Torch flashlight reviews

Sofirn SP33 v3.0 Flashlight

I already have the V2.0 version and picked up this upgraded Sofirn SP33 V3.0 to see what’s changed.
On paper it looks very similar to the SP33 V2.0 but in reality just how different is it?

Lets start with the overall presentation. Sofirn have moved away from the plain brown cardboard box of old and are now using printed boxes with molded plastic trays inside. This gives a positive first impression and gives Sofirn a more professional appearance to their products and you can imagine them on display in retail stores now.

SP33 V3.0 Kit contents
The box contains everything you’d expect from a Sofirn kit (The Sp33 itself, User manual, Sofirn branded 5500 mah cell, Quality USB C cable, an 18650 conversion spacer, lanyard and spare O ring)

Almost every detail has seen some small improvements.

⦁ The most noticeable being the larger Stainless Steel Strike Bezel which is more aggressive looking.
⦁ The anodizing is also glossier than my V2.0.
⦁ With a softer, less rigid coating the USB cable has a more premium feel and is of a decent length.
⦁ You can see there’s deeper fins around the head to help aid heat dissipation.
⦁ The addition of USB C charging is great and this has a really tight fitting rubber boot for protection.

If we compare the technical specs the V3 has slightly different mode spacings, the 1 lumen low mode is much better for creeping about at night without ruining your night vision or disturbing anyone else in the house!

As the mode spacings are slightly different they equate to a difference in projected run times. I tend to use the ramping feature so these are more indicative values for me personally. Specifications wise they are ‘almost’ identical, the V2 is a couple mm longer but the V3 is a smidgen heavier.

I am always a bit wary of integrated USB charging and water ingress.

I don’t have facilities for 2m deep water testing however I did give it a good dunk in my sink and as you can see it passed my simple test no problem. Incidentally I accidentally dropped this down my stairs and it continued to work without issue, not even a scratch. This thing is solidly made!

Testing the light under water

I can’t say for sure but to achieve the increased throw I’m guessing the Orange peel reflector has been altered a bit for the V3 as it definitely has a wider surrounding spill and throws just a bit further than it’s predecessor. This makes it useful for every day tasks.

  • V2.0 Beam profile
  • V3.0 Beam profile

What does this mean in practical terms? Well, as you can see in the video clips below, the V2.0 is no slouch and is a perfectly capable torch however with the wider spill, being generally brighter overall the V3.0 is a clear winner.

Side by side beam differences out in the field.
V3 always on the left and the V2 on the right.
Short clip showing how I would use the light on a walk.

Final Thoughts:

I like this new SP33 a lot, I’d say it’s a perfect ‘Muggle’ Flashlight for someone who just want’s a solid dependable torch without the complication of fancy UI’s. The Sofirn UI is relatively simple to use and the integrated USB port means you don’t need a separate charger. It feels comfortable in the hand, and the larger 26650 cell allows for long run times.

I was surprised at how much more I preferred the beam on this compared to the V2.0, mine seems to have a slightly warmer tint which, for me at least, is much more usable when out in the woods walking one of my dogs. The Turbo is brighter than you’ll need for general use and the low moon mode is really handy for use around the house without disturbing anyone.

Things I like:
• Build quality is really good.
• The UI is nice and no fuss and I like the ramping mode.
• Long press for moon and double press for Turbo is perfect, with the option of evenly spaced brightness levels or smooth ramping being easily changeable with 4 clicks from on.
• This is comfortable in the hand. Really good length and thickness for a pocketable EDC

Things I don’t like:
• The button is slightly raised which means it’s easy to accidentally turn this on in a pocket or bag, or even just brushing it with a finger is enough to activate it.
• The battery could be tighter as it has a little rattle if you shake the light, this is also present on my V2.0 and I’d have liked Sofirn to have fixed it on this version.

Torched Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

If the button was less easy to turn on by accident and they’d eliminated the battery rattle I’d have given this a full 5 rating no problem. It’s a solid little light!

