Convoy S21D w/ legendary Nichia 219b :) - Review & comparison w/ Nichia 519a, E21a & other lights with Nichia LEDs incl. Emisar D4V2, Convoy S21F. (Summary & measurements on P. 1)

LED Flashlights – General Info 21700 Flashlights
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Not too long ago I was nit picking and memorizing lumens and throws of Amazon flashlights, looking for a bright light for our evening walk along a nature trail in our neighborhood. Since then, the hobby somehow has made an abrupt left turn towards color quality of the beam :innocent: , and here I am with a bunch of Nichia’s, generally considered the “best” in the business when it comes to color quality and accuracy (CRI). These new “hobby” flashlights couldn’t light up the path like my Nitecore MH12S or Olight M2R Pro Warrior, as they have little throw to speak of. What they do have is color-rendering accuracy and a unique ability to make colors “pop,” for example green leaves & colorful flowers along the trail more distinct and beautiful. Every shade and every color stand out from each other. That’s why I buy them and honestly at 30-60 bucks a light it is difficult to resist the temptation. Collecting Nichia lights has been such a wonderfully inexpensive hobby compared to some of my previous financially disastrous ones like sports cars and high-end audio :-).

The Convoy S21D is a 21700 light only recently released. Two LEDS are offered at the time of this writing: Nichia 219b and 519a, both @ 4500K CCT. The 219b LED with its beautiful rosy/magenta tint needs no introduction and likely has the most number of obsessed owners :slight_smile: in this hobby. OTOH Nichia 519a is a newer, larger LED (nearly twice as big die size) and would make a very interesting comparison. I ordered 2 Convoy S21D’s with Nichia and a Convoy M21B with GT FC-40 without any problem, but now they don’t seem to be not available on AliExpress. I believe banggood.com also has them, but cost may not be as low.

The other flashlight used in this comparison needs no introduction either; it’s the incredibly popular Emisar D4V2. Emisar is a heaven for 219b fans, offering multiple CCT versions of this LED, but it doesn’t have 519a, yet. OTOH Emisar does have the Nichia E21a, a LED that is also highly regarded, but is not nearly as popular (see discussion #3 below for possible reason why). Of note Emisar uses 9 amp Constant Current driver for 219b, but only 5 amp for the E21a.

I’m adding an index of the interesting or fun posts that I’ve wasted the most amount of time on :man_facepalming: :slight_smile: . Hope it helps for anyone looking to waste time reading about Convoy.

* 4 Lights I would buy were I to start from beginning Click here

* Important: Throw numbers and comparison of TIR optics for Convoy S21D and Emisar D4V2 Here

* Convoy Accessories Here

* Summary of Impression of 219b 4500K vs 519a 4500k vs E21a 4500K Here and photographic comparison with E21a 4500K Here

* Convoy S21D or Emisar D4V2? Which one should I buy? Here

* Comparison of Effects of Convoy “Green Reflection AR Lens” (it’s a reflection not a tint) on Duv (it makes Duv about 20 points more negative) Here and white-wall beamshot Here

* Duv dropping ~20 points as Nichia 519a LED heats up with time Here

* Specs: CCT, Ra, R9 measured by Simon, and some by me Here

* Convoy headlamp H2 with beautiful Nichia 219b 4500K & 3500K Here and headband Here

* Great Sustained Brightness of Convoy S21D and M21B-E-F Here vs D4V2 Here sustained brightness from Turbo Here

* 8A Buck Driver versus 12A FET Driver - comparison of brightness and runtime graph Here

* B35AM 4500k in M21B: Fantastic light, a rosy Nichia light with throw! Here

* Nice Discussion of Flashlight’s Driver Here

* Nice Discussion of Reflector and effects on Hotspot, Corona, Spill Here

* Convoy Temp Regulation Algorithm Here

* Calculation of CCT when Mixing LED CCT’s Here and Weighted Here

2 Thanks
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This post is a summary of specs of all the important lights in this thread. There will be numerous revisions because of additions, repeat measurements changing results, mistakes (mine), improved knowledge, changing opinions.

