Fenix E21 R2 arrived, pictures

[PerttiK]

This just came from the mail:

Here it is with some buddies, TK12 and LD20

Here it is in pieces, after being 5 minutes out of the package.

The emitter.

The head from other direction.

Tailcap front end.

The front end of tube.

The other end of tube.

Very quick beamshot 0.5m from the wall.

This comes with two o-rings, tailcap boot and lanyard, no holster.
The tint is cooler than in my other fenixes.
The light is really solidly build compared to LD20, tube is almost 2mm thick from the battery end.
This feels quite like the TK series.
Forward clicky, 150 or 48 lumens, selected by tightening or loosening the head.

Edit:
Just noticed this after wondering why the knurling felt so nice and sticky:

Update, added tint comparison.

Here's tint comparison with E21 premium R2, TK12 R2, E21 neutral Q4:

E21 R2:

E21 neutral Q4:

Outdoor shots using Canon A510, white balance sunlight, ISO 50, 4s, F2.6

Two more beamshots, this time with auto white balance:

E21 R2:

E21 neutral Q4:

 

[CyberCT]

I'm a little confused on the "neutral white" color.

http://www.fenixlight.com/viewnproduct.asp?id=73

I don't a yellowish white light, just a "white" light. Yet you say the tint is cooler than your other fenixes. I'm really interested in the LD40, which I believe is a "neutral white" R4 LED, but don't want a yellowish white either.

Also, why is the runtime of just over 2 hours at 135 lumens on the E21 basically the same runtime as the LD20 R4 that outputs 205 lumens?

2 hours 15 mins @ 135 lumens (2 AAs) - E21
2 hours 0 mins @ 205 lumens (2 AAs) - LD20 R4

 

[fannin]

sorry i might be confused but is the e21 with an r2 led the same as my eagletac p20a2 old version? also my d10 nitecore is r2 is that the same one?

the one that throws well?

 

[jupello]

I'm a little confused on the "neutral white" color.

http://www.fenixlight.com/viewnproduct.asp?id=73

I don't a yellowish white light, just a "white" light. Yet you say the tint is cooler than your other fenixes. I'm really interested in the LD40, which I believe is a "neutral white" R4 LED, but don't want a yellowish white either.

There's 2 versions of E21 out there. One with Cool White R2 LED (the one OP has) and one with Q4 Neutral White (the one you linked to).

 

[calipsoii]

sorry i might be confused but is the e21 with an r2 led the same as my eagletac p20a2 old version? also my d10 nitecore is r2 is that the same one?

the one that throws well?

This is the way I understand it:

The exact same manufacturing process does not produce exactly identical LED's every single time. Each one is a bit different than the one created before and after it. They are tested after creation, and based on their output level and efficiency, they are grouped into different bins. R2 is a bin number. So is R5. An LED emitter (for example an XP-G) that is placed into the R5 bin has a higher output/efficiency than an R2 (which may have been created just moments before it).

There are also tint bins (5A3, 7A, etc) that work basically the same, but instead classify the color/tint of light the LED emits.

Hope that helps clear it up. If you're looking to compare your Nitecore light to the new Fenix one, compare the emitter (XP-E vs. XP-G) instead of the bin number.

 

[kramer5150]

Killer... reminds me of the old Fenix lego, L1T-V2 head onto 2AA L2T body that members were doing 2-3 years ago. That one was good for ~150L OTF.

 

[fannin]

This is the way I understand it:

The exact same manufacturing process does not produce exactly identical LED's every single time. Each one is a bit different than the one created before and after it. They are tested after creation, and based on their output level and efficiency, they are grouped into different bins. R2 is a bin number. So is R5. An LED emitter (for example an XP-G) that is placed into the R5 bin has a higher output/efficiency than an R2 (which may have been created just moments before it).

There are also tint bins (5A3, 7A, etc) that work basically the same, but instead classify the color/tint of light the LED emits.

Hope that helps clear it up. If you're looking to compare your Nitecore light to the new Fenix one, compare the emitter (XP-E vs. XP-G) instead of the bin number.

so is my nitecore d10 and my eagletac p20a2 old version mk1 both XP-E r2 lights? while this fenix e21 is an XP-G r2 (like the new ld20 is an xp-g r4)?

thanks so much, i find this a little confusing at times, i didn't know there was an xp-g r2

 

[jirik_cz]

so is my nitecore d10 and my eagletac p20a2 old version mk1 both XP-E r2 lights? while this fenix e21 is an XP-G r2 (like the new ld20 is an xp-g r4)?

