Surefire Marketing Strategy

[desmondpun]

Sometimes ago, I have posted an argument that Surefire makes no real effort on producing LED flashlight.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB3&Number=233157&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

And I was "bashing" by around 10+ honourable members. To prove my point, I purchase another KL1 and L1. To my surprise, both are really white (just a little bit blue tint), no funny blue/purple spot. I am happy now. I think I need to apologise and withdrawn my early comment. For your reference:

KL1 A06239
L1 A02262

Both with the new scalloped bezel

 

[this_is_nascar]

The must have started to be more selective on the LEDS. Each and every KL1 I've ever owned was tinted blue, very blue.

 

[SDryer]

My recently purchased KL1 AO2119 is very PURPLE, well at least very Violet, as much as I love Surefire products, it doesn't make me very happy, my MM+Q3, looks SNOW white in comparison. I wonder if they offer an "Upgrade"??
Regards SonnyD

 

[IlluminatingBikr]

My dad bought a KL1, and decided to sell it on ebay for a few reasons. It wasn't very bright, and doesn't match up with his E2e. The beam is okay, but it is lacking a whiter color and some brightness. I too, was unimpressed with Surefire's KL1. The Blaster II has less voltage, but is WAY brighter. I can't figure it out. I guess SF was going for a lot of battery life, rather that light output. This seems a little unusual for SF, but maybe not with their LED lights.

 

[McGizmo]

I think there are likely a lot of KL1's out there with Q5's in them. These are going to have the violet tint. I just ordered a KL1 from SF and will be curious to see if they are now using some of the lower bin colors. From other comments here on the forum, it sounds like there are some KL1's with other than Q5's in them.

Those who really don't like the blue and violet tints should probably hold off for the KL4 package; if you don't mind a 5W over a 1W.

- Don

 

[Klaus]

Don,

are you positive on the "Q" usage ? Might I express my doubt ? I actually swapped a blue/violet LD LS out from a KL1 and put in a Q3K HD LS and not only is it whiter now but WAY BRIGHTER as well. As originally this KL1 wasn´t much brighter than my old greenish ARC LS rev 1 and now it just blows it away I think its not only the LD/HD difference but a much brighter LS a well. This KL1 was from a batch of 3 which were quite equal and later on compared with three others - and again was pretty much equal.

So from my experience I would express some doubt in regards to usage of "Q" binned parts by Surefire - at least not until very recently as all my samples were from earlier this year/last year.

Whoever has KL1 samples ranging from early to recent might correct me if I´m wrong and maybe Surewfire did update and enhance / improve the binning not only for the tint but also for the output - you certainly would (and do) know better than I do in regards to Surefire but if you got this from the usual sources "in the know" might I ask you to clarify your statement and possibly tell the crowd on what to be on lookout for in the quest for a brighter KL1 ?

Did I mention that my KL1 with Q3 HD LS is one nice puppy ?
Do I think Surefire should upgrade the KL1 to such ? You bet !

Klaus

 

[McGizmo]

Klaus,

No I am not positive in all cases and it may be that there are some P's in the population now. I do know there are many Q5's in the population. I also suspect that not every light is QC'd for output though and it is known that within a single bin, as much as a 30% variation in luminous output can occur. The other bug with the lumiled's binning based on luminous output is that their may be a bunch of photons counted that come out in a direction that is not captured or focused by the optics in a position where they do any good or are perceived as adding to the brightness of the beam. Due to the variation in Luxeons, anytime the LED's are hand picked as in the case of Arc, Mr. Bulk, Leo or the other modders, there is a better chance that you won't get a dud or lemon( grape?) .

- Don

 

[flashfan]

I have three KL1s. The first one, numbered in the 700s, is just beautiful! Very bright and white (to my subjective eyes). So I ordered two more, which surprisingly were of lower serial numbers (400s). They were awful, awful, awful! Significantly dimmer, and soooo green.

I returned the "sicker" of the two green heads to SF for replacement. They sent a new, scalloped head, and while it is white and bright, it still can't compare to the first KL1 I purchased. Go figure.

 

[FalconFX]

The P or Q ranks that are whiter now could also be variants of the 5 shades... Some 3 shades actually look like a 5 shade (or if you're unlucky, it'll look like a 1 shade), so you really can't tell if SureFire has made an overhaul to be selective in their choice of LSs...

I would say, though, that of the 4 KL1s I own, the most recent one is the most white of the bunch, but not the brightest... The brightest continues to be one of my earlier (and most violet) models...