Review: XinTD C8 SC-82/V4 (3C neutral white)

XinTD SC-82/V4: C8 Classic At It's Very Best

Anyone having consumed flashaholic Kool-Aid in meaningful quantities has at least one C8 torch of this very familiar genre. It is instantly recognized, with the base of the head deep cut into thirds, repeated again on the tail cap and one of probably a dozen or more brand names screened on the flat surface amid the knurling. Just about every emitter has found its way under the 40mm SMO. The design accommodates many different roles and is so forgettable, Foy skims right past the inevitable offerings when perusing various sites. As a beginner, my very first C8 was an R5 Palight that at a glance, save for its black finish, seems an exact twin of the SC-82. It is not. In fact, without checking to see if I'm right, I am willing to bet this particular iteration is better in every way than any like design there is. Period. It's been a while since Foy has felt this strongly about a new light and however overused the notion is, of relevance or importance, the XinTD SC-82/V4 is a very important flashlight.

Foyapproved +

Bottom line: Maybe it's because I'm late to the XinTD C8 party but at $29.95, (1C tint) version 4 has to be the lumen bargain/mini-thrower value of the century. I am absolutely astounded by the level of quality and sizzling output one gets for the price. In a single stroke, the SC-82 has altered my belief of what $30 should represent for a flashlight. I cannot imagine anyone ever again being satisfied with anything less. At $50, I would have been thrilled to own such a high quality torch. At $32 (3C tint) I want to shout from the rooftops that precision manufacture and Goliath-slaying performance can be had for less than a decent P60 kit. The SC-82/V4 is a remarkable flashlight . . . at any price.

What I like:

- bright, bright (bright)

- tint

- quality feel, fit and finish

- unique silver anodization

- threaded reflector

- large, screw-in brass pill

- UI

What I do not like:

- GITD boot

- mode memory sometimes forgets

- could do with a few more tail cap threads

- lame lanyard

- not sure what its actual model name is (until otherwise corrected, Foy is calling it the SC-82)

XinTD C8 SC-82/V4 XM-L2/T6/3C Flashlight

$31.94 Int'l Outdoor Store http://intl-outdoor.com/xintd-c8-v4-xml2-t6-18650-flashlight-p-308.html

ordered: 4-22-13

received: 5-20-13

Cree SC8 technology XM-L2/T6/3C neutral white emitter

40mm diameter SMO aluminum threaded reflector

designed for a single 18650 lithium-ion rechargeable battery

ascending 3-mode user interface with mode memory: low (2%) medium (25%) and High (100%)

6061-T6 aluminum construction

"hard anodize" finish

square threads on head end of tube

tail standing, reverse clicky tail cap switch with one lanyard hole and 16mm GITD boot

large brass screw-in pill

AR coated glass lens

IPX-8 waterproof (immersion beyond 1 meter)

selected manufacturer specifications:

1,050 lumens

50,000 hours LED

Nanjg 105C (7135*8 380mA) constant current circuit

reverse polarity protection

exterior dimensions:

155mm length

25mm body

45mm head

185 grams without battery

what you get for $31.94:

- SC-82/V4 flashlight

- silver lanyard

Foy also received this holster but I think Hank threw it in as a courtesy.

tail cap draw: with unprotected Tenergy 18650/2600 charged to 4.23 volts

low: .04 amp

medium: .71

high: 2.91

Right up front, let's talk output. As in, this flashlight will mop the floor with just about any C8 torch you care to compare. It is at least 30% brighter than my 980L and brighter than the T60/Cyclone/JM07/E1320 modified F15 by about the same amount. It even measures higher than my E1320 modified JM05/2 x 26650 and seems to out-throw it too. A T6/3C neutral white emitter puttin' the hurt on middle heavy weights such as these is simply amazing, as far as I'm concerned.

Spectacular output from a light this handsome is a beautiful thing to have and to hold. In super macro, my camera can find one and if you're real anal (like Foy) perhaps a couple of near microscopic metal imperfections. Not sure what anodization type it is; forced to choose, I'd call it type II. It seems rather resilient, showing no signs it ever rolled atop a block wall.

Foywall exterior finish torture test: passed

Light shipped with this GITD boot. Foy likes to think he has grown out of his previous inclination to green. Blue, now, is the color du jour.

The silver finish is unlike any I've ever seen and is absolutely gorgeous. Tube thread feel is so-so and the threads overall are the only hint that this is a budget torch. The SC-82 looks and feels otherwise expensive.