Nitecore E4K EDC Flashlight

I love Nitecore products and have a few headtorches from them. (The Nitecore HC65 is still my favourite headtorch) So I bought this light on it’s release but alas I was careless and lost it in the forest the very first time I took it out the house, disaster!

You can imagine my surprise and delight when I was lucky enough to win another one via a giveaway by the fantastically generous guys over at the Nitecore Flashlights page on Facebook!!

Everything you need to use this torch is included out the box, no additional purchases are required!

The look and feel of this little light is spot on, it feels well made and the quad XP-L2 V6 LED’s are perfectly set behind the relatively deep and smooth reflector which all adds to the quality look. The optics really shine on this. Weighing in at an total of just 155 gram it’s comfortably solid enough to hold without being too heavy, this is due to needing to accommodate the supplied 5000mah 21700 cell.

Speaking of which, the cell has it’s own USB C charging port built in which you can charge with the supplied cable. I’m not convinced it’s actually charging any quicker than a Micro USB but at least there’s no more multiple attempts to plug in the USB cable the wrong way! it has a red light while charging and a green light once charged up. You can also see that, being a protected cell with a built in charging circuit, it’s quite a bit taller compared to an unprotected Samsung 40T or a 26650 sized cell and as a result you’d struggle to get it in a standard charger for conventional charging methods. When you put the cell in and screw up the tailcap the button will flash out the voltage.

There’s been a bit of a hoo-hah around the unconventional UI on this flashlight so I thought I’d try and explain it a bit clearer for those that don’t know.

From off:
• Single click – battery check (button flashes a rough percentage, 3 flashes you’re fine, 2 flashes you’re below 50%, 1 flash find a charger!)
• Click & hold – last memory position (keep holding to cycle through the levels)
• Double click – ultra low (2 lumen)
• Triple click – Turbo (or strobe if you go for the alternative mode)

From on:
• Press and hold for Turbo, letting go returns back to last position.
• Triple click to access strobe then long press from strobe to access SOS & Beacon modes

To change the brightness level from on you need to first click once to turn it off then press and hold to turn it back on and cycle through the levels. That’s it in a nutshell.

Now that’s out the way how does it perform?

well the beam is a neutral white with a large soft centre spot, there’s some tint shift going on between the centre and corona, seen clearly on a white wall you see the pattern you get from a quad led setup but it’s not too bad outside and gives you plenty of light for your needs, did I mention press to hold from any level for momentary blindingly bright Turbo?

  • Wide beam angle
  • Odd shaped Corona from quad emitters
  • Mid level, slightly washed out the colours. Turbo is too bright at this distance.
Short clip showing the time taken to cycle from Ultra low to Turbo

Final Thoughts:

There’s a lot to like about this EDC, it looks great and feels comfortable in the hand, As a brand I’ve never had any issues with Nitecore product quality and the 5 year warranty is a nice bonus although I’ve never had to use it. The 4400 lumens on Turbo is insane for something this small and naturally that means it gets really hot really fast!!
Having quick access to both Ultra Low and Turbo is brilliant and once you get used to the UI you can make it work for you. I have the memory mode set to Mid (320lm) so I basically have 3 easily accessible levels from off. Double click for ultra low, long press for Mid or Triple press for Turbo. That works for me.

Things I like:
• Build quality is impeccable, not one single flaw in the construction anywhere.
• Quick access to Turbo (which is Insanely bright for something this size)
• Easy access to ultra low mode
• Comfortable in the hand. Really good length and thickness for a pocketable EDC

Things I don’t like:
• The UI! Sorry Nitecore but the power level cycling is just too slow…
• The odd decision where you need to turn your light off and on again to cycle through the brightness levels baffles me. (I got used to it but it’s not intuitive and there’s a second of darkness while it decides to cycle (See below)
• The 1 second delay between levels when cycling is way, way, way too long. It’s a near torturous 6 seconds to go from off through Ultra Low to Turbo!

Torched Rating: 🔥🔥🔥

I really wanted to give it 5 out of 5 but the horrible UI frustrates me, a self confessed flashaholic, never mind your average consumer. you can get used to it but it should be intuitively easy enough to use without having to !!