NiteCore D20 vs. Fenix LD20 Premium Q5

[snatiep]

Hello Everyone!

I was just about to press the order button when some of you here on this site turned me on to the NiteCore flashlights.

If you all had to choose from either the NiteCore D20 or the Fenix LD20 Premium Q5, which one would you choose and why?

This will be my first pro flashlight purchase and I want to make sure I'm getting the best one.

I sure appreciate all of your help and opinions!

Nate

 

[michaelmcgo]

I have a Nitecore D20 and absolutely love it. It took a couple of weeks to grow on my (I didn't like it at first), but now it has replaced my JETBeam JET-III as my EDC. I own a Fenix L2t and a P3D, but the Nitecore fit and finish are far supurior. I also like the simplicity of the UI of the Nitecore. It let's me select the level I want and also provides a very low low setting which is very nice in the morning and at night when my eyes hurt from bright lights. The D20 also has a very smooth beam pattern if that matters at all to you. My P3D was very ringy, but it doesn't bother me much. I like a flashlight for it's useablity and durability, of which the D20 excels at both.

 

[9x23]

snatiep,

I own a Nitecore D20 and a Fenix L2D Premium 100 (not the LD20 you are inquiring about) and would say that fit and finish are excellent on both, but the D20 feels more heavy duty due to it's weight/heft. However, whether it really is or not I'm not sure since I've never really dropped or abused either. Both have worked reliably but I've only had the D20 for about a month while I've had the L2d for about 18 months. My first D20 has excellent fit and finish, and I found the beam to be superb, without any cree rings. The beam was almost as nice as an Aleph 19 using McGizmo's reflector. I was so impressed that I bought another one but the second one had a beam with so many artifacts/rings it looked nothing like the first one. Kind of surprising regarding consistency since the fit and finish was excellent just like the first one. I am saving that one for modding with an R bin once more emitters become available.

Both user interfaces are different but I think each work well once you get use to it. Personally, for me I prefer the D20 since I like the user interface and the feel/heft of the light, plus the stainless steel bezel ring is pretty cool too! Selfbuilt has a great detailed review of the D20 as well as a great comparison of many of the 2AA lights in the Reviews section. You should really read those since Selfbuilt puts a great deal of time & effort into those reviews, AND they are extremely informative and well done.

Look here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=214890
and here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=210904

BTW look in the "good deals" forum and see the post regarding the D20 coupon code. I just tried the code as I write this post and it still works. Good luck!
Look here:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=188325

9x23

 

[snatiep]

Wow! Thanks so much 9x23 for the coupon code!

I just ordered both the NiteCore D20 and the Fenix L2D CE.

I wasn't going to order the L2D, but for $37 I figured I may as well!

Thanks again!

Now I want to start looking for a small single AA flashlight.

 

[jblackwood]

Wow! Thanks so much 9x23 for the coupon code!

I just ordered both the NiteCore D20 and the Fenix L2D CE.

I wasn't going to order the L2D, but for $37 I figured I may as well!

Thanks again!

Now I want to start looking for a small single AA flashlight.

You can't go wrong with the Nitecore D10, as long as you don't mind taking the light apart once and lubing it properly. I've got three of them! Make sure you get the clip if you're going to carry it in your pants pocket, it helps keep things organized.

 

[Riverwind]

Hi!. I have a Fenix L2D Q5, and since I used it for the first time, I thought it would be very difficult to find any better AA flashlight. It has all I need...long runtime, excellent and solid building, light weight, small size, wonderful beam and brightness, perfectly balanced between throw and spill, and a pure white tint... I love it! :thumbsup:

I don't know the Nitecore D20, but as I have my Fenix L2D Q5, I don't want to. The shorter Nitecore D20 runtimes should be enough to think the Fenix is much better IMHO.

 

[9x23]

Wow! Thanks so much 9x23 for the coupon code!

I just ordered both the NiteCore D20 and the Fenix L2D CE.

I wasn't going to order the L2D, but for $37 I figured I may as well!

Thanks again!

Now I want to start looking for a small single AA flashlight.

Glad I could be of help. After all, we are all here to help each other feed the habit!

9x23

 

[CdBoy]

Hello Everyone!

I was just about to press the order button when some of you here on this site turned me on to the NiteCore flashlights.

