Sunwayman V11R Video review - (a definite improvement over the V10R)

Snareman · Apr 12, 2012

The new V11R is a definite improvement over the V10R that I had and passed on to my dad. If they could just fix the issue with the tail button it'd be even better!

Bigmac_79 · Apr 12, 2012

Great video review! :thumbsup:

Snareman · Apr 12, 2012

Bigmac_79 said:
Great video review! :thumbsup:

Thanks. You've got some great technical stuff in yours though. :thumbsup:

hellokitty[hk] · Apr 12, 2012

The soft start is supposedly to get rid of any preflash, so that's why it's not there on highest.

Snareman · Apr 12, 2012

hellokitty[hk] said:
The soft start is supposedly to get rid of any preflash, so that's why it's not there on highest.

Ah, interesting. Didin't know that.

Danielsan · Apr 12, 2012

The extension tube is not only for improving the Lumens to 500 you mentioned, its also for using normal AA Eneloops because many ppl dont use CR123. The Metal Button looks great and its obvious that they did it because it just lasts longer then rubber, after half a yaer the rubber will look old with a metal button not. That is squeeze is not nice

Fireclaw18 · Apr 12, 2012

Danielsan said:
The extension tube is not only for improving the Lumens to 500 you mentioned...

Improving lumens to 500 comes from using higher voltage li-ion batteries. You don't need the extension tube for that. You can get 500 lumens without the extension tube using CR123 sized 16340 li-ion cells.

The extension tube is for if you want to use AA sized cells (AA or 14500 li-ion).

Moonshadow · Apr 12, 2012

Shame about the soft start - it kind of defeats the object of having a forward clicky if the light takes a while to come on.

It's really disappointing that we seem to be going backwards in technology - is this really the only way to prevent preflash ?

Plenty of older lights (LX2, D10, Extreme) manage to switch on instantly without preflash - so why is it it now such a problem ?

Snareman · Apr 12, 2012

Danielsan said:
The extension tube is not only for improving the Lumens to 500 you mentioned, its also for using normal AA Eneloops because many ppl dont use CR123. The Metal Button looks great and its obvious that they did it because it just lasts longer then rubber, after half a yaer the rubber will look old with a metal button not. That is squeeze is not nice

Yea, I forgot to mention the AA option. I'll have to annotate the vid.

A button that will last is nice, but if during that time its miserable to use I'd rather wear out a rubber button. I'd rather have a rubber button that might crack after 2 years and feels/works great the entire time compared to a metal button that won't break down but doesn't work well from the beginning.

Snareman · Apr 14, 2012

Fireclaw18 said:
Improving lumens to 500 comes from using higher voltage li-ion batteries. You don't need the extension tube for that. You can get 500 lumens without the extension tube using CR123 sized 16340 li-ion cells.

The extension tube is for if you want to use AA sized cells (AA or 14500 li-ion).

How come they don't mention that anywhere? That you can get 500 with non-AA that is.

EZO · Apr 14, 2012

The noisy tail switch seems like a deal breaker for me in a light like this; it's not exactly a budget light. Then again, I recall a SolarForce S8 tail switch I installed on an L2 host that had the most annoying squeak each time it was pressed. I took it apart, cleaned and lubricated it, but the squeak just wouldn't go away so I just lived with it. That is, until one day when I realized the squeak was gone. It just needed to be cycled enough times for it to break in. I wonder if that might be the case with the V11R? (Not that I want to invest in this light and find out the squeaks are permanent.) Maybe some early buyers can check back in about this?

kkeyser · Apr 14, 2012

I am not sure the title is accurate.

From what I can tell, the switch is a deal breaker for most. And changing what was once a very unique and disntinctive light into one that looks like every other single cell light from 3 years ago is not an improvement, imo. If they were going to redesign the light, why not make it better looking?

I'm not sure the person who mentioned the soft start understands how unnoticeable it is. You click the switch, it comes on immediately. If you didn't know what to look for, you wouldn't notice. It's not like you click it on and it takes 5 seconds to come on or anything.

I have used my v10a every day since I got it several months ago, and never have I thought, if only the tail was scalloped. Plus the fact that everybody says you have to be right on, dead-center to push down this new switch without it hanging, having scalloped the tail out doesn't really help.

I love the v10a/r models. I also have recently gotten the ti+ with this new and improved switch, and if I didn't have a replacement on the way from kuku, I would be returning it. If I had bought this light with that switch, returning it would be a no-brainer for me.

The only definite improvement that I can see is the emitter went from a t6 to a u2 xm-l. Sure, head to head the u2 is brighter and more efficient, but not by that much.

I'm just really disappointed in sunwayman's latest offerings. Maybe if I read this post in a month or so, I will think, 'wow, that was way too negative a take on this light.' But I doubt it. Especially when you read how some people bought an m10 light just for the body so they now have the new emitter, but with the older body and switch, and how everybody thinks it's an improvement.

Fireclaw18 · Apr 14, 2012

kkeyser said:
I am not sure the title is accurate.

From what I can tell, the switch is a deal breaker for most. And changing what was once a very unique and disntinctive light into one that looks like every other single cell light from 3 years ago is not an improvement, imo. If they were going to redesign the light, why not make it better looking?

I'm not sure the person who mentioned the soft start understands how unnoticeable it is. You click the switch, it comes on immediately. If you didn't know what to look for, you wouldn't notice. It's not like you click it on and it takes 5 seconds to come on or anything.

I have used my v10a every day since I got it several months ago, and never have I thought, if only the tail was scalloped. Plus the fact that everybody says you have to be right on, dead-center to push down this new switch without it hanging, having scalloped the tail out doesn't really help.

