Group buy information on the following lights can be found here
Just in, my shipment of UF-1505 and UF-1503 hosts. Subscribe as I think you all will be as excited as I am.
Here is a picture of a collection of Uniquefire aspheric zooming flashlights. From left to right: 1405, 1504, 1503, 1505, T20
Overall, I love the feel of both the UF-1503 and UF-1505. I can’t wait to get some LED’s and drivers in there and take some measurements. I plan to gauge the interest in these and set up a group buy with Gearbest.
The UF-1505 is the replacement for the T20 that many people love. To me, the T20 is the benchmark of a decent quality, budget minded, all around good aspherical flashlight. It’s a great light to build for hunting purposes. The T20 is not too small, not too big, not too heavy, and it throws great. The C8 is basically the benchmark for reflector lights for the same reasons. I have to give Uniquefire some kudos here. They managed to put a fertile female C8 in a room with a horny male T20. The T20 zoomed out, some batteries were inserted in certain places, and nature took it’s course. Several months later, we have the UF-1505. It is an awesome mix of the C8 and T20. Looks like a C8, zooms like a T20, even uses the same lens and brass pills as a T20. It fits great in the hand. Looks better than the T20 and should throw better than the C8. The brass pill holds a 16mm LED PCB and 17mm driver.
Picture of the light zoomed out
Picture of the light zoomed in. The pressure switch is installed.
Looking at the pill from the top
The pill sits into the battery tube. The head is removed toward the rear of the light.
Here is a Fasttech 20mm brass pill in the light.
Here are all the parts. The switch is a wanna be Omten like the ones that came in the 1504’s.
The 1503 is a smaller version of the 1504. Is takes 18650 batteries only. The pill is different from the 1504, but I would assume is the same as the 1406 (2x 18650 67mm lens light). The zooming knob is much less obnoxious the the 1405/1504 knob. This light is much more comfortable to carry compared to the 1504. Like the 67mm series of lights, this one came with a piece of crap O-ring on the bezel that retains the lens. It typically tears apart the first time you open the light up. Other than that I really like this light.
Picture of light zoomed out
Picture of light zoomed in. Pressure switch is installed on the light.
Looking at the pill from the top
The aluminum pill sits on the top of the battery tube. The pill is designed like the 1504 pills but they are not interchangeable. It has a screw down retaining ring. The head is removed toward the front of the light.
Here are all the parts. The switch is a wanna be Omten like the ones that came in the 1504’s.
The knob on the 1503 is not near as chunky as the 1504. It actually isn’t bad in the hand.
KKW, I will update you. I expect throw of the 1505 to be similar to the T20 as it’s the same lens. Build quality would be about equal. I just need to throw an LED in it to see how focused it is before adjusting it.
Specifically I’m curious about how smooth the threading is on the zoom, and if there is much wobble present in the middle of the adjustment range. Also, I know you got a number of lights, is the fit and finish fairly consistent, or does it vary a lot?
I don’t think it will have a problem out-throwing the A60. I have 2 A60’s, but they both have red LED’s in them. I will be testing red LED’s (at the same current) in the 1503 so I will have a decent comparison. I’m actually more excited about these lights than the 1504. I wanted the 1504 just for extreme throwing and pure fun. The 1503 and 1505 are lighter and more compact and much more useable for hunting and carrying in the woods.
Btw, I had the opprotunity to see my shortened 1406 (=1503) next to Kenji's modded Jax Z1, and the Jax is clearly the smaller and lighter of the two. He has modded the Jax with a dedomed XP-G2 and got nearly the same throw as my 1406. So if you are prepared to pay twice the money, the Jax Z1 is also a clear opportunity, but I don't know how tough it is in actual use.
djozz, just curious but what is the weight of your shortened 1406? Banggood shows the weight of the Jax at 263g and Uniquefire show the weight of the 1503 at 272g, which 9g isn’t much of a difference. The battery tube on the 1406 is much thicker, and I bet your light weighs probably 280-290g. The 1406 is listed at 316g per Uniquefire.
I will look it up when I'm home. The Jax is for 26650 batteries, the wider tube makes for a bit more aluminium even if the thickness is less. Also the brass pill makes for a bit extra. but then, the slightly smaller diameter lens should weigh less than the one in the 1406.
Is this just a cheap crap O-ring so a good quality replacement will be better? A stiffer material that’s not floppy?
(should be a molded ring, not a cheap rod glued/melted into a circle, I’d guess?)
Or is this a design flaw because the space allowed is not big enough for the ring to hold its shape so it flips around and gets chewed up regardless of how good the material is?
This is information someone should force-feed to the beancounter who made the cheap crap design decision, whatever it was.
Good review, appreciated blunt honest opinion, always.
It’s already been passed on to the engineers at uniquefire. The problem is the oring on the bezel/lens retaining ring is 1mm. It’s really thin and it doesn’t take much to pinch it or roll it and it breaks. Plus it’s stretched pretty tight. On the 1504, they have a 40mm oring fitting a groove that’s about 67mm wide. There needs to be tension there, but I think it’s stretched so much damn near any nick will tear it. I told them they need to deepen the groove probably 0.25mm in the bezel so a thicker oring like a 1.5mm can be used. Also, a barrier needs to be between the bezel and the glass lip of the lens.
