SUNWAYMAN F10R Falcon
LED: CREE XM -L2 + 2x 5mm LEDs RB
Battery: 1x (R ) CR123a
Modes: 8 ( Turbo ( +High ) , Med, Low, Strobe , Red , Blue , Police Strobe , Red SOS)
Switch: Forward + Twisty
Date: April 2014
Links:
Banggood / Sunwayman / Thread in ForoLinternas / RdL
INTRODUCTION:
Sunwayman has just launched a new range offlashlights, the Falcon series , consisting of ( up to date) three models with a common denominator : The ability to offer multicolor light thanks to several 5mm LEDs integrated on common reflectors . We have seen this trend in other known brands like Nitecore ( SRT, Chameleon … ) or the exclusive JETBeam TCR10 . The Falcon range consists of three flashlights: F10R , the one we will review today, which is the smallest of the family, powered by a CR123 primary battery or RCR , the F20C which is similar to the F10R but powered by a 18650 and recently announced F40A, a multi AA format, similar to D40A.
The F10R Falcon comes in a small cardboard box , and is accompanied by an austere set of O-rings, a standard wrist strap, as well as an user manual and warranty card . Again this Sunwayman have missing a holster .
EXTERIOR FINISH:
The appearance of this F10R is widely oversized for the segment in which it moves, CR123 or RCR / 16340 battery powered flashlights.
It has a very original design, with a massive head , with similar dimensions as far as relates to optical to P60 modules.
The optics has a smooth reflector of considerable size in which there are built-in small 5mm LEDs diametrically opposed , responsible for lighting in blue and red , and in the middle a XM -L2 (unknown bin).
Glass lens features AR treatment as usual in Sunwayman, with the typical purple halo. The bezel is polished steel and is smooth without aggressive crenellations.
The head has a peculiar machining, which are two tracks of no too aggressive knurling .
On the inside, we see a quite scenic design, with the driver mounted on what looks like a large pedestal aluminum machined directly on the chassis of the head flashlight.
The circuit is covered by a black plastic disk, letting see only a center contact point for the positive pole of the battery that protrudes slightly from the disk, so the F10R can be used with flat batteries as well as button top .
Threads are cut triangular shape, and are not anodized. They also have an interesting cut that matches the installation clip , allowing uninstalling it through the grooves.
Clip design allows the light to hang in both directions without investing the clip position. It has a pretty good tension, and especially in his section that allows us to set the lantern “head down”. The clip appears to be constructed of steel, with the typical titanium platting with sandblast finish as other Sunwayman like the M11R offers.
The tube has a single block design , installed by a steel threaded ring in the tail , similar to the design of the V11R . Forward switch tact/feel is quite good with an activation point located about 50 % of the full distance to hear the click . It is covered by the standard black silicone cover. Surrounding the button there are three crenellations with individual holes for the installation of the wrist strap, which also allows to place this F10R in solid and safe tailstand.
USER INTERFACE:
Sunwayman offers a fairly atypical user interface for F10R containing two independent modes selectable by partially or completely threaded head of the flashlight.
- Main Group: This group contains white light modes offered by the XM-L2 . To access these modes we need the head to be fully tightened. The flashlight features 4 modes , Turbo - Medium-Low - Strobe selectable by partial pulses using the momentary on. Once the desired mode is activated, press to click to set the mode.
- Special modes Group: This group brings together secondary modes with colored LEDs and is accessible by a slight unscrewing the flashlight head . The sequence is Red-Blue-Police Red & Blue Strobe- Red SOS. As with the main group of white light modes, select the desired mode by momentary pulse and set through complete pulsation.
Memory Mode:* Both groups have mode memory, so when you turn the flashlight (for more than 2 seconds), the mode is memorized and the flashlight will access it in its next activation.
Reading through the test modes in integrating sphere shows how this Sunwayman has a good agreement between the values specified by the manufacturer and the ones measured in home-lab integrating sphere.
The distribution of the white light modes seem well proportioned , and there is considerable difference between the red and blue light, being red much weaker to the naked eye but both being specified with the same 11LM output.
PERFORMANCE:
The F10R has a time controlled stepdown for Turbo mode, which automatically reduces the output after 3 minutes of continuous use and access to High mode (mode non-selectable by the user interface) being its output reduced to about 220LM , nearly 100LM less than 30 seconds after activation point. I was quite surprised to see how the output appears in steady decline in its regulation for RCR, especially with the available mass to dissipate the heat with this “small” flashlight has.
Compared to other CR123 flashlights with Li -Ion, the F10R offers performance well below average, but in return is able to scrape some runtime with usable light for more minutes than other more powerful flashlights.
BEAM PROFILE:
The smooth reflector of this F10R , even when drilled to let pass the optics from bicolor LEDs, provides a fairly clean and free of any aberration beam, although some light reaches the optical two small LEDs and is bounced off the usual limits. This effect is only noticeable indoors, since that bounced light is really dim and you’ll only appreciate in close proximity to the walls. The XM-L2 with relatively large and deep reflector creates a fairly definite and small hotspot so you get extra throw compared to the same flashlights segment that use smaller reflectors. The transition between the hotspot and the spill is quite gradual , without too marked boundary between the two. The XM-L2 cold tint is within usual with a yellow halo in the transition between the hotspot and spill, as is customary nowadays in many XM-L2.
The colored light beam of the two 5mm LEDs shows the usual concentration of typical aberrations of such LEDs. Also the Red color is markedly weaker and fainter than the blue.
PERSONAL CONCLUSION:
Generally I do not quite understand the concept under which Sunwayman has designed F10R , a flashlight and sturdy-looking too bulky for the type of battery used . If you look at the segment of flashlights for the own Sunwayman CR123a offers , so far we notice the size and weight of their role models, the V11R or M11R, have always been something in between, without being extremely light or compact but keeping essentially a compact and wearable design.
Sunwayman F10R • Klarus P1C • Sunwayman V11R • Fenix PD12 • Olight S15 Baton • RCR123
Negatives: The most important of all the negatives that will highlight this F10R is certainly its user interface. A forward switch for mode selection is really a torture, especially between modes there is a strobe through which we must pass if or when we move from low to medium or Turbo mode. I see no justifiable by its moderate output such stepdown having generous mass to dissipate, and the High mode is only accessible through the continued use of the turbo does not seem quite right for me. In addition, the large diameter of the head and the small section of the body make it nearly impossible to change the group of modes (i.e. twist the head) with one hand. The threads do not run smooth, and the pressure that the o- ring exercises make the screwing and unscrewing a rather cumbersome task. I note with some concern the recent craze for multicolored light manufacturers are suffering not evolve and remains almost stagnant in 5mm LEDs with various colors featuring an unfortunate beam profile, especially when installed in a reflector for another LED, something that only amplifies and multiplies the typical aberrations produced by the eccentric position of the segments for each color inside the encapsulation of the emitter. The size and weight of the flashlight are a huge handicap because their benefits can hardly justify such dimensions.
Positives: The machining of the parts is excellent as is the black anodized. I quite liked the distribution of the main white light modes and excellent feel of its momentary tailcap switch. The flashlight seems robust and surely will endure heavy use.
