Zooming Model List (2018 Updated) Tell us about your newest zoomie!

What is the point of the zoom1? It just unfocuses the LED right? Just get a normal zoomie or a small thrower with a diffusing cap.

Agro, did you thought about the YLP Falcon 15? It has side switch (I presume e-switch, but couldn’t find more info on the driver).
https://ylplight.com/en/katalog/1/falcon-f15/

None of these TIR ones meet his sharp cutoff criteria

I am sorry, but I don’t know what does it mean contactcr :person_facepalming:
Any kind of lens format/shape?

The distinct circle that aspheric zoom lights have. No gradual spill that fades out. I think that is what he is looking for.

Thanks for the answers guys! :slight_smile:

Thanks for the warning. It doesn’t seem so good for me then. :frowning:

I’m also poor at modding and my method so far is to mod cheap lights and ask better modders to work on the more expensive ones. I believe it’s a reasonable option, enables me to have top notch lights and it’s actually cheaper than modding (and breaking) myself. And by working on cheaper lights I still learn some.

I don’t really care whether I have USB or not. A powerbank would be great but is infeasible so far.
But the pics look OK!
One could:

  • remove the board with USB
  • remove all components from the other board except for the switch and spring
  • solder-then-glue a single-sided driver from Lexel (effectively FET+1)

Not as easy as I would hope but skilled hands should be able to do it. :slight_smile:

The point is that I don’t actually need a thrower. I need a flooder and if it gets some throw that’s a nice bonus.
And a diffused thrower beam is not good for my uses.
There are always people at campsites. Sometimes the places are tightly packed. It is very unkind to shine at these people because it blinds them. And it’s very unkind to shine at their tents because it may disturb people sleeping inside.
So it’s very important for me to be able to control where does the light go and where it doesn’t. That’s why I need sharp beam cutoff. BTW zooming helps this cause as well because sometimes I partially focus the beam with the purpose of not making it brighter but rather making it narrower.
Get a normal zoomie? Yeah, that would be a perfectly fine choice and I’m still open to getting one. Zoom1 is a quality zoomie and one of the most compact e-switch ones which made it an appealing option.
But if I could get something which was also very good but simpler I would be happy with that.

I have it. It’s glued. :frowning:
And it’s very stiff which makes me never use it despite the fact that I like the LED tint and I like the quality of it.
The switch is unusual, a clicky e-switch. It latches at position one, if you click it latches at position 2. Click again, it’s 1. There are half-presses as well.
Overall the UI behaves almost like a reverse clicky one but as you connect power the light is always off, regardless of how you left it.

bmengineer says otherwise:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000911139389.html

And the one that is on the way now :wink: :heart_eyes:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001177537842.html

Finally! Old school zoomie! :+1:

30$ is not expensive considering everything in a package but I wonder why can’t I order light only for less money?

I have hundreds oh 18650 cells and chargers at home and I really don’t need more of that…

do we know the z821 has good build quality and modding potential?

I asked the store if they have this flashlight on sale, and they didn’t have it on sale there.
The only place it could be found (the old version) was supposedly in Fasttech.

This is the Z821 new version that the seller introduced in the store at my request, and only in the pack version. I am not sure if they plan to sell it flashlight “solo”, but I actually didn’t mind to buy the whole pack as I never got one of their other stuff (charger, bigger cell).

Maybe you can ask them if they plan to sell the flashlight only.

BTW, above, there is a Yage light that I linked and that seems to be similar to this Z821, probably less good, but also much less expensive.

Please take a look at the “old” version!
http://zlsh.net/Z821

I believe they will be similiar, somehow, but only when it arrives I will be able to tell it!

I do trust OTR quality, I have the i3 Zoomie that is quite good, so I believe this one will not fall behind it!

MasceratumB,

Good thing that they listen to you… I never got reply from them.

Yes it is really no problem to buy whole bundle for 30$ and it is really not expensive but eventually it is if you plan to mod and sell lets say more than 50 of them…

Can you do group buy for host version of this light? So we can finish the light by ourself on a proper way with lets say white flat emitters and Led4power drivers? Soldering mcpcb directly to brass pill (Djozz way), and similar stuff?

This will be easy 100+ kcd light once when modded.

I plan to tear her down no matter for their factory build quality and probably rest of the gang here on BLF that will order her.

