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

As of this very moment, Lumintop is still waiting for the optics’ arrival so in the meantime, enjoy what you can enjoy from or with !!
:beer:

Oh crap, an actual update. Any very vague ETA on actual sales?

Sorry, not even an ETA of the optics!

Any other talk is speculative, and I avoid speculations!

Again, :beer:

We are hoping it will be 2019. Some of us predicted even the first half of 2019. Honestly though, we have absolutely no idea. Things all have to come together, and they haven’t yet. There could be more delays. A lot of us have been following this for a very long time. All we can do is be patient, and as said previously in this thread by a wise and patient person, enjoy the lights we do have, while we wait.

Yes, I have said this I believe at least twice already lol!

Chances are, how many of us here have lights still in their boxes, just tested, some even unopened?

I even have untested brand-new chargers!

Again, enjoy what’s in your inventory…while we wait for the next Paypal.

:beer:

Put me on the list for one!

If SST-20 4000K 95 CRI is an option, that’s what I’d prefer!

is it better in a triple optic vs the samsung then ?

Much higher throw, comparable to the XP-L HI, and much better red color rendition.

If you thought a R9050 emitter made everything look great, then an R9580 emitter is an absolute beauty outside.

Agreed!

ok sounds like a good choice if the samsung cant be sourced.

This may sound stupid, but what exactly do R9050 and R9580 refer to? I understand CRI, color temp, and tint binning, but I haven’t been able to find an explanation of these R values.

Basically, R means rating. Here are the numbers for say, an SST-20 95CRI.

R9580:

R95: CRI rating of 95 ran at 1A current.
R80: R9 rating of 80 minimum ran at 1A current. Basically how well reds are reproduced.

LEDs have quite a bit of trouble reproducing reds, so a high R9 rating(above 80), means it is guaranteed to reproduce reds very well.

It is specific naming of the Nichia company, R stands (I think) for rendering, 90 is minimal 90CRI, 50 is the R9 value (bright red rendering)

That makes perfect sense. Thank you both! I knew about R9 values, but didn’t know this was simply shorthand for CRI+R9.

Each LED manufacturer has their own style of bin codes. We are used to Cree, at least I am, so these other companies bin codes are a bit Greek to me. Lol

Well I’m a little confused about this R* code as well, the SST-20 is made by Luminus, and it doesn’t appear anywhere on their datasheet. Luminus calls this the SST-20-W40H (W=White, 40=4000k, H=95 CRI).

Personally I prefer a warm balanced light with less of an emphasis on total output. I find that cooler beams, while brighter to a machine, are less useful to me when I need them. You notice this especially outdoors, around dirt and trees. With a typical 60-70 CRI light everything is washed out and I lose a sense of depth. Trees look almost 2-dimensional.

Obviously, if you’re going for “pocket rocket” lumen records I think you’ll want to stick with an XP-L or something, but you’re not going to get a lot of throw out of a m-up light anyway.

Well, i am not impressed by SST20 , i just put one from KD in an A6 and had high hopes, since everybody seems to hype them, which made me think, let’s try one.

Now that i switched on the light with a fresh 30Q it was quite disappointing, i got hot very quick and the sheer output with the A6 driver and 20AWG seems to be lower then a stock S2+ SMO XPL Hi on 3A. (With the original thin wires…)

Maybe there is a better emitter available when the FW3A finally is available.

You mean,

Me too, now that the end looks near, where do I sign up?!

Of course. It’s a 95CRI 4000k small die emitter compared to a larger 70CRI average XP-L HI.