[Review] Sofirn SP32A Flashlight - 1x18650 high output EDC

rickw12 · 2018-06-20T17:55:43.000Z

Thanks. The current one is being sold on Amazon with a charger, raising the price about $10 over Aliexpress. I hope they’ll sell it on Amazon without the charger.

JasonWW · 2018-06-20T21:19:29.000Z

Whenever a ramping UI is used I have to ask if it is linear or logarithmic.

For those not familiar:
A lot of companies will use a less refined linear style which flies past the lower levels and then gets really slow at the brighter levels and is generally a pain to use.

The logarithmic ramping pattern is what Narsil uses and is a constant speed from the low levels all the way to the high levels making it very easy to stop exactly where you want.

In looking at the video I can’t tell for sure what ramping style is used. It looked like the lowest levels were slow enough to stop where you want. Could you clarify this for me? Thanks.

pennzy · 2018-06-20T21:45:01.000Z

My 32A behaves as a linear style. I’m guessing that is going to be the upgraded part of the new one.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2018-06-20T21:57:38.000Z

I don’t think the 32A is strictly linear. It has enough of a “logarithmic” ramp to it that the low levels are accessible. It’s not as smooth as Narsil, but it’s much better than I have on other ramping lights.

Lightbringer · 2018-06-21T00:59:49.000Z

pennzy:

My 32A behaves as a linear style. I’m guessing that is going to be the upgraded part of the new one.

Linear, which is why I stick with the simple stepped modes.

d_t_a · 2018-06-21T01:27:00.000Z

older batch (ordered sometime Feb-March 2018) would be linear (about 7-8 seconds to ramp)
newer batch (ordered sometime April 2018) probably a modified linear ramp? (about 3.5-4 seconds)

PBWilson · 2018-06-21T01:53:49.000Z

I have been using my SP32A for several weeks now and I like it well enough to put it into rotation on my nightstand, in my car and around the house. It is of a similar quality as the other lights I own in this price range (Astrolux, Convoy) and it’s no wonder that Sofirn is making some waves on this forum. I like how they paid attention to details such as lubricating the threads and bypassing one of the springs. The fact that they include a charger and battery as well as a clip, and other box goodies, is very attractive for someone who might like to gift or buy an all-in-one setup.

My particular SP32A, which I set up with ramping, takes longer than my other three ramping lights and has a lag somewhere in the middle that was reported in another review. It’s not something that I like as I scroll through the lumens, but it’s not a deal-breaker. Still, a quicker ramp would be preferable.

After showing it, and other lights to my family, a couple people said that they liked the small switch on the side. They didn’t have any particular experience with a higher-powered light (they were used to Maglight and cheaper department store lights or even free Harbor Freight stuff) but thought that the switch made it ergonomic and more like the slider switches on their old incandescent lights of their childhood. It took a minute to work comfortably with the ramping but once they used it a bit, it became pretty intuitive.

With my other Sofirn SP32 (no ramping), they had a bit of difficulty differentiating between long and short clicks to work through the settings. They much preferred the ramping simplicity and flexibility. Some found my Convoy lights to be easy with their more tactile switches and generally liked the steps I set them up with using Biscotti, but again, the ramping feature was the overall favorite, especially with my D4 and Q8 and modified MF01.

I like my two Sofirn lights and will absolutely think of them as one of the companies to look to when choosing a light for someone who wants a bargain and a first 18650 light. Tweaking the ramping would make mine a bit better but then again, I’ve become more picky with my lights in the past year or so.

JasonWW · 2018-06-21T02:17:48.000Z

I wonder if they could bring this ramping UI to their C8F model light?

d_t_a · 2018-06-21T04:04:39.000Z

Just like to mention regarding anodization quality of Sofirn flashlights (I got a number of Sofirn flashlights by now, although the only one I more regularly use is the SP32A)

So far, my most often used EDC flashlights are the pair of Astrolux S1 (3D tint) and Sofirn SP32A.

