mefistofele86
Newly Enlightened
Submitted for consideration for the review forum.
I received this TK35 "testing sample" directly from Fenix for the review.
• Cree XM-L (T6) LED with a lifespan of 50,000 hours
• Uses four 3V CR123A batteries (Lithium) or two 18650 rechargeable batteries (Li-ion)
• 164mm (Length) x 43.64mm (Diameter) x 51.5mm (Head)
• 256-gram weight (excluding batteries)
• Digitally regulated output - maintains constant brightness
• Reverse polarity protection, to protect from improper battery installation
• Dual button switch in the tail cap, convenient operation
• Made of durable aircraft-grade aluminum
• Premium Type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish
• Toughened ultra-clear glass lens with anti-reflective coating
The packaging is typical Fenix and we find, in addition to the flashlight, an holster, an O-ring, a particular lanyard and an instruction manual.
The torch weighs 262g (slightly more than stated) and inserting two 18,650 it weights 354 grams. TK35 is relatively light and it is also very compact. The comparison shows well that it is very compact. Please consider that the Catapult and M1X are both without extension tube.
CONSTRUCTION
The flashlight is composed of 3 parts. We have the head and body. At the end there are two rubber buttons mounted on a plastic base screwed to the body. Finally the battery holder (also made of plastic) is housed within the body.
Just opening the box I was amazed by the extremely small dimensions of the torch. The size comparison with my other torches is merciless.
Build quality is excellent, the parts are assembled very well. The anodizing on my sample has a few missing points but I suppose that my "sample testing" is passed to other hands, in short, it seems used.
The finishes are good but they are a step backwards compared to the Fenix lights that I already have. I refer to the plastic parts. The plastic base screwed is not very nice to look and the battery holder seems cheap. The aluminum parts instead are excellent as usual.
The anti-roll design is very elegant, discreet and it works great.
The lettering is clear and precise.
I measured with a gauge the thickness of aluminum in the head: 4.75 mm. A thickness worthy of TK series. The lens is slightly recessed and more exposed to impacts.
The smooth reflector is not particularly wide and deep. It has a diameter of about 3.5 cm and the LED is perfectly centered.
The back of the head confirms my suspicions, the torch is passed to other hands. The electrical contacts seem a bit oxidized and the two screws are different. Then, two small holes make me think it's pretty easy to disassemble. I remember that this is a "testing sample", fully functional but still "testing sample".
Here we can see the contacts of the battery holder inserted into the body of the torch. If you look carefully you'll notice a bulge at the top. Is used to prevent improper insertion of the battery holder.
The threads have a particular section, appear triangular section but rather strong.
The battery holder is made of plastic and seems economical. I can put in my 18650 without problem and switches are mounted on it . It's difficult to remove batteries, I have to shake it in order to make them come out. Shaking the flashlight strongly, i feel a slight movement of the batteries.
At the bottom of the body, you see two buttons. Shaking just slightly you can hear the rattle generated from these buttons.
The design is very clean, almost free of conventional knurling. Nevertheless, the grip is good and the flashlight is safe in your hand.
Both the narrow sides of the body have this particular design which ensures a good grip when you grab it. Great credit goes to the shape of the end of the body. In fact it widens enough to make safe and solid grip.
The last plastic part is screwed on with 4 screws. Although it looks ugly is assembled very well.
The buttons activate two switches of a different nature. The on/off button is a classic clicky while the button to change levels is electronic. They have a different feedback because of their different nature.
TK35 tail stands precariously because the on/off switch is too protruding. Just replace it with a less protruding to avoid this detail.
ELECTRONIC ELEMENTS and little more
TK35 works with 2x18650 but also with 4xCR123A. Do not use 4x16340 or you'll damage the driver. I tried to insert 2x18500 with necessary spacers and the torch works perfectly. I discourage this type of experiment, however there is no reason to use 18500 batteries when you could easily use some good 18650.
The design does not provide for dissipating fins, or rather, there are two grooves, but I don't call them fins. The heat produced at the highest level is remarkable, and after 20 minutes on turbo I decided to turn off it. The flashlight after 25 minutes at full power will go to the "high" (346 lumens) to avoid heat damage. It's possible to return on "Turbo" without waiting.
USER INTERFACE
We have two switches.
The on/off switch is a forward swicth and it allows momentary activation. It stands out thanks to the bigger button. It is used only to turn on the light (momentary or not).
The other switch lets you switch from one level to another following a cyclic order. It needs a normal pressure to operate it. If you press and hold it, you go to the second "line" that includes SOS and strobe.
