Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01 and similar flashlights

jon_slider

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The Original Sofirn Intro Thread is here.

I started this thread you are reading, for comparisons.
Please share your thoughts on pros and cons of various AAA cockroach lights here in this thread.

Here are some similarities and differences

E01 uses AAA and has a Low CRI Cool White LED
C01 uses AAA and has a High CRI Cool White LED, plus a Warm White High CRI LED option.

E01 is potted
C01 is potted

E01 no pocket clip
C01 yes pocket cllip

E01 cost about $11
C01 cost about $7

E01 can be bought from USA stock and arrives within a week
C01 comes from China stock, and takes weeks to arrive.

E01 comes in several different colors
C01 comes in Black with red and blue expected soon.

E01 survives getting tossed off a building
C01 survives getting tossed off a building

E01 survives under water
C01 survives under water

E01 has no magnet hole
C01 does have a magnet hole

E01 has not trit slot
C01 does have a trit slot

E01 is a single mode twisty
C01 is a single mode twisty

E01 head works on C01 body
C01 head works on E01 body

keep it friendly :)
 
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LeanBurn

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

:thumbsup:

So for those that also own both the E01...how close is the C01 for build quality etc? Tube thickness, o ring, threads, etc?
 
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Grijon

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

Thanks for the thread, jon! Great start! I'm looking forward to more.
 

jon_slider

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

Here are some comments from other threads, that speak to comparing and contrasting the E01 and C01

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...A-w-High-CRI&p=5262905&viewfull=1#post5262905
I am very impressed with this light so far. Finish and function are superb, silky smooth threads, but firm enough not to turn on its own.
...
I can say already that I like it better than the E01, both for the lower power consumption, and even more for the high CRI and more useful up-close beam profile.

so far so good :)

The quality on both appears to be excellent with no detectable flaws. ...Perfect amount of light for within 5-10ft in darkness. The little bits of potting I can see appear to be solid. The pocket clip is working well so far.

Overall I would say it's a winner! Several good improvements on the classic ARC/E01 design.

---
2 sofirn 1 Arc: (image hosted on my own photo account, not a hotlink)
pc_light said:
CZaRZV6.gif


slowtechstef said:
Geuzzz said:
I used the light for a couple of days now. Here is my opinion.

The light feels sturdy with nice anodising that seems to hold up well.

Gave it to the kids a few times and its nice to know that it is completely safe. They even took it to bath so water resistance is also ok.

The tint (3200k) is very nice (if you like it also, you should really try the 3000k sst-20 for even nicer tint).

The lumen level is a perfect mix between a moonlight mode and a lowlow, if this makes sense. It can be used well as a bedside light.

What I don't like is that the twisting action on mine is a little stiff. It takes quite some effort to rotate.

I don't know if I am going to use it a lot, because I have other lights with equally good tint and color temperature and they have more modes for a lower moonlight mode and a higher mode if needed.

All in all I am very happy with the purchase. Thank all involved for making this possible.

Geuzz: thanks for sharing your experience and opinion with us :THUMBS-UP:

Concerning the twisting action: we got what we asked for, as the threads are an exact copy of the Fenix E01 (C01 and E01 can 'lego'), the twist resistance of the C01 is a deliberate design decision and carry-over from the Fenix E01.

After reading your post I just tested the twisting resistance of my golden and purple Fenix E01. The golden one E01 is even more stiff than all my four Sofirn C01s, while my purple Fenix E01 is slightly less stiff. Strangely enough, the golden E01 -is- was one of my most used lights (I carried it for over a year on my keychain, untill I received my Sofirn C01s). I can still operate all of them single-handedly, so I do not perceive any stiffness as a problem. Like djozz said, if the twisting action is too smooth, chances are higher to loose the head during everydaycarry. Perhaps also the length of the battery might be a factor in "stiffness" of the twist action.

Funny to read your kids took it to bath; my kids did as well, and they really enjoyed its waterproofness. ^:)
I have other lights where my kids did the same, which lead them to observe: "Look dad, there are coming bubbles out this flashlight." :FACEPALM:

djozz said:
The output is low and the beam is flood, this light has no punch whatsoever. I kept it in my pocket for weeks together with an E2L triple shorty EDC (also 3000K extreme CRI but 1000+ lumen at max) and in no circumstance that I needed some light for a moment I decided to pick the C01.
But the C01 has already been a nightstand light for my son when we stayed in a hotel (he's afraid for total dark), doubling as his donald duck reading light in the morning when I was still asleep. For the nightstand duty the diffuser of the Lumintop Worm worked quite perfectly (btw, Barry will try to source a suitable diffuser for the C01 for selling separately). I check the mailbox with the C01 as well. And there's always the people who want a light that always works when everything else fails, the C01 may prove to be that light over time. At least Sofirn has tried to copy that feature from the Fenix E01. The 95CRI may not be needed for this function but it does not hurt either :) . I can confirm that the 5 to 7 lumen flood of the C01 will sufficienty light your path in the woods when it is totally dark (it will not spot the bear in the distance :p ).

