For now, enjoy the pics of my latest mod. I replaced all of the colored LEDs in the Ultrafire VG-X3 with clear 5mm LEDs to get rid of what I considered to be the tacky colored LEDs. I haven't done amperage tests with the DMM yet but I'd imagine run time in external LED mode would be pretty phenomenal. In a dark room they make a perfect ambient mode for subtle lighting in a power failure situation.
Video taken with the camera phone makes the light look pure blue but it's actually quite white. I also found the scan lines from PWM when the light was in low mode to be quite amusing especially since I can't detect it with my naked eye.
I will update at a later time with descriptions for the pics when I'm not so rushed.
DX, like the said, with a heavy discount. Not sure what the regular price is these days but Tmart sells it for $40 or $45 currently. Best price I’m aware of.
Prices for this light (labeled as either XG-V3 or UF-F8) can vary wildly from $38 to $76 depending upon the on-line vendor. When I first saw it, I scoffed knowing that it’s kind of a rip-off copy of the Gatlight. Actually, it’s not really a clone. It’s really more “inspired”, because all that they have in common is the thin metal rods surrounding a larger cylindrical chamber. The Uniquefire has only 8 rods, instead of 12 rods on the Gatlight. The Gatlight is made of titanium and weighs 100 grams while the Ultrafire is made of stainless steel and is twice as heavy at 200 grams. The Gatlight uses 1xCR123 while the Uniquefire is powered by a much larger 18650 cell. The Gatlight is designed to be fully submersible for a short period, while the Uniquefire has no protection against water with its exposed external LEDs. I suppose if you wanted to, you could remove the external LEDs and seal up the sockets to increase water protection, but it would be really tricky to make this light submersible.
Anyway… I’ve always wanted a Gatlight but $500 is too much for my light budget right now… and besides, at that price I’m more inclined to get a McGizmo Haiku. So, for a paltry sum under $40 you can get the “spirit” of the Gatlight without feeling guilty. Because really, the Gatlight is a professionally made high quality hand-made flashlight. The Uniquefire is a more of a toy, something to fiddle with for kicks.
I took a chance and ordered one from DD… hopefully I’ll get it without any issues. And I’ll probably have a go at replacing the LED’s as well. I really like what you did there, JohnnyMac. Do you have any idea on the milliamp range of compatible replacement LED’s? I’m wondering if it’s possible to use smaller, lower profile ones.
Well, it took 3 weeks to get here, but it finally arrived.
My first impression is that it’s a solid build, more so than what you’d usually expect from Uniquefire. The UI remains the same as described in the review.
My particular example shows a couple of issues. First, two of the screws weren’t flush and I could turn them with my fingers. After tightening them I took an overall look and I could see that the light isn’t perfectly straight. This appears to be due to other parts not fully tightened down. OK, I was intending to take it apart anyway… But then I noticed the emitter. Significant dust inside! :~ I mean it’s almost like a snow globe in there. I’ve never seen anything like it. Well, it doesn’t affect the beam pattern, which is remarkably smooth and without rings. The tint is a cool white that’s easy on the eyes.
I don’t know how it is dealing with these China based retailers. Sending mine back is not an option, as it’s a heavy item and will certainly cost a good deal to send it back. Do they ever give partial reimbursements for faulty merchandise, if you provide sufficient proof of the issue (like detailed photos)?
