When I look at this:
I see that it shows some marks but very poorly. So maybe the issue is that it generates a lot of visible light (luminous body doesn’t help) relatively to amount of UV?
Then ZWB2 should help….but it didn’t…I don’t know.
When I look at this:
[…]
I see that it shows some marks but very poorly. So maybe the issue is that it generates a lot of visible light (luminous body doesn’t help) relatively to amount of UV?
Then ZWB2 should help….but it didn’t…I don’t know.
Yup, there are only 2 or 3 small marks that could be seen, but nothing like the the other UV led form the Tool AA!
This A8 doesn’t have the luminous body, that one is the A5 So that part of glowing doesn’t interfere with that! The body is transparent, but even with the UV filter it doesn’t get different if front of it! Later today I will try to show it on a picture!
I guess it has to do with the UV LED used
When I look at the picture when you light it up with UV – it seems to be glowing blue. Not much and surely not nearly as much as A5 – but seems to be glowing.
When I look at the picture when you light it up with UV – it seems to be glowing blue. Not much and surely not nearly as much as A5 – but seems to be glowing.
Hum, I guess that the blue is somehow a reflex of the UV in the polycarbonate fiber, but it surely doesn’t glow
Actually, recently I added a stripe of GITD tape to locate in darkness, as it doesn’t absorb any light, at least not to the point of glowing.
X3 wrote:
Maybe EU banknotes only reacts to 365nm and the A8 uses a 405nm ?
According to specs it uses a 365nm LED! But…it’s the specs. I have another UV light (SK68 clone) that uses a 395 nm LED and emits a more purple light. The one from the Aurora A8 seems closer to that and not from the Nichia UV
Just got mine, with blue/red/amber. Seeing the results of the UV version, I’m glad I passed on that. The A8 is little smaller than I was imagining. In the past, what I’d sometimes do is take some stiff paper or cardboard and cut out shapes to then assemble and get a feel for the sizing. I didn’t do that here. I’m amazed at how small it actually is. A good thing, though!
I like this whole concept of a translucent polycarbonate shell. It’s “skeleton” like without showing off too much. And then one polished side for the emitters to shine through. I’m curious to see how well it holds up over time when coming into contact with blunt metal objects.
The UI takes a little getting used to, but easy to adopt. As opposed to having a lockout with various challenges, I find the RovyVon approach of a double-click for ON to be quite workable. I do not mind long-press for off. It’s pretty brief. PLUS… if the light is on for more than 180 seconds, a single press will turn it off. A secondary safeguard in the rare case of accidental activation.
Just one oddity… upon close examination, I found something curious. At first I thought it was a small shaving of polycarbonite caught inside the plastic, but it was stuck to the inside of the polished surface.
I dropped the A8 on a hard wooden floor, and the particle disappeared. It must have been some random particle that lodged itself in just the right spot for me to notice it. It’s gone out of view now. Even still, it’s so small and doesn’t really obstruct the emitters, so if it comes back I probably won’t even notice it.
If you take your Tool with ZWB2 filter and turn it on at Aurora – does the side white LED start to shine? If it does – the host passes the UV light which excites the phosphor. If it doesn’t – the host blocks UV.
You could also try to take ZWB2 filter and put in front of Aurora’s UV emitter and see how does it work…
If you take your Tool with ZWB2 filter and turn it on at Aurora – does the side white LED start to shine? If it does – the host passes the UV light which excites the phosphor. If it doesn’t – the host blocks UV.
You could also try to take ZWB2 filter and put in front of Aurora’s UV emitter and see how does it work…
Phosphor is primarily excited by blue light.
We use 172nm UV to excite phosphors in our excimer lamps, but longer UV wavelengths will love also excite phosphors.
If I understand your methodology correctly you are suggesting using the zwb2 filter to filter out everything BUT UV and still see if it excites the phosphor? Because the phosphor is also excited (primarily blue) by UV you need to cut everything that is not.
Here it is next to some AAA flashlights (top to bottom: Astrolux A01, Thrunite Ti3 (my EDC), Aurora A8, Sofirn C01, Manker E02). Diameter is same as Thrunite and Sofirn.
I like the UI (1 click for tactical, 2 cicks for moonlight then cycle L-M-H, 3 clicks for UV side light then cycle red-red flash-UV, 4 clicks for white/reading sidelight).
I got the Aurora because I wanted to try the white sidelight, as something I use on a desk without a diffuser.
Here it is next to some AAA flashlights (top to bottom: Astrolux A01, Thrunite Ti3 (my EDC), Aurora A8, Sofirn C01, Manker E02). Diameter is same as Thrunite and Sofirn.
I like the UI (1 click for tactical, 2 cicks for moonlight then cycle L-M-H, 3 clicks for UV side light then cycle red-red flash-UV, 4 clicks for white/reading sidelight).
