I find 1 x AAA perfect for EDC, and my 348s are my most carried lights. I have one BLF 348 with a Nichia 219c, two with LH351Bs (3000K and 3500K), and another couple waiting for emitter swaps. I love how slim they are, the tail-clicky is easy to use and never activates in may pocket, and one mode is perfectly adequate. Unfortunately the clips are useless and the switches don’t fare well in the washing machine, but I haven’t lost one yet.
I think I once on BLF that said something to the effect of “If there are two otherwise identical flashlights but one is branded Skywolfeye, the Skywolfeye will somehow be worse” but you’ve piqued my interest. I’ve ordered a B16 plus a sacrificial single-mode light to harvest the driver from. Do you have a driver in mind for yours?
If I do it it will probably be MTN-10DD because it runs BLF UI and compared to other options (like having someone build a wight driver for me) - cheap.
Neutral White can be Low CRI or it can be High CRI
4000k is part of Neutral White range.
Cool white lights are almost never High CRI.
This is a complex subject, involving multiple variables including Color Temperature, Tint, and CRI.
yes a 4000k 219b would be a good place to start. They are Neutral White, with pink tint, and High CRI.
Whether you notice the pink tint depends on the time of day. At night you wont see it, during the day you might. This is a complex subject involving the White Balance of your brain, in response to ambient light color temperature.
welcome to the exploration
here are a few photos to help you see color temperature differences
these are all High CRI (warm, neutral, and cool whites)
these are all High CRI Neutral White (but different Tints)
I could go on, but this may not be the right thread for it. If you search my posts you will find many many photos, as Ive spent a lot of time comparing LEDs.
enjoy the process of discovering what LEDs you like.
My favorite aaa is the original Foursevens Preon 1, with an added clicky. It is 3 1/4” long, 1/2” wide, titanium with a red aluminum body. It will run on a 10440, putting out ~ 360 lumens on high. I have carried it for ten years and though I am always looking I have never found one better. I expect it will be in my pocket until death do us part.
Honestly I don’t use any of my aaa enough to recommend. If I was to get another I would look for neutral tint and enough efficiency for very long runtime.
Maratac Cu AAA Rev.2 circa summer 2012. Two perfect modes: dim (~1.5 lum.) and “bright enough” ~70 lumens. Perfect regulation and near-class leading efficiency.
Manufacturers have pushed AAA drivers too hard the past 6 years or so IMO, and efficiency has taken a back seat to peak output.
For Aesthetics.
Beam colour and feel in hand. x 200% on most others.
The Astrolux AO1 219B or c.
For ugliness and wierd shape. The Tool AAA.
End switch. Twisty and end cap circuit breaker??.
Nicely Bright.
but a wierd blend of multiple controls…
For Just being my fav Small Copper light,
My O’Light i3T EOS Copper.
Weighty. Great Shape and beautiful blended copper shades.
NOT órrible and shiny bright. Yuk…
With my Jetbeam Jet-1 MK Pro,
Still being the fav of my AA’s.
I really like the Wuben E01. It’s what I always EDC regardless if I have an 18650 light with me. No memory, always starts on low. Only thing I hate about it is 2 quick taps goes to SOS mode so you can’t change modes very quickly. It’s basically a Tool AAA with a different UI. It really needs a dc fix though even with an emitter swap IMHO.
My favorite LED during the day is the sw45k on the right
At night my favorite is the 3500k E21a on the left
I spent a lot of time with 219b 4000k, in the middle, but now I dont use it and prefer the other two