Specs from Simon:

Lens Multiple TIR choices: 60° Bead, 30 Bead, 10 Bead, 10 Clear (available from Simon, or possibly as gift at time of purchase). See comparison and beamshot discussion HERE

Driver
S21D: 8A Buck (first release, like mine, >90% efficiency - more than FET) or 12A FET (the batch sold in June of 2022)
S21F: Max output 8A, buck constant current

Nichia 219b 4500k
2000LM (LED size 1.5 mm)
CCT 4526k
Ra 96
R9 97
R12 79
Duv –0.00995

Nichia 519a 4500k
2600LM (LED size 2mm)
CCT 4500k
Ra 93.6
R9 82
R12 80
Duv 0.00091

Nichia B35AM 4500k
CCT 4454k
Ra 98
R9 99
R12 77
Duv –0.00503

Some other numbers posted by Simon in past here:
CRI for 219b 3500K sw35
CCT 3583K, Duv –0.00392
Ra 95.7, R9 82

CRI for 219b 3000K sw30
CCT 3027K, Duv –0.00535
Ra 96.6 R9 84

My Measurements I repeat measurements many times and make mistakes often enough so please don’t be surprised if you see changes or inconsistencies between posts from different times.) :

  1. 219b 4500K in S21D:
    Output: 1680 lm
    Throw: 170 m with 10° TIR, 113m with 60 bead
    CCT 4486 Ra 95.8, Duv –0.0084 cold, –0.0096 hot (heat drops Duv 12 points)
  2. 219b 4500K in Emisar D4V2:
    Output: 1670 lm
    Throw: Carlo 10621 Clear 140 m, Carlo 10622 Clear 137 m
    CCT 4559 Ra 95.7 Duv –0.0087
  3. 219b 4500K in H2 Headlamp:
    Output: 596 lm
    CCT 4775 Ra 95.2 Duv –0.0135 (cold Turbo) to -0.0160 (hot Turbo)
  4. 219b 3500K in Emisar D4V2:
    CCT 3491 Ra 96.6 Duv –0.0045
  5. 219b 3500K in H2 Headlamp:
    Output: 495 lm
    CCT 3484 Ra 95.5 x 0.4001, y 0.3732 Duv –0.0067
  6. 219b 2700K in Emisar D4V2:
    CCT 2710 Ra 97.6 Duv –0.0022
    Output: 1350 lm
  7. 519a 4500K in Convoy S21D:
    Output: 1900 lm
    Throw 157 m with 10° Clear TIR
    CCT 4100 20% Brightness (increases about 150 points from 1% to 100% brightness, example 3743 to 3904), Ra 97.6, Duv –0.0010 cold, –0.0027 hot (heat drops Duv about 20 points).
  8. B35AM 4500k in Convoy M21B:
    Output 1090 lm
    Throw 263 m
    CCT 4348 Ra 98.2 Duv –0.0050 35% brightness, –0.0036 0.1% brightness (with 2nd Opple)
  9. E21a in Emisar D4V2
    CCT 4908 Ra 97.4 Duv -0.0077
    Output 1520 lm
    Throw:
    Carlo 10622 Clear 170 m
    Carlo 10623 Frosted 111 m (frosted optic makes “hotspot” (central area of beam) of D4V2 w/ E21a very dim)
  10. 519a 2700k & 5700k in Convoy S21F Discussion starts around HERE
    Important Note: I got two S21F’s: the first light belongs to the first batch that was released, and has 5000k and 2600k 519a, the second light belongs to second batch had 5700k and 2600k 519a.
    Ra ~98 all CCT’s
    Various CCT’s at Level 4
    2600k (2 LEDs): Output 1130 lm, Duv –0.0010, no PWM (2nd light Duv -0.0002)
    3000k (4 LEDs): Output 1180 lm
    3300k (4 LEDs): Output 980 lm
    3700k (4 LEDs): Output 900 lm, Duv –0.0072
    4500k (4 LEDs): Output 1350 lm, Duv –0.0055 (2nd light -0.0075 output=1100)
    5000k (2 LEDs 1st light): Output 1370 lm, Duv –0.0048, no PWM
    5000k (4 LEDs 2nd light): Duv -0.0060 Output 1360 lm

5700k (2 LEDs 2nd light) Duv -0.0036
All CCT mixings that use 4 LEDs have PWM
Fixed 3600k CCT at Level 5 aka true Turbo, true 100%, etc.
4 LEDs, no PWM
Output 2050 lm, Duv –0.0071 (2nd light CCT 3800k Duv -0.0093)

