High CRI flashlight that takes AA batteries?

[tk40]

I am sort of catching up with CPF concepts lovecpf
I have two LED lights, TK40 and LD20, and for a long time I was surprised that although the brightness of both these lights was good, they seemed not very useful at picking out details outdoors. I took my TK40 out in the woods and everything in the direct line of sight was whitewashed. What I wanted was brightness + details.

Now, after a few days of reading posts (since I lost my NDI) I realize that I wanted a light with:

• Warm tint
• High CRI
• 1xAA

CR123 is a first class dealbreaker for me, since I have loads of Eneloops and also because CR123 is not as readily available as AA everywhere. I looked at the 100 lumens Ra Clicky, which seems ideal except for its battery specs.

So, given my requirements, is there a 1xAA light that may use Ra Clicky's LED or can I mod my upcoming Jetbeam I Pro with a custom LED?

thanks!

 

[LEDninja]

Nitecore EZAAw

Assorted Quark models (sold out at 4SEVENS.com; some still available at 4SEVENS.ca (I think .ca will only ship within Canada)).

 

[tk40]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot

 

[jblackwood]

NO! Warm tints are NOT equal to high CRI!!! I have the Nitecore warm EZAA and the RA Clicky high CRI, they're not equal at all as far as color rendering. The RA is much better. The EZAA makes things look all brown, including red and blue tones. The RA renders brown, Red, blue, everything. I don't know of any AA lights that are high CRI. In fact, there are only two lights that I know of that are even advertised as high CRI that aren't custom: the Sundrop XR-U and the RA clicky 100WW. You're kind of stuck then, tk40. I also have two warm Quarks, one in AA and one in CR123 flavors. They're even worse at washing things out, just not in the blue or green side of the spectrum, which many find offensive about neutral or cool lights. Notice that no where in the description does it say high CRI, because they know better, that's just false advertising.

 

[tk40]

NO! Warm tints are NOT equal to high CRI!!! I have the Nitecore warm EZAA and the RA Clicky high CRI, they're not equal at all as far as color rendering. The RA is much better. The EZAA makes things look all brown, including red and blue tones. The RA renders brown, Red, blue, everything. I don't know of any AA lights that are high CRI. In fact, there are only two lights that I know of that are even advertised as high CRI that aren't custom: the Sundrop XR-U and the RA clicky 100WW. You're kind of stuck then, tk40. I also have two warm Quarks, one in AA and one in CR123 flavors. They're even worse at washing things out, just not in the blue or green side of the spectrum, which many find offensive about neutral or cool lights. Notice that no where in the description does it say high CRI, because they know better, that's just false advertising.

I will not give up....if I need to mod my light (a Jetbeam 1 Pro is on its way) I will do it....of course when I get the time. Maybe in a month or two of use....personally by now I'm tired of the washed out effects that all my lights have been giving me. I had a NDI which I liked and lost recently, and if I learn to replace the LED, I'll mod my NDI also....

 

[jblackwood]

Make sure you do your research about voltages and capacitance. I'm no expert but I know enough to leave that kind of thing to Don and Henry. There's a reason why these lights are underpowered when compared to their cooler counterparts. I'll be darned if I know exactly what those reason are, all I can tell you is to save your money, the EZAA and warm Quarks are NOT high CRI. Everything looks like the inside of a pyramid: all browns and yellows, no real reds or blues. It's startling to see, really. I was like you before I took the CR123 plunge. There are so many lights out there that make great use of that form factor and the energy profile of that cell size.

 

[LEDninja]

... very useful at picking out details outdoors.

By outdoors I read BROWN tree trunks & muddy trails, GREEN leaves & grass. No RED, No CYAN, No BLUE, No PURPLE.
Warm tint will do, high CRI not necessary.

If the light has to be used under all conditions then high CRI is necessary, but the OP already has 2 other cool white lights to cover situations where the neutral tint shows up as UGLY BROWN.

I have an EZAA & an EZAAw. EZAA for normal use. EZAAw for a walk in the woods.

