Just arrived. Very interesting color temperature, almost amber when used indoors, at first I thought it was the color LEDs not the main emitters. My built-in white balance simply will not adjust. 2000K makes 3000K look like 4000K. LOL Not as noticeable outdoors, just an astounding amount of color saturation in grass, tree trunks and branches, and fallen leaves.
I have a regret. I should have gotten the 8xLED mule. The quad emitters are more or less all flood anyway, and the color LED’s are not all that useful and kind of a pain to use. Now it looks like the 2000K E21A emitters are no longer in stock, warmest available are the 3500K E21A, which are probably fantastic also. Hope they last a few weeks while I get it together.
Did anyone else get KR4 with 2000K E21A? What are your impressions of this temperature?
Did anyone get the KR4 configured as an 8xLED mule? What’s it like compared to a quad?
I also got the KR-4 with 2000K and 2200K. I find the 2200K seems less amber toned and more like an extra warm incandescent. The 2000K is a bit too warm for me when I use it during day. At night on walks it excels. At night, in general, the 2000K excels.Following the Kruithoff Curve, most outdoor lighting levels call for light in the 2000K-3000K range. Lower light levels and the vaunted “sub-lumen” light are much better served with 2000K vice 4500K or 5000K. One, reason being the Kruithoff curve and the other being the numerous issues with the negative effects of blue rich light on the human eye.
I personally use the 2000K a lot for tailstanding by my bed at lower light levels to wind down and encourage melatonin production. Again, also following the Kruithoff Curve warmer color temps look better at lower light levels.
I have to look up the Kruithoff curve… never heard of it, thanks for mentioning. I have never seen an incandescent that looks like this 2000K, unless it was through a stage lighting gel, or a chandelier on a dimmer turned really really low. It reminds me of a extra warm Golden Hour temperature… feels like Golden Hour inside my chamber all night long. But then again, so did the 4500K Nichia remind me of Golden Hour, then also the 4000K SST-20, and then again the 3000K sw30. Amazing how white 3000K and 4000K look next to 2000K.
Another observation. I do a “smoke test,” blow smoke across the OTF to see the beam shape of my new lights. The optic is definitely doing something, collimating the beam, so I expect it is not nearly as floody as the mule, which has no optic.
Forgot to mention, mine came with the new clip… so I conclude that means any new sales get the new clip, don’t have to purchase separately.
I think 2000K is too orange, at least with the neutral duv of the E21A 2000K, if it had negative duv it would probably be significantly better.
I have an H04 with 3000+2000, 2400K duv –0.0030~–0.0040 and it’s great. I also have a tint ramping IF25 with 4500K-2000K and as soon as it reaches 2200K~2300K and take just a little of rosy tint it becomes so much better. I think negative duv is a must for very warm temperatures.
The E21A mule version is 16 LEDs I think, not 8, in this configuration the center of the beam will have a negative duv and will progressively become positive towards the periphery.
While you say it’s pretty floody already I think it’s still much more useful than a mule.
I wouldn’t fault anyone for saying it is too orange, it certainly is orange… my natural white balance still not, will not adust… but my eyes are not as refined (yet). It is very nice light when not paying attention to what it looks like on a wall, very easy on the eyes, should about be just right for tired eyes at the very end or very beginning of the day.
Positive duv towards yellow/green, and negative towards magenta. 0 means it’s on the black body locus (like an incandescent light).
It’s a small number, arround –0.0050 IMO it looks just nice, arround –0.0100 it looks noticeably pinkish next to neutral (duv) lights, but also nice on it’s own.
An incandescent on a dimmer turned down low is exactly what it should look like. Or it should also be similar to candlelight.
The Carclo 10623 optic should have a beam that decreases to half of peak intensity at around 30 degrees beam width. A mule should be more like 90 degrees.
Hank is using the 10623, because when he sent a 5000K KR4 to Maukka to test, it was observed that there is a lot of tint shift visible under the 10622 optic Hank uses with other emitters. However, others have reported that the warmer color temperatures do not show the same tint shift. If you were hoping for more throw, you could buy a 10622 to swap in and test to decide which you like more.
I expected it to be floody, but it’s not necessarily throw I am after… I just like to see a beam. This shines all the way across the yard, at least 75ft, which isn’t too bad. But its like the light is coming from no where, hard to describe.
I highly recommend the 10622 clear optic. I didn’t think I could like my warm white E21A flashlights more than I already did (they were my favorite), but clear 10622 optic made them even better. I love the increased throw and sparkly aux lights. Tint shift is a non-issue.
Clear 10622 optic is a great choice for these leds:
E21A 2000K R9050
E21A 2200K R9050
E21A 2700K R9080
I prefer frosted 10623 optic with this led:
E21A 3500K R9080
My standard for deciding whether clear 10622 optic is a good choice is the following: does the beam look good and even on a white wall.
By the way, you can buy 10621, 10623, or 10624 with free shipping from LedSupply, but they do not have 10622.
Geez, thanks lightdecay. I’ll definitely pick that up from Mountain Electronics and try it. (Edit: order is in!) But what is it about the 10622? Increases throw, reduces flood?
And thanks again thefreeman for the PM chat.
Put the head and tail on the 18350 body last night and used it this morning when I woke at 5AM… absolutely no eye pains at any brightness level with 2000K. I just got home, and put the 18650 body back on, and I am very surprised to see that after using the light and cell so much last night, my KeepPower IMR18650 still shows 3.96V SoC. I could have sworn I ran it for hours last night and figured the cell would at least be down to 3.7V.
I dig this light. I would get the same color temperature in the Ti Cu body if Hank gets 2000K E21A back in stock.
I have a small pick (like a dental pick). Insert it under the edge of the optic and lever it up. Repeat that step in a circle all the way around the optic until it comes off.
If you don’t have a small pick, another option is to insert a razor or x-acto knife blade and then follow the same routine.