To switch from SOS to strobe and vice versa, simply press the button.
The light turns on always on first "line" of modes with normal brightness levels
The light memorizes the last used level in both lines.
I'm not a big fan of auto-memorization, but the great advantage of this interface is that you can totally handle with one hand, without parts to rotate.
The first line has 4 levels very well spaced, the low level is already quite high.
OUTPUT
Brightness
TK35 is very, very powerful. It's brighter than Catapult xm-l so it becomes my most powerful flashlight. The XM-L LED is pushed to its limit and it puts out an huge amount of light. It's difficult to expect more. 820 ANSI lumens declared by Fenix. I believe it.
Tint [/ b]
Cool White tint with a greenish notes, especially noticeable at low level by focusing on the white wall.
Beam [/ b]
In addition to size, the second aspect that struck me was its great balance of the beam.
Tk35 has a great throw despite the medium size of the reflector. The spot opens well and the spill is large and bright. A beam without compromise in my opinion. A mix of throw and spill that meets the various needs.
The spot is defined and surrounded by the usual corona already seen in the Catapult and the Predator.
BEAMSHOTS
I decided to make a comparison with my other flashlight that use XM-L led, the Catapult V2.
Both flashlights ise fully charged AW18650 2200mah.
First set, 66 meters from garage
Second set, 15 meters from the wall
The flashlights power is really too much for this location. Additionally, the light reflects a lot on the side walls, slightly favoring the flashlights with a large spill.
Second set, 15 meters from the wall
I lowered exposure time
Beam comparison, white wall.
Ceiling bounce test
I took these pictures with the same settings as I used in previous reviews.
Ceiling bounce test 2
I lowered exposure time
CONCLUSION
TK35 is a really interesting flashlight. It provides a lot of power into a compact size. The beam satisfies everyone with its good throw and good width. Considering that it has two switches, the UI is not exciting. I never know at what level i turn it on because of the memorization of the last level used. The electronic switch dedicated to the level change is very easy to operate and this consoles me at least in part.
Another big advantage is the autonomy compared to the size. Although compact, the TK35 uses two 18,650 that ensure long runtime in particular on intermediate levels.
The TK35 is not an EDC, but is the most usable of my flashlights with mc-e/xm-l led.
This is the TK35, now you judge if it meets your needs or not. As for me, despite everything, I liked it and I like it .. a lot.
I received this TK35 "testing sample" directly from Fenix for the review.
• Cree XM-L (T6) LED with a lifespan of 50,000 hours
• Uses four 3V CR123A batteries (Lithium) or two 18650 rechargeable batteries (Li-ion)
• 164mm (Length) x 43.64mm (Diameter) x 51.5mm (Head)
• 256-gram weight (excluding batteries)
• Digitally regulated output - maintains constant brightness
• Reverse polarity protection, to protect from improper battery installation
• Dual button switch in the tail cap, convenient operation
• Made of durable aircraft-grade aluminum
• Premium Type III hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish
• Toughened ultra-clear glass lens with anti-reflective coating
The packaging is typical Fenix and we find, in addition to the flashlight, an holster, an O-ring, a particular lanyard and an instruction manual.
The torch weighs 262g (slightly more than stated) and inserting two 18,650 it weights 354 grams. TK35 is relatively light and it is also very compact. The comparison shows well that it is very compact. Please consider that the Catapult and M1X are both without extension tube.
CONSTRUCTION
The flashlight is composed of 3 parts. We have the head and body. At the end there are two rubber buttons mounted on a plastic base screwed to the body. Finally the battery holder (also made of plastic) is housed within the body.
Just opening the box I was amazed by the extremely small dimensions of the torch. The size comparison with my other torches is merciless.
Build quality is excellent, the parts are assembled very well. The anodizing on my sample has a few missing points but I suppose that my "sample testing" is passed to other hands, in short, it seems used.
The finishes are good but they are a step backwards compared to the Fenix lights that I already have. I refer to the plastic parts. The plastic base screwed is not very nice to look and the battery holder seems cheap. The aluminum parts instead are excellent as usual.
The anti-roll design is very elegant, discreet and it works great.
The lettering is clear and precise.
I measured with a gauge the thickness of aluminum in the head: 4.75 mm. A thickness worthy of TK series. The lens is slightly recessed and more exposed to impacts.
The smooth reflector is not particularly wide and deep. It has a diameter of about 3.5 cm and the LED is perfectly centered.
The back of the head confirms my suspicions, the torch is passed to other hands. The electrical contacts seem a bit oxidized and the two screws are different. Then, two small holes make me think it's pretty easy to disassemble. I remember that this is a "testing sample", fully functional but still "testing sample".
