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

I posted measurements for both here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/c6vfe5/review_lumintop_fw3a_sst20_with_colour/

Mine just randomly showed up today! DHL and USPS never showed any tracking. A few observations.
The UCL lens does nice but minor changes to the tint.
The SST-20 is very neutral considering it’s CRI is great!
My nubbin stays in the boot and is not apt to jumping out.
My rear spring is soldered nicely, there is plenty of clearance over the trace, all three pads are soldered flat, and the sharp of the spring is on a pad.
The switch was nice and clean, I just replaced the kapton tape with mine which is wide enough to cover the entire metal switch.
I did need to slightly move the driver. When tightening the head tight it would switch on it’s own, when just snug it was fine though.
There was some solder running around freely under the optic. I used a nylon spudger and carefully removed both pieces. Everything else looked fairly clean, but I will clean once I have cotton swabs.
The switch feels really nice, but is a bit sensitive. I will be trying some stuff mentioned to tune it.

That greenish XPL HI is definitely not a 3D tint. I have 3A and 3D tint and there is no green at all. My 5A and 5D tint Cree emitters are rosier than the SST20 FD2. Lumintop probably got duped by their supplier

That’s unfortunately the best explanation I’ve heard for why the “3D” on the FW3A looks so gross.

Just remember the camera lies , why am I defending the FW3a ,I hate everything about it :smiley:

UCL lens usually doesn’t change tint “that” much unless the stock lens bumps up the DUV significantly. The UCL lens basically measures about the same as no lens in terms of tint change. To see how much rosier it would be to swap in a UCL lens, I take tint measurements of with and without stock lens. If DUV drops then that means it’s worth it to get the UCL lens. Most flashlights will see about a –0.0005 to –0.0020 reduction in DUV making for a rosier tint. An exception is the Emisar/Noctigon series lights that see about no change in DUV. I think the lens Hank uses is the same as the UCL lens. Another proof that Hank uses premium quality parts.

Just recieved tracking for mine today.

Regarding Emisar, I found this to be true with my first D4 and D4S, but the 2nd D4S I got a few months ago had a significantly worse lens that definitely caused a green shift. Replacing it with a non-coated lens made a huge different in tint.

Oh that’s bad news. My D4S I bought when it was first release had a perfect lens. The quad optic, despite being stellar at throw, is what makes things green. I measured it to increase DUV about 0.006, which is why my SST-20 3000K version doesn’t have the nice rosy look as my other SST-20 3000K lights.

There’s something strangely hypnotic about that gif. :stuck_out_tongue:

WOW. That looks sweet. Did you do the patina yourself?

Only insofar as handling the light. I did nothing to force the patina.

Can you perhaps post a picture of the light in natural light? Maybe a picture taken outdoors? I know artificial light makes the patina look more prominent.

SKV89, when you say you have a 3D tint, do you mean a FW3A in 3D or that emitter in a different light?

I got the FW3A 3D and it’s rosy as heck. No trace of green at all. Even folks that don’t know about leds say it’s noticably pinkish. I got one of the early FW3A’s. Maybe they switched to a different batch of “3D” emitters which are noticeably less pink and more green. Maybe instead of 3D, they are 3B or 3C? IDK, I’m just theorizing.

I don’t have the FW3A 3D tint. I read several people say the 3D tint in the FW3A is greenish like in that screenshot you quoted, which is why I say Lumintop might have gotten duped. The 3A and 3D tints I seen in person are all rosy.

If I remember, I’ll take on in the morning. FWIW, I took that using a Viltrox FA-D10 at 4000K.

I got 2 x FW3A 3D’s early on in the GB and sadly mine are not rosy at all. :frowning:
They look like the picture above with the ‘greenish’ tint. :person_facepalming:
Oh well……

Anyone else happy with the 7A tint? It’s rosy AF!

I love the tint of my 7A.

I guess I like rosy!

As indicated, the right, rosy tint is from my FW3C with SST-20 4000K 95CRI.