Just de-domed my C8. Much better now!

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
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I’m not a C8 fan really. I have had several but most were just OK. I had a good one with a nice tight spot but it shorted out after a wire got pinched when tightening the head which came loose from the factory.

I have a run of the mill Ultrafire C8 with the half OP reflector that I got from Wallbuys for $5 or so. It was ok but the hotspot wasn’t as tight as the good one I had briefly. I decided to try a de-dome.

All I did was pinch the dome off with my fingertips and it came right off. Easy. The hotspot is much tighter and it seems to have a slightly warmer tint. All good stuff.

I think the C8s with the half OP reflector lend themselves well to de-doming because it cleans up any artifacts that would normally appear.

I de-domed my Dongui light which looks similar to a C-8 but already had a tight hotspot. The result was not so great. It is a tighter hotspot but kind of ringy. Looks like a titely focused Maglite now. I was happy with it before so kind of wish I hadn’t messed with it but I didn’t ruin it or anything. The artifacts and ringy pattern are not visable outside so it is still very useful but I now like my C8 more.

This turned my C8 which I had no love for into one of my best throwers and it is in a single 18650 size so it’s great. My Solarforce MPP1 is still my fav thrower but for a $5 C8, I’m pleaded as punch.

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Did you heat it up or just walked in and “pinched it off?”

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Also, the color rendition on both these lights that I de-domed is fantastic. I was looking at trees and foliage in my backyard last night and could clearly see the greens, browns and reds that get washed out with cooler lights. Things looked more 3D and really popped instead of being monotone and flat.

Now I see why people are doing the de-dome on XMLs. Even cheap 1st gen XM-Ls look like premium emitters with a good de-dome.

If your a fan of throwers and like a slightly warmer tint and also happen to have one of these cheap UF half OP C8s, it’s the perfect place to try your hand at de-doming. It took me 1 minute and the results were great. No tools, no BS. Just rip that dome off and enjoy.

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