Alright folks. The Convoy store on AliExpress just posted new versions of the S2+ with Nichia 219B at 3000K, 3500K, and 4500K in various body colors. I thought the 219B had long been discontinued. I don’t know what’s going on here but I just ordered a few.
Anyone have thoughts on this? Also, how is the 219B at these tints? I only have experience with the 219B at 4000-4500K. So naturally, I ordered the 3000K and 3500K.
This was discussed in 【convoy】SFT40 5000K back in stock (sufficient).
He posted some spectrum tests here 【convoy】SFT40 5000K back in stock (sufficient) - #5475 by Simon_Mao
Don’t have real world experience to share though sorry
I think Nichia must still make small batches to order… either that or there’s a warehouse somewhere that is leaking small amounts over time… most likely the first scenario.
I have been wondering where the stocks of these are coming from as well. I assumed that they are out of production and some site is leaking out old back stock that they will not use. Simon and Hank both seem to have decent quantity at this point, albeit the prices for the bare emitters has really gone up on them, like we are running on low quantity old stock. I must admit, I am tempted to buy a few more for my own personal stock.
The latest Fireflies batches have slightly worse cri and higher cct than my older ones, so I think you probably right on “lower quality stock”
But I wouldn’t be surprised if Nichia was willing to produce them if someone bought like 100k of them
might give it a miss until the quality is confirmed
The way I figure it… it is a 219B and it is binned as sw-45k and it is Simon. I do not see the binning being off much, I have only used 75 or 80 sw-45k from 4 or 5 orders over the years and the variation is small. I also do not see Simon selling junk 219B’s after “knowing” him after all these years…
So, given my eye problems of late, soldering is difficult at best, and the fact that the new T2 driver is really nice, so nice my wife stole my LH351D light the day it arrived… I ordered 3 yesterday with 219B sw-45k and a M21B with the FC40 int 4000/4500k. This will be only my second FC40, the first was in the S11 and it really does remind me of the light quality of the 219B sw-45k. Both of my girls wanted one of the T2’s and I really did like it and wanted one as well. My wife appreciates the size, simplicity, battery simplicity and modes, she will not care that hers is the LH351D and mine is 219B.
That is how I figure it as well, I have a decent stock of the various flavors and if I can’t get back to modding I will at some point sell them. They really are the best! If you want more output and very good tint, the XP-L 5A2 and 5A3 are pretty darn nice as well.
On the subject of new lights… I ended up with one of the D4V2’s in blue with sw-45k’s. Love everything about it except the CC driver. Lowest setting the light will run right on is 3/150, it is brighter in moonlight than my D4V2 with a FET driver and SST-20’s.