Nichia NF2L757GR

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Nichia has a new LED available with CRI up to 95:
http://www.nichia.co.jp/en/product/led_product_data.html?type='NF2L757GR-V1（R95）'

It has the same footprint as Optisolis, same CRI but no R9 rating. However it’s rated to deliver 4 times the output. And it’s 6V.

2

Aam I reading that correctly, 100 lm at 6.3v?

3

I think so, but at 150 mA.

4

You must be pretty dedicated to put those in a flashlight as long as high power leds with the same specs are available that are also optically superior.

5

When it comes to CRI95+ light sources, The following options come to my mind:

  • Nichia Optisolis
    • dual die -> needs diffusion
    • low efficacy
    • low power
    • needs unusual MCPCB
  • Nichia NF2L757GR
    • dual die -> needs diffusion
    • higher power
    • 6V -> limited driver selection
    • needs unusual MCPCB
  • Luminus SST-20
    • relatively efficient
    • relatively powerful
    • can use many common MCPCBs
    • green at medium levels, very green at low -> wasn’t good tint the whole point of using CRI95+ LED?
  • Osram Oslon SSL
    • inefficient
    • fairly low power
  • COBs
    • physically large
    • requires lots of custom work
    • high voltage. Typically very high -> very few driver choices
  • LedEngin
    • expensive
    • high voltage
    • untested in the flashlight world
  • Genesis Photonics
    • not easily available
    • untested in the flashlight world
    • one can’t even get a datasheet
  • medium power LEDs
    • Yuji
    • Luminus
    • Cree
    • many others
  • HID
  • incan
  • custom LEP

Overall I don’t rate any of this options as good. I think SST-20 would be the best option but it really needs special drivers - that never run them at low current and instead use PWM for low and medium levels. It would be inefficient. But powerful, compatible with many MCPCBs and lenses and would have OK (but still not rosy) tint.
This Nichia? For me it’s just a yet another option.

ADDED:
Overall I think that the market of LEDs over CRI9000 is really poorly suited for flashlight needs. Going to 9050 is already problematic and the higher one wants to get the more complications and/or sacrifices one has to make. For specific niche uses - these may be well worth it. But with the current state of the maket I don’t foresee the niche to get larger.
OK, there are many new lights coming out with SST-20. Cheap and easy to use. But there’s a lot of dissatisfaction with it…

6

you could add a few more Nichia leds to your list, Nichia 219B and 219C, and E21A, they all have variants with very good tint. And the LedEngin leds usually have very inconvenient footprints.

7

I specifically mentioned CRI95+ because in the 90-94 range there are many options - some of which are very good. If 9000 is the goal - there are relatively many good options. Up to 9080 it’s not great but not bad either. Above that problems mount.

Or maybe I’m missing something and the LEDs that you mention actually exceed their specs and achieve 95+ level?