led lenser t7

[Hitthespot]

Fenix TK20 could be good choice too.
TK20 and Led Lenser T7(&P7) have roughly the same output, size, beam and runtime.

No Way. The T7 will out throw the TK20 hands down, probably twice as far, and has a better beam by far. It may not run as long, unfortunately the T7 only runs about 30 minutes on 4 AAA's before falling off fast. I have the P7 and the P14 (had the TK20--Sold It) and I am getting real tired of hearing how inferior these lights are. They out throw every light in their cost range and the P14 will run 3.5 hours minimum on a set of 4 AA's. Plus you have the wide area setting which frankly is great.

Don't get me wrong I love Fenix lights but the TK20 was no favorite of mine. I may have been the only person who was highly disapointed in this light, but I'm entitled to my opinion.

Rant mode off.

Bill

 

[deusexaethera]

Except to make more profit, but that is the point of almost every company.

The lack of a regualtor might make a light toughter because of simplicity. But then potting the electronics in epoxy also makes them very very tough.

I dunno, the Jetbeams and Surefires and Fenixes seem to be pretty durable. Maybe LED Lenser is just aiming at a less...er, enthusiastic demographic.

I still think it's cheap. Anyone can see the best-performing lights are the ones that have regulators. Who wouldn't want a light that doesn't get dimmer as soon as you turn it on?

 

[L.E.D.]

I'm almost certain the T7 uses no regulator of any kind.

I'm finding it harder and harder to believe this when you look at the runtime curve on alkalines. Where is the expected exponential drop?? Why does the curve look so SEMI-REGULATED even on alkaline, complete opposite of the typical direct drive exponential drop?? It has been said that this light uses three resistors, two in the switch for the high and low modes (high = 1.5 ohms, low = 150 ohms) and another 1.5 ohm resistor in the head. This supposed one in the head, I'm suspecting it's some sort of little IC and NOT a resistor. If you look at the x-ray photo (no longer available from messerforums), you can see what is supposedly the resistor just above the board that the gold plated contacts push against, and it really does not look like a resistor, a bit large to be one. Really doubting this is a resistor, on the high mode, there SHOULD be an exponential drop!

 

[Egsise]

I'm finding it harder and harder to believe this when you look at the runtime curve on alkalines. Where is the expected exponential drop?? Why does the curve look so SEMI-REGULATED even on alkaline, complete opposite of the typical direct drive exponential drop?? It has been said that this light uses three resistors, two in the switch for the high and low modes (high = 1.5 ohms, low = 150 ohms) and another 1.5 ohm resistor in the head. This supposed one in the head, I'm suspecting it's some sort of little IC and NOT a resistor. If you look at the x-ray photo (no longer available from messerforums), you can see what is supposedly the resistor just above the board that the gold plated contacts push against, and it really does not look like a resistor, a bit large to be one. Really doubting this is a resistor, on the high mode, there SHOULD be an exponential drop!

Well to some of us there is a drop....

But in this case the thread starter is going to use it only once a day 3-5 minutes at a time, and the light does not need to be waterproof, so i guess LL T7/P7 is the right one.

 

[Power_of_the_Sun]

No Way. The T7 will out throw the TK20 hands down, probably twice as far, and has a better beam by far. It may not run as long, unfortunately the T7 only runs about 30 minutes on 4 AAA's before falling off fast. I have the P7 and the P14 (had the TK20--Sold It) and I am getting real tired of hearing how inferior these lights are. They out throw every light in their cost range and the P14 will run 3.5 hours minimum on a set of 4 AA's. Plus you have the wide area setting which frankly is great.

Don't get me wrong I love Fenix lights but the TK20 was no favorite of mine. I may have been the only person who was highly disapointed in this light, but I'm entitled to my opinion.

Rant mode off.

Bill

Thanks Bill. I too am tired of hearing how inferior these lights are. I'm the proud owner of a LED Lenser P14 and appreciate that a CPF Benefactor has stated that they like it too. Maybe some people will start to catch on to the fact that some of the new Lenser lights are actually valid competitors to what companies like Surefire and Fenix have to offer.

Power

 

[mrmike]

+1, like some of you, I really like my P14.

The focuser works better than the trusty old Mag.

Want a pinpoint? Got it. Want pure flood? You can have that too.

Glass lenses are nice, but if I drop my P14 down a ditch there's no way that thick lexan lens is going to break.

The battery carrier is the best built in the business.

Throw in some Lithium batteries and you have a couple hours of useful light.

If there was a hurricane and I had to dash out of the house with one light, I'd take the P14; sometimes the KISS design is an asset. There are some very cool lights out there, but in a life or death situation, I'm not going to grab a light that has a tempermental circuit that might not work when I really need it to (like my LD01, I'm sorry to say even though I like the light).

 

[Egsise]

Throw in some Lithium batteries and you have a couple hours of useful light.

Anything else than alkaline is a no no on Led Lensers. :sigh:

 

[StingKing]

Guys, stop bagging out the Led Lenser Lights. They are really good lights, you really just need to try one out, the P14 is my favorite as well. I think the T7 will be perfect for your intended purpose. Good throw with little spill, then a nice wide flood of light and then a low mode for close up applications.

