You’re welcome.
I guess I shouldn’t have been expecting more. It is a budget light after all but it does feel cheap. I was also going to pick up the other two as well. I’m not going to now, I know that for sure.
Very useful mini-review. Thanks.
600 lumens from AA light? You’re kidding right? $100 AA flashlights are less bright…
PS. Do you know that SC01 has one more low mode which is about 10 lumens (on 14500)? From off press and hold the switch for about 2 seconds.
That’s UF C3 money. Sorry but compared to Solarstorm, Ultrafire is a piece of crap.
I’m not using AA I’m using a 14500 IMR 3.7 volts. This light feels more like the cheap 501b Ultrafire. The 502b is a better light than this one. I know I have all of them right here to compare. I have also owned hundreds of lights, so it’s not like I’m a noob to this.
I just modded and sold a bunch of crelants for cheaper than this light and there was no comparison in quality at all. I have two lumintops that are this size right here and yes they are $50 lights but the quality shows through compared with this light.
I’m sure opinions will vary on this light so you are more than welcome to your’s and please do post your own review. These are simply my opinions and to me it’s an overpriced light that is more of a gimmick than really useful. Quality wise it does fall into the ultrafire category to me.
This is a Budget light and for that it’s OK but it shouldn’t be lumped in with better lights at all.
Thanks for the tip on the OFF and two seconds. I’ll add that to the review.
You’re welcome Gj.
Oh boy, sorry Brad to hear your not impressed - I really like mine, as indicated in the keltex78 thread. Here's my measurements on the SC01:
SC01 w/Sanyo UR14500P 840mAh @4.20v, 1.62A tailcap - lumens: 544 @start, 513 @30 secs, throw: 5 kcd
Did you measure amps with that Efest cell? Also, I got used to the mode switching/controls now and find them pretty good for a stock light. Like the press/hold low, then one click off, for example. Sure, would like lower low and always want more amps!
I'm still stuck on not being able to get to the driver though...
*** FastTech has them now under the FandyFire brand name for the same price.
Thanks for your honest review. We need more unbiased non-shill reviews like this.
I do like it a little better now that I see the lower mode, That does make it nicer. I think I was just expecting too much from this light. It was probably playing with all the crelants I had in.
I think you were just expecting too much from it. 
Also if you are going to compare the 502b, thats kind of unfair to compare 14500 to 18650 light, it should be a SC02 you compare against. My SC02 is greatly preferred over 502b, no comparison really to me: SC02 is smaller, better size feel in the hand (small vs…just not right hand feel), more modes, side switch, no blinkies unless you want them, instant on into lowest mode (lower than 502b), clip to put on pockets/etc that is pretty usable vs the harder to use/easy to damage pocket cheap 502b clip, and output is comparable.
502b could win for better adonizing maybe but I dont feel it, and a bit throwier. As a modder I’d guess you would add mod-ability to the 502b, guessing 502b would be easier to mod and if you do that, of course this is most important.
I dont love it, and I wont be using it a lot, I prefer the warmer tints and my modded S2 Convoy in this size. But definitely better than 502b if thats all I had to use (unless its modded). Of course its all opinions, but I’m not seeing anything better for $14, tons better if you mod and/or go up in price. 502b is my least used light in 18650, thats for certain. I’d go with a cheap C8 if I go bigger.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it! I was not sure about it, and now I feel glad as it would be another modding project.
I don’t doubt I was expecting too much. On the 502b I was just talking about the finish really. The finish on this light reminds me of the 501b a lot and I didn’t like the 501b for that reason. Too smooth. I do like it more now that I see the Low low. The dimming still isn’t working right though. I’m wondering if maybe I didn’t get one with a wonky driver. I should be getting more lumens from it too.
You’re welcome.
I don’t know what to think about it now. The Low on it with the holding on startup does make a difference to me. No modding this light though, at least not that I can see. I still don’t see myself buying any more of them.
Why isn’t it moddable? How is the driver attached?
If I buy one of these, the goal would be to remove the guts and replace with a DrJones electronic switch driver and neutral tint XML2 or XPG2 emitter.
Yeah I think you got a faulty one somehow, mine seems to go right into low low, and ramp up to max (*edit: max ramping, which is less than max in second press max function) then next time I press *and hold it, it skips down to low every time. But mine is SC02 not SC01. And I also could have a crappy 502b maybe, but I just would love it compared to a 502b if that were my options so I had to add my two cents. Its not however “great”, it will sit next to my 502b and only be played with from time to time, maybe used on a short no-pack hike. Warm tints and modded Convoy S2 kills it’s desirability for me — but they also cost significantly more.
It’s like a few other lights like this. It’s all top loaded. So to get to it you have to rip it apart from the top and I don’t see how you would be able to get the switch hooked back up. I had a zebra light gifted to me with a messed up driver and it’s the same way. It doesn’t unscrew where the driver is at all.
For the ramping: low mode only, press/hold -- it will ramp up until it hits the limit, then blinks, to tell you it's at the max ramping level. The max ramping level is less than hi mode. When at the low max, next time you enter low mode, press/hold and it will reset back to the lowest ramping level.
I've found this behavior to be consistent.
If it’s like other lights I’ve tried modding, getting the switch hooked up shouldn’t be a problem. All I need is a bare aluminum tube with the switchboot mounted over a hole. I can mount and supply my own switch. I would like to be able to easily access the driver though. I wonder if this light uses a removable pill like the Olight S15 it appears to be based on.
This driver must be Wack. It does the low low with press and hold. That is ok, no ramping from there. On the second part, if you click it on you get a medium and high. On medium you get a ramping to another just slightly higher medium it flashes and then stays there no ramping back down now at all. The difference between the ramping modes is next to nothing at all. I’m also noticing a bit of flickering now.
The low >ramping is the 1st click mode, 2nd click puts you on high…there is hidden strobe AND hidden moon mode
modes go like this
off > 1click > low > click hold 2-3 sec slow ramping to double flash (max low mode) > click hold 2-3 seconds reset back to low level (any release on ramping next on will remember last level)
low > 1click > hi
double click on any “on” mode > strobe
off > click hold 2-3 seconds > hidden moon mode
PWM is bad just like all “stock” Chinese firmware
I am “underwhelmed” as well…nice small light but I ended up paying $19.99 before the price dropped to around $14~ in some locations
With changing out the stock reflector for a 10 degree TIR it makes a nice flood beam with a minimal hotspot
With the odd 3 wire star and having a hard time figuring out how to get the pill out to mod this makes it kinda a no go…if it was easy to get to that would be pretty cool
I wonder how hard it would be to get a blf version with faster pwm and a higher high, and more tint options?