There was a bazillion different HD2010 lights made with varying differences. I cant see how you can compare someone's findings with another. It just isn't going to be the same and only causes confusion trying to compare them. Keep knocking yourselves out if you like though. 
I hear ya. Thanks for your contribution here, btw.
Next review I produce will have outdoor shots of the next torch and I’ll include this one too.
It’s probably the best way to demonstrate the real world performance(50meters, 100meters etc). Thanks again for all the feedback as it really helps.
I just got a C12 XPL-HI 3mode OP reflector and it looks the same internally as the C8 reviewed here but the beam profile is not ringey. The hotspot is not as defined but it is definitely less floody/ more defined/has better throw than my XML-2 C12's with an OP reflector. The OP might be the way to go with these budget XPL's since the mfg might not take the time and effort to focus them perfectly.
Which C12 XPL-HI? Link?
here I believe ;
http://kaidomain.com/product/details.S024327
Nice light, still has good amount of spill.
Pulls just over 3 amps on good cell.
Thanks. C8 vs C12, which one should I get? Any opinions?
I think the C12 is uglier but has better heat dissipation .
I tried both the SMO and OP reflectors in the C8 and the beam pattern was cleaner on the OP as would be expected. The C12 has a different driver to the C8 but based on bikenber73’s comments it appears to be a 3.04A driver
I found the heat dissipation of the C8 quite good. I do agree the C12 is better on that point due to the larger fins near the head
Based on this review, I bought a KD C8. It works, not as bright as I imagined but works. However I had some mode switching issue.
For the flashlights that I got, their mode switching essentially works two ways. Either on-off-on will switch the mode. For some flashlights it needs to have two quick succession of on-offs to switch the mode. This C8 I received doesn’t work either way. It would stick on one mode and not switch in most cases. Sometimes, it will switch to the other mode then stuck there. This makes this C8 not convenient to use. Does anybody know what’s happening and how to fix that?
I contacted KD customer service but don’t know when they will get back to me because right now, it is Chinese National Day Holiday time.
Hi twinclouds. Can you provide a picture of the driver in your torch. Just unscrew the tube from the head to reveal the back of the driver. Otherwise if you do that and compare against the photos I includede to determin if the driver is a KD V2 or not. Also what brand and model of battery did you use in the torch?
The mode switching you describe isn’t consistent with what I found. The mode swicthing should be full press to turn on, then small taps/half presses to cycle through the modes. The driver memorises the last mode.
Thank you for your quick reply. I tried half push as well but they are still behave similarly. Sometimes it switches sometimes it don’t.
I use Panasonic (2000mah) taking from an old laptop and Trustfire 3000mah from DX. Both behave the same.
The photo of the driver is attached. Not sure if it is clear enough or not. (It didn’t show up so I provided the link.)
Thanks again.
Hi twinclouds, did you also try to do the half-press very quickly? From my experience some drivers require very quick tap on the switch in order to change mode, but they are mostly buck driver though.
I cant open and view the image
Here it is.!
!
Thanks for your suggestion.
It sometimes works but not reliably.
The driver in your picture is clearly the KD V2. The solder pads are as per mine, so you have a 3 mode (Low - Medium and high)
It maybe the switch, driver or batteries used.
Ideally you work thorugh the issues to find out the cause. The switch can be checked via a test of the torch without the tailcap fitted. Use a heavy guage wire to short the -ve end of the battery and the torch tube end (non anodised end). If you can do this you can prove if the switch is faulty or not. Tap one end of the wire to mimic a quick tap on the switch to try and change modes. If the behaviour of the flashlight is the same as with the tail switch fitted you can cross of the switch being an issue.
Next I’d verify if the batteries are the cause. One of your batteries is a laptop pull and the other a Trustfire 3000mAH. How confident are you that both are good batteries for 3A constant current? I assume the Trustfire is protected. The protection may kick in for the high mode.
On high does your torch head feel very warm after 5 minutes?
I would also recommend to try some different batteries in the light as well. The batteries you mentioned are garbage and may not be holding proper voltage. I mention this because you stated it wasn’t as bright as you thought. The light may not even be using the highest mode due to voltage sag. Get yourself some current newer batteries and try one of them first. Also make sure the tailcap is tight, and the ring inside the tailcap holding the switch in is tight.
Candy from KD told me I should half press the quick release twice. It works much better but still not very reliable. Sometimes it changes mode not according to the sequence that supposed to be.
As for testing the flashlight and battery, I borrowed a new C8 from a friend and tried both on my home made IS. The current draw are the same about 2.4A. From the reading of my IS, KD only provide about 80 percent reading from the attached luxmeter of that from the Convoy C8. My IS is not calibrated but it is very good for relative comparison. Both uses the same battery and draw the same amount of current, so I cannot blame the low light output on battery. I am going to receive some LG HE4’s and will test more.
I think the reason why Rolz get higher lux reading is partly because the KD c8 has a much tighter hot light spot then C8. Of course it also possible I have a not so good driver. I will test the lux reading when get chance.
As for switching mode, the 4x7135 that I bought from KD works much more normal. It change mode after a short off and not after a long off. Both supposed to be KD V2 drivers.
I am really disappointing.