Today I received 3 XML zoomies I ordered…
- Trustfire z8
- Ultrafire (SIpik-like) 18650 zoomie
- Smiling Shark E7 zoomie
Few words/impressions about them:
1)Obviously good built quality, design is matter of taste, Im not so thrilled, switch looks really cheap and Ill probably try to change yellow-green rubber button to black one, for better looks purposes.
I knew that when I bought it, but 14500 and XML, hmmm, it certainly limits its usage.
Its small and heavy, but when I hold it in hand… hm, Im used to knurling and firmer grip. Also I prefer push and pull zoom rather than twist. This one I cant zoom in and out with one hand - wich is funny for such small flashlight, maybe after greasing…
As for the output, i dont know, maybe my 14500 wasnt full enough, but both other lights have far superior output, maybe twice stronger.
I dont like its UI. Its somewhat fiddly to zoom it in and out even with 2 hands :o
2)Maybe itll turn out that this is most balanced light of three. When unzoomed its smaller than UF-2100.
And its only about 1,5cm longer than Trustfire Z8, but receives 18650, so you figure it out…
I dont have much impressions about this light, because its totally same as Sipik Sk68, only little scaled up
My came with 5 modes, wich I like, because it has middle mode. (middle power mode)
It has best zooming mechanism, perfect ratio of smoothness and hardness of zoom in and out (so on the bike itll be hard for zoom to change position, I think) - in most situations
3) SMilling shark- what to say - that was maybe my favourite at the first sight.
It looks an d feels somewhat solid, and it is solid.
Im all about light output so performance wins me over. It has widest spilll, and tightest hotspot.
Maybe its driven little more conservatively than Ultrafire, but you cant notice that very much.
Because hotsot is tighter and if you want throw it will throw further.
Because is little bigger it somehow looks like serious flashlight. Huge head travel. Very wide taimcap so it very easily tailstands.
One or two cons - it comes with 3XAAA holder, but it didnt come (they forgot?) with 18650 tube. (anybody else received it with 18650 tube.
I think itll receive 26650 wich I dont have, and it would be a pros.
And small designer flaw or something - lens protrudes through the bezel a little. (Plastic) lens rattles a little. I dont believe Ilost it aleady, but it laks obviously plastic retainer between bezel and lens. (SOme plastic retainer like on small sun C10). Thats why lens is protruding and it rattles. But I also think it would protrude even with that retainer. Ill try to fix that somehow, but all that is little anoying.
SO to conclude, Ultrafire didnt thrilled me maybe mainly because it looks like many sipiks I have, but its maybe best usable flashlight, and I like usability.
SMiling shark also has that potential, when I fix lens rattling and buy 26650. Little bigger flashlight, and itll have great runtiime (and its sertainly not to big for 26650 flashlight
Regarding Z8, heh, I dot know what to say. It has really good threads, but from I mostly us flashlight to shine light, I’m not taking it apart and assemblying it continuasly
I dont think 14500 and XML are so good combo. I would rather take SIpik Sk68 with me than this light, much better GUI, more than enough output…
Maybe when I test it at night it will give me little better impression.
2 pics taken by not so good cell phone camera: