Fenix TK60 not so good

Just got the Fenix TK60

Was really stoked to get a light that will run for a LOOONG time. And it will.

Tried it outside and it does throw like a laser!!!

BUT, a coating of dust on the reflector and a VERY greenish tint on 10L,110L AND on 350L makes a great survival light not so great. Only on Turbo does the beam get white. I have had other XMLs that also suffer from low level greenish tints but at 350L I should not be seeing so much green.

The reflector having a fins coating of dust is a BIG dissappointment on a $120 flashlight and I fear Fenix quality is slipping back to that of 5 years ago.

Walls on the body are very thin but when batteries are installed it feels pretty solid.

Any comments Fenix?
Glass window is so thin it feels like plastic. If dropped I dont know if it would crack easily?
I fear Fenix is raising prices and quality is not following suit. It happens time and time again as greed takes over :thumbsdow

will try to get low quality pics up at some point

will I keep it? I dont know yet . Its the only D cell light out there with high output and long runtimes

Any comments Fenix? I know youre out there

I don't think I have ever seen Fenix comment here, maybe I'm wrong but don't hold your breath. I feel the same way about a dusty lens even if it does not effect the beam it's still annoying, Fenix is usually one of the few I can depend on for a clean lens and reflector sorry it didn't work out for you. Tint shift isn't so great either but it happens with current controlled light's, I'm surprised your seeing enough green to bother you with a XM-L, I'm glad to be getting away from XP-G because the XM-L seems to be more consistent cool white.

If it's going to continue to bother you send it back for exchange and hope for something better.

Hi JHC

Thanx for commenting. I did attempt an exchange and was told all the TK60s they had in stock had dust on the reflector.

Just want all to know before they put down hard earned cash for one of these what to expect

I am betting Fenix gets on CPF quite frequently even if they dont comment directly I bet they read these threads regularly

Overall I would say this light should be more in the $75 range if they cant even blow some canned air on the reflector before sealing it up

purelite said:

Just got the Fenix TK60

Was really stoked to get a light that will run for a LOOONG time. And it will.

Tried it outside and it does throw like a laser!!!

BUT, a coating of dust on the reflector and a VERY greenish tint on 10L,110L AND on 350L makes a great survival light not so great. Only on Turbo does the beam get white. I have had other XMLs that also suffer from low level greenish tints but at 350L I should not be seeing so much green.

The reflector having a fins coating of dust is a BIG dissappointment on a $120 flashlight and I fear Fenix quality is slipping back to that of 5 years ago.

Walls on the body are very thin but when batteries are installed it feels pretty solid.

Any comments Fenix?
Glass window is so thin it feels like plastic. If dropped I dont know if it would crack easily?
I fear Fenix is raising prices and quality is not following suit. It happens time and time again as greed takes over :thumbsdow

will try to get low quality pics up at some point

will I keep it? I dont know yet . Its the only D cell light out there with high output and long runtimes

Any comments Fenix? I know youre out there

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I disagree with this statement. Just got an E21 and its a VERY well made light, at any price point. The fact that its ~$30 is no reflection of the quality, heft and robustness of design.

purelite said:

Hi JHC

Thanx for commenting. I did attempt an exchange and was told all the TK60s they had in stock had dust on the reflector.

Just want all to know before they put down hard earned cash for one of these what to expect

I am betting Fenix gets on CPF quite frequently even if they dont comment directly I bet they read these threads regularly

Overall I would say this light should be more in the $75 range if they cant even blow some canned air on the reflector before sealing it up

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Other than the dust and tint it seems you like it, I would suggest just putting it to good use as often as possible and see if it grows on you. Some of my best light's are the one's at first has some type of small "defect", I just rode them hard and really didn't care if I scratched it, overheated it etc. and it played in the light's favor proving itself very worthy.

I've also noticed no matter the brand light with a larger head they tend to gather more dust inside so I've grown to expect it in that size light's, hopefully it will grow on you as well.

Thanx JHC I appreciate the positive words


I do plan on using the light as intended. And maybe my rants come across as a bit extreme but I am not talking about a cpl specks of dust here. I know many on CPF are very anal about stuff like this and I myself have had my share of not so perfect lights and for the most part a minor problem in finish quality hasnt been a huge issue for me , BUT when a reflector is covered in a coating of fine dust like this and I am told that all of them are this way then it tells me there is a problem at Fenix either in Manufacture or QC .

I carry an LD15 and its a great light . I really like many of Fenixs' products but when I see a whole production run with a glaring problem I think people should know. I could have returned the light , the dealer offered that option. For now I have chosen to lower my standards and live with it. I just want poeple to know what to expect on this particular model not bash Fenix totally.

Its really just when I go above $100 for a light I expect a minimal level of QC . Having to "just live with it" is good enough for some but anything above $100 should meet certain standards dont ya thinnk?

My TK45 and 35 were both horrible green... I finally got brave (or crazy) enough to torch them both apart and change emitters. Not recommended though... that crap they use on the threads is as hard as concrete.

No dust problem though. They just skimp on tints IMO.

Rich

My TK41 (same emitter and reflector as the TK60) has a little dust on the reflector as well. At first I was annoyed by this dust a bit, until I took that TK41 outside and played with it.

Now I love the TK41, and the dust didn't cross my mind again until I read the OP here.

As for the green tint, try to exchange your TK60 at the store for a nicer tinted light, and don't mind the bit of dust in it.

I bet you'll be forgetting about the dust soon enough on a nice tinted TK60.

BTW: I exchanged both my first TK21 and TK41 in the store due to a horrible green tint, so this tint problem with the XM-Ls in Fenix lights isn't uncommon. See Richpalms comment.

Yeah the TK60 throws and is impressive outside.

Its just when you get above $100 I think there is a certain expectation with QC. I mean I have had Surefires that had flaws in the Tir or reflector. But I have also seen Fenix prices rise steadily over the past 2 years and I dont see consistant quality as a result. and for a dealer to say they are all like that? Maybe that was a lie to get me to go away? I dont know. It did kind of miff me that they went in the back for 10 mins and came back with that statement and also said it wont affect performance. Uh, excuse me but dust isnt relective and anything coating a reflector that isnt REFLECTIVE is going to hinder performance. I really cant stand BS .

I also dont usually get obsessive about tints. I have come to realize there is no consistancy with tints in LEDs. But something like dust can be controlled . I have watched the videos of Fenixs' new setup and all the hype about QC and increased manufacturing standards and then I get a light like this and I immediatly think Bullshiot!!!

I have seen this before, sales increase,production increases,prices increase, quality decreases. Sure some will get good specimens . whats the average? I dont know but I will say this regardless of brand I would my success rate with getting what I paid for for what was advertised is about 60% and that spell problems that need to be addressed. I see alot of lights being pumped out to get that money out of our pockets and I am starting to feel like I am being taken advantage of . I know the fanboys will defend to the death but I know also how much hassle I have had to deal with in the past year and I tire of it

If nothing we do or say on CPF can make you feel any better about this, maybe it's time to take it back to the manufacturer.

Don't think I say you are wrong about this quality issue (you're actually damn right about it, see my remark about the 'green' Fenix lights I took back to the store), it's only that we at CPF can't do anything about it.
And if blowing off steam about it here still doesn't 'relieve' you, then I think it's time to talk to Fenix about it.

In my case, I was initially quite annoyed with the dust inside my TK41, but after seeing how nice the tint and overall performance is, I thought to myself: What the heck, I'll live with it.

Richub great way to put it, I agree...

OP thanks for the heads up,, my TK40 was perfect, my TK21 is perfect, ano, lens, everything....maybe others who buy this version will chime in, either way I'd return this and maybe buy from another reliable online source....maybe the initial run has issues....returns from a dealer will prompt Fenix to act if that's actually the case.

