Another Fenix TA30 = short review and w/ Lumen readings!!!

[bigchelis]

Hi all,

I too received a Fenix TA30 to test and review. Firt the Fenix is ideal at what it was made to do: it is robust and has heavy and effective knurling.

It is a big light and not very EDC able, but I can see it effective as a duty light because it is built like a tank.

MrGman tested the sample I got and here are the numbers: Well the Fenix TA30 Q5 light was suppose to be 225 Lumens, but out the front on turn on was almost 195 Lumens.
Fenix TA30____________,__3 CR123 Primaries_____high_________194.6,___3 sec_______,
Fenix TA30____________,__3 CR123 Primaries_____high_________191.4,__30 sec_______,
Fenix TA30____________,__3 CR123 Primaries_____high_________189.9,__60 sec_______,
Fenix TA30____________,__3 CR123 Primaries_____high_________189.0,__120 sec_______,
Fenix TA30____________,__3 CR123 Primaries_____low,___________7.3,__60 sec_______,
Fenix TA30____________,__3 CR123 Primaries_____medium_______42.6,__60 sec_______,


I took some beamshoots to compare it against comparable (lumen wise) lights. The camera is a digital Olympus Stylus 850SW set on night mode and using a tripod and stand. The fence is 67.9 Feet away acording to Google Earth.....And all lumen Readings mentioned were done by MrGman.

Here is a P60 drop-in K2 @1.4A made by Nailbender.

Now here is the DX P60 drop-in that in a 6P hosts.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11836

Finally the 194 Lumen Fenix TA30

And just for kicks. My M6 fitted with 3 P7's!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to LED Zepplin.

 

[bigchelis]

Mods


I accidentally put this in the wrong place. Please move to LeD section or Flashlight review section.


Thank you.
bigchelis

 

[woodrow]

Thanks for the Pics and Lumens rating. I like this light... even enough to sell my TK40 I received at the same time...but keep the TA30...which really does suprise me becausse I usually Always keep the brighter light. I just really do love how tough Fenix made the light.

Its nice to have an idea of actual lumens on med and low too. Thanks again.

 

[bigchelis]

Thanks for the Pics and Lumens rating. I like this light... even enough to sell my TK40 I received at the same time...but keep the TA30...which really does suprise me becausse I usually Always keep the brighter light. I just really do love how tough Fenix made the light.

Its nice to have an idea of actual lumens on med and low too. Thanks again.

I wish it would be compatible with 3 rechargeables, but 2 17500 is not bad eigher. In fact I got 460mA at the tail with 2 AW 17500's. That is very impressive for a 195 lumen light and should provide for very long runtimes.:twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs

 

[MrGman]

I have received this light from bigchelis for more testing.

The most important thing is that even though it does not have as high total lumens as the Fenix T1 or other 2 CR23 lights of that type, it has higher lux and better throw. I did some quickie lux measurements last night between my T1 and this TA30, and the TA 30 definitely has about 30 percent or more lux. I will set up a defined distance before I publish numbers.

for now I measured the current draw from the tail end at the 3 steady state power levels.

With 3 CR123 batteries its_____, 450mA high, 64.0mA medium and 11.7mA on low.
With 2X17500 freshly charged its 470mA high, 68.3mA medium and 12.4mA on low.

I like the operation of the tailswitch and the fact that the power selection ring is up front and separate. I can set it to high and leave it knowing its always going to come on in high mode.

__________Battery__mode_Lum.___on time
Fenix_TA30__2X17500___high___189.1___1 sec
Fenix_TA30__2X17500___high___185.2_180 sec
Fenix_TA30__2X17500___med____41.9__stable
Fenix_TA30__2X17500___low______7.1__stable

Very stable output overall.

 

[Sardaukar]

I had thought that all releases after the T1 model would be measured OTF. No?

 

[MrGman]

I had thought that all releases after the T1 model would be measured OTF. No?

Fenix doesn't tell us what they do and how they do it. Some of their lights have measured what they said out the front and some have not. This light seems to draw less current for the voltage and therefore has less consumed watts than my Fenix T1. It consumed wattage is around 3.9 W max compared to about 4.9 maybe 4.6 of the T1. Therefore even with the same LED its not going to be as bright. Of course this is a sample base of 1. Maybe its not the pick of the litter? I know that if I could I would like to crank up the current draw on high to a level to give me 5 watts of total power, knowing that I have low and medium modes when I want to save that power. G.

 

[Sardaukar]

Thanks. Guess I assumed that they had begun measuring OTF. I'd like to see you measure a TK40.

 

[hyperloop]

Hi all,

just to clarify, i have tried this light with 3xRCR123s (3.6v) and it works fine, tried it with 2x14500s and it works fine too.

 

[dalekcommander]

I just got mine today - and I'm impressed. This is my first Fenix light and I think my wallet is in trouble!