EX10 (1xCR123A) and D10 (1xAA) Part 5

Illumination said:

Received my D10 today. Nice UI (but still not as smooth as Photon Proton Pro), nice fit & finish, AWFUL CREE RING (as bad as DI and almost as bad as Photon Proton).

Why can't someone design a good cree reflector?

The output from my Fenix L1D CE is MUCH cleaner...almost no visible cree rings.

I'd pay an extra $20 for this light if it had a better reflector.

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Interesting observation. To me the output on whitewall comparisons from the D10 is not vastly different from my other Q5 / Q4 lights. The only one significantly different is my LF5XT R2, which as has been noted by others has a good smooth spill but smaller overall beam.

It's virtually identical to my L1D Q5 in terms of output on the white wall, which I do not find to be an issue at all.

Maybe your L1D CE is using a rebel LED? Do you have any beam shots to illustrate your observations?

Kilovolt said:

Have you tried a LiteFlux LF5XT? :naughty:

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No, but based on what I've read, I've started to seriously consider one... I'm concerned about the complexity of the UI...I'm not crazy about anything very complex.

LED-holic said:

Interesting observation. To me the output on whitewall comparisons from the D10 is not vastly different from my other Q5 / Q4 lights. The only one significantly different is my LF5XT R2, which as has been noted by others has a good smooth spill but smaller overall beam.

It's virtually identical to my L1D Q5 in terms of output on the white wall, which I do not find to be an issue at all.

Maybe your L1D CE is using a rebel LED? Do you have any beam shots to illustrate your observations?

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I think "vastly" different is an overstatement, but the cree rings are noticeably apparent on my D10, and are hardly visibly on my L1D. I doubt that it has a Rebel...my guess is that small differences in LED construction, reflector positioning, etc. make a big difference on a white wall. I don't have beamshots...maybe I can take some.

Illumination said:

No, but based on what I've read, I've started to seriously consider one... I'm concerned about the complexity of the UI...I'm not crazy about anything very complex.

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You can also keep the LF5 as it is delivered at least initially: three levels (50% - 15% - 2% or something similar) or 100% by keeping the button pressed and learn to use it fully with time.

I love this light... couldn't be better as far as I'm concerned. My L1D Q5 still gets used a bit, but not near as much as the ND10...

4Sevens in one of the many D10 threads made mention of some destructive testing. I'd be very interested to hear some details!! Forgive me if they are posted somewhere and I've missed them.

loanshark said:

I love this light... couldn't be better as far as I'm concerned. My L1D Q5 still gets used a bit, but not near as much as the ND10...

4Sevens in one of the many D10 threads made mention of some destructive testing. I'd be very interested to hear some details!! Forgive me if they are posted somewhere and I've missed them.

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I would love to see some D10 / EX10 destructive testing. But I love my D10s too much to intentionally destroy them. Based upon my use so far they're pretty dang durable. :thumbsup:

I originally posted this on EDCF, but I thought it might be of interest to some here:

Like many here, I found the piston switch on my EX10 to be too stiff initially. I removed the factory adhesive/lube and replaced it with the Radio Shack lube in the "Precision Applicator". It was better, but still stiff. Following some "less is more" lubing advice from CPF, I tried to remove some of the lube, and it got a little better.

I decided that one of the problems that I was having was the length of travel of the piston. I think that this would be less of an issue if the switch weren't so stiff, but as it is it just feels clunky to depress the switch. I drew up a pattern for some paper washers and put three paper washers behind the the piston around the thumb button and reassembled the light. The light worked, but just barely - it didn't have enough travel to really feel the switch. I removed one of the paper washers (leaving two), and the light functions better now. They may prove unnecessary after the spring softens a little, but for now, they work well.

I suspect that there may be slight differences in the lenght of travel just due to the tolerances (slight as they may be) of machining the parts.

Kilovolt said:

You can also keep the LF5 as it is delivered at least initially: three levels (50% - 15% - 2% or something similar) or 100% by keeping the button pressed and learn to use it fully with time.

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the more I use this light, the more I realize I would prefer a light with several levels...perhaps 4 ... with a super clean artifact-free output

hmm...isn't that my novatac?

The lightflux sounds pretty good...but I would want to program it rt start at low then step up. It sounds like Lightflux designed a great reflector, though I much prefer the D10's smaller size.

LED-holic said:

Interesting observation. To me the output on whitewall comparisons from the D10 is not vastly different from my other Q5 / Q4 lights. The only one significantly different is my LF5XT R2, which as has been noted by others has a good smooth spill but smaller overall beam.

It's virtually identical to my L1D Q5 in terms of output on the white wall, which I do not find to be an issue at all.

Maybe your L1D CE is using a rebel LED? Do you have any beam shots to illustrate your observations?

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My L1D is definitely not a Rebel (I do have a Rebel P2D).

Here is a beamshot of my D10. Is the heavy cree ring normal?





Thanks.

Illumination said:

My L1D is definitely not a Rebel (I do have a Rebel P2D).

Here is a beamshot of my D10. Is the heavy cree ring normal?

Thanks.

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How far away was the D10 from the wall when the photo was taken? No matter how far or close I move my D10, I can't replicate your beam, it's not even close. I wonder if camera exposure/white balance has changed the beam from how it really looks in real life.

My D10 does have rings, but it's not any more or less noticeable than my L2D / L1D.

LED-holic said:

How far away was the D10 from the wall when the photo was taken? No matter how far or close I move my D10, I can't replicate your beam, it's not even close. I wonder if camera exposure/white balance has changed the beam from how it really looks in real life.

My D10 does have rings, but it's not any more or less noticeable than my L2D / L1D.

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The rings are visible from up close to further away. In this case the picture was taken with the light about two feet from the wall. Even at 10+ feet, the rings are pronounced. I guess I may have gotten a bum unit .

Illumination said:

The lightflux sounds pretty good...but I would want to program it rt start at low then step up.

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You simply disable memory mode then...

When I first got my E10, I compared it to some of my other lights which have smooth beams. I was a little concerned when shining on a white wall. I took it fishing and the ring does not hurt it for real world use at all. I don't notice it when using my light outdoors. I really like the throw that this little light has (for such a small reflector). It also has good sidespill.

orcinus said:

Aaaand, still nothing. Third week expires on saturday, so if it doesn't arrive on monday, it's officially MIA.

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so you still have not received yours?
but you received your Dosun from Fenix-Store?

Grumpy said:

*snip*I was a little concerned when shining on a white wall. I took it fishing and the ring does not hurt it for real world use at all.*snip*

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EXACTLY! That is why I take white wall hunting with a grain salt. My NDI has the crappiest beam (for a CREE and a OP reflector) I've seen when shining it on a white wall, but I don't even notice it when using it all day long every single day at work, because I'm looking at what the light is illuminating, NOT at the beam shape/quality. These CREE rings everyone keeps bringing up are really a non issue in real world use.

Please continue here.