Fenix, 30 Lumens is too much brightness for low mode

[DayofReckoning]

I am noticing the trend of Fenix using 30 lumens on many lights as the lowest brightness setting. In my opinion, this is just too bright, and also doesn't offer the very long runtimes of lower brightness modes and moonlight modes. Disappointingly, I have had to pass on serveral of your new lights, including the PD35R, PD40R because of this.

I do wish that Fenix engineers would consider giving us lower lumen modes on some of these lights, 30lumens is excessive. Something else to consider, I have seen much interest and appreciation for sub 1 lumen moonlight modes from customers as well.

 

[fenix store]

I am noticing the trend of Fenix using 30 lumens on many lights as the lowest brightness setting. In my opinion, this is just too bright, and also doesn't offer the very long runtimes of lower brightness modes and moonlight modes. Disappointingly, I have had to pass on serveral of your new lights, including the PD35R, PD40R because of this.

I do wish that Fenix engineers would consider giving us lower lumen modes on some of these lights, 30lumens is excessive. Something else to consider, I have seen much interest and appreciation for sub 1 lumen moonlight modes from customers as well.

Thank you for your comments and for creating this poll! We'll be interested to see the numbers that come from it. We do hear this subject come up occasionally so we know that you aren't alone in your thoughts on this.
We have begun to see some lower output levels like a 1 lumen option with the new UC35 V2 and we hope to see more variety like this in the future as well. We forward any and all customer comments to the engineers for consideration so I'll do the same with this thread as well. Thanks again for your critique and thank you for being a Fenix Fan!

 

[LeanBurn]

I passed on the E12 for just this reason (plus no neutral tint)....I had to have a sub lumen mode.

 

[martinaee]

LOL 100% said yes so far. I actually love the modes they choose on most of their lights, but it would be great to have another extra low/moonlight mode on most of them. So for example have a 1 lumen mode, 10 lumen mode, 50, 150, 1000, etc.

I find far too often, and not just with Fenix, that there aren't nearly enough brightness settings on the low end. If your eyes are adjusted to basically no light at night time (I use my lights indoors a lot before bed) then 1 lumen, 5, 15, 30 are all quite different.

 

[DayofReckoning]

Thank you for your response FenixStore. I very much appreciate this thread being forwarded to Fenix.

How much brightness for a low mode is a bit of a subjective thing. Personally, I find that for general task, 5 lumens to 20 lumens, at most, seems perfect. As far as moonlight modes, you will find that many here actually prefer one that is less than 1 lumen.

And as mentioned earlier, I also wish Fenix would consider offering more Neutral LED options.

 

[busseguy]

Yes. 5 lumens for low would be great. 30 lumens is just stupid.

 

[DayofReckoning]

Yes. 5 lumens for low would be great. 30 lumens is just stupid.

Indeed, 5 is enough to see for most tasks, doesn't blast your night adapted eyes with too much brightness, and provides long, long runtimes.

 

[bykfixer]

For some lights 30 is a great low. Big lights used as an alternate light source in power outages. 30 is great for that with mega runtime.
Other lights, less is more. Small ones like the E12. Perhaps a last used memory option with your favorite low/low/low, not quite so low or an ordinary use it for searching a small perimeter setting.

 

[DayofReckoning]

I agree, 30 lumens is fine for some lights. The problem is Fenix is using 30 lumens on small, EDC sized lights. I probably should have specified that better in my OP and poll. And that should be considered before voting.

 

[DaveTheDude]

Since Fenix appears to be reading this thread, and since the emitter color temperature has already been mentioned more than once, I encourage the Fenix engineers to consider offering the emitter used in the HM23 headlamp as an option in the line of lights that use a 1xAA cell and 2xAA cell configuration. The emitter used in the HM23 headlamp is a neutral white (outdoor white to use the Fenix advertising parlance). I have two of these headlamps (different backpacks, different purposes), and both appear about 4500K, with no unwelcome tint shift. This emitter is MUCH better at color rendering than the cool white emitters in many Fenix lights.

C'mon engineers, throw us flashaholics a bone, and offer this emitter as an option. Pleeeeze? I'll be your friend...

 

[fenix store]

Since Fenix appears to be reading this thread, and since the emitter color temperature has already been mentioned more than once, I encourage the Fenix engineers to consider offering the emitter used in the HM23 headlamp as an option in the line of lights that use a 1xAA cell and 2xAA cell configuration. The emitter used in the HM23 headlamp is a neutral white (outdoor white to use the Fenix advertising parlance). I have two of these headlamps (different backpacks, different purposes), and both appear about 4500K, with no unwelcome tint shift. This emitter is MUCH better at color rendering than the cool white emitters in many Fenix lights.

C'mon engineers, throw us flashaholics a bone, and offer this emitter as an option. Pleeeeze? I'll be your friend...

Thanks for the detailed suggestion! I'll let them know what you said. Hopefully they'll take the suggestion so we can be friends with DaveTheDude!

 

[colight]

For the light with 10,000 lumens output like LR35R, I think 30 lumens of Low mode is fairly OK, but for E series flashlight, I totally agree with 5 lumens of Low.

 

[DayofReckoning]

Just a bump to see if we can get some more poll results.

 

[neophyte340]

The last 2 Fenix lights I bought was the version2.0 PD35. I gave one to a buddy as a gift. It has a 3 lumen ECO Mode that runs for 430 hours for that cave survival scenario that thankfully has not happened. I chose the PD35v2.0 because of the 3 lumen ECO Mode. It's nice to be prepared for anything.

 

[JimIslander]

Yes, I feel the same way. My lights all have adjustable moonlight modes. Night lights need less than one lumen IMO.

 

[Lou Minescence]

When I'm at work I never use a lumen setting under 100 because I'm working under fluorescent lights. I'm usually using about 200 lumens to look at things. Maybe Fenix is designing lights to use in daylight situations or well lit areas and lower lumen settings are not needed.

 

[DayofReckoning]

But lights should have the ability to do BOTH. No good reason not to give their lights a lower brightness setting.

In fact, I feel manufacturers are catching on and more are giving us lower moonlight modes, except Fenix, they are going the opposite direction!

 

[Havok]

I have a Tk22UE that I use sometimes at night for reading various things, and a lot of the time it's difficult to use it in that way because of how intense the reflection can be off of say.. a map, notebook, or anything that might require a light source, but don't want to give away your position. I think ~10 lumen would be just fine. Their suppose to aid, not blind the end user.

 

[herektir]

I like my tk22 from 2014 with its 7 lumen low, about right for that kind of light. Small edc lights I haven't bought a fenix light since the first edition e01 due to no low modes low enough.

 

[DayofReckoning]

Thank you everyone for your input. Seems like the overwhelming majority of us here agree. I hope we can get enough votes and results here that maybe this can have an impact, and Fenix will consider changing it's stance.

I have been pretty vocal here about this issue, but I do so because, as this picture will tell you, I have been a Fenix fan for a very long time, and I'm disheartened that I've had to pass on so many models. BTW, that PD20 R2 has a nice low mode of 9 lumens