowish corona that tends to bleed out into a blueish spill.
Some final words:
The SP33 is another great flashlight and possibly a fine evolution of the old SP33 (that I don't own). FWIW, its size is still EDC-like and although quite hefty (with regard to the quite similarly sized HaikeLite SC26) it's still not too heavy to carry in one's pocket. I did not find any imperfections in the anodization. Generally, quality is on a very good level and with a look on the price/performance ratio the SP33 is truly a bargain. Unlike the unlucky Rofis MR30 the boost driver of the SP33 did not let me down but worked like a charm. The only things I would recommed to improve here are the AR coated lens and lubricated threads but this would only be the icing of the cake.
Thanks for your feedback. I try to take a picture of the SC26 and the SP33 next to it tomorrow. Maybe I can also tell some more about felt and measured temperatures later on.
To be honest, I’m still looking for a proper insulated gauging tool at reasonable cost. Until now, I only have a “pupil’s ruler” here at home which is indeed a bit inappropriate. I’m sorry. So, maybe someone else could be so kind to measure the diameter of the glass lens.
Really? According to the pictures on Amazon DE it appears the be dismountable into three parts (head, tube, tailcap). They have only sold the 1st gen SP33 which is now OOS.
Really! Earlier today I decided to try and get it open. Even after heating it and taking a wrench to it, I couldn’t get it to budge.
My XHP50 version came today. A few things I noticed, besides the different emitter, UI and unscrewable tailcap.
The tail spring diameter is much smaller
The MCPCB diameter is much larger
There appear to be counter-sunk screws under the MCPCB. I haven’t tried to loosen them. I don’t know if my light was assembled incorrectly, or if they are somehow part of the driver retention.
FWIW, there is a little copy-paste mutation in the first five words of the english manual pdf: “SP33 is a is a powerful.”
Thank you Jason! :+1: I should have known that, I guess I had a brain fart. I had just ordered some Sofirn lights from Amazon & couldn’t find the SP33 there. :person_facepalming: