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Showing 1 of 20 conversations about:
KnifeGuy
342
Jun 3, 2016
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So, essentially a copper Maratac AAA for about half the price. Not baaaad....
JDWarner
349
Jun 3, 2016
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KnifeGuyExcept this has a Nichia 219B hi-CRI emitter. Which makes all the difference for me.
KnifeGuy
342
Jun 3, 2016
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JDWarnerCan you give me any more information? How does this perform differently than the Maratac light? I don't know much about the different emitters, but I DO have multiple Maratac AAAs, so if this is a better performing light, I'd definitely give it a look for $25.
JDWarner
349
Jun 3, 2016
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KnifeGuyHonestly depends on what you want out of a light. Maratac builds a great light, but they essentially only use the CREE XP-G2 emitter class. This emitter doesn't meet criteria for high color rendering except when it's an extremely warm bin (2700k or so, incandescent light warmness).
Unfortunately, the public often wants two things: bigger numbers, and brighter beams. A lot of people when given identical beams with a cooler (bluer) and warmer (more orange) tint will say the cooler one is brighter. Cooler binned LEDs are usually more efficient, too, because there's a big spike in the blue emission spectrum. So Maratac, along with a lot of vendors who mass produce, use cool bins because they let them put bigger lumen numbers on packages.
This distorts the color we see in a major way, though. To get high color rendering you have to tame that blue spike. About the only way to do this is use a warmer bin (CREE XP-G2) or choose a Nichia 219 series emitter which can be cooler with high CRI, but is less efficient apples to apples.
If you haven't ever experienced a high CRI light, join this drop. The difference between 102 and 130ish lumens isn't perceptible, but the better color rendering most definitely is. I only buy high-CRI lights because I care much more about what I see, than a few paltry lumens.
So, as to which performs better, it depends on if you want to chase lumens or have the best color and most pleasant illumination. For me, the latter. For you... you decide.
Unfortunately, the public often wants two things: bigger numbers, and brighter beams. A lot of people when given identical beams with a cooler (bluer) and warmer (more orange) tint will say the cooler one is brighter. Cooler binned LEDs are usually more efficient, too, because there's a big spike in the blue emission spectrum. So Maratac, along with a lot of vendors who mass produce, use cool bins because they let them put bigger lumen numbers on packages.
This distorts the color we see in a major way, though. To get high color rendering you have to tame that blue spike. About the only way to do this is use a warmer bin (CREE XP-G2) or choose a Nichia 219 series emitter which can be cooler with high CRI, but is less efficient apples to apples.
If you haven't ever experienced a high CRI light, join this drop. The difference between 102 and 130ish lumens isn't perceptible, but the better color rendering most definitely is. I only buy high-CRI lights because I care much more about what I see, than a few paltry lumens.
So, as to which performs better, it depends on if you want to chase lumens or have the best color and most pleasant illumination. For me, the latter. For you... you decide.
Loneman
35
Jun 4, 2016
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JDWarnerI have to agree; if you don't own a Nichia 219 you really have to try one. Since picking up an Astrolux M01 with a Nichia 219B all of my other torches look so washed out & unnatural by comparison.
I have seen the light... and it comes from a high CRI emitter! :D
Neblin7
545
Jun 11, 2016
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JDWarnerMan, that was an awesome and very informative explanation that I gained a lot from myself. Thanks!!!
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