Astrolux MF02 will be a great thrower, with coupon expect 80$
I've been recently invoked to review this new C8 type chassis Sofirn torch: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Sofirn-New-C8-Tactical-Cree-XPL2-LED-Flashlight-18650-Powerful-Flashlight-Portable-Torch-light-Two-Groups/2933049_32829685476.html
I chose the C8F because of its singularity. Tracy Wan (from Sofirn) sent me a unit last Friday.
Had a few Q&A with him 
her last week. I was told this new C8 series uses a 17mm driver with dual MOSFET setup (high and low power). Besides this, she told me the MCPCB is 16.8mm (for a triple? 
we'll see).
Smooth reflectors, throw should be nice for the price. The advertisement throw figures are unbelievably low and senseless, at least for the C8A (XP-L2) and C8T (XP-L HI) versions imho.
I have some homework to do review wise. I am going to improvise a shunt with a few low value resistors and 0.1mm (≈3 oz) copper sheet, some short and thick cables and maybe low temp solder over the battery cathode to easen my life (LoL!). With it and a helping friend I should be able to measure the voltage drop in the shunt to accurately determine tailcap current with minimal losses. I aim for 4 or 5 R050s in parallel, not going lower as my multimeter is a tad outdated. Should be good.
I also need/aim for a way to calibrate my smartphone so I can get some sort of reliable candela figures at a given distance, suggestions?
The torch's price looks awesome. ( ಠ ͜ʖರೃ)
Cheers :-)
I’m waiting for the triple XP-G, thinking that should be interesting for a C8, but later got to thinking that it probably won’t be as throwy as a regular C8, even with a single XP-G, just due to the smaller reflector per LED.
In a single, it has the huge reflector all to itself, but now, it’s sharing only a much smaller chunk of real-estate.
We’ll see. I’ve been impressed with Sofirn (especially that warm-white SF31… getting to really like that color!), so they probably got their sh-tuff in a row with the C8 family.
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Was going to make a S2+ triple. Got my 219Bs, got the triple mcpcb, got the Carclo optix (frosted), all ready to go… only to realise that my mcpcb’s 20mm and the S2+ pill is recessed for a 16mm board. Bugger. Now I definitely need the spacer. 10bux each from MTN, might just to have to get a couple extra for Future Builds.
Was wondering if the (longer) pill from a regular S2 would thread into an S2+, but I don’t think the threading goes in deep enough in the head to be able to do that, that I’d still need the spacer to push the pcb/optix closer to the end.
Damn, I really wanted a quick’n’juicy S2+ shorty triple 219B in a hurry!
Ironic that the spacer will cost almost 50% more (10bux vs 7bux) than the complete host! 
Unless I’d go for the Al spacer… cheaper and much lighter. Ain’t gonna be using a FET driver or anything like that. Nah, I’ll stick with Cu.
Yep, saw it, tnx.
There’s a video, too, showing lots of charts and a quick how-to.
Thinking my efforts might better be put to use with this triple on a shaved-down P90, and tucked into a MiniMag.
As an owner of a fet+1 s2+ nichia triple, I think that big expensive copper spacer is quite necessary, the thing heats up wildly.
Plus, the treading does not go all the way inside the head, you can’t just screw a longer pill in
hi there… what is going on in this 2018/11 with latest budget thrower?
i have convoy c8 ( some old model i think) so is there better choices for now?
The biggest developments in budget throwers in the past year are the Emisar D1S, Lumintop GT Mini, and the Astrolux C8. They’re all FET driven XP-L HI lights. The D1S and GT Mini throw about the same (700m, depending on the battery), and the C8 throws about 600m. The D1S and GT Mini both have great ramping UIs, and the C8 has the BLF A6 UI.
thanks for fast answer! maybe i need test that astrolux c8!