Fenix L0D & P1D (Luxeon Versions) - Still a good investment?

[jrgk75]

I read several good reviews and opinions about the Fenix L0D-CE and P1D-CE in CPF, but could not find much about their Luxeon III counterparts.

Are the Fenix L0D & P1D Luxeon flashlights still a worth investment?

Could somebody share his/her experiences with these Luxeon models?

I would really appreciate your comments.

 

[Lee1959]

It would depend upon what you are asking, what do you mean as investment? Resale value? Or simply a good buy for a user?

If you are asking if they are good resale, I would guess they have taken a big hit, not being as popular as the cree versions.

However if you are asking if they are worth buying, yes, I would say perhaps more than ever. Their pricing is cheaper (and going down) than the cree models, and they still work every bit as good as they did when they were all the rage.

The only thing that has changed is the Cree models are all the hype, with CPFers especially, since flashaholics are a fickle bunch who want the very brightest/newest technology thing out there very often (yes this will bring howls of indignant rage perhaps, but it is true nonetheless).

So, they are as good a buy as they ever were, as a midrange user with decent output, if you are not hung up on having to own the very latest, brightest, etc etc.

Just my opinion.

 

[Learjet]

Gold Sovereigns are a good investment, flashlights are are for making light. :naughty:

Crees are either brighter or more efficient. I still use my old Fenix L1 Luxeon because it's my only AA light but if I was to buy a new one it would have to be cree or Seoul.

 

[ginaz]

it's a whole different perspective in here. i was at work the other day and someone needed a light. someone offered their fauxton but i said i've got something better and handed over my keys with L0P. everyone was blown away by the brightness/size ratio. my manager says "that's a 1 watt, isn't it?" then tells everyone that it's a 1 watt LED, the newest thing...

moral, 1 watt still gets the job done, needless to say 3. i don't need 130 lumens on my keychain. i can replace the battery so i don't need eternal runtime. some people get so caught up in the numbers race that they forget how good these lights were just a few months ago.

 

[barkingmad]

The Cree versions are hardly any more expensive (typically a few dollars) and more efficient so I guess you could argue cheaper in the long run as would require less batteries (unless using rechargeables of course).

Still would go with the Cree versions though.

 

[cy]

production lights, traditionally Surefires and ARC's have shown the best resale values.

for custom lights... McGizmo lights have done the best at holding resale values. it's not unusually for don's lights to sell for more than original costs. but that's really the exception.

fenix L1+ stainless... they don't come up very often, but have sold for $175|+. early proto Peak ti lights have sold for $175+

early fenix lights seems to sell for right at original costs. if one buys carefully... most folks gets most of their investments in lights back.

If I can get back most of what I spent, less shipping. that means I've got the joy of using that light for awhile for very little net costs.

 

[jrgk75]

I understand that several owners of the L0D-CE & P1D-CE wish a "lower low" level and better beams (without rings).

Do owners of the Luxeon L0D & P1D have the same concerns ?

 

[barkingmad]

There seems little point in the Luxeon versions - it's like buying a last year model car that looks the same but has a new engine that makes it both faster and more MPG but is only slightly more expensive.

From what I have seen the Luxeon versions are still being sold for only about 10% less than the Cree versions - sure the Luxeon is still a great flashlight (compared to what most people use - i.e. Mini M*g etc.) but IMHO it's certainly worth the 'extra'.

 

[LEDninja]

The low on my L0P-SE was not low enough when I tried to view the program at a concert without disturbing the other patrons.
I prefer the warmer colour tint of my luxeon lights. The tint seems to vary more on luxeons than the Crees/Soeuls I got so far (3 L0D-CEs bought between January and May, Electrolumens My Little Friend 3xSSC-P4, 3xCree household bulb).
The 'ringy beam' on the L0D-CE is not that bad. No thick black band as seen in the P1D-CE beamshots. More like the spill light seems to get brighter as you go further away from the hotspot. With the Luxeons the spill light stays even or gets dimmer as you go away from the hotspot. It is weird but you can get used to it.
Of course my L0P-SE/NiMH on high is dimmer than my L0D-CE/10440 on low! The brightness of the L0P-SE/NiMH on default (medium) is maginal but adequate for walking. The L0D-CE/NiMH does not give me that much more throw but the doubling of the spill light allows me to see better outside the hotspot.
There is not that much difference in the price.
L0D-CE $43.50
L0D $39.95 (-3.55)
L0P-SE $34.95 (-8.55)
These are Lighthound list prices. Shipping/discount coupons ignored.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

The Fenix Lights have always been good value for the dollar,
My L1P still turns many heads

 

