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Posted: 1/4/2007 12:36:20 PM EDT
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In case you guys didn't see Surefire is going to have some new LED ligths with CREE LEDS in them. These new LEDS are the hotest thing in the flashlight world at the moment. Heres the press release. http://www.cree.com/press/press_detail.asp?i=1167920349046 this basically means 2x the lumens or 2 times the runtime. Calvin you got any input on this? Will they let you firesale the current LED models when the new cree versions come out? Also you got any info on the new G3? Blake |
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Lumileds had a good run with their Luxeon series (used in most current Surefires), but Cree’s XR-E simply outputs more light more efficiently. It’s the next generation of LED’s. I couldn’t wait for Surefire. I’m having an M1 modded to use an XR-E. It should put out about 120 lumens for 1 hour on a single primary. Hopefully I’ll have it in a few weeks. |
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I bought one of the first mass produced CREE XRE LED light. its a Fenix L1P-CE puts out 135 lumens on high for 1hr with 1 CR123 battery!!! they make the same light with a luxeon star it can only muster 80 lumens on high for 1 hr The efficiency of the cree is amazing not to worry lumelids will counter |
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This is fantastic news for me. I just broke my KL1 LED head for my Executive Elite E1E that I have carried everywhere I went for several years. I called them about fixing it, but realized it would probably be cheaper to just buy a new one. Put it off luckily. If this guy is a dealer, he lists his location as Las Vegas, which just happens to be where I live and I can give him some business. |
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I'm dead tired from SHOT but the short story is the L1, E2L & L5 all will have CREE LED's and they are terrific!! They're not only brighter but they actually have longer battery runtime! As for clearancing the others, that's going to be hard to find the first two have already been on lengthy backorder. SF may even have two seperate designations... std. & CREE. |
I called surefire and was told the L6 is still in production they just forgot to include it in the catalog. The tech support guy informed me CREE LEDS will not be offered in the L6 for quite a while if ever. |
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Paul Kim stated at a SS2007 party he hosted for those interested in flashlights that SureFire have not yet decided how to "deal" with the LuxeonV models: L2/L4/L5*/L6/L7/U2. My understanding is that the Cree LED may not be the most appropriate "upgrade" for "L5/U2" sized reflectors in the same way the Cree makes perfect sense in the smaller diameter TIR-based bezels of the new KL1 and KL5 (named KX1 and KX5* for now). (*The new L5 with it's new KX5 bezel has what is more like a redesigned KL3 bezel) There is also the issue of what to do with the TurboHead models. Bottomline: The Cree is not the answer in all cases. There are other LEDs that may well prove to be far more ideal. Al |
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SureFire's TIR's for the Cree LED give an intense central beam with useful surround beam - very similar light distribution to current SureFire incandescent tactical lights. Further, the central beam of the KX5 is more intense than the P60/P61 and the surround beam brighter. This higher intensity and higher lumen output (120lu) is intended to allow the KX5 to replace P60/P61 based bezels on hand-helds and pretty much all Classic and Millennium Series WeaponLights using the Z32 or M2 bezels. The output is regulated and the LED is not being driven hard so as to give longer than P60 runtime at 120 lumens. (BTW, the Cree LEDs SureFire is using can be driven to 200 lumens - something SureFire is considering using for the larger models) |
What about the LEDs Surefire currently uses? This is from their website FAQ: "Where was my flashlight made? In the U.S.A. SureFire is proud of the fact that it has not joined the outsourcing trend, and maintains manufacturing, assembly and test facilities in Southern California." I will not be happy with them one bit if they sold me a Chicom manufactured LED when after making the claim above. |
Like I said, I am not aware of any LEDs (the actual light-emitting diodes) being manufactured in the USA. Certainly not the high output ones used in flashlights. I am not aware of any flashlight company making their own LEDs either. No LED flashlight can make you happy in that case, and none ever will. Sorry. If SureFire had the choice of working with a USA LED manufacturer I am sure they would. Al |
SureFire have no plans to update the L4 at this time - this was stated by PK at SS2007. As an update: I have since learned that manufacturing LEDs is far more complex then I thought. It appears that companies such as Cree, LumiLeds and Seoul Semiconductor are using components and manufacturing/assembling/packaging processes in both the USA and Malaysia (Korea for SSC) to produce completed products. At this point I believe the Cree XR-E is the most "USA made" high output LED but if demand increases (ie: XR-E's start being used in mainstream products) then manufacturing is likely to shift from the USA to Malaysia to meet demand. |
Thank you sir! |
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