Jaded wrote:

Tracy Wan—-Sofirn wrote:

If you want to order an extra pocket clip, please feel free to contact sales service before you finish the order.

Thank you, Tracy Wan. I’ll keep that in mind when I order from your stores. Can this be done with other parts like tail caps and switches?

Hi Jaded,

Sorry for the late reply.
If you have any problem or question, please feel free to contact the sales service whether on AliExpress or Amazon. They will help you do their best.

Have a good time on BLF

Currently it is listed as having Low Voltage Protection only for 14500 cells. It would be nice to have LVP feature for NiMH cells too, or have an easy accessible battery level indicator function.

Just received my Sofirn SP 10b today and have been playing with it . Removed the head and the threads were very rough and gritty but lube took care of that . Tail threads were better . Very bright output with 14500 . Seems as bright as my Convoy S2+ 6×7135 and Jet 1MK . S2+ slightly more floody . All about equal in throw . $12 well spent .

pennzy wrote:

Just received my Sofirn SP 10b today and have been playing with it . Removed the head and the threads were very rough and gritty but lube took care of that . Tail threads were better . Very bright output with 14500 . Seems as bright as my Convoy S2+ 6×7135 and Jet 1MK . S2+ slightly more floody . All about equal in throw . $12 well spent .

Found any problems yet? or things you didn’t like other than the thread?

DoubleA wrote:

Found any problems yet? or things you didn’t like other than the thread?

No problems . Just getting used to the switch is a little difficult . A long click turns the light off usually except from strobe and turbo mode if accessed from off . In those cases , a short click turns it off . Another thing I need to learn is when on the lowest setting I sometimes think it is off and think the switch is not working properly . Why do people desire such low settings I don’t know . Not for me . Being older, I would rather simple L,M,H,Off or even just L,H,Off . Just me though .YMMV. When I first put the 14500 in and turned on turbo , it was flickering . Tightening the caps stopped this although I did not feel they where loose . No spring in the front . Over all : B+ .

Same here, I don’t find any use for Moonlight/Firefly mode, would be glad if I could get rid of it.
.
What’s your opinion about this -vs Utorch UT01, which would you prefer?

I only know what I have been reading here . Seem to be unloading some known bad switches .

I just got a (red) SF10b. My main motivation was finding a more reliable alternative than the UT01 — my first UT01 doesn’t work with 14500, the second does — to recommend or give as gifts.

I’m not sure how I feel about the UI. It is certainly taking me some getting used now that I’m familiar with the UT01.

I was hoping it would be a better UI for ‘muggles,’ but I’m not sure it is.

The long press to turn on and off seems a little too long. More than once, I’ve ended up in moon when I thought I’ve turned it off. Also, the fact that it takes a short press to turn off after entering Turbo with a double-click from off is odd, and seems like an accident. I like the lockout, but I’d rather have it on three clicks, and flashing modes on four clicks.

Turbo isn’t as bright as the UT01, but the beam is more throwy.

Build quality is good. I like the metal button, but it’s a little harder to find by feel, or maybe I just need to be feeling for something else (like the depressions on either side). The tail cap spring is pretty thin. I’ll try a bypass.

I personally find moonlight mode useful.

Overall, it’s a good light and I think it will make a good gift light. The only thing I’d really ask for is a brighter turbo, for more WOW.

Is it possible to mod this light? have you taken a look at it’s driver yet?

Just a little follow-up. After playing with my UT01 and SP10b, I note that while the 10b seems to have more throw at a given output level, the higher output of the UT01 means that it is at least as effective at illuminating distant objects — at the cost of some runtime, I assume.

I’d love a SP10c with output closer to that of a UT01.

Looks like they updated Sofirn SP10A on 15 December with the same driver SP10B uses. So basically both of them A and B are now the same.

DoubleA wrote:

Is it possible to mod this light? have you taken a look at it’s driver yet?

• Driver is 17mm. I replaced it with a Mountain Electronics 17mm driver with Emisar D4 UI.
• I kept the switch. Chopped up the stock driver and salvaged the switch. Glued it to the new driver with arctic alumina and a plastic support strut.
• Replaced stock emitter with XPL HI 5A2 on copper Noctigon.
• Added a thin metal ring around the switch button. Cut from 0.025” aluminum sheet and then filed down into shape. This turns the raised button into a flush button. Risk of accidental pocket activation is much less.

Overall fairly happy with the mod. For a side-switch mod, not too hard and the light is now much brighter with a better UI. Now only runs on 14500 though.

Some other observations from a modder perspective:

• The metal switch boot has a rubber seal underneath. This is all held to the inside of the head with the metal switch retaining ring. This is good as the light remains waterproof even if you change the switch on the driver.
• The driver is 17mm and is held in place with a reverse-threaded retaining ring. There are slots on either side to prevent the driver from turning. On the stock driver, the piece with the switch on it fits those slots. For a my modded driver I cut a small section of large paperclip, then filed a notch in the right side of the driver and soldered it into place. Because of the retaining ring having something keeping the driver from rotating is a good idea.
• The star is thin aluminum and about 14mm in diameter. The stock emitter and star won’t stand up to a FET driver and IMR cell.

Is the MCU from AVR series? would be glad if you posted a few pictures

eas wrote:

I just got a (red) SF10b. My main motivation was finding a more reliable alternative than the UT01 — my first UT01 doesn’t work with 14500, the second does — to recommend or give as gifts.

