Led Lensers

Hey guys im from australia,

im wanting to get maybe an p7 or m14, ive been told the m14 is better however i wana know is it much better or not worth it, or is there an even better led in the same price range??

If it were me, I'd avoid LED Lenser flashlights because they do not have regulation circuitry built into them. Regulated lights have constant brightness while with unregulated lights their light output goes down as the battery drains.

I'm partial to Fenix lights because of good experiences with them in the past, but there are lots of other good lights out there that have good regulation built into them. Just look around CPF for "what light should I buy" threads for suggestions. There also is a good flashlight selection guide that you can fill out and then post in order to get accurate recommendations from CPF members.

Unless you get them at a really large discount, then I wouldn't get them. They are good lights, but IMO, not worth their MSRP price.

They have an adjustable beam and throw well but lack spill, regulation, and multi AAA light are usually large for the capacity. 3 AAAs only have a bit more capacity then 2 AA battery. Also, their written runtime is deceiving.

A different and/or brighter LED does not mean a brighter light. The same LED can be drive harder for more output or less to be dimmer.

What will you be using the light for?
Price range?
Runtime?

:welcome:

My first LED-light was Led Lenser. I'm quite sure now, that it will be my last Led Lenser...
You can get so much more with same price or same performance with superior quality.

I would have to agree with the others - While they seem solid lights, you can get better for the money.

The biggest downside for me is the fact that they are unregulated - so the light output directly relates to how full the battery is. You will get a great bright light at first, but it will steadily dim throughout the batteries charge - this is how they claim both the high output (measured on a fresh set of batteries) and long runtime (which is only that long if you can put up with hours of dim glow for the last while)

Compare this to a regulated light like Fenix which uses some circuitry to get a constant output from the battery, so when they claim you will get x lumens for y hours, that is what you will actually get.

I will add in another vote for Fenix as a good alternative too. They have a good range of lights so you should find something to suit, and every one I have gotten so far seems to be a solid and good value light.

Over priced for what they are.
Direct drive + alkaline only = FAIL

A direct driven / unregulated is not a bad circuit design (IMHO), provided its thoughtfully designed around cells that have a fairly linear discharge curve. Its the fact that Lenser does not recommend NiMH cells, that makes these lights real snoozers.

The P7 is $80. You can get a really GOOD light from any of the popular CPF manufacturers for that much dough.

To be fair, while it's not nearly as bright, my LED Lenser Digitac I (single AA) provides a MUCH better quality (shape & color) beam than either of my Fenix lights (PD30, P3D). It's an outstanding light for the $12 or so that I paid for it.

JCD said:

To be fair, while it's not nearly as bright, my LED Lenser Digitac I (single AA) provides a MUCH better quality (shape & color) beam than either of my Fenix lights (PD30, P3D). It's an outstanding light for the $12 or so that I paid for it.

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$12 is a fair price IMHO. FWIW, the P5 is the only lenser thats really caught my attention. Its not cheap though, and for that much $$ there are better lights available.

I have a whole bunch of led lenser torches as well as a whole bunch of fenix, quark, eagletac, nitecore and the rest.

If you want a simple torch without flashing jingle bell modes then the led lenser P7 is up there with the best. In a year of every day carry and use mine proved itself tough, versatile thanks to the focussable head system and bright for a lonnnng time especially when I was using eneloop or imedion rechargeable batteries. It's a good long range torch and can see further than many other torches that have much higher lumen rates. It also takes a very simple easy to buy battery.

People on here make a big thing of the lack of regulation but frankly when using rechargeable nimh I doubt anyone could spot the difference with their eyes until the end of the battery power. Despite quite a few led lenser haters on this site thinking otehrwise, being unregulated does not make a torch bad or lesser quality, just different. There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems. Best to make a judgement for yourself based on what you actually need.

As for getting indignant about the marketing hype, I'd not bother, I'd just read the review threads on here and other sites by people who have actually purchased the torches and see the facts and make a judgement for yourself based on how you see the torch fitting your needs.

The P14 is a fairly large torch and very long range. Works the same as the smaller P7. M14 is newer one that works a bit different. There's a thread here somewhere.

Have any of you bothered to even look at the M14?
I know what some of the stuff you are saying rings very true to the P7. But the M14 seems to be completely different and a step in the right direction for LED Lenser. I'm not trying to hype LED Lenser up by any means, but a lot of what has been said so far is regurgitated information from years ago, being spat out without doing any additional research on any of the newer models produced by LED Lenser.