slowtechstef said:
News from Sofirn:
... the potting material is the same of Fenix E01 but I don't know the brand.


and a comment about thread stiffness:
"the twist resistance of the C01 is a deliberate design decision and carry-over from the Fenix E01"

I think there is a slight misunderstanding about twist resistance, and threads

the stiffness of a twisty, and the amount of play in the threads is controlled by the O Ring
if you remove the O ring from a Fenix E01 (or any other twisty), you will see what I mean..
without the O ring there is slop in the threads, and very little twisting resistance
 
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slowtechstef

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

Great thread, thanks jon_slider!

One important distinction not mentioned in the opening post is the much lower current draw of the Sofirn C01 versus the (newer) Fenix E01, at >0.9 Volt or so. I encourage everyone to measure the current draw of their C01 and E01 with a DMM with different types of batteries with different open circuit voltages. The lower current draw of the C01 versus E01 is significant because it means longer regulated runtime, especially with NiMH batteries.

My unsubstantiated feeling is that on depleted batteries (<0.9 Volt) runtime is equivalent between E01 and C01 with their similarly reduced current draw in 'moonlight mode' (somewhere around 10-15 mA or so). Please only use alkaline cells when on dim 'battery vampire mode' with your E01/C01 as deep discharging is really effective in killing your NiMHs.
One other remark: in my opinion the Arc AAA is still the best looking of the whole bunch with its clean design :whistle:

Finally, I think it would be great if someone could compare the Sofirn C01 with a Maglite Marquis/Solitaire, which I believe was the first truly popular 1AAA flashlight; and in 2018 it is still available in the original 1988 incandescant version (2 lumens, 3.5 hours runtime on AAA alkaline, 7.5 USD, tailstand). Please correct me if I am wrong if there is another earlier 1AAA flashlight. So in my view the oldest flashlight DNA the C01 goes right back to the Solitaire. That said, perhaps it is an idea the broaden the thread title to "Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01 and similar flashlights"?
 

jon_slider

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One important distinction not mentioned in the opening post is the much lower current draw of the Sofirn C01 versus the (newer) Fenix E01
...
Please only use alkaline cells when on dim 'battery vampire mode' with your E01/C01

Great post, thanks for all your input.. title expanded, good suggestion :)
 

gurdygurds

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I don't even have the stinkin' thing yet but all this C01, E01, Solitaire, and the like talk has me back on the AAA wagon in a major way. Little lights are fun! I have more AAA Eneloops on the way to try to keep up!

EDIT: I tend to agree with Slowtechstef when it comes to the Arc AAA design. I like the minimalist design although the E01 and its two flats have grown on me.
 
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slowtechstef

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

and a comment about thread stiffness:
"the twist resistance of the C01 is a deliberate design decision and carry-over from the Fenix E01"

I think there is a slight misunderstanding about twist resistance, and threads

the stiffness of a twisty, and the amount of play in the threads is controlled by the O Ring
if you remove the O ring from a Fenix E01 (or any other twisty), you will see what I mean..
without the O ring there is slop in the threads, and very little twisting resistance

Thanks for pointing this out! You are absolutely right: remove the O-ring from the C01 and there is indeed almost no twisting resistance left.
I guess this also means that replacing the thick sturdy O-ring of the C01 with a thinner version, that would reduce the force needed to twist the light on and off.
 

Crazyeddiethefirst

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I am still waiting for my C01's to be delivered. I did want to point out that the E01 is now discontinued "officially" per Fenix. Many places still have E01's in stock. Fenix has said a replacement is in the works but no details yet. I have always had great respect for the E01's runtime and durability....
 

jon_slider

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E01 was my first keychain AAA

Ive become a total tint and CRI snob since then.
So the C01 is perfect for me, to give as a gift to newbies that I inflict my High CRI seminar on. (thats only partly a joke)

I do believe that Sofirn C01 is Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, whose
Ancestral DNA includes

Arc, McGizmo Sapphire, Fenix E01, Skylumen E01 w Yuji mod.. ...

can you think of other members of the C01 Family Tree?
Sapphire and the Skylumen both offer Yujis.
Sofirn C01 comes from excellent lineage.
 
