P3D Q5 first impressions

[EV_007]

I decided to try out the new P3D Q5 and I'm not noticing a huge difference in output compared to the P3D CE.

The P3D CE has a smooth reflector and the Q5 is textured. Granted the light should be a bit diffused, but shouldn't the output be noticeably different? I would think the higher rated Q5 would kick butt over the standard CE but I cannot tell the difference. The textured reflector does give a slightly larger hotspot on the white wall test, which is to be expected.

I thought it was a fluke, so I compared it to another Q5 with the textured reflector as well. However, my second sample was a lot warmer (greener) than the other. The lottery still exists in the Q5 as well it appears.

These are good lights, but I was expecting a lot more difference in the output. Does the textured reflector make that much of a difference? The beam itself does not look as diffused compared to the non-textured CE version.

 

[Confederate]

The Fenix people can tell a big difference. Let's see, about ten dollars more per light...yeah, there's a noticable difference. Oh, you mean YOU! Well, I'm sure if you get all the right measuring equipment, you'll probably see the difference. But seriously, how about inside with the lower modes? How about throw? If the sidestream light is roughly the same, or appears the same, it's because the extra light is being dispersed rather than focused. Also, make sure you're in as much darkness as you can. Almost any ambient light can affect the subjective observation.

If the lower modes are appreciably brighter, it still might be worth the dif.

 

[EV_007]

The pics added are of the lights in low mode.

 

[abvidledUK]

The pics added are of the lights in low mode.

I thought the lower modes were roughly equal. Q5 being slightly brighter.

Surely the main comparison should be between the turbo modes ?

 

[SafetyBob]

Your experience is close to what mine was too. I noticed that there was barely any more apparent brightness between the old Cree and Q5. I noticed the green in a L1T I recently got. All of my Cree's have been pretty close to the same white to blue/white color.

I like the Fenix lights, but am examining my first Surefire, A 6PL that I just got tonight at Lowes (all the M@glights were gone except for 3 (I got two of them)). It is very interesting how much thicker the Surefire body is with the 2 CR123's than the Fenix....... I will say that at first examination, the P3D seems to be putting out around the same as the 6PL.....that is until I slap the Malkoff mod into it!!!

Bob E.

 

[EV_007]

I thought the lower modes were roughly equal. Q5 being slightly brighter.

Surely the main comparison should be between the turbo modes ?

The low is slightly brighter and a bit more diffused than the P3D CE version. Both lights on Turbo are barely distinguishable from one another. The hotspot from the Q5 seems a bit larger due to the textured reflector.

The tail end standing and long runtime make these excellent power outage lights.

 

[TodToh]

My L2D CE and L2D Q5 are difficult to notice which is brighter than.
It look quite different in output .
The spec show that the new and the old one are 180 and 135 lm so they should be more different than they were in the white wall.

 

[abvidledUK]

The low is slightly brighter and a bit more diffused than the P3D CE version. Both lights on Turbo are barely distinguishable from one another. The hotspot from the Q5 seems a bit larger due to the textured reflector.

The tail end standing and long runtime make these excellent power outage lights.

That brings us nicely to a previous question of mine.

Is there a real visible difference, on rated lumens that are only up to 40% different ?

And if there is, is it really worth buying a new torch for ?

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=180281

 

[half-watt]

EV,

same experience here. first, ordered TEXTURED Q5's - of several different Fenix models. very nice, but NOT precisely what i would have expected. however, when compared to TEXTURED non-Q5's (P4's, IIRC - sorry, having a senior moment here; my "old-timers" is actin' up), i noticed quite a difference.

try comparing apples-2-apples and see if your experience doesn't more closely line up with what i noticed.

so,...

since i was a tad disappointed with the textured Q5's (i was really interested in a brighter LOW output for long burntime nighttime trekking and owling purposes), i ordered...

some SMOOTH Q5's.

now, there is a noticeable difference between the SMO P4's and the SMO Q5's on ALL lighting levels between the various similar SMO P4's and SMO Q5's.


an apples-2-apples, and oranges-2-oranges comparison reveals these differences - at least to my eye. YMMV, but hopefully, it does not.

