Has anyone purchased a Fenix E01 lately?

wolfgaze · Oct 24, 2016

I just received a pink Fenix E01 that I had ordered and planned to gift to my niece. Just opened it up to test it out and to my surprise, the beam profile was this small and very BLUE hotspot. It's not even that it has a hint of blue tint, it's like a blue orb being projected onto my wall - oh and there's a very thin, sharply-contrasting white ring around the blue hotspot. Pretty disappointing. I don't even think I can gift this light to my niece as it is. For a $10 light, it's not worth the expense to ship it back for a return... I'll probably just toss it... Before I do that though, I'd just like to hear from other Fenix E01 users and hopefully from someone who recently purchased this light. What is your beam profile like?

I do own (2) of the older Fenix E05's (earlier model, 2012 edition) and that's a great little light with a floody beam profile which has no hotspot. I was hoping that the E01's would have a similar profile, just with a lower lumen output... Oh well...

Kestrel · Oct 24, 2016

After WWIII, the cockroaches will only be kept at bay by the light of Fenix E01's.

LeanBurn · Oct 24, 2016

the laser blue tint is the roaches only weakness. :grin2:

TheBelgian · Oct 24, 2016

This is perfectly normal for E01's. They are prized mainly for their low cost simplicity and durability than their beam quality, you will expire before the E01 does. There is a torture thread where a E01 and similar lights get frozen, run over, slammed and put in rock grinders without failing. This is why I carry a E01 as my emergency backup, not a primary EDC.
The point of the beam quality is valid though, and some people have tried to improve it by scrubbing up the led with fine steel wool. This diffuses the beam, dropping throw a bit, but also giving a much more even colour. If you are going to chuck it anyway, you may just as well try the steel wool method, see if you'll like it better. You'll end up with a truly indestructible light with a beautifully even beam profile. Just search the forum for E01 & steel wool and some useful info should come up.

If you're still not satisfied with it and looking for a good inexpensive gift light, might I direct you to the Nitecore Tube? About same price, 50lm multimode and usb rechargeable. Only downside is not as durable as the E01, but unless you niece is going to start slamming it into the ground it should keep up.

wolfgaze · Oct 24, 2016

TheBelgian said:
This is perfectly normal for E01's. They are prized mainly for their low cost simplicity and durability than their beam quality, you will expire before the E01 does. There is a torture thread where a E01 and similar lights get frozen, run over, slammed and put in rock grinders without failing. This is why I carry a E01 as my emergency backup, not a primary EDC.
The point of the beam quality is valid though, and some people have tried to improve it by scrubbing up the led with fine steel wool. This diffuses the beam, dropping throw a bit, but also giving a much more even colour. If you are going to chuck it anyway, you may just as well try the steel wool method, see if you'll like it better. You'll end up with a truly indestructible light with a beautifully even beam profile. Just search the forum for E01 & steel wool and some useful info should come up.

If you're still not satisfied with it and looking for a good inexpensive gift light, might I direct you to the Nitecore Tube? About same price, 50lm multimode and usb rechargeable. Only downside is not as durable as the E01, but unless you niece is going to start slamming it into the ground it should keep up.

Thank you for the tip - appreciate it... I do have some fine steel wool on hand, so I'll give this a try soon and see if it helps...

AVService · Oct 24, 2016

I got one on Saturday and gave it to my Sister on Sunday!
Terrible but in a decent sort of way to me.
Much more solid light than the Tube and not nearly as nice of a light as the tube too.
And each of my Tubes turns on in pocket making them utterly useless to carry.
At least the 01 does not do that and is ready when you are to make the blue light!

Woods Walker · Oct 24, 2016

I got a newer one and a 2008 EO1. The newer seems brighter and tint better, older kinda purple but the be honest in terms of tint they both suck however I don't own them for tint snobbery (no offense to anyone as prefer NW myself).

wolfgaze · Oct 24, 2016

Woods Walker said:
The newer seems brighter and tint better, older kinda purple but the be honest in terms of tint they both suck however I don't own them for tint snobbery (no offense to anyone as prefer NW myself).

I'm pretty surprised about this, to be honest... I knew these lights were revered for their durability, but I had no idea they had such **** poor tint... When I first turned mine on I briefly wondered if I had somehow mistakenly received a BLUE led, haha.... Well geez, how hard would it have been for Fenix to use more acceptable/suitable emitters in these bad boys?

The original E05 with the plastic frosted lens and diffused beam profile is a great little light. Not sure if it's potted or not, but it seems like a very durable light...

Anyone have any recommendations of other AAA lights (perhaps in a purple/pink/green finish) which I can order for my Niece? Looking for something with a single mode and decent run time (2-4 hours)...

scout24 · Oct 24, 2016

How old is your niece? If she's a kid, I say go with the E01 since she'll likely lose it at some point. If she's older, steel wool it, show her the torture test threads, explain that she means enough to you to give her a nearly indestructable light that will work when the chips are down if she needs it. Buy her some lithium primary Energizers, too, for the won't-ever-leak factor.

wolfgaze · Oct 24, 2016

scout24 said:
How old is your niece? If she's a kid, I say go with the E01 since she'll likely lose it at some point. If she's older, steel wool it, show her the torture test threads, explain that she means enough to you to give her a nearly indestructable light that will work when the chips are down if she needs it. Buy her some lithium primary Energizers, too, for the won't-ever-leak factor.

