This is a very good point. Iām trying my best to be patient. I have plans for the additional 3 that I ordered, but theyāre based on the original parts being there.
Optic drama !
They did that. The XP-L HI version was/is $36 in the āGroup Buyā. The other emitter versions $30.
this is badā¦ why even change the optics to cheaper? makes no senseā¦ sometimes i dont understand lumintops logicā¦ I understand maybe now they didnt earn enough on all group buys or whatever reason, but just bump up the price slightly then and keep the Carclo optics instead.
Anyone else have problems with the discount code today?
OKā¦. :+1: ā¦. But as far as jacking up the price of the XP-L HI āto slightly subsidize the SST-20 version with a good optic and a lensāā¦ā¦
To me that would not be acceptable. Let the SST-20 Version pay itās own way. No sense in punishing those of us who like, or even prefer; the XP-L HI. We want the āgood optic & lensā also remember.
ymmv
No more cost saving ideas please!
Well at least the new optic looks like it is a good match for the ruff MCPCB.
I believe the new optic setup is a bad move.
In theory the new optic should produce slightly higher lumens. No light is being lost from a lens. Itās all going through the one optic.
However, itās not surprising that we here on this forum much prefer the glass lens (for scratch resistance) combined with the flexibility of being able to swap in any Carclo optic.
Personally, I wouldnāt mind if they added the new lens, but only as an option. Maybe get a $2 discount if you opt for their lens instead of the Carclo.
At least be able to purchase the glass lens as an option
I would never accept a plastic lens.
Not on a light like this.
If they want to mess up this light before it even ramped up, they can do thisā¦
But I will no longer buy itā¦
Itās incredible with what type of problems Neal has to cope withā¦
Hope he gets them sorted out and this great flashlight restored to its original designā¦
They did this with the Tool AAA already. Itās some unknown osram emitter and pebbled TIR now like the EDC01. Updated the marketing after the fact and called it by the same name.
12 June I ordered a FW3A 7A
13 June I ordered a FW3A SST-20 4000K
The 7A model & other stuff was shipped 14 June.
The SST-20 model is waiting to be fulfilled
Now today we get notification from Lumintop of an optic change & the elimination of the AR coated lens.
As far as I am concerned, this is a ridiculous move on the part of Lumintop at this early stage of the āFW3A Gameāā¦ā¦
It not only makes Lumintop look extremely bad, but it puts Neal in a bad positionā¦. through no fault of his own.
I am guessing my 7A version may well be as advertised when I purchased itā¦. Carclo optic & AR coated lens. Hopefully anywayā¦ā¦
But it sounds like the SST-20 version, from what I have read this morning; will not be as advertised when I bought it. It will have a ānew opticā that will replace the Carclo optic & AR coated lens.
Thisā¦ā¦ (IMO) is no way to do business Lumintop. Notification of a crappy change in a product should come before the ācrappy changeāā¦ā¦ not after.
If indeed my SST-20 version has no Carclo optic & AR coated lensā¦. I will be very unpleased with Lumintop.
Bottom line & end of story.
Doing away with the Carclo optic & Ar coated lens as a cost cutting measure is a bad move.
Notification after the change is an inexcusably bad move by Lumintopā¦ as far as I am concerned.
Heck, it would have been much better to announce a slight price increase & keep the Carclo with AR coated lens.
Disappointing, to say the least. As others have said, I should have bought a couple more early, but didnāt due to emitter options, and indecision. I hope Iām wrong, but further cheapening will probably occur, or is occurring. I bought optics already to switch out, but I will only buy more flashlights if I can find proper lenses to fit. I am not interested in any with this new optic.
Looks like the discount is gone. I should have gotten the XPL-Hi version. :(
If Toyota would do this with their cars, they would end up selling Ladas and no longer Toyotas!
Thank you TK, the blue and maybe the white are my picks. I thought I wanted the copper but itās apparently only raw Polished finish without a coating so I think Iāll be too hard on the light and itāll end up looking natty
Gosh and now reading about he changes to the lens and optic setup itās a bit of a downer that I gifted 3 of the 4 I ordered, should have kept the originals and gifted the new models haha
This sucks. I hope I can add an optic and lens to my existing (pre)order.
Aye, Iām in the same boat and I sent Neal an email about this. Might be a good idea for you to do the same.
BLF A6 - actually got better with time (double springs)
BLF Q8 - long term reliable product (Sofirn gave us new LED options too)
FW3A - 1 month in and ???