[cy]

don't count out luxeon lights.... just because Cree/P4 does a better job at putting out more light for current used. this doesn't mean all luxeon lights will stop working.

especially if your luxeon light does an excellent job of putting out plenty of light and you are using li-ion cells going for long time periods between charges.

for instance my ti PD has been my EDC for close to a year. puts out just right amount of light for close up work. running R123 li-ion cells, going months between charges since I use low beam most of the time.

what would I gain by running a SSC P4? ti PD already puts out just right amount of light with nice tint. I could increase re-charge cycle to 4 months instead of two.

recently had the newest ti PD-S mizer in from Don, but decided to sell ti PD-S mizer and keeping my old ti PD with luxeon. don't get me wrong.... I'll be upgrading emitter in my old ti PD to P4 and lowering drive current to mizer levels sometime. but I'm in no hurry... still waiting for new emitters to shake out.

There seems little point in the Luxeon versions - it's like buying a last year model car that looks the same but has a new engine that makes it both faster and more MPG but is only slightly more expensive.

From what I have seen the Luxeon versions are still being sold for only about 10% less than the Cree versions - sure the Luxeon is still a great flashlight (compared to what most people use - i.e. Mini M*g etc.) but IMHO it's certainly worth the 'extra'.

 

[barkingmad]

I think you are arguing my point for me... sure if you already have a Luxeon - keep it - still very good lights.

But... if you were buying new and assuming the price differential was small (~US$4-5) would you go Luxeon or Cree?

If you use primary batteries chances are the cost savings alone would justify it.

 

[Strauss]

I just swapped an SSC P4 in my LOD and got outstanding results! I put in a USVOI from photonfanatic, and since I was already runing it on 10440 li-ion, I am now seeing ~160 lumens out the front on a fresh cell :devil:

 

[Kilovolt]

I have an L0D CE that I keep in my pocket. I use it mainly to look for the keys or when I drop something in the car. My wife loved it and asked if I could buy one also for her, but "I would love it more if it were less bright".

Pronto, she now has an L0D and she's quite happy, she still claims that mine hurts her eyes.

 

[BlackDecker]

I think you are arguing my point for me... sure if you already have a Luxeon - keep it - still very good lights.

But... if you were buying new and assuming the price differential was small (~US$4-5) would you go Luxeon or Cree?

If you use primary batteries chances are the cost savings alone would justify it.

I agree 100%. I won't be throwing away my Fenix L1P, but then if I were to buy something to replace it, I wouldn't buy another Luxeon when a CREE is only a few bucks more.

 

[Windscale]

Now with Cree and Seoul taking over the market, Luxeon is considered outdated. In the flashlight market in Hong Kong we can see lots and lots of Surefire being displayed as 'dead goods' and the UltraFire and Fenix (especially Fenix) models selling like hot potatoes. One day the Cree and Seoul will also give way to something else.

Having said this, the prices of the Surefires are still being kept high. I am sure soon their prices will come down a lot. This is the only way to get rid of these dead goods. Afterall a Luxeon I or III would satisfy those who just wanted an ordinary torch at home or at work. It is much better to get rid of the dead goods making some losses rather than than having them remained as dead goods but occupying a valuable display space.

The same applies to old Fenix with Luxeons. But just for a few bucks sheaper than the Crees, no one would want to know. But if these were about 60% cheaper than the Crees, I am sure they will be sucked up quickly and we will not see these older Luxeon models forever!

 

[fieldops]

I think you are arguing my point for me... sure if you already have a Luxeon - keep it - still very good lights.

But... if you were buying new and assuming the price differential was small (~US$4-5) would you go Luxeon or Cree?

If you use primary batteries chances are the cost savings alone would justify it.

I think this is absolutely correct. I still have many luxeons and will keep many of them. If I were buying new, it would be the Cree all the way. That $5 would be well spent.

 

[BSCOTT1504]

I own the P1D and the P1D-CE..My P1D has a smoother, less ringy beam and the beam is whiter! Runtime isn't as good, and the CE is somewhat brighter, but I like the plain old D better!

 

[Sinjz]

I think it comes down to the whole light. A lot of pseudo flashaholics are now going crazy over the higher output of Crees and Seouls, but if the light isn't build around it properly, it still sucks. Don't get suckered by pure brightness. The P1D vs P1D-CE is a perfect example. The P1D-CE was cobbled together last second to use the Cree, but the whole light was designed for a Luxeon. That's why the P1D-CE has rings. I've even heard people complain about the threads in the P1D-CE. Between the P1D and P1D-CE, I'd go with the P1D. It also comes down to how low you need your low; See Kilovolt's wife's eyes.