Solarforce Masterpiece Pro-1 First Impressions

[Wiggle]

I've just received my Masterpiece Pro-1 from SBflashlights, it only took 9 days to get from Houston, TX to me here in Nova Scotia, Canada that's pretty good in my books:thumbsup: I guess these impressions are also of the Solarforce L2P as I had one bunded in with it.

L2P Host:
The host definitely feels like a step up from the normal L2. It's grippier, duller (from the matte HAIII) and just looks higher class. The only thing I didn't like on the appearance was the laser etching looks a little dull compared to the quite contrasting etching on the regular L2. The L2P feels nice in hand I tried it without the Pro-1 head for a bit and was happy with how it looked and felt. I will likely replace the switch however, I have installed a Netkidz forward clicky in my regular L2 and feel like it is a much superior switch. The tailstanding works well, the light is very stable even with a body extension and large Pro-1 head installed. I was also surprised that the gun metal grey extension I have does not look terrible when mated to this body.

Pro-1 Head:
Here's what people probably want to hear about more. Well its daylight here right now so I can't be too definitive but I can say that I see great promise in this lights throwing ability. I could actually see the spot on a tree 30 feet away at high noon, that's very impressive to me for some reason. The spot is tight but takes a bit of distance to converge so it's hard to judge indoors unless I aim it a good bit off. It appears a good bit more intense than the spot that my Kaidomain Spear Clone puts out.

As you can tell in pictures, the head is quite large relative to the body of the light, it is a bit front heavy but not impossible. I actually really like the way it feels running 2 x 18650 with an extension. Pro-1 head on the L2M body is a good bit of physical comedy:devil: There are some edges on the head but nothing too dangerous and the finish matches the L2P well.

I'm currently performing a runtime test on 2 x 16340 cells.

Once it gets dark here I will try to get some long distance beamshots, I suspect this guy will have no trouble sending a beam 150m across my field.

 

[Wiggle]

Tested runtimes:
2 x Trustfire Gray 16340 - 50 minutes
2 x Blue Trustfire 18650 - 2 hours and 35 minutes

 

[Fusion_m8]

Looks great...throws even better!

 

[PolarBearX]

beamsshots please.......I wanted one but I dont believe they're working on more drop ins or a standard drop in size..still with the price drop, considerable for what it is.

PBX

 

[Chauncey Gardner]

:duh2:Love to see a pic of the L2M with the pro head on it just for kicks.

 

[Wiggle]

I rather like the 2 x 18650 config. Feels good in hand, long enough run time, very bright.

I had it out last night but was unable to get beamshots, I'll try to get those tonight. I can say that this light throws very well 200m seems easy for it and could probably go a good bit further too, the beam pointed up has a cool light saber effect to it. It definitely outdoes my spear clone by a good margin and of course was much much better than my D26 modules.

 

[Tractor man]

Looks good, I have been thinking about picking up one of these, but one thing has been putting me off, and that is only because I am a fussy bugger. The reason is, I remember seeing a review for this head, and it had an off centered led, something which I cannot live with. Is yours off center? or near perfect? thanks...

 

[Wiggle]

Mine looks decent, I've never been one to fuss about off-centered emitter but this one seems pretty well perfect.

 

[Chauncey Gardner]

Thanks for the L2M pic wiggle, wonder what the run time would be:laughing:.

How do you like the single CR123 host & did you pick up the single 123 extender for it?

 

[Tractor man]

Thanks :thumbsup:

 

[Fusion_m8]

I know exactly how you feel about off centrered emitters... I'm a fussy b@stard myself when it comes to this... gets to me more than any doughnut hole beam!

Don't know where you got the info about the off center emitter, but the ones I've seen here on CPF are as perfect as any manufacturer will get...from US or China...

Mine's perfectly centered.

Looks good, I have been thinking about picking up one of these, but one thing has been putting me off, and that is only because I am a fussy bugger. The reason is, I remember seeing a review for this head, and it had an off centered led, something which I cannot live with. Is yours off center? or near perfect? thanks...

 

[Wiggle]

Thanks for the L2M pic wiggle, wonder what the run time would be:laughing:.

How do you like the single CR123 host & did you pick up the single 123 extender for it?