I’ve had the Astrolux S1 much earlier, but the anodization is still good.
The Sofirn SP32A is newer, and yet it seems the anodization is fading already (see the white specs on the main body tube in above picture).

So I would rate the anodization of the Astrolux better than the Sofirn.
(I also have the Convoy S2+ Desert Sand, but I rarely use it; I would rate the Convoy S2+ Desert Sand’s anodization to be a bit better than the Astrolux… though I could be biased since I more rarely bring out my S2+ Sand…)

rickw12 · 2018-07-11T03:47:45.000Z

Would a comment from a naysayer be a real downer here? I received an SP32a a couple of days ago, and I’m not as thrilled by it as I thought I would. The ramping function may not be as useful for my purposes as I thought. I change light levels frequently, and as fast as it ramps, it’s hard to get it just right each time. The leap in lumens in the programmed mode is odd. Does it seem strange to you, the big jump from 160 to 900 (from med. to high)? Also, having the moonlight mode in the regular rotation is kind of annoying (I must not have paid much attention when I read the specs!). If I need ML, it’s at a time when I don’t want to turn the light on at a higher level. So I have to remember to put it in ML mode before shutting it off. This was bought as a replacement for my Thorfire TK15 which is acting up. I like the UI on that light better.

JasonWW · 2018-07-11T04:43:34.000Z

rickw12:

Would a comment from a naysayer be a real downer here? I received an SP32a a couple of days ago, and I’m not as thrilled by it as I thought I would. The ramping function may not be as useful for my purposes as I thought. I change light levels frequently, and as fast as it ramps, it’s hard to get it just right each time. The leap in lumens in the programmed mode is odd. Does it seem strange to you, the big jump from 160 to 900 (from med. to high)? Also, having the moonlight mode in the regular rotation is kind of annoying (I must not have paid much attention when I read the specs!). If I need ML, it’s at a time when I don’t want to turn the light on at a higher level. So I have to remember to put it in ML mode before shutting it off. This was bought as a replacement for my Thorfire TK15 which is acting up. I like the UI on that light better.

Do you have v2.0 which takes about 4 seconds to ramp? I would not think of that as being too fast. I’m used to NarsilM which takes only 3 seconds so 4 seconds seems like a good thing.

Or do you have v1.0 which ramps over 8 seconds? That is pretty slow, but it seems like you can stop it exactly where you want. Except at the lower levels maybe.

I notice v1.0 goes from 160 to 900 lumen. (4, 43, 160, 900, 1550)

V2.0 goes from 130 to 500. (5, 50, 130, 500, 1300)

rickw12 · 2018-07-11T05:22:01.000Z

Judging by the lumens, I have version 1. But it doesn’t take 8 seconds to get all the way from lowest to highest. With practice I might be able to hit the right spot when I’m ramping very easily and then change directions to make it dimmer or brighter and hit the spot I want. I don’t know that I would be worth the effort. But I’ll give it the ol’ college try. The spread between medium and high in version 2 makes much better sense. But I’m stuck with the one I have. I bought it from China; it wouldn’t be worth the cost of sending it back.

Lightbringer · 2018-07-11T15:39:11.000Z

If it has the pause in the middle of ramping, it’s the v1. No pause, just smoooooth ramping, it’s the v2.

I still use the v1, albeit in stepped mode.

Lightbringer · 2018-07-11T15:41:26.000Z

rickw12:

But I’m stuck with the one I have. I bought it from China; it wouldn’t be worth the cost of sending it back.

Get the v2, keep the box and everything nice’n’pretty, then sell/give the v1 to someone.

Especially newbs would just appreciate the kick-ass bright light, and not care about things like that.

JasonWW · 2018-07-11T16:55:31.000Z

Hey guys, Sofirn is working on both a new light in the style of the L6/S70s as well as a new UI.

