P3D-CE not that bright.

[rizky_p]

Just got my Fenix P3D-CE and kind off disappointed :shrug:, i guess 160 lumens doesn't give me that wow if you are used to Cree Flashlight. Make me wondering will P3D-CE Rebel 100 amazed me similar when the first time I switch on my first Cree flashlight?

Thanks.

 

[WadeF]

Did you put it on Turbo? What other cree flashlights are you comparing it to? Try bouncing them all off a white cieling (one at a time) and see which one lights up the room the most.

 

[paulr]

The P3D is pretty close to the most output you're going to get from a 1-led light anytime soon. The Rebel 100 version will be a few percent brighter but you won't notice the difference except with a side by side comparison. If you want want more reach you can go to something like a Tiablo A8 which will put a much brighter spot on the wall, by focusing the beam narrower (big reflector). If you want more total output you'll have to go to multiple leds, hotwire, or HID.

 

[rizky_p]

Did you put it on Turbo? What other cree flashlights are you comparing it to? Try bouncing them all off a white cieling (one at a time) and see which one lights up the room the most.

I have several other Fenix light(see signature) and several cheap flahslight, and compared to cheap Ultrafire 602D with single rcr123 is not much brighter(barely noticable) of course fenix has much much beter regulation than cheap ultrafire and better quality overall but for 61.5 dollar that i paid for P3D-CE is not worth the money IMHO. I loves L2D-CE or P1-CE better for cheaper price.

For thrower i dont have the much more expensive and better build Tiablo A8 or MRV but I am preaty please with my Eastward YJ and 3w Cree projection from DX. Will probably get Tiablo A9 when the price falls down a bit.

I guess i am expecting to much from P3D-CE.

i'll try celling bouncing as you adviced

Thanks.

 

[techwg]

Looks like you already got a P2D CE, theres no wow factor from going to a P3D CE, its better and you can tell, but you dont get a "wow" effect.

 

[datiLED]

Now that the Q5 LED's are starting to show up for sale, you can swap emitters for a little added "WOW" factor. Unless you have a Q2 LED in your light, you should notice a decent increase in brightness.

 

[timcodes]

I have a fenix p2d-ce from and another p2d-ce modded to q5, there is significant difference. My lux measurement in the center from 1 meter says 550 compared to 850 on the q5.

 

[WadeF]

I have several other Fenix light(see signature) and several cheap flahslight, and compared to cheap Ultrafire 602D with single rcr123 is not much brighter(barely noticable) of course fenix has much much beter regulation than cheap ultrafire and better quality overall but for 61.5 dollar that i paid for P3D-CE is not worth the money IMHO.

I think I got my original P3D for closer to $50. I have the Ultrafire 602D and that little sucker does put out a lot of light. However, it only has one mode, full power. It heats up pretty fast due to its small size and how hard they are driving the LED. The P3D can give you over 65 hours of runtime on LOW with primaries, something the 602D won't do. So the P3D gives you different modes, good regulation, slightly better construction and quality, etc. I would say my P3D is twice the light my 602D is as far as all the features and build quality. So I think the price is justified. Most people will tell you Fenix lights are a great value for the money. Saying it's over priced is kinda silly.

 

[techwg]

if a Q5 comes out, i will beat people down to get one!!!

 

[Windscale]

You should consider checking the turbo mode of your P3D CE. I have one and it is bright. Not as bright as the UF F1 Rebel but bright as compared to Lux III.
May be you can consider measure the turbo output using an incident light meter such as my Sekonic. Your must also only do this in the dark.

 

[yellow]

what current does the led in the Rebel versions see?
or, what current is in the "normal" P2D / P3D Models?
imho (as far as I remember) they all run on more or less 750 mA and thus none of them will be as bright as a real mod running @ 1 A.

(My P4 Cree / Flupic with the 19 mm McR reflector ist by far my brightest led light. Much better than the Q2 / Flupic w. 17 mm McR-XR.
Would be very surprised if any 750 mA @ led light can be this bright)

 

[PegAir]

You can only use so much light in an indoor setting. At some point more light just doesn't quite seem any better. Go out into a very dark area, like camping far from the city, and you really notice the difference.

