While looking for an L-shaped 18650 headlamp I came across Sofirn’s new HS40. It looks like an updated SP40, but does anyone know how it performs? How low is the moonlight, what’s the beam pattern like, how easy is it to mod etc? It looks like a worthy upgrade to the SP40.
Same questions here 
Plus I don’t like the new knurling style, so I’d like to know if SP40 bodies are working with HS40 head to swap them (and use 18350 tube too…)
I’m interested in knowing about this and the tube swap as well.
Here is an answer given to me by d_t_a (thanks again) in another thread :
Thank you, I appreciate you sharing what you found out.
From official Sofirn site:
“Emitter: 1x SST40 LED with a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours
Battery: 18650 battery
Operating voltage: 7 V - 4.2V”
But who cares? 
looks like a fail
So I got my HS40, smooth ramping is really cool and works great.
I don’t like HS40 new tube and tail cap design… BUT super nice thing, the tube legos with SP40, HD15, so I’m using HD15 tube on HS4
So I got my HS40, smooth ramping is really cool and works great.
I don’t like HS40 new tube and tail cap design… BUT super nice thing, the tube legos with SP40, HD15, so I’m using HD15 tube on HS4
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Thanks for this info. Does the HS40 have a proper moonlight mode? How does it compare to other lights?
depends on what you call “proper” moonlight
it is a lot floodier than my C8 with SST40
it really lacks high CRI options for now
The SP40 has been criticised for having a lowest mode that’s too high. How does the HS40 compare to that?
The mode spacing is about the only thing I don’t like about the SP40. An SP40 with a TIR and Andruil would be near perfection to me! Not entirely sure of what a proper moonlight for a headlight would be. For its role as an EDC a proper moonlight to me means something sub lumen as measured by the calibrated tube that is not waking up my wife;-) As a headlamp I could probably live without a proper moonlight although having one is definitely a plus.
For walking my dogs in the neighborhood the magic number for me is between 15 and 30 lumen. I’m guessing the SP40 is 5 to 10 lumen. Definitely low and definitely not even close to moonlight. Just a touch too dim for low for me. Medium is somewhere around 100 lumen. That works very well for most of what I use it for and it is actually a very nice useful light at that level with great run time. Just a bit brighter than what I really want to do in the neighborhood late at night but otherwise quite useful. From my perspective High and turbo are basically a function of heat management. Guessing that the HS40 might do a little better on the high end because I think the emitter is more efficient but I don’t know that. Andruil would fix any complaint I have. If the HS40 has the same output level choices as the SP40 I really don’t care about CRI or extra efficiency.
I have an HS40 on the slow boat from China currently.
HS40 is 2000lm max. I believe SP40 is 1200lm max.
Same here! Did you get the 5000k or 6500k? Apparently they are out of stock on the 5000k due to some issues with the led chips? I supposedly bought the last 5000k but we will see what actually comes.
AFAIK you’re correct about 5K not being available currently.
Mine will be the 65K.
I only see a color option on the SP40, not the HS40.
I ordered my HS40 on Jan 22, they say it will ship on the Feb 8th.
I’ve been told they are waiting for a new batch of 5000k LEDs so the 5000k option should be available again at some point. I wish they did a high cri option but I have a HS05 on the way as well so not that bothered at the moment.
Hello.
SP 40 by factory specifications has 3 modes and hidden Turbo mode.
Low it gives 5 Lumen light intensity.
Medium it gives 90 Lumen light intensity.
High it gives 450 Lumen light intensity.
Turbo mode by factory specifications gives 1200 Lumen light intensity.
There is no Moonlight mode in SP 40/40A
SP 40 and SP 40A has same user interface,same battery tube,all dimensions are same difference between models are in optics that they use SP 40A use TIR Optics with spot light angle of 8° and flood light angle of 90° and SP 40 has micro USB Charging port while SP 40A has C type USB charging port.
Emitting diode on SP 40 A is Samsung LH 351D (worm white light 5000K) and i think that there is optional 6500K.
Low mode on SP 40A which gives 5 Lumens in my opinion is more than enough for activities such as finding keys, walking,map reading…
Medium mode which gives 90 Lumens is enough for almost every thing, hiking
High mode which gives 450 Lumens is strong enough for bicycle ride, running…
Turbo has 1200 Lumens and it is very bright but downside is that can’t work for long time,about 2 min at ambient temperature 21° Celsius.
Then it goes to High mode in order to prevent overheating.
HS 40 model,this model has 5 basic modes and 3 special modes( SOS,STROBE,BEACON).
By factory specifications there is two groups of operations.
Group 1 Stepped mode
Moonlight mode gives 1 Lumens
Low mode gives 10 Lumens
Medium mode gives 300 Lumens
High mode gives 800 Lumens
Turbo mode gives 2000 Lumens
SOS -300
STROBE -2000
BEACON -2000
Group 2 Ramping mode from 1-2000 Lumens and it is possible to choose light intensity that you wish to use.
Lens is orange peal which gives spot light with large flood light.
LED emitter is 1x SST 40 with 50000 work hours life span.
There is two options of light emitters
5000-5500K and 6000-6500K.
USB charging port is C type
Body of battery compartment has same dimensions on all 3 flashlight models difference is in design and they are interchangeable.
I hope that my post is useful for you.
Thank you for reading.
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