“REVIEW”: Sofirn SP10B (AA/14500) w/ night beamshots [PIC HEAVY]

Thanks NT45! Obrigado :wink:
Yup, it took a while for the photos and some long hours to write and put it up together! :person_facepalming:

And a warm Welcome to BLF !!! Let’s light up this country :smiling_imp: :partying_face:

From your review.

THE THINGS TO IMPROVE:
3 – To have and intermediate mode between Moonlight and Low. :beer:

Very good review MascaratumB.
Well done.

Thanks 264 :wink: Yup, I miss a “in-between” mode over there. From “almost” OFF, on the Moonlight mode, then we are flooded by a “high” low mode. Specially when using 14500 batteries! But also on AAs!
I guess it would make it more balanced :wink:

Nice little light. :slight_smile:

So let me get this straight:

The SP10A is black, the SP10B is red or blue?
This seems to be the case when i look on AliExpress “Sofirn Official Store”.

Indeed it is :wink:
Well, the SP10A used to be sold on black, while the SP10B was sold in black, blue and red.
Apparently it was changed, so maybe the SP10B is now only blue and red!
I guess this had something to do with the changes of the UI on the SP10A and SP10B. They now seem the same, as seen here:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sofirn-SP10A-SP10B-Mini-LED-Flashlight-AA-14500-Pocket-Light-Cree-XPG2-573lm-Keychain-Light-Waterproof/32835929898.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.9.IJbF2Q&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10152_10151_10065_10344_10068_10342_10343_10340_10341_10084_10083_10613_10304_10615_10307_10614_10301_10059_10314_10534_100031_10604_10103_10142-10000901,searchweb201603_25,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=0d86539b-1e82-4837-ab18-ef6e88a642a9-1&algo_pvid=0d86539b-1e82-4837-ab18-ef6e88a642a9&priceBeautifyAB=0

Maybe on Amazon there is still the SP10B on black?

Well, i ordered one today, together with a C8F (triple) host.
Hope i will like it.

Did you manage to get the black one, or you had to chose one of the others?

I just received a SP10A in Black as a replacement for a black SP10B. Seems to have a slightly different UI than the B I had . Able to access firefly from off with a short press . Long press from off goes to last memorized level. Is this the norm for all SPs now?

Hum…didn’t know that!
I tried to check on their store but couldn’t find that information for the SP10A (black). If that is the new UI, I will love it for sure!!! :open_mouth:

Can you double check it again to see if it is a consistent way of working?

After being on firefly, a single click keeps going on through the modes or does it shut OFF the light?
Does the press and hold shuts OFF the light from any mode?

Also, does 2 clicks go to turbo, 3 clicks to strobe and 4 clicks to lock-out?

Thanks for any input on this :wink:

Yes , the new black SP10A I have does go to firefly with a short click . Everything else works as you asked . Long click to off except when turbo is accessed from off . Now you could turn off in M or H and have direct access to firefly, M or H, or turbo from off depending how you click it.

Short click - firefly, then M,H
Long click- memorized mode
Double click- turbo
Triple click - strobe
4 Clicks - lock out
The only thing I find annoying is there is both a long or short click to off from turbo, depending if you got there from on or off . Easy to forget . Also , accidental on to firefly in pocket could easily happen now with short click if not locked out.

I grabbed a black SP10A for the wife (when I also ordered another set of C8Fs). But wondering about the muggle factor here :question: Anyway, if the wife doesn’t like it— then I get to :smiley:

BTW: any sources for a few of the better 14500 batteries for this little thing? I have NmH but want a pair (maybe four) of these. Not needing bleeding edge, just good solid batteries over say 500-600mAh? I would have loved to buy from Sofirn but they can’t ship batteries to the US (right now) :expressionless:

I looked around, but didn’t see anything that got me excited (mostly junk or expensive— as usual). Any better mid-range sources or deals anyone seen lately? (no hurry so China is fine- just not wanting to mess with Aliexpress sellers I don’t know- but maybe you do?)

Thanks BLF!

Thanks for confirming these features! I like them a lot :smiley: Despite I know what you mean about the possible accidental activation on the pocket with the short click! But I like this UI better than the last, as the lowest mode can be accessed directly!

Well, I guess I will be getting a SP10A then, even more because my SP10B driver is damaged!!

