Some Fenix Flashlights, My Opinion

ok... let's share some of your opinions regarding Fenix flashlights that you own or handled before...

Currently own:

E01
A small wonder. Especially the usable long runtime of just a single AAA. Don't know why it took me so long to get mine (more than a year after knowing it). But I'm glad I finally get one.

E10
I really like the tint of this flashlight. Fenix intended for this model to be made available only to selected region, and I think it's a big mistake. I kinda feel lucky in someway that I'm in one of those selected region :shrug: . The average runtime (~2.5 to 3 hours), single mode, ~50 lumens and nice tint make this a very good EDC and gift light. :thumbsup:

LD05
In my not so humble opinion, I say this is the worst flashlight I own in the past 3 years. The PWM is really intolerably bad. I had to turn to Max everytime I use it. I made the purchase just to compare with Preon II Ti. Fenix should really lighten the weight and get rid of the PWM.

LD10 R4
This thing is bright. I was surprised that on single Alkaline AA, it runs on brightness that could put some 2xCR123A lights to shame. However, I think Fenix should revise their runtime claims.

LD20 R4
I like the pure white tint on my unit. Runtime is twice as long as LD10 R4, but I think it has a problem with the cut-off Voltage. I have done 3 cycles of discharge on 2 different LD20, both units consistently deep discharge one of the cell to lower than 0.1V. This will increase the chances of Alkaline cell leakage.

PD30 XR-E
My first multi-mode light, good brightness and average runtime for a 2xCR123A light. Mine is a Q5 with a nice tint (yellowish). The body is too smooth which Fenix has revised with some knurling with their R2 update together with a clip. This light reminds me of why I dislike ringy beam.

TA30
Tough! Agressive! Yes, that's how I feel about it and I absolutely have to own it the first time I saw it. My unit inner body diameter doesn't fit some AW17500 which Fenix fixed in their later batches. The rotary ring UI is cool but stiff, require 2 hands to turn it, and Fenix fix this in their subsequent model TA20 and TA21.

TA21
Doesn't feel as tough as TA30, but definitely as agressive if not more. The 360 degrees control ring is absolutely awesome. But Fenix could improve the brightness level or reduce them, I can hardly see any different in brightness with some of the levels. The ability to take 18650 is also a bonus. I usually refers this as a "poor man's Invictus".

TK20
My first Fenix light and my first neutral white light. It's the only light that I keep going back to. This light can really throw and it can outshine many brighter light in its class when use outdoor. The only problem with this light is it whines pretty loudly on high.

TK40
I don't know why I get this light. Perhaps it's the brightness, perhaps it's the warmish tint, perhaps it uses 8 AAs, perhaps it's the 4 die MC-E or perhaps it's because of aussiebob's "My Extreme Fenix TK40 Torture Test". Well, I just don't know why. What I do know is I bought 2 dozens Eneloop and 2 Maha C9000 charger because of it. I still can't get used to the UI, and I wish Fenix would gives us a way to activate the light directly in Turbo mode.

Experienced/Handled:

PD10 (a testing sample/gift from Fenix)
The tint on this sample is pretty nice. It's hot when on High mode and the spring contact in the body makes the twisting action gritty. But I would say it's a pretty good EDC light.

LD15
Ringy beam, start on high is what put me off of this light. I would rather this to be a single mode light if it start on high. I really don't get it why Fenix chooses to change the UI to start on high while the testing sample sent out start on low. This light also reminds me to be more cautious about getting something from Fenix based on those reviews that based on Fenix's testing samples. How can we trust the review when the samples sent to reviewer is different from the production model, especially if they change the UI in the production model?!

I agree that the e01 is a great little light, I have one and am thinking of buying a couple more just for the purpose to use them as little candles if the power goes out or for camping; the other fenix light I have is a pd20 r2, this light is so small it just amazes me everytime I take it outside and light up trees

Interesting overview.

I've had the LD20+ Q5 since last year probably and am very happy with it. I've also got the LD01 which is great but I'm going to see if the Quark Mini AA will work out alright as a replacement. It's bigger but I like the lower low setting, among a couple other things.

PD20 R2 has been my pocket EDC light for the past several months. It's taken a couple drops onto concrete, accidentally, and it still keeps on ticking. The beam is a bit too much on the yellowish side for me, but it's still spits out a ton of light for such a small light. The pocket clip is solid and stays in place, unlike the clip on my PD30 R2 which tends to spin around the body, and it's a very low maintenance light.

I've switched over to an Incendio V3 for every day pocket EDC, but the PD20 is still in the rotation.

Only major flaw is that I just wish the PD20 and PD30 could use rechargeables.

I agree the pd20 has a yellowish tint too it, unfortunately I lost the clip to it and have been using the belt carrier that came with it; that incendio sounds interesting but I'm reluctant to buy flashlights from companies I've never heard of (I have limited experience with other brands), main companies I buy from are surefire, fenix, and streamlight

TK10 - a bit out of date I suppose but I like it a lot. Very strong build, good to hold with the grip ring, good grippy knurling, and a beautiful smooth beam. It also throws quite far considering it's floody too. It's just a shame it wasn't made to take 18650's. There again, it's not the type of flashlight I use very frequently, so I'd probably keep primaries in it anyway.

E01.... well of course!

P2D was my first real flashaholic light. The brightness on turbo amazed everyone when I first bought it. It's a good EDC light which also fulfilled most of my camping needs. Dozens of flashlights later, the P2D has a lot to answer for. :naughty:

I find the tint on both my LD20 R4 lights and LD10 R4 to be very very blue. More blue then any LED light I own. I really like the UI and functionality of the lights but hate the tint. It is clearly very blue and looks worse when I compare it to any of my other lights side by side (eagletac, jetbeam, nitecore, quark, etc). I've never had any lights so with such a bad tint.:thumbsdow

E20 is a very underated light. Very bright KISS light that is the perfect lend light when camping or out on a night hike. Fits well in your pocket and throws really nicely for what it is. Love that it can adjust to flood too, which makes it a lot more usable.

TK40 is just an absolute legendary light. Enough said.

TK20 is a good light, not great. It has the whine to start with, and really, with that tint it should have been built with an o/p reflector.
I would use mine a lot more if these two issues were addressed, and would buy another two or three, maybe even six of them.

Cool reviews. I'll sprinkle in my comments/opinions on the Fenix lights that I own as well.

rookiedaddy said:

LD20 R4
I like the pure white tint on my unit. Runtime is twice as long as LD10 R4, but I think it has a problem with the cut-off Voltage. I have done 3 cycles of discharge on 2 different LD20, both units consistently deep discharge one of the cell to lower than 0.1V. This will increase the chances of Alkaline cell leakage.

Click to expand...

Why would you use alkaline cells in your LD20? This is just one more reason why alkaline batteries should be kept as far away from lights as possible. (There are *plenty* of other reasons too.) In an emergency though, you're right in that you have to use whatever batteries are available.

I have the LD20 with the XR-E Q5 LED in it and I absolutely love it. One of the more overlooked features of the LD20 series of lights is the wonderful body shape that allows them to be held in a cigar hold comfortably and securely. Also often overlooked is the anti-roll shape of the head. Too many AA powered lights use the pocket clip as an anti-roll device, which works great as long as the clip is not removed. I never liked pocket clips because they often interfere with removing the light quickly from a holster, which is my much preferred EDC light carry method, so I always remove them. That allows many lights to rock and roll away, but not my LD20.

rookiedaddy said:

TK20
My first Fenix light and my first neutral white light. It's the only light that I keep going back to. This light can really throw and it can outshine many brighter light in its class when use outdoor. The only problem with this light is it whines pretty loudly on high.

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Though it was not my first Fenix light, it was my first neutral white LED light too. I've had my TK20 for about a month now and I really like it too. I love how it's just so dirt simple with no flash modes or anything else to add to its low price. I also love how it throws extremely far for an AA powered light with its large head and smooth, deep reflector.

