Cool or Neutral White?

[Kev D]

As the title suggests, do you prefer a cool white or Neutral White torch (flashlight)

[jaya_man]

As the title suggests, do you prefer a cool white or Neutral White torch (flashlight)

I think I only have one NW... Most of my LEDS are CW... Sure, CW puts out more lumens but I prefer NW since it gives better color rendition compared to CW...

Add HI CRI into the mix, more accurate color rendition compared to NW. But it puts out less lumens. I guess it goes down to balance between color rendition and lumens... This is also why I still prefer NW. Unless HI CRI improves over time and is at par with NW in terms of lumens.

This is just coming from a novice who is just on the learning curve when it comes to light... Hahaha


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[Steinar]

NW. The LEDs pushes enough lumens that sacrificing some for better color rendition is worth it. Leads to quicker and more comfortable understanding of the visual input.

[David Quevedo]

It's definitely neutral white, for me.  I have 80 plus lights, and I would say a majority of them are cool white; but that's only because when I started out, neutral white lights didn't really exist, and I didn't really know any better, once they were available - until I actually tried one out. 

The color accuracy, out of a neutral light, is far superior to that of cool white.

Cool white light is fine for the dazzling, "wow" factor; but it doesn't come anywhere close to neutral (or warm white) for the best, most accurate color rendition. 

Also, the warmer tints tend to cut through fog and smoke a lot better than the cooler ones. 

[eddie1115]

I haven't owned too many lights yet, so I speak as a novice as well.  I prefer NW overall, but for a short-term-use light (like most EDC uses, checking under the couch, finding keys in the dark, etc.), I'm perfectly fine with CW.  Seems to have better definition with lower lumens (while of course giving up color rendition), which makes it easier to find what I'm looking for.

For long term use (more than a few seconds at a time), it needs to be NW, for the reasons everyone else mentioned. 

So in my pocket is an Olight i3s (which is actually a little warmer than other similar lights) for quick use, and in my bag is a Zebralight H502 NW for everything else.

[zoidberg]

I haven't owned too many lights yet, so I speak as a novice as well.  I prefer NW overall, but for a short-term-use light (like most EDC uses, checking under the couch, finding keys in the dark, etc.), I'm perfectly fine with CW.  Seems to have better definition with lower lumens (while of course giving up color rendition), which makes it easier to find what I'm looking for.

For long term use (more than a few seconds at a time), it needs to be NW, for the reasons everyone else mentioned. 

So in my pocket is an Olight i3s (which is actually a little warmer than other similar lights) for quick use, and in my bag is a Zebralight H502 NW for everything else.

eddie pretty much said it for me.      My ZebraLight is the H52W.

[Millhouse]

I only have one NW light.

Problem is, a lot of the lights I like and have bought were only available in cool white.

[eddie1115]

I haven't owned too many lights yet, so I speak as a novice as well.  I prefer NW overall, but for a short-term-use light (like most EDC uses, checking under the couch, finding keys in the dark, etc.), I'm perfectly fine with CW.  Seems to have better definition with lower lumens (while of course giving up color rendition), which makes it easier to find what I'm looking for.

For long term use (more than a few seconds at a time), it needs to be NW, for the reasons everyone else mentioned. 

So in my pocket is an Olight i3s (which is actually a little warmer than other similar lights) for quick use, and in my bag is a Zebralight H502 NW for everything else.

eddie pretty much said it for me.      My ZebraLight is the H52W.

Whoops, turns out I should have said it all for you, I had a typo.  Mine is the H52w as well

[PTRSAK]

Prefer NW but not always an option. Not that I own any expensive lites.

[David Quevedo]

I haven't owned too many lights yet, so I speak as a novice as well.  I prefer NW overall, but for a short-term-use light (like most EDC uses, checking under the couch, finding keys in the dark, etc.), I'm perfectly fine with CW.  Seems to have better definition with lower lumens (while of course giving up color rendition), which makes it easier to find what I'm looking for.

For long term use (more than a few seconds at a time), it needs to be NW, for the reasons everyone else mentioned. 

So in my pocket is an Olight i3s (which is actually a little warmer than other similar lights) for quick use, and in my bag is a Zebralight H502 NW for everything else.

+1 for Zebralights.  I'm EDCing an SC600w Mk II L2 and an SC600w Mk III, right now.  Love their lights!



I'd love to pick up at least one of their neutral white headlamps.  The interface is genius.

[David Quevedo]

Another favorite neutral light of mine is a 18650-bored Surefire 6P body (almost dead center, in this photograph) with a Solarforce head and tail (from an L2P), which is loaded with a Sportac Triple Nichia 219B 2-mode drop0-in.  That's probably my favorite neutral light of all, for nice big floody (but portable) light).  It's another one of my EDCs, usually carried in a bag, with other lights.

[eddie1115]

I haven't owned too many lights yet, so I speak as a novice as well.  I prefer NW overall, but for a short-term-use light (like most EDC uses, checking under the couch, finding keys in the dark, etc.), I'm perfectly fine with CW.  Seems to have better definition with lower lumens (while of course giving up color rendition), which makes it easier to find what I'm looking for.

