Can't resist it any more, getting a Fenix L1DCE

After reading stories on CPF, and looking into the models available, I'm taking the plunge, and getting a Fenix.

I think the L1 D CE Q5 is the one for me, as I already have lots of 123 lithium powered lights, mostly Surefire, but a light giving the level of performance that the little Fenix does, and from 1 AA cell, well why wouldn't I want one?

I might even sell some of my SF lights and parts !

I can resist everything except temptation. (Oscar Wilde)

RAF_Groundcrew said:

After reading stories on CPF, and looking into the models available, I'm taking the plunge, and getting a Fenix.

I think the L1 D CE Q5 is the one for me, as I already have lots of 123 lithium powered lights, mostly Surefire, but a light giving the level of performance that the little Fenix does, and from 1 AA cell, well why wouldn't I want one?

I might even sell some of my SF lights and parts !

Click to expand...

It is a good little light (I have both the T and D model).

But new lights are coming up, check this one out, it might be the ultimate advanced AA light (or it might not be).

LF5xt: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/198193

and you can change it to a tactical ones if you swap the tailcap with a tactical module that they are selling separately.
That's what id o on my L2D & P2D both Premium Q5

Here is a review on it: http://www.light-reviews.com/fenix_l1d_ce_q5/review.html

The L1D Q5 has much better runtime on rechargable NIMH than alkaline as can be seen on the review page above.

The L1D Q5 is a great light and you can put the head on a 2 X AA or 1 X CR123 body.


Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

I got my new Fenix in the mail today !

L1D CE Q5 in Olive Green.

I'm pleased with it, in most respects except one...... The highest claimed output is 120 lumen, and the lower level steps are 12, 53, 107 lumen. Even with a fresh battery (AA Alkaline), there is barely any difference between hte 107 and 120 lumen levels, and with a little usage on the cell, there is no visible difference.

The beam is quite distinct in that it has a defined hotspot, and lots of spill area, maybe this iswhere the 120 lumen total comes from, as I compared it to my older generation SF L1, andthe hotspot light output seems the same as the high beam setting , whatever it is in actual lumens.

I certainly wouldn't rate the 120 lumen output the same as 120 Surefire lumens, a P61 for instance. I think on a Surefire beam, the hotspot and spill are more balanced.

All said, I do like my new light, and my comments should not be seen as a criticism, just an observation. I do like the strobe setting, and I cold possibly see a use for the SOS mode, if I were trapped out at sea, but the main selling point for me was the AA power source (maybe that's why I've got a Jetbeam Jet-1 Pro in the mail right now).

Overall, recommended, but it just doesn't seem like the 120 lumens I've been used to...

An AA battery(especially alkaline) can't supply enough current to run the Turbo mode.

Lithium AA batteries would make the difference larger, but the biggest difference would be to use the L2D 2 AA body.

It's probably around 80-90 lumen on turbo/high(around the same).

I hope it works well for you.

You need a ~20% increase in brightness in order for the difference to be notably perceptible, the 12% difference between high and turbo should look pretty much the same. And +1 for the lithium AAs if you want the best mix of brightness and longevity; if those are out of your budget, NiMH rechargeables will still give you the brightness side of the equation.

Here's a couple of reviews with runtime charts for the different batteries:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/155819&highlight=fenix+runtime


https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/180263

As for the lumens ratings, I think the Fenix rating is based on their drive current and the Cree's spec sheet information. The actual off the wall lumens will probably be less than the theoretical emitter lumens.

Note however, that in Chevrofreak's run time chart for the L1D CE that the alkaline battery's brightness is in free fall right from the start. You're not seeing anything like it's full rating.