I’m not sure how I feel about the UI. It is certainly taking me some getting used now that I’m familiar with the UT01.

I was hoping it would be a better UI for ‘muggles,’ but I’m not sure it is.

The long press to turn on and off seems a little too long. More than once, I’ve ended up in moon when I thought I’ve turned it off. Also, the fact that it takes a short press to turn off after entering Turbo with a double-click from off is odd, and seems like an accident. I like the lockout, but I’d rather have it on three clicks, and flashing modes on four clicks.

Turbo isn’t as bright as the UT01, but the beam is more throwy.

Build quality is good. I like the metal button, but it’s a little harder to find by feel, or maybe I just need to be feeling for something else (like the depressions on either side). The tail cap spring is pretty thin. I’ll try a bypass.

I personally find moonlight mode useful.

Overall, it’s a good light and I think it will make a good gift light. The only thing I’d really ask for is a brighter turbo, for more WOW.

thanks for the comparison to the utorch, and overall review

I’m with you on the asking for a brighter turbo for more WOW as you put it.

please post back if you experience issues with it down the road

I have blinded myself more than once getting use to the UI. If I have never before used a multi mode flashlight the SP10b UI would be no big deal. I really like the Olight batons UI a lot. If I could improve anything about the SP10b I would add a strong magnet in the tail cap.

It does have memory mode. It can start on ML, low, or medium. Turbo takes double click. Just chose moonlight, low, or medium and then turn off flashlight in selected mode. Then one fast click opens the chosen mode.

264 wrote:

It does have memory mode. It can start on ML, low, or medium. Turbo takes double click. Just chose moonlight, low, or medium and then turn off flashlight in selected mode. Then one fast click opens the chosen mode.

Not a short click (brain fart) but a long click opens saved mode once chosen. Operator error once more.

The only 14500 batteries I own are Xtar protected. They fit just as well as eneloops. Photo proof above.

Why the hell did they update SP10A with the same firmware SP10B uses even though everyone did not like it??

I just ordered a blue SP10B as it looks like a very decent 14500 EDC light with side switch for the price… and a possible affordable replacement for the UT01 – have a pile of them i can’t honestly gift out considering the reported potential issues in another thread.

However, reading the above comments regarding the UI… it reminds me of the Astrolux S42 fiasco – great light with a terrible UI. I’ll see for myself when i have it in hand.

I don’t like memory either. Also would like another mode group without moon mode. LV warning for NiMH should be included.

I like it. No memory was the only thing I disliked about my TG06. Always starting on high/turbo, was generally too much. The UI on this takes a little getting used to, but after carrying for a couple weeks, I’m used to it. Memory start on high, double click for turbo Reversible clip and I would buy stock.

Enable/disable for Mode memory and Moon mode should please all folks I believe.

Sofirn already revised SP10A on dec15th with the same firmware as this current SP10B uses. I guess they didn’t listen afterall

MascaratumB wrote:

The SP10B has a nice UI (for me)!

-3 regular modes: a true Moonlight mode; a nice Low (despite there is a “high” jump from moonligh); and a Medium that on 14500 Li-Ion has a similar level as the High mode on AA Alkaline or NI-MH ;

- 2 special modes: Double click for High and 3 clicks for Strobe!

- And lockout with 4 clicks (initially it was hard to enter it, but with some use you get the timing to lock/unlock).

I use it with 14500 battery and it is quite nice! Maybe UT01 / Manker E11 has higher output on the highest level, but the SP10B is quite nice, specially for the price

I’d only change it to not have memory and always start on Moonlight, but that’s me

And the LED tint is good as well, a Neutral white, no artifacts or major tint shifts! (at least on mine).

I guess it will depend on your use and your personnal preferences of the UI! But overall it is nice!

Just playing with mine in more “detail”…

Hate alkaleaks at this point, got a bunch of LFP cells instead which I’m using.

First thing I noticed is that LFP (3.2V) levels are equivalent to alkaleaks (1.5V), not Li-ion (3.7V+). Odd. No idea why. Thought the higher voltage would give me the higher levels per mode. Both sets levels look identical, even after a few times flipping back’n‘forth. I might be wrong, though, but to me, turbo(alkaleak) = turbo(LFP).

Now, there’s nothing scientific I’m doing, no lumenometer, nothing, just white-ceiling tests for both cells.

Forgot about damned strobe. Thought it didn’t have any, but yeah, mine can get to it in 3 clicks.

Lockout/Unlock can be 4 clicks or sometimes 5 (random). Doesn’t bug me.

Yeah, would prefer not so high a jump between firefly and low, but it doesn’t bug me… yet. For looking up-close, it’s absolutely perfect, but for, say, checking a clock on the far wall, it might be too dim, and low will definitely be too bright. My SF31W and TK4A have a perfect clock-on-wall moonlight level. Nice and low without being too low. But this is true firefly mode, not even moonlight, so is quite nice for just looking down to see where your slippers are.

Yeah, nice beam, not too fried-eggy at all, just a bit of a yellow corona around the hotspot.

Still, rather nice for an AA-based light, overall! Think I’ll put this in rotation…

Are there any deals/coupons on this light currently?

The price I’m seeing on AE is $12.92 right now.

Pete7874 wrote:

Are there any deals/coupons on this light currently?

The price I’m seeing on AE is $12.92 right now.

Wellp, 16 – 10% on Amazon ~= 14.

But you get it in days instead of months.