 

[tk40]

Make sure you do your research about voltages and capacitance. I'm no expert but I know enough to leave that kind of thing to Don and Henry. There's a reason why these lights are underpowered when compared to their cooler counterparts. I'll be darned if I know exactly what those reason are, all I can tell you is to save your money, the EZAA and warm Quarks are NOT high CRI. Everything looks like the inside of a pyramid: all browns and yellows, no real reds or blues. It's startling to see, really. I was like you before I took the CR123 plunge. There are so many lights out there that make great use of that form factor and the energy profile of that cell size.

Thanks, yes many CR123 lights have been tempting me for a while. I'm thinking maybe they will not be as rare as I believe. During my travels I've noticed that even a small shop in a remote mountainous village would have a supply of AA batteries (and less often AAA) but CR123 is a specialized item found in cities. Then again, I have two other AA lights as well (TK40, LD20. A Jetbeam I Pro is on its way, and I plan on getting a NDI to replace the one I lost), so if I'm traveling I may have one already...

Costwise buying one CR123 light instead of multiple AA ones makes sense :thinking: Maybe I shouldn't buy a NDI, and get a Ra Clicky instead?

I already paid about 70 bucks on the JB, additional NDI would bring the total cost to $140 which was enough to get a Clicky with high CRI. Then, all the extra money I'd waste contemplating on mods etc. could be spent on CR123 batteries...after all we can carry enough of them at all times....

If I pull the trigger, it will be a Ra Clicky...but then again, my purchasing habits are very random.

 

[tk40]

By outdoors I read BROWN tree trunks & muddy trails, GREEN leaves & grass. No RED, No CYAN, No BLUE, No PURPLE.
Warm tint will do, high CRI not necessary.

If the light has to be used under all conditions then high CRI is necessary, but the OP already has 2 other cool white lights to cover situations where the neutral tint shows up as UGLY BROWN.

I have an EZAA & an EZAAw. EZAA for normal use. EZAAw for a walk in the woods.

Now thats interesting....has anyone ever made a flashlight that has two LED's warm and cool at the same time?....of course the beam profile will annoy many purists...but both together would have a good ....CRI? :candle:

 

[jblackwood]

By outdoors I read BROWN tree trunks & muddy trails, GREEN leaves & grass. No RED, No CYAN, No BLUE, No PURPLE.
Warm tint will do, high CRI not necessary.

If the light has to be used under all conditions then high CRI is necessary, but the OP already has 2 other cool white lights to cover situations where the neutral tint shows up as UGLY BROWN.

I have an EZAA & an EZAAw. EZAA for normal use. EZAAw for a walk in the woods.

That may all be well and good, but if you'll read the thread title, the OP asked for high CRI. You delivered him into warm tints, which are a dime a dozen. Depending on where you are, there are cyan, purple, and red natural fauna and flora not to mention some wildlife that you might miss, but I'm not arguing with you over use, just language since you did suggest warm not high CRI lights (nothing against them, they're just not what tk40 asked for). I'm glad you get good use out of those lights, I do as well, but they're not high CRI, whether you judge them necessary for your uses or not.

 

[MWClint]

The easiest solution would be to drop a High cri seoul into a nitecore D10 or D20. I have a D20 with a T1SS0 seoul, the beam is perfect, it's plenty bright and the 2AA format has excellent runtime. the 1xAA D10 would be a very nice setup with this led.

 

[jblackwood]

Sounds like a nice set up. Did you do it yourself? I've got a D10 Q5 that I'd be willing to send out if you'd be willing. :twothumbs

 

[LEDninja]

You really need to specify both CCT & CRI.

The orange red glow of a Mag Solitaire or any cheap incan with half dead batteries is 100 CRI. CCT is probably 2000.

The Sundrop is CCT 5500-6000 CRI 95+ so is very close to sunlight.

Anyways the OP has found the Sundrop thread and I had linked him to WadeF's outdoor shots with 5A tint in another thread so he should have enough info to make up his mind.
Someone has a picture of the dirty brown beam of a 5A tint on a light grey wall in one of the threads so he should know why warm tint by itself is not always good.