https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/7v1sri/carclo_optic_comparison/
The biggest problem with FW1A is their emitter choices assuming they stick with the same driver. Not having LH351D is going to limit them to (probably) XP-L HI, and XP-L HD - boring.
SST-20 will be pushing it into overcurrent with not very good lumen output
Nichia cant be driven DD
This flashlight would be a great gift. Therefor they should also find a solution to the retention ring issue.
This is why I’ve been looking into limiting turbo on my A6 drivers, haven’t got very far though as I keep getting distracted by new lights!
The same thing could possibly be done in Anduril, I’m guessing by changing the values in fsm-ramping.h. This would be a rather crude implementation though.
I’ve mentioned limiting turbo once before. Not sure if TK considered it at the time or if it’s even desirable or feasible. Who know’s, maybe it’s already been implemented and is waiting for the FW1A to be built!
I have an E01, since I made the firmware for it. It’s roughly the same size as an E07, and both are significantly larger than a FW3A. However, the E01 does have particularly good thermal performance. Here’s what I measured while testing its thermal regulation:
I don’t end up using it much though, since the beam is cool white and generally more throwy than I usually want. So I mostly use neutral white lights instead, with wider beams.
If you can’t see it step down, it simply has a smooth regulation algorithm. Most thermally-regulated lights these days adjust in steps too small to see by eye, so they need to be measured by a lux meter to determine whether they have stepped down. The E01 definitely falls into that category. It’s very difficult for a human to see a 50% change in output when it takes more than a minute to happen.
Maukka gave very detailed info about the performance of different optics in the FW3A: TLF/BLF/Lumintop FW3A review (18650, 3x XP-L HI cool white)
I thought we had resolved this already… Lumintop didn’t change the FW3A design away from what Fritz wanted. Fritz changed the design himself, and it’s still his.
Neale has a voting in his FB group about FW1A options and SS bezel is on top.
It would be nice if only heatsink/driver and bezel reflector in different materials could be offered to match current hosts
Limiting the turbo level by limiting the PWM duty cycle is not only feasible, it’s actively used in several lights. A few of Anduril’s build targets have a “219” version which does exactly that, in order to make them safe to run on lights with 219C or 219B emitters.
I think it’d be cool to be able to configure turbo similar the way the ramp floor and ceiling are configured. It’d need some sort of menu to designate raising or lowering though. Like setting turbo to 130 would effectively make the driver function like a moonlight special, not using the FET. And between 130 and 150 would be different FET levels. I’m not sure where between 130 and 150 half turbo is, but it’d be cool to play with and set it at an appropriate level to not blow up an SST-20 or something.
not interested at all
seems a throw variant not competitive with what’s out there.
and a tail switch…
I think there’s a button for that.
Ah yes I wasn’t thinking clearly, of course you’re right 
I think my original post was about a user configurable turbo through the UI.
Yeah that’s what I was thinking of. For same reason I didn’t re-engage my brain after writing about the A6.
Different strokes for different folks. And majority will determine the definive version(s), of course. However, there is one remark I would like to make. The post count is in the low forties and already opinions are drifting apart.
Some people would like to have an ultra flooder like the A6 and some want a much more throwing light. And the last will be a challenge if the dimensions are (already?) fixed to roughly 100mm length.
So I would suggest a TIR optic for the FW1A(C, CT, T).
My experience with TIR optics is that the beam is almost always quite good (intensity distribution, tint-shift).
And within the size limits even a thrower would be in reach if we use a clear narrow optic (8 degrees or less).
IMHO a FW1A with a short OP reflector would be nothing more than a crippled version of the FW3A.
Just my 2c.
Yes but at which point it is really his design ?
He made it but he also clearly declared earlier that this kind of angles won’t happen. Who pushed the idea of those angles ? People on BLF/TLF, Lumintop, both ?
Anyway, we will never know. The only thing that we know is that some people liked the early design and signed for it, so why not making a small run for them and for Fritz Works sake instead of pushing things further away of this original design ?
(Some people don’t use pocket clip).
Since this flashlight is more for the mass marked and non flashaholics it would be wise to somehow lock the retention ring in place with a simple lock solution, and at the same time it should be possible to lock it up using proper tools.
Anyway, I want a similar tail switch flashlight with tail magnet.
I’d consider buying this, but honestly the QC of FW3A is not impressive. My first light came with 1 led DOA, my second light behaves quite differently in a few aspects. Very different feel of the button, plus the need to tighten the heck out of it in order to work. Not to mention the optics fiasco.
On top of that the heat it produces is mindblowing. If they make a single LED with slightly longer head, would that mean there’s gonna be less heat?
I have a Sofirn SP32A V2 which I use to walk the dog recently and it feels way better than the FW3A. Certainly less flood, but enough for the task, plus it heats up way less, even on turbo.
Also a dedicated battery level indicator would be nice.
If this comes in the raw aluminium finish I will definitely buy it.
They should just make the reflector the same size as regularly available Yajiamei Optics. You get plenty of 3535 and 5050 types. It could make this light very customizable…. I would definitely run a Luxeon V 4000K or SST-40 5000K (from Simon) in the FW1A.
Does the existence of this mean a future single emitter EDC18 is possible?
I.e. an 18650 version of the EDC05?