External Temperature after 25 minute run-down from Turbo/Max brightness level, measured with IR gun pointing at the head area. Note that this is laying on plastic in a room without any cooling.
Convoy S21D —-> greater than 60° C
Convoy M21B —-> 59° C
Emisar D4V2 219b 4500k (with max thermal limit set to 55 C) —-> 49° C
Olight M2R Pro —->47° C
Sofirn SP36 BLF 4000k —->45° C
Convoy M21B w/ B35AM 4500k —->42° C

Both Convoy S21D and M21B have temperature regulation. It is set at 55 C in both lights. Emisar D4V2 also has temp regulation. The factory setting for upper thermal limit is 45 C, but I changed it in all my D4V2’s to 55 C.

1 Thank
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SUMMARY & IMPRESSION

Convoy S21D w/ 219b 4500k
Beam & color/tint quality: Floody and bright for a Nichia light. Brightest in my small collection of Nichia’s and this plus the other Convoy S21D (with 519a) are the only ones that I feel are somewhat useful for our evening walk. IMHO this pair of S21D are the first Nichia lights that leave the “boutique” camp, and edge towards “functional.” As for color/tint, for all practical purposes it’s the same between Convoy and Emisar. For beam angle, Convoy is more floody and has less of a hot spot vs Emisar.
What’s so special about 219b 4500k? An unmatched ability to make more distinct different colors (green leaves vs light blue flowers of rosemary) and shades of colors (light green vs dark green of leaves). Scenes of plants and flowers show fantastic depth. Flowers “pop” against leaves. A joy to use if you like to observe and enjoy flora and fauna along your evening walk.
Specs Absolutely eye popping: Ra 96, R9 97, R12 79, DUV –0.0095
Construction & cosmetic: “Functional,” in an industrial way :innocent: . One example: there is really no knurling to speak of and flashlight therefore just a tad slippery. Doesn’t feel solid like my Olight (the best among my lights) but then the cost of 1 Olight equals three (!) Convoy S21D’s so I’m not complaining.
Design & Use:
21700 battery, which means a larger body than Emisar, but still only about size of my Olight M2R and still pocket-able.
The LiitoKala 21700 battery that comes with the light shows 4877 mAh and internal resistance 52 with my Opus. I don’t know max current draw of this battery but it works fine.
No Anduril, which is a plus or minus depending on your point of view. I prefer Anduril.
No Anduril also means nutty hobbyists cannot play with settings such as thermal regulation’s max T (factory setting is 55 C per Simon), but then judging by the result, maybe we don’t need to.
Rear switch only - I prefer side switch for this type of light but again, personal preference.
Comment The Convoy at 30 bucks is an incredibly compelling flashlight. A deserving backbone for any light collection if beam quality and color are priorities. Nichia 219b sw45k LED is discontinued so who knows how long supply will last; if you’re interested I would buy it quickly. IMHO if there is one Nichia light that you should buy, it’s this one, primarily because of its lasting brightness. The give away price and 21700 battery don’t hurt either.

Convoy S21D w/ Nichia 519a 4500k (Note: actual CCT measurement is around 3800-4000k)
Beam color: Everything stated above about S21D with 219b applies here, EXCEPT beam color. Whereas 219b has that famous rosy/magenta tint (a result of a negative, below BBL Duv) that every hobbyist loves, 519a has a warmer, more yellowish/golden tone (a result a positive, above BBL Duv, plus a much lower CCT than spec). During comparison, I actually was struck at how different 519a is to 219b.

519a is recommended because of how different its beam color is from 219b, and yet it still has spectacular CRI specs ( Ra 93.6, R9 82, R12 80, Duv 0.00091). While 219b has incredible and un-matched color rendering, sometimes the magenta tone of 219b might be too much for me :-), and 519a’s golden tone provides a relief. OTOH if you don’t like a slight golden tint, this is not the LED for you. I love it because for me it’s like having different wines or food from different restaurants, all good yet different. I guess it’s called having fun with a hobby :innocent: .

Otherwise, from my test using photography and checking light level, this and the S21D with 219b are the two brightest in my small collection of Nichia lights. The 2 are the most useful light for practical use because of their brightness and would make a wonderful back bone to any light collection in which beam color/quality is a priority.

