Fenix P3D's

Cohiba007

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Feb 8, 2008
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Orlando FL
Hello all
I have an older Fenix P3D that I love. The other day I ordered the premium P3D with the Q5. I thought that it was supposed to be brighter, whiter light. Actually, it seems to be the same brightness and it has has a much more yellow beam. What gives?
 

Fooboy

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Nov 4, 2007
Messages
276
Fenix rates their lights on potential emitter lumens only when hooked up to a 120v AC socket. When using batteries, you experience a 86% loss in output.

:nana: Just kiddin'

I've read on here that your eye has trouble detecting relatively small changes in light output. Something like, If you 6 x the lumens your eyes only see a difference of 2 x. Someone smart chime in.
 

KeyGrip

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Sep 18, 2006
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Back in Santa Cruz
What Fooboy said (the serious part). Plus, you might have gotten a light with a bad emitter. No amount of QC short of testing every single light can weed out every lemon. Contact the dealer and see if you can return the light.
 

Gunner12

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Dec 18, 2006
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Bay Area, CA
Our eyes don't sense light linearly, so it takes about 4x the light for one light to seem 2x as bright as another(I'm not some one smart, just repeating the stuff I have read).

A yellower tint could also seem dimmer then a whiter tint.

If you don't like the light, return it or sell it here for a small loss.

Try the throw test, aim the P4 version at a further away object, then switch lights and aim the Q5 version at that same object. If the Q5 is brighter then the other, then you should be able to detect a difference in output.

:welcome:
 

WadeF

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Apr 24, 2007
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Perkasie, PA
Are you comparing a P3D with a smooth reflector, to a P3D Q5 with a textured reflector? If so, the P3D with a smooth reflector will probably have a brighter hot spot, since it is more focused, even though the P3D Q5 should be putting out more light overall, but with a larger and more diffused hot spot, that is slightly less intense, and with slightly brighter spill.

Go into a small dark room and do a cieling bounce. Look at the things being lit up in the room, not at the cieling. You should notice the Q5 light is making things in the room slightly brighter than the old P3D.
 

daveman

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Sep 13, 2006
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Are you comparing a P3D with a smooth reflector, to a P3D Q5 with a textured reflector? If so, the P3D with a smooth reflector will probably have a brighter hot spot, since it is more focused, even though the P3D Q5 should be putting out more light overall, but with a larger and more diffused hot spot, that is slightly less intense, and with slightly brighter spill.

Go into a small dark room and do a cieling bounce. Look at the things being lit up in the room, not at the cieling. You should notice the Q5 light is making things in the room slightly brighter than the old P3D.
Do the ceiling bounce test, it will remove the reflector design from the eqution.

The Q5 P3Ds are visibly brighter than the regular P3Ds, unless you got a lemon.
 

Masque

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Nov 30, 2004
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Far Eastern Indiana, USA
Even if it is obviously brighter, yellow is not something I'd expect to see more of from the Q5, unless your P4 is particularly cool and the Q5 is particularly warm.

Do also make sure you're comparing Turbo to Turbo, clean the contacts, et cetera.
 

gadget_lover

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Oct 7, 2003
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Near Silicon Valley (too near)
Maybe they sent you the Rebel version by mistake?

I have the p2d rebel 100, and it's blazingly bright, so that should not be it.

OTOH, I have a small light with a Cree Q5 that is as dim as a 1 watt luxeon. The LED was not properly centered and the reflector dislodged the aluminum ring and the LED lens attached to it when the bezel was tightened.

Send it back if it's really disappointing.


Daniel
 
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