FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

As I said a couple days ago…

Your initial request was Jan 9th, that’s why you don’t see your name on the list yet.

5D is 4000K, correct? We’re supposed to see the XP-L HI in 5000K, so maybe 3A (most common availability I see).

Whoops, I missed that. Thank you.

I thought it XPL HI 3D? Would be great but I am probably wrong.

Please increase my order from one light to two — one of each emitter type.

Thanks to all the fine folks making this design happen — greatly appreciate all of your hard work.

Please add me for one with LH351D

Many thanks to the people who spend their time so we can all get a nice torch !

The OP states XPL HI 3D, though I prefer the XPL HI 5D from IOS/MtnE - the best tint I've seen - milky white, consistent thru the hot spot, corona and flood. Been using the 5D's is a few mods and loving them -- just my opinion of course

Ah, and therein lies the rub… anyone answering tint questions answers in a subjective manner in relation to their own perception and perspective. Take Blue Swords answer above as an example, I totally disagree and would immediately pull any 4000K emitters I got in a light and do so every time. 5D is way too warm for me as well. 3D is as low as I’d go, ever. So it’s completely in the eye of the beholder. The LH351D in W6 5000K is a nice white emitter, it doesn’t throw like the domeless HI but it’s hot spot is well defined and it doesn’t have the artifacts of a Cree emitter, HD or HI either one.

Y’all know I build a lot of lights. I get Cree emitters as needed and keep my fingers crossed. I order Samsung LH351D’s by the 20’s, 30’s, even 50’s. Just got 30 in a week or so ago. That’s my testament to the Samsung emitters… and of course just my opinion. :wink: The other glaring praise for the Samsungs for me is that I have them in my Titanium/Copper scratch made EDC Quad. The beam profile is a pleasure every time I use it, love em! As an 18500 sized quad, I don’t expect it to have a great amount of throw and that’s not how it’s used. I would think the FW3A would fit in the same category, an EDC close range light that is used nearly daily for the every day little drops and losses, nuts and bolts, keys, pocket change, the normal little things that make it worth having a light on hand all the time. But again, that’s my take and everyone else’s may diverge quite broadly….

We often use the terms loosely, but I’d argue that “tint” specifically refers to up/down movement away from the blackbody line. Pinkish and greenish are tints. You’re talking about CCT, which doesn’t have such a handy one-word descriptor, but is largely left-right movement along the blackbody line. Technically both are subjective, but there’s a lot more agreement about ideal tint than there is about ideal CCT. Indeed, 3D and 5D being both below the blackbody line, you seem to agree with Tom about tint.

I prefer an “A” or “D” as far as the black body Locus is concerned. Below or ideally, at, the line. But we seldom get our choice in these matters.

So I agree with Tom in the choice of a D, not in the choice of a 5. 2A or 3A would be my preference most of the time. I prefer white, no tint. No green or blue or purple or pink or orange or rose or brown, just white.

My Avatar is in color, by the way. 17 emitters, in moon mode. White. Or very close to it.

Perfection.

I am in complete agreement with DB Custom on this. I don’t think it could be said any clearer or more concisely…. so nothing else need be said, or ’attempted’ to be said; by me.

DB Custom’s Avatar.
“17 emitters, in moon mode. White. Or very close to it.”

True Neutral WhiteX°-tm / White, no tint. No green or blue or purple or pink or orange or rose or brown, just WHITE... as much as possible.

Thanks for the input! Greatly appreciated.

DB….thanks very much for the time and input! And for making my decision all the more difficult. I originally had an Emisar D4 with the XP-G2 and sold it to buy the XP-L HI for better output with a little less heat. Thought that’d be the way I went here too as I’ve liked the 3D version on it, and the slightly better throw just for those “just because” moments. BUT….reading your comments on the LH351D’s……not so sure now. Do I just buy one of those? Do I go one of each? TWO of the LH351D’s because of the price… Gahhhh! If only unlimited funds were at my disposal….

I wish there was an option for a pure white version. Not too fond of warm or neutral tint.

How do ya think I ended up with over 200 lights on my shelves and some 550-600 lights worked on under my belt? There are no easy answers, the Leatherman tool or Swiss Army Knife conundrum but in flashlights. :wink:

Oh, and to help with Teacher’s copy/paste… this not only lets you see each emitter choice more clearly but also labels them for clarity… clearly none of these are as pure white as I’d like but the overall mix actually works quite well in use.

As far as I am concerned… Neutral ’should’ be “Pure White”, as close as possible; without adding warm or cool tints.

Very nice ‘visual aid’ DB Custom, thank you for sharing that info & explanation. :+1:

I don’t think there is any consensus on what pure white is any more than what neutral white is or where cool white starts. All of it seems to vary a good bit from person to person

Easy enough to say, another story to source actual emitters that fill the bill. And then there are the High CRI demands of a fine EDC light. Pretty tricky, yes?

The thing is, even if/when you find the perfect emitter by your own standard… finding it again might prove to be a futile effort. Re-ordering the exact same binning from the exact same supplier more often than not ends in a very frustrating chase to duplicate that original find. It’s because they are made in a wide array and slotted into bins with quite a wide variance. Luck of the draw then, as it were. Unless you want to buy a huge overage and cherry pick the exact ones that suit your need. But of course, this is not usually something that is feasible. Pay Vinh to do it, one way, about the only way really. . .