I think she's 11 or 12....

Earlier I did shove some steel wool in the E01 head and twised it around in there as best I could... The beam is a little cleaner howeve the BLUE BLOB hotspot really annoys me haha... I don't think I can gift this light in good conscience... I have some other lights in my possession which I will be gifting to my family members (two Fenix E12's, 1 Maratac AAA)... I have a backup Fenix E05 (2012 version) which I've been holding onto... Debating whether or not to just give that to my niece and cross my fingers that my primary E05 doesn't later fail on me (since it's discontinued in this design)....

Kestrel · Oct 24, 2016

Honestly, IMO the best use of the E01 is a backup light for a car glovebox etc; if I had one, it would absolutely be in my car right now.
Could come in really handy in an emergency, but there are so much more impressive lights of reasonable cost that can be gifted.

StandardBattery · Oct 24, 2016

wolfgaze said:
....... I don't think I can gift this light in good conscience... ..... ....

You are a gentleman with integrity. Find another light, and this can be used for a led upgrade, science project, or a specimen to explain the evolution of LED lighting.

Bdm82 · Oct 24, 2016

wolfgaze said:
Anyone have any recommendations of other AAA lights (perhaps in a purple/pink/green finish) which I can order for my Niece? Looking for something with a single mode and decent run time (2-4 hours)...

I / my daughter / have a pink Tube. My son commandeered my olive one. Nice lights, frequently found on in the morning after sneaking them to bed.
I can't think of many other small pink lights... the Klarus MI7 comes in a variety of colors... Though it is more expensive, powerful, and AA size.

LeanBurn · Oct 24, 2016

If they had an E01 with a nichia bulb it would be the prize of every flashaholic....alas from the last I have heard you can't even mod them to put one in without wrecking it.

Woods Walker · Oct 24, 2016

wolfgaze said:
I'm pretty surprised about this, to be honest... I knew these lights were revered for their durability, but I had no idea they had such **** poor tint... When I first turned mine on I briefly wondered if I had somehow mistakenly received a BLUE led, haha.... Well geez, how hard would it have been for Fenix to use more acceptable/suitable emitters in these bad boys?

The original E05 with the plastic frosted lens and diffused beam profile is a great little light. Not sure if it's potted or not, but it seems like a very durable light...

Anyone have any recommendations of other AAA lights (perhaps in a purple/pink/green finish) which I can order for my Niece? Looking for something with a single mode and decent run time (2-4 hours)...

Yup the poor (IMHO) tint is a known issue around these parts. There were plans for a NW tinted E01 but that fell victim to its durability aka the epoxy in the newer lights was too strong to mod. I always wanted a 1xAA E01 but also would like if Fenix made a better tinted one. But that appears not to be for either factory or light modification.

StandardBattery · Oct 24, 2016

i think she can handle more than 1 mode. I would look at the astrolux A01 as it comes in many colors or the current pink bargain the XTAR WK50 for $8 at Amazon, it is AA light though with 4 modes. The other option is the Nitcore TIP, it has it's problems but kids love it, many color options available. The non colored budget light is the Jetbeam Jet u, as in micro, an AAA light. If you really insist on one Level then you can get an AAA Olight i3 in several colors for less than $10.

Rob Babcock · Oct 24, 2016

My E01 is 'angry purple' but it's not a new one, it's several years old. It's a great light but tint is not the main draw.

TheBelgian · Oct 25, 2016

The Astrolux A01 or Manker E01 ( better non pwm version) are a reasonable alternative. Biggest problem is you'll have to order them on the slow boat from China.

run4jc · Oct 25, 2016

TheBelgian said:
The Astrolux A01 or Manker E01 ( better non pwm version) are a reasonable alternative. Biggest problem is you'll have to order them on the slow boat from China.

As one who has conducted (along with my friend Scout24 and others) brutal testing on E01s, I concur on all that has been said in this thread. I'll still keep more than a dozen around the house because they are guaranteed to work. But I also concur with the Manker suggestion - I have 3 of those with the 219B emitter and the 1 that I opened has a lovely white (not warm - more creamy) tint. Seems tough, too, although I had to work it a bit to get it to start working. That said, angry tint and all, I have the Fenix lights all over as emergency lights. Heck, there's one even on top of the master bath shower stall...when we've had a (rare) power failure, it lights up the shower plenty.

Yep - lots of alternatives and I've abused some of the alternatives -(click the "5MM Challenge link in my sig line) but for run time and near indestructibility, the Fenix E01 with its angry blue beam is 'still the one.' (And in answer to your question, I have purchased some of the latest 'higher output' versions and yes, they have a purplish/bluish tint).

StandardBattery · Oct 25, 2016

TheBelgian said:
The Astrolux A01 or Manker E01 ( better non pwm version) are a reasonable alternative. Biggest problem is you'll have to order them on the slow boat from China.

Amazon.com can deliver either one quickly.

Has anyone purchased a Fenix E01 lately?

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