which is better olight t20 or the p3d q5 premium?

need help deciding which one to get so id like to hear what all of you think?

I've got both. I like both. I like the OLight slightly better because of the way the brightness is controlled, it's always tightened down. The P3D needs loosened to get the lower ones and tightened to the higher one.

Oh. Buy Both! :twothumbs

Depends on what you like. The User Interfaces differ. The beam patterns differ. Quality is similar. The Olight is slightly larger. Total Light output is similar.

With the Fenix you can select low or turbo before turning the light on (tighten/loosen head slightly). The cycle of intensities goes from low to medium to high (head backed off slightly, tap clickie). On the Olight you have to turn the light on to change settings. It goes from high to low. It remembers the last setting so you can make the light turn on in any brightness. It is slightly harder to change brightness levels (loosen/tighten head for each of 5 levels).

The Fenix beam has a larger spill pattern. The hotspot is larger, less intense and less defined, having a smoother gradient to the spill. It has good throw and good flood characteristics.

The Olight has a very well defined small bright hotspot and a smaller spill, so it is a better "thrower", but not quite as good at flooding an area.

(Note that I have the Olight T15q5 and Fenix P3Dq5. I got the Olight first, then the Fenix and have been using them for a couple of weeks. My preference is leaning toward the Fenix UI and beam pattern at this time, but they are both excellent lights.)

-- Alan

The OLight T20 design reminds me a little of the LongBow Micra.

You can still find the LongBow available at PocketLights. I really like the look, super rugged construction, and deep dive capability, but the out-of-business maker and older technology has held me back from buying it (though it has still been calling to me). Would the OLight T20 be a better choice? Of course, I'd have to forgo taking it on a dive...

Alan B said:

Depends on what you like. The User Interfaces differ. The beam patterns differ. Quality is similar. The Olight is slightly larger. Total Light output is similar.

With the Fenix you can select low or turbo before turning the light on (tighten/loosen head slightly). The cycle of intensities goes from low to medium to high (head backed off slightly, tap clickie). On the Olight you have to turn the light on to change settings. It goes from high to low. It remembers the last setting so you can make the light turn on in any brightness. It is slightly harder to change brightness levels (loosen/tighten head for each of 5 levels).

The Fenix beam has a larger spill pattern. The hotspot is larger, less intense and less defined, having a smoother gradient to the spill. It has good throw and good flood characteristics.

The Olight has a very well defined small bright hotspot and a smaller spill, so it is a better "thrower", but not quite as good at flooding an area.

(Note that I have the Olight T15q5 and Fenix P3Dq5. I got the Olight first, then the Fenix and have been using them for a couple of weeks. My preference is leaning toward the Fenix UI and beam pattern at this time, but they are both excellent lights.)

-- Alan

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Great comparison between the two lights! :goodjob:

well im actually gonna be getting either or from my gf for christmas but im having a hard time deciding which is all around better as in better made, easier to use, which is brighter and what will last longer?

rourtex23 said:

need help deciding which one to get so id like to hear what all of you think?

Click to expand...

What will you use the light for? This may help us give you a better answer. I own both Fenix and Olight and they are both quality lights but are different in their User interface and beam pattern. Telling me what you will use the light for may lend a preference to one light or the other.

um i tech backstage for plays and id like a light that will light up the stage with ease and easy to use. and also for walking at night

rourtex23 said:

um i tech backstage for plays and id like a light that will light up the stage with ease and easy to use. and also for walking at night

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In that case I would go with the Fenix P2D-Q5. It starts in low mode which would probably be perfect for back stage. You can then quickly go to medium and high with a tap of the switch. If that's not enough you have 180 lumens on Turbo. I recommend the Fenix because it has a large spot with good spill. For your application you should be very happy with Fenix's reflector and approach to hotspot vs spill. The Olight has more of a defined spot which throws a little better and in my opinion is more suited to outside applications.

Good Luck.

thanks you very much i think i am gonna go with either the p3d or p2d, and by the way do any of you know how much brighter these flashlights are compared to the inova t3?

rourtex23 said:

thanks you very much i think i am gonna go with either the p3d or p2d, and by the way do any of you know how much brighter these flashlights are compared to the inova t3?

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According to the Inova website, the T3 is a 100 lumen LED by specifications. The P3Dq5 indicates 215 lumens on their web. These numbers are always suspect, but give some idea. Note that doubling the lumens is not a huge difference, however it is definitely noticeable. From these numbers we would expect the T3 to be less bright, but not by a huge amount. (If you are into photography, it is a one f-stop difference). The beam pattern and reflector efficiency make a big difference, so you might want to look for beam photos on CPF.

