Review: Sofirn C8F XPL (Pic Heavy)

I would think so too. Based on my short experiences with Sofirn. They will respond with a fix.

It's fine when switched to Turbo while in any of the On modes. It steps down at 2.5 minutes. It's not uncomfortable to pick up if it was at room temperature to start with. The problem is if you go into Turbo from the Off Mode. It will not step down and if you leave it tail standing like I did, it will eventually get so hot that something in it seems to fail. I couldn't handle the light with bare hands by the time I realized the light had not stepped down.

Great review, exciting flashlight.
The Amazon listing says it has a Moonlight mode, what is the lumen rating in that mode?

Thanks!
Keith

I really liked the moonlight on this light. You hold the switch down for about 1 second to get to it. First the light turns off and then a spit second later moonlight turns on. It doesn't sound convient in words, but it is and is very natural feeling to either turn off the light or to go into moon light mode.

The manual says 1 lumen. That seems about right to me. I don't clearly recall what my light tube measured. I think it said zero.

Hope you like it as much as I did mine. Please make sure to read the Warning section in the OP.

Thank you for the question. I reopened the light and realized I need to put "No Glue" as a Pro.

The Switch PCB, Driver PCB, and Emitter MCPCB are 12mm, 17mm, and 30mm, respectively. I don't think the switch LED's on mine are wired. If they were, I don't think they would work because one LED looks like it might be on the PCB backwards. Can't really tell as the traces are hidden under the switch. The switch cover looks black in the pic, but it is actually more a transparent smokey color.

EDIT: I just compared the top of the switch PCB to the top of the Q8 switch PCB. They look identical. The Q8 has the LED's oriented in opposing directions too. So the LED's are likely oriented correctly.

That flashlight is shouting for a good FET+1x7135 driver with Narsil to make that switch light usable maybe a convoy L6 clear side switch fits. :slight_smile:
How much is the rubber button and the button lip diameter?

I'm measuring 14mm total diameter with button being 10.8mm. So 1.6mm lip. Inner diameter of the retaining ring is 10.7mm. Cudos to Sofirn for not anodizing the ring black. It wasn't hard to unscrew, but I didn't have to worry about scratching it like with the Q8 rings. The cover is pretty short. Only 3.9mm tall. Of which, 1mm is the lip. Top of the cover is barely proud of the top of the retaining ring.

I think I will Ask them to send a C8F host with MCPCB and switch board without driver and leds. So I can build it with XP-L HI or XP-L2 leds and a FET+1 driver with narsil. Thanx for measuring. I have 5 clear L6 side buttons at home. Do you have an L6 to compare them? Or if not I will measure mines at home in the morning.

Would like to see this light sold without the battery and charger for less money for those of us who are swimming in batteries and ample chargers but do understand that they do not want newbies to be beetching of low output, etc because they are using crap batteries.

Probably should just order the thing and be done with it. :slight_smile:
Later,

Keith

Nice tear down review. Thank you.
great potential for mods.

Bought one using code.

I don't have an L6. I've slowed down on light acquisition some time ago in the interest of marital bliss. Sure love the look of those L6's though.

I think you may also want to ask Sofirn if they can leave out the charger, cell, and usb cable. I think they intended to make this light safer for normal folk by using high Vf emitters (XPL), protected cell, Turbo step down, and a Muggle Mode Set offering.

No problem. I will measure it tomorrow.
You can buy them without battery and charger at Aliexpress Sofirn store

Thank you for the complement. I agree. Just changing to low Vf emitters and swapping in bigger spring by passes wires should really make this light sing. Oh, heavier gauge LED leads might help too. I'm no techie enough to know if the FET in the existing driver is up to BLF hot rod specs.

Nice to have options. That 25% off code above would make the Amazon offter much lower. Maybe Sofirn will match on Ali?

Also Amazon does not ship this light to Australia. Aliexpess will. So the coupon for their Aliexpress shop would be nice.

Neither am I.
Will try with the basics described first, all wires… hope the MCPCB traces are up to it also.
Would still do a driver swap to get UI I want and eliminate your warning(s) section.
I like that they used common measurements for the SW pad, driver and emitter MCPCB.
Hope the emitter layout diameter matches other boards too.
For mods, I can’t help but think CQ8F

Maybe try to ask Sofirn to sell it as a host with MCPCB. And modders can put in any leds and drivers.

Yes.
But USA Amazon shoppers will still wonder why they got a light missing parts and don’t work. They will make negative reviews to prove they are idiots.
Perhaps on the Ali site in the parts and accessories section.

Yes I thought about Ali store to buy host.

I know Sofirn is following the reviews, wanted to express the idea with some thoughts.
Definitely want to see a host made availble with MCPCB, no driver or emitters.