ArtieT59
June 17, 2021, 10:03pm
21
My top ones:
FireFlies e07x pro (xpl hi or sst20)
noctigon kr4 (xpl hi)
emisar d4s V2 (osram or xpl hi)
Noctigon kr1 (w2 or sst20 4000k)
sofirn sc31 pro (5000k)
sofirn sp35 (5000k)
FireFlies e12r (sst20)
Astrolux mf01 mini
astolux ea01 (xhp50)
astrolux ec03 (xhp50)
any one of those will get you started!
ArtieT59
June 17, 2021, 10:05pm
22
D4v30:
I think I have even more options then when I started now lol thanks guys. Those magnet mods for the Zebralights is a good idea, shame they don’t come that way so I don’t have to try and find magnets that fit. So far my favorites are the Zebralight SC600w, Fenix E35 v3, Skillhunt M200, TrustFire T11R (especially for the price), Acebeam T36(though maybe a bit too narrow of a beam). If Emisar ever comes out with a D4v3 I’m all over it. Now how to pick just one? Or, better yet, how to convince the wife that I need them all? EDIT, At first glance I didn’t care for the looks of the Emisar D4v2, looks a little Dollar store flashlight-y but the Ti version sure is nice. What’s the best LED? Something with good balance of output and CRI and a warm to neutral tint 4k-5k. What do you guys think of this Build Switch ring - Flat (?) LED - XP-L HI V2 5D 4000k Switch light - Cyan, maybe or white +Magnet in tail cap and pocket clip I’m guessing extra floody optics are pointless as this looks like super flood light to begin with. Do they come with a battery?
that build sounds perfect,I have one of those same setup . Love that setup
Sofirn Holy Trinity
chadvone
June 17, 2021, 11:56pm
24
what kind of biking do you do? I have biked, bike paths and small town streets with much less then 500 lumens
dudunphy
June 18, 2021, 1:08am
25
I just ordered a lumintop fw4a with the nichias in it. Early Father’s day present to myself. Yeah I love Olight but the proprietary batteries - ugh. I also love my blf a6 in 3D. I own multiple and have gotten a few for co workers - no complaints. I’m pretty rusty round here though.
D4v30
June 18, 2021, 2:17am
26
BurningPlayd0h:
D4v30:
I think I have even more options then when I started now lol thanks guys.
Those magnet mods for the Zebralights is a good idea, shame they don’t come that way so I don’t have to try and find magnets that fit.
So far my favorites are the Zebralight SC600w, Fenix E35 v3, Skillhunt M200, TrustFire T11R (especially for the price), Acebeam T36(though maybe a bit too narrow of a beam). If Emisar ever comes out with a D4v3 I’m all over it.
Now how to pick just one? Or, better yet, how to convince the wife that I need them all?
EDIT, At first glance I didn’t care for the looks of the Emisar D4v2, looks a little Dollar store flashlight-y but the Ti version sure is nice. What’s the best LED? Something with good balance of output and CRI and a warm to neutral tint 4k-5k.
What do you guys think of this Build
I’m guessing extra floody optics are pointless as this looks like super flood light to begin with. Do they come with a battery?
If you’re still thinking “Good LED with good CRI and tint.” that IMHO rules out Fenix. A few of their lights have a good tint and more like 5700K emitters, but many of the new ones like the E35 v3 are very CW with a greenish tint (seems to be true for all SST-70s at this point).
SST-20 in 4000K is the best “jack of all trades” emitter for the D4. Higher max output and throwier than the E21A, much better color reproduction and also lower cost than the XP-L HI. Not as pleasant a tint as either of those at lower outputs, but “minus green” sheets are pretty cheap and will cover a LOT of flashlights.
For the switch backlight, consider if this will ever serve as a “nightstand” light - cyan is one of the brightest colors for the switch LED IIRC and something like amber will disturb sleep much less, even comparing the low settings for different options.
From this post on r/flashlight:
“Cool White, Purple, Green, Cyan, Amber, Warm White, Red”
I hadn’t considered that with the switch light, was going purely for esthetics, a good point.
The XM-L Hi comes in a couple flavors, v2 5D and U3 8A, From what I’ve seen the V2 seem well regarded. I was hoping to “pimp” it out with something a little more special but if you think the 4000k SST-20 is a better LED then I guess that’s $10 saved.
Regarding heat, the Ti version has a mostly copper head from the looks of it (maybe they all do?) hopefully that will help.
D4v30
June 18, 2021, 2:18am
27
All look solid, too many choices, it was so much easier 10 years ago lol
D4v30
June 18, 2021, 2:20am
28
I mostly take the bike camping so its a lot of trails, In town the street lights do most of the work so I guess you could get away with a little less but I’ve got lousy eyes, need all the light I can get lol
D4v30
June 18, 2021, 2:20am
29
Right on, looks like a really nice light, happy early Fathers Day.
chadvone
June 19, 2021, 12:59pm
30
D4v30:
I mostly take the bike camping so its a lot of trails, In town the street lights do most of the work so I guess you could get away with a little less but I’ve got lousy eyes, need all the light I can get lol
I used to used a few lights, throwers and floods,they were AA.
D4v30:
BurningPlayd0h:
D4v30:
I think I have even more options then when I started now lol thanks guys.
Those magnet mods for the Zebralights is a good idea, shame they don’t come that way so I don’t have to try and find magnets that fit.
So far my favorites are the Zebralight SC600w, Fenix E35 v3, Skillhunt M200, TrustFire T11R (especially for the price), Acebeam T36(though maybe a bit too narrow of a beam). If Emisar ever comes out with a D4v3 I’m all over it.