This is not good. A strong greenish tint seems to be a general characteristic for the new Fenixes. I hardly dare to order some of them...
It's obvious that the older Fenixes have better tint than the newer. TK50 is the first Fenix in my collection with a strong greenish tint, none of the earlier had any greenish more than TK30, and that's so very slight, only noticable when comparing to other lights.
But of course the tint is caused by the emitter, and this should mean that also other brands using the same modern emitters should suffer from the same problem?
My wish is that Fenix (or all manufacturers) could offer some kind of tint guarantee. I would accept to pay slightly more to be sure I get a tint which isn't greenish or bluish!

Swedpat said:

This is not good. A strong greenish tint seems to be a general characteristic for the new Fenixes. I hardly dare to order some of them...
It's obvious that the older Fenixes have better tint than the newer. TK50 is the first Fenix in my collection with a strong greenish tint, none of the earlier had any greenish more than TK30, and that's so very slight, only noticable when comparing to other lights.
But of course the tint is caused by the emitter, and this should mean that also other brands using the same modern emitters should suffer from the same problem?
My wish is that Fenix (or all manufacturers) could offer some kind of tint guarantee. I would accept to pay slightly more to be sure I get a tint which isn't greenish or bluish!

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That would be great of they do that only it shouldn't affect the price, when I buy a €130 light it should be good.
The TK70 is coming, but I'll wait for a couple of weeks for some reviews.

Swedpat said:

But of course the tint is caused by the emitter, and this should mean that also other brands using the same modern emitters should suffer from the same problem?

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I've seen many lights by different manufacturers with Cree XM-L and most of them had warmer tints with a slightly yellow/green tint. Only few had bluish tint so I think that it is the characteristics of the new XM-L emitter. Personally I prefer warmer tints for outdoor use than blue tints.

I would be bothered much more by the green tint than I would the dust. I hate green tints, give me puprle, give me blue, give me yellow, but god I sure don't want green.

ebow86 said:

I would be bothered much more by the green tint than I would the dust. I hate green tints, give me puprle, give me blue, give me yellow, but god I sure don't want green.

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Me too. I don't know why, but I find a green tint really irritating, and the XP-G emitters often seem to have the dreaded "cat's **** green" thing happening. And yet others I have are a really nice white, with some others tending to a very acceptable vanilla.

I will sometimes ask a retailer if they have such-and-such a light with a white tint (not green), if they have I buy, if not then it is no sale (I no longer play the "green-tint lottery" with certain brands of light any more). I would also be prepared to pay extra to be certain of avoiding green tints.

ebow86 said:

I would be bothered much more by the green tint than I would the dust. I hate green tints, give me puprle, give me blue, give me yellow, but god I sure don't want green.

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Hear, hear!! Only way I'd get another Fenix is with the knowledge that I'd be getting out the torch. There is no excuse for this... with 4sevens and Jetbeams I've gotten good tints.

BTW, if you do decide to torch the TK35, the heatsink has only the LED mounted-the electronics are in the battery carrier. So don't drop or abuse that!

Rich

I am truly sorry to hear about the tint and dust issues with this torch since I was truly interested in getting one. "Was" is the operative word, unless or until I learn from a reliable source that these issues have been corrected.

Nonetheless, I would still be interested in knowing whether the TK60 will run regulated on 3 NiMH D-cells. Can any of you gents answer the question?

Buckley said:

I am truly sorry to hear about the tint and dust issues with this torch since I was truly interested in getting one. "Was" is the operative word, unless or until I learn from a reliable source that these issues have been corrected.

Nonetheless, I would still be interested in knowing whether the TK60 will run regulated on 3 NiMH D-cells. Can any of you gents answer the question?

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The dust can't be considered a serious issue, this happens with many lights regardless of manufacturer or model. To disregard a light due to someone's account of a dusty lens and reflector would be unwise. I have $500 surefire's that have dust inside the lens and reflector.

Tint is still a gamble no matter what manufacturer we are talking about. The OP just happened to get unlucky with his. You could buy a TK60 and get one of the most beautiful white tints ever. Tint variation is much less of an issue now than it used to be. If you were intrested in a TK60 I would not let the OP's bad experience keep you from buying a TK60 if you really want one.

Dust on a reflector?

What the heck? My TK20 nor TK41 have dust.