Emisar D4V2 w/ E21a 4500k
I’ve come across post where someone waxed poetic about this E21a LED like it’s the second coming, and I’ve come across post where it was the worst LED the person had ever seen. Based on my pictures and of course live view observation, IMHO this LED is extremely close to beam color of the 219b 4500k, but very slightly more yellow. Of note Emisar needs to use frosted optic Carlo 10623 for the E21e to smooth out the beam, but this frosted optic results in a dim hotspot, too dim for me. I’ve tried the clear optic Carlo 10622 with this light, but then the beam has a yellow greenish ring at corona (see pictures later in this thread HERE). 219b has no such problem using the same optic. Unless you see something that you really like, personally I would pass on this LED and get the 219b instead.

Emisar D4V2 w/ 219b sw45k
Beam & color/tint quality: Floody with a central hotpot that is brighter than Convoy at Turbo start, but after just a couple minutes, step-downs occur and brightness begins falling behind Convoy. The useful part of the beam becomes very small and hence not much area is covered (you could see the difference between the 2 lights in the beam shot below). This is observed in a D4V2 that has been calibrated and max temp limit raised to 55.
Construction & cosmetic: This is one of the most popular lights for hobbyists for good reasons: it’s pretty, construction quality very nice, a notch above Convoy. The auxiliary lights are fun. I enjoy taking pictures of this light; it’s a great gift light.
Available in 4 anodized colors, plus brass, copper, titanium material available. All very pretty. Keep in mind copper and brass are very heavy. Almost too heavy.
Design & Use:
18650 battery, which means a very nice small light that fits nicely in the hand. But, will a 21700 be coming?
Anduril 2
Side switch: One of the nicest I’ve used, clicks nicely and clearly. I have one with the raised ring around button option, and I don’t like it at all.
Comment Emisar sells 219b and E21a lights in several different CCT’s. This means you ARE going to end up with an Emisar one of these days :slight_smile: . To be at Emisar’s web site (oddly named www.intn-outdoor.com) makes me feel like a kid at a toy store Christmas time. I applaud Hank’s effort to supply us with such a dizzying array of fun lights.

Convoy S21F
This is Convoy’s first variable CCT light using Nichia LEDs, 519a 2700k and 519a 5700k. The magic of mixing is that Duv becomes lower than either LED, meaning this light should be among most rosy 519a beam and lowest Duv you could find, particularly in the middle area 4000k or so.
The output is U shaped, meaning output is high at either end, 2700k & 5700k, and lowest in the middle area around 4000k. The once exception is Turbo mode. Turbo mode is only available by double clicking, which takes you to 2000 lm with CCT 2000k. The Turbo beam is literally pink from the low Duv; it is very pretty and very unusual and alone could be reason to buy this light.
Except for Turbo mode at 2800k, at all other CCT’s this light is not as bright as S21D.
USB-C charging and side switch makes this the most used of my Nichia lights. Highly recommended.

Convoy M21B with B35AM: My nickname for this light is “219b with throw”. There are two LEDs in my collection that look like the famous 219b 4500k: first is E21a, and second is this one, B35AM. Amazingly enough it manages to beat big brother 219b in its own game, with the highest CRI I’ve ever seen, Ra 98 and R9 clocking in at 99. It is the rare pocketable Nichia light with outstanding 260 m throw, unique in this aspect and that’s why it’s a must-have for me. Noticeably lower output than Getian GT-FC40 LED, but more beautiful rosy tint, that’s the trade off between BAM and FC40 lights. Tint wise: B35AM is less rosy than 219b but still very much a rosy tint. Sustained brightness is fantastic making this an eminently useful walk light.

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Comparison of Convoy 219b and 519a with pictures of the front garden. I like and recommend both lights btw; at $30 a pop they are simply irresistible. :slight_smile: A great start for anyone curious about high CRI lights.

It’s interesting to note that without a lightly colored background such as my living room’s light beige wall (versus dark green background of this picture), the magenta tint of 219b is not as easily noticeable. In addition, differences between LED are more subtle. The easiest way for me to tell which LED is which is the flat grey surface of the palm tree. Here the more yellow tint of 519a is more obvious.

Looking at the hot pink geranium flowers, 219b somehow just seems to make the flowers stand out more from the leaves. More depth and 3D, color differences more distinctive - just my subjective opinion so if you don’t see it, I won’t argue :-). It will be interesting to do a crop comparison.

