Quark AA R5 VS LD10 Fenix

Which is the better light, and what are the differences between the 2 any help greatly appreaciated. Also where is the Quark made?

I'd say the Quark because of moonlight mode, a solid, well-integrated, removable and reversible clip, silky smooth beam with zero rings or artifacts, designed for standard AA or 14500 cells, and 10-year warranty. I believe the Quark is also less expensive.

4 Sevens Quark lights are made in China.

both lights are made in china.

quarks also have lego options. and supports 14500, which will make it over 200 lumens bright!

Locoboy5150 said:

4 Sevens Quark lights are made in China.

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but designed in the USA

Locoboy5150 said:

4 Sevens Quark lights are made in China.

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So is my toaster. It works, very well.

China bashing is getting very old. Chinese factories can put out products at whatever quality the ordering company demands. QC is the responsibility of the company placing the order. You'd be surprised how many of your "made in the USA" items have foreign parts in them. Don't blame Chinese factories, blame the companies ordering the products from Chinese factories if they are not up to snuff.

This is not a personal attack directed at you, simply my opinion on the whole China = the suck deal.

Whoa buddy! The OP simply asked where Quarks are made.

Oh, and +1 for the Quark for the reasons mentioned above. Plus they are made by fellow CPFer. Both lights are solid though.

Oh, I didn't see that, I apologize.

Be advised, the Quark R5 XP-G lights (and other XP-G lights) tend to be very floody as far as beam profile. I've read where some people say they've seen varying degrees of focusing, but the Quark AA^2 R5 Tactical that I got is pretty much all flood without any real hotspot.

Don't get me wrong, it rocks indoors and at close range, but just know what you're getting into before you buy, if you have a preferance towards flood or throw.

Stress_Test said:

Be advised, the Quark R5 XP-G lights (and other XP-G lights) tend to be very floody as far as beam profile. I've read where some people say they've seen varying degrees of focusing, but the Quark AA^2 R5 Tactical that I got is pretty much all flood without any real hotspot.

Don't get me wrong, it rocks indoors and at close range, but just know what you're getting into before you buy, if you have a preferance towards flood or throw.

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i would barely call this "pretty much all flood"
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/256685

Ragiska said:

i would barely call this "pretty much all flood"
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/256685

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That's something like 1 meter from the wall...

Beyond that range the "hotspot" expands so rapidly it's all flood, even at indoor room/hallway distances.

I wouldn't want people to be fooled by a 1-meter distance beamshot.

Stress_Test said:

That's something like 1 meter from the wall...

Beyond that range the "hotspot" expands so rapidly it's all flood, even at indoor room/hallway distances.

I wouldn't want people to be fooled by a 1-meter distance beamshot.

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well, i also wouldn't want them to be fooled by statements like "pretty much all flood without any real hotspot"

the hotspot doesn't expand any faster than any other light. light travel in a straight line after all.

the ratio remains the same at all distances.

Ragiska said:

well, i also wouldn't want them to be fooled by statements like "pretty much all flood without any real hotspot"

the hotspot doesn't expand any faster than any other light. light travel in a straight line after all.

the ratio remains the same at all distances.

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Enough. Let people judge with their own eyes and draw their own conclusions.


Below: Original L1D with old emitter.






Below: Quark AA Tactical with R5 XP-G emitter




Both lights on max. Camera settings NOT fixed, so not to be used to compare brightness. Shots were taken with me crouching at the bottom of the stairs.

adamjh3 said:

Oh, I didn't see that, I apologize.

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No problemo and apology accepted. I have three Fenix lights from China sitting here at my desk as I type this.

Must agree with the Quark lovers here. It is my favorite light and I use the moonlight mode EVERY DAY. I don't own a fenix yet but there is a noticeable difference between my Q3,R2 and R5 quark lights. The R5 is more flood than the other two but is still a great all purpose light IMO.

a couple questions, i am going to run off the 14500 battery, i won't shorten the life of the light will i? ALSO i am going to do a complete review on the light including battery drain, i wont damage the light by doing a battery drain on full brightness will i??

What is better for everyday use? the tactical or standard and are they both in essence the same lite as far as bulb and beam?

The light is designed for and capable of 14500 use. The driver is capable of about a 1.2-4.2V input which is perfect for both alkalines, NiMH and Li-ions. It is also heatsinked well so it won't be damaged on full brightness.

Tactical vs. Regular, are different user interfaces. I prefer the Tactical for its programmability and forward clicky but many prefer the Regular for easier access to all 10 modes of the light.

Locoboy5150 said:

No problemo and apology accepted. I have three Fenix lights from China sitting here at my desk as I type this.

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Yes, I felt like quite a certain body cavity cleaning device when I saw that, haha.

Both are good.

For a normal user I'd recommend Fenix LD10, better warranty options because there are so many local Fenix resellers.(In Finland the Fenix importer pays all the postage fees in warranty repairs or replacements, of course.):twothumbs
Anti-roll feature, makes the light bulky but oh my god how handy it is.

For a flashaholic Quark is more tempting, latest led and more lumens, Li-ion support.
Legoability, best invention after, well lego.
If the user does not need moon mode it can be really annoying.
No local resellers and only few online shops where to buy it, so warranty replacements may become an issue.
The 14500cell sizes are so different that I would not rely that any 14500 fits in Quark, for my Quark protected ultrafire 14500 was too long.

For overall finish and build quality my LD10 is better than Quark AAw.

This is one of the classic discussions on CPF.

Right about now the Quark fanboys will start saying how much they use the moonlight mode and cannot live without it.
Most will then proceed to get the tactical version and not set the one to moonlight.
Then the Fenix crowd will chirp in with the horrible pre flash you get on the Quark.
Blinding! etc etc, blah blah then use their LD10's on high and turbo.

The Quark boys will then talk about using 14500's in the AA version, all good and the Quark does this well. Mine crushed the slightly long Trustfires I use, so make sure your 14500's are on the short side.

If you get either one you will have a state of the art light that shows what is possible with 1xAA.
These are the "industry standard" and all lights are judged against them.

Some pro's for the Quark are reversible clip and the Li-ion compatibility.
Pro's for the Fenix are the overall finish and styling.
Another Pro for Quark is the option of the tactical interface. The clicky on the regular Quark is trounced by the LD10, the tactical is great though.

I only have the Q5 LD10 and R2/Q3 Quarks to compare so I cant comment on the beam profiles of the new XP-G versions of each.

Both can be used with 2xAA and 1x123 bodies but I have not seen the newer square cut thread LD20/PD20 bodies for sale anywhere.

There are more body options with the Quark, both physically and because they can use Li-Ions.
The same 1x123 and 2xAA option but also 18650 and 17670 if you buy those bodies.
You have already chosen a good supplier and cant go wrong with either one.

IMHO
9/10 for Quark
8.5/10 for Fenix