Review: Palight C8 R5 (sku 6374 from Manafont)

That head is actually 2 pieces (made to look like 1) -- can you take apart/unscrew the head? Or is it glued? If you can get the top part off, you could have a "candlestick" mode. I'm looking for something I know positively will do that. If anyone can mention if theirs is unglued too (esp if it's a different model, like the DX DIY one)--please let me know. I'm assuming they're all glued, as in the seller's dissembled pics, the head is still together.

Also, can you unscrew the pill from the head? I'd like to see what the pill looks like. I wonder if it's compatible with the other C8 variants (as well as its tailcap).

Your reflector looks different than standard C8-like models. Seems better--narrower, set up for throwing.

I sound like a broken record, but manufacturers need to start making interchangeable pills for this type of flashlight. And stop gluing pieces together. Most of these were made for P7 or MC-E's and therefore have pills which are already driven for 2.5-3 amps, and the stars seem to be as easy to replace as anything I've seen.

In my old Spiderfire P7 (same type of body as those discussed), I can't even unscrew the head from the flashlight tube. I ruined the finish baking it, scratched it using vise-grip pliers trying to unscrew it... ripped the boot, and later the switch died. I'd like to have one which worked, and came apart properly. I used to love it, but now I'm really mad at it. Recommendations on how to unglue my head would be appreciated. No success no matter what I do. I don't have a vise but I have a pen blowtorch. And yes I really want to be able to do candlestick mode.

The bezel unscrews, lens/reflector comes out and none of that is glued. (hope I didn't misunderstand the question) The emitter base screws in ala tail cap switch, with the two divots (?) I use my wife's tweezers to unscrew. Want me to take the emitter base out?

likestakingthingsapartFoy

Yes Foy, I would much appreciate comparing your pill to the others. Others seem to be brass... yours is made out of....?

When I was talking about the head, I didn't mean the bezel. Even in my crap Spiderfire P7, I can unscrew the bezel and take out the 'lens', O-ring, and reflector. What I meant was the head itself--the part which twists off from the battery tube, to the part that screws to the bezel, is actually two pieces. The smaller piece screws onto the battery tube, and has those ridges.

I posted this question, and later on a clarifying graphic on Page 4 (even though link says page 3) of the Kaidomain C8 XM-L review. Didn't really get an answer at this point. I'll link to it here too, but here is a link to my post for reference.

http://budgetlightforum.cz.cc/node/1010?page=3#comment-26405

Here is the graphic, borrowed from the C8 product page at Manafont. Notice how the grooved part (which attaches to the tube) separates from the upper part of the head. Does yours do this?

Although the Manafont one is a 3-mode, the thing I don't like about it is one of those modes is a STROBE. High-Medium-Strobe. Or I'd probably have ordered one.

They also have other 3-mode C8's, but all high-med-strobe. (I can find no reason why they're still making these with XR-E's!)

Their XP-G version shows the head fully unscrewed:

And their XR-E version shows the head screwed together even in the dissembled picture, which makes me wonder if they're sporadically glued, or if the photographer just didn't realize the head is actually 2 pieces:

It looks like aluminum but I'll see if I can get it out. I kinda wanted to anyway to see how it compares to a P60 style drop-in. Eyeballing it, they look very close in size.

gettingmywifestweezersFoy

I checked both my P7 and the C8, the appear to be glued.

Foy that pill is gonna be way bigger than the P60 pill. The general C8 type of design is definitely far superior for LED's overall than the outdated P60 design. Just either hasn't been standardized, or customizations aren't being sold yet (I think most designs are compatible, but can't prove it--BetweenRides: are your parts interchangeable?). I guess the Chinese need an American company to come with some standard for them to all agree on and then copy ;) .

Looks like my image links to Manafont have disappeared. They were there when I was previewing--were they there at some point? Too late at this point to add them back. But anyone could search Manafont for C8 and see the R5 and Q5 versions, and how one has the head totally apart (obviously unglued), and the other together (possibly glued, but not sure).

That PALight is an impressive thrower, much different than my Spiderfire P7; I'm sure most of that is in the (apparently) narrower reflector.

Looking forward to your updates.

These are lower quality than I would like. All I had was available dining room lighting so, ASA went up and so did the graininess.

Here's a shot of the spring on the back of the heat sink.

There you have it. Hope this helps.

badlightingFoy

brjones:

Technically, I guess you could say the parts are interchangeable, but they don't fit together exactly. While the threads are the same cut, the threaded part is longer on the C8 than on the P7. So the P7 parts will fit the C8 fine, not so good a fit taking the body and end cap from the C8 and threading them into the P7. I also examined them each carefully and it appears the head is one solid unit - can't see a break in the metal. Foy's pictures of the disassembled head unit would seem to support that it is one solid piece. So while these all seem to be copies of one another, they are not exact copies.

