Customer Reviews

Fenix L1D-CE (Cree Edition LED) Digital LED Flashlight (6 Output levels) - 90 Lumens with one AA battery

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

At the time of this writing (Feb 2007) the CREE LEDs

are the brightest money can buy, this was the brightest light

I could find at this time using a single AA cell.

If you want even more light, try the Fenix L2D (2 AA).

The low setting (at ~25 hrs runtime) makes the flashlight

useful for emergencies where you need some light for a prolonged period,

and the 1.5+ hr run at the high setting (I use NiMH) is more

than enough for me. There is a setting almost as bright

(my eyes cannot tell the diff, that gives a 2 hr runtime).

The beam pattern is a tight spot (good for distance) with a fairly bright

spill pattern.

I currently use it as a supplemental bike headlight strapped to my helmet.

It isn't as bright as my handlebar mounted 5W Luxeon setup,

but it may rival 3W Luxeon systems.

My handlebar light beam pattern is not so hot for distance,

which the Fenix takes care of nicely.

The light uses a two switch method, the screw-on cap can be set in two

settings, and a push-switch in the base that has a momentary

off and a hard click-off. The momentary off cycles

through two groups of settings (determined by the cap setting).

The cap setting can be changed while the light is off or on.

In one cap setting, you get the brightest mode, and a flash mode,

in the other you get three brightness modes (starting at

the low setting and cycling up, and an SOS flash mode.

What matters is that in the first cap setting, the light turns on at

full brightness, in the other one it turns on at its dimmest.

And when you change the cap setting you get the initial setting

(max or min brightness).

It is very handy that you can set the brightness the light will

turn on at, and aren't forced to cycle down or cycle up every time.

It also appears to have step-up circuitry and regulation so

you get full brightness through the battery life.

The light comes with a pouch, strap, and replacement O-rings.

Silicone grease ($2 at a HW store) will keep your O-rings lubed

and extend their life.

So bright you cannot look at the beam, AA battery and runs at full power longer than any other light I have used. I have both the L2D & L1D. Keep one at work, home, and in each glove box.

These lights are absolutely worth every cent. You will not be disapointed, better than Surefire and use off the shelf battery to boot.

This is easily the best and brightest flashlight I've ever owned, and on a single AA battery no less! First, the obvious. It's super bright and gets about 3 hours on a single AA battery. The beam is perfect as well unlike a Mag which gets that center dark spot. The beam on this light is focused in the middle with a nice outer beam. It couldn't get more perfect.

Construction? Sturdy. It's made from aircraft grade aluminum so it's solid yet lightweight. The LED is encased in a sealed head so that you can't mess with it (actually voids the warranty to break it open). This is also nice because you don't get any dust on the inside of the head to mess with the perfect beam. The button on the back is encased in rubber for water resistance, and the battery cap has a rubber washer as well.

Functionality? Pretty good, but not perfect. There are 2 modes to this light. Normal and Hyper. In hyper mode, engaged by twisting the head to tight position, you have maximum output (brighter than any flashlight I've ever used) as well as a fast strobe that you can engage by half-depressing the button on the back. In normal mode, engaged by twisting the head to the right a bit, you have 4 different outputs: minimum, medium (adequate) and bright (slightly less than hyper) as well as an SOS beacon. The output is changed by half depressing the button on the back. The reason I say not perfect is because while switching modes, the last mode is SOS while I think SOS should only be able to be engaged by holding the button half down for 2 seconds. Not a big deal at all though.

Another nice feature is that the light always outputs maximum lumen. It does so until the battery dies, but it doesn't leave you in the dark. You get a blinking light. But being that you get around 3 - 5 hours on a single AA battery, it's not a big deal to carry another around with you.

Anyway, this light was totally worth the money. It fits nicely in my pocket, comes with a belt holder and an extra rubber button when the one on there wears out. It also has a wrist strap. It's the best light I've ever owned and probably will ever own.

If I have to come up with a criticism of this light, I'd say it's the battery cap (the piece on the back with the button on it that you unscrew to change the battery). Putting the battery cap back on with the spring there makes it a little difficult such that you could mess up the threading on the aluminum. Again, this is not a big deal, but I feel my glowing praise of this fine light should have some criticism. Perfect beam. Almost perfect construction.

Executive summary: if you need a bright little flashlight you can just throw in your pocket this is it. Look no further.

First of all, the most important questions for any flashlight is how bright is it and how long will it last on one set of batteries? In the bright mode, this thing is the equal to any 2-D cell flashlight I own. It is also quite a bit smaller being only big enough to hold a single AA cell. That does limit it to an hour or so on a single rechargeable NiMH. That is just perfect for walking the dog at night or taking out the trash in the dark.

There are other dimmer modes for this flashlight that will allow the battery to last much longer, but using them is more than a bit cumbersome. If I were to go on a longer walk and wanted to conserve power at the expense of only having a dim light, I might bother to switch to the other modes, but in general twisting the front cap to get into the low-power mode and then repeatedly hitting the end cap switch to get to the desired low-power setting is a real pain. Much more intuitive would have been a flashlight with a slide or twist switch to select the brightness. I suggest one just leaves it on high and be done with it.

On the more technical side, this flashlight seems to have several manufacturing variations. Be careful to get the version with the Cree XR-E Q5 led. This is one of the best leds in production right now and the best "bin" that Cree sorts their leds into. I've also seen this flashlight advertised with the Luxeon Rebel LED and a different variation that claims only 90 lumens instead of 120. In any case, Amazon sent me the better grade, the one rated 120 lumens and based on the Cree 7090-XR-E Q5.

Great way to light up the dark!! VERY small & lightweight. Just tested it against another LED flashlight I have and a big 2D Mag light with an upgraded LED bulb. This light blows both away. Keeping it in my purse for safe keeping. I left my last (not as good) LED flashlight in my car center console and some lowlife snagged it probably while at the car wash. Not taking any chances with this expensive little beauty. Great while walking my dog at night or traveling. Highly recommend!

I absolutely love this flash light. It works vary well, it has a many modes. I use the low level mode every day it is bright enough to do most things. The battery last a long time. I can't say or express how good of a flash light it is. I will buy another one if this one ever breaks down or as a gift to a friend.