The rubber grip is a wonderful addition that I'd like to see on more lights now that I've gotten to hold my TK20 while my hands were wet and cold. Aluminum bodied lights get pretty cold when the temperature drops and I often wonder if any flashlight companies ever bother with doing any outdoor winter testing of their lights based on the fact that most of them are made from bare metal. The TK20 is a joy to hold with its robust, thick aluminum construction and sticky rubber grip.

I'm lucky in that my TK20 only whines every once in a while when in high mode. It does not whine all the time, but when it does I can only hear it when I'm in an enclosed room without any ambient noise. I cannot hear it outside, which is really the type of environment that I bought my TK20 for in the first place. Indoors, I almost always use my EDC light, my LD20. The TK20 is a perfect example of a light that just works and works so well for what it was designed for and, like you, I just keep coming back to it whenever I need simple night time outdoor illumination.

rookiedaddy said:

TK40
I don't know why I get this light. Perhaps it's the brightness, perhaps it's the warmish tint, perhaps it uses 8 AAs, perhaps it's the 4 die MC-E or perhaps it's because of aussiebob's "My Extreme Fenix TK40 Torture Test". Well, I just don't know why. What I do know is I bought 2 dozens Eneloop and 2 Maha C9000 charger because of it. I still can't get used to the UI, and I wish Fenix would gives us a way to activate the light directly in Turbo mode.

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My TK40 was my first ever Fenix light and it also is a great light that I like a lot. Everyone needs a mind blowing light and the TK40 fills that role nicely in my collection. It's not the light that I usually grab when I'm on the go because it is rather large. It's not so large however that using it when I'm mobile is certainly not completely out of the question, but I rarely take it with me if I don't also have a backpack or fanny pack to carry it in. It's a lot more handy on the run than a typical large flashlight like a D cell Maglite.

After all these many months of using my TK40 it still has the most wonderful and perfect beam pattern for 99.99% of my flashlight tasks. It is a superb mix of flood and throw without lumping the TK40 into either the flood light or throw light categories. It exists in both camps quite well.

The UI doesn't bother me though it did take me about 10 or 15 minutes to master at first, which is about 9 or 14 minutes longer than it took me to master any other flashlight's UI. I don't know why your TK40 doesn't come on in turbo mode directly as my TK40 has mode memory so if I turned it off in turbo mode, it turns back on in turbo mode the next time I press the tailcap switch. Granted, it doesn't have instant access to turbo mode like the Fenix lights with a twist bezel type of UI do, like the LD20 and TK20. But, as long as you turn off the TK40 in turbo mode, you can be assured that you'll be greeted instantly by turbo mode again as soon as you turn it back on.

My only complaint about the TK40 is its parasitic drain, which is my main complaint about any lights that have electronic switches. I found a way to combat that with a simple plastic insert that I made, but it can be a pain to open the tailcap, remove the battery carrier, and remove the insert every time that I want to use my TK40. I would prefer a mechanical click switch on the TK40 and eliminate all the fancy flash modes if it meant getting rid of the parasitic drain.

I will be buying a TK45 soon and I'm anxious to compare it directly with my TK40. Based on other CPF members' reviews of the TK45 it's interesting how it looks like it does not replace the things that the TK40 excels at, so I most likely won't be getting rid of my beloved TK40 any time soon. It sounds like it probably won't be replaced by the new kid on my block. I can't wait to find out for myself though when I get a TK45 sometime soon.

Here's one more that I didn't see on your list that I own:

MC10

This is one of the strangest little lights that I have ever seen and thus I just had to add one to my collection recently. It fills a spot and does tasks that no other light that I have ever owned does. Because of its floody beam pattern with the included diffuser and its variable angle head, I can use my MC10 for anything from working on my vehicles, to installing stereo equipment, to working on household plumbing and ensure that I won't be fumbling around in the dark while still having both hands free to do the job. With a Fenix headband, the MC10 can do duty as a head light too so it can fill several needs without having to buy another light.

