I don’t track the price on the UF-980L every day, but it appears that it’s on sale on lightmalls at about $10-$18 off at $29.70 plus $2.95 shipping ($32.65).
I’m basing the discount on Foy’s original 5-22-11 review (review Review: Ultra Fire UF-980L), which has the price at $43. Also, the cheapest on ebay I could find was $49.98 including shipping. There was also one ebay UF-980L at an amazing $21.xx, BUT that one’s listed as a zoom, so it could be a great discount or not even the same light. It’s $42.75 at manafont; and a eye-bugging $70.99 at good olde amazon.
The only difference I could see between Foy’s and the Lightmalls model was that the LM’s SEEMS to have HM and disco. Foy’s had HML, no disco.
But I could be wrong. I read it really fast. Was in a super hurry.
So it is what it is! I went for one.
LM shows no shipping when you first do their shopping cart, and then way toward the end — kinda sleazily — you find that you can’t check out without adding a shipping charge. Maybe you can get around it. I couldn’t.
It also looks like some other lights may be on special at LM. I think someone said the SRK was discounted.
If you look carefully at the pics, the smooth sections at the base of the head have flat parallel surfaces. On the original Manafont one, they are all tapered and form a smooth line from the head to the body tube. It is very noticeable when you put the two side by side.
Also, the driver is different, yes. There are other small differences too. The reflector and switch are different. I have a Manafont one, the Dino one and several other clones. even the cheapest clone is still a pretty decent light however. But my cheapest clone was about $16 and can be had now for $14. If I was going to pay $30, I would ante up the extra and get the Manafont one for sure.
>>>>>If you look carefully at the pics, the smooth sections at the base of the
So it might be a case of too good to be true. Wish I had known this before. Oh well. Too late now. Already ordered.
The $10 discount isn’t that much, I know, there’s just something very psychologically appealing to me price-wise with $29 vs $43. I don’t know why but $29 seems like so little and $43 seems like so much.
Thanks for answering though.
I got a VERY VERY bright F15 T6 from lightmalls a couple weeks ago, my first purchase from them, which came in like 8 days, so I was momentarily enamored with them. We’ll see how this goes. I don’t like these web site dealers much because of return problems if something is wrong. For me, I have much better luck with returns through ebay vendors. Web site returns or adjustments? Forget it.