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 M2 - a two cell 123A
design - which uses both an incandescent xenon bulb
and 6 LEDs to provide light. For spotting, all of the
lighting elements are turned on. For lower level lighting
the bezel can be rotated to lock out the xenon bulb,
turning the unit into an LED-only flashlight.
Body: The body of the M2 is hard anodized aircraft
aluminum. The head is significantly larger than the
body and has decorative cutouts at its base. Below that
is a ring of checkering around the center of the body
tube. The checkering 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 6 LEDs around the periphery of the reflector
and the xenon bulb in the center. The head of the light
can be rotated to disengage the xenon bulb, allowing
only the LEDs to light. This is done by unscrewing the
head about one turn. Note that the bezel/head is not
textured at all which means that you need to grip it
very tightly to overcome the resistance created by the
O-ring seals. Continuing to twist will cause the head
to open for changing out the xenon bulb. The LEDs should
never need replacing. 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.
Inside you find the large lamp assembly
with its unique design and the bulb held in place by
two plastic clips and mounted in a brass base.
Output: The white light produced by the xenon
bulb is a typical incandescent white which is a relatively
low color temperature and appears slightly yellowish
when compared to a daylight white light source, which
is normal. In practical use it appears as a pure white
light. The beam has a bright wide central spot, wide
corona and a wide dimmer spillbeam. There are some artifacts
in the central beam spot - swirls and such - which are
hard to see in the beam photo. The LED beam is a bit
bluish, but is very smooth and provides a very even
spot of relatively dim light.
Beam at one meter at target center, incandescent and
LED
Runtime Plot: The manufacturer advertises the
light as having a 50 minute runtime. We found it to
be a little shorter than that (~45 minutes) to 50%.
In 50 minutes it had dropped to about 25% starting output.
Battery Station brand cells were used for this test.
Runtime
completed with BatteryStation brand batteries. More
information on runtime plots is available HERE.
I initially ran the test with Titanium
cells. I was so surprised by the output curve that I
ran it 3 times. Conclusion? Titanium brand cells do
not seem to work well in these lights. It is possible
that the heat produced or the current draw is causing
the PTC protection system in the cells to kick in and
limit current, but I'm not sure...
Runtime
completed with "Titanium"
brand batteries. More information on runtime plots is
available HERE.
When the batteries become very depleted in this light
the beam turns very orange, the LEDs stop functioning
(unless specifically selected) and the incandescent
bulb blinks on and off.
Switch: The switch is a rubber capped clickie.
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 difference in stroke between
momentary and constant activation is significant, requiring
moderate additional pressure to click the switch. 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 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!
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. The light requires two 168A or two 168S
type Pila cells and a lower voltage bulb. That or 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, Able to switch to LED only mode for battery
conservation
What I Didn't Like: A bit swirly/ringy
central spot.
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 lightbulb.
Conclusions: A very good hybrid
light. Lots of output for a good period of time. Use
better quality cells if available due to the very high
draw of this light.
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