One of the things that I love most about the MC10 is its belt clip that allows the light to be securely clipped to a shirt, waistband, or belt while still allowing it to be rotated to point the light in just the perfect direction while keeping both hands free. The variable angle head also can be pivoted up or down to further help with aiming the light. The MC10 is the first light that I grab when I need to explore around my hotel room in the early morning to make breakfast without waking up my girlfriend. I just put it on low mode, flip down the diffuser cap, clip it to my belt, and then proceed with making breakfast with both hands free all while she snoozes away.

The MC10 is a quirky little light that I never imagined it would be as useful as it is. I seem to keep finding more and more uses for the little ugly duckling of my collection (let's be honest, it's not a gorgeous looking light) and it has more than proven its worth. I only have two complaints about it. One is its parasitic drain because it's just like the TK40 in that it has an electronic switch. Unlike the TK40 though, the MC10 has anodized threads on its tailcap so it can be locked out to prevent the drain. (Note that the LD20 and TK20 have anodized threads on both their tailcaps and their bodies so they can be locked out as well to prevent accidental turn on.) The second complaint that I have is the rather high price of the MC10. At about $60 street price it is not exactly what I'd call "cheap" in the world of high quality flashlights, especially if all you look at are its light output numbers. What you're paying for with that $60 is not light brightness, but light *usefulness* and when you consider that factor, the MC10 really has no equal for any price. At least, I have not found a light yet that can perform so many different tasks as my MC10. Once that is considered, the MC10 can be considered a bargain from that perspective. Dollars are dollars though and when it comes to outright price, the MC10 is not too "cheap" when you look at it that way, especially when compared to other single AA battery powered lights.

Locoboy5150 said:

Why would you use alkaline cells in your LD20? This is just one more reason why alkaline batteries should be kept as far away from lights as possible. (There are *plenty* of other reasons too.) In an emergency though, you're right in that you have to use whatever batteries are available.

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The discharge test was using LSD batteries, and you are right, my concern is in an emergency situation and non-flashaholics that normally use Alkalines

Locoboy5150 said:

...I don't know why your TK40 doesn't come on in turbo mode directly as my TK40 has mode memory so if I turned it off in turbo mode, it turns back on in turbo mode the next time I press the tailcap switch.

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yup... instance access to Turbo is what I wish for, regardless of what mode it was on before...

So, how bad IS the whinning on the TK20?

prof student said:

So, how bad IS the whining on the TK20?

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On my particular TK20, it's not bad at all. I only notice it if I'm in a room with closed doors, closed windows and absolutely no ambient noise which means that I'm the only one in the room and the radio, stereo, TV, etcetera are all turned off. Think of a bathroom with the window and door shut and you're the only one in there. That's the kind of environment where I can sometimes hear my TK20 whine. It sometimes does not whine at all though. It never whines when in low mode, only sometimes in high mode.

I didn't buy my TK20 for indoor use at all though. I have other lights for that environment. When I'm outdoors, which is what I specifically bought my TK20 for, I cannot hear it whine when I hold it at arm's length away from my ear. Late at night when it's very quiet with no sounds of cars, then I can just barely hear it whine when I put the head of the light to my ear. As I said before though, mine only whines sometimes, like about 50% of the times when I turn it on in high mode. The other 50% of the time it's absolutely silent.

I think that the noise level all depends on each individual TK20 though as other CPF members have reported that theirs can easily be heard. They seem to all be silent when in low mode though. I seem to have gotten lucky with mine because the whine sound does not bother me at all.

E01 Excellent little beast. Got the olive version & it's tough! Gets banged around with my keys, etc. and hardly any scratches on it. For the price I couldn't understand why anyone doesn't own one. The output is only 10 lumens but it's so handy around the house, especially looking for things behind the computer.

LD20+ Q5 Great light and feels quite sturdy for a 2xAA. Definately feels a lot sturdier than the Quarks. The output is great but mine came with the smooth reflector and is quite ringy.