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Crop of above picture. Shot w/ Canon DSLR in RAW format, WB 5000k, exposure matched as best I could to not favor one LED or another. I have a clear preference but both LED’s are excellent - if you like a warmer tone go for 519a, but do get the 219b FIRST :innocent: .

Based on my own real life observation (not photography) if you want to see subtle shade of color changes and to see flowers “pop” against leaves etc., the 219b 4500k is unmatched imho. In the Convoy S21D host the bright floody field is an added bonus - at 30 bucks an incredibly compelling value and the best of all the lights I have bought.

PS If you are buying S21D or M21B, be sure to also purchase the rear lighted metal button and the screw on metal clip from Aliexpress Convoy store - both are just a couple bucks each but are mandatory :slight_smile: imho.

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Convoy Accessories Review - IMHO YMMV

Clip-on Clip https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002413109298.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef1802cowKTq A little too small at 22 mm diameter so I could see a little air gap between clip and light. I would have preferred probably 25 mm. Fits S21D, M21E (after bending clipping arms outward a little). Might fit M21B and M21F but I didn’t try because it’s tight and I didn’t want to scratch the finish. I much prefer the screw on clip (better in every way IMHO), but if this is what you like, I would bend the arms outward a little so that it doesn’t scratch the light’s finish.
Screw-on Clip https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002434411703.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef1802dSS6ZX Perfect and IMHO one of the best, much better than clip on clip IMHO. Fits S21D, M21B perfectly, and thankfully also M21F and M21E. Note a subtle point: I prefer to keep the clip at 9 o’clock position (90 degrees to the left of the switch) so that it doesn’t go under my right hand grip. This is not always possible with the screw on clip because that depends on position of the holes.
Metal lighted switch https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002389032527.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef1802dSS6ZX IMHO mandatory :slight_smile: for S21D and M21B. For switch color I chose blue because of less current drain vs orange. The metal switch has a wonderful nicely tactile click, more defined in its action and night and day better than the rubber version. For me, it is especially critical for the 12-GROUPS UI used in these lights because in this UI both click (full click) and tap (half press) are important, and the tap is so much easier with it. The metal switch has a built in half-way stop for the tap’s half press and it makes all the difference IMHO. Install takes 5 minutes, completely plug and play. The most challenging step is to remove the retaining ring which is very tight and would likely be difficult if you don’t have something similar to this needle point pliers https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JNRR0Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 .
Please note the spec current drain listed by Simon is wrong by a factor of 20 (!!) I have measured the drain and it is ~0.5 mA, not 9.4 mA (way way too high for a a switch light). I brought this to Simon’s attention but don’t know if he will correct it. 0.5 mA is between the low mode (~0.1 mA) and high mode (~1 mA) of an Anduril switch light.

More throwy replacement optics
Click HERE for discussion of the 5 optics available: Sofirn 10 Degree Clear, Convoy 10 Clear, Convoy 10 Bead, Convoy 30 Bead, Convoy 60 Bead. Sofirn and Convoy 10 Clear and the Convoy 30 Bead are my fav’s. Convoy 60 Bead has diffused and beautiful beam, but dimmer.
Convoy to buy: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256804406224003.html
Sofirn to buy: https://www.sofirnlight.com/products/quad-optic-lens-for-if25a . The beam has a more defined and bright hotspot so this is the most throwy of all the optics. The fit is nice and tight, nothing loose.

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In case you are new to this here are what I’ve bought and used

Convoy S21D with Nichia: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003779341243.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef1802jnkJ39 If no longer available check out https://www.banggood.com
Emisar D4V2 with Nichia: Emisar D4V2 High Power LED Flashlight - LED Flashlights . Also available at https://jlhawaii808.com/ with less options for button & material choice, but completely legit and faster shipping from Hawaii. Note: Personally I don’t like the raised ring around button.

Samsung 40T 21700 Flat Top Battery for Convoy: Samsung 40T 21700 4000mAh 35A Battery - INR21700-40T

Samsung 30Q 18650 Flat Top Battery for Emisar D4V2*: Samsung 30Q 18650 3000mAh 15A Battery | INR18650-30Q

Opus BT C3100 v2.2 charger from legit AliExpress store: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002811401255.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef1802jnkJ39

XTAR MC2 charger much less expensive XTAR MC2 2 Bay USB Battery Charger - Portable Micro USB Charging

The Samsung 40T and 30Q are high current and un-protected, both highly recommended for these lights. The yellow Litto something (what with these names lol) battery came with the Convoy M21B light.