I am not sure if they listen to me, but in the past I bought some lights and got others for review, and I mentioned this light before to them. They didn’t seem to be willing to sell it there (I believe they are more successful on Taobao or other platforms), but then they opened this possibility!
So far it only got 1 buyer :zipper_mouth_face:

The first link I saw for this light, the price was way above, but then it went down to the price you see.
Yeah, getting 50 of those is probably a nuisance at that price. I know you contacted them at AliExpress, but did you contact them by e-mail before? This is their contact page: http://zlsh.net/Contact2 .
I am not sure if it would change the situation or not, but maybe you can give it a try again! Sometimes I don’t get answers too and then I need to insist.

I am sorry, but I don’t have the time, the skills nor do I want to assume the responsibility to make a GAW of a flashlight! Too much things can go wrong, specially due to difficulties/lack of communication.

I hope you understand :+1:

And, this may be an indicator, some months ago I asked about buying the OTR M5 host and the answer is that only the whole flashlight can be bought! OTR doesn’t seem a brand like Convoy that bets on selling hosts, just complete flashlights!

That is my plan to, to instal an Osram W1 or W2 with a led4power driver. I am not sure if the driver is 15 or 17mm, but it will probably have that “ring”. On the OTR M1 I filed the driver and the pill structure (head) to make it fit. On this, I still don’t know which are the possibilities, but I believe they will fit. :beer:

OTR replied to me on ali saying they will put up a flashlight only link for z821

Edit; looks like they did but only $4 savings. The extras are worth $4 if the battery is any good

Great :wink:
Also noticed it now, it is only $4 savings. In a big bulk order it makes the difference, but for a single light, not so much!

It was nice of them to make it available as single light though :wink:

If someone made a GB, I would be in for 1. :wink:
At the current price I’m not really interested.

Ok… I ordered one… But without charger and battery price is as you said just a a tad bit lower or TO MUCH!

This light with their classic fujik thermal glue, no name driver and generic emitter should not cost more than 20$ imho. I can for example easily get B158 in a bulk for 19$…

Price is to dear…

Link: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001199114321.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.25024c4dTZNn2g

Looks like 17mm driver could fit.

But pill seems bit shallow, and their way of mounting driver is bit to complicated. Soldered from bottom side and press fitted OMG :person_facepalming:

Switch seems like 15mm forward clicky?

Seems nicely packed but simple kan 28 or omten reverse clicky would be better.

Maybe they changed something with this newer 2020 version?

Great you made it :wink:

The switch it is their “standard” switch, reverse clicky, although it seems to have the shape of a forward clicky.
It is reliable! The springs could be thicker, though! Also, you can replace it for a FC switch, but it will probably make the rubber cover protrude a little bit!

About the driver, despite that weird way of putting it, a regular driver will work well. On the i3 I used that ring and a 15mm MTN driver without issues :wink:

Well, the looks were changed, I don’t know about the internals.

One thing you will notice it is different from other similar zoomies: glass lens, not plastic; brass pill, not aluminium, and not hollow; well made threads, not those triangular-easy-to-damage threads; good switch, but easily replaceable; UI is not that crappy H-M-L-Str-SOS, despite OTR could improve the UI (no memory, eventually no strobe).

Also, if you compare it with the B158, this is a pocket light, not twisty zoom, and that makes it more “valuable” as an EDC. My opinion of course. If it was to be used on a riffle, the B158 would be better of course.

And…the generic emitter, is normally and authentic Cree XML2 Led, not a lattice bright or fake Cree :wink:

Why are brass pills considered premium?
They can store ~10% more heat (depending on alloy) while having 3 times the weight and 30-50% lower thermal conductivity…

Not really an answer, but I don’t think they are “premium”.
But, even if they are not premium, there must be a valid reason to see almost all the flashlight manufacturers (that make flashlights with pills) to use them!
I actually would like to see direct comparisons with flashlights and their heat dissipation with alu vs brass pills.

IMHO They don’t have any advantage to aluminum pills except that you can solder MCPCB directly to it for ultimate heat transfer. Or do they really have? Anyone did tests?

I also prefer aluminum pills + artic silver(or any other quality cpu paste) combination better. Especially if they have aluminum MCPCB retaining ring like this OTR Z821 (I mean it should have from pics on their web site)

That kind of ring is used on a lot of uniquefire and other zoomies. Brinyte for example has poor plastic one but it serves its purpose to press hold mcpcb firmly to pill.

But I also don’t have nothing against brass except for the 3 times the weight you mentioned… I always strive to max throw performance in as smaller and lighter package possible.

I think that anyone with a lathe will say that it is maybe easier to work with brass (or copper as most China sellers wrongly state :smiley: ) than with aluminum which tends to bend more easily under pressure…