B4Ctom1
04-30-2010, 07:16 PM
This is a out of the package review:
I bought this ($24.45) http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1317
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/sku_1317_3.jpg
It comes with a much more battery hungry xenon bulb that is easily bested in brightness by many single emitters.
So I also bought this ($32.81) http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.35241
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/sku_35241_5x_R2.jpg
which as you can see, has 5 emitters. They are five Cree "R2" emitters which are really no joke. I wish they were SST-50, SSC P7, or even R5 emitters, but that would have made it a lot more expensive.
Here is a pic of it on and running with the new module/with the xenon module replaced
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2887.JPG
The module installed but off so the camera can take the picture
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2889.JPG
This bezel damage occurred when the flashlight ripped through the bubble wrap on its was from Hong Kong
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2890.JPG
Here is the whole thing taken apart. Two things to know; the module threads into the bezel before the bezel threads onto the head of the flashlight body itself AND this flashlight is made to take a 18650 battery and the very odd 18500 battery. Even though there is an extension, with the module I used the voltage dictates and renders that odd combinations of other batteries cannot be used.
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2891.JPG
On the DX page of that flashlight in addition to parts to some other flashlight, there is a crappier and shittier button/switch/tail cap shown. Instead of that one, they have an awesome spring loaded brass contact switch retained by a spanner nut like any flashlight enthusiast could hope for. I took pictures of it:
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2892.JPG
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2893.JPG
Last but not least, the lens is glass and o-ringed, every threaded area uses a greased o-ring, and the bottom cap is double o-ringed as you can see in the photo above.
Of the few flashlights I have gotten where I reviewed and were afraid of recommending to others, I say this:
Buy the following;
sku.35241 emitter module
sku.1317 WF-500 flashlight
sku.5790 18650 Protected rechargeable batts (get two pair)
sku.6105 charger for 18650 batteries
have the new brightest flashlight you ever dreamed of.
note: when threading the new module into the bezel, the threads are a little rough, take your time, dont force it.
It was brought to my attention that I should include mention of this smilar flashlight that costs less ($45.20) and even has similar features to this one I am reviewing but with a few differences. It is http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.30683
A major difference is that it uses the less efficient possibly less bright depending on how it is being driven 5x Q5 emitters instead of 5x R2 emitters.
The Q5 is no slouch, but another feature of this second flashlight is that it has modes. The problem is that the modes are annoying, you have to cycle through them nearly every time because flashlight mode memory circuits are goofy. It is personal preference, that when I push the button, I instantly have massive blinding light.
This preference is shared by other flashlight owners because there is a thread in the forums of DX itself where people are bitching "DX stop with the retarded modes!" or "Boycott all DX mode flashlights!". I subscribe to the latter. It would be different if you could easily just disable the modes with a jumper, or even if they just had a Hi > Lo > Off modes with no memory. If they did that I could maybe just tolerate, but this second flashlight has "Hi > Mid > Lo > Fast Strobe > SOS". That is just pitiful. Add to that the "works sometimes" memory and you never no which setting you will get first. It is this wheel of fortune mode crap that I hate.
This second flashlight has one feature the one I reviewed does not, the ability to use 2 or 3 of the 18650 batteries. This would give it probably a third more run time. Add to that the low mode and you have something that might run for hours depending on if it uses a resistive regulation or actual transistorized regulation (the latter being the better).
I saw this second flashlight and passed on it when I made my initial purchase as soon as I saw the modes.
I bought this ($24.45) http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1317
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/sku_1317_3.jpg
It comes with a much more battery hungry xenon bulb that is easily bested in brightness by many single emitters.
So I also bought this ($32.81) http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.35241
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/sku_35241_5x_R2.jpg
which as you can see, has 5 emitters. They are five Cree "R2" emitters which are really no joke. I wish they were SST-50, SSC P7, or even R5 emitters, but that would have made it a lot more expensive.
Here is a pic of it on and running with the new module/with the xenon module replaced
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2887.JPG
The module installed but off so the camera can take the picture
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2889.JPG
This bezel damage occurred when the flashlight ripped through the bubble wrap on its was from Hong Kong
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2890.JPG
Here is the whole thing taken apart. Two things to know; the module threads into the bezel before the bezel threads onto the head of the flashlight body itself AND this flashlight is made to take a 18650 battery and the very odd 18500 battery. Even though there is an extension, with the module I used the voltage dictates and renders that odd combinations of other batteries cannot be used.
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2891.JPG
On the DX page of that flashlight in addition to parts to some other flashlight, there is a crappier and shittier button/switch/tail cap shown. Instead of that one, they have an awesome spring loaded brass contact switch retained by a spanner nut like any flashlight enthusiast could hope for. I took pictures of it:
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2892.JPG
http://www.outlawperformance.com/images/gunstuff/flashlight-mods/WF-500/100_2893.JPG
Last but not least, the lens is glass and o-ringed, every threaded area uses a greased o-ring, and the bottom cap is double o-ringed as you can see in the photo above.
Of the few flashlights I have gotten where I reviewed and were afraid of recommending to others, I say this:
Buy the following;
sku.35241 emitter module
sku.1317 WF-500 flashlight
sku.5790 18650 Protected rechargeable batts (get two pair)
sku.6105 charger for 18650 batteries
have the new brightest flashlight you ever dreamed of.
note: when threading the new module into the bezel, the threads are a little rough, take your time, dont force it.
It was brought to my attention that I should include mention of this smilar flashlight that costs less ($45.20) and even has similar features to this one I am reviewing but with a few differences. It is http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.30683
A major difference is that it uses the less efficient possibly less bright depending on how it is being driven 5x Q5 emitters instead of 5x R2 emitters.
The Q5 is no slouch, but another feature of this second flashlight is that it has modes. The problem is that the modes are annoying, you have to cycle through them nearly every time because flashlight mode memory circuits are goofy. It is personal preference, that when I push the button, I instantly have massive blinding light.
This preference is shared by other flashlight owners because there is a thread in the forums of DX itself where people are bitching "DX stop with the retarded modes!" or "Boycott all DX mode flashlights!". I subscribe to the latter. It would be different if you could easily just disable the modes with a jumper, or even if they just had a Hi > Lo > Off modes with no memory. If they did that I could maybe just tolerate, but this second flashlight has "Hi > Mid > Lo > Fast Strobe > SOS". That is just pitiful. Add to that the "works sometimes" memory and you never no which setting you will get first. It is this wheel of fortune mode crap that I hate.
This second flashlight has one feature the one I reviewed does not, the ability to use 2 or 3 of the 18650 batteries. This would give it probably a third more run time. Add to that the low mode and you have something that might run for hours depending on if it uses a resistive regulation or actual transistorized regulation (the latter being the better).
I saw this second flashlight and passed on it when I made my initial purchase as soon as I saw the modes.