I agree on the Q8 Pro being a better suited XHP50.3 HI host.
Hopefully Sofirn considers it too, instead of killing off the last 4x18650 Q8 variant.
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I’m still waiting for the grandma light that djozz was working with Sofirn on. It’s been many years…
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Imo the Q8 Pro deserves a better reflector setup, like the old 7x LEDs SRKs, but with SFT40. I’m in the process of building a 7x LEDs Q8 Pro, but all the reflectors I’ve came across were of extremely bad quality or simply too big, and using individual reflectors is a pain in the ash. The Q8 Pro potential is being wasted with this quad reflector setup. 7x SFT40 would be ideal for it, and with the 4000K (and hopefully 5000K) high CRI SFT40 on the way it would create an quite unique combination.
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I would disagree, based on what I’ve seen of my own BLF Q8.
IMO the appeal of an SFT40 Q8 would be the low number of emitters and relatively deep reflectors, this means it gets to throw a good amount but also is able to sustain that for a while. 7xSFT40 wouldn’t throw much more than 4x but it would heat up a lot faster, similarly to a Pioneman K75 (aka Convoy 3x21C)
I’m planning on using these high CRI round LEDs on the 7x build, but a smooth quad reflector with high CRI SFT40 would be about the same, but easier to do. I just found a quad reflector that might be suitable for the Q8 Pro, so I’m going to test this first (if only I found it earlier 
)
Looks so cool with this reflector tho, shame it was so poorly made.
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If you do a light with an auto lockout feature, please make it so the user can disable it. I have the IF19 (among many Sofirn lights). When the light is locked, which it does automatically, you cannot shortcut to any mode except the memorized one (not counting hold for moonlight since it is only momentary and does not unlock the light). This completely negates the benefit of an eswitch interface.
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The original BLF Q8 and Sofirn Q8 had smooth reflectors. I’m pretty sure they’re identical to the Q8 Pro other than texturing, I would try the swap but I don’t have a Q8 Pro.
陰陽
Okay, just my 2¢…
To me, a big donk like the Q8 is a light which should “philosopically” just belch out a solid wall of light. It’s heavy as hell, has wads of battery power, so should be able to produce obscene amounts of light for a long time.
If you want a thrower, you make a single hyperfocused reflector with some XHPwhatever emitter. But it’s a long reflector.
For a shorter reflector, you can make multiple wells for multiple emitters, which is what the Q8 has. I was skeptical of the original C8M, because it is a C8 after all, right? And multiple emitters? In a C8?? And a C8 is always thought of as a thrower. But then you had the C8T (throwiest, single emitter), C8A (floodier, single emitter), and C8F (floodiest, multiple emitters). And they all… worked… for their particular niche.
Point being, you can match emitter to reflector and get the balance of flood vs throw, taller vs shorter, raw lumens vs more focused/directed.
The bricklike Q8 has way way way more battery capacity. It’s sturdy. It’s robust. It can be used as a blunt object in the conservatory. So the last thing I would think of with that in my hand would be “thrower”.
And if used with a diffuser as a lantern, would you want most of the light only hitting the very end of the diffuser, or would you want the widest beam to hit the sides of the diffuser for better beam-spread?
So yeah, to me, the Q8 was always more of an area-light than a thrower. If I wanted to light up half my basement for quite a while, I’d reach for a Q8.
My Q8s? Original BLF Q8, which was warmer and floodier, and way more useful that way. When the new Q8 came out, it was colder and throwier. Okay, more “reach” to light up trees on the opposite end of a field, but is that what most people use it for? So I never got a new Q8. I did get an Airpro DC7, which is unfortunately like the new Q8 in that it’s throwier and colder, but it was the first with onboard charging. And that’s why I suffer through the beam, so that I can just plug it in and charge all 4 cells, vs disassembling the light, dragging out my Opus, and loading all 4 bays with the cells, then having to reassemble the damned thing hoping a little “tongue” of O-ring isn’t sticking out as I’m tightening it up. Every single time is a chore, twirling the OG Q8 to make sure I don’t lop off a section of O-ring, pushing it back in if it comes out, until it’s finally all under the lip. Nicer beam, but not nearly worth the ag. So, the DC7 is my go-to “Q8”, despite its beam.
Anyhoo, I’m →← this close to slapping on some diffusion film to make it more useful in practice. It’s right here on my table, but more as an emergency light that’d have lots of runtime, even if only for ceiling-bounce.
Soooooooo, my “vote” would be to make a Q8 a floody beast, with lots of sustainable light, with a good beam quality. Too bad nobody entertains the idea of using MT-G2s if available. I’d take quality over quantity any day. But I’d settle for a bunch of 519s. 2700K for lantern use and/or those who prefer WW, maybe 4000K-4500K for a nice sunlighty general-purpose beam.
What would totally kick arse would be to bore it out and make it wide- and deep-enough to fit a single 46800 cell. Just a few more mm in depth and diameter vs a standard Q8, and you’re done. Source the cells and make it a combo, and we’re talking winner, something no other light does.
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I use your Q8 Plus as a room light, ceiling bouncing the light. It’s a camping light doing the same thing under trees. I’d like to see a newer version using 46950 and 48110 batteries. 4680 cells seem a little harder to find. With its mass it’ll make a good area light and as a battery bank it’ll charge a lot of cell phones.
Don’t worry, Our latest product SP31V3 will be launched soon, a Constant Current regulated driver.
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Can we have both Anduril and Constant Current drivers? Sofirn please.
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Good news about the driver. Too bad about the SST40. Honestly for 3V emitters the 519A and SFT40 are the only ones that are really relevant anymore.
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To be honest, this is a challenge for us, but we will try our best.
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Thank you for your suggestion, we will replace the LED part later
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Thank you for your suggestion, this feature is already in our optimization process.
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We will also use 519A and SFT40 LEDs to replace the original. As for the standard pin layout, We will use it more often.
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Use the PWM signal from the T1616 to communicate the level with the Buck or Boost IC.
It does not have to be that different from the regular constant current driver. An Anduril version of the SC33 could be very popular.
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The Q8+ is the undisputed king of the budget very high output flashlights - and has been for over a year now - not because it’s has the best LEDs or a regulated driver, it doesn’t have either of those, but because it’s:
a) super bright
b) super cheap
and
c)has anduril
I would like to see that tradition continue with the next q8+. It doesn’t need constant current driver or the best LEDs. Thats not what the q8+ is about.
You can do all that with the sp36, go crazy. Lots of potential there. Do whatever. Just keep the q8+ super cheap super bright and with anduril. Upgrade the LEDs a tiny bit maybe, a convoy button top adapter-like thing is a good idea, flashing pads, etc. But keep it direct drive FET so its super cheap and super bright.
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Yes, I agree. I would like a regulated driver, good LEDs (I am very happy about the XHP50’s, and see no reason to change them though), and more cool stuff, but it’s a huge cheap hotrod. That’s what fun about it! There are no other flashlight like this in the world, and I want to keep the Q8 plus like this!
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