Now how to pick just one? Or, better yet, how to convince the wife that I need them all?
EDIT, At first glance I didn’t care for the looks of the Emisar D4v2, looks a little Dollar store flashlight-y but the Ti version sure is nice. What’s the best LED? Something with good balance of output and CRI and a warm to neutral tint 4k-5k.
What do you guys think of this Build
I’m guessing extra floody optics are pointless as this looks like super flood light to begin with. Do they come with a battery?
If you’re still thinking “Good LED with good CRI and tint.” that IMHO rules out Fenix. A few of their lights have a good tint and more like 5700K emitters, but many of the new ones like the E35 v3 are very CW with a greenish tint (seems to be true for all SST-70s at this point).
SST-20 in 4000K is the best “jack of all trades” emitter for the D4. Higher max output and throwier than the E21A, much better color reproduction and also lower cost than the XP-L HI. Not as pleasant a tint as either of those at lower outputs, but “minus green” sheets are pretty cheap and will cover a LOT of flashlights.
For the switch backlight, consider if this will ever serve as a “nightstand” light - cyan is one of the brightest colors for the switch LED IIRC and something like amber will disturb sleep much less, even comparing the low settings for different options.
From this post on r/flashlight:
“Cool White, Purple, Green, Cyan, Amber, Warm White, Red”
I hadn’t considered that with the switch light, was going purely for esthetics, a good point.
The XM-L Hi comes in a couple flavors, v2 5D and U3 8A, From what I’ve seen the V2 seem well regarded. I was hoping to “pimp” it out with something a little more special but if you think the 4000k SST-20 is a better LED then I guess that’s $10 saved.
Regarding heat, the Ti version has a mostly copper head from the looks of it (maybe they all do?) hopefully that will help.
“V2” is just flux bin. Unfortunately there are reports that the current batch of 5D emitters Hank has don’t have the same great tint they’ve been known for. Not sure if/when that will change, but it’s a big loss considering that fairly rosy tint was one of the biggest advantages of the XP-L HI over the SST-20 in the eyes of many. To me, the far super color reproduction of the 4000K SST-20 is what makes it special, but I know not everyone cares as much about that vs max output/heat generation.
The copper head definitely does soak up quite a bit of heat, but since Ti is worse than aluminum for flashlight thermals it’s pretty much a wash vs the full aluminum version.
D4v30
June 24, 2021, 10:14pm
32
So, you’re gonna hate me but I actually ordered it in the 5000k XP-L Hi. Reason being I’m used to cool white lights and I think trying to get right into a warm white would be too much of a transition, maybe for my next light. Second reason, I have crappy eyes and I need all the brightness I can get lol Went with the raised ring and amber switch light.
I did go with the Ti, I debated the full copper version but I just really like the look of the Ti, with the more efficient Xp-L I’m hoping heat will be less of an issue. Really like the look of some of the “colourful” Ti models but for almost $30 more it just wasn’t worth it, maybe next time.
But I can’t wait to get it.
ArtieT59
June 24, 2021, 10:35pm
33
D4v30:
So, you’re gonna hate me but I actually ordered it in the 5000k XP-L Hi. Reason being I’m used to cool white lights and I think trying to get right into a warm white would be too much of a transition, maybe for my next light. Second reason, I have crappy eyes and I need all the brightness I can get lol Went with the raised ring and amber switch light. I did go with the Ti, I debated the full copper version but I just really like the look of the Ti, with the more efficient Xp-L I’m hoping heat will be less of an issue. Really like the look of some of the “colourful” Ti models but for almost $30 more it just wasn’t worth it, maybe next time. But I can’t wait to get it.
GREAT choice. The titanium is so much nicer than the aluminum, even tho you can get the lighted switch in the aluminum now, the Ti version is MUCH nicer. xpl-hi 5000k is my second favorite emitter
D4v30
June 24, 2021, 11:06pm
34
Artiet59:
D4v30:
So, you’re gonna hate me but I actually ordered it in the 5000k XP-L Hi. Reason being I’m used to cool white lights and I think trying to get right into a warm white would be too much of a transition, maybe for my next light. Second reason, I have crappy eyes and I need all the brightness I can get lol Went with the raised ring and amber switch light. I did go with the Ti, I debated the full copper version but I just really like the look of the Ti, with the more efficient Xp-L I’m hoping heat will be less of an issue. Really like the look of some of the “colourful” Ti models but for almost $30 more it just wasn’t worth it, maybe next time. But I can’t wait to get it.
GREAT choice. The titanium is so much nicer than the aluminum, even tho you can get the lighted switch in the aluminum now, the Ti version is MUCH nicer. xpl-hi 5000k is my second favorite emitter
Thank you for sharing, I’m really excited to get mine. Next time I will go with 4000k I was just reading a lot of people hated the warm light coming from cool ones. I think I need an intermediate so I can appreciate a warmer light instead of trying to switch to one cold turkey. I was reading the the 5000k XP-L Hi is a bit on the warmer side anyways so I think it will be a good transition light.
pennzy
June 24, 2021, 11:11pm
35
Hope you went with the raised ring. My D4 came on in my pocket all the time until I modified it.
D4v30
June 24, 2021, 11:19pm
36
I sure did, I was torn between the raised and flat for a bit but the cool glow you get with the raised sold me lol
ArtieT59
June 25, 2021, 10:21am
39
that is interesting, the d4 is the one light I have that has never come on in the pocket, and I only get the flat ring, never raised.
!
. try the 4000k xpl-hi next time. its not Hi CRI, i have plenty of HI cri sst20 lights, but the xpl-hi 4000k is an Amazing colored tint LED, and its MUCH brighter (IMO). You will Not regret it. 