Great progress looks really good thank guys
Yeah I agree also about the tune 3d is a great choice…
That’s a real group buy with so much use full input. Respect the miller to manage that so well and all the experts Tom PD David for input their experiences and expertise.
Thanks
Interested
LOL…yeah, I remember that. Problem is he was squeezing 7 on a tiny MCPCB with zero optics. 
Are working on a similar beast now?
I prefer 5A/4D myself… 
A gentle reminder that 7 XHP-70’s is really 28 XM-L2’s 
Comparatively, 9 XHP-50’s is the same thing as 36 XP-G2’s… just saying….
And if I recall correctly, David was cramming 7 XM-L’s on a pcb with no direct thermal path in copper, seems like Wayne (ChicagoX) made the pcb’s for him. So yeah, no mcpcb, 7 XM-L’s, it WAS pretty crazy!
I haven’t been following this light as close as some of the group buys but there is way too much design work being put into this one to sit out. Can I get put on the list for two? Thanks for all your effort!
It gets better and better 
I have been restraining myself until now but… please add me to the list
Thank you.
Ha will update the OP later but we have crossed the 500 mark now that’s for sure!
496 JohnnyMac ( the 500th entry considering the CPF list at 4 )
500 bawilson2 ( the 500th BLF entry )
Goshdogit, the further back the tripod mounts the better the balance. At first I also thought it was too close but I realized the cross section makes it look weak because in reality it is a small part of a tube and the rest is normal thickness all around at that height of the head.
Thank you for the work and update, looking forward to pointing this out into the night.
Screw CPF, I don’t even know why we include them, you can’t even POST BLF links up over there
Well as you can see the Q8 is not really alive there with just 4 people on the list
Yet it is a big flashlight forum anf though many are active here and there it seemed and seems good to post about it there too.
Please add me for one too.
Welcome to BLF!
Cool, your first post dedicated to the Q8!
Will update OP later.
Agree, 3D is great, I like rosy! There’s many reasons for it mentioned above, not the least one that most XP-L’s dedome very easy in situ, an obvious mod that should not result in a too green tint.
I wonder how many of these first time posters are cross overs from CPF?
Ken
The BLF Q8 prototype I built out of a Securitylng 4X is built with XM-L2 U3 3D's (mod details here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/39069/1709), which I think/believe is the equivalent of the XPL V6 3D. Of course the difference in domes and XM vs. XP mount will have some differences.
I've been hoping we could use the V6 3D's all along.
5500 lumen on start is really nice! Let’s hope the final Q8 will at least match that
OK V6 3B 3D it is from now on
Official specs say 4000+ lumens, better have it do more then specced then less (and so it seems )
Got it, thanks Miller!
I’m too excited about the tripod mount—please excuse my obsession.
Congratulations on hitting the 500 mark! :+1:
Some interesting data now that I have a sphere that can read lights this high.
I have two 5x SRK’s that came with XM-L2’s (only 2 that did besides the 3 I have for sale here out of the ~60 ordered). Normal cool tint and really low flux.
Both lights are otherwise identical except that I de-domed 1 of them.
Here are some numbers:
Normal XM-L2
Lumens = 3900
Kcd = 35k
Throw = 370m
De-domed SRK:
Lumens = 3600
KCD = 70k
Throw = 525m
So a loss of less then 10% lumens for a doubling of the intensity. This is pretty well known by most already but I can say that the beam profile on the de-domed light is much much more useful in day to day use (tint, not so much but then neither of the tints is pleasing to look at).
You have an actual hot spot with the de-dome and can actually see more then 100 feet before you are blinded by the spill. Yet it puts out more then enough light to light up everything around you easily. Inside the rebound light more then lights up everything.
Plus to the human eye the de-domed light easily looks much brighter. Showing it to a few people today they all thought the de-domed version was the brighter light by a significant margin (although they were not the biggest fan of the tint shift from the dedome, while not great it is tolerable).
On another note I actually just put together a 4x SRK with XP-L HI’s and discovered something interesting about the reflectors.
After putting it together I noticed that the hot spot was not any smaller then the 5x de-dome, in fact it looks slightly larger. I know it is focused properly as I printed up some centering rings from between .75mm and 1.25mm to get it just right.
So I started looking at the reflectors and the 4x reflectors have a flat bottom around the LED while the 5x taper all the way to the LED base. I have noticed the same thing with tube light reflectors, the ones that taper in smaller at the bottom throw better.
So I like that the CAD drawing show the Q8 will also be tapered all the way to the LED as well.
So the point of all that? I would love to see an XP-L HI offered in this light, or even some High CRI XP-G3’s but that is also what modding is for.
I know it was mentioned before but a host version being part of the plan would be real nice for those that want to do other things with the light then the XP-L.