Help me pick a FL for a gift to an art expert

nollij

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A friend of mine turns 50 soon and she's involved in the very high end art market for an auction house. She sat next to me at dinner the other night and was amused I was carrying a ZL (or any flashlight) but wearing a suit. She said she often needs a light when she's looking at potential auction items in clients' houses, attics, etc., "but obviously I don't have one small enough to carry around." I did a bit of digging and found that some folks who inspect art use UV lights (around 365nm). In a perfect world, a gift of a flashlight for her would be:
  • compact, and maybe even stylish or have aesthetic appeal
  • have both white and UV light
  • use a battery that is readily available to a non-FL junkie, or be rechargeable (not a deal-breaker - I can throw in an extra battery and charger)
  • be ~$150 (or less)
So... did you pick something yet? Very curious to hear what you chose!
 

fwafwow

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So... did you pick something yet? Very curious to hear what you chose!
Short answer - I haven't picked yet. Sorry to have gone radio silent. I did a long college football game weekend with friends from long ago. None of whom are (to my knowledge) gear junkies.

I got caught up on a few issues - single vs. 2 devices, and functionality vs. aesthetic. Here's my list of current thoughts:
  1. Sky Lumen - after considering 1 FL, the Acebeam UC15vn possibly customized, I'm leaning towards two FLs - UV and HCRI. Maybe two Niteye Mini1vn (nice price, brass and steel - and both small) vs. two PreonVN 2 Mk IIIs (different look, but a bit long and somewhat pricey)
  2. Prometheus Betas - trying to figure out if the QRv1 365UV is the UV-A or -B, and get better acquainted with this company. Wish it wasn't purple - brass and steel might be nicer.
  3. Aurora A8x would be perfect but for the aesthetic. I'd carry if I had the same needs, but just not quite the look I'm after for her.
I'm guessing I've got a few more hours to mull this over. Thanks again everyone for the help!
 

nollij

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Short answer - I haven't picked yet. Sorry to have gone radio silent. I did a long college football game weekend with friends from long ago. None of whom are (to my knowledge) gear junkies.

I got caught up on a few issues - single vs. 2 devices, and functionality vs. aesthetic. Here's my list of current thoughts:
  1. Sky Lumen - after considering 1 FL, the Acebeam UC15vn possibly customized, I'm leaning towards two FLs - UV and HCRI. Maybe two Niteye Mini1vn (nice price, brass and steel - and both small) vs. two PreonVN 2 Mk IIIs (different look, but a bit long and somewhat pricey)
  2. Prometheus Betas - trying to figure out if the QRv1 365UV is the UV-A or -B, and get better acquainted with this company. Wish it wasn't purple - brass and steel might be nicer.
  3. Aurora A8x would be perfect but for the aesthetic. I'd carry if I had the same needs, but just not quite the look I'm after for her.
I'm guessing I've got a few more hours to mull this over. Thanks again everyone for the help!
Do let us know what you end up choosing and her reaction and how they work for her. I'm not an art appraiser but I'm curious about the evaluation of it!
 

WJA

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Another vote for the Prometheus UV light. My wife is an art & jewelry person, and I got one for her (and one for me, of course!). It's been great, and runs on a AAA eneloop.
 

fwafwow

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Another vote for the Prometheus UV light. My wife is an art & jewelry person, and I got one for her (and one for me, of course!). It's been great, and runs on a AAA eneloop.
I was *just* about to pull the trigger on 2 Prometheus Betas, but at $140 they would appear to come in two plastic baggies - like a dime bag drug deal. Very superficial, but if part of my goal is to have something that looks awesome, I need to find a better presentation. Maybe I get the Niteyes and buy a felt box somewhere. :)
 

wjv

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Wurkkos WK30 with White, 365nm UV and Red LEDS.

Around $40
 

troutpool

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I use a mule for lighting works of art. McGizmo and Peak both make mules with high CRI emitters. The McGizmo is titanium and costs more than you want to spend, but the Peak Eiger mule in stainless steel or brass is a handsome light and well within budget.
 
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jon_slider

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the type of beam matters,

DSY7nOQl.jpg


wOSiyVfl.jpg


the best beam for art is Aspheric followed by mule or a reflector with added diffusion film on the lens:

High CRI matters a lot, but not all high cri LEDs have good Red rendering.. the 219b is one of the best:
41334486611_99f086a45d_h.jpg


food for thought:
WPi9t0Ql.jpg


the main benefit of High CRI is that Red will look Red, not greenish or washed out, or brownish...

I would not give an art expert a Low CRI LED, even if the host is pretty.

the size and weight of the light also matters.. decide what type of battery you want to use, as that determines weight and size: (middle light uses 18350, the other two are AAA)
wvnnOkXl.jpg


the type and color temperature of the LED also matters.. decide what color temperature LED you want. My favorite is Nichia 219b 4500k.
 

fwafwow

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the type of beam matters,

View attachment 17867

View attachment 17868

the best beam for art is Aspheric followed by mule or a reflector with added diffusion film on the lens:

High CRI matters a lot, but not all high cri LEDs have good Red rendering.. the 219b is one of the best:
View attachment 17869

food for thought:
View attachment 17870

the main benefit of High CRI is that Red will look Red, not greenish or washed out, or brownish...

