I.D.K. if an off-center L.E.D. would bother me so much if it didn't affect the beam, but I was under the impression S.F. would cover off tints. I'm not a fan of blue or green tinted lights
Considering that ALL LEDs for a particular series look exactly the same regardless of tint. you won't know one LED from another even if you light it up. you could only tell tint when you light it up
beside a white benchmark.
Think of an assembly line relatively similar to a circuit board processor that installs through-hole components. Testing each particular LED by hand to an exact tint and putting them in the feeder leading to a machine that could process 10,000 pieces in an hour is not possible, nor would it be practical. Not to mention the potential cost in human resources and capital for such testing to take place.
Custom builders here have that luxury because they built only a small batch at a time, not under pressure to stock up an inventory closet the size of a stadium before they start selling.
Surefire lights are professional tools, not perfect works of art. Stop treating them as such. Unless there is a problem with the light that causes it not to meet the advertised specs then deal with it.
I think as the price nears a specific level...people start looking more at the surface for perfection...
Its time to give 4seven's "design philosophy" threads a good reading. There is simply much more to identify regarding constituents to making a flashlight function...way more than just "whether or not blah blah is centered or not"
While the regarding threads offer many useful information to critique partitions of lights this is NOT an incentive, however, to compare fenix vs. surefire :thumbsdow
I think we're asking a little too much from Surefire here...
if there's no artifacts in the beam and the hot spot is not way off to one side I don't think there is a need to call warranty.
*Update 26 Nov 08 - they're not going to repair it....
Its off center? really? gee...I guess center is a matter of prospective too:thinking:
:huh2:
I don't recall surefire ever chemkoting threads before, quite a few E series I've had or owned have either aluminum/gray tailcap threads and aluminum/black [anodized?] threads for the bezel...none of which resembled anything like the color of the lights interior
A flashlight is designed to work at any environment its placed in, that should be the emphasis for any brand...
not how its performance
or appearance is
relative to the owners expectations. That's not a matter of dispute against the company's warranty, nor should it be unless you want the company to incur losses on a hourly basis.