Additional Accessories or DHL upgrating
I love multi-emitter lights, having a small collection of examples from wurkkos, convoy, lumintop, and I have more on the way from other brands as well. But this light really deserves a special place in my collection due to the combination of features that it offers, and more importantly the driver that's found in the light.
Build quality is top notch, everything functions as it should and I'm amazed at the wealth of additional accessories that comes by default, allowing you to customize the beam profile as you see fit. A bonus for me as the additional optics is actually compatible with some of my other multi-emitter lights too! The only drawback that I noticed is the loose magnet in the tail, which gives an audible click when you attempt to stick the light to a surface, but it looks to be easily fixable by adding some double sided tape to prevent movement.
Of the two X4 examples I have, this is configured with a FFL351A 5000k, and compared to the FFL707A 5000k in the X1S Pharos, the latter gives a tight hotspot that is good for medium distance throw outdoors, while the former has a much larger beam that makes it very versatile for everyday use. The driver is amazing in performance, sustaining the highest ramp (not turbo) for 20 minutes without a noticeable drop in brightness. It does get very hot (with the head being painful to the touch), but it's also a sign that the driver has excellent thermal management and performance, certainly the best performer by far in my collection.
Lastly, the lantern attachment, it's a pretty novel feature and performs extremely well given how low of a brightness level the X4 is able to reach, although for my personal use in lantern specific scenarios, I'd likely still reach for my LT1S. If this is your only light, having the attachment just makes it that much more versatile for multiple scenarios. I personally find this paired with the X1S Pharos to be a great everyday carry combination (assuming you have the space). If you're looking for the perfect EDC light, this is the bar to beat!
This is the first MAO light in my collection, I decided to give this finish a shot as I saw reports describing how much more durable it is compared to standard white MAO finishes. In person, the dark white finish appears to be even and provides extra grip, although time will tell if this is durable or not compared to standard HA anodization.
As with other fireflies lights, I have no qualms with the build quality of this light, with a crisp button action making it pretty easy to navigate the extensive UI that comes with the light. The optics that comes with this looks interesting as well and does not seem to be a standard TIR design
I had this configured with a FFL707A in 6500k, and comparing against the FFL707A 5000k in the X1S (beamshot), both have pretty interesting beam profiles as seen in the photo. The X1L produces a wider hotspot with less spill, but at the same settings it appears less intense. Testing outdoors indicate that the X1L still has better reach, which I believe is due to the slightly higher lumens offered by the 6500K version. It is still mostly a medium distance thrower that's great for spotting, the same as the X1S
Lastly, the form factor of this light, with the large head, while comfortable to hold, makes this more of a dedicated thrower for those specific scenarios where you'd want something with reach, it's not really that pocketable to me but that's expected given how larger optics produce better throw. Ultimately, it's still a great addition to the collection of lights that I have, and I eagerly look forward to more new releases from fireflies in the future!
First impressions is how well the anodization is done on this light, the color being very rich and vibrant, and gives off a kind of sheen that is hard to describe without appreciating this in person.
Color aside, build quality is top notch, everything functions as it should and the magnetic usb flap is definitely one of the highlights of this light! (pun intended)
I had this configured with a FFL707A in 5000k, and against the FFL351A 5000k in the stellar (beamshot), the former gives a tight hotspot that is good for medium distance throw outdoors, while the tint is actually slightly magenta (rosy) compared to the latter, which surprised me at first because I thought they would both be around the same.
While I've not had extensive time with the light, I find that the combination of features offered on this light makes it a perfect EDC companion alongside the stellar, one for general purpose use, another for throw.
Excellent right angle multi-emitter combo.
My first impressions out of the box is the odd proportions as the head sticks out quite far. But after holding it in the hand, I realize that the balance and ergonomics is pretty sound and comfortable. The elongated head allows me to maintain a light grip without feeling that it will fall off, and with a battery installed, balances really well too. One downside of this design is that it's probably not really all that suited as a headlamp, as this is a rather heavy light (which is actually a good point for build quality on the flip side)
I went with the 5000k FFL351A emitters for this, and am very pleased with the rendering. Against my Nichia 519A 5000k lights, this is surprisingly neutral and renders colors even better to my eye.
Turbo is incredibly bright, but does not sustain for long, although for my uses, it's likely going to be middle brightness for most of the time which the light seems to sustain very well without much heat.
This small light packs quite a punch thanks to the throwy optics. I've not used the older version of this light, but the new button feels pretty good and gives a reassuring click/feedback when pressed.
I agree with other reviews that the UI is slightly odd, but as an everyday carry where you just need to switch the light on and off and occasionally change brightness, it's a pretty serviceable light.
My emitter choice is the new FFL351A 3700k which is the only option that comes with the new button, and I have to say that while I'm not a big fan of warm tints, the color rendering here is pretty good and neutral, no observable shifts in tint compared to other warm lights.
If you're on the fence regarding emitters from fireflies, this is a great place to start considering the affordable price!