Even still, depending on what the usage of the flashlight is going to be, I don't think anything that takes AA batteries will come anywhere near the runtime/throw (and usable light) of the M14.

JCD said:

To be fair, while it's not nearly as bright, my LED Lenser Digitac I (single AA) provides a MUCH better quality (shape & color) beam than either of my Fenix lights (PD30, P3D). It's an outstanding light for the $12 or so that I paid for it.

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You got a good deal. I think I paid $30 or $40 back in the day. My LED Lenser David 15 is still working well after several years. As I posted in another thread, the beam is much cleaner and the tint better than the Photon Proton Pro I owned. I power it with an Energizer lithium primary and haven't noticed any decline in output.

There are newer and brighter emitters available now, but the David 15 was a pleasant surprise.

If I was a novice I could live with the LL P7, especially if the light was not used much. I have one, did not buy it, and I am quite pleased with it, especially on low beam, which with night adapted eyes is plenty bright for walking around, and focuses down to a sharp bright beam. Very interesting light, and I do run it with 4 Eneloop AAA's. High is not driven that hard and I can see no real problem with NiMh's. I too would appreciate some kind of regulated circuit. Low level is the real winner in this light, and should not strain four Alkalines.

Bill

kramer5150 said:

$12 is a fair price IMHO. FWIW, the P5 is the only lenser thats really caught my attention. Its not cheap though, and for that much $$ there are better lights available.

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My Digitac is the only exposure I've had to the LED Lenser lights. I wasn't all that impressed with it at first, when I was going through the "more lumens always means better" stage of flashlight collecting. But, after realizing that there's a lot to be said for smooth, warm beams, it has grown on me. I still like my Surefires better, though!

AmperSand said:

Have any of you bothered to even look at the M14?
I know what some of the stuff you are saying rings very true to the P7. But the M14 seems to be completely different and a step in the right direction for LED Lenser.

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It seems a bit obvious to me that most people here have responded based on their own prejudices by the fact that out of 10 responses, only one bothered to ask what the potential use of the torch is before either recommending something else or railing against the supposed downfalls of the LLP7.

I'm one who couldn't give a rats whether a torch has IC's or resistors or transistors or whatever inside. If the torch works for my usage then I'll recommend it. It seems to me that even if I wanted a ute for carrying rocks people here would tell me that a BMW 7 series is much better because it has cruise control and multispeed hazard flashers..............

Hey!!!
I carry a Led Lenser P2 in my pocket as my backup light, or for when i dont want to carry my Fenix TA-21 lol. I really love her, she is small but powerful enough, compared to my similar sized MagLight, the P2 really is very bright. I did try out a few other Led Lenser torches at the shop, and they felt solid and were bright .

I like the focusing on the lights, how it has the screw (on my P2) or the push/pull (on the larger model P range, cant remember exact model number).

I can see that on the P2, the light gets a bit dimmer as i use the battery, but for what i got the P2 for, it works very well , I am just using standard AA batteries. But for what i got the P2 for, she is perfect! She was my first serious flashlight, apart from my mini maglight (single AA batery).

What i like about the P2, is that it has a pocket clip that is both inconspicuous, yet very functional. She clips onto my rear right jeans pocket, with plenty of room for my EDC knife (Benchmade Mini-Griptillian) to be quickly accessible.

JaguarDave-in-Oz said:

It seems a bit obvious to me that most people here have responded based on their own prejudices by the fact that out of 10 responses, only one bothered to ask what the potential use of the torch is before either recommending something else or railing against the supposed downfalls of the LLP7.

I'm one who couldn't give a rats whether a torch has IC's or resistors or transistors or whatever inside. If the torch works for my usage then I'll recommend it. It seems to me that even if I wanted a ute for carrying rocks people here would tell me that a BMW 7 series is much better because it has cruise control and multispeed hazard flashers..............

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I agree. I by far am not biased either way. I own a variety of different flashlights like yourself. Ranging from Nitecore extreme r2, Nitecore SR3, Nitecore D10, 2 x 4D aspheric maglites with XRE R2's, 4D mag with SSC P4 and standard SMO reflector, Ultrafire C3 SS Q5, Romisen RC-A4 with XRE Q5, Romisen RC-C6, 3AA Minimag LED, 3AA Minimag LED with SSC P4 mod, Led Lenser P14.

