Should try to get some 2000k because the E21A 2000K 9050 is very popular. It has the lowest blue wavelength of any LED emitter tested and it actually tests out to be 9080 despite the 9050 rating. It is the closest to candle light we’ve seen. Works well with Anduril flame mode.
It is good to see your comments (especially because SKV89 confirmed, that I didn’t buy the KR4 mule was a right decision). I didn’t have enough experience with mule lights, but it seems, this FireFlies design is already very good, just needs a few refinements.
I’d also add an at least moderately frosted front lens. Maybe if it is too much frosted, forward throw distance will be reduced more.
Don’t get me started on the LumeCube. The Air especially is ridiculously bad. It has PWM, CRI measures only 80 and the maximum output drops from 200 lumens to 160 lumens only after 20 hours of continuous use all the while the color temperature rises from 6800K to 7500K. It’s 5800K only when new out of the box. I consider it a disposable toy, not a fill light for photo/videography.
Could you offer this flashlight with Luminus Xnova Cube 1800K CRI90? This might be the best high CRI led under 2000K, and it is much cheaper than E21A.
Somebody (maybe djozz, but I may be wrong about that) tried already on BLF the following:
Nichia has also E17A emitter family, and there are phosphor converted colors mostly:
a given combination of E17A Amber and E17A red could result in a very nice ~1450K overall CCT with still adequate R9 value.
I think, that would the way to go, if lowest possible CCT is pursued.
This would mean only a partial redesign by making the emitter solder pads a bit smaller, then readjust the distance between them).
Yes, for Amber + Red E17A, the term “candle light” does not apply.
But aside from that, there should be something in between of candle light and red. The term “lava light” could be it - anything in the 1300K to 1500K range. I would definitely get one, once I see one properly designed and implemented.
I remember someone measured a candle and it was close to 1800k. The flame from cigarette lighters is probably different from a candle as you can see more blue flame. I will measure a candle next time during my kids’ birthday.
Any warm light with positive duv is an absolute no. It will make things appear too yellow/orange. The E21A 2000k Ive tested is nice because it is just on or slightly below the BBL .
If you look at Djozz’s measurements of the Luminus 1800K, the CRI and R9 is no match for the E21A 2000K. At the lower output levels, the E21A is 95CRI with R9 above 95 despite rated as 9050!!!
Also with the Luminus 1800k, you can see the DUV is a whopping +0.0042. At those warm temp, such a high DUV will render everything uncomfortably yellow. If there exist a below BBL bin, that would make this emitter more interesting but it still won’t have the candle like color rendering of the E21A.
PWM is absolutely a no-no for a photography light. For this FF mule, it will not have PWM for the regulated levels so I will be switching over to this as my light for sure.
Of course, E21A 2000K is superior in every way except it is not 1800K.
Luminus Xnova Cube 1800K CRI90 is better than other amber leds with 1700K or 1800K CCT. I would try a Lee Zircon 803 or a Lee Zircon 802 filter to decrease DUV.