Review: Sofirn Q8 Plus

NT2C · January 23, 2023, 08:01:51 PM

It's like having the power of the sun in your hand. With a max of 16,000 lumens, yes, I said thousand, this is not grandpa's old two-D PoS kept in the kitchen junk drawer!

About the size of a 12oz beverage can and weighing in at a hefty 25.5 oz. with batteries it's quite a chonky little handful, but boy can it light up a room... or football stadium. No, wait, maybe that should stadiums, plural, since it has a throw of 554m with a 120° beam spread. Using the popular and powerful Anduril 2.0 control system the light has an awesome range of modes including such niceties as stepped or smooth ramping, a candle mode, and multiple strobe patterns. There's even a cool "lightning storm" mode that I will make good use of one Halloween. My only complaint with the OS is that it's so difficult to remember the button presses for different things, and hard to get them right. I'm always going either too far or too few.

One more interesting feature of the light is that it has a standard 1/4-20 threaded tripod mount that can be used for attaching it to things like handles/tripods or even a magnet.

Using the type C USB charging port and on-board battery charger allows for fairly quick 5-hour recharging of the three 21700 4,000mAh batteries it runs on (and using higher current batteries will allow the lumens to increase to over 20,000), but you can always keep others on hand that are fully charged for quick swaps but I doubt you'll need to since even on turbo mode this thing has a 2.5-hour runtime and a staggering 40 days runtime in moonlight mode. Add the inexpensive silicone diffuser Sofirn also sells for this light and you'll be all set for the next time the grid goes down.

Possibly the best $100 (approx) that I've spent recently.

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majorhavoc · January 24, 2023, 07:30:13 AM

Just the ticket for when you need to guide that 747 in for an emergency night landing on an unlit runway.

MacWa77ace · January 24, 2023, 08:23:19 AM

Alien tech, definitely

With great power, comes great responsibility.

NT2C · February 03, 2023, 06:34:37 PM

Earlier tonight, the kid next door came over and tacked the tarp back down on my shed roof. The wind had been about to send it flying into my cypress trees. Since it was pretty dark I stood on my deck with the Q8 Plus to give him some light. At one point I thought someone a few blocks over was shining a pretty dazzling light at me. Then I realized, it was the beam from the Q8 Plus reflecting off someone's front window 1/2 a mile away.

NT2C · March 01, 2023, 01:42:03 AM

Sofirn webpage for this light

This product gets the "UFoZS Official Prepperware™" seal of approval.

NT2C · April 24, 2023, 10:39:18 PM

Before purchasing ANY Sofirn product from any source, please read this message regarding their refusal to honor their warranty.

majorhavoc · April 25, 2023, 08:26:50 AM

Weird coincidence that I stumble across this flash sale on the lower-yet-still-ludicrous 11,000 lumen output Sofirn S8 "Pro". $66.49 w/4x 16850 batteries or $54.99 for the flashlight alone. Ships free (from China).

Note: this is direct from Sofirn, so presumably the warranty will be honored. Also, don't forget the two color temp options when ordering.

MacWa77ace · April 25, 2023, 08:47:52 AM

You should never presume, because it makes a PRES of U and ME... wait

majorhavoc · April 25, 2023, 09:09:18 AM

Quote from: MacWa77ace on April 25, 2023, 08:47:52 AMYou should never presume, because it makes a PRES of U and ME... wait

In my mind, I'm the PRES of everything. On the other hand, I also ASSUME a lot of things so, you know ...

majorhavoc · May 10, 2023, 08:21:30 PM

As promised by NT2C, the Sofrin Q8 Plus was waiting for me when I got home.

Holy crapatola, this thing is a beast! You have to understand, I'm a bottom feeder when it comes to lighting tech. I'm generally an Energizer or at best a Nebo kind of man. This thing is magnitudes beyond anything I've ever owned.

The Sofrin just exudes quality. It feels like a finely crafted hand grenade when I hold it - all beautifully machined and anodized aluminum billet, and crisp, ultra high quality switchgear. The lens doesn't feel like any kind of plastic. More like the mineral glass on some of my watches. Even the rubber cover for the USB charging port looks and operates like a freaking airlock on the ISS.