I would not give an art expert a Low CRI LED, even if the host is pretty.

the size and weight of the light also matters.. decide what type of battery you want to use, as that determines weight and size: (middle light uses 18350, the other two are AAA)
View attachment 17871

the type and color temperature of the LED also matters.. decide what color temperature LED you want. My favorite is Nichia 219b 4500k.
Wow. 🤯 I really appreciate the detailed response. I need to do more homework!
 

defloyd77

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Check out illumination Gear for Eagtac's models, specifically the D3A and D3C if you're wanting something other than aluminum. Illumination gear has a lot of LED options, including the 95+ CRI SST-20, which features the good red color rendering jon_slider spoke of.

You may want to keep in mind form factor and interface. Anything that's too big or too complicated to use won't get used.
 

Coolwhite

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Fenix has a pen light with UV and high Cree in same light, cheap, light and stylish looking, Would be perfect for your gift purchase.
Comes in 1 aaa or 2 aaa.
 

nollij

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Because of this thread, I ended up ordering a RovyVon Aurora A8x and one of their nice looking Ti Carabiners as well. Just today I gave my son my Fenix E03r (bought him one about a year ago and he ruined in running it through the washing machine). I bought 2 when I bought it for him and ended up giving him MINE which has hung from my sun visor in my car as my "looking around the car for something I dropped" light. Hoping I won't end up having to give him the Aurora too 🤦‍♂️
 

fwafwow

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Because of this thread, I ended up ordering a RovyVon Aurora A8x and one of their nice looking Ti Carabiners as well. Just today I gave my son my Fenix E03r (bought him one about a year ago and he ruined in running it through the washing machine). I bought 2 when I bought it for him and ended up giving him MINE which has hung from my sun visor in my car as my "looking around the car for something I dropped" light. Hoping I won't end up having to give him the Aurora too 🤦‍♂️
OK - I'm pathetic. I am the OP and I haven't made any progress. Analysis paralysis and letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. I did reach out to Vinh to ask about going with the Lumintop EDCvn Spec B (219b 4500K - and it comes with an aspheric lens) due to post of @jon_slider, and what would be a good UV pairing for it. The good news is that although her birthday just happened, I will see her in person at the end of the month - so I have a *little* time left.
 

jon_slider

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I did reach out to Vinh to ask about going with the Lumintop EDCvn Spec B (219b 4500K - and it comes with an aspheric lens)
excellent choice, and a very reasonable price for a High CRI LED upgraded light

here is my favorite reviewer.. while youre debating your options

congrats on sorting through all the different suggestions

for an introductory UV light, I still like the Jetbeam... Although I dont think UV is a necessary tool for looking at art, UV is a fun novelty.

If you get serious about UV, I would point you to a more advanced product, that includes a visible light filter. This is one example of such a light.
 
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staticx57

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Before you settle on that light consider how the light will be used. The goal is to evaluate the art work to be displayed where? Would a person hang this artwork up to be displayed during the day? IE lit by daylight? Will it be moved to a museum or art gallery, lit by lighting that is either halogen or an LED made to look like Halogen? Somewhere else?

The one thing with CRI and color rendering is that CRI is calculated against an ideal light source of the exact same color temperature. You can have a super accurate 2700k LED but it will look extremely different under natural sunlight. You can prove this yourself, take an incandescent light and shine it at an object with many different colors, then take it outside in sunlight. Both are 100 CRI but the colors are all different. Both are correct-but they are different.


You need to match your light source with where the piece of art will be displayed in. That 219B-4500k and unnaturally violet is not used in any traditional lighting, it will not tell you what a piece of art will look like when on display.
 

staticx57

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The second sentence explained that I was asking a question that would better provide a response at the request. But if prefered of the light will be used to assess art that will be primarily displayed under incandescent or warm light then an SST-20 2700k and if the light will be used to assess art to be primarily displayed under daylight then 351D or 219C 5700k would be better. Obviously something like E21A or Optisolis at the incandescent or sunlight CCT would be better but 🤷‍♂️
 

fwafwow

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The second sentence explained that I was asking a question that would better provide a response at the request. But if prefered of the light will be used to assess art that will be primarily displayed under incandescent or warm light then an SST-20 2700k and if the light will be used to assess art to be primarily displayed under daylight then 351D or 219C 5700k would be better. Obviously something like E21A or Optisolis at the incandescent or sunlight CCT would be better but 🤷‍♂️
Thanks for the additional feedback. I don't believe there will always be an answer to where or how the art is displayed. And the type of art varies. Most of her work is with people who are selling a collection. Without naming the auction house, if you have read about a sale, there's about a 50/50 chance her company was involved, and if so, a pretty decent chance she was involved at some point.
 
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