# My Quick Fenix E01 Review



## this_is_nascar

These are my comments from yesterday, in another thread, after have the light for less than an hour.

_OK, so my (4) units arrived from BrightGuy today. I have a partial shipment on the way from Fenix-Store. I have a random unit on the meter now for about 15-minutes and I believe I can draw these very very early conclusions.

-- The E01 has better regulation, a more flatter curve, if a curve at all.
-- The E01 is dimmer, whereas it's initial reading is 2500 vs. 3570 of the Arc. I'm only 30-minutes into the test.

Some personal comments:

-- Fit and finish is fine. I wish the Olive color was darker.
-- The LED (and this is my biggest complaint) is set too deep into the reflector.
-- Because of the deep-set LED, side spill is pretty useless in what I look for in this type of light.

Some of my opinions may change as I play and learn more about the light. It's still daylight, so I can't do any "real" outside/real use stuff yet. Keep in mind that I have not even had these an hour yet._


Edit #1: Overnight, I put one of the E01's on the meter and here are the results compared to one of my better Arc-P DS lights.













Edit #2: This shows only the runtime period between hours 5 and 12, in an attempt to see the amount of dim light (moon mode) after the regulation drops-out on each light. It's pretty obvious that Arc has a much better moon mode, at the Scarface of normal regulated runtime.







Edit #3: What can be said about this. Brightness doesn't change on the L92, but runtime sure the hell does. Note this is an 18-hour graph. I don't recall ever plotting a light out that long on it's primary (in this case its only) brightness level. It's tough to see, but it drops out of regulation at ~825 minutes. That's 13.75-hours folks.








Edit #4: If I had any doubts at all that the Fenix E01 was going replace my Arc-DS as an EDC, those doubts have just been put to rest. This finding is simply amazing as far as I'm concerned. One of things that I always liked about the Arc is the ability to fire on a very low cell. I've seen the Arc fire on cells that were in the .7/.8 volt range. I always considered this to be a big deal for me, especially since the Arc is many times the only light I have on my possession. I just happened to do a test with a cell that metered at .41-volts standing voltage. I tried it in every Arc that I own and as expected didn't fire. I then took this same cell and put it in the E01 that I've been testing the light fired. I was simply blown-away by this. I metered the cell again and it should the same .41-volts. I then tried it in the other (3) E01's that I have and it fire in every one. You've got to be freakin' kidding me. Way to go on that circuit Fenix.


Edit #5: Here's the comparitive testing of my 1st 2-units. Nothing really of a surprise here. I've never seen (2) of the same type lights produce the exact same readings. What's important here is that even though the 2nd unit it dimmer (not enough to be noticeable to the eye), it's runs longer in regulation. That's what you want to see. If it were dimmer and ran shorter, that would be a problem.







Edit #6: I wanted to wait until the testing of my last unit of my current supply of E01's were completed, however that's still a couple days away, so I wanted to get this posted now. This chart shows the differences between units. There are (3) units which have been tested. Unit #4 is on the meter ow. Not that it matters but (2) of the (3) are black. The 3rd unit is olive and the 4th unit (currently being tested) is also olive. I have 2-more coming from the Fenix-Store whenever they have more stock. Each of these lights were metered with the Duracell alkaline and Energizer E2 (L92) lithium cells. It's pretty ironic that the 1st unit tested appears to be the one with the highest output so far. I color-coded the legend is such a way, that same color represents a particular unit. I think it makes it easier to read the graph. In all cases the L92 outperforms the alkaline.







Edit #7: Here's the completed chart that adds the last E01 that I have in my possession. I just received a shipping notice that my last (2) units are on the way to me. I guess since I've tested all of these, that I'll go all the way and test these other (2) units when then arrive. Although there's a bit of a swing between these (4) units that I've tested so far, I wouldn't say that I've seen anything that really surprises me. Those units that are a bit brighter than the others don't run as long and those dimmer units do run longer than the brighter ones.







Edit #8: This shows the head-to-head comparision of the Fenix E01 (GS) with the latest version of the Arc-AAA (GS). I have the 2nd Arc unit on the meter as we speak.












Edit #9: Here's the chart with the 2nd Arc-AAA (GS) added.







Edit #10: This last chart shows all the E01's that I own of the Black and Olive variety. Just today, my (6) new colored (2-of each) arrived. This chart plots each and every of my black and olive versions. It's pretty interesting to see the various range of output. It you throw out the high and low performers, all things seem to appear pretty equal.







Edit #11: Now that the runtime tests of all my Black and Olive E01's have been completed, I've started on the colored ones I received the other day. This chart shows one of my gold units on a Duracell alkaline. The L92 test is still running, but I was so interested in this particular result, I had to post it now.

Take note of the very well defined "moon-mode" of this light. In all my prior testing of the other E01's, not one of them has shown this level of moon-mode. For the most part, the others show a rapid drop in output. I'm not sure if this is a fluke or if something changed on the colored versions. To keep the clutter down a bit, I only left the brightest and dimmest E01 on the graph to compare with this gold unit.


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## mighty82

The curve looks just like the E0's. Great regulation! Runtime 8.5h in regulation, just like the E0. Beats the arc after 2.5h.

But you write that you compared it to the arc gs, but on the side of the graph it says ds?


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## this_is_nascar

This next test is going to prove interesting. I've just put that same Fenix unit on the meter with an Energizer E2 (L92) and initial readings show the output is not brighter. Why I say this test will be interesting is because with the already flat regulation of the Duracell and the fact the E2 doesn't make it brighter, I'm wonder what the results will be with the L92. I' guessing it will run a bit longer and flatter at the point where the Duracell crapped-out on the 1st test.


