I really like the look of the D80, pretty much perfect.
I have a KD C8 XPL-HI on the way, and a Trustfire C8 XM-L2 already here, will the performance of the D80 be notably better than the C8s ? brightness / throw.
Quality wise no doubt the 80 has it in spades, I’m thinking solely performance.
Thanks.
YES. Well, from my experience the D80 out throws the C8. Both are great lights.
D80 SE 1350lm and 30kcd with top quality low resistance cells.
vs
C8 950lm and 20kcd
The XPL Hi C8 will probably be around 35kcd with ~900lm
Sweet. I’ll have to bump it up my list. So the throw would be better than the XPL-HI C8, aswell ?
My C8 (U2-1A) throws better than my D80 (3C).
D80 however has a bigger (about 1,5*) hotspot.
The D80 output sadly doesnt reach the prototypes according to the several posts in the forum.
Oh sweet cheers. Must have been typing at the same time.
I’ve modded lots of C8s for big throw because its fun and easy to do with that light, but here’s a few “stock” numbers that I measured:
Stock XM-L2 Convoy C8: 33k cd, 364 m throw
Stock BLF-D80: 28k cd, 335 m throw
I built an XP-L HI C8 myself with a FET driver so not something you can buy already assembled, but that C8 does 98k cd, or 626 m throw. But really I think it could do more. I’m not really satisfied with it. In short though, any XP-L HI C8 would out-throw either the XM-L2 C8 or the BLF-D80.
What’s not obvious by those numbers is the stronger spill on the D80. Its a pretty different beam shape than the C8 produces. Its also a much smaller light.
A good C8 will out throw the D80, but as others have said the D80 has useful spill. A C8 with a good reflector, de-domed XP-G2 and a FET driver is a throw monster for it's size. But, it makes a horrible walking around light.
Matt
Just wanted to back this up with a beamshot. Here’s mine built exactly as you describe. Lots of fun but not very practical for any close up use.
That measures almost 158k cd, 795m of throw.
Not a good walker, but works a tree line well!
Stock vs stock The performance is similar, but a fully built C8 smokes it. Mine with XPL HI, FET driver and coated glass does 110kcd.
IMO C8 are meant to be driven hard, they can take the heat very well specially the newest convoy version.
Is that a convoy or XinTD measurement? Stock XinTD C8 has quite a few better features to go along with the price tag.
The stock XM-L2 measurements I quotes were from a Convoy C8. The modded XP-L HI is also in a Convoy, the same Convoy in fact. My XP-G2 that I mentioned a few comments above is a XinTD. I’ve got another XinTD with an XP-E2 in it. I agree, nothing wrong with the Convoy but the XinTD is worth the higher price. If I were going to buy a C8 and just leave it alone, it would be a XinTD with an XP-G2.
There is a very good selection of reflectors for the light, the pills are pretty well built and the finish is not bad. They can be had for 10 bux as a complete light and I feel that fits a budget platform to work from. I have not cooked a switch in one yet and I felt that the fit of the reflector/glass/bezel were better than the one convoy that I purchased new.
Great info. That beam is a C8 ? Awesome 
I used the D80 for an aspheric host. ABS spacers were produced to hold everything firm in place at the proper FL.
Mem… any beamshots or pics of the parts you made and the stacking order? Where did you source the lens?
Convoy C8 XPL-HI V2 on Noctigon BLF A17DD driver springs bypassed 5000mA
BLF D80 Modded to BLF A17DD spring in tailcap replaced to shorter and bypassed. Led is stock XM-L2 Noctigon
Control shot:
Same C8 XP-L:
And same modded D80:
Wow, you have that D80 cranked up… I have not done anything to mine yet. I really like the spill it has, very useful light. How well does it handle heat?
I got 30 sec turbo timer and the D80 gets the same temperature in one turbo run as the C8 in two. But the D80 is only 4,4A. So I think the C8 sinks up heat better. It has more mass in it.