TK40 This things a beast. The turbo mode has crazy throw and build quality is excellent. The UI may not be the best but for the sheer light output, the UI is a small sacrifice to make.

TK10 Q5 Love this light. Just feels rock solid and tough as f**k. When I drop this on the ground it dints the concrete. The throw is magnificent and excellent feel with the option of ring grip. I love mine and contemplating getting a newer TK11.

I've lost some faith in Fenix, not sure if I'll buy again. I have a TK40 that had to go in for warantee work with the tasil cap and now it seems to be doing it again. Can't trust it. I also have an L2D that quit on me, I can see a crack in the emitter, so much for 100,000 hours. I still need to find out where to snd it to to see if they will fix it. Quite frankly I probably won't give a poop if they don't do me right as I have lost trust and want to move on and find a manufacturer I can have some trust in.

spacetroll said:

I have a TK40 that had to go in for warantee work with the tasil cap and now it seems to be doing it again. Can't trust it.

Click to expand...

Did you ever read my suggestions in that other thread on how to fix your TK40's tail cap switch?

Locoboy5150 said:

Did you ever read my suggestions in that other thread on how to fix your TK40's tail cap switch?

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Thats besides the point. I own three fenix lights and two of them have failed on me. If I am in the field and a light craps out on me, I don't have the internet to look up how to fix it. I no longer trust Fenix lights.

spacetroll said:

Thats besides the point. I own three fenix lights and two of them have failed on me. If I am in the field and a light craps out on me, I don't have the internet to look up how to fix it. I no longer trust Fenix lights.

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Actually it's not beside the point that I was trying to make. I was just trying to help you fix your TK40 and possibly debug it with you, as I have done with other CPF members before that were grateful for the help. I wasn't trying to make any point about anything else.

...just trying to be helpful. :shrug:

rookiedaddy said:

LD05
In my not so humble opinion, I say this is the worst flashlight I own in the past 3 years. The PWM is really intolerably bad. I had to turn to Max everytime I use it. I made the purchase just to compare with Preon II Ti. Fenix should really lighten the weight and get rid of the PWM.

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I've been on a penlight buying spree lately, and the LD05 is one of the best ones I own. Some folks notice PWM more than others. It's never been an issue for me. I find medium very useful. Also like the fact that it's the first setting. Click on for most applications, click off when done. Low is handy for map-reading or navigating to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I just never use that setting. High can be useful. But I generally find Med. is sufficent most of the time.

While the LD05 might be a bit heavy for a dress shirt, I find it works great in the back pocket of a pair of pants. No issue with accidental activation when sitting down. The tailcap switch itself is one of the best I've ever tried. (Even better than the one on my Preon II.) Clip is the best one I've seen. Very sturdy. High isn't as impressive as on my Preon II. But the LD05 has better heat dissipation and a bit more throw.

My Peak Eiger 2AAA penlight with medium optic and level 8 output is my best penlight. But it's single-mode only, has a not so sturdy traditional pen-clip, and cost me almost double compared to the LD05. If shirt-pocket carry is important, then I agree that due to weight and length the LD05 is not a good choice. But it scores an A+ in all other penlight categories.

I bought the TK40 3 months ago and it is still holding up like new. It is also my first and only Fenix light. I hope that it continues to work for a long time.

The output is excellent, so I use it as my "WOW" light for when serious lighting or just plain fun to use is required. It is great for hiking at night without any great worry of the elements, and the tint is neutral enough to provide decent visual clarity outdoors.

My only problem with it is its size, although I can hardly call it a 'problem', perhaps it is more of an attribute; although it makes a good club. It plan to obtain the Jetbeam RRT-0 to supplement contrast the TK40's size and weight in a few weeks. A good EDC is what I require right now.

Besides the TK40, the only other higher quality light I own is the overpriced LED Lenser P7. I do owe my flashaholism to the P7, though. Without it, I probably wouldn't be on this forum.