HDS high CRI lights - Poll: will you ever go back?

[RCS1300]

Tint snobbing for me started with the lumintop tool...HDS finally pushed my need for high cri from ~85 to finally 96.

I remember what got me started on High CRI flash lights in 2017. It was the phasing out of incandescent bulbs in the U.S.A. Everyone had to go to LED bulbs for their houses and the ones available in big box retail stores put out a blue cheap looking light. As I walked my dog in the early morning around my housing complex I started seeing a few of these blue LED porch lights among the nice warm yellow incandescent bulbs. It was at that point I examined the light output of my Fenix flash lights and learned about CRI and high CRI (Color Rendering Index).

I had a HDS Tactical Flashlight, purchased in 2014 that had a nice white beam that was not blue but I was wondering if I could do better. There were a lot of choices in the market from all of the Chinese flashlight makers. I thought, if you want an excellent diamond ring you go to Tiffany's and, in my mind, Henry at HDS was the Tiffany's of flash lights. His high CRI LEDs would be the best of the best available in the market. So I purchased my first high CRI light from HDS in late 2017 and never looked back.

At this point, I have not learned about binning or color temp and do not feel the need unless it is going to improve my lights Color Rendering Index above 96.

 

[ven]

While I love my hiCRI, a nice brighter light in the stable can also be a good thing.
Yes, I closed a previous thread because there were very few there making comments who seemed to understand binning and color temp.
I felt a little like when I drive my MUTT around and everyone in a Jeep waves at me, and I think to myself, "you have no idea you are waving at a Ford, do you?"

CRI is important, but binning (color temp and how close to the black body) the emitter is producing is just as important.

Would I go for an XP-L2 in the 5000k range close to the black body that kicked out 375-400 lumens? I'm not talking a horrid green or angry blue tint, but a nice binned emitter. You know, an emitter like the other guys DON'T use. Yep. I would go for that.

It doesn't mean I would get rid of my hiCRI lights by any means, but would simply add to the tools I already have.

Agree, if i could see or use and xp-l2 that was 5000k, close to the bb, (lumens over 200 are not a must for me anyway in a HDS, but a bonus yes and would be tempting), i would sure be interested. However, i have no experience of such, nor seen any of these LED's. Only experience i have had is all yellow(or less yellow) from the 4000k and 45000k , presumably from the extra phosphor used on CREE's newer LED's.

 

[Modernflame]

We still have a LOT of 325's going out the door, and fewer and fewer 250's.

I don't have either of those but I do have other lights with those emitters. The XPL is smoother than the XPG2, having less tint shift, less Cree rainbow. I can see why the 325 would be more popular.

I'm pleasantly surprised that the custom lights have toppled the status quo. Was beginning to think I'm weird.

Uh...well

 

[ven]

. Was beginning to think I'm weird.

Uh...well

You are weird...........










Just like the rest of us

 

[peter yetman]

I was beginning to think you were weird too.......

Join the club.
P

 

[peter yetman]

Synchronicity.

 

[ven]

Synchronicity.

Weirdo

 

[peter yetman]

:laughing:

 

[bigfoot]

There's just something about high CRI as you wander in the late night hours with your four-legged friend, trying to avoid any "land mines" hiding in the grass... :laughing:

High CRI for the win! :twothumbs

 

[RCS1300]

There's just something about high CRI as you wander in the late night hours with your four-legged friend, trying to avoid any "land mines" hiding in the grass... :laughing:

High CRI for the win! :twothumbs

Brahahaha...me too! The distinctions of shades of brown are very important when walking in the leaves which cover 90% of the ground from September through December in my part of the woods.

 

[Tejasandre]

There's just something about high CRI as you wander in the late night hours with your four-legged friend, trying to avoid any "land mines" hiding in the grass... :laughing:

High CRI for the win! :twothumbs

Plus if your 4 legged friend wandered off & you're left to compare land mines for freshness, high cri is the way to go. You know, to be sure he went. & won't want to go later.

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

This conversation just after I finished shampooing the carpets in my home... Puppy ate something that didn't agree with her. Ugh!

There are other good reasons for distinguishing browns... The only time I really want more light is in the middle of the night, in the middle of the lake, and CRI and tint makes no difference then. When hiking around at night, I never feel I need more lumens than 200, but it wouldn't hurt to have a second HDS in your pocket just in case...