If you all had to choose from either the NiteCore D20 or the Fenix LD20 Premium Q5, which one would you choose and why?

This will be my first pro flashlight purchase and I want to make sure I'm getting the best one.

I sure appreciate all of your help and opinions!

Nate

LD20 is something to think about. not so expensive and quality is definitely good to booT! got mine last week. no regrets

 

[palomino77]

where can I go to in San antonio texas any store to buy fenix or nitcore flashlights

 

[tsask]

where can I go to in San antonio texas any store to buy fenix or nitcore flashlights

Lighthound is in Texas, "Pearland?"

of course 4 Sevens and Lighthound are online.

 

[Ctrain]

Nitecore D10 R2 with Clip - End of story! :rock:

Wow! Thanks so much 9x23 for the coupon code!

I just ordered both the NiteCore D20 and the Fenix L2D CE.

I wasn't going to order the L2D, but for $37 I figured I may as well!

Thanks again!

Now I want to start looking for a small single AA flashlight.

 

[tennisplyr3]

I always thought that Fenix was the king of efficiency... :confused: I'd go with the Fenix, personally.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

You can't go wrong with the Nitecore D10, as long as you don't mind taking the light apart once and lubing it properly. I've got three of them! Make sure you get the clip if you're going to carry it in your pants pocket, it helps keep things organized.

Hi. I'm new here (also have a raging knife habbit so I don't plan on spending too much time and money here and on lights!:devil:) and also new to high end lights in general, so please forgive the littering of technical misnomers. I just ordered a Fenix PD20, however I also just discovered that the Nitecore D10 is available to me up here in Canada. So I'm thinking about flipping the Fenix and replacing it with the Nitecore. Mainly for the more adjustible beam strength and its capacity for a very low low. It'll be used for camping alot and I've read that even the PD20's lowest setting at 9 lumens is a bit intense for close-up usage and can wreak havoc with my night vision.

So my question is regarding jblackwood's comment about disassembling and lubing the Nitecore. I've never heard about lubricating flashlights. What specifically needs to be lubed and what kinds of lubes are recommended? Thanks so much for your help... and sorry for raising the dead with this old post.

 

[KarlMaldensNose]

Found the answer myself.

 

[jeeves]

I love, love, love my D20, however, I have trouble recommending Nitecore because of the issue mine has. It seems the spacing inside (batteries, piston, spring... Something) changes and the light will only work in momentary mode.

After some tinkering, I made a 'spacer' that takes up the " Mystery slack" and the light works as designed.

I call it "Mystery slack" because after sitting on my night stand for a month, the light suddenly started activating differently. I took out the spacer and everything was back to normal. About two weeks after I removed the spacer, the light once again began working in Momentary only. I replaced the spacer and the light started working properly again.
I don't pretend to understand what's happening, but I've found a solution.
The only reason I Don't highly recommend Nitecore is because of the brainstorming and tinkering I've had to (that most people wouldn't want/know how to) do. Otherwise, It's a great light with a great UI, beam profile, and fit/finish to match.

 

[fannin]

i don't have a d20 but i have a d10 and an ld20+, i went for the ld20 over the d20 and others when i bought a 2xaa light

i mainly use the d10 around the house because of its smooth floody beam and very nice low (makes me want to get a quark aa2 for that low). if the low on the d20 is like this and you like that then maybe go d20 because the ld20 low is blinding if you wake up in the night and use it. i like the feel of the piston but the ramping seems too abrupt sometimes. sometimes it's seemed that the ramping was not working quite right.

i did not like d20 because of its size and weight and that i heard the ld20 was brighter than it, it is also smaller and lighter. the d10 was the smallest and lightest 1xaa light i could find which was why i bought it but the d20 was one of the biggest 2xaa i had seen. it did not appeal. i like light weight over bulk, ymmv

my nitecore (d10) came from the factory with chips and scratches on the finish and a shredded lanyard, my ld20 came flawless (apart from bone dry threads). build quality is nice on both, the d10 is smoother but that's probably because it has some lube. i did not like the fact that the d10 didn't come with a sheath, for £50 some cheap nylon would be nice, (i don't know if the d20 comes with a holster or not)

i've had the d10 about a year and the ld20 only a few weeks but so far happy with the quality of both.