Have you considered the Opple Light-master-III. It is much cheaper (around 40 €) compared to something like the X-Rite. It is of course most likely not as good as a professional solution, but it seems decent enough for hobby usage. There is a wohle thread about the Opple over at TLF > Link.
I finally received my replacement SC64c LE and H503c from Zebralight.
They didn’t include a note or anything, just two brand new lights in their original packaging.
I’ve verified that both lights have the correct high CRI LH351D. The SC64c LE has the new style battery cathode contact.
I also noticed there’s some schmoo on one side of the H503’s emitter. It’s probably some excess thermal paste or potting compound. It’s probably not an issue since this is a AA light and the emitter won’t run high enough power to burn the dome. It’s a mule so it won’t affect the beam either.
I can’t find any retailer selling this improved version yet. Here is a picture from the IF World Design Guidewebsite showing the measured data (incl. R9!):
I finally got access to a C-7000 SpectroMaster. I measured the SC64c LE that I received from NKON few days ago, and my H503c from April this year (also NKON).
SC64c LE looks good (CCT=4057K, Duv=0.0034, Ra=93.5, R9=76.0), my H503c definitely has a low CRI Samsung LED (CCT=4227K, Duv=-0.0067, Ra=74.2, R9=-28.2)
You are located in the U.S., did you send your lights to Zebralight USA or to China? I will first try to solve things through NKON as their European dealers, otherwise I might have to pay again customs and import fees for the replacement…
It’s not that it can’t measure R9, the app is just extremely limited in what data it displays because the manufacturer intended to sell a more fully featured version for a higher price. You get lux, CCT, CRI Ra, CIE coordinates and uv, as well as a postage stamp CIE 1931 chart. It doesn’t show R9 or Duv (which you can obviously calculate). Also based on results posted on TLF the lux and CCT measurement is fairly inaccurate for warmer CCTs. There isn’t a comparison of measured Duv with a known good device. I would say it’s ok for telling whether you have a CRI 70, 80, or 90 light as well as approximating the CCT above 3500-4000K. If it can give a reasonable approximation of Duv too it’s probably a useful device for the money, though not that great.
I had the same issue when I ordered and received a H600fc it obviously was not 4000k nor high CRI. (I have a bunch of 219Bs and SST20 4000ks so I know it didn’t look right).
I contacted them, turns out they sent a wrong version, probably H600f, instead of H600fc.
They quickly sent me a correct one after receiving my return, and included an extra head strap as an apology.
I guess it’s quite common to pack and send the wrong one when the specific model name is not printed on the light itself. I had similar experiences with other brands as well.
Just to keep you updated: I was in contact with NKON about this issue. They say they weren’t aware of this problem. I returned my 2nd H503c (purchase date April 2021) to NKON and they refunded instantly.
Both H503c were from the same batch that NKON received in March this year. They couldn’t tell me when to expect a new shipment of H503c headlamps with the correct Samsung LH351D high CRI emitter.
received Opple… it correctly identifies Low CRI
this is a NW XM-L2:
duv –0.0019
.
the device is new to me, I may be making mistakes using it
so far it seems to be reasonably good at CCT and CRI Ra
not sure I believe the Tint calculation yet… it shows the XM-L2 as having tint below BBL… that suprises me, but, maybe it is true
it also shows a rather low frequency, and this is a light that creates banding in photos, the way PWM does… so maybe it is also doing OK at calculating flicker… not sure I understand it yet
bottom line, if someone had this device and wanted to know if their Zebra is High or Low CRI I do believe the Opple can be trusted to answer that question.