Review: Imalent SA04 (4*AA, 2*XM-L2 and RGB) with touch-screen

I honestly don`t know.
I`ve tried taking the light apart prior to the photo shoot.. so it might have caused the leaking.. but still it`s kinda strange, because I don`t feel like I didn`t screw it down properly.

anyway.. I didn`t lube the threads,as they were lubed as far as I remember.

next time I should double check to screw down everything tightly before I do another waterproof test.

(same with the Ultrafire M51 of which I am writing the review now)

Ultrafire M51 $116 from fasttech. Never thought i would see the day of an Ultrafire for over 100 dollars and no memory mode :expressionless:

it has mode memory... (but it works differently)

review will be up soon.

I will try to cover as much as possible..if any questions, just reply to the review, that will be up before lunch (in 1 hour).

After reading your review I did a water resistance test and my EU06 sample failed. :frowning:

Thanks Chloe for the review, and for the water resistance test..
Did you tighten everything well before the test?

I only tightened the battery tube. None of the bezels were loose.

After my trip last month, I noticed the screen has gotten some trouble.....

anybody else has had this happen as well?

There is something wrong at the bottom of the screen. When you press the screen it leaves some rings/marks that disappear slowly.. almost like when you push on an LCD computer/tv screen (not touch screen).

I came within a hairs breath of buying this light but now i’ll pass till i see if the screen issue is common.

Here the video

I would like one, but they were already expensive and now they have put the price up to $95! Has anyone seen them advertised for a good price?

yep you are touching the lcd there for sure that will bugger it up PDQ

Yeah… mine is doing the same, but only when using the on-screen Mode button.

Still works OK though.

I contacted Imalent about the screen, and they sent me another SA04 for free!!

First they told me I could replace it at a local dealer, which I thought was great.
But the next day they said the light is on its way.. (which I thought was from a local dealer)
but they sent it directly from Hong Kong by DHL.

That is what I call customers service. Well done Shellen from Imalent!

I asked if I should send the other one back, but she said don`t need.

This one also has 1 XM-L for WW and 1 XM-L2 for CW, and plastic reflector.. Cerealkiller said he got one with an aluminum reflector.

Hey guys I got mine pretty far disassembeled and actaly managed to diagnose and repair it!

I have some interior pics (including pic’s of my machined Alumimun reflector) that I am sending to johnnymac (along with a little description) to host and add to his review so watch for that.

I can tell you without a doubt what killed mine was water entering the power switch. I would consider the factory light no more than IPX5 and I personally won’t be exposing this one to even the conditions for IPX1, after being opened and seeing how bad of a design this is for water resistance this is an indoor light only for me and I’d recommend anyone else do the same. The way they did things with this light simply can’t be made truly water resistant,

It’s a clever idea for a light, but I have to admit I don’t particularly like it.
The concept is unique, I admire the innovation.
But… the screen should be removed. It’s clunky, and in a flashlight; unnecessary.
I would suggest a rocker switch (or two switches on top of each other) to adjust the brightness, and to ramp from more warm white, to more cool white.

Using it right now, I can see the screen distortion is spreading.
Remember in a movie theater when something would go wrong and the frame/cel would melt? It looks a lot like that.
It still works (so far).

Like Chibi’s light, my lens is scratched badly; so I light sprayed it with some Krylon to make it a bit floodier, and to hide the scratches (I couldn’t find a suitable replacement).

I really like the “multi” tints and color options of the light, but its a little out of my budget price range.
We need a GB !

Thanks for the info guys. CK, I thought yours was an original SA04 with alu reflector, now it seems like you made one yourself?

now that clears the air.

My new one still came with a first gen XML for warm...kinda pity. anyway, Imalent was very nice about replacing the light.

Nope mine is definitely OE everything (expect for the replacement switch), completely oroginaal machined Al reflector (remember mine is a XM-L2 light of that matters any). You’ll see soon grasshopper.

I pretty much agree with what’s been said the tint mixing is awesome but the screen sucks to use and the UI is horrible. That’s why I’m in the process of maying another CK_production run of a light which offers tint mixing and a much simpler UI. Built out of a Maxtoch DX21 clone mode switching is via the tail clicky, tint shift (and a few hidden fun features) are via the side clicky. Probably a little while out still but that’s something that’s definitely coming.

For now here’s a few pic’s of my reflector. Notice all the machining marks

Actually my second sample has the same screen problem! Even from being a shelf queen...