No, haven’t played with a lot of lights as I just got addicted here these last few years I also need to brush-up on my photo posting skills and do better with my postings as pics are worth (my) 1000 words I’m sure.
I would LOVE to buy a light from you sir… that would mean I was standing in New Zealand! I hunt (a lot) and dream of a place like NZ where you can hunt pretty much year round. Kansas is cool about the deer though as I am allowed up to 5 Whitetail tags (one buck, four doe) a year. I Ate venison back-strap for dinner last night in fact… never gets old. We also have good Turkey and wetland birds here too. But if I ever get rich enough to go anywhere in the world to hunt, I’ll be dropping by (for a year) for sure.
Mine arrived today. Everything works except the memory settings. I cannot remove the “automatic memory” setting. I know the theory, its five clicks and so on. But its does not work. Any ideas?
Also just received the IF25A a couple of days ago.
Tried to determine the Anduril version of this IF25A by using some "checkpoint" notes that I compiled using the Anduril changelog history..
Newer Anduril versions have the "version-check" function so it's easy to determine which Anduril version (compilation date) was used.
Older Anduril versions, need to check which "features" they have or don't have..
some notes I compiled:
Based on checking out some "features" of the IF25A, I notice that:
- the button-LED has the "heartbeat" effect (7-clicks to change the LED blinking state to "Blinking"), which implies the Anduril firmware version date has to be 2018-12-14 or later.
(comment: if the "blinking" state is just plain "blinking" and not "heartbeat blinking effect", then it has an even earlier firmware version)
- when in Lockout mode: it does not have the 2-level brightness, nor the momentary strobe; which implies the firmware version date has to be earlier than 2019-05-22
So the firmware is likely between 2018-12-14 to 2019-05-22 (the same is actually true for the Astrolux EC01, and the Sofirn SP36 BLF Anduril).
The "automatic memory" toggle feature you're looking for is only present with firmware version 2019-06-02 and later..
Fragmentation. There are so many updates so fast and apparently very little effort is made by the manufacturers to make sure they are using the newest version. Manual memory is my favorite addition to Anduril, I was interested in the IF25 when the Anduril version came out, but not if they are using an over year old version of the firmware. The IF25 isn’t listed on Toykeepers page, so it looks like updating it won’t be easy. Has anyone tried taking the driver out yet?
D_t_a, can you please measure the current drawn of the IF25A? I’m kinda of suspecting that the current drawn of the 5-7 modes would be 1A, 2.9A and 6A like those of the test of D4V2.
in ramping mode:
battery first inserted and turned on ~ 0.35A
ramp ceiling ~ 6A
Turbo ~13+ Amps (battery was 4.10v, so not "fully-charged", using Sofirn 4000mAh 21700)
Hum… it’s a powerhouse light for sure. As much as I like the output this thing can hit on turbo… the heat factor makes me second guess using a Molicel P42a I have in the fridge waiting for a light for a month now. But like most BLFer’s… I’ll probably do it just to SEE
Well… just got back inside from a walk through the property with the Molicel P42a in my 4k IF25a and I am impressed!
BUT, muggle warning… this light gets HOT fast! I’d drop it out of turbo after about 30 seconds but even then (on the factory high setting) it stayed hot. I tried it for a full minute on turbo and it just got too hot to hold comfortably. It will make a great little hand warmer this WINTER when I am elk hunting in 5 degree weather.
The throw was a tad bit more (to my eye) than when using the Sofirn 21700 4kmAh battery. The Molicel is a very high drain battery and although my custom (old 18650 version) C8F “outhrew” it— it wasn’t but much tonight.
The natural white of the 4k IF25a is really nice. I kept going between the C8F and IF25a shooting trees about 100 yards away and the main beam of the IF25a is literally TWICE the width of the C8F at that distance. And the rendition of the 4k LEDs in the IF25a is just “better” to my eye compared to my shaved XPL HDs in the C8F that are at about 5500k (after the “shave”).
This light is a real tight package and both the host and battery got hot fast as there just isn’t anywhere for the heat to go other than down the entire light. The C8F never got warm in testing (under a minute on most tests). Just confirms what I said before… IF you NEED high output for short amounts of time (typical use for me), the IF25a kicks butt! BUT the price is instant heat for a super lightweight tool that can do it, but probably not without gloves in summer.
