But are enough people going to shell out $75, $100, $125+ or more for a customized Convoy S2+, Sofirn SP32A or an Emisar D4? I’m not certain that too many will. I think that people will either go to a higher-end or custom maker or climb the learning curve to do it on their own.
Some of those suggestions, like making xx model 18650 light into a 21700 model, would take weeks of developing and prototyping. It would cost the company thousands of dollars for just one light. If it’s not something they think would sell then they won’t go into production so you’d be paying addition amounts on top of their costs to make it worth your wild.
You’d be better off having a machinist just make you a one off custom light rather than a large manufacturer.
Want a different color? Maybe you could talk a manufacturer into sending you the un-anodized pieces and then you can have them anodized however you want. That would probably be cheaper than having the manufacturer do a custom color.
So like I said, it depends a lot on what you want custom.
I would like a 2 door version of the Dodge Charger. I know Dodge would not build it for me so I’m not even going to ask. I know it would be much cheaper to have a custom shop modify the four door into a two-door version.
So manufacturers are kind of limited as far as what they can and can’t customize for a customer.
It’s much cheaper by far to learn to do your own modifications. Probably the next step up in expense would be to pay another person to do the modifications, such as Lexel (or Vinh) for example. The next step up might be to have Vestureofblood or DB Custom machine a light for you. It will be cheaper than having a manufacturer do it.
WOW !! :+1: :+1: I knew somebody here would figure it out…
As I said the sooner the flashlight manufacturers come up with a customizing Department the better.
Just like the car companies they give you a couple of different packages and allow you to customize as well.
Remember competition amongst flashlight companies, means more for the consumer they want your business and your money.
To answer your first question… No, probably not. 
But neither can the flashlight company cater to ever desire or wish some customers come up with.
Maybe it could work as DOC1500 described by having some interchangeable options and for a price the customer could have a light built their way. I don’t know.
I was mainly trying to describe to Jason what I thought DOC1500 was saying, not the feasibility of it actually working. 
Of course it would be far cheaper doing it how you mention.
But I was not talking about price.
I was trying to describe to you what DOC1500 was saying by using, in some cases; extreme examples.
Some/most of what I wrote had nothing at all to do with saving money, or the feasibility of it even working or being practical. But with enough money thrown at it it could be done.
And, as I said above; with the right options of interchangable parts to choose from…. it could even work maybe.
But again…. my main goal was to tell you what I thought DOC1500 was saying.
It appears I accomplished that from what DOC said in his reply.
Ask Vinh. Makes a good living doing just that.
BTW even now some small makers are willing to do custom work. F.e. DQG was willing to make me a Fairy with a custom LED.
Back to the topic at hand…. I can’t wait for this to happen. Thanks for the glimpse, Sofirn.
This being BLF, I feel obliged to kindly request:
- Please no glue!
- Use standard-ish sizes for things (such as a 16mm MCPCB)
- If it has built-in charging, have that be a separate board from the main driver
How do you like this anodization? and the fins, knurling?
I have several Acebeam, Olight, and much more Sofirn lights. Sofirn lights are definitely good quality for the price but they do not have the premium quality feel of Acebeam and especially no match for Olight. However, I love Sofirn lights because they are generally simple to mod and very cheap, which is why I buy so many of them.
Barry, I like the matte anodizing. Are we finally getting a usb-c rechargeable C8F 21700?
Looks good to me. :+1:
Looks very good to me. I like it…… :+1: . I love Matte Ano!!
Fins look good as does the battery tube. 
Looks good! As long as it’s not too “chalky” feeling or easy to scuff. Knurling looks nice. The fins look a bit thick, but not too bad. I’m not a fan of the flats underneath the fins; I would prefer to add another couple fins in it’s place, perhaps tapering them down a bit.
The matte ano is great. The knurling and fins and tail cap look fine but it looks like you mixed parts from 3 lights. It has no cohesive design.
Frankly I find it overcomplicated.
Fancy knurling and straight cut head don’t seem to match. Each of them is completely different. Tail cap doesn’t seem to match either.
Also I’d get rid of that grip ring at the head:
- I don’t think it adds anything to ergonomy
- Stylistically looks out of place stuck between 2 runs of fins
- Fins there would make cooling better
.
Honestly, I see no disharmony at all in this design.
- It has a nice head.
- It has a battery tube with nice blocks & nurling.
- It has a good tailcap.
Compare it to the Convoy L6, or most any other light; personally…. I just don’t see a major difference that makes the Sofirn aesthetically unpleasing.
Obviously, this is just my opinion; yours may vary. 
If it needs to be tweaked for better preformance , no problem. But I think the basic design is good.
You also want to know about the fins and knurling?
The knurling looks great and I bet it feels great as well.
The fins on the head do seem a bit strange as well as the flats just below the fins. So the head could use some more design. Unfortunately, I cant say how to make it look nicer. I have no talent for that. :confounded:
Does it generate a lot of heat and need extra surface area? I kinda wonder how it wouold look with a basic smooth head, kind of like a Maglite.
.
The tailcap of this prototype looks promising. Hopefully, Sofirn uses the same tail switch as in the C8F (Convoy L6 switch type). I do not like the pineapple knurling on this prototype as it somehow does not match with the flat appearance of the tailcap and the head. The tube looks like a part that does not belong to this light. I would rather go with the block type knurling of the Convoy L6 or something less striking. If you look at the small length of the battery tube and its knurling and the hand that holds the flashlight I do not really see any sense in such a striking knurling. Just my opinion.
By the way, it would be nice if Sofirn revealed some more details about this flashlight. According to its look, I assume it’s gonna be an XHP70.2 flashlight with 26650 battery tube.
Anodising is very nice, love matte black!
Fins are good/ok.
Knurling design is not for me. Generally not a fan of pineapple knurling because aesthetically it rarely flows with the design of the rest of the light.
Tailcap is ok. Personally, I would prefer no tail switch and therefore a shorter tailcap.
Anodizing looks nice. Knurling looks good. I’m not a fan of the “tactical” look on flashlights. For me, I’d rather see the tailcap be straight/cylindrical rather than the tapered shape it has. And I think if the head were one fin longer and didn’t have the flats, but more fins there too, it would be more appealing. But I think it will be a winning design anyway, because a lot of people do like “tactical” design.
I’ve been thinking about it some. One of the problems is communication which can be problematic across the globe.
But there’s an intermediate customizability step that would satisfy many, be cheaper and wouldn’t have this problem.
1. Choose head
[tiny]
2. Choose colour
[red]
3. Choose optics
- narrow
- intermediate
- wide
[intermediate]
4. Choose battery tube
- 10180
- 10280
- 10440
- 2*10440
[ 10440 ]
5. Choose tailcap
- flat
- clicky
- keychain
[keycha
in]
6. Choose driver
- AAA boost
- Li-Ion boost (for XHP LEDs)
- FET+1
- buck
- premium buck (more efficient and/or higher power)
- linear
[premium buck]
7. Choose firmware
[bistro]
8. Choose LED
- SST-20
- XP-L HI
- E21A
- Optisolis (not in stock, will delay the order by 1 month)
- White Flat
[E21A]
Obviously options need to be properly explained. There could be simple and advanced wizards.