Solarforce L2i or UltraFire M5 CREE-MC-E

[Heavertron]

Hi all. I have been getting more interested in flashlights of late, and use them for camping, dog walking after dark, and spotting paint defects on cars. I currently have a Fenix TK45, a LED Lenser P7, Maglight solitaire, and an Ultrafire Q5 (from DX). I bought the Lenser before I found out about CPF!

I am looking to buy a cheap light with a powerful single emitter. Mainly for curiosity, and because, well you know

I can get a Solarforce L2i from internationaltradingcompany dot net with a P7 drop in for ~$38 (including international shipping). I can also get a Ultrafire with an MC-E from DX (SKU 47352) for much less $23.30.


I will run both lights with a 18650. I expect that neither will reach max emitter rated brightness (or close). With this in mind, is the Solarforce worth the extra money? I know the body might be better made?


Thanks for the opinions lovecpf

 

[Ecolang]

I like the M5 body shape but reckon the Solarforce is probably worth the extra money. Runtime on an L2i with AAA doesn't even bear thinking about, but since you intend to run it on an 18650 I'd say the only quibble would be the nasty spiky bezel ring Solarforce ship with their lights. Do yourself a favour and order a flat bezel ring with it so it doesn't shred your clothes.

 

[sigee]

I dont know if it helps but I was a long time ultrafire user untill I got a solarforce L2m followed by a solarforce L2 followed by a ......you get the idea
Solarforce beats ultrafire hands down when it comes to quality every time.

Si

 

[lightseeker2009]

I bought 2, single AA Ultrafire flashlights. Both of them did not work. When slapping them against a wall you get 10 seconds out of them. Sorry but that brand not for me again.. Why don't nobody like LED Lenser on the forum. Yes, there are better flashlights but I'm very impressed with both I have. My P5 on a single AA is twice as bright as my father's 10W led Police flashlight with 3 size C cells. That alone tells me they are not too bad Then my P14. I have an electronic safe working with 4 AA batteries. The batteries become so weak that they barely opened my safe. Those batteries are now in the P14 and its working just fine, for how long I don't know. But I'm impressed.

To come back to your question. No doubt in my mind. Take the Solarforce.

 

[Heavertron]

Thanks guys.

Is the Solarforce with P7 drop-in likely to reach more of the emitters potential, or should I accept that it's a Chinese light, and in the real world it's likely to push 300lm OTF whilst getting very hot (just like I expect of the UltraFire M5 MC-E).

 

[march.brown]

I like the M5 body shape but reckon the Solarforce is probably worth the extra money. Runtime on an L2i with AAA doesn't even bear thinking about, but since you intend to run it on an 18650 I'd say the only quibble would be the nasty spiky bezel ring Solarforce ship with their lights. Do yourself a favour and order a flat bezel ring with it so it doesn't shred your clothes.

Totally agree with the change to a flat bezel ... Much kinder to the coat pocket ... The L2i works very well with the 18650 ; I've got two of them plus two L2's at the moment and a L2r is now on the way to me from the Far East.

The Solarforce three mode low voltage dropin is cheap and good , though the single mode is great for home use and a 18650 lasts for two and a half hours on high.

You really can't go wrong with a Solarforce ... Personally I wouldn't use a CR123 when the 18650 is so good , though the model L2r with two Eneloop AA's is also great.
.

 

[Heavertron]

I just bought the P7 Led-Solarforce L2 (complete) with SS lanyard ring and flat bezel

 

[Cooter]

I've got a L2x, 3 Solarforce L2P's and 3 of them have nailbender P60 drop-ins. I really like them. Quality feels better than UF. I'm really happy with mine. I've got some coming to give family members for Christmas too.

 

[Ecolang]

Thanks guys.

Is the Solarforce with P7 drop-in likely to reach more of the emitters potential, or should I accept that it's a Chinese light, and in the real world it's likely to push 300lm OTF whilst getting very hot (just like I expect of the UltraFire M5 MC-E).

I don't have the solarforce P7 but my two Solarforce dropins are comparable to the DX ones in output. The R5 single mode gave me 270 lumens at switch-on (with 2 18650) vx. 250 for a DX 5 mode R5.

The single mode low voltage R2 dropin gives me 195 lumens with an 18650 with a comparable Dx 5 mode giving 206. These differences could possibly be accounted for by experimental error.

My brightest quad-die dropin is the MC-E one that comes with the $20 Ultrafire WF-501B which does 581 lumens at switch-on, down to 488 at 2 minutes with a single 18650. My brightest P7 just nudges over 350 lumens.

However, the Solarforce ones do appear to be better made and are clearly labelled so you won't forget what its maximum voltage is some time down the road. I have fried dropins that merely said "Super Bright R2" or "Super Bright R5" which I thought were 4-18V parts but turned out to be 4.2V maximum.