FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

@Igor, there are 4000k options in the SST-20 range.

7A have terrible colour rendering. I get rid of them for LH351D 4k 90CRI, much better.
Mike

Thank you!

When I bought, there were only 3300, 5000 or cool white available.

Per your request, I took one outside, clear sky.

Also, hereā€™s the RAW for anyone curious.

Yup, looks gorgeous. Clear coat that thing and lock in that look! I usually donā€™t like copper patina, but this went great.

That looks amazingā€¦ Donā€™t know what oils your hands are giving off but mine hasnā€™t developed patina that fast.

I like it. Yes, itā€™s very warm, and it does make things look a bit unnatural. Itā€™s not a light for outdoors. Itā€™s a light for a incandescent-like mood light for indoors. Watching TV, etc.

It might be better if it was high-CRI. I think the Emissar D4v2 offers 3000K in a high-CRI SST-20 LED.

My FW3A has 3000K 90 CRI SST-20ā€™s in it. And my FW3C is 7A XP-L HI. Personally, I find both the warm tints very good indoors, or around the house. Obviously out in the field or bush a more neutral tint will perform better. Itā€™s like mad things wants a warm tint, and natural things wants a neutral tint.

Is your 7A significantly brighter than your SST-20?

To my eyes, about 20% brighter. But the the SST-20ā€™s has a narrower beam and a bit more throw as expected.

NEW GROUP BUY REQUEST: Copper lights @ferthur has touched :smiley:
LOL

Iā€™m not sure how I feel about this, but donā€™t forget about the outdoor glamour shot!

@ KevinZA, that sounds reasonable. Are you using the same optic?

Yeah, I even swapped optics to confirm that the optics are the same. Lumen junkies will complain about the SST-20ā€™s.

Yep. Guilty as charged. It is definitely not as bright. Iā€™m going to try different optics to see what works best.

But the 4000k SST20 looks amazing outside in the dark walking around either a veggie garden or flower bed. The colors just pop and I can give up a few lumens for that. The heat on the other hand is insane with the SST20ā€™s.

Yeah, but the 4000K is not what I would call warmā€¦ Neutral, yes. Iā€™m waiting for the funky colored FW3A lights to be released then Iā€™ll order that emitter combo.

I do like the tint a lot. Hotter, and less bright though, not so much.

You may be noticing the Purkinje effect, combined with the relatively low output of red from the 80CRI emitter.

I havenā€™t done any rigorous testing, but I tend to assume high CRI should be particularly helpful for maintaining color discrimination in the red range as intensity is decreased, although even that would not completely counter the Purkinje effect.

Do you have other 3000K lights youā€™re comparing it to?

And is this when itā€™s fully dark? Iā€™ve got a 3000K XM-L2 light that seems comparatively very orange if Iā€™m using it around what is often called the ā€œblue hour,ā€ which occurs after sunset but before it is fully dark.

I donā€™t like such warm color temperatures for that kind of situation. On the other hand, indoors, where my last light exposure was likely a 2700-3000K bulb, or around a campfire after itā€™s totally dark, 3000K is great.