What LEDs will be the big hit in 2024??
The development of LED lights for flashlights shows no signs of slowing down, with new LEDs hitting the market in 2023, breaking new records in terms of brightness and luminous flux. Let's take a look at some of the recent breakthroughs!
In the realm of thrower flashlights, Osram made a big leap a few years ago with the NM1 and PM1 LEDs, but in 2023, the Luminus SFT40 took over the market. It's now found in the lineup of almost every major flashlight manufacturer, as it's relatively inexpensive, of good quality, and capable of producing around 2000 lumens, with a reach of about 1 km depending on the driver. Compared to the Osram NM1, it offers pleasant spill, while the PM1, with an 8A driver, provides serious throw without an LEP-like beam. What's new is that there's now a version of the SFT40 with a CRI value of 95, which may be particularly attractive to warm light enthusiasts. Cree has lagged behind slightly in recent years, but in 2023, they came out with many new offerings (or rather, new generations of previous models) that meet the expectations of the times. For example, almost every new LED is now available in a 3V version, including the XHP50.3, which can now compete with the SFT-40. Among the truly long-range LEDs, the winner is not a new development this year, but still the most powerful LED, the Luminus SBT90.2, which can produce a reach of up to 3 km.
In the realm of diffused light LEDs, many well-known flashlight manufacturers offer lights containing the familiar Cree XM-L and G3 LEDs, but the Luminus SST20 and SST40 LEDs have become popular alternatives to these LEDs in recent times. Nowadays, the question is more about how many LEDs they squeeze into a single flashlight. Among warm light LEDs, Nichia is still a big favorite, with the 519a being perhaps the most widespread, and the newest addition being the 719A. The Samsung warm light LED, the LH351B, is also popular, but it's becoming rarer to come across.
The most powerful LED currently on the market is the SFH55, from which, with the right driver and power source, up to 15,000 lumens (!!!) can be obtained. It's manufactured by a rather peculiar company about which no specific information is available on the internet, except that it's Chinese. Currently, it can only be found in a Mateminco flashlight, but it's also available in Lumintop and Led Lenser flashlights. Other LEDs from this manufacturer are similarly capable of brutal performance, such as the SFN55.2, which can output 8,000 lumens, or the SFH43, from which 9500 lumens can be squeezed out. Experienced readers might just shrug at this and say, "Sure, you see stuff like this on every market next to an 8,800 mAh 18650 battery," but these LEDs really deliver on their promises. And I'd like to emphasize once again that this is a manufacturer that has outperformed Cree, Nichia, and Osram, and we don't even know its name.
LEP flashlights have somewhat declined in popularity recently after a rapid spread, likely due to their price. It hasn't really been possible to make them affordable for everyone, although now you can get a flashlight with a range of around 3 km for well under 100. In this category, the flashlight with the longest range was produced by a Machtoch L2KSD, with a range of 3.2 km speaking for itself.
Recently, several manufacturers have introduced focusable LEP flashlights, which is an interesting category. Combining them with LEDs could lead to interesting further developments. The latest breakthrough in the LEP market comes from the manufacturer Weltool, which has incorporated the latest development from the Japanese manufacturer Kyocera (they manufacture everything from solar panels to printers) and an SMD LEP into their latest flashlight, the W2. Its parameters are not yet more impressive than an average LEP, but in the long run, it may drive down prices in this market.
