Sofirn SP36, impressions of a sample

According to Sofirn and to their manual of the SP36, it comes with NarsilM 1.2. Adelina from Sofirn told me they intend to sell later versions with Andúril, though. Tom E, sorry for bugging you again but do you have any objections if I publish the German translation of NarsilM's manual on BLF/TLF? I also sent you a PM lately for I want to avoid any conflicts with possible copyrights or license agreements. No worries - I don't mean to push you for an answer but a lot of German/Austrian/Swiss buyers of the SP36 would greatly appreciate to have a manual in their native language. ;-) Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts about it (maybe also via PM to me, too).

Don't worry bout any of that - you are free to publish it, improving it, of course, would be nice .

Regarding the ANSI/NEMA FL1 standards, currently it's the 2009 standards and the likes of SureFire, Fenix, EagleTac, Olight, Klarus, NiteCore claim they adhere to those standards. I couldn't find Sunwayman or JetBeam referencing the standards. I haven't seen this debated much at all. Occasionally, for sanity sake, I'll test a name brand light and I find I'm pretty close. Last night I tested an old unused Sunwayman C20C and my tests in my PVC tube with the old calibration scale of 0.34 produced lumens lower than claimed, my reading on turbo was 585, rated at 620. Out of the 6 brands I listed, only one I would definitely not trust is NiteCore, since their market hype is through the roof. Zebra mentions ANSI OTF, but that's not specific enough. I know I've seen manufacturer's showing off pics and reports of their very expensive integrating sphere, but somewhere there seems to be a dis-connect. There is only one ANSI/NEMA FL1 standard, not two, and if there is an industry higher lumen standard, we shouldn't sit idly by and simply accept it.

I've confronted manufacturers before, like ArmyTek, but just checked their website and I guess I didn't influence them. I thought they went out and bought an integrating sphere and were going to do it right, but I see they claim "LED light output, lm", whatever that is, and no mention of ANSI/NEMA FL1. ArmyTek is an easy one to go after: claim is high tech, top scientists and engineers, world's first technologies, and they can't afford and figure out how to use an integrating sphere, and comply with the only world-wide industry standard governing flashlights?

Every manufacturer website should have a page on measurement/testing methodology and give us an idea of what they are doing - calculated from specs, milk carton, or $10K calibrated integrating sphere, and their methodology in using the equipment.

That’s great news Tom E! Thanks for your feedback. :-)

If I find some time and if there is demand for a written manual, apart from the very comprehensible UI chart, I will try to do a manual for Andúril both in English and German. I must admit I have yet to get a flashlight that uses Andúril but this is more or less just a matter of time. ;-) So far, I really fell in love with the flexibility NarsilM, RampingIOS V3 and Andúril can offer.

Supplemental:

I posted the German translation of NarsilM here:

That is the point, it is an average. And combined with knowledge from marketing: Bigger numbers sell better.
The manufacturer round up.

Texas Ace previous numbers before calibration have a correction factor of ca. x0.68 .
That hurts! But hey, the light is still the same brightness.
It’s only a number that got smaller.

Other members have tested lights also in pro integration spheres and they match with maukkas values.

Now I’m thirsty

Mine is on its way!

Well I have bad news. I ordered the SP36 and got an SF36. Sent a message to Sofirn. Hope they help me out soon. Quite the dissapointment. I get it accidents happen but getting a $20 light in place of a $50 light was quite the suprise.

Ai, they have problems with their own confusing naming :person_facepalming:

I hope that will be corrected very soon!

They have not let me down yet. Granted I have only had some minor issues but not a discrepancy like this. I really want the SP36. I already had an SF36 and a SF36W. I like them but not enough to pay $55 for one.

Looks like a great light! the built in charging is always a key feature for sustainability in remote areas, if the charging circuit has the ability to accept charging devices that have various outputs of voltage and maximum charging amps. (as in Solar panels, wind-generators, thermo-electrtic generators, off-grid banks, car adapters, etc. ) they all vary a lot. I don;t have one yet to do testing on.

Sofirn is sending me the correct light. Got tracking yesterday. Didn’t even question anything. Of course I sent a pic of the package and the contents with the SF36 in the picture.

I am very interested in the charger questions DBSAR raises above.

And also very interested in how to tell one version of a Sofirn light from another version.
Are they making changes right during production, so there’s no certain way to know what’s coming out at the end?

Batch labels please!

If i had one i would give the charger system the full range of testing. I have tested many different types of lights, lanterns, etc and so far the best two lights with built-in chargers i tested that would charge from all the different sources i benched them on, is the Klarus G20 and Blitzwolf BW-LT5 lantern/powerbank light. (both these would charge from every source i tested them with.

DBSAR, that’s really helpful. Thank you.

Would you mention what you learn in the thread I started for info on USB charging?
I copied that bit over to that thread.

maybe i could to a full test of the lights that i have and charging sources i have. now you have sparked my thoughts in doing a full light charging & charger test comparison review. :smiley:

It will surely look nicer with SS bezel and/or tail cap all black is too plain :wink:

Hey, Sofirn, are you going to sell this light through USA Amazon?

Just got my SP36 the paper manual is very hard to read due to small font is it possible to download PDF version ?