If you have suggestions on the UI or want to voice your opinion on what is currently suggested, check out this thread.

rickw12 · 2018-07-11T18:08:08.000Z

It has the pause.

rickw12 · 2018-07-11T18:13:12.000Z

Selling it would be fine, but I don’t know personally anyone who would be interested. If I did, I would have already tried to sell the Wowtac A3s. Maybe I’ll put them on 5Miles. But I don’t want another of these Sofirns if the moonlight mode is still in the regular rotation. The Thorfire UI makes better sense to me; it goes to ML with a long press from off. If not for the switch acting up on the TK15, I’d be happy with that one. At least now I know some things to look out for in the future.

JasonWW · 2018-07-11T20:23:54.000Z

rickw12:

But I don’t want another of these Sofirns if the moonlight mode is still in the regular rotation. The Thorfire UI makes better sense to me; it goes to ML with a long press from off. If not for the switch acting up on the TK15, I’d be happy with that one. At least now I know some things to look out for in the future.

Sofirn is working on a new UI. Right now it looks like they are willing to remove the moonlight level from the rotation and have it accessible only from off with a 1 second press and hold.

The newer ramp speed is about 4 seconds and smoother. They wanted to include turbo in the normal cycle, but I’m trying to tell them to leave it out. Keep turbo with a double click.

So the new UI has 5 levels. Moonlight and turbo are hidden. It cycles low, med, high, low, med, high. I also would like a single click on and off. You press and hold the button to go through the 3 brightness levels.

Anyway, this doesn’t help you right now, sorry.

rickw12 · 2018-07-11T20:38:51.000Z

That would be great! Maybe they’ll let me trade mine in (I’m not going to hold my breath on that).

TheIntruder · 2018-07-11T22:15:36.000Z

JasonWW:

Sofirn is working on a new UI. Right now it looks like they are willing to remove the moonlight level from the rotation and have it accessible only from off with a 1 second press and hold.

The newer ramp speed is about 4 seconds and smoother. They wanted to include turbo in the normal cycle, but I’m trying to tell them to leave it out. Keep turbo with a double click.

So the new UI has 5 levels. Moonlight and turbo are hidden. It cycles low, med, high, low, med, high. I also would like a single click on and off. You press and hold the button to go through the 3 brightness levels.

That essentially describes the UI in my Olight, sans the ramping mode:

L-M-H in normal rotation, hold to cycle. Single-click on/off.
ML = when off, long press to on.
Turbo = double click from any state.
Strobe = triple click from any state.

ML is memorized. Turbo is stepped down to H in memory. Strobe isn’t memorized at all.

It works well, isn’t complicated, and the “special” modes come into play only when called upon.

IMO, ideal for a single-switch, general purpose light, with no need to reinvent the wheel like some try to do.

rickw12:

Judging by the lumens, I have version 1. But it doesn’t take 8 seconds to get all the way from lowest to highest. With practice I might be able to hit the right spot when I’m ramping very easily and then change directions to make it dimmer or brighter and hit the spot I want. I don’t know that I would be worth the effort. But I’ll give it the ol’ college try. The spread between medium and high in version 2 makes much better sense. But I’m stuck with the one I have. I bought it from China; it wouldn’t be worth the cost of sending it back.

At some point during the SP32A production run, the firmware was quietly updated with improved ramping speed. An unofficial “v1.1” if you will, not v2.0, which is an official new model.

Continuous improvement is fine, and welcome, but the manner in which some of these companies (fail to) document changes and market their products does no favors to consumers. I get that these are small entrepreneurial enterprises where labor of love plays a big role, but that doesn’t preclude a considered and consistent approach to the marketing as well.

AFAICT, there have been four versions of the SP32 thus far:

SP32 - the original. An evolution of the SP31 as a new model, with single side-switch.
SP32A - new model with ramping mode; lower modes slightly adjusted, higher modes significantly bumped up
SP32A “1.1” - “later production batches” with quiet running update for improved ramping speed
SP32A v2.0 - new model, with power indicator, temp regulation, mode adjustments, and other minor changes.

Given the notable changes in the v2.0, I don’t know why they abandoned the previous practice, and just iterate the suffix, and call it the SP32B, instead of the less elegant and confusing addition of yet another suffix. Or maybe it could have gone down the other path and just been the SP32 v3 or v4 to begin with.