There's a goddamn treatise on the "Simple UI" Anduril 2 interface that comes with the kit; all headache-inducing flow charts and microscopic print in multiple languages. Fortunately, it seems pretty intuitive; turn it on, hold down the power button and it ramps from low output to blindingly bright. And then back down to an output level so low I suspect it'll run for several days, if not weeks, on the 3 (three!) massive 4000 mAh batteries. And when I say "blindingly" I mean I didn't realize at first that this pocket-sized neutron star of a flashlight remembers the last output setting when you turn it off. After maveling at how it was practically burning a hole in my living room wall, I shut it off so I could admire the intricately shaped reflector system for the six high output LEDs. That's when I made the mistake of turning it back on. That was 20 minutes ago. Only now have my retinas recovered enough to allow me to see my computer screen.

NT2C, you are a generous, generous soul. All I did was spew out a half dozen suggestions for the forum slogan. I never expected any of them to actually win this contest. And even had I dared hope to win, I never, never expected to receive anything like this. "Thank you" doesn't begin to convey my startled gratitude. But I'll start with that.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a stricken 747 with two engines out that's circling an abandoned, unlit runway near where I live. It's running low on fuel so I have head out and light the way for an emergency landing ...

NT2C · May 10, 2023, 08:48:51 PM

Quote from: majorhavoc on May 10, 2023, 08:21:30 PMAs promised by NT2C, the Sofrin Q8 Plus was waiting for me when I got home.

Holy crapatola, this thing is a beast! You have to understand, I'm a bottom feeder when it comes to lighting tech. I'm generally an Energizer or at best a Nebo kind of man. This thing is magnitudes beyond anything I've ever owned.

The Sofrin just exudes quality. It feels like a finely crafted hand grenade when I hold it - all beautifully machined and anodized aluminum billet, and crisp, ultra high quality switchgear. The lens doesn't feel like any kind of plastic. More like the mineral glass on some of my watches. Even the rubber cover for the USB charging port looks and operates like a freaking airlock on the ISS.

There's a goddamn treatise on the "Simple UI" Anduril 2 interface that comes with the kit; all headache-inducing flow charts and microscopic print in multiple languages. Fortunately, it seems pretty intuitive; turn it on, hold down the power button and it ramps from low output to blindingly bright. And then back down to an output level so low I suspect it'll run for several days, if not weeks, on the 3 (three!) massive 4000 mAh batteries. And when I say "blindingly" I mean I didn't realize at first that this pocket-sized neutron star of a flashlight remembers the last output setting when you turn it off. After maveling at how it was practically burning a hole in my living room wall, I shut it off so I could admire the intricately shaped reflector system for the six high output LEDs. That's when I made the mistake of turning it back on. That was 20 minutes ago. Only now have my retinas recovered enough to allow me to see my computer screen.

NT2C, you are a generous, generous soul. All I did was spew out a half dozen suggestions for the forum slogan. I never expected any of them to actually win this contest. And even had I dared hope to win, I never, never expected to receive anything like this. "Thank you" doesn't begin to convey my startled gratitude. But I'll start with that.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a stricken 747 with two engines out that's circling an abandoned, unlit runway near where I live. It's running low on fuel so I have head out and light the way for an emergency landing ...

Ah, so you haven't gotten it into 16,000-lumen turbo mode yet? (Hint: Advanced mode is needed to get to turbo mode)

As to my being generous, yes, I am being generous, and it feels good to be in a position where I can be. But at the same time, this was a reward that was well-earned. Even discounting all the other things you do for this site and community, and your own generosity in donating the Go-Kit we've yet to give away, this was a contest prize no different from the hundreds of other writing contest prizes offered worldwide every year. Newspapers and magazines regularly offer financial and other rewards for funny stories/jokes/etc. We offer lumens.

majorhavoc · May 10, 2023, 09:46:53 PM

So if I hold the power button depressed for 10 seconds ("10H"), it goes into advanced mode? And from there holding it for another 2 seconds ("2H") puts it into Turbo? I'm not sure I completely follow that Andirul 2 UI flowchart. I've already inadvertently locked it once. Not sure how I got it unlocked, but for a minute there I thought I had somehow fried the circuitry. Now it's back to merely being blindingly bright.

