Review: new design UF-504B body and single mode R5 drop-in

The drop-in and the flashlight body were bought here:

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/ultrafire-cree-r5-mode-led-dropin-module-42v-18v-p-4051 for 11 USD (at time of purchase, now a little cheaper)

http://www.manafont.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=504B&log=&x=0&y=0 for 11,70USD

The 504B body redesigned:

The body is very well machined and well anodized. Seems like HA type but even if it is not seems quite durable. The black is matte as is generally more eye pleasing than glossy. Threads are good and o-rings are alot thicker than usually found on DX flashlights.

The head itself varies slightly from "standard" 504B design. The head supporting threads are positioned lower and there is slightly less drop-in space meaning heatsinking capabilities could be affected. The bezel is black matte and not assault type which is a blessing for most. The lens seems of better quality than generic you get with most flashlights. Definitely not antireflective coated but seems uniformly crystal clear. Came proprely lubed and required just a little cleaning in the head.

There is a green GITD o-ring under the lens.

There is quite a gap using generic P60 host drop-ins. A fair amount of household aluminum foil was used to fill the gap. Not very professional but dropin saver i think. After 30min with the R5 dropin reviwed below the body reaches it's peak temperture but nothing to worry about. I would say it is somwhere between warm and hot. Still pretty comfortable to hold in hand and mind you i have not a great heat resistance treshold. :)

The switch is somehow standard type (reverse) and feels a bit stiff and loud. Nothing to really complain about. Unprotected 18650 (i got em from a laptop battery pack) fit just a tiny bit loosely. Used a bit of insulating tape on the battery to stop rattling and all was good afterwards. It does tailstand! Althrough not perfectly but modifying the switch with an extra o-ring (goes along well if you use unprotected cells) would make it tailstanding perfectly. The body doesen't have any antiroll capability.

The Ultrafire R5 single mode dropin:

The dropin looks like many others. The differences worthy to expose are:

- Perfectly centered emitter (i might got lucky)

- Very nice smooth reflector without dents, dings, scratches.

- Very good soldering can be seen where the driver contacts the dropin. Spring is also aesthetically pleasing soldered onto driver pcb.

- Neutral white with no hints of blue, green... (my DX R2 dropin is rather bluish)

- Operating voltage: 4.2V-18V

As already mentioned the dropin required some messing with aluminum foil to make a snug fit in the flashlight body.

Powered by single 18650 unproteced cell at 4.2V gave a reading of 1260mA at tailcap. When the cell was at 3,7x range the current drawn at tailcap was around 900+mA. Perhaps the driver is not ideal for a single 18650 cell setup still not much to complain about.

The beam is nice with a slightly large well rounded somehow sharp hotspot. The spill is uniform and glow form the hotspot is nicely diffused. No artifacts can be seen but the bezel identations however are present but doesen't affect the aestehtic experience.

Have not done any proper runtimes yet but after an hour and a half the voltage was in the 3,7x range with an almost full 18650 cell.

As all single mode dropins there is not much more to tell.

When imageschack stops being an ass ill redo the links of the pictures properly. I have a mixed experience with imageshack. Sometimes works as it should sometimes it does not! Cannot be arsed to register on some other image hosting page. :P

Epilogue:

For 22,7USD which is somehow high for such a setup you get a nice body and a good driven R5 dropin with just a touch of lego assembly fun. Quality is good, althrough those who like single 18650 setups might want to change the driver one that is best suited to work on max 4.2V. I'm very satisified and is the 2nd most expensive light i own. I have also the skyray (P60) and the L2 (solarforce clone) body but i like this one better. I was impressed by manafont extra care regarding packaging practices.

Personal thoughts:

I need to buy a better camera.

Thanks for the review! Nice job.

Have you tried 2xCR123A? Wonder if it's a lot brighter with the increased voltage. Seems like a good drop-in. Do you have other R5 lights that you can maybe compare to in terms of perceived brightness?

This new 504B looks sleeker than the old one, but I like the antiroll and tailstand (without modifications) of the older style.

You should try out the real Solarforce L2 body. It's my favorite.

Have you tried 2xCR123A?

Nope, i don't have any.

Wonder if it's a lot brighter with the increased voltage. Seems like a good drop-in.

Do you have other R5 lights that you can maybe compare to in terms of perceived brightness?

I do. I have another R5 flashlight XTAR A01 which is hard to compare. The A01 has a nicer (warmer) tint and seems brighter at same amperage draw. The beam is more focused so i can't directly compare. The reflector inside the a01 is larger and has a slightly different beam.

This new 504B looks sleeker than the old one, but I like the antiroll and tailstand (without modifications) of the older style.

You should try out the real Solarforce L2 body. It's my favorite.

I have the almost identical fake one. I prefer this one and antiroll isnt that important to me since it can tail/head stand.