Here we can see the contacts of the battery holder inserted into the body of the torch. If you look carefully you'll notice a bulge at the top. Is used to prevent improper insertion of the battery holder.
The threads have a particular section, appear triangular section but rather strong.
The battery holder is made of plastic and seems economical. I can put in my 18650 without problem and switches are mounted on it . It's difficult to remove batteries, I have to shake it in order to make them come out. Shaking the flashlight strongly, i feel a slight movement of the batteries.
At the bottom of the body, you see two buttons. Shaking just slightly you can hear the rattle generated from these buttons.
The design is very clean, almost free of conventional knurling. Nevertheless, the grip is good and the flashlight is safe in your hand.
Both the narrow sides of the body have this particular design which ensures a good grip when you grab it. Great credit goes to the shape of the end of the body. In fact it widens enough to make safe and solid grip.
The last plastic part is screwed on with 4 screws. Although it looks ugly is assembled very well.
The buttons activate two switches of a different nature. The on/off button is a classic clicky while the button to change levels is electronic. They have a different feedback because of their different nature.
TK35 tail stands precariously because the on/off switch is too protruding. Just replace it with a less protruding to avoid this detail.
ELECTRONIC ELEMENTS and little more
TK35 works with 2x18650 but also with 4xCR123A. Do not use 4x16340 or you'll damage the driver. I tried to insert 2x18500 with necessary spacers and the torch works perfectly. I discourage this type of experiment, however there is no reason to use 18500 batteries when you could easily use some good 18650.
The design does not provide for dissipating fins, or rather, there are two grooves, but I don't call them fins. The heat produced at the highest level is remarkable, and after 20 minutes on turbo I decided to turn off it. The flashlight after 25 minutes at full power will go to the "high" (346 lumens) to avoid heat damage. It's possible to return on "Turbo" without waiting.
USER INTERFACE
We have two switches.
The on/off switch is a forward swicth and it allows momentary activation. It stands out thanks to the bigger button. It is used only to turn on the light (momentary or not).
The other switch lets you switch from one level to another following a cyclic order. It needs a normal pressure to operate it. If you press and hold it, you go to the second "line" that includes SOS and strobe.
To switch from SOS to strobe and vice versa, simply press the button.
The light turns on always on first "line" of modes with normal brightness levels
The light memorizes the last used level in both lines.
I'm not a big fan of auto-memorization, but the great advantage of this interface is that you can totally handle with one hand, without parts to rotate.
The first line has 4 levels very well spaced, the low level is already quite high.
OUTPUT
Brightness
TK35 is very, very powerful. It's brighter than Catapult xm-l so it becomes my most powerful flashlight. The XM-L LED is pushed to its limit and it puts out an huge amount of light. It's difficult to expect more. 820 ANSI lumens declared by Fenix. I believe it.
Tint [/ b]
Cool White tint with a greenish notes, especially noticeable at low level by focusing on the white wall.
Beam [/ b]
In addition to size, the second aspect that struck me was its great balance of the beam.
Tk35 has a great throw despite the medium size of the reflector. The spot opens well and the spill is large and bright. A beam without compromise in my opinion. A mix of throw and spill that meets the various needs.
The spot is defined and surrounded by the usual corona already seen in the Catapult and the Predator.
BEAMSHOTS
I decided to make a comparison with my other flashlight that use XM-L led, the Catapult V2.
Both flashlights ise fully charged AW18650 2200mah.
First set, 66 meters from garage
Second set, 15 meters from the wall
The flashlights power is really too much for this location. Additionally, the light reflects a lot on the side walls, slightly favoring the flashlights with a large spill.
Second set, 15 meters from the wall
I lowered exposure time
Beam comparison, white wall.
Ceiling bounce test
I took these pictures with the same settings as I used in previous reviews.
Ceiling bounce test 2
I lowered exposure time
CONCLUSION
TK35 is a really interesting flashlight. It provides a lot of power into a compact size. The beam satisfies everyone with its good throw and good width. Considering that it has two switches, the UI is not exciting. I never know at what level i turn it on because of the memorization of the last level used. The electronic switch dedicated to the level change is very easy to operate and this consoles me at least in part.
Another big advantage is the autonomy compared to the size. Although compact, the TK35 uses two 18,650 that ensure long runtime in particular on intermediate levels.
The TK35 is not an EDC, but is the most usable of my flashlights with mc-e/xm-l led.
This is the TK35, now you judge if it meets your needs or not. As for me, despite everything, I liked it and I like it .. a lot.
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