Foy, thanks for the eye candy!

BetweenRides, thank you for testing interchangeability! Sigh, I wish they could just 'standardize'! I don't know what (if any) that flashlight design is a copy of, but there are just a ton of variants out there of it. I just call them 'C8' variants, but I sense that's not the original, just the most well-known. Heh, a Spiderfire P7 got sold in the for-sale forum today (not mine).

Foy, thanks for the eye candy!

BetweenRides, thank you for testing interchangeability! Sigh, I wish they could just 'standardize'! I don't know what (if any) that flashlight design is a copy of, but there are just a ton of variants out there of it. I just call them 'C8' variants, but I sense that's not the original, just the most well-known. Heh, a Spiderfire P7 got sold in the for-sale forum today (not mine).

That's one reason I'm reading this thread .."cuz I bought the P7 spiderfire"

The second reason is because I am suddenly a Foy -Fanboy ..Great review with great pictures , well written and the best part is ...The mini conclusion at the beginning, for those who want to know ..but really couldn't care. It was the rerverse Psychology that drew the reader in . Everyone wants to know the end from the beginning .

*don't add beautiful pictures and then appologize for them .. that's just bragging about how good your real pictures are .(~:~

Well, the reason I say that is I was a lot happier with the pics I took of the L2P/L2, etc. when there was lots of natural light in the kitchen.

And, thank you for the nice words.

ocdFoy

I must report that there is significant flickering in the high, medium and low modes. This is remarkable because I never use this light. I never use it because I don't like it and flickering makes it even more stupid. Also; I've really grown to hate lots of flashy modes. I don't mind if the strobes/disco/seizure gingerbread is out of my way ala 4Sevens but I don't like soft pressing through crap I don't need.

One thing though; the R5 emitter is knockout. This light is very bright.

istilldontlikeitFoy

Foy:
I’ve had the same issue with this flashlight. I found that by loosening the head unit (bezel) slightly, the flickering stopped. You might need t experiment a little to see what works for you. I couldn’t agree more on the flash modes - don’t like them.

I've had the same Palight on order now for about 10 days. Looking forward to playing with it when it gets here.

+3, strobe modes, if you must have them, should be a separate button to be used only if you really need to mess with someone's eyesight. Maybe on Halloween we will all be glad we have them...

Got in a nice 2 hour trail/cyclocross ride last evening, with the last 1/2 hour or so in the dark so I could test out the C8 and my older SSC P7 flashlights. Both worked very well for this type of riding. The P7 is plenty adequate light, very floody, warm color. The Palight C8 blows me away however, very long throw, bright white light, definite hotspot. Switched to the medium mode, it's as bright as the P7 on high. I'm going to do a runout test this weekend and see if it gives near the same run performance as the P7, which was over 2-1/2 hours on high.

My only dissatisfaction is with the mount - using a twofish lockblock, but with the heft of this light, especially the head unit, it shakes around quite a bit. My buddy was riding with his solid mount bar lamp and we noticed almost no shaking on his, so the rubber on the lockblocks leave a little to be desired as a mount for this light. For you budget lovers, the C8 was almost as bright as my riding buddy's bar which has been rated at 700 lumens/52 lux and runs off a 4x18650 cell pack. His light, however, cost 8 times as much.

My Palight C8 arrived today, and I have to say that it is my new favorite light. It is only a millimeter or two longer that my Solarforce L2 (because the clicky on the L2 sticks out) but with a wider head, that makes a huge difference in beam. This thing can throw but it still has a very defined and pretty bright spill. TheUltraFire TH-T60 XM-L that I ordered a couple days ago looks to be about the same form, so I'm hoping it has the same tight beam, just more Lumens.

Yeah, definitely impressed with the Palight. The one I got says 1 x 18650, says nothing about 2xCr123. Looks to be exactliy the same set-up as Foys in the OP, you sure that one can take 2 Cr123's?

Here is the emitter in mine

You know what? I think you're right. I thought I got the specs from Manafont. (not blaming them, the mistake is mine)

I'll make the change. Thanks, troop!

getthefactsstraighFoy

After reading it again, I now remember not being able to find the max voltage. However, I did use it for about 15 minutes with 2 x CR123. Without knowing, it's better not to say. Glad you like the light.

No.

The reflector rests on that little lip around the large end. It seems to lift it up just enough so it doesn't touch the foamy stuff, dielectric or whatever it's called. (looks like dielectric) The reflector does not touch on mine.

Foy

Be Seen, mine does not tough either.

But the XML in my Solarforce L2 does make contact, look at the photo