Photon III or Freedom?

Some of my favorite and most respected lights are the half-dozen Photon IIs I have on various key rings -- a great little light. I was recently looking for the new Freedom programmable version at my local tactical gear store but they didn't have it and I bought the Photon III instead -- for the programmable intensity feature. I really like it and wonder if the Freedom would provide any additional benefits. Anyone have both?

The Freedom is basically a redesign of the III that fixes some of the III's longstanding weaknesses and should also be cheaper to manufacture. It won't surprise me if the III is discontinued soon. I like the Freedom and might buy one sometime, but frankly, the $1.00 Countycomm lights make all these coin cell lights with double digit prices hard to justify.

I've got some Photon III's and a few Freedoms. I personally like the freedom best. It seems considerably more reliable, and the ability of an adjustable dim mode is the cat's meow. I also like the single button the Freedom now has opposed to the two button Photon III,s.

Thanks for the feedback. I do like the two-button effect on the III because it gives instant access to two different intensities -- full and whatever the other is set to be. But I believe the Freedom has a similar function with a single button??

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alberto said:
Some of my favorite and most respected lights are the half-dozen Photon IIs I have on various key rings -- a great little light. I was recently looking for the new Freedom programmable version at my local tactical gear store but they didn't have it and I bought the Photon III instead -- for the programmable intensity feature. I really like it and wonder if the Freedom would provide any additional benefits. Anyone have both?

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I have both. In fact, I've had all 3 revisions of P3s so am in a reasonable position to comment. Unfortunately, comparing the 2 is a bit like comparing apples with oranges: Neither is objectively better than the other - it depends on your mood/wind direction/etc.

Having said that, here is a quick summary:

Freedom:
+ More Waterproof
+ Replacable LED
+ Designed to be more reliable
+ Cheaper
+ More intuitive interface
+ Simpler to operate simple functions (on, off, brighter, dimmer)
+ They come with a very nice clip holder
+ They come with a very nice clip
+ Strobing and SOS functions etc are available but "hidden at the back"
- No autooff mode and signal mode is not a great replacement (messy to get into and out of)
- Doesn't remember last mode if switched off (other than signal mode)


P3:
+ 2 switch design allows for greater flexibility (i.e. leave the light in auto-off/dim mode, click on the front of the switch of you need instand light
+ Now very reliable (on their 3rd attempt)

So, based on the above, I'd go for a freedom, happy in the knowledge that the lack of a proper autooff facility is overcome with the other benefits.

Well written arab /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I agree, Freedom is the best choice.

Regards

I have both and I think they are more similar than different. If you have either one and are happy with it, I don't think the other one will make you any happier.

Main differences:

- You could hand a Freedom to anyone and they could operate it without instructions. Not true of the P3. But once you know how to use it, that doesn't matter too much.

- I find the battery door on the P3 easy to use and the one on the Freedom to be a real pain to open.

- The Freedom gives you instant (one-press) access to full brightness whereas the P3 gives you instant access to your favorite mode. Either works well for the typical user, but if you think you will be using a special mode 90% of the time, the P3 may be more convenient since it remembers the mode. Most people use bright 90% of the time and some dimmer level 10% of the Time-- the Freedom is the perfect interface for that useage pattern.

- The Freedom is slightly more expensive but comes with 2 nice accessories that are really great to have and make it a better value by far.

- If you want one, get the P3 while you can, because I think it is being discontinued.

- Overall I think the P3 [edit: make that the Freedom] is a more elegant implementation and I would choose that over the P3 if I had to start over (but I still like and use my P3s anyway because they are great).

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Lurker said:
- Overall I think the P3 is a more elegant implementation and I would choose that over the P3 if I had to start over (but I still like and use my P3s anyway because they are great).

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Eh? I think you must have been staring into the P3 too much (or maybe it was the freedom) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

...or maybe just staring at the computer too long. Sorry, I meant the Freedom is more elegant. Anyway, *I* knew exactly what I meant.

Are the P3 and Freedom exactly the same size as the Photon II? Where do they put the circuitry?

As far as I can tell, they ARE the same size (I have all of them). I don't know how they fit the circuitry in. I guess it's just a more efficient use of space. In the Photon II, there is room for the LED leads over and under the batteries and the plastic switch-- all of that is eliminated in the electronic versions. The circuitry is very small. They figured out how to get it in there somehow. It's amazing, really. And not having the screws is nice.

Oh, to answer your question, the circuitry sits right on top of the battery and below the surface that you press to activate the light, sandwiched in there.

Thanks again for the great answers. Based on your comments I'll just do what any hopeless flashaholic would do -- get them both.

P3 will not be discontinued anytime in the near future. Thanks for the feedback.