RGB: Quarks, filters, etc.

[Rexlion]

I see the pics of the Quark RGB and it looks exciting to have those colors available, but I wonder how the colored output compares to that of a conventional LED with a colored filter? Is the Quark color somehow richer, more vivid, more revealing? Or just more of the same?

I'm trying to decide if it's worth getting one for the colored LEDs (that's the only reason I would buy it). But in my mind the light has two strikes against it (as far as my preferences in lights). One, at nearly $100 it's expensive... maybe not to many of you, but I have yet to pay that much for a single flashlight yet. Two, it uses two CR123 primaries, and I'm just not into those. I like lights that take rechargeables, but I also shy away from lights that need two li-ion rechargeables.

If I just stick with filters, am I missing much in terms of how the colored output appears in actual use?

I bought a red slip-on filter for my Fenix TK20 not long ago. Happily, I discovered just last night that this filter fits great on my MG PLI! So now I have floody, quad-die output in red. I see there's a green filter in that size too, so I expect to order one of those soon. No blue that I know of, unfortunately. I suppose the red filter cuts the PLI output some, but I bet I'm still as bright or brighter than the Quark RGB's single die on red. But I still wonder if I'm missing something. Will the Quark's colored dies somehow produce a richer, more zingy color that can't be matched by a filter?

 

[desertrat21]

I've got an RGB in the natural white as well as a collection of various red filters for Surefire and Fenix lights. I like the RGB better for several reasons. The light is very floody and has better beamspread than any of my filtered options. The colors are also VERY rich. On turbo the red is nearly overwhelming. I was startled the first time I hit that level in colored mode. The blue and green are very bright also but the red startled me... it's a bit of a rarity for that to happen to me these days. There are minor beam artifacts due to the innate off-centeredness (how's that for a word? LOL) of the activated die quadrant but in use they're not really noticeable. The light will run on rechargeables... in fact I now carry the RGB head on a 123 body with an RCR123. Output does not seem to be hindered but runtime is expectedly shorter. I like having an all-inclusive unit... no worries about filter loss or the extra bulk in the pocket. I'm not as frugal as I used to be about flashlights, but I think those of the more frugal ilk would be happy with the RGB. It's more utilitarian than I was anticipating. I've actually been thinking about picking up another RGB just so I have an extra on-hand.

Here are a few pictures for you:

 

[strinq]

Seriously man, ur photos are really good.

 

[Nyctophiliac]

I've only had my Quark RGB for just over twenty four hours now, but desertrat21 is right on the money. There is no way a filter can encompass the richness of colour present in these RGB emitters. I have used filters a lot in the past, but they always leech a significant amount of power from the torch beam, moreso with LED emitters than incandescant.

I wouldn't say this RGB Quark is perfect for all, it is flood only - next to no throw at all, great for many things as long as distance is not a major factor. But it is very intense and powerful in all modes. I'm using is mainly for long exposure photography as a light source and getting promising results with it so far.

 

[Rexlion]

You guys would have to tell me that! :mecry: Now I'll have to buy the RGB after all. Probably will wait till the neutral white heads are available, and get the head with a 18650 body.

Maybe you can share an example or two of your RGB photography so we can see what you're shooting? Give me some ideas.

 

[burntoshine]

the RGB is amazing! i have the neutral white version.

just amazing!!

 

[DimeRazorback]

The Quark RGB is one great flooder!

The output of the colours is great. It is like a KROMA on steroids! :devil:

I love the pure wall of light it produces. The colours look excellent!

:thumbsup:

If you want throw, I would not recommend it however.

 

[legendz]

The RGB is a great light. Moonlight red is perfect for anyone that thinks moonlight setting is to hi on quarks. I added a GITD switch cover on mine.
Its a very good nightstand light. With the flood of light the RGB puts out there is no need for a diffuser. Its nice not to have to mess with filters and the color output is outstanding.

 

[Nyctophiliac]

Rexlion - I haven't had the RGB long. but here's my favourite so far - the orb in the middle is the RGB - light painting is much easier with a floody torch. Christmas day is a good day for night photography!

We're doing more tonight.

 

[desertrat21]

Rexlion - I haven't had the RGB long. but here's my favourite so far - the orb in the middle is the RGB - light painting is much easier with a floody torch. Christmas day is a good day for night photography!

We're doing more tonight.

I like that very much... reminds me of Cinderella's coach.

 

[Eric242]

I was thinking Halloween...