I'm not sure I dare activate Turbo. As it is, I have to be careful where I point this monster out of doors. And when I put it on "high" in my house, so much light floods out of my windows that my neighbors probably think I've perfected table top fusion.

Again, thank you, NT2C! I haven't had this much fun with a flashlight since my dad got me a 6 volt Ray-o-vac lantern when I was just a kid. I bet that thing put out 10 (ten!) lumens. And it had a blinky red light on a metal strut that folded out from the handle ...

NT2C · May 10, 2023, 10:11:28 PM

Quote from: majorhavoc on May 10, 2023, 09:46:53 PMSo if I hold the power button depressed for 10 seconds ("10H"), it goes into advanced mode? And from there holding it for another 2 seconds ("2H") puts it into Turbo? I'm not sure I completely follow that Andirul 2 UI flowchart. I've already inadvertently locked it once. Not sure how I got it unlocked, but for a minute there I thought I had somehow fried the circuitry. Now it's back to merely being blindingly bright.

I'm not sure I dare activate Turbo. As it is, I have to be careful where I point this monster out of doors. And when I put it on "high" in my house, so much light floods out of my windows that my neighbors probably think I've perfected table top fusion.

Again, thank you, NT2C! I haven't had this much fun with a flashlight since my dad got me a 6 volt Ray-o-vac lantern when I was just a kid. I bet that thing put out 10 (ten!) lumens. And it had a blinky red light on a metal strut that folded out from the handle ...

No, 2H means click twice and continue to hold the switch down on the second click. 10H means click ten times (quickly) and continue to hold the button down on the tenth. There will be a little blink a second or two later to indicate it changed mode.

NT2C · May 10, 2023, 10:13:13 PM

And 4 fast clicks will toggle lockout mode on/off.

NT2C · May 10, 2023, 10:15:14 PM

And wait until you see tactical strobe on high.

MacWa77ace · May 11, 2023, 08:00:23 AM

I hate 'one button to rule them all' technology. Resetting the Oil Life on my Explorer is like that.

But NT's explanation I understood completely, and I don't even have the FL in front of me.

majorhavoc · May 11, 2023, 09:13:45 AM

Just reread NT2C's original review and realized the silicone diffuser included in my package is an extra cost option. Totally unnecessary to include that, but totally consistent with what we know of NT2C.

I continue to be blown away by this amazing prize.

NT2C · May 11, 2023, 10:53:25 AM

Quote from: majorhavoc on May 11, 2023, 09:13:45 AMJust reread NT2C's original review and realized the silicone diffuser included in my package is an extra cost option. Totally unnecessary to include that, but totally consistent with what we know of NT2C.

I continue to be blown away by this amazing prize.

But... but... How else could you provide us with the drone's-eye-view of you illuminating an entire soccer pitch in the middle of the night simply by raising the light over your head?

Besides, it was like $3 and I ordered an extra for myself too.

NT2C · May 11, 2023, 10:59:36 AM

I really need to get access to my neighbor's garage machine shop and make myself a Picatinny mount for my light. That 1/4-20 tripod mount hole on it is just begging for such fabrication and fuck your puny Streamlight on your AR...

EBuff75 · May 11, 2023, 11:04:12 AM

Quote from: NT2C on May 11, 2023, 10:59:36 AMI really need to get access to my neighbor's garage machine shop and make myself a Picatinny mount for my light. That 1/4-20 tripod mount hole on it is just begging for such fabrication and fuck your puny Streamlight on your AR...

Here you go: https://a.co/d/5fgHBon Saved you the effort!

There are actually quite a few of these adapters out there, because some people like to attach cameras to their guns.