Knurling is attractive, if a little smooth. Lathe work is exceptional and there's a good amount of mass around the pill. It seems to wick away heat fairly well; I measured a toasty 130°F directly above the cooling fins on the angled under side of the head.

Shallow scalloped bezel is perfect for night-stand duty. Light is rated IPX-8 and a dynamic test in the shower with Foy found no ingress.

Reflector diameter is 40mm at the bezel.

One of the few issues I have with the SC-82 is its mode memory function. Problem is, I can't really nail down where I'm not waiting long enough for retention to occur and that is exactly the problem. Proper mode memory is organic and the light simply comes on in the last mode used. I have several not-inexpensive torches with the same issue, if you can call it that. Truth is, it's hardly an irritant at all on an otherwise impressive package. It has been suggested the 105C board might be inclined toward this deviant behavior but Foy prefers to see it as the V4 exercising its free agency. We humans rarely come on in the same "mode" from day to day or even minute to minute. The SC-82 is merely trying to say, "pay attention to me, within the vast universe . . . I matter."

This form factor has been around for a while, bearing many different brand names. This is my Palight from March of 2011 with its XP-G emitter and awful flickering issues since day one . . .

And here's what your SC-82 would look like declawed. This was near the birth of what became the sprawling Foybezel™ empire and I remember being quite proud of my newly defenseless C8. This one would have been better left alone. Don't do this to your V4.

No budget reflector this . . .

Cree describes the new XLamp XM-L2 emitter as having up to 20% more lumens than the original XM-L. They claim 1,198 lumens @ 3 amps and use the term "SC8 technology platform." Whatever it is, as installed in the SC-82, Foy believes. Can I get a hallelujah! No?

One thing that particularly impressed me was the aluminum reflector. It threads onto the pill . . .

A fairly upscale feature for a $30 light and the pill looks like a nice hunk of brass . . .

Nanjg 105C board with clean soldering.

As many of you might know, nothing sours me faster than poor machine work and I find little to carp about with the SC-82 . . .

Only on a near microscopic level do we find the smallest of nicks. Nothing escapes the Foymacro.

I know "square" is the wrong term but they appear to be cut flat on top on the head end of the tube only. At the other end, a Foypetpeeve are the limited number of tail cap threads. I don't think three threads are enough and they feel awful too.

Another interesting thing is the rather deep tail cap . . .

Making necessary a tall solution, including a long spring upon which a brass contact plunger sits. I usually remove these because I've consistently measured less current with them on. This button has to remain however; the spring will not touch the battery otherwise . . .

And here's the whole thamn ding . . .

And the rest of it.

This isn't my first happy experience with XinTD. In March of last year I reviewed the L2 . . . https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/7079

I called it "Flashlight Xanadu" and although not budget, like the SC-82, the L2 was chock full of quality extras. Displaying the same exquisite machine work and build quality, I have to assume XinTD to be among the handful of Chinese manufactures interested in producing world class flashlights . . .

All beam shots were taken with a 1/4 second shutter speed @f2.8 . . .

Shadow JM05 with 2 x unprotected King Kong 26650.

LXP (XM-L/U2/1B) with 2 x unprotected King Kong 26650.

XinTD SC-82/V4.

JM05 on the left and the XinTD C8/V4 on the right. Does not appear you're giving up any output for the NW tint.

XinTD C8/V4 (with its 3C tint) from about 25 feet.

At the risk of offending many, there are many poor attempts to copy and sell a successful design. The ZY-T08 may indeed be an affordable alternative to the UltraFire UF-T60, but unlike Small Sun, XinTD took an existing design and created their own classic. And in the process, in this humble writer's opinion, becomes the de facto "original."

The SC-82 certainly didn't invent this long produced form factor. What they did was show every Chinese flashlight maker how to properly copy an existing design.

thisishowitsdoneFoy

Thanks Foy for another fantastic review. I was lucky to have a loan off Suncoasters V3 and as soon as I turned it on it blew me away. Like you Foy l believe this light is a bargain. Just try and convince others though. Maybe Foycan.

Aww man, you’re killing me here!

That light looks fantastic, especially the screw in reflector. I wonder if that helps heatsinking…

Awesome review Foy with fantastic pics, and a great light too except... It beats me why they fit a 1500mA rated switch to a light fitted with a 3040mA driver

I just parked this review in a separate browser tab to enjoy it later with a cup of tea :bigsmile:

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Finished. Great review, awesome pictures. The blue switch boot looks like it was made for it!

Concerning this:

I have only one flashlight with a nanjg driver, and it's memory behaves different than most others. It sets in after two seconds of ON time, not OFF time as usual. This was very confusing to me before I learned what was going on. Maybe the Xint C8 is the same?

Yes you are correct with what you said on the memory off these drivers. Had me fooled for awhile.

Yeah, it’s not my favourite way of implementing memory, but I’m used to it now with so many homemade NANJG drop-ins in solarforce hosts (12 now I think!). It actually feels a lot more intuitive with a forward clicky imo.

It looks really good, thanks again for a review full of great pictures as well. Have you tried other lights with high current NANJG drivers before, how does output compare to those?

Also, if you take it outside on a cold night, have you noticed any misting after a few minutes on the inside of the lense. This happens on a lot of my larger head lights (even high output P60s) and annoys me if it interferes with the beam. But often lenses with a coating don’t mist as much, or at all. If that’s the case then its another bonus :slight_smile:

Foy is correct, excellent build quality on this light. Talking to Hank, I guess the difference between the V3 & V4 is 70 lumens…. Drats!! I don’t wanna order the V4, but it’s one of those things thats gonna happen. Oh well, everyone needs a matching set.

Foy I love the reviews that you do

I think this will be my next torch to buy

what a handsome light :D

Could not resist it after such a praiseworthy review. So now I’ve ordered one. :bigsmile:

I suspect I’ll be soon adding this to a cart too, thanks for the review foy, you do realise that a solder blob on the riggt hand star to ground ring will give you moonlight as well as your current modes? even better for not disturbing mrs foy.

Thanks Foy. Glad you are on board the xinTD bandwagon. :slight_smile:

Very nice and information packed review.

Run out buy one any chance of getting to see some comparison beamshots?

I got my v4 3C today. I already had a v3 3C. Here are the differences I have noticed so far:

v4 is about 17–20 brighter on my light meter / ceiling bound test.
v4’s reverse clicky needs a lot less force toggle it.
The finish on my v4’s tail cap was discolored (kind of spotty). I decided to swap the tailcaps so the v4 would look nice.
v4’s moonlight mode looks like it will work pretty well.
v4 has no pwm noise vs v3 does on low and medium.

Now that I have seen foy’s blue boot, I really want to swap out the green one. Can anyone comment on how hard it is to do the swap and where I can buy other colors?

intloutdoor does the blue tailcaps, in 14 and 16mm, you’ll have to measure. swapping is just unscrew, note assembly, fit new boot, reassemble.

Brother (manxbuggy1) just got the CW XM-L2 V4 XinTD in a couple days ago. Between the two of us we’ve had perhaps 20 C8’s. The quality of this one is certainly the best I’ve seen. The output is high - not quite as much as we expected - but again the best I’ve seen from any stock C8. His tested at 916 lumens at 30 seconds. And a nice lux of 36Kcd. The best thing about the power is it kept it well, only dropping from roughly 935 or so at start up to the 916.
For sure this C8 is worth the $30 it cost.

Thanks for the awesome review Foy, I’ve always loved the XinTD V3, and happy to see the V4 is even better!

Thank you for the kind word and yes, beam shots are coming. Have family coming for a couple of days so, it will probably be Monday evening.

Red Forest - I'll have to try my refrigerator as it rarely gets cold enough in Las Vegas to mist anything.

gords - I did not know that and would love a moonlight mode . . .

Jerrod - I used a 16mm blue boot from Int'l Outdoor Store and for whatever reason, it was a tighter fit getting it in the hole than the GITD boot it came with. Actually, almost gave up but I finally powered it in. The down side I failed to mention is the inside nub on the blue boot is a little short so, it requires a firmer push to activate and switch feel suffers a bit. The price of vanity I suppose. Like gords said, a boot swap with this cap is a breeze.

vainFoy

That reflector looks like it might be well suited for a... well, something entirely inappropriate but very interesting. Think there's a chance these will ever be available as empty hosts? Does Hank do one-off requests like that, for half a dozen or so?

Also, I'm pretty sure all the IOS XinTDs are using the Qlite driver which is slightly different code than a standard 105c, Qlite star assignments are:

1st Star : 2% - 25% 100% (Default)
2nd Star : 5% - 30% - 100% - Strobe - Beacon
3rd Star : 15% - 100%
4th Star : 5mA - 2% -25% -100%