High CRI, How important is it really?

First you have to know what is “”High Performance LED (6000~7000K)” “: Warrior Mini 2 Compact EDC Tactical Flashlight - Olight Store :smiley:

I know what it is since i joind flashlight madness 2004...

It’s not high performance to my eyes at nightshift for sure. Only migraine and sore eyes

Not really important for what I use my flashlights for…which is walking the dog after dark….in the fall and winter when it gets dark so freakin’ early. Don’t need a high Color Rendering Index since there won’t be any color around here for the next 6 months, just wonderful shades of grey and white :confounded:

I’m generally very happy with my Sofirn SP40 and Manker E03H which I use most often for working on the car or on electronics. I keep wishing they were high CRI. It’s the #1 spec I would change about them.

The flat, low-contrast look is a slight but constant irritant. Certainly, it’s better than having no light, but now it’s always on my mind. Before getting a first flashlight I had wondered how important CRI would be to me, and now I know…

Wich CCT are your lights?

The SP40 is the 5300K version. I wish I could have seen the 4000K in person, but in photos I thought I liked the 5300K better as a work light.

The E03H is sadly the cool white version (the Nichia version I really wanted was sold out and discontinued). The CCT is not mentioned but it is cooler than the 5300K.

I suggest to use lower CCT with high CRI for longer use at work. Light will be
more pleasant for eyes. Think it’s not hard change Led on SP40 once you have removed the silver ring.
Just use the right pliers or try to unscrew with a piece of rubber to avoid scratch the ring

I agree
the trick is to find daylight white in High CRI

a popular option atm is the LH351d 5000k
but Im not up to speed on what Headlamps are available in High CRI Daylight white

lower CCT are better for relaxing, but for a worklight it makes sense to move towards sunlight color temperature, for the stimulation

For short use yes, prolonged use above 4500k I find it tiring

My Wurkkos HD20 got a LH351D 5000k 90CRI flood LED and damn I’m really impressed by it! I Also got a Sofirn SC31 Pro (not a headlamp) with a SST40 5000k LED (not High CRI) but recently I started noticing it tint shifting on different power levels. I didn’t think I’d like the NW High CRI light as much but I really do! It’s not as powerful and bright as the SST40 but man I am impressed by the way I can see things with it around me!

This has been my thinking too. LH351d 5000k sounds tempting.

I removed the bezel ring fairly easily and put a diffuser film from Boaz. The broader beam profile and elimination of yellow rings is great. I had no intention of modding the LEDs, but I find myself wondering about it. I have a soldering iron, but no hot air station, and haven’t played with SMDs.

Maybe it’s a preference. I think I could get used to 4000-5000K though. The comparison I have is the typical portable incandescent 100W work lamps like:

100W incandescent is apparently about 1600 lumens, of course much more diffuse than a flashlight, but I find the comparatively yellow/orange too mellow and not “crisp” enough when trying to see details despite the perfect CRI.