Two cases in point ..

I could never really see a difference between the MagLed 2AA and 3AA despite the 50% increase in lumence. Then one very dark night I was out playing with them trying to light up something 150ft away. The 2AA just wouldn't reach, but the 3AA lit the area up nicely, well enough for me to see people, or cat sized animals. I was impressed.

Just recently I went out with the L2D-CE on a moonless night and tried turbo in the same location. I was like .. WOW! The throwie [sic] nature of the 3AA makes it reach out as far with less lumens, but the L2D lit up the whole area very very brightly.

 

[rizky_p]

Isn't it hard to swap emitter in Fenix Head? from some of the guide it is not modder friendly. Could anyone recommends me to try swap the emitter?

 

[musicalfruit]

Yeah, I just tried Li-Ion on my L1D and it's suppose to be 120 lumens on Li-Ion as opposed to 70 lumens on NiMH but it doesn't seem that much brighter to me. Of course, this is indoors so perhaps I'll feel differently when it's dark outside.

 

[MattK]

The P3D is pretty close to the most output you're going to get from a 1-led light anytime soon...

Uhhhh not quite. There's a number of brighter single emitter lights.

 

[Wassernaut]

Uhhhh not quite. There's a number of brighter single emitter lights.

I agree with this 100%! I have a P3D and I love it - but - I also have an UltraFire C2 3W which beats the ****ens out of the P3D in brightness and throw, and also an UltraFire 3W Projection which blows both of them away . . . . with a single LED. - Larry

 

[MattK]

Yup, never mind the big dogs like the LumaPower MRV and M1, the Tiablo A8 and A9...shall I go on?

 

[Curious_character]

I agree with this 100%! I have a P3D and I love it - but - I also have an UltraFire C2 3W which beats the ****ens out of the P3D in brightness and throw, and also an UltraFire 3W Projection which blows both of them away . . . . with a single LED. - Larry

You can always increase the throw by tighter focusing. But about all I hear anybody speculating about is the lumen output, which has nothing to do with focus. Once you run an LED at its maximum rated current, the only way you'll get more lumens is to:

1. Reduce the loss in the reflector and lens. Most seem to run on the order of 25% total, so you could theoretically gain that much. In practice, you might be able to gain 10 or 15%, but I'm not an expert on optical materials so don't know for sure.
2. Overdrive the LED. A few light manufacturers do this.
3. Put in a more efficient LED.

That's is. That's all you've got to work with if you want more lumens. Of course there's also marketing magic, but sorry, I only deal with reality, so I'll leave that aspect for someone else to explain.

The P3D is running the emitter at near maximum current. More efficient emitters have been made available since the P3D introduction, but not spectacularly so. So which of the above do you credit for making other lights a lot brighter?

c_c

 

[MattK]

c_c - the P3D is nominally 3W, 656mA according to LED museum. The Cree is rated for a maximum current of 1A so the P3D is not being run near maximum current - it's ~ 30% below maximum on Turbo because a light that size does not have the mass to dissipate the heat generated at the higher current levels.

A LumaPower M1 delivers 750mA on high to the emittter. More ouput and within spec for the emitter.

A LumaPower MRV delivers 1A on high to the emittter. More ouput and within/at spec for the emitter.

The Tiablo A8 delivers 1A on high to the emittter. More ouput and within/at spec for the emitter.

The Tiablo A9 also delivers 1A on high to the emittter. More ouput and within/at spec for the emitter which in this case is a Q5 which emits 107 L at 350mah compared to the 80.6 at 350 that the P4 in the P3d CE uses.

Lastly, one could fairly easily make the argument that a P3D is 'over-driven' given it's thermal mass. There must be a reason Fenix suggest limited runtime on Turbo...

 

[Nitro]

The Tiablo A8 also delivers 1A on high to the emittter. More ouput and within/at spec for the emitter which in this case is a Q5 which emits 107 L at 350mah compared to the 80.6 at 350 that the P4 in the P3d CE uses.

You mean the A9. :thumbsup: