A mini battle royal of sorts:
E01 vs E05;
The fabled E01 was a popular number introduced ten plus years back. At 13 lumens with an ugly beam it still held its own in the flashlight world. In about 010 a 30 lumen version (of sorts) arrived with a much better beam and a lot more output.
While the E01 stayed true to its roots the E05 was upgraded with 3 settings from a twisty head. 8, 25 and
a whopping 85 lumens from a meager triple a battery.
The E01 had a lot going for it and with some sand paper to scuff the dome and lens it could be made to have a nice floody output. Orange sharpie over the globe masked the blue-ish purple hues.
The E05 had a nicer beam but lacked the ability to suck the last molecule of electricity from a battery. Nope, once voltage dropped below X it was lights out in London.
Both are tiny. Both are durable. Both are easy to operate one handed. Changing settings on the 3 level E05, not so easy one handed. Due to its grippy surface and tiny stature it can be done though. Both can tailstand, both are front loading twisty's, both are water tight, both come with a spare o'ring and a tiny key ring. Both had a purple option.
The E01 however has a large and very loyal following. The E05, not so much. I speculate because of the lack of vampire ability.
Stock beam from 2 feet.
Stock beam from 15 feet
Stock beam from low at 15 feet.
At 8 lumens the E05 looks brighter than the 13 lumen E01. Fenix used an optic system to aid the output.
But wait, there's more...
A happy medium of 25 very useable lumens.
And a alkaline battery murdering 85 lumen high.
The E01 could be had in the US for $10. Price gouging is running loose since Fenix announced halting the E01. The E05 can still be found for around $20 as of this date. Fenix shows black or blue as options on the E05. So if you want purple, get it while you still can. The big A showed 3 left when I got mine for $19.99.