This light uses Cree XP-E R2. And your older lights use XR-E R2 (AFAIK). Both XP-E and XR-E are good for throw (better than XP-G).

 

[sol-leks]

personally, I'm more interested in the neutral version but I'm impressed with how solid this light is. Thanks for sharing your review.

 

[fannin]

This light uses Cree XP-E R2. And your older lights use XR-E R2 (AFAIK). Both XP-E and XR-E are good for throw (better than XP-G).

so my nitecore d10 and p20a2 eagletac are XR-E R2

and this new e21 is XP-E R2, while the other version of it is xp-g?

and is this e21 XP-E R2 designed for throw not flood like the xr-e?

sorry for all the repetitive questions, i honestly am just trying to get it straight in my head, not trolling you, i appreciate the advicelovecpf

 

[RedForest UK]

Sorry, but your P20C2 is likely an XR-E R2, the D10, if SP is likely an XP-E R2 like this is, although if an earlier run could be XR-E I think. This is an XP-E R2, and the other version is an XP-E Q4 but a warmer tint.

All of the above mentioned lights use smaller dies than the XP-G and so are often throw oriented.

 

[calipsoii]

RedForest_UK answered my question.

 

[CyberCT]

Also, why is the runtime of just over 2 hours at 135 lumens on the E21 basically the same runtime as the LD20 R4 that outputs 205 lumens?

2 hours 15 mins @ 135 lumens (2 AAs) - E21
2 hours 0 mins @ 205 lumens (2 AAs) - LD20 R4

I'm still curious why this is. Anyone know?

 

[PerttiK]

My other fenixes look "neutral" in my eyes, barely any blue in them.
Those real neutral whites look yellowishly-brown in my eyes.
With R2 E21, I think the tint lottery is running, but these aren't supposed to be "premium" in any sense.
I would think the neutral E21 could have more carefully selected tints.
I'll try to take some comparison beamshots tomorrow.

 

[RedForest UK]

I'm still curious why this is. Anyone know?

E21 --135lumens for 135mins
LD20-200lumens for 120mins

The simple answer would be that the LD20 R4 is 2 flux bins higher, so that would account for roughly a 20% increase in efficacy. Furthermore the boost circuit will have to reach a lower voltage for the Vf of an XP-G compared to an XP-E so the circuit itself could be a little more efficient.

However I don't think that accounts for it fully and more than likely Fenix's marketing dept decided to be slightly pessimistic on this 'budget' model and slightly optimistic on the 'higher level' model the LD20, in order to show a bit more difference between the two and encourage buyers to spend a little more for more output. I guess only time and selfbuilts runtime graphs will tell..

 

[fannin]

thanks a lot, i will get a grip on these terms,

the bin term (r2, q5 etc) often confuses me when i don't konw that an emitter type (like xr-e or xp-g) don't often have one with that bin

thanks for the advice

 

[Illum]

excellent....finally their products start to appear as flashlights:thinking:

for awhile I was troubled on what to call them :shrug:

 

[chanjyj]

so my nitecore d10 and p20a2 eagletac are XR-E R2

and this new e21 is XP-E R2, while the other version of it is xp-g?

and is this e21 XP-E R2 designed for throw not flood like the xr-e?

sorry for all the repetitive questions, i honestly am just trying to get it straight in my head, not trolling you, i appreciate the advicelovecpf

No. XR-E and XP-E are generally consider more throwy than XP-G. Then you have your MC-E and SST-50 and SST-90 and P7 and Nichia GS and tons more.

To simplify it for you, from throw to flood: XR-E>XP-E>SST-50>SST-90>XP-G>MC-E and P7
However, throw is not just a function of the emitter. It is more of a function of the reflector rather than the emitter. So don't take this guideline as a bible.

Your final question of whether the E21 is designed for throw? I'd look at the reflector. A large, deep reflector in conjunction with a throwy emitter = thrower and vice versa.
There are, of course, exceptions like the Jetbeam M1X which was a MC-E light designed as a thrower, and the Quark Maelstrom which uses a XP-G.

 

[dudu84]

Wow! this light looks very "tank" compared to the LD20. Does it come with a forward switch yet it can still tail-stand?

 

[PerttiK]

Can't tailstand, the forward switch sticks out too much.