Opus BT C3100 from AliExpress is about half the cost of same thing on Amazon. The seller I quoted is legit and the thing came in around 10-12 days IIRC. AFAIK Opus is one of the few chargers that could test internal resistance and capacity accurately and highly recommended.

Opus BT C3100

XTAR MC2

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Well…Apparently the beam shots didn’t make it.

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The Convoy store is temporarily closed due to lockdown which is why they appear unavailable.

The S21D with 519A is awesome, a good rival for the E70 GT-FC40.

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Pardon me for the delay. There’s someone else in the household and she may not like me to sit glued to the computer all day. Anyway for me the wait for the arrival of these new Convoy’s was excruciating because I so much want to compare 219b versus 519a. Everyday I checked tracking and every few days I asked Simon where lights are and how come it’s on this so and so state for so long. It ended up taking a little longer than other stuffs, about 20 days (vs 10 days for the charger for example) and when the lights finally got here I felt like a kid on Christmas day.

All shots as usual were taken in RAW format with fixed camera’s White Balance, 5000k, and in complete darkness. There was no other light source except the flashlight and the pics not infrequently were taken in the middle of the night (because I am crazy when it comes to hobbies?). The fixed white balance hopefully means all my shots at different times should make valid comparison with each other.

I like to take pictures of lights on the “wall of truth” :slight_smile: (one end of my living room). These shots ruthlessly expose differences, for me much better than the small white-wall beam shots. I put my son’s USC cap in the middle of the pic in case someone wants to see R9 strong red’s rendering. So… decide for yourself but yes I was surprised at the big difference, so much so I am thinking I should re-do the shots tonight. The famous magenta tint of 219b is clearly visible. Whereas 519a has a warm golden tint with a hint of magenta. 219c 5000k is a little “cold” but daylight accurate. The LED’s are all different, why it’s such a very interesting hobby and I like them all for different reasons.

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congrats on your lighting options

those are really nice photographs!

thanks for taking the time to share

tint differences aside, in terms of CCT, it makes sense that the 5000k LED looks whitest at 5000k White Balance

I dont think you need to retake the photos, unless you want to demonstrate what happens when our brain is white balanced to 3000k, at night, as opposed to 5000k, during the day…

warning, you may feel a need to buy some 3000k lights soon… lol
.
slippery slope, enjoy the slide :wink:

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I took the 2 lights out for my nature walk tonight and my impression follows. These Convoy’s are bigger/longer than Emisar D4V2 but still fit in pocket pants easily. I have a preference for the small form of D4V2 but then D4V2 has only 18650 battery, and the larger thermal mass (Convoy being a larger light) of the Convoy dissipates heat better, leading to less step-downs. Both lights turned fairly warm but not too hot to hold. They are as expected very floody with low level throw. I installed the metal clip (see link in post #1above) to keep them from rolling off the table.

219b: Most of all, continues to impress with its ability to make shades of colors stand out. Light grey vs dark grey of barks, light green vs dark green of leaves. Every color, every shade stands out clearly. The rosemary plant for example: small blue flowers stand out against green leaves more clearly and beautifully.
519a: Clearly brighter than 219b. The warm yellow-golden tone is very soothing to my eyes. This is the light I would use if I am not trying to see the different shades of brown soil and grey barks :innocent: .

Convoy hit a home run with these lights and I recommend both, without reservation. I believe they are the first 21700 lights with Nichia 219b/519a. Personally I wish they have on-board USB-C charging but then they wouldn’t cost 30 bucks. If you are new to this hobby or don’t have any Nichia light, these 2 and especially the 219b should be very nice addition to the collection, IMHO.

Pic of the metal switch and clip from Convoy (see discussion in post #1 above). For me the metal switch is a must-have for the 12-Groups Convoy UI as it makes both “click” (full press) and “tap” (half press) so much easier to engage. Especially the half press since there is a now a “built-in” FIRM stop at half press, the fixed outer metal ring. They are also VERY pretty.

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Thanks for sharing. I really like the dedomed 519a 3000k. Looks like rosy 2400k

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S2+ snap on clip and screwable clip both fit that host. I recommend the one with screws.

