EDC-able, CR123, High CRI, Neutral White, decent distance

What about the new S MINI high CRI from Olight ? It has everything you need.

Here’s a review: Olight S1 Mini High CRI Review

I have a couple of 18350s lying around. Not ideal but let’s see how it is.

Thank you for your suggestion. I did consider this but it’s not the perfect one for me. With it’s 5500k, it’s too cool (no pun intended) for me.

well… after reviewing your post history, I see you have owned HDS Rotary, Haiku, Sinner, and many others, yet you are still searching…

there must be a few criteria (size? weight? beam?) that are causing you to keep looking… at least now you want High CRI

I note you dislike Green Tint, I do too. Hope to hear if you find the SST-20 in the D4 not too green

most of the lights you bought have just 3 or 4 modes

imo the HDS Rotary has the most intuitive and flexible UI… I suggest you get it modded to an N219b 4500k 9080 (or do you find the HDS too large and heavy?)

you are not far from CRX, he is an exceptional modder, the trick is to find an N219b… the 4500k 9080 is the pick of the litter imo. Not sure which host you would prefer for it.

Im carrying an N219b 4500k 9080 in a Jetbeam RRT-01 magnetic rotary. It weights almost half as much as my HDS Rotary. I like the RRT-01 UI better.

you seem to favor expensive lights, and seem to like titanium… the Niteye Eye10 TIC might be your cup of tea, with a Nichia 219b LED mod it would be unbeatable imo… My RRT-01 (same light, but not Titanium) makes over 350 lumens, more than any HDS, and the low is also lower than any HDS… Plus the grip to use the light is imo much more comfortable, and there is no need to push a button before turning the dial…
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?346026

Yes, good points, and i prefer rechargeable high power cells too.
But for example for a woman’s purse, a small CR123A light is great for the rare times that you need it.
The battery will last like 10 years maybe, when you only use it a few times a year.
Or having a CR123A light in the glove compartment of a car can also be good for 10 years when it’s only for emergencies or other rare occasions.

Klarus does make a high-CRI Mi1C with a 5000K 219C if the D4’s form factor ends up not working out. Its UI may leave a bit to be desired though.

? 16340s?

“It does work with 16340s, although with reduced performance.”

He’s referring to the D4. It acts better with the Aspire/Vapcell…1100mAh (10A) or with the high drain 18650s than with the 16340s (3A) !

How about a Tana H17f programmable module w High Cri for your McGizmo Haiku? (no USA shipping)

if you add a Sundrop XRU head to your kit, you will have all the bases covered, flood and throw.

Heads and LED modules are interchangeable.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?418984

The Aspheric Sundrop beam is vastly more consistent across the beam, than any reflector based beam with a hotspot, like the Haiku and HDS you already have.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?444422

[QUOTE=eala;5190768]

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Doesn’t that light use an aspheric lens?

McGizmos are modular
you can mix and match bodies, heads, and light engines
No the Haiku does not use an aspheric lens
Yes the Sundrop does use an aspheric lens

I LOVE Aspheric lenses for indoor and close range use. The lack of a hotspot makes them fantastic work lights, and also produce excellent even illumination for photos.

Here are photos of McGizmo beams with various heads and LEDs

and Sundrop compared to Mule

It was also Low CRI

You still have a Haiku, just swap the light engine to High CRI
you have Tana to sell you other light engines, and you have CRX who can mod anything, living nearby

I vote for you buying a complete Sundrop with Nichia 083 from Don.

but if you dont want to order from US, buy the H17f light engine from Tana, w N219b, and stick it in your Haiku…

instant High CRI Haiku…

I would not recommend you any more light with CR123/16340. I would endorse lights with 18350.
The reason is simple: 16340 was a very reasonable size about 10 years ago. But actually the lights are so powerful that you have to change (or charge) battery very fast. 18350 has got much more capacity but is only a very little bit bigger.

Part of the search is not necessarily because I am unhappy with my collection, but it’s as much an addiction as it is a “desire for better” all the time.

My criteria for this particular search is: 1: High CRI 2: 4000-5000k 3: HAS to be pocketable for all me scenarios 4: Initially it’s an area light but I would prefer it to have some throw also 5: Dont want/need extra/silly modes (strobes, SOS etc etc)

- I still own my HDS Rotary, and I love it. When I bought it I didn’t have as much knowledge/experience as I do now so I didn’t realise I would eventually grow to dislike cool white as my main light use.

- Still have my Haiku (XPG2 warmer version, got rid of my XML2 cooler version). Love this light, and I still use it, it’s almost perfect except for the fact it’s not EDC-able for me. 2 main reasons for this, firstly it’s slightly on the larger side - so I can’t use it on every occasion. Secondly it’s expensive and I want my EDC such that I don’t mind allowing others to use it.

- Sinner I got rid of very very quickly. It didn’t offer (for me) more than what my Manker E14 Nichia light offered (as far as funcionality is concerned). Yes it was shorter but also fatter being a 18350, so still not as pocketable as a 16340.

- I hate green tint. I want as completely as neutral as possible.

- For my purposes I don’t REALLY need more than 4 modes. I love the HDS Rotary system because of the infinite adjustability of the light - but that rotary function is not readily available. I understand now we have drivers with ramping, which I hope to try.

- I didn’t realise I could get my HDS rotary modded, I thought it was supposed to be a ballache? Even though I do use my HDS, and I love it for what it can do, every time I do use it I always think to myself (I hate this cool white). So that will definitely be on my list to do, at some point, thank you.

- What is the CRI of this N219b 9080? And the upper limit of it’s brightness/lumens, (at a safe level so it can last - not a 30 second burst mode)?

- I went through a period of trying a whole bunch of different lights. IMHO it’s the only way to find out what you really like. Titanium is nice and I am drawn to it but I would not prefer it over functionality. As far as favouring expensive lights, I wouldn’t say that either. Again, it was a period of buying a whole bunch of lights and I wanted to see what an expensive light is like compared to a cheap(er) light. I will not run from an expensive light now, but I am much less drawn towards them UNLESS they will offer something that is clearly better than what a cheaper light can do. In this day however, that’s becoming harder and harder for a more expensive light to do. With access to such cheap hosts, good emitters and great modders, it’s almost a no brainer.

- Where is CRX based?

- I have a module from Tana. A triple Nichia emitter, no reflector, in a modded Surefire 6P host. I LOVE this thing, but obviously it’s designed for closeup, having no throw at all. And not pocketable clearly.

Thank you for your advice. I will look into Niteye Eye10, and the RRT-01 (which brand is this one?).

And I will look into the Sundrop you suggested also.

CR123A battery based lights are not good for long run time. Lights drop output and run hot. Unless you have multiple CR123A batteries then flashlight will eat these up.

Ironically, I sold off my lone CR123A light BUT got 1 return of purchase.

Perhaps I need to change to 18350s? But they are not readily pocketable in some scenarios for me?

Why not? They are only just a small little bit more in volume.

Perhaps I’ve not seen a “slim” version of an 18350? All the ones I have seen are quite bulky.

I like to take it to work, and for work I have to wear smart trousers. A bulky light is quite uncomfortable.

That’s why I recommended to you to buy some 18350s.

Plop them in if you really need some power/runtime.

Otherwise, just stick to 16340s most of the time when you don’t need super high power.

Any specific 18350 people recommend?

This one: