Compare Fenix E25 and fenix LD12 R5

Hello Experts

I need to buy a EDC light in few days. I am stuck on Fenix E25 and fenix LD12 R5.

My main reason to buy are:
1. Use it as a EDC, which can easily be dropped in a bag or my pocket.
2. Use it for reading (with diffusor AOD-S) while camping or during late night or while travelling in train.
3. Using it more during my trek n travel.
4. I will also use it as headlight & also need a Fenix head band to go with this which can work as headlamp when attached with this light.

Please suggest which one would work the best. I have targeted Fenix LD12 R5.

Regards
Rohan

For the use you mention it seems to me that small size is useful and therefore my suggestion is LD12 (1xAA).
The E25 is a longer 2xAA light.

If you're going to be doing a sizable enough amount of reading, then I have to tell you that I don't think either one is appropriate. My family has several excellent cool white tints with no off tint, an L10 Nichia 219 flashlight from sbflashlights.com, and a warm white MiNi AA from foursevens.

For reading, I think the tint of the Nichia 219 is so much easier on the eyes than the warm white or the best cool white tints in our collection that I won't do any reading with a cool white. The tint of the Nichia 219 so far has been much better for reading with for any printed materials that I've come across.

I think the difference is so important that once you make a selection of your two choices of E25 or LD12 for everything else but reading, you then must purchase a second flashlight the L10 Nichia 219 just for reading.

If you want to try to conserve a little bit of space, then you could consider the AAA Nichia model over the AA model:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?383111

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?376058

Hi, I've had both of these, but sold the E25 and kept the LD12.

The E25 is really good a thrower, but that's about it that I liked. It IS really a thrower and when you need something for a close-up work, it blinds you way too much. For me, it wasn't comfortable even outside, in the yard, because there were many bushes and trees around and the light tended to reflect back on me. It's good if you need to explore huge open spaces or maybe for a light to use at night while riding a bike or sth.

The LD12 is great, though and very versatile. It's way more compact, too. It also tends to throw far enough and has great spill. Because it's just 1xAA it's far more pocket-friendly, though the E25 isn't that large either (perhaps the size of a Maglite Mini AA). The LD12's clip is also very convenient and it also has a momentary-on function, which I love. The E25 can tail stand very well, though, which the LD12 cannot do.

Still, I prefer the LD12.

A reviewer here selfbuilt reviewed the LD12 XP-G2 and discussed concerns he had about it:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?372607

But as N_N_R pointed out, the concerns that selfbuilt pointed out were not an obstacle to the enjoyment of the LD12 XP-G2 by some people.

Thanks everyone. I am going to purchase Fenix LD12

rohan_iiitc said:

Thanks everyone. I am going to purchase Fenix LD12

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The LD12 G2 is a good light. I have one as a part of my Fenix collection. Some of the things I like about the LD12 include its size, runtime, and beam pattern. I also have some Fenix throwers, such as the E21 and E35 (first edition), that have similar beam patterns to the E25. For a general use light, I find the LD12's beam pattern to be far more useful. The hotspot is broader than the E25, so it covers more ground when using at close distances. The narrow, throwy beams do well at longer distances, but I find them to cover too little ground at close distances.

My LD12 occasionally skips high mode when clicking through modes, but it isn't a big deal. It seems to only do it when I haven't fully tightened the tailcap.

The LD12 use to be a good light but the last 2 that I had bought had issues. There has been a couple of threads on CPF about it. I've owned 3 in the past and own none because of it. I'd go for the E12 over the LD12. It performs better even though the LD12 has the tactical forward switch and the mode switch. There is more to the LD12 but they had a manufacturing problem with them a while back and they refused to acknowledge it even though a couple of us EE's pointed it out.

The E series and LD series are aimed at different buyers and personally i would prefer my LD10 over the LD12

rohan_iiitc said:

Hello Experts
4. I will also use it as headlight & also need a Fenix head band to go with this which can work as headlamp when attached with this light.

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When I first bought LD10 and the LD20 a couple of year ago I also bought the Fenix head-band: used it for a couple of months and then bought an HL21 and never used it again... If you plan to use whatever light you buy with the Fenix band, save the money and invest it in an HL30: especially if you go camping or trekking, a headlamp is much a better option than a 1xAA or 2xAA light on a headband. The HL30 even includes a red led, won't take much more space than the headband in your pack, and you'd still have a back-up light if you need to loan your LD12/E25 or your light fails for any reason!

mcnair55 said:

The E series and LD series are aimed at different buyers and personally i would prefer my LD10 over the LD12

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+1

hiuintahs said:

[...] I'd go for the E12 over the LD12. It performs better even though the LD12 has the tactical forward switch and the mode switch. There is more to the LD12 but they had a manufacturing problem with them a while back and they refused to acknowledge it even though a couple of us EE's pointed it out.

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Now that you've brought it up, I second the E12.

If the LD12 had not had the several separate discussions and the review by selfbuilt about the flickering issue, I had hoped that the LD12 + Fenix diffuser was going to be just what I was looking for. Because Fenix won't address that issue, then the E12 is the first flashlight that comes the closest to what I have been looking for for an ideal everyday flashlight. Here is my review of it: (link).