[Review] SST-20 in FW3A is divine!

[joshk]

I've gotten a little... um... "devoted" to high CRI lately. So I bought a spectrometer to help wade through the waters.
I've also been dying to see the SST-20's for myself after reading so much about their awesomeness. So I bought a FW3A.
And WOW. They are divine. They hug the BBL excellent and even on Turbo they are CRI 95+! And I have the data to prove it. Enjoy!

The circles around the dots are a 1-MacAdams Ellipse, so they represent the colors that are indistinguishable from each other. So when the circle touches the BBL, it looks like the BBL.

"FW3A SST Ceiling.pdf":https://www.dropbox.com/s/dhn7kucwggokc3j/FW3A SST Ceiling.pdf?dl=1
TL;DR
CCT: 3887
Duv: 0.0010
CRI (Ra): 97.2
TLCI: 98

"FW3A SST Turbo.pdf":https://www.dropbox.com/s/ninkdljk2fw6hnc/FW3A SST Turbo.pdf?dl=1
TL;DR
CCT: 3921
Duv: -0.0020
CRI (Ra): 95.1
TLCI: 94

"FW3A SST Floor.pdf":https://www.dropbox.com/s/m5ztb56zcc6xd47/FW3A SST Floor.pdf?dl=1
TL;DR
CCT: 3842
Duv: 0.0016
CRI (Ra): 97.9
TLCI: 99

 

[archimedes]

If you would be interested in sharing details about your spectrometer, I think others on CPF would be interested.

In fact, I am a little surprised not to have seen a thread discussing this type of equipment anywhere around here, at least any time recently .... :thinking:

 

[joshk]

If you open the PDF report it shows the spectrometer is a Sekonic C-800-U and also has some great images.

 

[archimedes]

If you open the PDF report it shows the spectrometer is a Sekonic C-800-U and also has some great images.

My point was more to try to get a discussion started, but thank you for that information.

 

[joshk]

Well I just got it, so I'm not an authority on it. But if anyone has a question on this meter feel free to ask it here. It's a simple device, point-and-shoot. Measurements take about 1 second if the source is bright. The touchscreen sucks. It's old resisitive technology. And to make it worse, no one screen shows more than 3 pieces if info at once. There is 11 apps with like 3 pieces of info each in them. It's shameful there's no screen that just gives you everything. But it can't scroll either.

 

[badtziscool]

I enjoy my FW3T with SST-20 also. Output is very pleasing. Looks like people are confirming that it's the FD2 bin. I still say the Nichia 219B R9080 is my favorite, though.

 

[joshk]

I have a light with a Nichia 219B R9080 around here somewhere...

 

[Flashlike]

I have an FW3C with the SST-20 4000K 95+CRI FA3 bin emitters and the tint is AWESOME! In fact I'll have to say it is the nicest tint of any flashlight I own, and I have quite a few of them!

 

[joshk]

Glad to hear! I'm not sure what bin mine is.

 

[joshk]

Also, I found that 219b R9080 and did some testing on it. The thread is here:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?461608-Review-219b-R9080-in-A6
Spoiler alert: the SST makes it look bad.

 

[Archibald Tuttle]

Great light and tint, so easy to modify . Eagerly awaiting the 18350 battery tubes. Then the FW3A will become my EDC.

 

[jon_slider]

Eagerly awaiting the 18350 battery tubes. Then the FW3A will become my EDC.

I am not informed about 18350 options for the FW3a, I was under the impression that is not in the plans due to the eswitch.. but will be happy to learn otherwise.

fwiw, some people are unhappy with FW3 triples, due to lack of throw. I believe there is now a single LED version available, that should throw better.

I like triples for close range and indoors, but prefer singles for better throw outdoors.

Also, I found that 219b R9080 and did some testing on it.
...
Spoiler alert: the SST makes it look bad....

I did not see anything in your reviews that made me think the 219b looks bad.. can you post side by side beamshots at daylight white balance to compare the tints please?

 

[id30209]

18350, 18500 and SS bezel for FW1A will come in following week.
Yes, side by side beamshoot comparisson would be great


Sent from Tapatalk

 

[joshk]

Side-by-side comparison in this thread:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...Review-219b-R9080-in-A6&p=5336023#post5336023

 

[Archibald Tuttle]

Ordered a couple of the bare aluminum torches with SST emitters. These will be professionally buffed at the platers and given as gifts. Great to see the community involvement and suggestions for the series coming to fruition.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

I concur about the SST-20 4000K in the (purple) FW3A being very, very nice. My Oveready DIP with the hand picked by Dan, 219C in a white wall side-by-side comparison would be considered by the 'warmer, rosier folks' slightly superior. I do think that my copy has a higher color temperature than 4000K though. Only had it about 3 weeks now and it makes the SC64 LE look a tad greenish (once again a white wall shootout).

On a side note, the user interface on this flashlight has been also very good. More reliable than my three Emisar. It even has a thermometer!

How do we say the name of this flashlight? FWaThreeA?

 

[ledsunky]

The light looks very good, It is High CRI

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Got this one from illumn, which left a quick note inside the box saying they adjusted the settings for increased user satisfaction (or something of that nature) but do not know what they did. I do know that the temp control kicks in promptly, which is good, but another double click will take it back to ceiling for a little while. Having to load cells from the head is a non issue with me. Partly because of the light it casts, it is my primary flashlight, supplanting Zebralights.

 

[TIP AND RING]

I don't know... It's a sweet light. It's wonderful mod-magnet. But it just ain't as darn simple as my two favorites. A JB TCR1 with XP-L and a Tekna Splash-Lite with 5mm Hi-CRI. I've moved away from more physical work to more cerebral endeavors, and having to learn complex UI is standard fare. But I'm liking brutally simple in my old age. The Tekna is getting more pocket fast draw than these newer lights. It's served it's purpose for over 3 decades. The addition of a regulated and simple driver with incandescent like tint and LOOOONG runtimes have turned me. The FW3A is a unbelievable tool, but its still a morse code light , imo. The best of the bunch, but still morse code.

 

[AVService]

I have been alternating between these and the Emisar V2 in my second lights position but nothing about either has made me even consider benching the SC64w for a moment.

I really like them both but the ZL still reigns Supreme in my World and by a wide margin for EDC use.

The FW3A is an SST-20 too and it really is so good it is tough to imagine a better all around Emitter in a light for me and I even sample a 219 and CW just to see what this light looked like in those but I am solid with the SST for mine.