When will BLF bring out their own Headlamp????

Maybe, but I have my suspicions about anything from that generation of Cree products actually being nice.

I’m not sure where to get a 90 CRI XHP70.2 in small quantities, but I did recently pick up an 80 CRI from Arrow. I still haven’t managed to get the bezel off the light I want to put it in, so I have no idea how it looks. Previous-generation 90 CRI XHP70s look good.

From my understanding 50 vs 50.2 and 70 vs 70.2 is just the gaps between the different quadrants of the emitter filled in, but also bad tint and shift because of that? Also frosted/diffused optice would solve the issue of seeing those lines in the beam pattern on the original non-.2 versions right?

Materials + machining + battery carrier construction + shipping. My light (MT07S) uses boost driver, but it’s indeed not space-limited.

You got your point, indeed driver on such lamp must be much more expensive.

But I did 2 calculations:

  1. MT07S + MTN boost driver = $70. Remove the stock driver and the differences on materials + machining + battery carrier construction + shipping. Add a headband. A deal as good as the HKL one could be significantly below $70.
  2. Host $15 + driver $25 + LED $10 + $2 headband = $52.

They make me believe that there’s a space to offer cheaper single cell 18650 lights. Headlights included.

No, they are entirely different construction. So called “flip-chip”.
Read this, it’s about another LED but the points are the same.

Higher efficiency, more output, less power draw, less heat, better thermal resistance, higher power handling, etc.

I did some more thinking and calculations on the lightweight, cheap, efficient variant that I’d like to see.

Triple Samsung LH351D would offer very good efficiency per dollar. Would be very floody. Which is good for some, but definitely not for all. Another emitter choice would be easy with the standard XP footprint though.

With CRI70 5000k, 1000 lm OTF achievable at about 2.1A. Vf is 2.92 then, slightly too high for a buck driver but not terrible. In lower modes it’s going to be a bit better.
About 150 lm/W at 1000 lm OTF.
At 250 lm OTF it should exceed 200 lm/W.

Shouldn’t cost more than FW3A.

Going with quad (and preferably 22 mm TIR like Manker) would add some cost, weight and size. But would give the same 1000 lm with 2A. Vf drops down to 2.84 for a bit longer regulation, efficiency goes up to about 165 lm/W.
Same 200 lm/W at about 340 lm OTF.

CRI90 5000k causes 17% output and efficiency loss. Warmer is less efficient still.

ADDED:
XHP70.2 P2 would do roughly 175 lm/W at 1000 lm. That’s 2 hours on a single cell. And 200 lm/W at 450 lm. And may exceed 210 lm/W at lower modes.
So it seems better, but costlier. The cost difference may not be very bad with a low-power driver though. Very floody as well and fixing that would be harder than with LH351D.

The MT07S uses a 4S battery configuration, a 6V emitter, and a buck driver.

Seems I don’t have a good day…
I stand corrected, thank you for keeping me straight. That error doesn’t seem to affect the other things that I wrote in that post though.

If you build/design it they will come. Just like the lantern!

I really like headlamps but I just use a head strap and put one of my other lights in it, usually C8 size. That setup works really well.

Maybe something in a small box size type setup, that would be cool maybe.

I am interested in two depending on price can you please put me on the list………. lol :smiley:

In for a headlamp! 3500k option, xhp50.2, ramping, yes pls!!!

C8 size!? On your head!? :open_mouth:

I have a headbands with a BLF D80, and a BLF X6 (I think that’s the model) which is nearly always on them. I use it for just about everything like grilling at night, walking the area around my house, camping, hunting, and all kinds of things like that.

Would love a high CRI, ‘floody spot beam’, L or T format 18650 with ramping UI.

An optional remote battery pack which used a dummy 18650 inside the body as the contacts with a wire through the tailcap to a 4P 18650 pack would be awesome.

Something like this could be worn on sternum or arm or leg or strapped to a pack or…?

Great idea!

What I’d like to see if someone ever makes one:

- As light as possible. The skilhunt H03 is only 44g for an 18650. By rough surface area comparisons an AA body should be around 30g or so (1oz). With a battery goal would be around 2oz.

- 14500/AA powered

- Focus on very long runtimes for travel, particularly at modest levels like: 1, 30, 50 lumens.

- Not sure best way to do it, but would love to have flood and throw separately. Like an XM-L2 for flood and XP-L HI or XP-G2/G3 for throw.

- Headband should not have the third annoying top piece

  • Under $30

2023

BLF Nichia headlamps/multipurpose lights please.

My current caving setup are two h03s mounted to the helmet. One with 219c 4000k 60° optic and the other with xpl-hi 4000k 20° optic. I love both and can even combine them to have a pleasant flood+throw beam with not so distinct tint shift. I think I got lucky with tint lottery. Difference in CRI is evident if one looks closely but I don’t mind.

How about those quad e21s that clemence sells? I’ve read only great things about them. I think he has got a winner in his Armytek C1 Pro mod with a an extra 18650 tube option. Add more output for turbo, better UI, the ability to swap available optics or reflectors and I think this would be a superb light for enthusiasts and non enthusiasts alike. Even those who have no need for headlamps.

Maybe even offer it as a host where blfers can easily put in their preferred emitters, optics and drivers? And a double mount for those needing both flood and throw in one headlamp. I don’t think 2 shorties would be that heavy on the head and heat would be managed better when both are running at the same time.

Any photos of these in action?

Good to see a beam addict like me :beer: - I already expressed my thoughts for a customizable headlamp here.

The E21A quads, that I bought from Clemence, are doing a great service for me. I modified 3 Skilhunt H03 headlamps with those (2000K, 4000K and 5000K CCT emitters each). They are very floody with the H03 optics, but this makes them an incredibly good reading /close range working/ lights (The 2000K is a whole different story - it is also very useful for amatheur astronomers out in the field, as it only barely harms one’s dark adapted eyesight, while it gives far more visual information, than a single 630nm red LED /also, it peaks around 650nm/).

I’ll plan to make a throwy OP reflector build as well - high CRI throwers are truly spectacular (I really want one or more with an E21A quad).

Easily interchangeable mcpcb/optic would be great… unscrew the bezel to access triple or quad optic and mcpcb.