 

[Rexlion]

Rexlion - I haven't had the RGB long. but here's my favourite so far - the orb in the middle is the RGB - light painting is much easier with a floody torch. Christmas day is a good day for night photography!

We're doing more tonight.

Wow! That's fabulous! I had no idea, thought maybe you were using colored lighting to enhance existing scenery or something. This is really cool!!!

 

[Rexlion]

My idea of piecing together a natural white RGB head with an 18650 body didn't pan out. 4Sevens answered my email query and said they had no plans to make that head available by itself. And they didn't recommend the 18650 body for that app because of short runtime, but if I really wanted one I should get it soon because they have "limited numbers of these and they are fairly popular."

Soooo.... I ordered the whole NW flashlight. And I found that I could buy 4 LiFePO4 batteries and a charger at CFR for less than the cost of the Quark 18650 tube, so I went that way. I know I don't use a light much if I can't burn rechargeables in it, and 2 ordinary Li-Ions together just make me uncomfortable. The safer chemistry batts by Tenergy weren't as expensive as I'd expected, so I'll just put up with having another charger.

Turns out there is a blue Fenix TK filter, too, so I also have a blue and a green coming... now I can directly compare the beam colors and intensities between the Quark RGB and my PLI with RG&B filters. They might be similarly floody... can hardly wait to find out.

 

[Rexlion]

Sure enough, my Quark RGB and the Fenix colored filters arrived today (Saturday) from 4Sevens. First impression: it's a nice looking light, lighter feeling than I expected. The shallow reflector looks almost the same as the one in my Energizer 1W (which has been modded with P7 and 14500). Since the Energizer has an incredibly wide beam, I knew this new light would be similar. I popped in the included cells and fired it up... yep, and the beam is smoother and more even than I'd anticipated (considering the offset nature of firing up one die at a time). Mine is the neutral white... seems actually pretty warm to me, not as warm and yellow as a TK-20, but approaching that. It's definitely the second warmest of my lights, makes me think of almond color.

Comparing each color of the Quark RGB to the newly filtered output of a Fenix TK-20, I have to admit that the Quark beam looks much nicer. Especially with blue... maybe the warm LED in the TK-20 has trouble producing much blue light through a filter, it looks quite washed out. Comparing to filters on my MG PLI (MC-E), though, I don't feel the same way. The colors are equally bright and vivid with the PLI, probably due to the sheer brightness of the full quad die on high counteracting filter losses. The Quark RGB beam and PLI beam are totally different animals, though. Even though I regard the PLI as a relatively floody light, this Quark makes the PLI look positively throwy! :laughing: The colored PLI beam is a much brighter hotspot and smaller diameter spill. The Quark is just solid spill as wide as the eye can see... well, I exaggerate slightly, but you get the picture. The Q-RGB is definitely an indoor light, predominantly. And it does a great job at that task. Outdoors, that wide, dispersed beam gets lost quickly unless there's something pretty close up to illuminate. (I will have to try walking around outdoors with it (when the snow melts) to see how it does as a path illuminator). By contrast, the PLI will actually project the colored beam a bit. Not much, mind you, but some.

I can see why people would like this Q-RGB for all sorts of indoor tasks. It might be ok for taking out the trash at night too, I'll try it when everything isn't white outside [brrr]. And I have a particular use for which it will come in great handy. I like to view 3D print pairs in an old-fashioned stereoscope, and the more light you have on the prints the better to see all the detail. This light has a wide beam that's perfect for the task. I had been using the modded Energizer for this, but the beam is not as even as I wished and a little to blueish. The Quark RGB-NW meets those shortcomings.

In better weather, hopefully I can also try taking some low-light 3D architectural photos with colored accent lighting supplied by my new toys.

 

[Rexlion]

My son and I went to see Avatar 3D today... great movie, well done in every way. While waiting in the fairly dark and quiet (but already half full) theater, I showed my son the Quark RGB. Afterward a 30-something guy came from farther back and said he just had to ask where I got the light, because it was way cool. Of course I gave him 4Sevens' web address.

This thing sure is an attention getter.

 

[Eric242]

I´m still fascinated by the RGB LED. I was just playing around with the little one and grabbed my cam:

 

[csa]

Glad you like the light! There really is something about die-produced colors as compared to filtered.

 

[Eric242]

Absolutely! They appear.... well I don´t know... more clear somehow. And since a filter keeps most of the light back, the Quark RGB is much brighter than my M3 Lego with a Nailbender SST-50 dropin and Surefire redfilter.

Here´s another shot, a HDR in green: