I just ordered another M2 with an XM-L U2 and 2800mA driver. It will be interesting to compare the two.
This torch is giving my beloved UF 980-L a real nudge as an all time favourite.
Hmmmm, how many flavours does it come in?
i also recieved mine last week and was truly impressed. havent really got that satisfied feeling in a long time with these small light purchases untill i got this one.
i also bought the convoy c8, and that was is even brighter and throws further just incase anyone is looking for a c8
I just got a Convoy M1, and I’m impressed, too. It’s well made (HAIII, no less), bright for it’s size, and seems to shed heat well (mine has the 2.1A driver). You get the whole light for about 20 $US, less than most P60 drop-ins by themselves!
Now I’m waiting for an M2 with a T6 3C emitter to arrive in the mail.
from looking at pictures on their website. i think the m1 will be brighter and will have the bigger flood spill which is why i went with the m1
I also ordered an M1 to compare. It’s very similar to the CNQG OEM D3 that I have had my eye on for a very long time.
nice, when you guys get it, report back so we all know which is the better M
Any updates? I am eager to hear how the m1 compares to the m2.
Could anybody give us internal photos of FastTech Convoy M2 (pill, springs, driver, brass parts) ???
Andy
The M1 and M2 are very close. The M2 duplicates the size and shape of the classic P60 configuration, 25mm body diameter and 32mm head diameter, with the working part of the reflector about 25mm. The M1 has a bigger head, closer to 36mm and the reflector is about 27mm.
My M1 has a light orange peel reflector, while the M2 is medium, bordering on heavy. The M1 is lightly knurled, the M2 is smooth. The M1 has a scalloped bezel that is integral with the head, the M2 came with two stainless bezel rings, one smooth and one scalloped.
The M1 sheds heat better; after a 10 minute tailstand on high, the M1 was 45C while the M2 was 49C (both 2.1A). The M1 has a slightly throwier beam, the M2 has a nice smooth gradation from the hotspot with noticably more spill.
I don’t think you can go wrong with either, but I like the M1 a bit better.
thanks for the comparison. sounds like the m2 was what i was actually looking for.
i wanted the more floodier light of the two, and chose the m2 because for some reason i thought it would have been brighter and floodier.
so you say noticably more spill….how about the flood, is it pretty noticalble too? which one is brighter though. do you like the m1 better because of the cosmetic, or the beam style?
Do you know are PCBs with LEDs bolted (with screws) in both cases (M1 and M2)?
Which pill is more massive?
I think I was partially wrong with my initial impressions. Here’s a couple of quick and dirty beamshots:
Convoy M1 XM-L U2 1B
Convoy M2 XM-L T6 3C
The lights are on the lowest setting, to make it easier to capture the spill. The M1 actually has wider spill than the M2, opposite of what I originally thought. The M1 still has a more concentrated hotspot, though. You may have to tweak your monitor a bit to really see the spill, which extends across most of the frame.
The light meter puts the M1 at 12,000 lux at 1m, and the M2 at 8,000 lux at 1m.
To answer your question about why I like the M1, I’d say beam pattern, thermal management, and looks, in that order. It’s a solid performer, and at $20 US, a screaming bargain.
I haven’t disassembled mine, but here is a website selling hosts identical to the M1 and M2 that show the parts.
thanks for the beamshots just what i needed. i think i made the right choice, i will be sticking to the m1
The M1 with the wider spill just went up one in my estimation, although a wide spill isn’t necessarily an advantage for everyone. recently received the shadow VG10 which is very similar to the Convoy M2, in fact I would say the M2 is more a less a clone of the original VG10. Very happy with it, although I’m going to put a more powerful driver in it as the VG10 with it’s no pill and emitter attached directly to the host has a lot of potential.
I ordered an M2 a couple days ago from fast tech. Will post pictures when it arrives.
Convoy M1 XM-L U2 1B
Convoy M2 XM-L T6 3C
Which one for a bike light , M1 or M2 ?
I have the V2 version of the Xin TD and I'm concerned that the V3 will be too throwy to be a bike light . Would the M1 have a similar beam profile to the Xin TD V3 ?
What is the PWM rate of the driver in the Convoy series lights ?
I'm considering a T6 3C 2100ma M2 because it appears to be floodier in the sense that the hotspot is less intense and that the 2800ma might get too hot as well as reduce the runtime .
Anyone using either of these lights as a bike light ?
No, the Xintd C8 is much throwier than the M1 or M2. I’m not a bicyclist, so I won’t try to guess which one would be more suitable, but here’s the C8 beamshot with the same settings as the Convoy pics above.
Xintd C8 V3 XM-L T6 3C
Whilst I don’t own either I’d say both would serve well. Anything around or close to a P60 sized reflector would give you a midrange cycling beam profile, not a thrower or not a complete wall of light up close, but handy all the same and good enough for either extreme. A couple side by side gives a nice allround beam and a bright useable halo of light that will be more than you really need. Personally I would choose the M1 because of it’s wider spill and therefore peripheral. It will be a little throwier, the hotspot would probably disperse into a nice wall of light at around 15m.
Have you considered the X-Power 26650 light?
No reviews yet but dimensions look around the same as the Shadow JM07 using 26650’s for greater runtime and regulation. I’m still looking for a light that can match or better the JM07 for a good cycling beam.