Late to the Neutral party

For some years now turned my nose up at neutral LED's. Not as bright and not as white just made no sense to me. Yet I'd read on this forum you guys praising and insisting on neutral LED's. Still not impressed. I have an older SC60 with a neutral LED and have noticed it's easier on my eyes when suffering from a migraine. Otherwise life was cool, white and full speed ahead. But then I ordered a Jetbeam PA40 with the cool white LED. But they made an error in selection and sent me one with the neutral LED. I was just gonna return it but decided to give it a whirl. Bright yet easy on the eyes. Since these neutral LED's are supposed to cut through fog and rain better I decided to give it at try (seems to rain every day around here). Darned if that thing did not cut right through heavy rain. It's been snowing this evening since just before dark. I took my 468 lumen PA40 and my 800 lumen MT26 out on the back porch and did some snow penetration tests. There is a house about 100 yards off the back porch. With 800 lumens of cool white I could barely make the shape of the house out. You had to know it was there to know what you were looking at. With a piddly 468 neutral lumens I could clearly make the house out, it's color and shape.

So I am late to the party but now I know what you guys have been talking about.

Welcome to the NW/warm tint family

I have bought almost nothing but warm or NW ever since I had my 1st neutral white. It is just beautiful

Ps:sorry for bad english
This thread make my heart brake until now I am still cool white person,
I am concern about fog and heavy rain too.I read several thread here,it's said that the tint is not the main factor to cut and good penetration for fog or rain.make me confuse...

You are right.
Tint; color of the light helps. A warmer tint is better because it's easier on your eyes and less light bounces back at you.
The beam shape is important too. A spot or narrow beam penetrates better for the same reason. A flood beam lights up too many water particles and the light bounces back at you.

This same principle applies for cars when driving. In the fog, rain, snow you see better without the use of your highbeam lights.

if it ain't neutral, it ain't a flashlight !:nana:

jamesmtl514 said:

You are right.
Tint; color of the light helps. A warmer tint is better because it's easier on your eyes and less light bounces back at you.
The beam shape is important too. A spot or narrow beam penetrates better for the same reason. A flood beam lights up too many water particles and the light bounces back at you.

This same principle applies for cars when driving. In the fog, rain, snow you see better without the use of your highbeam lights.

Click to expand...

If so...how about cool white with low lumen and narrow beam?

Yeah, I held out for a long time with about 8 CW lights. I finally broke and realized how great NW is. The Nitecore EA4 NW finally confirmed this - it has to be the nicest tint ever! I'm starting to sell off all my cool whites!

markr6 said:

Yeah, I held out for a long time with about 8 CW lights. I finally broke and realized how great NW is. The Nitecore EA4 NW finally confirmed this - it has to be the nicest tint ever! I'm starting to sell off all my cool whites!

Click to expand...

sold my PD32 CW a while back cos of new neutral.

I am on the neutral or high cri bandwagon now...

my zebralight and 44dd and micgizmo all have shown me it doesn't need to
be blasting white light to actually see what you are looking for

I also recently started to carry NW as my EDC lights.
I still like CW in a thrower to get the maximum distance though

same here, but can't they make a really good NW thrower ?

madecov said:

I also recently started to carry NW as my EDC lights.
I still like CW in a thrower to get the maximum distance though

Click to expand...

I want to buy my first NW but Eagletac G25C2 Mark II but it seems to be out of stock in Europe. In the meantime, I'm eager that my Dereelight XM-L Warm White pill arrives! The DBS will be something new

My crelant 7g5cs in neutral is a heckuva thrower. Be warned though if you get one it will be etched with xml-u2 but it will be an xml-t6. They mark an "N" on the box for the one-off neutrals. Great neutral thrower for a great price. The quality is exceptional! So...back on topic, yes neutral throwers exist.

Early in my addiction, I learned quick to avoid cool white. I'll never go back. I'm a tint snob. I enjoy the many flavors of neutral, or even high cri.

I would like to see these flashlight companies offer more neutral, though. Their availability is mostly disappointing. Perhaps if more people bark for neutrals, my flashlight purchases would increase.

Most all of my cool whites now sold -- down the river! Restocking with neutrals and High CRI. I'll not buy another cool.

Hi that is so very true that.
Neutrals would sell more im sure

duro said:

Early in my addiction, I learned quick to avoid cool white. I'll never go back. I'm a tint snob. I enjoy the many flavors of neutral, or even high cri.

I would like to see these flashlight companies offer more neutral, though. Their availability is mostly disappointing. Perhaps if more people bark for neutrals, my flashlight purchases would increase.

Click to expand...

Welcome Big Sam!

Also remember that the 10-20% lower output of a neutral compared to a cool white LED is barely noticable for the eyes. Even if the eyes have a large ability to acclimatize to different tints and I can accept cool tints unless they are not too bluish or greenish, I will always choose a neutral or warm tint when it's an option. It's just so more comfortable and natural for the eyes.

Swedpat said:

Welcome Big Sam!

Also remember that the 10-20% lower output of a neutral compared to a cool white LED is barely noticable for the eyes. Even if the eyes have a large ability to acclimatize to different tints and I can accept cool tints unless they are not too bluish or greenish, I will always choose a neutral or warm tint when it's an option. It's just so more comfortable and natural for the eyes.

Click to expand...

Thanks Swedpat. I neglected to mention that when I came in from the "snow test" last night I went online and ordered a Nitecore EC25 with the neutral LED.

For me it's going to come down to experience as to which I will prefer in the end, so far liking cool white. Would be easier if I could compare two of the same light with different tints, but funds won't allow that. It's best to see in person in your real world usage for a proper judgment.

Neutral more/less accommodates everyone, (yes there is variability in the human eye/visual cortex) except dive lighting-go 6500K there.
True neutral-o-philes can get 4000-4500K. Those that lean toward warm-white can get 3500-4000K. Those that lean the other way can get 4500-5000K.

and looking at the xp-e2, xp-g2, xm-l2 data sheets. 10-15% lumen reduction from the brightest cool-white.
and the 80 min CRI xp-g2 is up to 4000K (and only 20% reduction)

A Happy New Year for everyone!