Best deal is M4DM4X, cheaper than those prices. But BG just added another 4 weeks to the back order date! I got one on order and waited weeks for the Jan 28th stock, now pushed to Feb 24th ---
Best deal is M4DM4X at BG but no availability. Fortunately I got one in from Ali, ordered back in November, now running 4000K 351D's 90+ CRI.
Good news. My battery holder replacement just came today and it works just fine!! Thanks so much for @Sofirn for the help! Definitely one of the best in customer service!! definitely Will buy more lights from Sofirn from now on!!
Not very sure if the glass lens on the SP36 is AR-coated or not.
The BLF Q8 glass doesn't shimmer purple/blue when reflecting off light, so it uses an ordinary non-AR-coated glass lens.
However, on closer inspection of the SP36 glass lens, I think it shimmers a very very light purple, so maybe it is very lightly AR-coated, if there's something like that..
This is my beamshot comparison of the SP36 vs the BLF Q8. (SP36 has the cooler tint)
Good news is BG shipped my SP36 Feb 1st - what happened to the 4 week delay,end of Feb shipping date, no idea.
Bad news is Martin's discount price went up a couple dollars, not sure why. Fin17's deal here is a little better now, which matches GearBest's limited qty discount offered here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/28604/5420. All those prices though are/were within $2.
About the AR treatment - yes, I can confirm there's some sort of AR treatment on the SP36's lens - I can see a light purple, same as d_t_a noted above. Weird they don't list it in the specs though - you think they would want to.
My calibrated readings of the stock SP36 are very close to what Funtastic reported above (6,000/5,400), here's mine:
6,000 lumens at start, 5508 at 30 secs, using a set of VTC6 cells, solder blob tops.
The #'s improved slightly after upgrading the springs to the Blue Be/Cu large ones (~140 lumens).
My SP36 is now running with 351D 4000K 90+ CRI LED's doing 4,320/3,954 lumens (ANSI calibrated).
Can anyone give me an idea as to why my Sofirn Q8 doesn’t perform as high in lumen output to when first purchased? With a spring bypass I was getting 5000ish lumens at 30 sec and now it’s 4730. That’s after cleaning it with electrical cleaner which got it up from 4400.
I’ve rarely used it, mostly a few bursts of turbo now and then. Never got too hot. Is this normal even with light use?
Oopsie, typo of SP36 - got Q8 on the brain... Corrected my post.
The Sofirn Q8 is XPL HI's, so lower readings, but of course that doesn't explain why they would go lower over time. Maybe oxidation of the brass ring? Sanding smooth and treatment with NO-OX-ID should help keep it clean. I've found all those brass rings (Batt+ on the driver) are not flat as well. If you sand them on a flat surface, the ones I've done all show the outer edge is higher.
On the BLF Q8's I have seen lower readings if the batt tube was not tightened down. The contact of the battery tube to driver ground rings was not the greatest - some cases it barely touched the outer edge, and those are wear points. I'd check yours for wear, if you've been doing a lot of disconnects and tightens, like for lockouts, etc. You could add some solder there, sand it down flat, but it will also wear quick. Best would be soldering in brass maybe - doesn't wear as fast. Mechanical lockouts can really beat up the driver outer ground ring.
Also if the battery tube edge is rough, it's bad on the driver contact - I always sanded the top edge of the batt tubes smooth. I would think regular doses of NO-OX-ID on these contact surfaces should help reduce wear.
It’s pretty decent in stock form, but the cool white emitters are still a bit of a downside. Something neutral with a consistent tint across the beam would be nicer.