With those improvements made, I will probably buy a few of them, some for my friends. For item 3, I thought there is a formula for reflector geometry to optimize the beam. I didn’t know they just arbitrarily shape the reflector.
Also timed step-down are for cheap low quality flashlights. Really hope Astrolux gets rid of it if it already has a temperature sensor.
Also hopefully it can supported Acebeam 21700 protected.
The FT02 can maintain regulated ~1000 lumens without stepping down for the whole runtime (~1 hour on a 3000mAh 30T) with an average efficacy of ~95 lumens/watt, which is about the same as the Zebralight SC600w HI at its 600 lumen level.
Unfortunately, I hate micro USB with passion. Probably if it wasn’t on phones up to not long ago I wouldn’t have noticed how fragile (although not anywhere near mini USB) these connectors are. Amount of cables I had to throw away really got to me.
And USB C has been around for good few years now, I see no reason to be stuck with pretty antient solutions.
Happy to report that the mid mode of ~500 lumens is also perfectly regulated with an average efficacy of ~115 lm/W. Runs for 2.5 hours with a 3000mAh 30T.
If they fix this firmware and UI, it’s looking good.
Using high-quality micro-USB cables by Anker and the likes can be pretty reliable, though I am aware, (as one of my phones utilize the type-C now), the type-C is a design improvement with regards to reliable positive connection and more importantly, much higher charging rates.