Sofirn LT1 Lantern vs Sofirn SP36 BLF 4000k w/ Diffuser - Comparison of brightness and CCT tone with pictures.

Other Types of Lights LED Lanterns
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Some pictures comparing brightness and room illumination of these two lights. If I make any error please correct as needed. All testing and pictures of the SP36 are with diffuser on. Pictures were taken in raw format with Canon DSLR in manual exposure mode and white balance at 5000k. Since these are lanterns most pictures will not be of the light itself, but the room that it illuminates. These are my initial impressions, might change with time.

Got my green LT1 from Amazon at the discount price of $72 which includes light and carrying case (Note the version from Sofirn China web site lists for less than Amazon regular price but doesn’t include carrying case.). The LT1 has 8 Samsung LH351D LED’s. Four are 2700k and four are 5000k CCT. As an aside, the LT1 in green is extremely beautiful. :innocent:

The SP36 BLF 4000k with Anduril 2 is from Sofirn China (don’t buy this from Amazon, at this point it’s still Anduril 1). The holster and diffuser each costs $2, so total cost is similar to LT1. I got the 4000k CCT version, an enthusiast’s dream with high CRI of 90. This light also uses Samsung LH351D LED’s, four total.

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Brightness/Illumination Inside

Somewhat complicated because brightness of the LT1 is affected by the CCT - temperature it’s set at (brighter with cool/blue and dimmer with warm/yellow). For these pictures I set the LT1 at the coolest/bluest/lowest-CCT level. All pictures are in manual mode, with WB set at 5000k. For subjective evaluation I raise both lanterns above head and look at the room.

The quintessential question for flashaholics, which lantern is brighter?
1. If you set SP36 at Turbo level it is much brighter than LT1, but of course this is not going to last long because of rapid step-downs. SP36 that is initially set at Turbo will have step-downs, over the next 10-15 minutes, that eventually reduces brightness about 3 step/level down from peak.
2. If you set SP36 roughly one to two steps down from the max/Turbo level, the illumination is about same as LT1 at max. Per a review in1lumen, this is somewhere between 1000-2000 lumens for the SP36 5000k (mine is 4000k version). Even at lower setting like 2 levels down from Turbo, the SP36 undergoes step-downs. Extrapolating from the 1lumen SP36 review article plus my sequential pictures, I would guess the step-downs reduce brightness to about 500-600 lumens eventually (equal to 3 levels down from Turbo), where the brightness reaches steady state and stabilizes.
3. The SP36 may be bright and impressive for the first few minutes (and people may mistakenly think it is therefore “better”), but in the long run, because of the SP36’s step-downs, the LT1 is superior. LT1 has ZERO step-down from its max level and after 10-15 minutes, becomes the clear winner. It stays at same brightness level during my test run. Because of this, used as a lantern at camp site around the dinner table for example, it is far superior. Having said that I do wish for more brightness, maybe a Turbo mode be added to future version of the LT1, however brief that maybe.
4. OTOH for brief use that is not long enough to invoke step-down, the SP36 is brighter, especially at Turbo level where it is much brighter.

Above discussion reminds me of the tortoise vs hare race. LT1 is the tortoise that starts out slow but wins the long race. (Although to be absolutely correct, LT1 is not THAT slow, it’s just not as fast as Turbo SP36.) SP6 is the impressively bright rabbit :slight_smile: that was slowed by step-downs. Both tortoise and hare could be useful depending on the task at hands.

Speaking of Tortoise vs Hare, what about run time? Per 1lumen article of LT1, run time is 6.5 hours at level 5/5, and 12 hours at level 4/5. 1lumen article of SP36 shows run time of 24 hours, but this 24 hours occur at a fairly dark step-down level that the SP36 invariably and consistently steps down to, which per my sequential pictures is roughly 3 level down from Turbo. At a higher setting, the run-time would not be 24 hours obviously.

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Light tone of LT1 when mixing LED with different temps
Whereas LT1 is famous for its CCT “mixing” between 2700k LED and 5000k LED, the SP36 4000k is just that, 4000k. What does CCT mixing look like? And of the different levels, which level of LT1 matches SP36 4000k?

A couple notes in case you haven’t noticed yet.

  1. Turn the brightness intensity down when you do CCT mixing. The different CCT levels are much easier to see (more discrete) when brightness is down.
  2. As you hold CCT mixing button, there will be a brief flash to announce you have reached either end (low CCTemp vs high CCTemp) of the CCT ramp. If you keep holding, there will be a second flash, and per anduril manual this second flash means you’ve turned on “automatic tint”. This means the light will automatically turn down CCT to 2700k when brightness is low and CCT to 5000k when brightness is high. Or vice versa. I don’t use this because I just like one consistent level which is two down from coolest/bluest/lowest CCT in LT1.

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Illumination Outside (No ceiling reflection)

Finally the lanterns are taken outside in the dark, reproducing camp site use. The lights are placed on a chair 30 inches tall, and my camera is to their side. Expo is manual and held constant, WB at 5000k. Results do not change much from indoor observation: SP36 with diffuser at max brightness (Turbo) is quite a bit brighter than LT1 at max brightness (here CCT of LT1 is set 2 level from max cool). As already mentioned, of course this Turbo mode in the SP6 undergoes rapid step-downs (to a level roughly third from brightest), whereas the LT1 maintains same brightness.

I would admit that during this write up, I’ve gained a lot of appreciation for the SP36 used as a lantern. The 2 dollar diffuser has more than accomplished its task and is a no brainer purchase for SP36 owners. Adding in the fact that SP36 BLF 4000k is an all-around stunning flashlight with 90 CRI (it is wonderful to hold and lights up everything with ease), I would recommend this combo without reservation.