At the end of the day, I think if i were to run with one flashlight (like a normal person would) I'd prob have to pick the P14 out of what I have for the fact it uses 4 AA's, has the most throw out of all of my flashlights, (apart from the ashperic mags, although the P14 has much more usable light at the distance its thrown), easily produces more light in the real world (the others look fantastic on paper, however move into real world and the situation seems to change).
So yeah, given the M14 now uses a driver circuit, seems the M14 is a damn good upgrade from a P14.

Also for the usage of the flashlight, if it were a request for an EDC flashlight, M14 would be pretty silly, P7 is even pushing the boundries. For an EDC I'd definately look elsewhere.

The P7 & M14 were my 2 first flashlight buys and before i bought these i didnt really know any different,since joining this place ive purchased a EagleTac T20C2 and a Olight m30.

I do find alot of snobbery around here regarding LED Lenser as i do still like the ones i bought,not sure i would buy another one tho!

Anyways the P7 & M14 are rather on the large side to be considered as a EDC the M14 is very chunky and weighty but it does seem to throw out alot of light and does light up objects further than my T20C2 & M30.

Stay away from LED Lensers. If your going to spend that much on a light you might as well get a Fenix or something. I have had a few in the past and none of them lasted more then a couple months.

JaguarDave-in-Oz said:

It seems to me that even if I wanted a ute for carrying rocks people here would tell me that a BMW 7 series is much better because it has cruise control and multispeed hazard flashers..............

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Well said JaguarDave but remember many of our CPF readers will not understand what a "ute" is (no it is not a female sheep on heat) LOL translation Ute = Light Pick Up Truck

Now also to be the devils advocate I notice that when ever Led Lenser is mentioned we always seems to get the same negative responses (plus a few positives).

Firstly Led Lenser is one of very few mainstream "torch" (there we go again translation = flashlight) manufacturers that get there product onto the shelves of stores down under and at reasonable prices I may also note.
I have seen many LL products cheaper in Australia than in equivalent USD ? Go Figure :thinking:
Names like Fenix, Olight, JetBeam etc are for the most part unknown except for us enthusiasts (although it is slowly changing).

Now AAA batts are generally considered by most enthusiasts as less than desirable but they do serve a purpose. I use AAA as power in many pieces of equipment in the field as I can have nearly all my power requirements covered by one size/chemistry of Batt which makes redundancy and interchangeability a desirable feature. When they start making common garden variety GPS's and other pieces of mission critical equipment with 18650's etc that will be fine but Lithium Ion's are not across the board yet and availability of AAA's (and AA) is a BIG deciding factor in the land down under.

I own a couple of LL products and have played with a P7 in the field.
I also own many dozens of other top end lights powered by all the various batt combos and given intended purpose/performance and cost/batt considerations yet alone availability then the P7 is probably a good reasonable choice for a new flashlight enthusiast down here :thumbsup:

Egsise said:

I know this is old news, but I just tested the Led Lenser P7 vs. Fenix TK20.

No accumulators aka rechargeable batteries..

Runtimes with homemade lightbox:

White balance daylight, exposure etc. settings are same for both shots:

Led Lenser P7 beamshot on high, distance to trees ~35m/115ft

Fenix TK20 beamshot on high, distance to trees ~35m/115ft

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Egsise said:

I had a chance to borrow a LL P7 again, took some quick beamshots, it's snowing so no chance to take better ones, sry.
That tree is about 75m or 250ft away.
Led Lenser has a bigger hotspot, and the brown and green tree looks gray but thats about it.

Led Lenser P7, tree at 250ft........Fenix TK20, Tree at 250ft

Led Lenser P7 250ft.....................Fenix TK20 250ft

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Egsise said:

Actually it's the it's the 200 lumen version number 3.1, newest I could find from here.


Yes it's nice, the scale is selected so that the output is very close to the same as advertised, TK20 starts from 150 and LL P7 from 170 lumens.
It's all about how you look at the graphs...

The overall performance of the Led Lenser P7 is ok, but there's very little or no difference in throw compared to TK20.
With fresh batteries and turbo mode the LL P7 is better thrower, with high mode the throw is the same, and with partly used batteries the LL P7 throws less than TK20.

Led Lenser P7 is actually really good flashlight on what is designed for, average Joe that knows only alkaline batteries will be really pleased for the performance of this flashlight.

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It would be interesting to see similar comparison between LL P14 and some 18650 Li-ion powered "real" flashlights.