It’s a really good thrower, but not technically a mega thrower. It doesn’t reach 1 Mcd like some of the bigger lights do.
However, it gets at least 0.6 Mcd, and that’s pretty unusual for something this size. The size alone makes it a lot more practical than any true mega throwers I’ve seen so far.
Be warned though… the narrow spot means you only get to see one small area at a time. It’s really not meant for short distance use. For something more general-purpose, I’d suggest something smaller and less throwy, like an Emisar D4S, D1, or D4.
I have a White Flat (actually a KW CULNM1-TG, the 4x4mm version) in a GT-micro and had it with me camping this summer. Even in this small light the hotspot is so narrow that following a trail is very difficult. The K1 should be much worse for that.
About the very cold tint, the White Flat does that when close to its maximum output but visually it still looks good. Going higher with the current does give you a nasty purple tint, but that is a even higher CCT than the 8500K that I measured.
I have several of the 1x1 White Flats already, and I have plenty of lights that hit a mile or more in throw. I really like how this K1 is made though and may wind up with an 351D in it just because I like this emitter, or even the new neutral tint SST40. (Liking the thought of the new 40) Sure will be more useful in a broader range of needs with a larger yet well defined hot spot… we’ll see.
Once Hank releases the other LED options and my bank balance builds up again from the Black Friday/Cyber Monday damage I’ll definitely have to pick this up.
The reflector hole size can be measured from one of the images in the review. We know the size of the W1 emitter, and can use that to calculate the size of the hole…
The die is 1.03mm across, and the whole LED package is 3mm. So it looks like the gasket is about 4.1mm across and the reflector hole is about 7.5mm.
Not sure, but it’s probably the 20mm MCPCB Hank sells with a White Flat installed. It couldn’t be a 16mm MCPCB because the reflector is too wide at the base, but 20mm seems barely big enough… and Hank doesn’t sell a larger one.
I’m hoping to avoid taking my reflector out, since the focus is nearly perfect and I don’t want to mess it up. I’ve made that mistake before… (probably not a big risk though, since it has a good centering gasket)
I already have a W30 which pretty much satisfies my desire for a pencil-beam super thrower, but I am very interested in the XHP35 version of the K1. I wish more lights were available with efficient constant-current boost drivers.