Battery life would be somewhat usable I think, the driver doesn't push max output on 1 x Li-ion. It pulls about 700mA from a freshly charged 16340 and should taper off just like the 18650 did in cssih's review. I'd guess 30 minutes of bright light and then another hour of falling output.

I've only got the L2M body, L2 18650 body, L2P body and 18650 extension. I'm missing the 123 extension. Was never a big 123 cell fan anyway. I was almost pleased that 3 x AA was close working in the 2 x 18650 config but I didn't feel comfortable with how much spring compression there was. Perhaps if I added a 123 extension to that I could use the 3 x AA setup comfortably?

 

[Wiggle]

Nothing great here but I snapped a couple beamshots. Had to be quick, some nasty bugs were all over me as I held the light for these shots....

Edit: See my other beamshots.

 

[Wiggle]

I'm adding better beamshots so people can see what the MPP-1 actually does compared to some other lights.

Quark AA on 14500 Max:

Lumens Factory R2 (Solarforce L2 Host)

Solarforce Skyline (1 x 18650)

Solarforce Masterpiece Pro-1 (2 x 18650)

 

[cccpull]

What's the distance on these shots? What distance do you consider to be max throw?

Thanks

 

[Wiggle]

What's the distance on these shots? What distance do you consider to be max throw?

Thanks

50 yards in those shots. I'd say about 200m for "seeing stuff" and about 500m for picking up distinct objects like houses, telephone poles etc...

 

[recDNA]

50 yards in those shots. I'd say about 200m for "seeing stuff" and about 500m for picking up distinct objects like houses, telephone poles etc...

I actually have one coming in the mail. Same setup with L2p. After looking at your beamshots I wish I didn't buy it. I expect it to be very bright at 100m and decently bright at 300 m based on the 40,000 + lux. That's double anything I have. Duh. That old distance squared rule is a son of a &$%@*!

My T20C2 R2 version is brighter than that at 100 yards with less than half the rated lux. I don't get it?

I should have bought a DEFT back when you could get them

 

[Painful Chafe]

I actually have one coming in the mail. Same setup with L2p. After looking at your beamshots I wish I didn't buy it. I expect it to be very bright at 100m and decently bright at 300 m based on the 40,000 + lux. That's double anything I have. Duh. That old distance squared rule is a son of a &$%@*!

My T20C2 R2 version is brighter than that at 100 yards with less than half the rated lux. I don't get it?

I should have bought a DEFT back when you could get them

I'd love to hear your impressions compared to your T20C2 once you get it.

 

[recDNA]

I'd love to hear your impressions compared to your T20C2 once you get it.

YOu will. Hopefully, the photo doesn't do it justice. I will compare with the TK40, the T20C2, and the Maelstrom G5. Those are the closest things I have to throwers. I'm mostly into floody D26 drop ins for indoors. I have found, however, that even in floodly lights I don't like drop ins with no hot spot at all. Even though lumen output is greater the lack of a hotspot make them look dimmer to my eyes.

My favorite indoor light is a 6P with a Nailbender SST-50. Not much throw to it of course.

My favorite outdoor light is the TK40.

I find the throw of my T20C2 to be about the same as the G5. At over 100 yards not much of a hotspot. I'm sure I'll sell the G5 eventually. I hope I can get a decent price for it but I have a bad feeling about that. There's a lot of them out there and the UI isn't exactly sought after.

The MPP1 is strictly a toy to go with the L2p. I have no real use for a thrower. Just hoping for wow factor. There is road I drive down with a field that is about 300 yards wide with trees on the other side. None of my lights really illuminate those trees. I mean I can see a slight increase in light on the trees but less than the brightness of moonlight and no discernable "spot". I was hoping to see critters at the tree line with the MPP1. I'm afraid the distance may be too great for the MPP1 now.

Will I get full output from 2 X CR123 primaries in my MPP1? It's going in my trunk and I don't like to store Li Ions in the car. They could explode in the summer or totally lose capacity in the winter.

I'm also looking for an HID to do the job but the one I like (AE 25 watt) is too expensive. Inexpensive HID's are either too big for me or don't throw far enough.

 

[Wiggle]

I took some long range beamshots for you, sorry they are out of focus but I hope they may still help you:

Here is a winding road, the last visible part as it bends out of sight is about 290 yards according to my pacing out:

This tree is about 250 yards away from the camera:

I think I'm perhaps too conservative with my range estimates.