Exactly my thoughts. I don’t think a 10% increase in cd from 100k to 110k would be that noticeable. Whereas an almost 50% increase in lumens from 900 to 1300 would be.
I think a 35Kcd light can definitely be a thrower if the beam profile is narrow and has minimal spill. Its all about ratios.
100Kcd to 110Kcd will be barely noticeable, but 10Kcd to 20Kcd will be noticeable.
W2 sounds interesting, but I’ll wait for the first reviews with photos of the beam. Also there might be more LED choices then.
Does the KR1 use the FET for direct drive or is it limited to 5 A?
I think the price is a bit high as it has just one emitter and no aux LEDs. Not sure how much the reflector adds to the BOM, but just $5 difference to the KR4 feels a bit overpriced. Especially compared to the D1.
I believe Emisar/Noctigon sit firmly at the “premium” end of budget flashlights. Their build quality and fit and finish is superb. Their prices are fair, IMHO.
I don’t consider Emisar/Noctigon budget lights so much as enthusiast lights. Enthusiasts tend to be aware of what affects the production cost and therefore more sensitive to good and bad value than the average person, but also willing to pay when the value is there.
I think pricing for the KR1 is fair. It’s $5 more than the D1 was while being a more complicated design for the nested tubes, at a time when a pandemic has canceled most passenger flights and driven up shipping costs.