I got the Aurora because I wanted to try the white sidelight, as something I use on a desk without a diffuser.
Eheh, glad you like it It is a sweet little light How do you like the side (white) light ?! I’m carrying both the A5 and A8, love them
Yes polycarbonate blocks UV. That’s why it’s used to make sunglasses. Not a good material for a UV flashlight.
It’s appearing blue in some pictures because the camera’s UV filter isn’t filtering out all the UV, and the UV is being captured by the blue pixels. Same with infrared light.
Rovyvon’s build quality is actually quite good, and their designs are innovative. It’s a shame their website and manual do a terrible job of explaining the modes and levels. It’s so simple, right? What modes do the side emitters in the A8 UV have?
UV
Constant red
Blinking red
White/reading light
This is 4. Four.
MascaratumB wrote:
According to specs it uses a 365nm LED! But…it’s the specs. I have another UV light (SK68 clone) that uses a 395 nm LED and emits a more purple light. The one from the Aurora A8 seems closer to that and not from the Nichia UV
Why the heck are there only 2 entries in the table:
365nm/1h
12Lm/3h
Not to mention the fact that the lumens/runtime specs are not available from them directly.
Why the heck are there only 2 entries in the table:
365nm/1h
12Lm/3h
Not to mention the fact that the lumens/runtime specs are not available from them directly.
Hum, I hadn’t notice that the specs for the White LED were missing
You are right, the side white Led has no runtime on this table! Maybe it will be a little like the amber light? I don’t know if their level of battery consuming will be similar or not
I guess I didn’t understand correctly your last sentence! What do you mean by not being available from them directly?
Maybe it is too early for my brain to understand
I guess I didn’t understand correctly your last sentence! What do you mean by not being available from them directly?
Maybe it is too early for my brain to understand
G’d morning
My bad phrasing, I knew it sounded weird. Most brands put their instruction manual online. If Rovyvon doesn’t want to, fine. But at the bare minimum they should state the lumen levels of the main emitter, somewhere. They only put it on the website for some models, and we’re forced to turn to reviews for such basic information.
My bad phrasing, I knew it sounded weird. Most brands put their instruction manual online. If Rovyvon doesn’t want to, fine. But at the bare minimum they should state the lumen levels of the main emitter, somewhere. They only put it on the website for some models, and we’re forced to turn to reviews for such basic information.
Eheh, no problem
Hum, they have the information about the main emitter output in all of their lights (as far as I perceived) and now with the Nichia versions they also added the output with those emitters.
However, the side emitters don’t have references in the site (not about the lumens, but about the runtimes), only in the user manuals.
As example, both the A5R and the A8U have Red emitters, but they have very different outputs as shown in the images above
So yeah, maybe RovyVon could include that data in the site!!
Yes polycarbonate blocks UV. That’s why it’s used to make sunglasses. Not a good material for a UV flashlight.
It’s appearing blue in some pictures because the camera’s UV filter isn’t filtering out all the UV, and the UV is being captured by the blue pixels. Same with infrared light.
WOW! Thats a deal-killer right there, I mean frankly how asinine is that? Especially at the price – glad I held out. SMH
xevious – Interesting, mine has the exact same issue. I’ve tried to get a photo of it but the particle keeps moving around. I’ve decided to just keep it as is since it doesn’t appear to have much of an effect on the light.
I was hoping to review the latest release to see how it fares with PWM, but RovyVon hasn’t been responsive at all to my inquiries. I don’t see any recent reviews of their new model lights. Strange…
PWM is still present, but it’s greatly improved from the originals. I can’t even see this PWM by eye, and the older model had extremely evident PWM. So this is much better.
for those who dont mind PWM, there is now a Low CRI (primary LED) version for half the price… Nitecore Tiki
and fwiw, these lights are moddable, scroll down this link for full Rovy teardown photos
Thanks! ZeroAir always has great reviews, lots of details. Wish I could figure out how to do those graphs. Bummer that PWM is still noticeable, but at least better than before. The more I use my A8 v1, the more I’m just so aware of the PWM because it’s non-existent in all my other lights. Just don’t get why they weren’t able to eliminate it altogether in this release.
The copper A3 looks very nice. I really like this body shape.
Here is the Aurora A8x upgraded from the Aurora A8. It has two options for front LED – CREE XP-G3 cool white and Nichia 219C neutral white. Thanks to the optimized driver, the PWM was improved and the standby current is also much lower which means it can last longer before use. The 330mAh battery also contributes to the longer runtime and standby time, the max runtime goes to 66 hours at ultra low mode.
When I look at this:

I see that it shows some marks but very poorly. So maybe the issue is that it generates a lot of visible light (luminous body doesn’t help) relatively to amount of UV?
Then ZWB2 should help….but it didn’t…I don’t know.
Yup, there are only 2 or 3 small marks that could be seen, but nothing like the the other UV led form the Tool AA!
So that part of glowing doesn’t interfere with that! The body is transparent, but even with the UV filter it doesn’t get different if front of it! Later today I will try to show it on a picture!
This A8 doesn’t have the luminous body, that one is the A5
I guess it has to do with the UV LED used
MY REVIEWS THREAD /// My Flashlight Collection ///
Mods: 1 / 2 // TIR: 1 / 2 // Others: Biscotti 3 + 1*7135 / Triple TIR w/ XP-G2 /// My Review's Blog (PT) /// OL Contest 2019 /// OL Contest 2020 /// GIVEAWAYs: 1 / 2
When I look at the picture when you light it up with UV – it seems to be glowing blue. Not much and surely not nearly as much as A5 – but seems to be glowing.
"-X3-, is there any place in your house without a flashlight ?"
My Flashlight public album (mods, emitter swaps, eye candy)
My reviews channel (French language, Olight, Thorfire, Sofirn, Lumintop : 60+ lights tested)
My personal channel (including Olight SR mini, S1, S2, S1A and S-mini disassembly)
M4DM4X blog, saves you $$$
Hum, I guess that the blue is somehow a reflex of the UV in the polycarbonate fiber, but it surely doesn’t glow
Actually, recently I added a stripe of GITD tape to locate in darkness, as it doesn’t absorb any light, at least not to the point of glowing.
According to specs it uses a 365nm LED! But…it’s the specs. I have another UV light (SK68 clone) that uses a 395 nm LED and emits a more purple light. The one from the Aurora A8 seems closer to that and not from the Nichia UV
MY REVIEWS THREAD /// My Flashlight Collection ///
Mods: 1 / 2 // TIR: 1 / 2 // Others: Biscotti 3 + 1*7135 / Triple TIR w/ XP-G2 /// My Review's Blog (PT) /// OL Contest 2019 /// OL Contest 2020 /// GIVEAWAYs: 1 / 2
Just got mine, with blue/red/amber. Seeing the results of the UV version, I’m glad I passed on that. The A8 is little smaller than I was imagining. In the past, what I’d sometimes do is take some stiff paper or cardboard and cut out shapes to then assemble and get a feel for the sizing. I didn’t do that here. I’m amazed at how small it actually is. A good thing, though!
I like this whole concept of a translucent polycarbonate shell. It’s “skeleton” like without showing off too much. And then one polished side for the emitters to shine through. I’m curious to see how well it holds up over time when coming into contact with blunt metal objects.
The UI takes a little getting used to, but easy to adopt. As opposed to having a lockout with various challenges, I find the RovyVon approach of a double-click for ON to be quite workable. I do not mind long-press for off. It’s pretty brief. PLUS… if the light is on for more than 180 seconds, a single press will turn it off. A secondary safeguard in the rare case of accidental activation.
Just one oddity… upon close examination, I found something curious. At first I thought it was a small shaving of polycarbonite caught inside the plastic, but it was stuck to the inside of the polished surface.
I dropped the A8 on a hard wooden floor, and the particle disappeared. It must have been some random particle that lodged itself in just the right spot for me to notice it. It’s gone out of view now. Even still, it’s so small and doesn’t really obstruct the emitters, so if it comes back I probably won’t even notice it.
Phosphor is primarily excited by blue light.
We use 172nm UV to excite phosphors in our excimer lamps, but longer UV wavelengths will love also excite phosphors.
Yeah, most phosphors are tuned for blue but UV excites them as well. An as that Tool had LZWB2 filter – it was mostly UV coming out.
If I understand your methodology correctly you are suggesting using the zwb2 filter to filter out everything BUT UV and still see if it excites the phosphor? Because the phosphor is also excited (primarily blue) by UV you need to cut everything that is not.
Yes.
BTW, here’s transmission curve for polycarbonate:

According to it – PC doesn’t realy pass UV.
Here’s ZWB2:
http://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php/topic/1313-filte...
Together there should be only small transmission around 400 nm. Is that enough to exite the phosphor? Maybe… or maybe the body is not PC or is some different type of PC?
Mine arrived today
Here it is next to some AAA flashlights (top to bottom: Astrolux A01, Thrunite Ti3 (my EDC), Aurora A8, Sofirn C01, Manker E02). Diameter is same as Thrunite and Sofirn.
I like the UI (1 click for tactical, 2 cicks for moonlight then cycle L-M-H, 3 clicks for UV side light then cycle red-red flash-UV, 4 clicks for white/reading sidelight).
I got the Aurora because I wanted to try the white sidelight, as something I use on a desk without a diffuser.