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defloyd77

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E01 was my first keychain AAA

Ive become a total tint and CRI snob since then.
So the C01 is perfect for me, to give as a gift to newbies that I inflict my High CRI seminar on. (thats only partly a joke)

I do believe that Sofirn C01 is Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, whose
Ancestral DNA includes

Arc, McGizmo Sapphire, Fenix E01, Skylumen E01 w Yuji mod.. ...

can you think of other members of the C01 Family Tree?
Sapphire and the Skylumen both offer Yujis.
Sofirn C01 comes from excellent lineage.

Peak Matterhorn (I think that was the AAA one?) You could also include the Fenix E0 to that list.
 

defloyd77

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

Thanks for pointing this out! You are absolutely right: remove the O-ring from the C01 and there is indeed almost no twisting resistance left.
I guess this also means that replacing the thick sturdy O-ring of the C01 with a thinner version, that would reduce the force needed to twist the light on and off.

See if lubing under the o-ring helps at all, it really has helped me with some of my more stubborn to twist lights.
 

LeanBurn

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

For me, I will want the high resistance thicker o-ring. I like that it won't twist on or off in pocket or while I am moving around with it in my hands etc.
 

jon_slider

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

Peak Matterhorn (I think that was the AAA one?) You could also include the Fenix E0 to that list.

If anyone owns any of those lights, please feel free to post photos, especially side by side with the C01, and with beamshots :)

My Maratac twisties arrive with such tight Orings when new, that I cannot operate the light one handed. A bit of lube and a some repetitive twisting, will soon reduce the resistance and make the light easy enough to operate one handed, but still secure enough not to rotate in pocket.

Note that all twisties have some play in the threads, which creates a "feature" or a "bug" that will allow the light to be turned on by pressing on the head, if it has not been unscrewed enough.. This leads to false activation in pocket.. The cure is to unscrew a bit more.

When I want off, I mean OFF, not maybe.
 
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lampeDépêche

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Re: Compare and Contrast the Sofirn C01 to the Fenix E01

...One important distinction not mentioned in the opening post is the much lower current draw of the Sofirn C01 versus the (newer) Fenix E01, at >0.9 Volt or so. I encourage everyone to measure the current draw of their C01 and E01 with a DMM with different types of batteries with different open circuit voltages....

My unsubstantiated feeling is that on depleted batteries (<0.9 Volt) runtime is equivalent between E01 and C01 with their similarly reduced current draw in 'moonlight mode' (somewhere around 10-15 mA or so). ...

Thanks for the info on the moonlight current draw, slowtechstef!

I do not have a DMM to do the measurements, so I would love to know what you found on the full-brightness mode (sc. above 0.9v) for the comparison btw. Sofirn C01 and E01.

I am glad to hear that the Sofirn is dimmer--for a light like this, I think dimmer and longer-lasting is a good bargain.

("She took another sip from her glass, looked me in the eyes, and said, "I like my men the way I like my EDC lights: dim, and long-lasting." ")

I got my Sofirn C01 yesterday (ordered it around Nov.10), and I like it. So far as I can see, it has all of the virtues of the E01 plus a better tint (much better) and a better tail-end. Not only does it have the options for magnet and trit vial, but it does a more stable tail-stand. Also, the reflector *seems* to do a bit more focusing than the E01 reflector does? Hard to compare, but that would explain the slight hot-spot that has been reported with the new Sofirn.

Some time ago I modded two Gerber UI's with Yujis, one of them a 3200 and one a 5600. This Sofirn is rated at 5600, but looks *slightly* cooler than my cooler Gerber. Maybe just a matter of drive current? But the visible brightness is quite comparable, and I doubt that the Sofirn is driving it *harder* than the Gerber is. (Again, no DMM, so no can check.)

Personally -- and this is very much a matter of taste -- I don't think the cool Yuji is as delicious and special as the warm Yuji. It's a good tint, and a good CRI, but it does not give me the pure *pleasure* I get from the 3200 Yuji. That just makes everything look better, richer, more luminous, more deeply saturated in color. Of course, you do pay a penalty in output--I'd guess the 3200 is about 20% dimmer.

I have another pair of Sofirns coming from a second order, one of each tint. I suspect I'll use the warm tint more often, and keep the cool tints as back-ups in emergency kits.
 

this_is_nascar

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The Original Sofirn Intro Thread is here.

I started this thread you are reading, for comparisons.
Please share your thoughts on pros and cons of various AAA cockroach lights here in this thread.

Here are some similarities and differences

E01 uses AAA and has a Low CRI Cool White LED
C01 uses AAA and has a High CRI Cool White LED, plus a Warm White High CRI LED option.

E01 is potted
C01 is potted

E01 no pocket clip
C01 yes pocket cllip

E01 cost about $11
C01 cost about $7

E01 can be bought from USA stock and arrives within a week
C01 comes from China stock, and takes weeks to arrive.

E01 comes in several different colors
C01 comes in Black with red and blue expected soon.

E01 survives getting tossed off a building
C01 survives getting tossed off a building

E01 survives under water
C01 survives under water

E01 has no magnet hole
C01 does have a magnet hole

E01 has not trit slot
C01 does have a trit slot

E01 is a single mode twisty
C01 is a single mode twisty

E01 head works on C01 body
C01 head works on E01 body

keep it friendly :)

E01 has a history and proven track record of reliability, durability and performance.

C01 does not.
 

jon_slider

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well.. lots of happy people reporting lately

there is one guy complaining about the anodizing perling off like paint, and that the clip is rusty.. but i dont believe him. He has posted no pics

wear happens... it does not affect function

My first E01, ordered when they were just announced a decade ago. Not sure how well the wear shows on the pics, but it did a lot of keychain and pocket duty and has been dropped countless times.

IMG_5163_zpssdkwyxyi.jpg

Well......I got bored. And.....I had access to sandpaper...
43552506752_ca60aa15d1_z.jpg

and there is some talk about the contact area being smaller on the CO1, but no reports of failures.
E01 left, C01 right
27viM4m.png
 
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jon_slider

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Received my 2 Sofirn today

First impressions
Sofirn tailstands more easily, Fenix throws more.

weight w no battery and no clip
Sofirn 14.2 grams
Fenix 13.3 grams

The lumens measurements were all done using the same Lithium Primary, in the Fenix body, I just changed the heads for the lumens tests.
9FFIMHa.jpg


FxaIVmk.jpg


oGwMQMs.jpg


in this next photo you can get some idea that the Fenix has more throw
cjnW3Z1.jpg


Lumens
Sofirn C01 3200k 6.1 Lumens
Sofirn C01 5600k 9 lumens
Fenix E01 6000k 10.2 lumens

The beam on the Fenix is smaller, brighter, throws more and has a more concentrated hotspot.
Fenix has blue tinted hotspot
5600k Sofirn looks white and very floody, almost no hotspot
3200, Sofirn looks slightly orange and very floody, almost no hotspot

OIQ0GwH.png


it is 10 am by a window on an overcast day. I cannot see the beam of the sofirns on the ceiling, only the blue hotspot of the fenix is visible.
b2dVnLn.jpg


the 5600k sofirn has the most "natural" tint
MpPWb9e.jpg


another view of the beam shapes and hotspots
wWCzezZ.jpg


vBitumd.jpg



Test of looking under the bed, during the day, when my brain is White Balanced to Daylight.
The 5600k Yuji is my favorite. The Fenix blue tint and hotspot bothers me. The warm Yuji is too dim and warm, at this time of day.

More tests to follow tonight when I wake for the bathroom.. I suspect the warm Yuji will prevail in that application, but will update after real world testing.
 

lampeDépêche

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Received my 2 Sofirn today
...
Lumens
Sofirn C01 3200k 6.1 Lumens
Sofirn C01 5600k 9 lumens
Fenix E01 6000k 10.2 lumens
....

Okay, the 10% drop down from the E01 to the C01 5600k is compatible with what I am seeing. Roughly the same, but the Fenix definitely brighter.

But the 33% penalty in moving from the 5600k to the 3200k -- wow! That is quite a drop!

(or the 50% bonus in moving from the 3200k to the 5600k, if you're a glass-half-full kind of person).

I don't have my 3200k yet so I cannot confirm or deny.

But I do have a pair of Gerber Infinity Ultras that I modded, one with a 5600k Yuji and the other with a 3200k Yuji. And I would not have *said* that there was that much of a drop off in output from the cool to the warm.

On the other hand, I have never done any actual measurement, even via light-meter (much less integrating sphere), so my sense of their outputs is entirely impressionistic. And given how very different the *quality* of the light is, and the aesthetic experience of the light is, it is certainly possible that there is a 33% drop in output and I simply have not realized it.

Thanks for all of the measurements and photos, Jon! I am going to predict that come night-time, when your eyes rebalance, you are going to appreciate that 3200k a lot more. Wait till it turns all of your pastels into saturated jewel-tones. It's pretty magic.
 
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