The Manta Ray at KD is only $19.78.
Are there any X-ML light that are cheaper?
This one is cheaper http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-wf504b-xm-lt6-510-lumen-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-black-1-x-18650-57097 .
MUCH better looking!
I'd pay a dollar for more the 5-mode though:
Hmmm...both the DX lights have the Ultrafire 504 body, which is pretty nice. But they both say they drive the XM-L at 1400mA, which is fairly weak. The KD light does not say what the mA at the tailcap is, so I guess we have to wait for someone to test it and let us know.
I'd spend the $7 more and get this one, driven at 2800mA, plus it is a 3-mode light (hi-low-strobe<yuck>)
I have a DX XM-L dropin in a Uniquefire L2, that is the same flashlightbody as the Ultrafire 504. This evening i have used it as a bike-light, and at only 1400mA it seems to be as bright (i think even brighter) as the 1400 lumen Magicshine (SSC P7 + 2x XP-E R2). It is certainly brighter than the SSC P7 of that bike light, but the Magicshine has a batterypack with 4 x 18650, so that will last much longer. For the longer night-rides i use the Magicshine, for the shorter ones i like the XM-L flashlight better. The beam of the XM-L is better, it has no "hole" in the middle, that is a problem of the SSC P7.
I don't like maximum driven XM-L dropins in a flashlight with poor heat transfer. Even with the not so hard driven DX dropin i have rolled some aluminium of a beercan around the drop in to let it fit very tight in the flaslight body. That is nessecary to insure a better heat transfer, so the led will not go up in smoke after a few minutes. The original dropin of the Uniquefire was a XP-G R5 wich did not last very long because it was overdriven and there was not very much heat getting out of the flashlight. The led is still working (tested with multimeter), but it just fell of the star because it became too hot. I don't have the tools to solder it back on the star...
The Uniquefire M9 XM-L also seems to have problems with heat transfer (read the topics).
For maximum power XM-L, i am still waiting for this light to arrive http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustfire-x8-xm-lt60-5-mode-1000-lumen-memory-white-led-flashlight-with-batteries-set-2x18650-57749 (it should be on its way here...). It should have better heat transfer because the reflector is threaded and screwed in the rather large flashlight head.
You can always fix poor heat transfer, you cannot easily fix poorly driven XM-L's. At least those of us without solderig kits and extra drivers laying around can't.
I gotta say,
that Manta Ray,
is butt-ugly.
Foy
when you say dx drop-in, you bought the entire flashlight and took it out, right? i didn't see a drop-in like that at dx, unless i missed it. which light? thanks.
This is the one: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/cree-xml-t6-5-mode-6700k-450-lumen-smooth-aluminum-drop-in-module-with-textured-reflector-55026
I have this one (silver) is bright enoug to light up a huge area and battery last longer then hard driven xm-l
Well, this Manta Ray isn't.
http://kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=11205
The large reflector is a jewel, that KD picture does it justice. Superbly smooth and even with a very deep shine, yielding a perfectly focused hotspot with a wide (but regular) corona that merges nicely with the hotspot at out-of-doors distances.
I like very much its brightness/pattern/runtime on Mid (drawing 440mA) for walks, although I admit to miss the occasional full blow of the XM-L on High, where this one draws only 1400mA. Even so, it throws 300m on High, perhaps 350m when the tons of airborne pollen that whe have here right now have gone. Conservative as it is, High is still bright enough for me to be seldom called for.
Heat transfer is accomplished through screw connections to the body.
This flashlight has relegated my Fenix TK11 R2 from walks to indoor use.
I gotta say,
That (other) Manta Ray,
She aint ugly.
Rather handsome actually.
Foy
In fact, that's what made me take the plunge before any review.
JAS so ture
This is my first XM-L light
That UltraFire 504B mentioned in post #2 is probably the best value in XM-L lights. It's not driven very hard at 1.5A, but it is a great value. As soon as they start improving the drivers on the Manafont Xm-L's, they will be kick-butt lights.