HID Before I pry my S-Mini open can you tell me what size emitter fits, is it 14mm? Also can you measure the size of the driver as well, since I am going to upgrade both at the same time.
Thanks,
E
My XML was on 16mm star and it did fit after I re-shaped the blob of solder that connected third (white) wire to pill. I don't know what the stuff (blob) was, but my soldering iron could not heat it enough. Some dremel-time later the 16mm star fitted the pill perfectly. 14mm star could maybe fit without dremeling (not sure). The standard star was 12,5mm. Driver board is 18mm.
Looks like I beat you to it. Or did I? I had the infamous soldering iron on the open today as I put together a dropin for a present-bound L2R. While looking at my box of miscellaneous light parts (which I playfully call the Pandoras box, not according to the figure of Greek mythology, but the Swedish singer, who have at one time written her autograph to my chest, but that's another story). Found a spare Nanjg 105 just lying around there. Then flashed it with Tido's BLF-VLD and dropped in my already XML:lified S-Mini. Okay, it wasn't just a drop, it needed some fitting. But it went there.
I didn't do anything to improve heatsinking, so long sessions on high are no-go. But it really doesn't matter, as I have 6 different output levels + 3 flashy modes to choose from, thanks to Tido and pals. As a wow light, it's just amazing. Driven at measured 2,7 amps it shoud give something around 700 lumens or such (Match measured UF 3-mode XML for 850 lumens at 3,2 amps or close, this has same emitter). 11,4cm long, 2,3cm wide and putting out ~700ish lumens in very nice floody pattern... What's not to like?
Haha yup you beat me, I am still waiting for 5 drivers to get here from KD that I ordered an eternity ago because I want to do the whole swap at one shot. That has got to be a sweet setup, I can't wait. Do you have a Yezl Z1 XM-L by chance to compare it to?
I am still playing around with my XM-Lified R5-A3 anyways so no rush.
Nope, no Yezl here. I should take some outdoor beamshots to show how great it is and maybe compare it to UF 3-mode XML. It's just that I have only small digicamera made for dummys, so I can't set the exposure time manually and comparinging shots is pretty useless if taken at different exposures.
Another thing: No S-Mini anymore at Shiningbeam website? What's going on? Is it discontinued or temporarily out of stock?
I have the same problem with the camera situation. My camera is useless for capturing beam shots.
I did not notice that the S-Mini was discontinued, that is a shame because it is a great little light. Perhaps Bryan has a XM-L version in the works.
He removes things from his website when they are out of stock, so it could just be temporary. It has been pretty successful as far as I can tell, so he'd be crazy to discontinue it unless he is improving it.
Yeah, he does that. But what's puzzling to me is that both neutral and cool was removed at the same time. Could he run out of stock of both at the same time? Well, who knows. Hope he's got more of them shiny goodies in store for us.
Looks like the S-Mini is back in stock at Shining Beam
The XM-L version of the Shiningbeam Mini is available: http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-208/***NEW***--ShiningBeam-S-dsh-mini/Detail
If they're really driving that thing at 1000mA, I don't see the point. 400 lumens is the output of a T6 at 1000mA and an XP-G isn't far behind. So it is very much underpowered and the 400 lumen claim is pretty optimistic since you won't get that out the front. Now you could change the driver out and really have something, but it's a lot to pay to still have to swap the driver. You will get more light and better throw from an XP-G at 1400mA than an XM-L at 1000mA.
I have had better S-Mini XML than that for months. T6 driven at 2,8 amps and having really crazy low low at the low end. All you need are S-mini, XML on 16mm star, Nanjg 105c driver, computer, Atmel USB programmer, Soic8 clip (optional), soldering equipment, Dremel or such, mad soldering and programming skills, power drill and some spare time. And beer, of course. It's not hard (honestly, it is not).
Seriously speaking. I'm a huge fan of S-mini. I like the smooth low-key style. And the knurling on that thing is best I've come across in lights (ok, SF L2X ties the first place). And the size is just right for 18650 light. I knew Bryan would not drive the inevitable XML version hard because he wants to keep it safe for non-flashaholics. I think XML version is made because it sells. All those ppl who read CPF like bible know that XML is the must have item, so they will buy it. Most ppl propably don't know it's underdriven, or how a XML even should be driven to get most out of it.
Apart from being seriously overweight, how does stainless Sky Ray G6 (or eqvt at DX) stand out in terms of the size?
i've had several lights from shiningbeam, and in particular the mg p-rocket and mg pli are built like tanks. awesome quality, and Byran is really awesome. now the but, UNDERDRIVEN. the p-rocket i had was an sst-50. it was barely, barely brighter than the mc-e pli, and neither are anywhere near, not even close to the kd c-8 xm-l or the uf/manafont p60 xm-l drop in. now when you also start to consider the price difference, hmm.