For long term use (more than a few seconds at a time), it needs to be NW, for the reasons everyone else mentioned. 

So in my pocket is an Olight i3s (which is actually a little warmer than other similar lights) for quick use, and in my bag is a Zebralight H502 NW for everything else.

+1 for Zebralights.  I'm EDCing an SC600w Mk II L2 and an SC600w Mk III, right now.  Love their lights!

(Image removed from quote.)

I'd love to pick up at least one of their neutral white headlamps.  The interface is genius.

Very nice!  I agree about the UI.  I need to try more of their models myself.

[Aloha]

I got my first NW and after only having CW I have to admit I wasn't impressed.  I kept the light and revisited it a little while later and oddly enough I "saw" it differently.  Most of my lights are CW only because thats what was easily available.  I do like NW a lot and will pick up more.     

[Alan K.]

Picked up a Nitecore P12 (2015 model) back in July with Neutral Light. Very happy with it so far.

[kkokkolis]

Cool, but I settle with Neutral. I can't stand Warm though. I don't even call it White, it's a Cream/Yellow tone.

[dks]

NW feels more normal but CW seems more high def ...

When I have a choice I usually go for NW

[ddogu]

I haven't owned too many lights yet, so I speak as a novice as well.  I prefer NW overall, but for a short-term-use light (like most EDC uses, checking under the couch, finding keys in the dark, etc.), I'm perfectly fine with CW.  Seems to have better definition with lower lumens (while of course giving up color rendition), which makes it easier to find what I'm looking for.

For long term use (more than a few seconds at a time), it needs to be NW, for the reasons everyone else mentioned. 

So in my pocket is an Olight i3s (which is actually a little warmer than other similar lights) for quick use, and in my bag is a Zebralight H502 NW for everything else.

+1

[metasyntax]

I prefer neutral white, but it can be a little bit of a risk because sometimes they are too yellow. I've a couple ThruNite lights in NW which are on the yellow side, whereas my neutral ZebraLights are great. I have one Nichia 219B light which has fantastic tint, but it's just a penlight, so I'm dreaming of getting something that is a little brighter. Vinh makes some triple Nichia 219C lights which look awesome and should reach around 1000 lumens, I would think.

[ducttapetech]

I really don't care as long it shoots a good beam and I can see what I am looking at. Yeah, I know, I am weird.

[Etherealicer]

Maybe a bit of a different perspective.

Street signs and reflectors, reflect CW much stronger than NW*, to a point where it gets distracting (glaringly bright objects in your field of vision are always bad). And since I have used my flashlight as emergency bike light I prefer NW. But its not just when cycling, I find in general that NW gives better illumination with less objects getting so bright it disturbs vision.


* Not sure if that is globally applicable though.

[firiki]

I have found CW to create a sharp visual contrast between objects while not allowing good colour rendition. These two effects cause some strain to my eyes, esp. when combined to a bright hotspot as opposed to a floodier light, and make me lower my walking pace significantly.

The kind of CW varies from bin to bin of the same LED type, though, so just calling it such doesn't suffice, IMO; I need to see the light to see if it actually works for me. I prefer a NW and I quite like the yellowish tint of XP-E2.

[Gareth]

While I'll always pick a NW if I have a choice it's not a deal breaker if it's not an option on a light I like otherwise.  I've got a Fenix E01 on me right now and that's a long way from NW.

[Joe58]

Although I do have a few lights, I can never keep it straight as far as which "color" gives that blue tint that I find quite annoying.

Or was that more an issue from the emitter being used? If so, given the rapid advancement in pocket light tech, have those finally gone away?

Just wanting to know which to avoid so I don't get one with that blue tint to everything.

[shark_za]

I do prefer the warmer tints; specially when dealing with flood close work lights like the my Zebralights.
I have three but the two I like the most are H501w and H502C (Hi CRI)

I also have a few 4 Sevens in both Neutral and Warm.

[Gareth]

For those who don't know what we're on about here's my attempt to show the difference between cool (left), neutral (middle) and warm (right) LED tints.

[Joe58]

Good picture Gareth.......helpful to see it side by side.

[TazzieRob]

I sometimes think Cool White should be called Harsh White.

NW is definitely easier on the eyes

[firiki]

While I'll always pick a NW if I have a choice it's not a deal breaker if it's not an option on a light I like otherwise.  I've got a Fenix E01 on me right now and that's a long way from NW.

That's a good point but there are a few reasons that many people (me included) tolerate the E01's blacklight/moneychecker violet tint 

Fenix has improved the tint and beam on the E01, BTW; it is much more white and round now.     

For those who don't know what we're on about here's my attempt to show the difference between cool (left), neutral (middle) and warm (right) LED tints.

(Image removed from quote.)

Thanks for the pic, I think it captures what you try to show

[firiki]

[...]
Just wanting to know which to avoid so I don't get one with that blue tint to everything.

Green-ish or yellow-ish tint for me all the way !!

In my limited experience, tint variations can occur between batches of the same LED bin (in other words, LED of the same chemical composition). That's why I say I must see the light to know if it works for me