 

[indigon]

I've forgotten who posted this pic, my apologies..
-But as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[InvisibleFrodo]

Do you know what lights are in the pic?

 

[slumber]

I've forgotten who posted this pic, my apologies..
-But as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

That would be pjandyho from his Night Trekking thread. A good read for newer folks.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-clickies-Mainly-High-CRI-**PHOTO-Intensive**

 

[Sos24]

I'm with@ven, in that temp and tint are more important to me than CRI. I would prefer to have a high CRI light in a temp and tint that I love, but I am willing to go with a lower CRI if that is what is required to get a tint and temp that I prefer.

 

[jon_slider]

...
Would I go for an XP-L2 in the 5000k range close to the black body that kicked out 375-400 lumens? I'm not talking a horrid green or angry blue tint, but a nice binned emitter. You know, an emitter like the other guys DON'T use. Yep. I would go for that.

It doesn't mean I would get rid of my hiCRI lights by any means, but would simply add to the tools I already have.

I think I see the reason in your madness

the xpl gives considerably wider field of view outdoors, even though it does not throw as far. I would like the wider beam, especially outdoors.

here is a comparison of the HDS 250 XP-G2 beam and HDS 325 XP-L beam. Neither light is a High CRI model

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...xecutive-with-new-2xAA-and-18680(18650)-tubes

HDS 250 XP-G2 LED gives a coolish tint and strong hotspot.

HDS 325 XP-L LED has a more neutral tint and wider hotspot and spill (as you would expect of the larger emitter).

The characteristics seen indoors become even more obvious outdoors. The HDS 250 XP-G2, despite lower output has better throw, but a narrower beam.

With its broader beam, neutral tint and higher output, the HDS 325 XP-L is very capable and is a very pleasant Every Day Beam.

 

[staticx57]

This pic highlights differing color temperatures at least as much if not more than CRI. It is clear the left picture is much cooler than right which is much warmer.

I've forgotten who posted this pic, my apologies..
-But as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[tech25]

I love the 4500k hcri led however, I think a lot has to do with the great tint and the CRI is just helping out.
I have a 4000k xpl-hi and while it's a bit more yellow, I appreciate the extra lumens. A classic CPF answer for me is: I would keep the 4500k but also get a higher lumen light with a lower CRI if the tint is good.

 

[jon_slider]

That would be pjandyho from his Night Trekking thread. A good read for newer folks.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-clickies-Mainly-High-CRI-**PHOTO-Intensive**

thanks for the link!

Do you know what lights are in the pic?

...
If you look at the photos, you would have noticed that most of the photos are lit using the HDS 100 lumen high CRI clicky with a few comparisons to the 140 lumens guaranteed tint and 170 lumens tactical. My objective is not to portray the beam profiles of the individual lights but rather to capture the colors presented by the LEDs so that all those who are keen in purchasing the high CRI HDS clicky would understand what makes it so good for use in nature especially. I apologize that there would be no white wall beam shot photos here.
...
We managed to spot a juvenile Spotted Wood Owl. Here are two shots showing you the comparison in colors between the Surefire LX2 and the HDS high CRI clicky. I am not able to get any shots of the owl's frontal profile whenever the LX2 was used. The owl seem to turn it's head away whenever I had the LX2 on him.

Surefire LX2:

HDS high CRI clicky:

…

Further down the trek we came across some coconut trees about 30 meters out which I thought would make good targets for showing all of you the difference in color rendition from all the HDS clickies.
high CRI

140 GT;:

170 tactical

in my experience, if you want to make the trees look greener, cool white is great, but it hides a lot of features

if you want to see the details in the tree, High CRI is better, but it can be a bit overwhelming because it gives so much detail. Things that were beautiful even green under low CRI, now are full of brown and red spots, that make the tree look much less green.

Also, the Low CRI light will usually have more lumens, and more throw. It depends if you are trying to spotlight a tree, or want to see a Spotted Owl IN the tree. Similarly, the Low CRI will show the body of the owl, but the High CRI will show the different colors of the body of the owl, thats what I mean by more detail..

Another analogy
bear in mind black panthers are not actually black, they have spots
a Low CRI light will spotlight the Black Cat, but a High CRI light will highlight the spots on the Black Cat