Eheh, glad you like it
It is a sweet little light
How do you like the side (white) light ?! I’m carrying both the A5 and A8, love them 
MY REVIEWS THREAD /// My Flashlight Collection ///
Mods: 1 / 2 // TIR: 1 / 2 // Others: Biscotti 3 + 1*7135 / Triple TIR w/ XP-G2 /// My Review's Blog (PT) /// OL Contest 2019 /// OL Contest 2020 /// GIVEAWAYs: 1 / 2
It’s bright, I say that! I have only played a little with it, as it’s gone back in box until April (for my birthday!)
It is light-weight, and UI is good. Feels like a USB memory stick!
Yes polycarbonate blocks UV. That’s why it’s used to make sunglasses. Not a good material for a UV flashlight.
It’s appearing blue in some pictures because the camera’s UV filter isn’t filtering out all the UV, and the UV is being captured by the blue pixels. Same with infrared light.
Rovyvon’s build quality is actually quite good, and their designs are innovative. It’s a shame their website and manual do a terrible job of explaining the modes and levels. It’s so simple, right? What modes do the side emitters in the A8 UV have?
This is 4. Four.
Why the heck are there only 2 entries in the table:
Not to mention the fact that the lumens/runtime specs are not available from them directly.
Hum, I hadn’t notice that the specs for the White LED were missing
You are right, the side white Led has no runtime on this table! Maybe it will be a little like the amber light? I don’t know if their level of battery consuming will be similar or not
I guess I didn’t understand correctly your last sentence! What do you mean by not being available from them directly?
Maybe it is too early for my brain to understand
G’d morning
MY REVIEWS THREAD /// My Flashlight Collection ///
Mods: 1 / 2 // TIR: 1 / 2 // Others: Biscotti 3 + 1*7135 / Triple TIR w/ XP-G2 /// My Review's Blog (PT) /// OL Contest 2019 /// OL Contest 2020 /// GIVEAWAYs: 1 / 2
My bad phrasing, I knew it sounded weird. Most brands put their instruction manual online. If Rovyvon doesn’t want to, fine. But at the bare minimum they should state the lumen levels of the main emitter, somewhere. They only put it on the website for some models, and we’re forced to turn to reviews for such basic information.
Eheh, no problem
Hum, they have the information about the main emitter output in all of their lights (as far as I perceived) and now with the Nichia versions they also added the output with those emitters.
However, the side emitters don’t have references in the site (not about the lumens, but about the runtimes), only in the user manuals.
As example, both the A5R and the A8U have Red emitters, but they have very different outputs as shown in the images above
So yeah, maybe RovyVon could include that data in the site!!
MY REVIEWS THREAD /// My Flashlight Collection ///
Mods: 1 / 2 // TIR: 1 / 2 // Others: Biscotti 3 + 1*7135 / Triple TIR w/ XP-G2 /// My Review's Blog (PT) /// OL Contest 2019 /// OL Contest 2020 /// GIVEAWAYs: 1 / 2
WOW! Thats a deal-killer right there, I mean frankly how asinine is that? Especially at the price – glad I held out. SMH
Thanks for the review MascaratumB!
xevious – Interesting, mine has the exact same issue. I’ve tried to get a photo of it but the particle keeps moving around. I’ve decided to just keep it as is since it doesn’t appear to have much of an effect on the light.
Does anyone know if Rovyvon still has visible PWM? If so, is it bad?
I really want one of these but that would be a deal breaker.
I was hoping to review the latest release to see how it fares with PWM, but RovyVon hasn’t been responsive at all to my inquiries. I don’t see any recent reviews of their new model lights. Strange…
Zeroair has a review of the A3x
https://zeroair.org/2019/11/18/rovyvon-a3x-flashlight-review/
And here’s the copper one:
https://youtu.be/Zb6HKXrmYcw
MY REVIEWS THREAD /// My Flashlight Collection ///
Mods: 1 / 2 // TIR: 1 / 2 // Others: Biscotti 3 + 1*7135 / Triple TIR w/ XP-G2 /// My Review's Blog (PT) /// OL Contest 2019 /// OL Contest 2020 /// GIVEAWAYs: 1 / 2
for those who dont mind PWM, there is now a Low CRI (primary LED) version for half the price… Nitecore Tiki
and fwiw, these lights are moddable, scroll down this link for full Rovy teardown photos
The copper A3 looks very nice. I really like this body shape.
The new A8X should be available soon:
https://www.rovyvon.com/products/a8x?variant=31714368192615
Has a larger battery, higher output, reduced PWM.
https://zeroair.org/2019/03/07/rovyvon-a8-y-flashlight-review/#PWM
“PWM is quite noticeable on the lower modes, and can even be seen on the third mode.”
That review is of the earlier A8, not the latest A8x.
Battery Junction says the A8x will not be available until around Feb16.
true
I would wait for a zeroair review of the A8x PWM
Pages