I decided to try out the new P3D Q5 and I'm not noticing a huge difference in output compared to the P3D CE.

The P3D CE has a smooth reflector and the Q5 is textured. Granted the light should be a bit diffused, but shouldn't the output be noticeably different? I would think the higher rated Q5 would kick butt over the standard CE but I cannot tell the difference. The textured reflector does give a slightly larger hotspot on the white wall test, which is to be expected.

I thought it was a fluke, so I compared it to another Q5 with the textured reflector as well. However, my second sample was a lot warmer (greener) than the other. The lottery still exists in the Q5 as well it appears.



These are good lights, but I was expecting a lot more difference in the output. Does the textured reflector make that much of a difference? The beam itself does not look as diffused compared to the non-textured CE version.

 

[EV_007]

True, an apples to apples would be more accurate than an apples to orange, or shall I say orange (peel) would be more scientific, however, since all my SureFires are of the orange variety, I was hoping for the sweetness to transfer over.

 

[half-watt]

True, an apples to apples would be more accurate than an apples to orange, or shall I say orange (peel) would be more scientific, however, since all my SureFires are of the orange variety, I was hoping for the sweetness to transfer over.

hear yah. agreed. those SF OP reflectors do sure produce a very nice beam pattern while still maintaining very decent throw.

 

[heztai]

My gf just bought me a fenix P3D CE with XR-E 160 lumens 6 output with OP for my birthday. Wow I am pretty impressed with this light. I am a LEO and I have a wolf eyes defender, pelican 7060, and pelican M6 with HO-9 drop in...man, I didn't expect this light to be this bright and have this kind of quality.

She doesn't know much about flashlight and she worried that she got my the wrong light...well, I went back to the store and check out the P3D Q5 thinking, damn, she should have got me the Q5 instead. So I talked to the store clerk and compared the P3D CE and the Q5...the CE is about 10 bucks CDN more than the Q5...hmm, why's that... (no idea) and so I turned the light on to see it visually. To my surprise, I find that the CE version is brighter than the Q5 version, and that the beam colour is much nicer and less green than the Q5, despite that the Q5 is suppose to be 45 lumens brighter than the CE.

 

[techwg]

Talking from experience, i have both P3D CE and P3D Q5, and the Q5 is brighter but the light is dispersed over a larger area thus making it more useful. You could only do this and kep good light if the led is brighter (which the Q5 has done nicely). You can not compare the two lights based on low power mode. you use low and medium and its like "ehh i guess its better maybe" but you get to comparing high and turbo and you are like "wow its wider, its a bit brighter, and the spill is fantastic". You should be very happy with the Q5, as i.

 

[Timson]

I've already posted about my P3D-Q5 experience ....but just to add to this thread.

I have one of the first regualr P3D (O/P) lights.

I've been real pleased with it and fancied mounting 2 on my bike together.
When the Q5 premium (O/P) came out I jumped at it and ordered one.

They're both O/P reflectors with fresh batteries - so a fair comparison.

My experience was that the Q5 was noticeably dimmer than the regular model ....by about the amount that I expected see the Q5 to be brighter than the regular one - if you see what I mean.
The Q5 has a smaller hot spot too.

I could have lived with a little or even no improvement - but to see a lower output has left me diassapointed.

Can't post a picture right now .....but I have one which clearly illustrates what the eye sees. Will try and get round to posting it when I can access my photo's.




Tim

 

[Timson]

OK - managed to get a picture...Its from my phone, so not great quality, but it makes the point reasonably well.

Guess which one is the Q5 ...........

Tim

 

[Ice]

Even though a more yellow colour (which I would prefere by the way!) seems to be dimmer, that definitely is not ok!

Could it be that Cree actually has made no improvements on LEDs in the last half year at all and that there were all the bins (up to Q5) from the beginning and the only thing that changed is that the LEDs are being devided into different bins now? In that case you could have gotten a Q5 without knowing it and compare that to a "new" Q5 at the lower end...