If my understanding is correct, the MF01S will be basically an updated Q8 on super steroids. I really hope for optics and LED combination that will allow for super high output and as much throw as possible, resulting in powerful mixed beam profile. There is already enough boring high output flooders out there that come with XHP70’s and tiny reflector triples, dumping light under your feet and into neighbor’s windows.
They’re basically the same.
output appears to be identical (lumens)
one’s smaller uses 1 less cell so less runtime but more carry-able.
one appears to have aux leds
I’m guessing the D18 with it’s individual optics will have a longer throw?
biggest difference: the brand and quality of manufacturing are not the same… not even close
On paper though the MF01S has 4 cells vs 3 cells and runs at 6v vs 3v (I think, I have not verified that one).
So on paper the MF01S should be able to deliver more power to the LED’s to drive them harder. How much harder, I have no idea. Also longer battery life of course.
At lower output levels they should be basically the same, the optics used will be the only real change here. While I have not seen the D18 optics in person, I am going to guess that they have the advantage based on past astrolux vs emisar comparisons. Although if that advantage is better throw or output (aka, efficiency), I do not know.
The LED’s themselves should be basically the same, the 4000k version that is being used in the MF01S is an FD2 tint bin which is a first and as far as I know the only way to get this tint at the moment. The 70CRI versions should basically come down to binning variance.
Overall my guess is that the MF01S will have higher peak output, longer battery life, slightly better thermals, more color options and auxled’s and the D18 will be more compact and marginally better optics.
This is all paper comparison though, I would be happy to use either light. They both look great.
I’m pretty sure the 4 cell MF01S will have higher output than the 3 cell D18. I own a D18 with the XP-L HI and I know the output can be pushed much harder if we have one more cell. Also I’m guessing throw should be more on the MF01S if the past MF01 is any indication.
Build quality wise, the D18 is phenomenal for such a small company. It is the same quality as the M43, which was often praised. The Mateminco lights made in the last year were not bad too.
Yes, this was the plan at first and could still happen if enough intrest was shown. I have a prototype here with a mixed tint XP-L HI 5A + 1A setup that is one of if not the best 70cri tint I have ever seen.
Although the price for the light would have to be increased with XP-L HI and they were worried that banggood would not want that, so they decided to start out with SST-20 only.
Plus the lumen output with the XP-L HI was only around ~10-15% higher in my testing IIRC and about the same throw as well.