LED Lenser (Coast) P7 REVIEW With Beamshots/Lux/Overall Output Readings

[Turbo DV8]

Led Lenser P7R and MT7 is worth waiting.

If and when anybody sees the P7R in a brick-and-mortar store (Fry's, etc) please post here. Although I just dumped a small fortune in a P7UR and P14UR (un-regulated!) I would be interested to see what LL's idea of regulated is when they come out. Thanks.

 

[Egsise]

I know this is old news, but I just tested the Led Lenser P7 vs. Fenix TK20.

No accumulators aka rechargeable batteries..

Runtimes with homemade lightbox:

White balance daylight, exposure etc. settings are same for both shots:

Led Lenser P7 beamshot on high, distance to trees ~35m/115ft

Fenix TK20 beamshot on high, distance to trees ~35m/115ft

 

[Ice]

Nice!

 

[Turbo DV8]

That tree was too close for the P7! That is a good demo of how the P7 collects more of the spill and concentrates it than a reflector can. If the tree were further away I think the TK would fade away while the P& woudl still illuminate. It also shows the fairly cool color temp of the LL LED's. A bit warmer would be nicer, I think.

 

[Egsise]

I'll try to get another LL P7 for more beamshots, what would be better distance, 300ft?

 

[Turbo DV8]

No specific distance in mind. One can take two lights, one with twice as much throw as the other, but when one shines it on a wall in the house, there is no way to tell which has more throw outside at distances. The wall is too close to see differences in throw. Just pick some distance where the difference between the two lights is evident, where one becomes very faint but the other still throws. Unless, of course, they really do have equivalent throw. But from the picture I think I can see the LL P7 would illuminate better at greater distances, especially since there is so much less spill.

 

[Egsise]

Dunno, LL P7 has no spill but TK20 hotspot is tighter.
I'll take 300ft beamshots next time.

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

It's been a while now since I compared the two out on the open country and I remember it was pretty close. As I rememebr the P7 had the edge but it wasn't helped by the dim looking yellow tint of the TK20 which allegedly helps in outdoor vision but didn't help me at any decent range at all, just made things look dimmer.

On the other hand, I have been recently checking my P7 on my test range 150 -160 yard fencepost with the black tyre hung on it and it's pretty clear to see the tyre on the post at that range. Not lit up like that tree in the pics above but seeable. I doubt I could have done that with my now departed Tk20 cos it only ever painted things yellow, never made contrasting things easier to see at a distance for me.

 

[Turbo DV8]

Dunno, LL P7 has no spill but TK20 hotspot is tighter.
I'll take 300ft beamshots next time.

The TK20 does look like the hot spot is slightly tighter, but I think I can barely discern that the P7 would have a bit more left to give at greater distances. Either that, or like Jag Dave said, it could all come down to tint affecting perception of brightness.

 

[Turboman7]

I woulk like to post the beam patterns of my two focusable lens flashlights for comparison.

Unit #1 (left) is Cree P4 modded to Cree Q2_5A, Push-pull to adjust focus, powered by 3AAA, priced at $25
Unit #2 (right) is Non-branded 1W LED, twist to adjust focus, powered by 3AAA, priced at $13

All beam patterns were shot under the same conditions of 100% brightness of flashlights, WB = Daylight, EV = 0, and 1 meter to the white wall.

Control Shot -- Fenix P2D

Unit #1 Flood

Unit #1 Focus

Unit #2 Flood

Unit #2 Focus

Hey juplin,

Where did you get those inexpensive lights?

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

and how about some pictures of the beams aimed at a distant object - please.

 

[Egsise]

3xAAA, so there's no driver?

 

[Monocrom]

P7 runs on 4AAA cells.

I guess it's ideal for someone who wants a powerful light, but wants to standardize on AAA cells. My dad EDCs two different lights that each run on one AAA cell. Both of my EDC back-up lights do too. But even I can't see standardizing on AAA cells, and getting a light that runs on four of them.

But I guess that's an option for anyone who wants to.

 

[Egsise]

I meant the cheapos are 3xAAA.

LL P7 is quite good with alkalines, but it doesn't benefit a lot if used with rechargeables, easy to see from my runtime graph.

 

[Egsise]

and how about some pictures of the beams aimed at a distant object - please.

I had a chance to borrow a LL P7 again, took some quick beamshots, it's snowing so no chance to take better ones, sry.
That tree is about 75m or 250ft away.
Led Lenser has a bigger hotspot, and the brown and green tree looks gray but thats about it.

Led Lenser P7, tree at 250ft........Fenix TK20, Tree at 250ft

Led Lenser P7 250ft.....................Fenix TK20 250ft

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

Does pretty well the old P7.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I meant the cheapos are 3xAAA.

LL P7 is quite good with alkalines, but it doesn't benefit a lot if used with rechargeables, easy to see from my runtime graph.

The NiMh's double the time that the LLP7 stays above 100 on your scale. That looks very good to me.

Bill

 

[Egsise]

Does pretty well the old P7.

Actually it's the it's the 200 lumen version number 3.1, newest I could find from here.

The NiMh's double the time that the LLP7 stays above 100 on your scale. That looks very good to me.

Yes it's nice, the scale is selected so that the output is very close to the same as advertised, TK20 starts from 150 and LL P7 from 170 lumens.
It's all about how you look at the graphs...

The overall performance of the Led Lenser P7 is ok, but there's very little or no difference in throw compared to TK20.
With fresh batteries and turbo mode the LL P7 is better thrower, with high mode the throw is the same, and with partly used batteries the LL P7 throws less than TK20.

Led Lenser P7 is actually really good flashlight on what is designed for, average Joe that knows only alkaline batteries will be really pleased for the performance of this flashlight.

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

Actually it's the it's the 200 lumen version number 3.1, newest I could find from here..

hehe, you took me too literally. Perhaps I would have been clearer in meaning if had I written "the ol' P7"

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I had never owned an LL product prior to winning a P7 at MattK's SHOT party. I was ready to pan it right off until I tried it out. Now, I am sort of a picky flashaholic, preferring SF, Ra, MrBulk, Malkoff, etc creations, but I was really impressed with the LL P7, and what it can do with 4AAA's, the throw it has, and the very useable low mode at night, and using Eneloops has made it even better for me.

Bill