Everyday Carry

Flashlight Friday: Five Fantastic Nichia 519A Lights

Authored by:
Mikey Bautista
Reviewed by:
Bernard Capulong
Founder and Editor-in-Chief
14+ Years Reviewing EDC Products
Flashlight Friday: Five Fantastic Nichia 519A Lights

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It's the final Friday of 2022, and we thought we'd do something fun and send it off with a Flashlight Friday featuring something that made massive waves this year. You may be familiar with some of the more common LED manufacturers like Cree, Samsung, OSRAM, and Nichia, each with their stables of capable and colorful emitters. But it's the last one on the list that's brought something truly special to the table that's finding its way into more lights.

We're talking, of course, about the new Nichia 519A, the latest and greatest enthusiast LED on the block that's the best of both worlds of lumen output and that much-desired enthusiast tint. Like the crazy-popular Nichia 219B before it, it's characterized by a high CRI rosy tint that's especially eye-pleasing on the lower-temperature variants. Unlike the 219B, however, the 519A now has the advantage of being able to be brighter at the same amperage, as well as able to be driven harder to push more lumens.

One particular hobbyist activity is de-doming a 519A, meaning slicing or pulling off the clear material in the shape of a dome that sits on top of the glass that protects an LED's phosphor material. Removing the dome reduces the 519As lumen output, in exchange for more candela/throw and a lower CCT, i.e., even warmer/rosier tint.

This one LED has changed the game for flashlights, and has certainly given enthusiasts a lot to experiment with in their search for that perfect beam. For the rest of us, this simply means more flashlights to play around with! So we've put together a list of five flashlights you can buy today that come with Nichia 519A to help you get started on your own journey with this hot new emitter.

  1. AceBeam E70 Mini: A powerful triple 519A 5000K in titanium with a max output of 1,500 lumens. Comes with an 18650 battery with a USB-C charging port.
  2. Emisar D4V2 Ti: The enthusiast's choice of the past few years, powered by a monster quad array of 519As in your CCT and (de)domed preference with an output of 3,800 lumens. Comes with the highly customizable and feature-packed Andúril interface.
  3. Wurkkos TS25: Another quad with Andúril, but at a much more accessible price point. Monster 4,000-lumen output thanks to a 21700 battery.
  4. Convoy T3: An AA/14500-powered light with seven 519A CCT options to choose from, at a very attractive price despite its titanium build.
  5. Reylight pineapple mini: The most compact of the group with its use of 10440 (AAA-sized). Comes with a Nichia 519A 4000K pushing 500 lumens, and has the most body material options from titanium to brass.

Special mention—Killzone Stainless Pen Light: A super-simple, super-affordable single-mode pen light that's been the benchmark light to use Nichia 219B, now upgraded (and finally back in stock) in Nichia 519A SM455. Able to use all AAA-sized battery chemistries and push out up to 175 lumens. And did we mention it was under 15 bucks?

Did you pick up a 519A light this year? If so, which did you get, and how are you liking the tint? Let us know in the comments below!

Mikey Bautista

Director of Everyday Carry Operations


About the Author
Mikey Bautista is an everyday carry (EDC) expert who has been working with the EverydayCarry.com team for nearly a decade, starting with an interest in EDC as a hobby and ending up as a writer for the site in 2014. Through the years, he’s led the site in editorial content and writing about products across every category, from knives to bags to flashlights and everything in between, as well as discovering, bringing exposure, and building bridges with many brands in the industry. Today, he is the site's Director of Everyday Carry Operations, leading the editorial team and managing day-to-day operations.

He has lived through many personal and professional lives, spending nearly a decade in the workforce management industry, a minor career in gaming, and has lent a hand with entrepreneurial efforts back home in the Philippines. He has also been an active participant and helped build a number of significant social communities online, both for EDC and his other hobbies.

Mikey has been at the cusp of gaming, technology, and the internet since the ‘90s and continues to lend his experience, expertise, and authority to all his pursuits. When not online, in a game, or watching movies, you'll find him in the gym, speedrunning his next hobby, or talking at length about EDC with anyone willing to listen.

Bernard Capulong

Founder and Editor-in-Chief


About the Reviewer
Bernard Capulong is an everyday carry (EDC) gear expert, entrepreneur, all-around nerd, and the founder and editor-in-chief of EverydayCarry.com—the largest online community for EDC gear enthusiasts. Since founding Everyday Carry in 2009, he’s built over a decade of experience in the industry, reviewing and highlighting brands and products, including pocket knives, flashlights, wallets, watches, bags, pens, and much more.

Bernard is known for bringing everyday carry out of obscurity and into the mainstream, having been published or featured in various publications such as GQ, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, VICE, HYPEBEAST, Outside, and many others. He has also played a part in curating, designing, and developing digital and physical products, resulting in successful crowdfunding projects or limited edition collaboration products with established softgoods brands. He stays on the pulse of the EDC industry by attending trade shows, participating in online interest communities, and actively engaging with fellow gear enthusiasts on social media.

In addition to being the editor-in-chief and main social media personality for EverydayCarry.com, Bernard is an avid gearhead and collector in general. His personal collections span technical bags, fountain pens, digital cameras, retro gaming hardware, personal hi-fi audio gear, and mechanical wristwatches, to name a few. Bernard Capulong is a prominent figure and trusted authority in the everyday carry industry with a career dedicated to helping people discover this hobby and stay prepared with quality gear.

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