Thanks for the answer :wink:

Hum, for this light I guess a Sanyo 14500 is enough (800mAh), but if you can also try the Efest IMR14500 (650MmAh).
Please note that the Efests are suitable for high drain devices and the SP10A/B are not those kind. Still you can use them on that flashlight.
I bought my Efest from MTN Electronics: 10440 - 14500 - 16340 - 18350 - 18500
The Sanyos I bought from AliExpress, but on MTN you will also find those :+1:

Thanks for the good ideas/sources guys!

I was chatting with Qidong at Sofirn last night and he said he’s trying hard to get a shipper who will ship batteries to the US. I asked IF he could put a pair of 14500s inside the pair of C8F’s (he also shipped with the SP10A to me today), but he said customs would see it in the “X-ray” and send the batteries back.

So I guess I am learning about batteries and US policy seems to be going to the hot place with regard to Chinese imports as the solar market just got slapped with a 30% tariff by TrumpCo last month too (just a fact, not to argue about the guy please) :zipper_mouth_face:

So I feel lucky to have bought my 30Qs last month and have them shipped free from Gearbest. I have not tested them yet (and they have a wrap over a wrap with printing underneath so I am not sure on these), but they did come to the mailbox without issue!

I doubt the challenges with mail-ordering small quantities of Li-Ion batteries from China to the US has a lot in common with the tariffs on solar. I doubt it even has much in common with importing industrial quantities of Li-Ion batteries from China.

Anyway, great if Sofirn can find a shipper for batteries into the US. I’m pretty happy just ordering from one of the reputable retailers selling them in the US.

eas,

If you worked with global supply chain problems as I have, you’d know why the same coffee pot sold by Walmart for $5 in 1995 now cost $25 (five times as much)—- but the actual COGS is not five-fold, but more like two times what is was in 1995 (on average commodities). So where does that extra (mega) profit go?

Answer - Wallstreet.

How does it happen?
Answer - tariffs/import restrictions.

Import policies that disallow or hinder Chinese sellers from selling in the USA (but allow their bulk PARTS in through OEM deals through politically approved channels) have everything to do with WHY you’ll pay MORE for your batteries bought in the US (try buying BIG batteries from China TODAY, and you’ll see what I mean). That policy is VERY related to the same (more Draconian) solar tariff policy (putting 15k solar workers and small biz owners out of work this year). It has the same intended effect and is administered by the SAME US Gov.

Free trade my friend… that’s what we all want. Competition keeps prices down and quality up. But monopolies/ologopolies keep prices high, dominate markets and sell you cheaply made $25 coffee pots (land fill). Today, you can (still kinda) buy batteries from China and the US, but when that China door gets shut (all the way), those batteries in the US WILL cost you WAY more than today (and eventually be sold by Wallstreet/Walmart). And rest assured… they will be JUNK for sure.

The Soshine 900mAh ‘yellow and white’ 14500 i’ve recently got from GB do perform pretty well and cost a fraction of the Sanyos UR14500P.
https://www.gearbest.com/batteries/pp_763968.html

Thanks Pat,

I did notice the (almost) $5 in shipping though- so I’d probably buy the Sanyos from Mountain for the extra $1 or so. Did you pay that to ship them?

I’ve not been around long at BLF, but as I feed my new little addiction here- I’ve noticed these battery deals suddenly NOT shipping for free. i.e. FastTech just wrote an apology as their “Free Worldwide Shipping” didn’t work as advertised a few days ago. Sofirn can no longer use their usual shipper for batteries too… something is up maybe.

When I got four 30Qs for $17 from GB (shipped free, last month) I was happy enough. Now GB has them for $20.82 PLUS $3.73 in shipping :expressionless:

Have to ask… why?

I hear a lot of complains regarding shipping batteries to some destinations… So far i did not have any trouble or excessive shipping fees ordering batteries from China to France. But i tend to stock up on good deals just in case things change for me too.

Forgive me Pat, I neglected to view your profile— and I am glad you’re able to get your batteries for a decent price in France.

After several hours of shopping around, with the extra shipping fees (to the US) from trusted Chinese sources (I am seeing)… I may well be buying my 14500s from a domestic source.

But there is time to wait a bit and see if a flash sale comes up too :wink:

Funny little habit these little lights are :stuck_out_tongue: