That was the R85 version released in 2013, which was CRI 92 typical and available in sw45. Those LEDs were widely used for years, especially since the 2015 2014 “V1” update that added R90/R9050 removed the sw45 option (again, listed as “under development” in the catalogue). 4500K was added back as sw45k in the R9080 release. It’s hard to determine exactly what was available at any specific time because many of the datasheets are gone, and the general LED catalogues weren’t always very accurate.
I traded my d4v2 with 219b sw45k (bought July 2021) because it appeared to be more of a 5500k light, i liked the tint but it was wayyy to cool. Not worth the tint for me, i unfortunately have no experience with 219b's before this summer's round of them.
They probably changed the “recipe” of phosphors for whatever reason†, and ’though they still technically meet spec, they’re still a bit “off” as far as old/new appearance.
I actually suspected both my L3 L11C and my first generation ROT66 were SW45, but didn’t have any way to verify. Both look very neutral to me. They only look rosy if comparing to lights with worse tint. It looks like Maukka tested his ROT66 at moderately rosy on middle outputs, and very rosy on turbo:
I was not aware SW45 (non-K) was not actually available in R9080, but I’ll take Bob McBob’s word for it. I guess one or the other of my lights might have actually had R85.
Maukka’s ROT66 measurement technically meets R9080, but is consistent with Bob McBob’s statement about the typical performance of R85 219B’s.
Also, here is the chromaticity diagram showing the range of DUV possible within SW45K that Bob mentioned. It looks like the theoretical range is even bigger than he stated, but from tint measurements I’ve seen shared, the numbers he mentioned seem realistic.
Yeah, that’s the same reason I haven’t used the newer ROT66 much. It looks like it’s 5500K. Granted, it’s the best-looking “5500K” I’ve ever encountered, but I was hoping for more a neutral CCT instead of a colder shade.
I don’t have any reason to suspect the original ROT66 didn’t use D220 R9080 sw45k as Fireflies claimed. I believe they ordered an entire reel straight from Nichia, and I seem to recall the label being posted somewhere. The limits I gave are calculated from the CIE coordinates in the datasheet and are specifically at the rated current, so in actual use sw45k can be much rosier (D200 often measures –0.0180 at 3A in an SC64c). The “official” spec is 4260K to 4745K at 700mA. All my ROT66s measure reasonably close to known D220 reels I’ve used.
Yes, the quality of data is much higher with a spectrometer than it is without. Comparing visually against a few dozen lights with known tint bins is better than nothing, but a spectrometer would be even better.
Fortunately, Bob has a spectrometer and rather a lot of experience with 219B LEDs… so I’m inclined to trust what he says.
the 3 left greener ones, are older 219b 9050. could be d240
the more violet one on the right is sw45k 9080 (could be D200 or D220)
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I have bought sw45 non K 9080 from Andy,
second from left:
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(sw45 9080 is less pink than sw45k 9080, but more pink than sw45 9050)
Ive also bought sw45k D200 and sw45k D220, they differ in output by 10%, and they vary in how pink the Tint is, as McBob said, generally lower bin, more pink (not always, there can be bin overlaps)
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the violet portion is what makes the sw45k work so well during the day, without being green at night
True. A spectrometer is the end all be all, but that does discredit our own eyes. And regarding the idea of "you like what you like", it is obvious if the old is different than the new. It doesnt matter in this situation "by how much exactly" unless that is in fact what the person wants to know. And in fact, that was what TK had originally asked, but not what they or I were referring to in the above comment. We were just simply insinuating COLD LIGHT = BAD LIGHT :))
You’re right, the “V1” update was before my time in flashlights, and I was always under the impression there was a noticeable physical difference too, but that is definitely a 219A.