I love the v10a/r models. I also have recently gotten the ti+ with this new and improved switch, and if I didn't have a replacement on the way from kuku, I would be returning it. If I had bought this light with that switch, returning it would be a no-brainer for me.

The only definite improvement that I can see is the emitter went from a t6 to a u2 xm-l. Sure, head to head the u2 is brighter and more efficient, but not by that much.

I'm just really disappointed in sunwayman's latest offerings. Maybe if I read this post in a month or so, I will think, 'wow, that was way too negative a take on this light.' But I doubt it. Especially when you read how some people bought an m10 light just for the body so they now have the new emitter, but with the older body and switch, and how everybody thinks it's an improvement.

Do you have a link to the thread where Steve Ku is selling replacement switches? I'm having trouble finding it.

kkeyser · Apr 14, 2012

Fireclaw18 said:
Do you have a link to the thread where Steve Ku is selling replacement switches? I'm having trouble finding it.

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?262104-Veleno-Designs-SWM-V-series-titanium-mods

tatteredmidnight · Apr 14, 2012

It should be noted that there is a long thread on the V10r Ti+, which has the same switch and issues. I suggest checking it out if you haven't.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?335045-Sunwayman-V10R-Ti

A quick summery of the boot options for those who dont' know:

----- Veleno designs / steve ku make a 6 vial tritum solutions - (spendy)

----- wquiles is making small runs of derlin tailcaps for these lights - (mid priced) (waiting on one now)

----- Many users have had luck with the Fenix Tactical Tailcap - (cheap) (LightHound part FENTCCORT) (waiting on one of these too) -- i can link this but i don't want to get in trouble from the mods.

Good luck
-- Adam

Snareman · Apr 15, 2012

kkeyser said:
I am not sure the title is accurate.

From what I can tell, the switch is a deal breaker for most. And changing what was once a very unique and disntinctive light into one that looks like every other single cell light from 3 years ago is not an improvement, imo. If they were going to redesign the light, why not make it better looking?

I'm not sure the person who mentioned the soft start understands how unnoticeable it is. You click the switch, it comes on immediately. If you didn't know what to look for, you wouldn't notice. It's not like you click it on and it takes 5 seconds to come on or anything.

I have used my v10a every day since I got it several months ago, and never have I thought, if only the tail was scalloped. Plus the fact that everybody says you have to be right on, dead-center to push down this new switch without it hanging, having scalloped the tail out doesn't really help.

I love the v10a/r models. I also have recently gotten the ti+ with this new and improved switch, and if I didn't have a replacement on the way from kuku, I would be returning it. If I had bought this light with that switch, returning it would be a no-brainer for me.

The only definite improvement that I can see is the emitter went from a t6 to a u2 xm-l. Sure, head to head the u2 is brighter and more efficient, but not by that much.

I'm just really disappointed in sunwayman's latest offerings. Maybe if I read this post in a month or so, I will think, 'wow, that was way too negative a take on this light.' But I doubt it. Especially when you read how some people bought an m10 light just for the body so they now have the new emitter, but with the older body and switch, and how everybody thinks it's an improvement.

Well, as I point out in my video, there are a lot of things that they did improve, but there is definitely still some room for improvement no doubt. The V10r is definitely a better looking light and I agree that the V11 does look like many other lights out there these days. The button is horrible. However, I think they improved the pocket clip, I like the scalloping around the tail cap, the more tactile feel of the rotary ring and the min/max scale that they added. Those were all frustrations for me on the V10r, some bigger than others. I'm not emitter smart enough to know the difference in those. I suppose everyone is going to have things that they like and don't care for about various lights. For me, I think these things are improvements. YMMV.

And you're right, it doesn't take 5 seconds to come on, but every other light I have comes on instantly rather than softly and while not a huge deal, I thought it at least something to point out.

I'm not sure how something like the tail button gets through beta testing, assuming they actually do it.

SDM44 · Apr 15, 2012

Good review, but I have still yet to see a side by side comparison between a V10R XM-L with a V11R XM-L U2 with fresh 16340's or even fresh 14500's (if using a V10A XM-L, then use the AA extender with a 14500 also in the V11R for comparison).

I see a lot of people saying it's a 'huge' or 'noticeable' improvement over the 460-ish lumen V10R, but nothing side by side to really give a good comparison shot. I'm assuming that the V11R will be brighter and light up the area more, but not by that much more.

Snareman · Apr 16, 2012

Here is what SWM tells me about the switch issue:

Thank you very much for you email and the video of V11R.

About the V11R switch problem, we have taken measures to address it. When we finally confirm the solution, we will publish the details on our website and inform our dealers, you may contact our dealer to inquire then.

Thank you.

Best Regards,

Sherry Xu

SUNWAYMAN / SUNWAYFOTO

Gadgetman7 · Aug 18, 2012

My v11 doesn't work with a single AA battery, or 14500, with the extender. Oddly, I can put the extender in M11 and it works fine on AA. I've previously used RCR123 only in the V11. Is there a reset that I need to do?

climberkid · Aug 18, 2012

Gadgetman7 said:
My v11 doesn't work with a single AA battery, or 14500, with the extender. Oddly, I can put the extender in M11 and it works fine on AA. I've previously used RCR123 only in the V11. Is there a reset that I need to do?

This same problem is being discussed in the V11R Review thread. I have the same issue. If you post in there it may be helpful to work on a solution.

-Alex

Sunwayman V11R Video review - (a definite improvement over the V10R)

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