Led Lenser M5 & P5

[carl8190]

Hi guys i have about 15 torches from e01's up to eagletacs m2c4.
I must say this my led lenser p3 impresses me still with its optics and how bright it is for its size ect which is all down to the optics. My question is though does anyone know much about the M5 from led lenser I was looking at the p5 but thought maybe the M5 may be better since it has modes and regulation? Can you gues tell me the runtimes of the m5 and the p3 and which one you would go for and why?
I would apriciate any help.
Btw this would just be a torch to have some fun with

 

[mcnair55]

Re: Led Lenser M5

Carl,

Tells you all you need to know at:

www.zweibrueder.com just select the english version.

BTW the Led Lenser K3 is even smaller and brighter,just bought one great light.

 

[carl8190]

Re: Led Lenser M5

Why is the p5 so expensive its only 1 mode and not regulated?

 

[John_Galt]

Because that is the price point Coast/LLEnser can sell it at to un-knowing sheeple who know nothing of the much better lights available.

 

[carl8190]

They do have amazing optics that make them very bright! What are the regulated lensers like?

 

[Ragiska]

They do have amazing optics that make them very bright! What are the regulated lensers like?

optics don't make them brighter, they just give them high lux. lux and lumens are not the same thing!!

 

[Locoboy5150]

What are the regulated lensers like?

Does LED Lenser make any regulated flashlights?

One of the things that I don't like about their lights is that they recommend use of alkaline batteries exclusively to do the "regulation" via their lousy current flow capacity. Lights that can't handle LSD NiMh rechargeable batteries are definite no-nos in my book.

 

[carl8190]

I use eneloop in my lenser p3 works fine. The lenser m5 is the new p5 but its regulated with high and low and strobe. Anyone know if its any good?

 

[mcnair55]

Does LED Lenser make any regulated flashlights?

One of the things that I don't like about their lights is that they recommend use of alkaline batteries exclusively to do the "regulation" via their lousy current flow capacity. Lights that can't handle LSD NiMh rechargeable batteries are definite no-nos in my book.

Yes and guess what?,they also sell there own make battery.I lived in Berlin for a couple of years in the mid 2000,s and understand the German way better than most,let us say Led Lenser are very clever.Many retail and trade outlets in Germany and here in the UK only sell Led Lenser they have huge market shares with very smart display cabinets with buy me written all over them.Love em or hate em there marketing is top notch.There web site is good as well

 

[Ragiska]

The lenser m5 is the new p5 but its regulated with high and low and strobe. Anyone know if its any good?

where in the literature does it say it's regulated?

 

[carl8190]

this auction i saw it and the description makes it sound like it 88 lumens contant output
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LED-Lenser-M5...ing_LightsLanternsTorches?hash=item439c3c1484
"The M5 is among the most economical of light sources. With only one inexpensive standard AA battery, this flashlight provides many hours of ultra-bright light (88 lumens) – thanks to its microcontroller-operated Smart Light Technology, which also makes the M5 extremely user-friendly and easy to handle. – What's your idea of a bright solution?"

 

[mcnair55]

this auction i saw it and the description makes it sound like it 88 lumens contant output
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LED-Lenser-M5...ing_LightsLanternsTorches?hash=item439c3c1484
"The M5 is among the most economical of light sources. With only one inexpensive standard AA battery, this flashlight provides many hours of ultra-bright light (88 lumens) – thanks to its microcontroller-operated Smart Light Technology, which also makes the M5 extremely user-friendly and easy to handle. – What's your idea of a bright solution?"

Switch i think they mean but let the experts say other.I have given you the makers web address have a look,i cannot find anything about regulation on there.

 

[Ragiska]

this auction i saw it and the description makes it sound like it 88 lumens contant output
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LED-Lenser-M5...ing_LightsLanternsTorches?hash=item439c3c1484
"The M5 is among the most economical of light sources. With only one inexpensive standard AA battery, this flashlight provides many hours of ultra-bright light (88 lumens) – thanks to its microcontroller-operated Smart Light Technology, which also makes the M5 extremely user-friendly and easy to handle. – What's your idea of a bright solution?"

1) yeah, an ebay auction is a valid source of info :laughing:
2) nowhere does that statement imply regulation. they are referencing a chip in the tailcap which gives it modes, which is a huge step up from their usual design of simply using drop resistors in the tailcap.

