Guys, the new version of C8s is available now, we need 30 reviewers from the US. And you need to be able to post your review on Amazon as well.
Details of the product please find: Amazon.com.
If you are interested, please PM me.
Nice. I like how it has a removable pill.
Dang, wish this could be shipped to other countries. I really like my regular Thorfire C8.
PM sent.
Here is a copy of the mini-review and compendium of resources I posted at CPF in a comparison of the ThorFire C8, ThorFire C8s, and the Convoy C8.
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I like the ThorFire! I also like the Convoy!
The one I own is the ThorFire C8. Frankly, I think the ThorFire C8s, which dumps the blinky modes of the C8 in favor of an added moonlight mode, is the better of the two. As far as I know, the Convoy C8 does not offer a moonlight mode.
The following comments pertain to the ThorFire C8. It is similar to the C8s, but some of the videos I watched indicate that there may be some differences. The biggest one I saw was the switch. A couple of the videos show the C8s using a forward clicky. My C8 uses a reverse clicky. [Edit: Since writing this, I have heard that recent C8s models use a reverse-clicky switch. -- KIL, 2016-Mar-31]
Another biggie is the driver. According to two reviewers of the C8s, it does not use the same driver as the Convoy C8. Instead, its driver features a large inductor that is probably necessary in creating the moonlight mode of the C8s.
Positives: The ThorFire C8 is a solid, very well-built flashlight. It uses square-cut threads on both ends of the body tube, and has a screw-in, removable pill that holds the driver and emitter. Anodizing and fit-and-finish are excellent.
Negatives: The user interface uses "on-time memory" to implement mode memory. When a mode has been on for only a short period (2 seconds or less), a half-press of the tail switch will take you to the next mode. If a mode is active for longer, then the next off-on cycle or half-press will leave you in the mode you are already using.
This works great when you turn off the flashlight. When you come back later and turn it on, it remembers the last mode you were using, and wakes up in that mode. When the light is already on, however, and you just want to go to the next mode, on-time memory means that the first half-press does not change modes. It simply flashes the light off and on. The second, and subsequent, half-presses then cycle through the modes.
This is a bit inconvenient, but I understand that there are many flashlights that work this way. I do not own a Convoy C8, but I recall reading that its user interface works the same way.
CPF member JFong has the same C8 that I have. When we compared them, we found that his has a very low whine in medium mode. According to him, mine does not. (With my poor hearing, I did not hear any whining from either of them!) In his YouTube review, OldLumens observes some whining in medium mode of his C8s. The C8s reviewed by FlashLion did not have any whine.
OldLumens was also unhappy about the pill in his C8s. It has a hole in the center, directly beneath that part of the MCPCB where the LED is mounted. He says that detracts from the flashlight's ability to shed heat. In my own usage, however, I found that my C8 does not run very hot, especially compared to tube lights like the Convoy S2+ or the BLF Special Edition A6.
Subjective factors: The ThorFire models come only in cool-white. Convoy gives you a choice of tints. Convoy also lets you choose how many 7135 chips to include in the driver. I do not know what driver is used in the ThorFire models. The C8 may be a standard driver that uses 7135 chips. See this photo from the review by David Moore. My C8 also has four 7135 chips on the bottom of the driver board. Mine, however, are in different positions than David's. As noted above, two reviewers, FlashLion and emarkd, say that the C8s does not use a standard C8 driver.
Here are links to the excellent reviews by FlashLion and emarkd.
The following YouTube review of the ThorFire C8 is by David Moore. It's a good one. It includes photos of his tear-down. One nitpick: David says the lens is plastic, but I think it is glass. In their reviews, FlashLion, emarkd, and OldLumens all report finding a glass lens (without AR coating).
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZzwV3D1iyEk?wmode=opaque
This next review, by OldLumens, is for the ThorFire C8s.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/Y16MEnZol0E?wmode=opaque
At the end of the day, your choice may come down to tint vs. moonlight mode. If you need neutral-white, buy the Convoy. If you want moonlight, get the ThorFire.
[Edit: Since writing this, I have heard that the C8s now uses a reverse-clicky switch. Mode changing on the C8s should be exactly the same as on the C8 I described above. -- KIL, 2016-Mar-31]
yea to bad we can not get them in Australia
Will it take a 20mm mcpcb? Host only version?
Yeah, how about ROTW (rest of the world)?
Well guys, Thorfire is giving free lights to get their reviews and sales up on Amazon to be higher in the search results. If the lights are in their California warehouse, it doesn’t make much business sense for them to pay a small fortune sending “free” lights around the world when there are plenty of potential reviewers in the states.
Thorfire, please dont change your design like Convoy did. Please keep the removable pill!
I am confused. Got three C8s, the last two a few weeks ago had the new tail part which openings for thumbs. But all didn’t have removable pills. Does this new one really have a removable pill?
I wish too
I have tried one from a friend, I like it.
The pill is back, how nice is that! I wonder if Hoop’s copper pill would fit?
It is a good point that you make, however in the past there has been the option to have the order fulfilled by Eachine/Thorfire instead of Amazon and to pay shipping. I was lucky enough to receive a regular Thorfire C8 last year and paid around $1 for international shipping.
With a bit of luck international shipping will return soon.
Just received one to test. No pill.
The one I received two month’s ago came with a pill, Amazon UK though.
To be honest it’s a only a little bit fiddly without it when you’re soldering the wires onto the led board, having to reach in with the soldering iron. I’ve started to change the tip to a larger flat one on the end so it’s easier to apply the heat.
Counting the number of posts on this thread there might not be plenty of potential reviewers in the states.
I haven’t posted here, but it’s been 3 days since I pm’ed ThorFire and no response. Maybe they got enough. I got a couple ThorFire lights, but not a C8 - would be interested in testing and reviewing it.
Same here. Sent a PM and rec’d no response.
I didn’t PM TF, but they sent me a PM in response to my wishing for international availability. Good news is that the C8s will be available for shipping to Aus in the future.
Don’t forget that April 2-4 is holiday for some people in China.
I already have a C8s. Great light, I prefer the no pill design as my convoy is constantly unscrewing the pill on it’s own and rattling.