Does anyone else here dislike cool AND warm tints?

Amelia

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Mar 25, 2015
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Hi again...
I don't know if it's because I started getting into lights first with LED lights and never noticed or played with lights during the "Incandescent Age", but I just plain don't like warm tints. I prefer them slightly more than Cool White, but all in all just don't care for that yellowish-orangish glow. When I turn on a flashlight, I want vibrant white light - not candle light.

For me, the more neutral the better - I guess I'm really "tint sensitive" or something. The best emitter I've ever seen in this regard is the batch that Sunwayman put into their Neutral White version V11R - I have 3 of those lights, and every one of them looks the same. Almost zero coloration of any sort... what I'd describe as a "gray tinted" light. You can tell that there is SOME color there of some sort, but it's really faint... like a yellow or orange that fades into the overall whiteness so much that it's barely perceptible. The second place contender is the Nichia 219B emitters in EagleTac D25A, MX25L3C, and L3 Illumination's various "L" series lights. Very little color - kind of a "grayish tan" with just a slight hint of orange in the corona.

How about all of you? Does anyone else here dislike both Cool White and Warm emitters? Is anyone else here on the eternal quest for a pure white LED emitter with no hints of color?
 
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markr6

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Jul 16, 2012
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I hate cool whites. I don't like warm white but I guess I could handle them if pressed. I'm basically a snob requiring something between 4400K and 5000K.

My latest example of perfection is an XP-L V6 3D. Leaning towards cool, but without the blue and still keeping the brightness. I would be fine if it were the only LED in existence.
 

snowlover91

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I actually like cool white lights as long as they aren't extreme to the point they have blue or purple tints or green in them. Some of my best cool white samples are my Nitecore PD lights. Great beam pattern and the cool white is closer to a 5500-6000k on my samples. The best overall tint from a neutral standpoint is my new SC5w. It is almost a pure white similar to how your V11r lights are, it really is very nice. I definitely don't like the lower warm tints that look more like an incandescent, not from my flashlight at least.
 

twistedraven

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Oct 22, 2014
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I'm in same camp as you Amelia. Warmer lights I'm fine with for indoor use, because I'm use to the incandescent tint at night, but for outdoor use, I prefer as close to neutral white as possible, with my reference being midday direct sunlight.

Closest I've seen to looking like midday sunlight is the Luxeon T 5000k, followed by the Nichia 219B 4500k. The Cree lights I've found to be too green. The MT-G2 5000k lights pique my interest though.
 

Sarlix

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Oct 27, 2009
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Hi Amelia,

"Incandescent Age"?

Now you are Really making me feel old - That somehow sounds like the "Jurassic Period":)

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mesozoic/jurassic/jurassic.php


Perhaps you need some more campfire time?

Just kidding - I will have more to say on this later...

Thanks for the Great post!
-Chuck

I like that you felt the need to add an educational link, I would like to think that the average CPF user knows what the Jurassic period is :p

This is what I get when I think of the "Incandescent Age"

flashlight13.jpg
 

MichaelW

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Dec 8, 2007
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USA
Warm-white is perfect for winter.
Neutral-white is fine for general use.
Extreme cool-white is fine for diving: if you goal is maximum penetration.
Cool-white, ~5000K is fine if you only need to use the light for less than a minute.
 

Woods Walker

The Wood is cut, The Bacon is cooked, Now it’s tim
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New England woods.
Warm-white is perfect for winter.
Neutral-white is fine for general use.
Extreme cool-white is fine for diving: if you goal is maximum penetration.
Cool-white, ~5000K is fine if you only need to use the light for less than a minute.

They're all fine if it's dark and that's what yea got though know nothing about dive lights. Still it's light and would probably work in the dark.
 

markr6

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Jul 16, 2012
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Why am I so picky? This is a fun hobby, obsession, whatever you want to call it. ANy tint will get my thru whatever activity I'm doing at night just fine. Heck, I could use a purple glow stick to hike down a trail at night...so why don't I? Like I said, it's a hobby so I want the best, cleanest, most pleasant tint I can get, within reason.

If I told a hardcore car enthusiast that a cheap rusted out 4-cylinder was all they need because it got them around just fine, I'm sure they would have something to say about that!
 

Ladd

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My preference is the same as Amelia in the OP and several others above. I like neutral tint.

That said, some people are not that sensitive to tint. And also, some tints are better for specialized uses, such as photography.

All in all, I find the Nichia 219b hard to beat.
 

WarRaven

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Why am I so picky? This is a fun hobby, obsession, whatever you want to call it. ANy tint will get my thru whatever activity I'm doing at night just fine. Heck, I could use a purple glow stick to hike down a trail at night...so why don't I? Like I said, it's a hobby so I want the best, cleanest, most pleasant tint I can get, within reason.

If I told a hardcore car enthusiast that a cheap rusted out 4-cylinder was all they need because it got them around just fine, I'm sure they would have something to say about that!
For a noob like myself, I still see you calling one superior an one as junk.

How so, please explain to me why one is so much better?
I don't find that is the case myself an your analogy strongly suggests the temp I'm preferring is just trash but you think no less of me for that because I'm noob an you're pro like an know better?
I guess I'm a sucker that prefers junk, but if I'm happy with the results, that's all that matters an thankful I'm not forced into a single choice.

Edit, I hope this doesn't sound antagonistic, I'm clearly wanting an answer as to why the temp I avoid because I feel strained under it is best?
That seems like ford versus Chevy, not hot rod against old rusted out any car to me but idk an hence this query.
 
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markr6

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Jul 16, 2012
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For a noob like myself, I still see you calling one superior an one as junk.

How so, please explain to me why one is so much better?
I don't find that is the case myself an your analogy strongly suggests the temp I'm preferring is just trash but you think no less of me for that because I'm noob an you're pro like an know better?
I guess I'm a sucker that prefers junk, but if I'm happy with the results, that's all that matters an thankful I'm not forced into a single choice.

Edit, I hope this doesn't sound antagonistic, I'm clearly wanting an answer as to why the temp I avoid because I feel strained under it is best?
That seems like ford versus Chevy, not hot rod against old rusted out any car to me but idk an hence this query.

That's funny I was going to use the Chevy vs Ford analogy!

My MAIN point is: when you're deeply involved in a hobby, you don't want something that just "works" or gets you by. You want what you feel is perfect after much research and experience.

I'm not a pro by any means. I'm not putting anyone down. I'm not calling cool white junk. I did say that people may be used to a cooler tint and simply stay with what they "know", not caring that there are other tints out there. Most people would probably say "what the hell is a tint?" anyway. I referred to the $3 lights at Walgreens as junk.

Of course it's a personal preference.

I like that the OP asked if anyone disliked BOTH, since the tint threads are usually about one vs. another. Those always make good reading material BTW; I think we have 2,049 identical threads taking up valuable server space somewhere :rolleyes:
 

avernite

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Nov 26, 2014
Messages
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Warm-white is perfect for winter.
Neutral-white is fine for general use.

I agree with this. During the winter I became fixated on warmer tints but once the foliage started coming out I came back to neutral whites. I find that ferns and other plants "pop" out at me more with a whitey-white tint.
 

WarRaven

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Oct 24, 2013
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Edmonton, Alberta
Right on, thank you Markr6.
I like to read stuff here so these type of threads are helpful I find, good brain food.
It was the analogy throwing me off course in your post, that helps better to understand some just like or prefer one over another.

Have a great one.
 
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