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The MicroFire
flashlights are designed to be a lower-cost competitor
for the "high end" tactical flashlight market.
They are made in China by MicroFire Technology Company,
Ltd. The lights appear to be uniquely designed (not
a rip-off of another company's design) and are rather
well made. The light tested is the F2 - a two cell 123A
design - which uses an incandescent xenon bulb to provide
light. The special feature of the F2 that makes it different
from other 2x123A xenon lights is the adjustable focus
and locking ring which keeps the focus in place, preventing
accidental changes to the beam width.
Body: The body of the F2 is hard anodized aircraft
aluminum. The head is significantly larger than the
body and has a grooved ring at its base. Below that
is a gear-like ring which is used to lock the focus
of the adjustable-focus head. The center of the body
tube is surrounded by checkering that is not very aggressive
but does aid in grip. The tailcap has 6 cutouts for
grip. The rubber covered tailcap has a slight texture
as well.
Bezel/Head: Looking into the front of the light
you see the xenon bulb in the center. The reflector
is metal with a slightly bumpy texture to smooth out
imperfections in the beam. The xenon bulb sits in a
lamp assembly which can be unscrewed from the body when
the head is removed. The lens is tempered glass, and
the bezel ring is crenelated so that you can see if
you left the light on when you place it face down.
The head of the light can be rotated to change the
focus of the xenon bulb, adjusting it from narrow to
wide beam. This is done by turning the head clockwise
or counterclockwise. Note that the head has square plateaus
for grip as well as a grooved ring at it's base. Once
the focus is properly set, you can tighten the locking
ring against the base of the head to prevent the focus
from changing accidentally. Continuing to unscrew the
head will cause the head to open for changing out the
xenon bulb.
Output: The white light produced by the xenon
bulb is a typical incandescent white which is a relatively
low color temperature. Therefore it appears slightly
yellowish when compared to a daylight white light source,
which is normal. In practical use it appears as a pure
white light. On it's tightest focus the beam has a bright
central spot, medium corona and a wide dimmer spillbeam.
On a wide focus there are some slight artifacts in the
beam which are pretty effectively, but not completely,
blended by the textured finish of the reflector.
Beam at one meter at target center, narrow and wide
focus
Runtime Plot: The F2 gave a fairly standard
runtime for a high power xenon light powered by 2x123A
cells - about 54 minutes before dropping below 50% starting
output. The manufacturer states a 50 minute runtime,
so the light did quite well with the Titanium brand
cells.
Runtime
completed with "Titanium"
brand batteries. More information on runtime plots is
available HERE.
Switch: The switch is a clickie with a rubber
cover. Press gently for momentary use, press until it
clicks for constant on. Unscrew the tailcap to lock
out the switch and prevent accidental activation. The
switch produces a slight auditory feedback, but almost
no tactile feedback when clicked. The rubber cap does
protrude above the level of the tailcap, so the light
cannot stand on end.
Seals / Water Resistance: The light is advertised
as splashable. It has O-rings and rubber seals in all
the right places.
If it gets wet inside, just disassemble as much a possible
without tools and let it dry before using again.
Ergonomics: It's about the same length as a
little 2-AA cell light, but is larger in diameter and
puts out many times the light. It seems to be comfortable
to use and hold. It has a little heft, but is not heavy.
The balance point is just behind the head so it feels
most comfortable in my hand using a tactical grip with
the hand wrapped around the head after activation.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
Batteries: Two 123A cells power the light. I
would recommend Titanium
brand cells for $1.00 each (here's
a review) or BatteryStation
or Surefire
brand cells for less than $2 each. I would not recommend
purchasing these cells at retail stores since they cost
$10 a pair or more in most retail stores! Be aware that
there are some inherent
risks in using lights powered by multiple 123A cells,
so take appropriate precautions.
To change out the batteries: unscrew the tailcap, drop
out the old cells, place in new cells observing proper
polarity. Reattach the tailcap and you're ready to go.
Note that batteries go in NEGATIVE first, with the positive
end pointing toward the tailcap.
Accessories: You can use Pila
rechargeable cells in this light but you will need
the lower voltage bulb. With the lower voltage bulb,
the light uses two 600P or two 600S Pila cells. You
can purchase the rechargeable version which comes with
everything you need. A host of other accessories are
available for this light as well.
What I Liked: Water resistant,
Very bright, Tough and robust design, Locking focus.
What I Didn't Like: Nothing significant.
Picky Little Things: Remember that
this is an incandescent light and it is not specifically
designed to be shock resistant. Dropping the light or
other types of shock can cause that delicate white-hot
tungsten filament to break, just like with any other
incandescent light bulb.
Conclusions: A very good xenon
tactical-style light. Great output, good runtime, and
the locking adjustable focus is a very handy feature.
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