I agree 3535 would be more useful. The reflector is too narrow to make this a good thrower even with the Olson emitter. And some people like tint and CRI on their edc.
Also, will these be available in Titanium?
I agree 3535 would be more useful. The reflector is too narrow to make this a good thrower even with the Olson emitter. And some people like tint and CRI on their edc.
Also, will these be available in Titanium?
Same. To all of it.
Thanks for the (p)review, MascaratumB.
Lumintop need to go back to the original reflector on the FW1A. They keep coming out with new lights but stuff up the old ones!
Looks interesting. I agree with the other comments. 3535 makes a lot more sense. A better reflector (or optic) and titanium please.
Thanks for all the details MascaratumB.
I don’t get it though, why the complicated shelf/MCPCB design ?
Is the part of the shelf below the MCPCB super thin ? Even so I don’t think this design is thermally better than having the lower thickness for the whole shelf and a large MCPCB which IMO would transfer away the heat better to the head, plus the wires would be farther apart so the reflector can sit lower.
Eh not really, thermal paste has very low thermal conductivity, it’s just there to help fill micro holes between two surfaces hard pressed together, on the sides there it’s doing nothing.
Absolutely, a single SST-20 will already give a more useful beam than in a FWAA triple with tiny optics, and will gives neutral/warm white options with high CRI which the Osram can’t.
Or they could have used an XP-P, since it’s an XP footprint, only one MCPCB to produce.
Edit : behold my impressive drawing skills :
Is it like that ? If so what are A and B ?
Lumintop must have a 40,000 foot reel of NM1 emitters sitting around. First the GT’s Mini/ Micro/ Nano, then the new GTA, and now this. It’s a fun emitter for sure, but it’s been done ad nauseum. Like most people, I was kinda looking forward to this iteration, but the NM1 is a lazy choice, IMHO.
Thanks for your comments folks!
I will try to reply to the questions placed above!
I do agree that 3535 would be better, specially for modding capability and for centering purposes. I have another FW1AA (which is a transformed FWAA) with LH351D and TIR optic (from an S1R Baton) and it is a less throwy but more versatile for other daily uses.
I guess the usage of the Osram may be influenced by the hype and also due to the desires of people to have something not floody.
I am not sure how good it throws since I couldn’t take it outside a night, yet. It will probably not reach the distances from the GT Nano, but it won’t be far either, because it will be pushed harder, eventually.
I am not sure if it will available in other metals When it is released maybe there are some more info about that!
@ Sallywag: Thanks!
@ lumenzilla: Thanks!
Didn’t know they changed teh FW1A reflector. Mine was from the second batch, still working fine.
Let’s see what offer they will have besided alu, if there will be any! If the centering is right, I guess this will sell well and maybe they can add new options in body materials.
@ thefreeman: Thanks for the comments, I will try to reply below.
I can’t reply with certainty, but it was maybe due to the aspects I mentioned before, the availabilty of MCPCBs (from the GT Nano) and also due to length issues, to make it compact.
I guess your drawing is accurate in the representation, but I am not sure about A and B thickness.
I do agree with your perspective, from a design point of view and from the thermal point of view. When I said it was a “smart move” I meant that concering the use of an already existent MCPCB (which is more favourable to the manufacturer) and also the length (which is more favourable to users).
Eh, my sentence there was not about the thermal paste, but the fitting of the MCPCB on the “hole” in the shelf, which is almost in contact.
The proof that the heatsinking is functioning is that with the thermal paste it has and the deisgn it has, the flashlight body gets hot after some seconds on max, like the FWAA. So, the combination of these two factors make the heatsinking work. Unless everything is coming from the driver only, but I cannot ascertain that.
In this format, it was not done at nauseum. Manker has one 14500 light with this emitter, but I am not sure if there are other 14500 lights with it. Smaller, yes, bigger, yes, but maybe not like this. However, I relate to the preference for other LEDs specially in the 3535 format.
Thanks again and I hope I could clarify some points (even if I don’t have more info about them or about other aspects you asked about)
I went on a rant of FB when this was teased over there… I want to know what point this will serve… why on earth is the sudden goal in the flashlight world to have a pencil beam tiny light with almost no practical use? When this light became a rumor, I was so hoping for an LH351D, SST-20, 219B, or 5A binned XP-L HD or HI.
I have carried a light almost every day for most of my 35 year working life. Currently I am winding up 32 years on a major campus as a Network Engineer who in addition manages 350+ tiny facilities and 10 large facilities. I am responsible for the reference designs for HVAC and electrical in small network CER’s (1 to 5 switches and routers) all the way up to our central network comms sites with 70kVa UPS units and 10 to 20 tons of cooling. I have to be able to see 24 gauge copper wire colors on the back of patch panels and colored buffer tubes on 144 and 288 strand fibers. My current EDC is an FW1A with a 4000k LH351D and I was hoping like hell that the more compact FWAA would have a good hi cri emitter with a useful beam… NOT A STUPID, USELESS, LOW CRI PENCIL BEAM!!!
Rant over, will I try one? Likely I will relent and end up with one. Compared to 6 FW3A’s all with different LED’s and 3 FW1A’s also all different.
I have one FWAA with SST-20’s @ 4000k, really like it. I do wish it was a little less flood, but that is expected with a tiny triple, thus the high expectations for this little light.
Thank you so much for review
LH351D, OP reflector and a non crap clip and I’d be all over this.
Great review again!
I think it’s a hard pass for me with the Osram. Like Mattlward, on a practical level I’m struggling to imagine a good use case for this, although maybe some HVAC and elevator situations it could come in handy, perhaps rough electric/construction at times…maybe a fun urban walking light where there is already ambient light around.
Just the other day I discovered something I definitely do not like about the FWAA, and that’s the thin 1mm glass. Coworker gave his an obviously pretty good drop/bash although he doesn’t recall doing it, and the bezel has a small flat spot on it, lens shattered. I’ve had mine apart and I guess didn’t realize it was so thin. The T2 from Convoy uses pretty much the same lens (unless a tenth of a millimeter matters between the two). I think I’d rather suffer the miniscule extra length and loss of transmission for a normal thicker lens. (I tell ya, too, after some dents and dings and having removed some metal in Lumintop’s lights and a couple others, I have to wonder if they’re actually using 6061…certainly doesn’t seem as tough as the typical 6061-T6 that is common in the US and it bends way too easily for that.)
If I understand correctly this rant is solely based on lack of emitter choice…
Do you have any Skilhunt/yajiamei 17mm optics to try in this? Maybe without the glass in place?
A narrow, clear with frosted center TIR and SST20w is what this light should have.
Is this 14500 only or does it take AA batteries as well?
the FWAA wont work on AA, only on 14500
in fact there is presently NO Anduril light that works on AA…
Yes! I was hoping this would be a good EDC when it was teased. But, the low cri and narrow beam will really hurt the EDC aspect of the light. I have one FWAA that gets into the rotation every now and then, but mainly it is my FW1A. Nice mix of distance and usable spill.
Again, folks, thanks for your comments and I’ll try to reply when/if needed
I went on a rant of FB when this was teased over there… I want to know what point this will serve… why on earth is the sudden goal in the flashlight world to have a pencil beam tiny light with almost no practical use? When this light became a rumor, I was so hoping for an LH351D, SST-20, 219B, or 5A binned XP-L HD or HI.
I guess the “pratical use” of this flashlight is no different from many other that have been put out by several brands for a while now. It produces light and it’s main purpose will be to light the dark
I do agree, as pointed above, that a different LED & reflector combination could make it more practical, though. The FW1AA I “made” with TIR and LH351D is more useful at closer range, but it doesn’t throw as far as this one. And I guess that may be a “spot” if this flashlight: mid range for short bursts, not super close nor super far range for long periods.
I have to be able to see 24 gauge copper wire colors on the back of patch panels and colored buffer tubes on 144 and 288 strand fibers. My current EDC is an FW1A with a 4000k LH351D and I was hoping like hell that the more compact FWAA would have a good hi cri emitter with a useful beam… NOT A STUPID, USELESS, LOW CRI PENCIL BEAM!!!
I guess our hopes an expectations sometimes need to suffer adaptations according to what the marker gives to us. Eventually the SP10 version will be better than this one for your purposes
Rant over, will I try one? Likely I will relent and end up with one. Compared to 6 FW3A’s all with different LED’s and 3 FW1A’s also all different.
I have one FWAA with SST-20’s @ 4000k, really like it. I do wish it was a little less flood, but that is expected with a tiny triple, thus the high expectations for this little light.
I guess that if LT comes with a 3535 board, our hopes and expectations will increase, since then we are able to mod the flashlight and give it a proper High CRI Led
I still hope for that , too
@ Light Veteran: Thank you
LH351D, OP reflector and a non crap clip and I’d be all over this.
Hopefully a reflector that avoids the tint shifts from some LH351Ds, or a LED that doesn’t produce them.
[…].maybe a fun urban walking light where there is already ambient light around.
Thanks Correlux!!
That is my next try! I will se how this looks like in certain environments during the next days. If I can I will take some photos to show it!
Just the other day I discovered something I definitely do not like about the FWAA, and that’s the thin 1mm glass. Coworker gave his an obviously pretty good drop/bash although he doesn’t recall doing it, and the bezel has a small flat spot on it, lens shattered. I’ve had mine apart and I guess didn’t realize it was so thin. The T2 from Convoy uses pretty much the same lens (unless a tenth of a millimeter matters between the two). I think I’d rather suffer the miniscule extra length and loss of transmission for a normal thicker lens. (I tell ya, too, after some dents and dings and having removed some metal in Lumintop’s lights and a couple others, I have to wonder if they’re actually using 6061…certainly doesn’t seem as tough as the typical 6061-T6 that is common in the US and it bends way too easily for that.)
I can’t say about the aluminium type, but I can say that my FWAAs have felt, get some “chips” but didn’t get any issue with the lens, so far. I still prefer to have a version with the lens, than the solution the FW3A and eventually the EDC18 (???) once had, that was a “proprietary” TIR.
The FW1A, it didn’t fell so far, but if it does, I will tell you about that!
I may open my heart and conduce some more aggressive tests soon
Do you have any Skilhunt/yajiamei 17mm optics to try in this? Maybe without the glass in place?
A narrow, clear with frosted center TIR and SST20w is what this light should have.
I guess I only have the 15mm ones. Can you please point me the 17mm ones?
I can tell, however, that the TIR from the S1R Baton I fits this flashlight. I has a similar type of beam to the S1R, eventually a bit narrower, and with some shifts in the corona. I need to explore it more.
If the TIR is tall, it won’t fit for sure, since the reflector is also short.
Is this 14500 only or does it take AA batteries as well?
Nop. As jon_slider mentioned, this only takes 14500.
I am using an unprotected button top Vapcel H10 on mine.
> I guess that if LT comes with a 3535 board, our hopes and expectations will increase
is it not possible to just swap out the mcpcb?
> I guess that if LT comes with a 3535 board, our hopes and expectations will increase
is it not possible to just swap out the mcpcb?
I’m fully confident I can swap the star if needed.
I may need to file down the edges of the replacement star. Possibly file a slot or drill a hole for the alignment screw. And I might need to stack disks of copper sheet underneath to make the replacement the right thickness. But I’m confident I can do it.