 

[Marduke]

 

[L.E.D.]

LOL

 

[Egsise]

:crackup:

 

[deusexaethera]

Yikes.

 

[deusexaethera]

+1, like some of you, I really like my P14.

The focuser works better than the trusty old Mag.

Want a pinpoint? Got it. Want pure flood? You can have that too.

Glass lenses are nice, but if I drop my P14 down a ditch there's no way that thick lexan lens is going to break.

The battery carrier is the best built in the business.

Throw in some Lithium batteries and you have a couple hours of useful light.

If there was a hurricane and I had to dash out of the house with one light, I'd take the P14; sometimes the KISS design is an asset. There are some very cool lights out there, but in a life or death situation, I'm not going to grab a light that has a tempermental circuit that might not work when I really need it to (like my LD01, I'm sorry to say even though I like the light).

Right. When was the last time there was a hurricane that hit Allentown PA?

Seriously though, if there were a hurricane and you had to dash out of the house with only one light, I'd be sitting in my house across the street laughing at your punk *** trying to stay upright in a hurricane.

 

[Gunner12]

I think LedLenser specifically stating to use only alkaline batteries is a good indication that the light has no circuit. A circuit will try to draw the current it needs from the battery regardless of how much internal resistance the battery has so the light would be fine with alkaline, rechargeable and lithium batteries.

If the light was directly driven, then the battery's internal resistance is much more important. Rechargeable and Lithium batteries have lower internal resistance then alkaline batteries, which means they can hold higher voltage at higher current better then alkaline batteries, which also means the LED will be driven harder and could cause more heat.

The T7 seems to be a good light for shorter bursts or usage at lower modes, which could be just what the OP wanted. The optic might help too.

 

[Hitthespot]

Alright Marduke, I don't want to post the picture again but that was pretty funny.:thumbsup:

Bill

 

[droeun]

Re: led lensaer t7

for a beginner here....would the led lenser t7 from lowes at $65ish be the same as the led lenser t7 from brightguy.com eg for $100ish?

+1 for the T7 - I bought the police pack from brightguy.com which included the K3 mini & 2 cases and I'm very happy with it. Even though it's not regulated the performance is very good with NIMH. The only thing I dislike is how the high mode is only 90% full brightness and you can only get full brightness by pressing & holding the switch halfway down. The beam is incredible at night & it throws very far for such a small light.

 

[L.E.D.]

+1, like some of you, I really like my P14.

The focuser works better than the trusty old Mag.

Want a pinpoint? Got it. Want pure flood? You can have that too.

Glass lenses are nice, but if I drop my P14 down a ditch there's no way that thick lexan lens is going to break.

The battery carrier is the best built in the business.

Throw in some Lithium batteries and you have a couple hours of useful light.

If there was a hurricane and I had to dash out of the house with one light, I'd take the P14; sometimes the KISS design is an asset. There are some very cool lights out there, but in a life or death situation, I'm not going to grab a light that has a tempermental circuit that might not work when I really need it to (like my LD01, I'm sorry to say even though I like the light).

Good point about the KISS factor. I guess maybe it is just the extra voltage that flattens out the curve. I did however try out putting in only two used AA's at 1.3 volts each. It would light up at about a lumen on the low mode, and around 10 - 12 lumens on high and turbo. Does a Cree still light up at 2.6 volts with no circuitry? If it's giving that runtime curve without circuitry, those must be quite the premium resistors..

About Marduke making us LL fans look like little bi+ches being completely on the defensive, time to go on the offensive then. Fenix makes nice lights, but when it comes down to it, they're just another me-too product with LED's stuffed in them. Let's see, there's now Eagletac, Edgetac, Tiablo, Jetbeam, etc. etc. All of them pretty much make reflectored regulated lights. Sure, Fenix was one of the first, and are extremely nice, but I'm not a brand loyalist, I like GOOD lights, not (insert brand here) lights. The classic LL lines were not too great, some of them were alright actually, but this new line is pretty awesome, extremely unique, and anything P14 and up outthrows anything in Fenix's line short of the TK40, and it might outthrow that too. Marduke, you seem to only concentrate on the negatives of LL, which I guess I can't blame you for since you have had a lot of their old line fail on you, but have you even tried the P7?

 

[SureAddicted]

Marduke, you seem to only concentrate on the negatives of LL....

He likes to troll, take a look at all the LL threads and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Marduke]

Everyone keeps mentioning how well it throws. Since when is throw the only measure of how good a light is? I can go down to WalMart and spend $15 on a spotlight that will out-throw any of the lights mentioned here. There are a lot of different aspects that go into what makes a quality light, and having a novel focusing system is but one of dozens.

 

[Egsise]

Everyone keeps mentioning how well it throws. Since when is throw the only measure of how good a light is? I can go down to WalMart and spend $15 on a spotlight that will out-throw any of the lights mentioned here. There are a lot of different aspects that go into what makes a quality light, and having a novel focusing system is but one of dozens.

Original poster wanted good throw, no spill, once a day 3-5 minutes at a time, small enough to fit in to workbag, and i guess 65-100$.

P7/T7 is great for that, those "features" of Led Lenser are making them a very good choice for him.
If he wanted to use it for more general stuff, then LL "features" would be PITA.