Your view on Led Lenser David Series

I was looking at both these torches today one being the David 19 and the other being the David 15. Out of the two I tried the 15 was slightly cheaper but again slightly less powerful. Both torches were nice and their beams were quite good quality, though hard to test as the shop was all lit up. Though non of them had focusing beams but really this was no big issue for me, as my Led Lenser Tactical Focus (Hocus Focus 7438).

I would personally buy something else for the money you spend because they are using old tec leds.

my "view":
if Fenix had checkering, there were no point at all, where Lenser were equal.
So there is one point Lenser is better.
If one thinks that checkering on the body is the prime important point in a flashlight, then they are to look at.

PS: ok, they are also "better" in price - for the seller
so two points for Led Lenser

yellow said:

my "view":
if Fenix had checkering, there were no point at all, where Lenser were equal.
So there is one point Lenser is better.
If one thinks that checkering on the body is the prime important point in a flashlight, then they are to look at.

PS: ok, they are also "better" in price - for the seller
so two points for Led Lenser

Click to expand...

Sorry I dont quite get what your trying to say, eg. "checkering"

So you do reccomend the David series ?

I used the david 15 for a while at work every day inside

unlit truck trailers on swingshift to read labels on palletized freight.

Liked the the small size which I could hold in my mouth if needed to read

and work at the same time. Fairly bright for a single AA light at the time

(about a year ago before cree et al) Saw the single cr123 version of led

lenser at sportsmans and tried one out. Liked the brighter beam, it fit in

my pocket just as well as the 15, can hold in my mouth if needed and

eventually got rechargeable batteries in lieu of sf boxes of one dozen

batteries since I use it daily most of the time. Have dropped both lights

several times and sent the cr123 version through the wash machine with

no ill effects.

I bought them because at the time, nothing else was really available at

the stores. Yes, they are a little over priced and over marketed. No,

I don't know why so many people hate the lights. Would recommend one

with one caveat- if someone comes out with a single AA cree at the

stores it would probably be as bright or brighter than my cr123 and I'd

probably have to get one. Technology keeps moving forward and

tempting gearheads and flashaholics.

The plastic lens of the david 15 is pretty much so small and deeply

recessed I don't see how anyone could clean or polish it once it gets

scratched. The cr123 is a little fatter and way less recessed but I've

so far been only able to polish it and not able to polish/clean the small

scratches out of the lens. It is still bright enough though for my needs.

I have the "David 19" or DigiTac II.

The body is nicely machined, and has fine checkering (about 30 lines per in) on the barrel. Grips nicely.

Output from 1 AA power is good, and the "collimator" gives it a narrow cone, with very little side spill. Pretty good throw - although probably not as good as the equivalent Fenix. Decent value at the price, about $32 from Amazon. They claim ten hours at 39 lumens.

It has a boost circuit with regulated current. A clicky switch on the tail, partially depressing momentarily switches it on. It appears to me that the "David" name comes from the current president of Coast Cutlery, perhaps his design input. This light is Chinese, but well constructed.

See:

http://www.nteinc.com/coast/pdf/Coast_LED_Catalog.pdf

====this is my reply from another thread====

-hey guys... i posted something about a coast light i bought on a different thread somewhere else... but i bought the Coast LL7847 DigiTac II... i love it. it uses a single AA battery and uses a collimated lens. it is ~42-45 lumens and supposedly lasts for 10.5 hours... my SOLE purpose for buying this light was to use it as an emergency light so i keep it in my glove box in my truck. it is tiny, about 4 inches long, has a rather small but still usable push button endcap, and the led is beautiful rose tint. the color is definitely warmer than any other leds i've seen and i appreciate it. the downside is that it cost me $40... but, i bought it on recommendation from Wired Test magazine after it won a must have gadget of the year. i can't say i would buy another one over a fenix or another similar quality light, but i'm glad i have it in my collection.-

i do say the digitacII (david 19) is fun to have and for a single AA light, it is rather impressive.

They're decent enough. Better if you mod it with an LED that isn't 5 years old technology. The 10 hours runtime is a flat out lie.
I'd rather spend my money on something else as well; like a Photon Proton. There are tons of great lights that will be showing up in the next month or so.

JCup said:

I have the "David 19" or DigiTac II.

The body is nicely machined, and has fine checkering (about 30 lines per in) on the barrel. Grips nicely.

Output from 1 AA power is good, and the "collimator" gives it a narrow cone, with very little side spill. Pretty good throw - although probably not as good as the equivalent Fenix. Decent value at the price, about $32 from Amazon. They claim ten hours at 39 lumens.

It has a boost circuit with regulated current. A clicky switch on the tail, partially depressing momentarily switches it on. It appears to me that the "David" name comes from the current president of Coast Cutlery, perhaps his design input. This light is Chinese, but well constructed.

See:

http://www.nteinc.com/coast/pdf/Coast_LED_Catalog.pdf

Click to expand...

I really wouldn't say the light is Chinese but more so like Led Lenser is a German company but builds it torches in China, but I've never known where that name David came from, perhaps David and Golliath :laughing:

Some further Q's:

1. What brand LED does the David 19 use and can I swap it with a better
LED without any mods, i.e just a clean swap ?

2. I dont believe the beam is focusable true ?
3. Is it ok to use a Eneloop with these ?
4. How many watts in the LED in it ?
5. Is this torch more powerful than a Mag AA Led (mini mag) ?

David Brands is the president of the company.

Went to high school a year ahead of him in the 70s. Maybe it is named after him but not sure about it.

Albinoni said:

I really wouldn't say the light is Chinese but more so like Led Lenser is a German company but builds it torches in China, but I've never known where that name David came from, perhaps David and Golliath :laughing:

Click to expand...

IIRC, the owner/CEO of Coast is David C. Brands.

Perhaps he inspired the David series...

Zweibruder Optoelectronics has the trademark "LED Lenser"

This German company has been a pioneering company in LED lighting.

http://www.zweibrueder.com/english/
Note that this "David 19" is not shown in their extensive catalog of flashlights...

Coast Products of Portland Oregon distributes and markets the LED Lenser stuff in the US. They used to be Coast Cutlery. They have big market channels developed to retail outlets like Target stores, and have moved a ton of these flashlights for a long time (10 yrs or so?).

The package for this product clearly says "made in China".

It appears there is some other type of joint venture with Coast involved with the Chinese Production:

http://www.coastcutlery.com/files/pressReleases/NewFacilityRelease.pdf

But anyway the "David 19" or model '7847 DigiTac II' is a pretty nice light.

I would agree the 10.5 hour claim cannot be right.

It seems to have a regulated output, though. I might have burned mine an hour. No dimming yet. Maybe there is only a voltage boost and the light will dim to a glow in a linear drop, or maybe the regulation drops off after a few hours...(there must be another thread measuring on here).

Output is about the same as the Fenix LOD-CE Q4 on high, but the beam pattern is a bit tighter, and very little spill around the primary cone. Coast also claims this light is "shockproof and water resistant" and they offer a "lifetime guarantee" against materials and workmanship upon return with a $5 handling fee. See:

http://www.coastcutlery.com/customerService.php

So at about $40, this seems to be a pretty fair deal. For putting in the glove box with an alkaline AA and forgetting it, not bad. You could likely get a DX light for about half the money, though...

Your questions, Albioni

1. What brand LED does the David 19 use and can I swap it with a better
LED without any mods, i.e just a clean swap ? Don't know.
2. I dont believe the beam is focusable true ? no focal adjust
3. Is it ok to use a Eneloop with these ? Surely.
4. How many watts in the LED in it ? I'm guessing 1 W
5. Is this torch more powerful than a Mag AA Led (mini mag) ? Don't know

David 15 (Digi-Tac I). My first 1AA Luxeon, bought it at Fry's Electronics. It's not TOO too shabby. Pretty good initial brightness. Unfortunately, it's build quality is quite shabby (managed to dent the head after a small drop onto the edge of a table, and there is no regulation circuit at all, the brightness drops quite quickly, regular alkaline discharge curve). Both the David 15 and David 19 use the same circuit. Check out the runtime graph HERE: http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/ledlenser_d15.htm

According to FLR,(Coast round up)

1. Luxeon I, probably moddable but looks hard.
2. No focus adjustment
3. Yes it will be fine
4. Numbers say around 1 watt
5. Less throw and less overall output then both MinimagLEDs.

I modded my david 15/coast from sears,I tried a lux 3 ,not much different,then a seoul p4,still not much brighter.Its a simple emitter swap.Not to bad,i have a new driver from dx 1.5 v driven at 500ma.That should help.Would i do it all over,probably not.But Im in this far,,,sooooooo.I can update you in a few weeks and see how the upgrade goes.I like the size and forward clicky.Mine is pretty well built!