Ok, I’ve just fitted a CREE XB-D to my Trustfire Z8.
Bit of history, I was one of the few quite pleased with my stock Z8, although I found it a little too cool. On my old DMM it pull 1.82A with the XM-L in it. However I replaced it with a Nichia219, it now only pulled 0.98A (different DMM) and had clearly lost a number of lumens, but the CRI was brilliant and it worked ok.
Sadly while buggering about with some TIR optics I managed to break the dome off of the Nichia
As a cheap replacement I ordered the CREE XB-D Q5 3C from Int’l Outdoor:
http://intl-outdoor.com/cree-xbd-q5-3c-minimum-80-cri-led-16mm-mcpcb-p-731.html
It arrived yesterday, so I promptly fitted it. The Z8 is still running the stock driver, so is H-L-Strobe, dodgy memory and PWM on Low.
It’s now pulling 1.18A on an eFest IMR 14500.
Impressions:
-Really nice tint. It actually has to be one of the best CREE tints I’ve got.
-Very good CRI. I know this shouldn’t be close the Nichia, but I’ll be honest and say it doesn’t seem a whole heap different to the eye.
-Brighter than the Nichia, but maybe still lacking a bit.
-It focuses down to a round LED die image with a duller centre in a sort of ‘x’ shape. Defocus is slightly though and it’s almost a perfect even circle.
I thought I’d compare it to one of my SK68’s, so I picked the brightest of the ones I have. Running the same IMR efest 14500 this XR-E SK68 was pulling around 1.31A on my DMM.
Z8 XB-D on the left —- SK68 XR-E on the right:
On flood the SK68 is marginally brighter maybe, although it’s much cooler with much worse CRI. For close up stuff such as working on a computer or lighting something up to photograph the XB-D is rather nice.
Throw wise, they are more closely matched than I’d have thought. I personally like the round rather than square LED image. Although the XB-D does seem to focus down to a smaller size in the Z8. The SK68 just out throws it, but it’s not by much.
I’ll attempt to get some outdoor photos if I get chance.
Overall as a “quick fix” I’m quite impressed with the XB-D and it certainly hasn’t seemed a downgrade. It does seem to be being driven less hard than the SK68’s I have, so that may also explain why it’s a little down in lumens. But I’d certainly consider this LED for another build and the tint is just wonderful.