That was a pleasure to read, and gave a nice balance.
Although I don't know that I have seen the latest Nichia LED's, some of the "high CRI" LED's I have bought (i.e. HDS HDC High CRI) still lack the fuller incan EM spectrum that allows your eyes to process subtle depth of field, contrast, and color nuances particularly when outside.
I don't know if they're yet good enough to completely satisfy your tastes but you really need to sample a couple of the 119/219 emitters. Just as with incan lights, some of which are more completely white and others which give the warmer glow, the range of lights I have with 119/219's in them range from more of a pure white to just-a-touch-of-warmth, the latter of which I only have one, but it is my single most favored emitter I have in any light hands down. So clear and accurate, but accompanied by that sensory warmth that has always made me favor incans for tint.
Now if I can just find out what particular bin this 219 is I'll gladly swap them into every light I have..
This is such a good, enjoyable exchange of ideas and information. I agree with kaichu dento - you really ought to try one of the Nichia. My guess is that the one Pete is referring to is the one in the high CRI Haiku. Numbers aside, what I SEE when I use it are the subtle differences in colors - don't laugh - but I keep it in the top of my closet and use it to help pick out a suit in the morning. It, more so than any of the others, allows the colors to come through so clearly that I can 'see' the colors in suits, ties, etc. Have you ever gone out for the day with one deep navy sock and one black sock? I have. But this light will show you that subtle difference, or at least, it allows you to see it.
I can't rely on numbers. They give a nice reference to start with, but the visual is what matters to me. Forgive me for drifting back to the audio discussion, but 'back in the day', numbers guys would have ripped a tube amp to shreds (verbally) for the high 'total harmonic distortion' figures, yet they remained the choice of many a discerning
listener.
I see a similarity to the visual. I for one, don't care for the "high CRI" Cree XPG - and am not all that fond of the Seoul high CRI emitters. I owned an HDS High CRI light and thought it made everything brown - even orange. If that is what a person likes to 'see', then that's what they should buy.
What I personally want to see is a "lack of tint." It's been mentioned in many posts, but these Nichias seem to almost require your brain to relax - to stop attempting to process the colors. They just come through naturally,
I love the incan 'look', and I dare say that I've owned enough different variants to understand that there are some subtle differences even in the incans, but at the risk of stirring the pot, in MY OPINION they still 'add' tint. If you find that pleasing, then THAT'S GREAT! If you disagree that they add tint, that's great, too!
Ask Don Mcleish which light he prefers for discerning subtle colors when exploring the color rich waters off the coast of his Hawaiian Island home.
And maybe take a peek at the beam shots posted
HERE and
HERE. We all know that arguably a camera cannot be relied upon to provide the same visual as we would see in person, but the relative differences are not arguable. The camera is a Canon 40D (decent camera) with the white balance locked at 5000k. The daylight shots are either in the shade or under cloud cover, but if you search the forum you can see MULTIPLE versions of this same daylight shot. I'm actually at our beach place right now (have to go home, though:sigh
, and I KNOW what the colors are supposed to look like, and I can tell you with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY that the 4 variants of the Nichia you will see (119 in a Haiku, 219 in a Haiku, 219 in a Malkoff, and 219 in a little Lumintop that I modded) 'appear' to my eyes as though they add the least tint and allow the most natural color to come through.
Geez, sorry guys. Another long-winded post from me. But I really do love this thread and the discussion. And I really do love incan lights. But I'll say it - for ME, the Nichia 92 CRI 4500k emitters are my favorites.