 

[John_Galt]

When you say regulated, do you mean multimode?

Un (non?) regulated lights are capable of having multimode through the use of switches that channel the current through various resistors. Multi-mode does not automatically mean regulated. I'm 99.99% sure that Coast/LED Lenser does not make any truly regulated flashlights.

Coast/LL lights use specific battery arrays and resistors to power their lights. They specifically state that their lights are only meant to use alkaline batteries; forbidding the use of Ni-MH, Ni-Cd, Li, and Li-ion. This is because of a few very important reasons:
1) they require alkaline use ONLY, because of the nature of alkaline cells. An alky AA or AAA may have a nominal voltage of 1.5v, but under any load over 1-200mA's, that voltage will sag to 1-1.25v. Knowing this, Coast lights use specific battery arrays (ie: 3 and 4 AA or AAA, in alkaline) to limit the current and voltage to the LED, through the internal resistance of the cells, and the resistor. Coast/LL's lights don't have a driver board to limit or manipulate current and voltage to the LED's. They rely solely upon an archaic, but common cell type to keep their lights from breaking.

2) Limited heatsinking. Most of the focusing Coast/LL lights I have seen apart have very limited heat-sinking capability. Therefore, combined with the lack of regulation, Coast has to limit batter type's, as stated above, to keep the current to their lights relatively low, to keep from frying the LED's in short order.

You say you have had no problems using Ni-MH's in your Coast/LL lights. Good, so have many others. But, just to let you know... Coast doesn't honor warranties on lights that they believe have been used with Ni-MH batteries...

 

[carl8190]

Ok im put off buying the p5 now haha

 

[kramer5150]

When you say regulated, do you mean multimode?

Un (non?) regulated lights are capable of having multimode through the use of switches that channel the current through various resistors. Multi-mode does not automatically mean regulated. I'm 99.99% sure that Coast/LED Lenser does not make any truly regulated flashlights.

Coast/LL lights use specific battery arrays and resistors to power their lights. They specifically state that their lights are only meant to use alkaline batteries; forbidding the use of Ni-MH, Ni-Cd, Li, and Li-ion. This is because of a few very important reasons:
1) they require alkaline use ONLY, because of the nature of alkaline cells. An alky AA or AAA may have a nominal voltage of 1.5v, but under any load over 1-200mA's, that voltage will sag to 1-1.25v. Knowing this, Coast lights use specific battery arrays (ie: 3 and 4 AA or AAA, in alkaline) to limit the current and voltage to the LED, through the internal resistance of the cells, and the resistor. Coast/LL's lights don't have a driver board to limit or manipulate current and voltage to the LED's. They rely solely upon an archaic, but common cell type to keep their lights from breaking.

2) Limited heatsinking. Most of the focusing Coast/LL lights I have seen apart have very limited heat-sinking capability. Therefore, combined with the lack of regulation, Coast has to limit batter type's, as stated above, to keep the current to their lights relatively low, to keep from frying the LED's in short order.

You say you have had no problems using Ni-MH's in your Coast/LL lights. Good, so have many others. But, just to let you know... Coast doesn't honor warranties on lights that they believe have been used with Ni-MH batteries...

... http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=219121

CPF'ers continually use NiMH cells with these lights and continue to have success in doing so. But that does not erase the fact that LL recommends against it.

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

Ok im put off buying the p5 now haha

I'm the opposite. So much doth the supposedly learned few protest that it makes me want to go right out and get one and while I'm at it run it on some Eneloops just for good measure. London to a brick that I never have to make a claim against this allegedly un-honoured warranty..........

 

[gswitter]

I'm 99.99% sure that Coast/LED Lenser does not make any truly regulated flashlights.

The P5 (and I imagine the M5) is regulated.

I don't know how well it's regulated, but it's an XR-E powered by a single AA, so there's at least a boost converter in there.

 

[Ragiska]

The P5 (and I imagine the M5) is regulated.

I don't know how well it's regulated, but it's an XR-E powered by a single AA, so there's at least a boost converter in there.

a boost circuit is NOT regulation. they are two completely different things.

 

[defloyd77]

optics don't make them brighter, they just give them high lux. lux and lumens are not the same thing!!

Well technically an optic can make it brighter than a reflector setup as optics are more efficient, but I don't know how efficient LL's focusing optics are.