Why Led Lenser's flashlight so bad?

[StorminMatt]

I just had one of my 3 AAA White/green LED Lensers fail this week.

The battery carriers in their 3AAA lights are notoriously unreliable.

 

[ckeilah]

I come at this from a different angle, and maybe some of you can help me. I'm a professional photographer.

I use a couple of Goal Zero lights for my photography. They have very even light from spot to flood, and the color balance is fine. They also recharge off a USB cable, and run at 100% for a long time. Also, the focus is done by a ring, rather than the T7's slider, so it STAYS PUT. It's almost as fast to focus too. Great little lights. OH! I just grabbed one and unscrewed the tail. I didn't realize they had replaceable batteries! Even better. Takes one 18650 2Ah.

 

[ckeilah]

I carried a little Fenix on my keychain for years, then decided I wanted something more. Woot! suckered me into the LEDLensers, and I was pretty happy with the T7, although annoyed at how quickly and steadily the intensity faded away, and also how it wouldn't stay focused where I put it (I guess the T7.2 fixed the latter problem, but I don't have one of those). A year or two ago I started reading CPF and then stumbled into a good deal on a couple of Nitecore EA41 (~$40us). Aside from the brightness fading as the batteries run down (strange, because I thought it had a power regulator) I really like it. On low power it's a great close up flood light without blinding me. On high power it's so bright I can see the flags from the tees on golf courses. I'm going to try lithium batteries in it, and I suspect that will solve the fading power problem. The T7 is relegated to a drawer now, but at a Woot! price it was a fine flashlight. At a similar price, the Nitecore EA41 keeps me satisfied.

Re. waterproof: I once took a $10 plastic no-name flashlight scuba diving. We went below 100' and the little thing kept putting out light. I had to whack it a few times, but it got us into and out of a cave. Even cheap junk can out perform fine expensive equipment sometimes! ;-)

PS: The EA41 has one of the best UIs I've seen on a flashlight! I love that I can turn it on to LOW or BRIGHT or "last used" or (I just learned! flashing). I also like that I can switch directly to fast flashing. I walk around town a lot, and car drivers are idiots when it comes to yielding to pedestrians. That BRIGHT FLASH mode is at least somewhat useful on nearly every walk I take at night.

 

[mcnair55]

Just been looking through the various UK sites I use and as I cannot resist a bargain going to add another Led Lenser to the collection today, will collect it from the shop this afternoon plus I am going to add that little aaa clicky by Fenix by on-line purchase.

 

[ven]

ckeilah - Ideally invest in some AA Sanyo eneloops , these will pay for them selves within a couple of charges and you will get the best out of your light.

 

[mcnair55]

ckeilah - Ideally invest in some AA Sanyo eneloops , these will pay for them selves within a couple of charges and you will get the best out of your light.

Funny you saying that just ordered some black Fujitsu AA from 7day on an offer, sound good.

 

[desert.snake]

Hello everybody!
I have slightly different impressions of what many describe here.
My first flashlight was Era LED 5
(http://www.eraworld.ru/ru/catalog/a...a-5khled-akku-nimh-kart-40801280_1152912.html)
This is a great flashlight, it gives out in my opinion about 10-15 lumens,
light diffused, when it runs out of charge, I can plug it into the outlet and it will charge for 2-3 hours!
It was made in the likeness of an old flashlight from my childhood "Elektronika V6-03
(http://old-lighting.ru/ru/content/elektronika-v6-03).

I enjoyed using it while in the roadside stall I bought a Chinese flashlight ShuangKsiong 3800W.
It has a reflector, built-in recharging and a bright LED!!
But I was satisfied with only the first six months. The beam is very focused, it shines at 50 meters
with a bright spot, the light around the bright center is almost absent.

Then I climbed the knife forum (I collect knives) and read that people praise the products Surefire.
I bought Fury 15/500 lumens and was satisfied for a while until he realized that I need
more than 2 modes. While I was reading various forums, I managed to buy G2, Z2, 6P,
E2D 200/5 lumens, E1B 110/5, sell the Fury and take drop-in Malkoff M61WL and sell it



And then I had to buy cheap electric lamps for a team of electricians for 1.5 dollars
on aliexpress, these lanterns I liked very much with their light, it is very uniform in area,
only, they had 2 drawbacks - the plastic did not smell well, they can easily be turned on
spontaneously in a bag with tools (https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/Supe...ts-Camping-Fishing-Head-Lamp/32666621880.html)

I started looking for information on the lanterns with such regulation of the distribution of the light flux.
It so happened that in the nearest store in my city I found a model that had good reviews,
It was Fenix FD40. I was impressed by the ability to adjust the light, brightness, range,
but as a light, more precisely in its pleasantness for my eyes, he's worse than mine E2D 200/5.

Plus he has a slippery head, you can not change the focus quickly (ah, if there was a rougher surface)
and that I was completely upset - terrible control!!
When I'm in the middle mode and I need to go into weak mode
(and the battery is already slightly exhausted)
I just have to very fast, very fast push the button to skip a strong mode and get into a weak one,
If I do it slowly - I go into strong mode and the automation throws me back into the middle..

So I presented FD40 to my friend and I found information about Led Lenser.
I liked the MT series - can reprogram the order of switching on the brightness of light,
3 modes with suitable brightness values for me, In the model MT10 installed pocket clip,
battery 18650 and built-in charging, it is given an excellent guarantee 5 years

I am completely satisfied with MT10 and I can not be upset by the statements of many people here
that it is not the best light. On the totality of characteristics it is the best.

As for water resistance - for this I have E1B and E2D.
As for the bluish hue in the middle of the spot and the yellowish hue on the edge - this is in the widest
mode, which is not intended for movement. In my opinion, the widest mode is designed to work,
to illuminate the workplace, since it does not blind and the lighting is uniform.
To move along the paths at night, it is better to move the head of the flashlight to the middle
position - so more familiar to the human eye with its peculiarities of tunnel perception.
To look into the distance is a narrow beam. He beats 50 meters further than my E2D.
The statements about 1000 lumens are similar to the truth.

My opinion is a wonderful light!

One funny moment - the dimensions of the case, its diameter, head dimensions,
and other sizes almost coincide with the size of my G2 and 6P.
For those who are used to holding 6P, G2 and other Surefire,
Led Lenser MT10 will be as good to lie in hand :laughing:

 

[desert.snake]

Today, when I looked at the included MT10 through the lens of the digital apparatus,
I saw what I did not expect to see - PWM flicker.
This is cool, then the flashlight will keep a good brightness for a long time.

 

[Fireclaw18]

Today, when I looked at the included MT10 through the lens of the digital apparatus,
I saw what I did not expect to see - PWM flicker.
This is cool, then the flashlight will keep a good brightness for a long time.

There are two methods of controlling LED brightness in flashlights:

PWM - the LED is run at max power, but is strobed on and off to produce the effect of an intermediate mode or low mode.
PWM has the advantage that the tint stays the same at all power settings.
The downside is LEDs are more efficient when run at lower current. Since with PWM the LED is actually run at high current all the time, the net effect is runtime below max power will not be as long as light with current control.

Also if the PWM pulses too slowly it is visually noticeable and can be unpleasant to look at. For this reason slow PWM is generally conisdered to be the worst method of regulating lower modes in an LED flashlight. Fast PWM is PWM that pulses at a high enough rate to not be visually noticeable. It can look as smooth as current control, but without the tint shift or extra efficiency. If a light is using PWM always look for fast PWM


Current Control - the driver supplies less power to the LED in lower mods. This is the most efficient kind of LED light giving the longest runtimes at low power, but the tint may shift dramatically at lower power settings.

Bottom line: LED Lenser's use of slow PWM is a bad sign. It basically means the light is using the most dated and least effective method of regulating brightness in lower power settings.

