One of the good things of living in China is that you can get firstly the latest flashlights in your hands before they arrive the market. M. Jiang, has been very kind and lend me one prototype of the first flashlight in the world using a innovative LED.
As founder of Barbolight, I have been in flashlight business many years (AKA “Barbarin” in CPF), so I think I can give you a good review of the light.
I’m coming back to Spain in a few days, so it will take more than desired, but I promise a good set of pics, beamshots included.
Speaking frankly, since my last and terrible experience with the design of the Triton flashlights, and the infamous company “Archon” owned by sneaky Mr. Felix Cai and his colleagues at Xeccon, I decided that I wanted to haved nothing with flashights… but I’m insane and I’ma little masochistic, so I can’t avoid it (Btw, you can join Archon Dive Lights on FB )
The reason you will see this review here before than anywere else is because I no longer feel confortable at CPF, after the way the now beheaded DM51 acted on this, which was far from elegant.
One day, I promise you to tell the whole story, as a vengeance, yes, but also as warning to others, because this costed me a lot of time, effort, money and even reputation and would like to help others to avoid this.
Well, coming back to the light, here they are my first impressions.
1. Body: Bulky, well executed, heavy, quality materials and finish, and imaginative solutions (charging system).
2. Beam: Impressive hotspot with a very wide corona. No soft transition (SMO reflector)
3. Comparisson. I have a collection of cheap lights I use to buy at the Huaquiangbei market. The only one which can get similiar result in terms of beam type is an XML with a 65 mm OD, and deep SMO reflector, but to my naked (but well trained eye, as I still work on lighting industry as CTO) I would say that the overall amount of light OTF is double (lm) and the peak lux is probably 130% higher so, it “throws” double. Roughly the hot-spot is 3º in both models, while the corona is 40º on the XML light and 75º on the reviewed one. The luxometer is now on the office, but I have few of them in Spain, so will get you that information, and I have free access to a photogoniometer (Everfine) as well as an integrating sphere, but those tests will take place when I come back to China, in August.
4. Comments. With no doubt this one will be if not beating at least on the same league as a 24 Watt HID, in overall performance, with similar power and results.
Probably tomorrow I’ll take some pics in Hong Kong before I take the plane, so you will have your daily dose of teasing.
Best regards,
Javier