Upgraded Surefire LEDs - what changed?

[KevinL]

(sorry if this is a dumb question, see http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1969285#post1969285 for explanation as to why I am so out of touch)

Anyway, what changed with the Surefire LEDs? The 2007 catalog, which I have only just downloaded today, talks about upgraded LEDs for many of the models. I am very surprised to see the E2L jump to 45lu (was 30), and even the L1 jump to a staggering 65lu (now that is ONE SERIOUS UPGRADE!! It puts it on par with the P60 lamp!). The U2 is back to 100lu.

TBH these don't sound like Luxeon 3 numbers or anything that we got out of Lux3s. Did SF change the emitters?

Either way I'm really keen to get a new batch of E1L's. When are they shipping? In fact I am now tempted by the L1 instead because of the huge, huge upgrade in brightness.

 

[wasBlinded]

Good grief, Kevin! Where HAVE you been? You'ved totally missed the total sidelining of Luxeon LEDs here on CPF!

Surefire is going to be putting Cree XR-E and Seoul P4 emitters into many of their LED lights, giving a nearly 100% boost in luminous efficiency. Lumileds promises to meet or exceed these LEDs eventually, but no one can be sure when.

 

[cave dave]

Wow you are out of touch! A few new LEDs (since fall 2006) have double the efficiency of the good old LuxIII. Maybe you should browse a while. I think there are models way more interesting than Surefire already here or around the corner. It's an exciting time to be a flashoholic.
Do a search for Seoul Semiconductors SSC P4 or Cree XRE.

Here is an example of what the Cree can do. Same light, One LuxIII and the other Cree XRE.
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/fenix_p1d.htm

 

[KevinL]

Awesome

I've been going through Hell and back (and back to Hell again) but this is great news.. looks like I chose a wonderful time to come back.

Wow... that Cree looks like it means real business. 2X the output is absolutely nothing to sneeze at. The fact that Surefire uses them means they have real street cred in my eyes - PK could have outfitted the lights with anything he wanted to.

Last Cree I handled was hardly anything impressive. I reviewed one unit and it was very much on par with a traditional Lux3, nothing impressive at all. It looks like they have come a long way since then.

I think I am definitely going to have to look at my next light purchase carefully.. I want an upgraded E1L or L1.

 

[Manzerick]

I've been saying the cree changed everything! After my A19 Cree out classed my U2 in the "battle of Manzerick's Leds" in 2006, I say everything has changed... and for the better!!!


Check around my friend.. www.flashlightreviews.com has some good reviews on some of the Cree/SSC products

 

[Gointothelight]

I used to be a BIG fan of Surefire but who needs them now... more than a dozen flashlight makers have already gotten their new Cree and Seoul lights to market and the quality is amazing! Even better than that, they actually listen to the customers and change their products mid-stream to better serve customer demands... Surefire is still trying to figure out how to put a Cree LED in its lights... something CPFers have been doing in their basements for months with no problems. Meanwhile, Surefire is following in the great tradition of IBM: s l o w to market with new products and well behind the rest of the players in innovation. No leed to wait for lights Surefire "may" eventually get to market with Lumapower, Fenix, Amilite and others delivering high-quality state-of-the-art products NOW.

 

[yellow]

they still have the market of the forward clickie flashlight geeks and the mass market who not even knows how good Luxeon leds were/are.

Wonder how the new 1 and 2 CR123 Models of Fenix might affect this market,
as they are a backpackers/edc-ers dream compared to the unnecessary "big" SF (and other lights) head diameter

 

[KevinL]

Oh dear, and the Surefire bashing starts once again. Scuse me, did I ask whether I should buy SF? I don't think I did.....

I look at the innards of a Fenix, I think it is a wonderful affordable light. But the guts don't inspire confidence. The machining isn't quite SF standard. The anodizing assuredly is not (gets beaten up far faster than any of my other HA lights). It's a great light. But I want the best.. and that still is SF.

Quality takes time. I'll wait for them to release the upgraded versions, I am in no rush.