 

[dc38]

There are two methods of controlling LED brightness in flashlights:

PWM - the LED is run at max power, but is strobed on and off to produce the effect of an intermediate mode or low mode.
PWM has the advantage that the tint stays the same at all power settings.
The downside is LEDs are more efficient when run at lower current. Since with PWM the LED is actually run at high current all the time, the net effect is runtime below max power will not be as long as light with current control.

Also if the PWM pulses too slowly it is visually noticeable and can be unpleasant to look at. For this reason slow PWM is generally conisdered to be the worst method of regulating lower modes in an LED flashlight. Fast PWM is PWM that pulses at a high enough rate to not be visually noticeable. It can look as smooth as current control, but without the tint shift or extra efficiency. If a light is using PWM always look for fast PWM


Current Control - the driver supplies less power to the LED in lower mods. This is the most efficient kind of LED light giving the longest runtimes at low power, but the tint may shift dramatically at lower power settings.

Bottom line: LED Lenser's use of slow PWM is a bad sign. It basically means the light is using the most dated and least effective method of regulating brightness in lower power settings.

Fireclaw...you forgot the cheapest one...resistors and switches

 

[CelticCross74]

I just checked over the LED Lenser site. They have a brand new "Outdoor Series" of lights. But they still use the same Advanced Focusing System(the optic plus a reflector). Not to long ago I bit the bullet and bought the way to expensive 600 lumen 4xAA model(I cannot remember the model number. MX10 or something like that). I really like the looks of the light and having owned many Coast lights got fooled by LED Lensers slick AFS advertising. I thought the beam out of it was going to be stellar. I got the light put 4 fresh Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA's in it and was just....pissed off at how awful the beam was. I know Coast and LED Lenser split a couple of years ago when Leatherman bought the Coast brand. I mean the beam out of it was a flat out abortion. I sent it right back at a $20 "re-stocking" fee loss. The AFS system is awful. My optic only non reflector Coast lights all have much better beams and are literally nearly a quarter the price of an equal output push/pull LED Lenser light....

 

[desert.snake]

LED Lenser's use of slow PWM is a bad sign.

Here I do not agree. It's not like slow PWM, since my eyes do not see flicker, I see flicker only through the camera lens.
The only place where I see a flickering with no-armed eyes - is my Surefire E1B and E2D,
but that does not make them bad lights.

 

[dc38]

Here I do not agree. It's not like slow PWM, since my eyes do not see flicker, I see flicker only through the camera lens.
The only place where I see a flickering with no-armed eyes - is my Surefire E1B and E2D,
but that does not make them bad lights.

It's not that you may notice the flicker when stationary...try moving the beam around. You'll see it.

 

[bykfixer]

My only qualm with the fabled 'ledlenser' is not really LED Lensers doing...
Fakes.

In order to avoid acquiring a fake one must pay full retail at one of the few authorized sellers. When buying at those discount outlets like eBay or Amazon there's a real good chance you end up with a fake. Worse, the fakes are now priced like the genuine articles as it became obvious the half priced ones were fakes. To add to the issue the fakes look pretty dawg gone close to the real thing.
Trouble is the fakes are made with parts about as quality as reject parts from 'as seen on tv' junk.

At first the fakes were pretty good performers as if they were genuine, but that is no longer the case.

 

[wjv]

There is a Led-Lenser store in the Portland area (near the Ikea on Airport way).

I wandered through there one day out of curiosity and noticed that many of their lights seemed to have only 2 modes. Something low like 10-45, and then the high mode which was something like 500-1,000 lumens. I rarely need the 500+ setting on my lights, so having more lower modes to choose from is important to me. None of them seemed to have any kind of extra low (3 lumen or less) mode which I tend to use a lot around the house.

They did have a nice selection of holsters at REALLY inexpensive prices. So next time I need a new holster or two I know where I'll go to buy them.

 

[Ozythemandias]

A lot of talk in this thread regarding Ledlenser owning the patant on zoomie so I looked it up. I'm no patent lawyer but it seems to me they only own a patent on zoomies using their specific lens, you can still make whatever you want with an aspherical zoomie like the popular china lights.