Anybody disappointed in SF's new Kroma?

WilsonCQB1911

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Yeah, it's too early to tell yet, but I couldn't help but being disappointed after hearing what their secret new release is.

It's a slightly fancier A2, but the bezel looks like it's going to be as big as the U2 (couldn't really tell in the pics), so while the length is shorter it's going to be just as difficult to EDC. I don't know, I was kind of hoping for something that would blow me out of the water and replace my U2 as my favorite light.

This just didn't do it for me... and the asking price of $300 seems a bit high at that.

I don't know, I just expect great things from SF and maybe I ask for too much. As much as it pains me to say it, I think I'll pass on the Kroma.
 

CLHC

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In another thread regarding said product from SureFire, I said:

"Pass!—Next!"
 

IonFire

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I myself, am reserved on it yet for looks.

On a side note, it sure is a multi-functioning light.

People have been knocking them for this feature for awhile now, but this is not really what most CPF'rs wanted, but is a step in the right direction.

Throw an flood in one light, neat idea the way they did it imho.



JMTC

IF
 

KDOG3

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Yeah, I was hoping for between 80 and 100 lumens on high. Bummer its only 60. Hopefully it will at least have a tight beam so it will appear brighter and have a long runtime. Thinking of getting a U2 if they can get the donut hole problem fixed.
 
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cheapo

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Morelite said:
Is that the one with 16 or so LEDs around the reflector?

except without a reflector. I am happy with this light, id rather that it didnt have those LEDs though.

-David
 

carrot

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I think maybe we are all a little too obsessed with lumens here... lumens isn't always everything. I mean, look at the Fenix L1P -- it's not the brightest, but a lot of us have uses for it... If you want bright, you can take a look at the U2. I feel like the K2 fills a different kind of niche.

Then again, I too am disappointed in it, because the ring of LEDs around the bezel doesn't make it look like the prettiest light around.
 

KDOG3

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Good point about the price. You can get the U2 for about 225 here on the forums. Its brighter on high, has 6 settings, and you can get a red filter for it and still come in less than the Kroma. Don't get me wrong, if I had the disposable cash I'd have one as soon as I could get it. But its' kinda leaving me scratching my head.
 

jclarksnakes

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carrot,
....You are right. We are too absessed with lumens. But there is no changing my obsession and I am not ever gonna spend 300 dollars for 60 lumens.
jc
 

warpdrive

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It's only $20 more than the MSRP of the U2. If you just need a general purpose light, the U2 is good enough for most, and Surefire would be likely to recommend it to those people instead.

The way I see it, the Kroma is a more special purpose light, if you need to have blue or red lighting, this is a far more robust solution than carrying the filter head, and I'm sure this thing is going to throw well but still have an option for auxiliary flood....the best of both worlds. You can have flood, or throw, or both.

This Kroma is not useful to me, I'd rather have the U2 instead and save the $20, but I think this is a interesting light.
 

Cypher

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Price isn't an issue for me because even if it was $225 I still couldn't afford it. As far as it's design goes I think it is quite good looking and I like the idea. My only change would be for it to have white leds around the bezel also. If we assume that there are 16 leds let's just say that 8 are red and 8 are blue in it's present configuration. I would rather have 15 leds with 5 blue, 5 red, and 5 white. That way since optics tend to throw without much spill I would still have the option of a white flood. To be honest I would probably not use blue so I could cut that out and be happy but I know that multi-use would warrant keeping the blue leds in there. Or course if this optic can produce throw beam with spill then my idea is unecessary except for longer runtimes with the smaller white leds. Just my .02.
 

Planterz

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I'd be more interested in the Kroma if it had more options for the 5mm LEDs. UV for example. But 60 lumens/2hours on one battery shows promise, assuming the info on tadgear's site is correct. If not on the Kroma, but for future Surefire lights. I'd be very tempted on an L1 if it had that kind of output/runtime. If the info is incorrect and it's a 2 cell light, I'm less impressed, although it's still not bad (compared to a 65 lumen L4 at 1 hour). It's hard to tell from the pics how many cells are crammed in the Kroma.

It's not a light I have any use for. The head's too big for me to cram it in my pocket for daily use. And I really have no need for red or blue LEDs. Too expensive to have just for fun. If they shrunk the head (12 or 9 surrounding LEDs) and had more options than red/blue, I'd be more interested. I imagine the DARPA lights might have UV/IR options. I can't really say I'm disappointed since this was obviously not a light made for me. So color me indifferent. So indifferent in fact, that I'm not even sure why I bothered posting in this thread other than the fact that I don't feel like going to bed yet. :sleepy:
 
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Literator

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For that price, there are just too many other better options, including custom lights from McGizmo and Mr. Bulk. I think I'll pass on this one as well. It just doesn't really fill any nitch that isn't already covered by other lights, especially for the price. And SF has been catching some heat for quality control lately from some folks.

--Bob
 

Planterz

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Cypher said:
My only change would be for it to have white leds around the bezel also. If we assume that there are 16 leds let's just say that 8 are red and 8 are blue in it's present configuration. I would rather have 15 leds with 5 blue, 5 red, and 5 white. That way since optics tend to throw without much spill I would still have the option of a white flood. To be honest I would probably not use blue so I could cut that out and be happy but I know that multi-use would warrant keeping the blue leds in there. Or course if this optic can produce throw beam with spill then my idea is unecessary except for longer runtimes with the smaller white leds. Just my .02.
The Kroma is a 2 level light already. Granted, it probably doesn't have much flood on low, but it's already got a low output/long runtime mode.

I do wonder about the blue LEDs though. Unless you're a hunter tracking blood or a forensic investigator fluoressing fingerprint dust, blue isn't much use to the average joe.
 

Mister T

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I don't see any other options to this light. This isn't simply a multi level light like the U2, but one that offers two different beam patterns as well. Like an A2 with the main beam being LED. I can't think of any other production or custom light with the same features.
Disregarding the price it almost seems to be the perfect light for me, although I wouldn't need three different colors.
 

leukos

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CPF has a history of disliking some of SF's new releases, the A2 being one example. The A2 has been one of their all-time best sellers.

Like others have said, the $300 for the Kroma is MSRP and it won't be long before you will find them on BST for $230.
Being an optic and rated at twice the lumens of the KL3, this will probably stomp all over any LED light yet released for throw. Plus it doesn't have the crappy clickie of the U2, it has the best tailcap design SF ever engineered. Plus you have true flood with the 5mm LEDs and two other colors just by rotating the bezel. Bezel down clip. Other than size, this has to be one of the most multi-purpose lights anyone has ever produced.
Am I buying one? Probably not, but I am interested in the SF single-cell pocket rocket that folks at SHOT are referring to: http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1269723&postcount=48 :)
 
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carrot

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leukos said:
CPF has a history of disliking some of SF's new releases, the A2 being one example. The A2 has been one of their all-time best sellers.
Any threads you can dig up? I'm curious about what criticisms were.
 
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