This means that the Beta gives off a more natural and "real world" quality when used, which is very pleasing to the eyes. ![]() Akin to an afternoon sun, its color rendering index (CRI) of 90+ is currently the highest in the industry comparatively, most cool white emitters can only do under 70. ![]() Irrespective of brightness, however, is the quality of its Nichia 219 emitter.Įvery flashlight enthusiast owes it to themselves to own an N219 light. Its low setting of 1 lumen is enough for navigating in the dark without ruining your night vision or waking up your family members, and its high setting of 85 lumens is more than capable for most tasks. The length of its head - while a drawback for its portability - makes it possible to do one-handed activation, but given how smooth and shallow its head grooves are, the action is not as natural as it could be. As mentioned earlier I'm not a big fan of twisty activation, but every time this light is in my hands I can't help but fiddle with it and twist out a few cycles of its modes. The Beta's silky-smooth threads make operating it a delight. The solid brass construction also does nothing but favors for the Beta, putting it in the upper echelons of exclusivity and desirability usually reserved for full-custom lights. Months later, I still find it hard to believe that this light is mass-produced. I don't think the threads could be any smoother, and that's coming from someone who dislikes twisty activation to begin with. ![]() The quick-release mechanism sits completely flush with no perceptible play when attached to the light, but the Beta comes with an extra QR tail machined by Jason himself to be 100% within spec. The body ridges are smooth and spaced to catch your fingers just right no matter your grip preference. The notches on the head where they meet the opening's chamfer are smooth with no machined artifacts. Its Nichia 219 emitter is perfectly centered. The Beta adopts Prometheus's design language of clean lines and signature body ribbing, manufactured to a tolerance that rivals the best custom lights, as the usual suspects of mass production are noticeably absent. Despite being mass-produced at a specialist flashlight factory in China, Jason's supervision and the factory's sole production focus shines through in the light. While each have their strengths in different areas, I haven't yet seen a production light that comes close to the fit and finish of the Beta. I've seen and used a lot of keychain flashlights, from Photon button LEDs to the Victorinox SAK lights to AAA titanium lights like the Fenix E99Ti which have a great balance of size, power, and runtime. Runtime at each level: 55h / 4h / 45m Design, Fit, and Finish After a few months of carrying the Beta-QRv2, here are my thoughts. Before receiving the light, I was convinced that the Beta was the perfect AAA flashlight. on a brass Beta, now sporting an upgraded, sleeker version of the quick-release mechanism. While I wasn't able to jump on the original v1 release, I couldn’t resist his collaboration with Scout Leather Co. Nearly 2,000 backers pledged to see a new take on the keychain light, and Jason Hui of Prometheus Lights launched the Beta to an eager market. The original Prometheus Beta-QR was a massive Kickstarter success.
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