If you are interested in the P2d, take a look at the 4 in 1 powerpack:

https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_52&products_id=226

This kit is just a few dollars more than the P2D, and it contains the q5 premium LED head, plus two bodies and tailcaps so you can have either the P2Dq5 or the L1Dq5, using a single AA or a single CR123 cell. It also includes a candle-like diffuser and a holster, plus spare O rings, tailcap rubber, and lanyards. There is also a plastic body cap so the unused body can hold the battery it works with, and protect the threads.

At the moment they don't seem to offer the P2Dq5 by itself (actually they do, it is just not listed on the single CR123 page), so this is a good way to get the premium q5 LED head, plus you get the flexibility to use either AA or CR123 cells at a good price.

Note that if you want to use rechargeable RCR123 cells, the P2D will lose the low output levels for some part of the discharge cycle (depending on the voltage of the cells). The P3D works fine with 2xRCR123 cells of any voltage, so it is more rechargeable friendly.

Note also that the L1Dq5 works GREAT with rechargeable NiMH AAs, and using the new Hybrid Low Self Discharge cells (Eneloop et al) is a very nice setup. You can also get a 2xAA body tube (available separately) and have a third power option for this combo. Lots of choices!!!

Note there is also a CPF discount code that will save a few dollars.

-- Alan

Alan B said:

At the moment they don't seem to offer the P2Dq5 by itself...
-- Alan

Click to expand...

:thumbsup:They do offer a Q5 P2D by itself, but that combo package is still an interesting product.

https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=361

rourtex23 said:

need help deciding which one to get so id like to hear what all of you think?

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i have both. i prefer clickies over twisties. for me that's the major deciding factor in acquisition order (when i can afford both out of my budget at the same time) and use.

i don't mind using a twisty like the P1-CE with only ON and OFF. in fact, i EDC one every day on a Victorinox coupling ring fob in my pocket (keys+leatherman+lights).

it's easy enough to turn the light on and off with one hand. the T20 having more lighting modes makes one-handed operation a bit more difficult. the memory feature makes it a bit easier to use, but often i don't want to use the same light level as was last used previously. twisting multiple times within a short time period with one hand, while NOT overly difficult, does sometimes result in "mistakes" since i'm a bit of a klutz. hopefully, you will prove to be more skillful if you go with the T20.

for me it's far easier to click the tail cap multiple times than to twist. the fact that TURBO mode requires a separate twist is largely a non-issue for me. i rarely use it. however, if one requires more of a tactical light, then simply twist the bezel before needing to use the light, so that when it requires rapid deployment it is already in TURBO [+STROBE] mode and only requires a single click for TURBO and a half-press following this for STROBE. simple solution to a simple problem.

if less light is needed, then it's probably NOT an emergency situation and you could easily twist out of TURBO mode back into GENERAL mode before clicking the tail cap. the extra two seconds in this scenario is NOT life threatening and easily accomplished with no duress.


T20 has a wonderful beam pattern though. Also has one additional o.p. (output) level which i find useful for some applications.

all that said, the Fenix P3D-Q5 is my preferred choice - mainly b/c it's a clickie.

the P3D-Q5 also becomes a very different light with much longer burntimes with the purchase of the Fenix-Store 3xCR123A custom body. if you think that you'd be interested in such an upgrade, to my knowledge at this point in time, it only exists for the Fenix light, and not the Olight T20.

if you only get one, you really can't make a bad choice. they are both fine lights.

hope this "take" on the two lights helps some in your selection process.

thank you guys i think im going get the p3d light with the red filter adapter anyone use it?

Nope, not yet, but it's handy on low if you don't want to kill your night vision. I normally just use the low on my T20 Q5, which isn't too low, or the low on my CL-E, which is. It doesn't seem to bother my night vision without a filter. I suspect the P3D is like the T20, you might need the filter.

I use my T20 outdoors a lot and it's beamshape is perfect for me. Normally I use it on level 2 which gives me long runtimes even with AW's RCR's. It's bright enough on high to use as a spot on a stage. That being said, the UI is backwards from what I would like, since I'm on level 2 or 3, if I want to go to high I have to cycle through low. I like the beamshape sufficiently that I'll put up with it.

From what I've been able to gleen from user reports and tests I'll bet that the P3D Q5 will work for you. I'd go for the 2 cell light over the 1 simply for runtime. I don't use primary cells except in an emergency, I use RCR's and they only give 45-60 minutes runtime on high in a single cell light and most of the time I need more than that. I rarely carry spare cells with me and it's nice to not need them. You can use unprotected 17670's in both lights, I don't know how well in the P3D yet, my T20 opens up on level 2 and stays there for about 2 hours. You lose the lower levels but retain the strobe and sos. Works fine for a walking light.

The P3D Q5 is on my shopping list, right after I acquire a Olight T10 Q5 and a T15 Q5.

thank you thats what im gonna get then, thank you to all who have helped me best regards and hope you all have a wonderful christmas