Should I believe you or my lying eyes?
Following the CRI discussions here, I also ran a few tests of my own. I pitted two Convoy S2+ flashlights against each other, the only difference being the emitters used (XP-L HI 4000K vs SST-20 4000K).
On a white wall, the tint of the XP-L HI was far pinker than the green SST-20. This isn’t so much a real-world concern however, so I decided to ignore the differences in tint and focus on the CRI aspects of each emitter.
I took the flashlights outdoors last night and let them rip across a field. Both emitters have a very similar amout of throw in the S2+, I’d say around 250m, so it is a pretty fair comparison. With all the grenery, tint wasn’t much of a concern any more, so I focused on trying to make out details in the treeline at roughly 100m and 200m distances. I supposedly have perfect eyesight, but I’m sad to say that I couldn’t see a bit of difference between the two, except for maybe the greener SST-20 looking a negligible shade cooler than the pinker XP-L HI. When I walked right up to the trees, the SST-20 did make the tree trunks look a little bit more saturated in colour, but honestly the difference was pretty minor. The XP-L HI’s 70 CRI was still more than enough to easily distinguish colours. No issues spotting where the branches ended and the leaves began. Nothing looked particularly washed out in comparison to the higher CRI emitter. A bright red car that I passed on the way back was probably the biggest difference I spotted. It looked fine under the XP-L HI, but popped a little more under the SST-20’s high CRI light.
It’s odd why some people’s eyes are really sensitive to CRI, and others’ aren’t so much. Don’t get me wrong, if all SST-20s had the same great tints as most XP-L HI emitters then I’d pick them as a favourite, but I just don’t feel that the efficiency, heat and tint tradeoffs are worth it for a difference I barely percieve in real world usage.
It’ll be interesting to hear the results if someone more CRI sensitive than I were to perform a similar test. 
/\ … Where did the picture come from??
they look great!
That sand/oiled bronze/gold color is fantastic!
yes, i wish my grey ones were that colour. Unfortunately a different colour is not enough for me to buy more FW3A’s 
I think that here at BLF most just forget that this is a collaboration between TLF and BLF.
So there are efectively TWO comunities ACTIVE for this flashlight.
Seems that the communication is one direction these days?
:BEER:
- SAM -
Agreed. That one is a winner in my eyes. I like the others but I don’t see them having as much “timelessness” as the bronze.
Blue got the most votes on TLF, next is a tie for olive and white ...
There will also be a 100 pieces limited run of a 'special purple ToyKeeper version'!
Wonder how they are going to do that with orders coming from TLF, BLF, Neals Deals and Max Deals, ...!?
Surely hoping TK is getting one!
:BEER:
- SAM -
I can’t recall the source unfortunately, but some years back I’d read a medical paper (geared toward the lay person) about the human eye and differences from person to person. Essentially, we all see color in the same way, except that some people suffer color loss (blindness)—either fully or partially by segments of the spectrum. So it may be possible for some people to perceive saturation a little differently, but the tint doesn’t change. However, the greatest disparity is the brain—how we process color. It is rather subjective by experience. This “skews” the input from the optical sensory organ. And also, the perception of color will vary depending upon taste. Some people may be put off by some colors that makes them more noticeable, while there will be some colors with a more neutral effect (no emotional impact one way or another). I don’t know if that is inclusive of “CRI sensitivity”. And lastly of course, is how the brain interprets tints when multiple ones are visible. This is why one tint can be OK and then look lousy when it’s next to another. Anyway, it all comes back to one thing: subjectivity.
Last but not least is the CCD sensitivity, color and whiteness balance of the camera taking the beam shot photos. That also complicates perception. Despite all this, the beam shots are most useful with simultaneous comparative display, so the relative color is captured under the same circumstances.
How do I reserve myself one of the limited edition purples?
Honestly, I really like all the colors. The white looks quite good, and reminds me of a few other lights in white that I’ve quite liked. The “sand/oiled bronze/gold” is very nice. And blue is just plain popular.
Just last night, someone sent me this about my love of purple:
Prince explained the meaning of “Purple Rain” as follows: “When there’s blood in the sky – red and blue = purple… purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain.”
I don't think you can and that wouldn't be fair at all.
Sounds logical to me that only TK is in the position to 'reserve' a limited purple piece for herself (she also has the connections)
Maybe ask her ...
- SAM -
Off Topic: For China it means spiritual awareness, physical and mental healing, hence strength, abundance, red purple brings luck and fame. Purple (紫; zǐ) refers to the North Star (Polaris), which in ancient China was called the Ziwei Star, the North Star was in traditional Chinese astrology the abode of the Celestial Emperor. (see also: Purple Forbidden City).
:D
- SAM -
exactly!
欢聚一堂
生意兴隆
i make a poll in BLF,
so let’s choose which color we make.
Link: Which two colors of FW3A you prefer?
Thank you Neal :THUMBS-UP:
Edit: if possible, please make sure all future FW3A versions ship with latest Unduril as (next to the design) It's The Purple Star of this flashlight :D
Thanks for the FW3A Color Choice Poll Neal!! 
It’s a tough choice…… 
The Purple is a given, gotta have it. 
But it’s a tough call between the Blue & Army Green…. I like them both. 
The SST-20 in TK’s photos looks very green. I’ve never seen one that looks that bad, though they certainly don’t look good next to the 219B sw45k I have in my FW3A.
Tint beamshots are hard. Cameras capture colors differently, automatically post-process colors differently unless the photographer shoots in raw and does it manually, and displays display them differently. When I tried to get beamshots of the Armytek Prime XHP35, which is very rosy according to maukka’s testing, it just looked neutral. The beamshot in maukka’s review looks a little rosy, but doesn’t really capture it.
Anyway, I wouldn’t like SST-20s my eyes see the way TK’s camera does, but the FB4s I have don’t look nearly that bad. The FA3 supposedly being offered for the FW3A should be considerably better. I have FD2s on the way, and I have some Lee 801 minus green, which makes FB4 look great. Filters are a lot easier than sourcing emitters with nice tint the way the LED market is going lately.