In Turbo mode, the SP36 with diffuser lights up a room as if there was a 110 volt low wattage light bulb going. The SP36’s brightness makes me wish if possible the next version of the LT1 would add a Turbo mode, even if for a brief few minutes before stepping down. The weight and all those batteries and emitters inside make me imagine it is possible. When searching for an item in darkness, there is no doubt that the brightness of SP36’s Turbo mode helps.

You’ve now seen most of my house, if only in the dark, from this series of pictures LOL.

5

That’s a very useful comparison! Nice Magnepans too.

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Very nice. Do you have a comparison of “beam shape” when both at approximately similar lumen levels? I’ve a ?4000K Q8 with Sofirn diffuser which I’ve been meaning to my LT1.

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Thanks. Lol I didn’t realize I had inadvertently announced my audio hobby. Magnaplanar 3.5 with Melos pre and VTL power amp.

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Could you please clarify what you meant by beam shape? I am not sure if either LT1 or SP36 with diffuser has a shape per se? Both just sphere of light emanating from a point source no?

One difference I could think of is whereas the LT1 has a cap on top, the SP36 with diffuser does not. This means SP36 might be brighter indoor when there is white ceiling vs outdoor when there is no reflecting ceiling.

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Precisely this:

[Quote/]One difference I could think of is whereas the LT1 has a cap on top, the SP36 with diffuser does not. This means SP36 might be brighter indoor when there is white ceiling vs outdoor when there is no reflecting ceiling.
[/quote]

:smiley:

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Does the diffuser do anything? You bet. I took the SP36 to my hometheater, which has a dark ceiling, and took pics with diffuser off and then on. Note that the dark ceiling means this scene approximates more an outdoor scene, where there is no white ceiling on top to reflect light. In a room with a white ceiling, the diffuser-off scene should look brighter.

I hope it’s clear by now I recommend the diffuser without reservation. :innocent: It so nicely converts the SP36 to a lantern function. At 2 bucks it is an absolute no brainer.

Having said that I would still wholeheartedly recommend the LT1, because SP36 with diffuser is not a replacement for LT1. LT1 maintains light without step-downs and it has the fantastic tint shift. LT1 too is an enthusiast’s dream. Functions well thought out, built like a rock (not like my Nitecore MH12S, LOL cheap shot I know), and that green one, just beautiful to look at. For the work that has been put in, $70 is nothing for either of these 2 lights IMHO.

Diffuser off

Diffuser on

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Are you running a sub with the Maggies? I’m running mine on a pair of Dynaco MkIII monoblocks and use a modded Citation II to run bass in another speaker. Love the sound of a planar but they do not do bass……

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OT
Yes I do use subwoofer for most music, exception being chamber, acoustic, etc. (materials without drum). I have more powerful subwoofers (I collect audio equipments like people here collect flashlights. :innocent: ) and have tried several different ones, but settled for a lightweight Sunfire 10 incher. Oddly, I’ve found powerful subwoofers that go deep and loud “overwhelm” the subtlety of the Maggies, and hence don’t mix well. This system plays high res music through my computer and a Theta DAC, and all tube pre and power amps. I also adjust EQ to taste using iTunes equalizer, in general a downward slope +2 low freq, –2 high freq.

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Added pictures to third post showing the different tints of LT1 and how they compare to SP36 4000k tint. I counted a total of 6 tint levels (anyone pls correct as needed) in the LT1. The camera exaggerates the yellow tone of the warmest level; in real life it doesn’t look as yellow and I love it.

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Finally the lanterns are taken outside in the dark, reproducing camp site use. The lights are placed on a chair 30 inches tall, and my camera is to their side. Expo is manual and held constant, WB at 5000k. Results do not change much from indoor observation: SP36 with diffuser at max brightness (Turbo) is quite a bit brighter than LT1 at max brightness (here CCT of LT1 is set 2 level from max cool). As already mentioned, of course this Turbo mode in the SP6 undergoes rapid step-downs (to a level roughly third from brightest), whereas the LT1 maintains same brightness.

I would admit that during this write up, I’ve gained a lot of appreciation for the SP36 used as a lantern. The inexpensive diffuser has more than accomplished its task and is a no brainer purchase for SP36 owners. Adding the fact that SP36 BLF 4000k is an all-around stunning flashlight with 90 CRI, it is wonderful to hold and lights up everything near and far with ease and with a wonderful warm tone, I would recommend this combo without reservation.

In Turbo mode, the SP36 with diffuser lights up a room as if there was a 110 volt low wattage light bulb going. The SP36’s brightness makes me wish if possible the next version of the LT1 would add a Turbo mode, even if for a brief few minutes before stepping down. All those batteries and emitters make me imagine it is possible. When searching for an item in darkness, there is no doubt that the brightness of SP36’s Turbo mode helps.

Just realized you’ve now seen most of my house and audio gears, if only in the dark :-).

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Nice comparison and write up. I too I’m an audiophile and noticed the Maggies right away. I got the 2.5r and love those.

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Thank you for sharing. This is exactly what I was looking for. I will now be ordering a diffuser for my SP36.

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You’re welcome and thanks. Yeah the combo is very handy for fixing things around the house especially under the kitchen sink where I seem to be all the time lately lol. :person_facepalming:

Sofirn also has these softer stretchable diffusers for smaller lights that I posted in this thread: Sofirn Soft & Stretchable Silicone Diffusers - fit IF25a & many other flashlights like Olight, Emisar, Nitecore. . For the hassle/wait of ordering from China, worth adding to the order if only for the very cheap prices :slight_smile: . BTW, there is also a 20 mm version for yet smaller lights that I didn’t buy.