Fenix E01 Inperfections

[cybersoga]

I recieved a new Olive Fenix E01 from thephotonshop.co.uk today and I've noticed a few minor inperfections - did they send the best ones to US dealers?

Side Photo
Head Unscrewed
Head closeup
Beam against a piece of paper

• The body anodizing is significantly lighter than the head
• There are feint horizontal lines running along the smooth parts of the body
• The serial number printed on the body is not lined up with the fenix logo
• The LED isn't quite centered
• The LED looks too far back so light coming out the sides of the LED will not be reflected forward

Other than that it looks like a great light, i'm particularly impressed with the contact design and anodised threads!

 

[Yapo]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

ditto for the last 3 points...my one's black so theres no lines and anodizing's even!

 

[matt0]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

same as Yapo, mine's black. I don't see any imperfections in the anodizing. The LED is pretty far back but with my little experience with 5mm LED's, there doesn't seem to be much light coming from the side of the emitter. I have a LightHound Fauxton withe the emitter sticking out pretty far. Nearly all the light seems to be coming straight out the front. The serial number is slightly off centered.

 

[TrevorNasko]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

5mm LEDs do not rely on reflected light from the sides so much as light focused through the dome on the front so I wouldn't worry about depth. Some manufacturers have that sucker completely surrounded in the head.

Regardless I'm very sorry to hear you are unhappy with your e01. The ones I have seen were surprisingly bright and of good fit and finish. As soon as everyone gets theirs I will definitely be getting one for myself (or more!).

You may want to contact your dealer you purchased the light from if you are really unhappy with the light. They might be able to help you out.

Cheers

 

[ViReN]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

why have so high expectations from a $15 light ?

 

[Marduke]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

The Nichia GS only has about a 15 degree projection angle, meaning it won't put very much light onto a reflector anyhow. That's precisely the reason most 5mm lights don't even use a reflector in the traditional sense.

 

[Crenshaw]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

maybe fenix will have its own tiger stipe culture now...

Crenshaw

 

[nerdgineer]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

At $15 (less if you get 2 and 8% off at FxSt), I would require that it be reliable, bright enough (E0 or better), and battery efficient. Everything else is a nit...

At $45, I would expect perfect anodizing, perfect centering, perfect lettering, gold plated contacts, and HAIII...

Oh, I also get HAIII for $15? and colors? Well, dang....

 

[WadeF]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

I got my black E01 and it looks great. The QC is better on my E01 than it was on my $50 PREMIUM Arc GS. So for $15 (I ordered a bunch of E01's so I was able to use CPF8 for 8% off from fenix-store, so more like $13 and change) I am very happy. I'm still waiting to get my Arc GS back from Arc as the unit they sent me was unacceptable, and I'm not that picky to begin with. I can't wait to check out the other E01 colors.

 

[Anarchocap]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

The Fenix store has already said that perfect uniform anodizing for HAIII is very complicated and that Fenix would rather have the HAIII on the light and slightly irregular than have a lesser form of anodizing with perfect uniformity.

For $15, anyone picking on the HAIII finish evenness really needs to move on.

 

[NeonLights]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

I recieved a new Olive Fenix EO1 from thephotonshop.co.uk today and I've noticed a few minor inperfections - did they send the best ones to US dealers? I'll try and post some photographs in a bit.

• The body anodizing is significantly lighter than the head
• There are feint horizontal lines running along the smooth parts of the body
• The serial number printed on the body is not lined up with the fenix logo
• The LED isn't quite centered
• The LED looks too far back so light coming out the sides of the LED will not be reflected forward

Other than that it looks like a great light!

1. Mine is black and no visible anodizing perfections, but variations in color and tint are normal with HAIII.
2. See #1
3. Mine is the same. Not an issue for me, I didn't buy it to look at.
4. The LED is perfectly centered on mine, but it is close, the oval hotspot makes this less of an issue IMO.
5. It does appear that having the LED sunk in so far limits the amount of side spill compared to similar lights (ARCs).

 

[cybersoga]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

Here's the photo of my Olive Fenix E01

 

[MikeSalt]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

To expect perfectly matched anodizing in a $15 light is perhaps a little optimistic. I have an $80 light that looks like an Olive drab rainbow. Of four possible parts, there are three different shades. I like it though.

 

[BabyDoc]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

This is a light to be used on a keychain. As such, it will become scratched no matter how hard and perfect the finish is. For the price of the light, buy 2 of them. Keep one on a shelf to look at all nice and pretty; put the other one on your keychain and forget about it.

 

[cybersoga]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

Another pic:

 

[MikeSalt]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

It is indeed a lovely light. Can't help thinking that I am looking at an Arc AAA though (when Arc were top-notch).

 

[WildChild]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

Another pic:

Damn this anodizing seems quite thick! Horizontal lines are normal with thick HA. All my SureFire flashlights (over $100 each) have such lines. Also, mismatched anodizing is more common with HA, see this $195 light:

Conclusion, this anodizing will probably hold better over time if you keep this flashlight on your keychain!

 

[Illum]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

mmm, interesting. My two Olive EO1s haven't came in yet. when I receive them I'll post some pics:candle:

 

[swxb12]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

Anodizing mismatch between body and head just happens. I have it on my JetBeam and don't mind since it was a $25 light.

cybersoga, have you operated the light and confirmed that the LED was indeed placed too far back?

 

[cybersoga]

Re: Fenix EO1 Inperfections

Anodizing mismatch between body and head just happens. I have it on my JetBeam and don't mind since it was a $25 light.

cybersoga, have you operated the light and confirmed that the LED was indeed placed too far back?

It looks about the same as the other photos i've seen, so I would say it's a design feature. I don't know if it really makes a lot of difference to light output, there's definitely no side spill and little possibility of scratching the led lens so perhaps it's a good thing that it's that far back.