I see this little light being my go-to this winter where it will be more WAY more usable to me out in the field where the beam is WIDE, the ambient temps below freezing, and the throw is there for 99% of my needs.
Glad you like it. I really like it too. It does not use the latest version of Anduril firmware, which doesn’t bother me. Though it’d have been better if the latest version of firmware had been installed from the factory.
Funny you ask about the manual… this light didn’t come with one. Maybe they didn’t have it printed yet as this was one of the first to ship out just last last month.
I have to figure out Anduril. The light when clicked 6 times (I guessed right ) changed over to ramping, but the ramping didn’t go up near as far as the step-up setting did on high (in the step mode out of the box). I am assuming I need to go set all that up.
Also when out last night, after heating up the light good… the ramping was almost immediately reducing the output after I hit the top of the ramp. And it wasn’t just trimming it down a bit, but dropping it WAY down to the first or second lowest setting. Anduril tweaking should fix this (I hope).
I find that because of its super wide beam, one has to run this light higher than most to get the same throw. For general hunting and any field use at night, most lights on medium output are fine. But I predict that when I get it set up, it’s going to need to ramp up to a more “high” setting— where it’s going to be running on the warm side for sure. Again, not a problem in most cases where I’ll be using the light.
6 clicks is Muggle Mode for simple mode for lending the light. Disables all the features and reduces output. Doesn’t work properly until you configure the temp sensor
That's the plausible explanation, maybe first batch was missing the printed manual -- the Sofirn IF25A I got came with the correct IF25A manual describing Anduril firmware. (although it's probably not possible to write everything about Anduril in a manual).
Specs indicate 3800 lumens max (likely for the 6500k version) and 420 meters beam distance. 21700 battery recommended. (no mention of other battery types, although an 18650-to-21700 battery adapter is included in the package.
I tried comparing the beam pattern of the IF25A with an Emisar D4v2
(unfortunately the D4v2 I had is sort of customized - uses 4x SST20, 1 each of 3000/4000/5000/6500k, so an "average" of around 4700k)
~~~~~~
Here is a comparison between the IF25A and the FM1, both use the same 4x SST20-4000k LEDs.
Sofirn IF25A (4x SST20-4000k) vs Meote FM1 (4x SST20-4000k)
(The FM1 is more floody, but even then, its brightness is quite dim)
So I just thought I was in ramping uh? My six clicks went to the weird ramping I described and I’m guessing the heat (I had already built up) was triggering a LOW temp setting that immediately reduced the output every time I ramped to the top (which was about 1/2 output compared to Turbo- for about a 1/2 second before reducing to low). Sounds like a perfect muggle ramping mode to me
I ordered the 6500k version last month after getting this one. Thought I’d compare it to my C8F and see how close it really gets. Any luck and I’ll see it by August
So I need to play with Funtastic’s chart here and figure out how to make this into a little super hand heater for this fall
Just got mine today after a month. Just want to mention I was able to charge the battery through the built-in USB C port at around 5V x 1.78A = 9 Watt. Also, out of the box, the temp calibration seems way off. My house is at 19C, but the temp calibration shows 31C. I had adjusted it down to 19C, hopefully that will keep the turbo a little longer.
BTW, here is how you do temp calibration in Anduril (text version of diagram above):
From Off
3 clicks to enter battery check
2 clicks to enter sunset mode
2 clicks to enter beacon mode
2 clicks to enter temp check
Flashing shows current temp
4 clicks to enter temp calibration
1 flash - follow by rapid flashing, while flashing, click N times where N=room temp in C, stop
2 flashes - follow by rapid flashing, while flashing, click N times (up to 35) to set max temp to 30+N, stop
Flashing shows original temp -> brief pause -> flashing shows new temp
1 click to turn off
I’m not sure if I follow correctly, the original IF25 had 2x2700K SST-20 and 2x6500K SST-20 with tint ramping, but does the IF25A have 4x4000K SST-20? Is the tint ramping function gone? I wish it had 2x2700K and 2x4000K instead with tint ramping.
I also need to brush-up on my photo posting skills and do better with my postings as pics are worth (my) 1000 words I’m sure.
BUT the price is instant heat for a super lightweight tool that can do it, but probably not without gloves in summer.
