I'm sorry but Fenix needs to re-evaluate their design efforts

The contruction is very good. The machining, the threads, all top-notch.

But the beam of my Q5 P2D and my P1DCE are unusable. For my work I can't have a dark halo surrounding the hotspot. It really reminds me of a cheap $2 incandescents of old, the ones with the off-center chrome plated plastic reflectors

Its probably a Cree issue, but you would think Fenix would switch brands. I'm sure Novatec took one look at the Cree Q5 and said "not on our flashlight."

Its frustrating that the only bright small flashlights available with a quality beam are over $100.

I think Fenix has great potential but they need to focus their design efforts around a quality beam, which its really the most important attribute of a flashlight.

Do you have OP or SMO reflectors?

a textured reflector is very important for Crees. if you don't like the beam, theres always the rebel versions.

my guess is smooth, i dont have issues with my OP P3D Q5

Yeah, look at that awful dark halo from the Fenix P2D Cree :shrug: :



Look at how the Fenix P2D Q5 evenly lights up the entire pathway in my backyard, unusable? Cheap plastic reflector incan beam? I think not.

Try pointing the flashlight at something other than a white wall. Any hint of a Cree dark halo disappears in actual use (unless you're in the white-wall painting business....)

glenda17 said:

For my work I can't have a dark halo surrounding the hotspot. It really reminds me of a cheap $2 incandescents of old, the ones with the off-center chrome plated plastic reflectors.

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What kind of work are you doing? Must be something pretty special, because in all common applications the "rings" don't really make much difference. I've got plenty of Cree lights with ringy beams, but I only ever notice them when white wall hunting ...

If the ringy beam really bothers you, have a look at the Fenix lights with textured reflectors ... No more rings in the beam. You lose some throw though.

Hans

Marduke said:

Try pointing the flashlight at something other than a white wall. Any hint of a Cree dark halo disappears in actual use (unless you're in the white-wall painting business....)

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You guessed it, I'm a paint engineer.

Those beem shots posted are just bad compared to a good SSC-P4 like the Novatec. I would really like to see Fenix do a 120 type light.

glenda17 said:

You guessed it, I'm a paint engineer.

Those beem shots posted are just bad compared to a good SSC-P4 like the Novatec. I would really like to see Fenix do a 120 type light.

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If you want flood only, look into something like the ZebraLight H50-Q5

Back the reflector assembly off from the emitter on your P2D. A revolution or two makes a HUGE difference. I have a P2D Q5 sitting here with rather a beautiful beam now, and it had the typical Cree ring to begin with.

Secondarily, in what situations to paint engineers work so far out in the field that they haven't regular lighting? Sounds fascinating.

glenda17 said:

Those beem shots posted are just bad compared to a good SSC-P4 like the Novatec. I would really like to see Fenix do a 120 type light.

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Troll often?

Masque said:

Back the reflector assembly off from the emitter on your P2D. A revolution or two makes a HUGE difference. I have a P2D Q5 sitting here with rather a beautiful beam now, and it had the typical Cree ring to begin with.

Secondarily, in what situations to paint engineers work so far out in the field that they haven't regular lighting? Sounds fascinating.

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When the pieces (motorcycle) fo thru our painting process you need to look for defects. The good lighting is only after the process is done. The trick is finding a bright enough flashlight so you can observe the defects earlier in the process.

Oh for christ's sake, how do you work back in the days of maglite?

jzmtl said:

Oh for christ's sake, how do you work back in the days of maglite?

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There was a lot of guess work back then.

glenda17 said:

But the beam of my Q5 P2D and my P1DCE are unusable.

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I agree completely those fenix light are absolute rubbish, tell you what, go ahead and ship them to me Ill try to find some use for them.

glenda17 said:

Its probably a Cree issue, but you would think Fenix would switch brands.

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Why? cree emitters are the most efficient leds on the market.

glenda17 said:

I'm sure Novatec took one look at the Cree Q5 and said "not on our flashlight."

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Doubt that, in case you werent aware novatac couldnt build a good light if they tried, what they can do is buy someone elses kick *** light and rebadge it.

glenda17 said:

I think Fenix has great potential but they need to focus their design efforts around a quality beam, which its really the most important attribute of a flashlight.

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Its nice to see that a member with less than 60 posts knows more about building a good flashlight than a company that actually listens to its customers and builds a damn good light with an unbeatable warranty all for under 100 bucks.

glenda17 said:

When the pieces (motorcycle) fo thru our painting process you need to look for defects. The good lighting is only after the process is done. The trick is finding a bright enough flashlight so you can observe the defects earlier in the process.

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Why on Earth would you be using a flashlight for this purpose to begin with? If you are in some kind of factory environment why don't you have industrial lights, running off AC power, that are brighter, etc, that you can use to inspect the paint job? You're telling me your factory, or business, used to use maglites to inspect paint jobs? I'm sure there are all kinds of industrial wands lights that could be purchased to inspect things like that if you need to get into tight places, etc.

What she...I mean he said.

glenda17 said:

You guessed it, I'm a paint engineer.

Those beem shots posted are just bad compared to a good SSC-P4 like the Novatec. I would really like to see Fenix do a 120 type light.

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LOL! Those beem shots are bad? No guy, Fenix does NOT have to re-evaluate their design. You just happen to work in a field that requires a specialty light. You would think that your employer would furnish adequate lighting for whatever it is that you do already!? The Fenix design works really well for most users. If there isn't a Fenix product that suits your needs (try the Rebel versions or the OP reflectors) then go get your Novatec, or some other light with a "good" SSC-P4. I've personally never heard ANY Fenix beam be called "unuseable" but if it does not suit your needs then go get something else and stop whining

BTW, check out the Centraled. http://www.centraled.net/worklight.html
Your employer should pay for it...........

Hans said:

...
If the ringy beam really bothers you, have a look at the Fenix lights with textured reflectors ... No more rings in the beam. You lose some throw though.

Hans

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As much as I like my L2D P4, it does have a dark ring around the hot spot even with the orange peel reflector. It's a little better than the smooth reflector, but it's still there.

I use my L2D as a bike light for riding on dark roads with no street lighting. The dark ring is very noticeable in that application. Since I also use a helmet light (Huntlight FT-01 with a T-bin Luxeon III) and a Cateye EL-500 or EL-530 on a swivel mount to supplement it, the dark areas get filled in well enough.

But using the L2D alone, it is distracting.

On the other hand, my $30 Task Force 2C CREE light, which I use on another bike, doesn't have a noticeable dark ring at all.

mossyoak said:

Why? cree emitters are the most efficient leds on the market.

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Efficiency doesn't mean much when there is a big dark ring around the hot spot and you can inspect because of it.

mossyoak said:

Its nice to see that a member with less than 60 posts knows more about building a good flashlight than a company that actually listens to its customers and builds a damn good light with an unbeatable warranty all for under 100 bucks.

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That's why I posted this, because they listen. My opinion is that the Cree beam quality is poor. But I guess you would oppose them releasing a SSC-P4 light with a high quality beam?

There are a lot of people who depend on a beam that doesn't lie to them for thier line of work.