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The beamshot of Convoy 219B looks “richer” than the Wurkkos TS21. I think Convoy has now dethroned that TS21 as giving the most accurate and pleasing rendition of the the room.

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What are these Emisar’s doing here in a Convoy thread? One reason: Nichia E21a 4500k, not avail w/ Convoy. Of all Nichia LEDs, E21a is for me the most elusive and mysterious to learn about. Do a google search and I would see all sorts of opinions, and of course, they don’t agree.

Owners wax poetic about its quality “E21A 4500K appears as a perfect neutral with flawless tint to me…”

Or hate it “Just got my first 219b sw45k and ran it next to e21a 4,500 and the e21 is pretty sad next to it.”

More “The 4500K E21A, on the other hand, needs the frosted optic. It isn’t as apparent in these photos as it is in real life, but there’s very strong tint shift in the spill: some areas are fully yellow-green, while others are so rosy that they look brown.”

Next post I will have picture comparison of these LED’s.

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Thanks everyone for your help & comments. These next 2 shots come from 2 very famous Nichia’s in the equally famous Emisar D4V2. Squint your eyes and maybe you could see a slight yellow tint in E21a.

Do you have a preference for one over the other? I believe a few flashaholics have wanted to know the difference between these 2 LED’s, and here they are fully exposed on the Wall of Truth :slight_smile: .


Note that E21a comes with frosted optic which makes it look dimmer.

When you replace with clear optic brightness improves but now there is a yellowish green ring in the beam.

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While we are on E21a discussion, some additional notes in case there are Emisar owners lurking here :+1: :slight_smile: .

1. Emisar E21a LED is driven by CC 5 amp, versus CC 9 amp for the Emisar 219b vs 8 amp for Convoy 219b.

2. E21a is noticeably dimmer than 219b when both at Turbo level.

3. Hank uses Carlo Optic’s frosted/floody 10623 for the E21a light, but the clear/throwy 10622 for the 219b. I bought extra Carlo Optics from Hank (10621, 10622, 10623) and asked him for advice regarding trying the clear TIR optic for E21a. He said E21a version may have some slight dual tint issue with the clear optic, and if I do switch to the clear optic for E21a to make sure to press the optic a bit so that it sits closer to the MCPCB, then the beam should be fine.
The Carlo Optic site has beam shot examples if you are interested (scroll down to see pictures of beam shots from various LEDS): 10.0mm Narrow Spot Plain TIR LED Lenses | Carclo Optics

4. In the 2 pictures above, one way I could tell which is which is one beam shot is more floody, that’s the Emisar with E21a and the floody TIR. The other shot if you try hard enough :slight_smile: you could faintly make out the spot in the middle of the picture, that’s the Emisar with 219b and the throwy TIR.

5. Would you be surprised if someone says the E21a LED might even use the same phosphor as 219b? (Someone did.) The pictures above seem to support this. Any expert here would like to comment on this?

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Above from Convoy thread.

For those new to this like me, the number after D is the output in lumens at the rated power, which for Nichia 219b is 700mA. So for the 219b 4500k Convoy (the first line), D220 means 220 lumens at 700 mA. Higher is better. Anyone pls correct as needed.

This I assume would be the LED in my (and soon, yours :slight_smile: ) Convoy S21D.

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Jon, whom I didn’t know might also be a shutterbug :+1: , did an excellent analysis of my pictures by cropping the red hat. Why the red hat? For those not familiar, most lights quote the “general” CRI number that shows rendering of 8 pastel colors (and not strong red), CRI 95 for example. With Nichia you often see the number 9080 for the famous 219b 4500k LED. 9080 means the general CRI is at least 90, and the red CRI (rendering of “strong” red) is at least 80. This is the best possible rating and is the reason why we sing its praise.

One of the most important/common question I’ve seen as far nutty Nichia fans are concerned, is how the new 519a compares to the legendary 219b? The crop above leaves no doubt that they are in fact very different from each other, at least in this Convoy batch of 519a. Besides the red, look at the white window screen in the background, and how golden/yellow it is with 519a, and magenta with 219b.

I think cropping (shutterbugs call this pixel peeping :innocent: ) is an excellent idea. Thanks Jon; I will be doing more of it. Lastly, for a good discussion of CRI, Ra, R9 see this article R9: More Important Than CRI?. Some new lighting standards call for… | by Greg Yeutter | Medium .