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## LapinMalin

Thanks for your time, efforts and batteries :twothumbs
And same questions as mighty82 regarding the GS/DS Arc.


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## Marduke

:twothumbs

I would like to request L92 runtime on the same light prior to further runtime testing on the other E01's you have. Thanks.

Edit:
I see that is your plan anyhow. Many thanks!!


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## this_is_nascar

mighty82 said:


> The curve looks just like the E0's. Great regulation! Runtime 8.5h in regulation, just like the E0. Beats the arc after 2.5h.
> 
> But you write that you compared it to the arc gs, but on the side of the graph it says ds?



Thanks for catching that. I fixed my text. The Arc is definately the DS. I know that because my GS lights were never tested and where packed to be returned within a couple hours of getting them.


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## this_is_nascar

Sorry guys, but I was such in a hurry to post, I was a bit sloppier than normal. The heading of the chart mentions "Q4" and we obviously know that does not apply here.


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## LapinMalin

this_is_nascar said:


> Sorry guys, but I was such in a hurry to post, I was a bit sloppier than normal. The heading of the chart mentions "Q4" and we obviously know that does not apply here.



fine by me, though I wouldn't mind a real E01-Q4


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## this_is_nascar

After seeing these results, I really wish this sucker had the DS installed, instead of the GS. I'd sacrifice that additional output for the non-oval beam.


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## PurpleDrazi

Interesting . . . and this is just an observation, not a complaint . . . it seems that the "moon mode" seems to last for just about an hour.

Am I reading the graphs correctly?

Francis


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## :)>

TIN,

How would you rate the overall build quality compared to the Arc?

Anodizing
Knurling
Initial thoughts on waterproofness
Initial thoughts on toughness / reliability
I really think that it looks great based on the runtime chart you posted and I too am very interested in knowing what it will do with a Lithium... wouldn't it be something if it got around 12 to 13 hours before dropping out of regulation?


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## Marduke

PurpleDrazi said:


> Interesting . . . and this is just an observation, not a complaint . . . it seems that the "moon mode" seems to last for just about an hour.
> 
> Am I reading the graphs correctly?
> 
> Francis



The moon mode isn't shown on the graphs, only the "sun" mode


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## this_is_nascar

PurpleDrazi said:


> Interesting . . . and this is just an observation, not a complaint . . . it seems that the "moon mode" seems to last for just about an hour.
> 
> Am I reading the graphs correctly?
> 
> Francis



See Edit #2.


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## geepondy

Thanks again Ray for a real user review. My thoughts are these are going to make great Christmas gifts to people who are less picky then us flashaholics. Back in the day when the Arc AA could commonly be had for roughly $20 and sported I think it was called the BS LED, I gave several to family members. I'm sure the E01 will be brighter then those so they will be impressed, particularly with the different colors.


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## this_is_nascar

:)> said:


> TIN,
> 
> How would you rate the overall build quality compared to the Arc?
> 
> Anodizing
> Knurling
> Initial thoughts on waterproofness
> Initial thoughts on toughness / reliability
> I really think that it looks great based on the runtime chart you posted and I too am very interested in knowing what it will do with a Lithium... wouldn't it be something if it got around 12 to 13 hours before dropping out of regulation?



For the price, even if it were in the $25 range, I'd have no problem giving these as gifts. In my opinion, the anodizing is fine. The olive version, I'd prefer to be darker, but that's just a personal preference. The head/bezel is actually a bit larger/rounder than the Arc and easier to engage. The twisting action is smoother than any Arc I've ever owned. I don't know how the electronics are installed (potted vs. non-potted) but this light is just a water resistant and the Arc from what I can see. Knurling is no more or less agressive than the Arc, but the knurls feel "larger" to me, making it grip better in my hand, fingers and mouth.

All that said, then you run across some really stupid crap that makes the light look cheap. Mostly the fact that the serial number does not line-up with the engraving on the barrel. It makes it look real cheezy to me. Like I said, my biggest complaints at this point are 1) LED is sunk too deep for my liking and 2) I would have prefered the CS/DS LED.


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## BentHeadTX

Thanks TIN :thumbsup:
I have either an olive or black one on the way (I forgot which color I ordered) I really, really like the FLAT output the light does with an alkaline battery! 8.5 hours with an hour or two of diminishing light will inform my family and friends that they need a new battery. 
I will send the lights with "550 cord" break-away lanyards to people to be used as emergency lights that they can take a shower with. Ya never know, they might even put them on their keychain. Really interested in the L92 lithium runtimes, if it can make it to 12 hours it will be worth running them. 
Although I am not too wild about the beam of the GS, at least the LED is recessed inside the bezel so it won't get damaged. As an emergency light, it will be sufficient even running an alkaline since 8 hours of flat regulation is great! The anodized threads and spring to protect the battery will work well for my non-flashaholic friends and family. Thanks for the quick review. 
Now is the time for Arc to strike back with a Rebel 100, flatter regulation and a small optic to protect the LED.


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## Burgess

to This_Is_NASCAR --


Thank you, *once again*, for your great runtime graphs !


:twothumbs

_


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## this_is_nascar

BentHeadTX said:


> Now is the time for Arc to strike back with a Rebel 100, flatter regulation and a small optic to protect the LED.



Unless Arc (or whatever name you want to use) has a change in heart, we'll never see it. That's why there have been many lights to catch-up with the nitch that Arc used to hold.

Anyway, I agree that it's a good thing the LED is sunken deep vs. sticking out the front end. I've been doing comparision "useage" type stuff in a dark room, comparing my E01 with the Arc. Each one of these E01's that I have are less-blue in the hotspot than what the Arc is. I'll tell ya, it was really nice being about to tailstand the E01 when I wanted to. The only way I get than in my Arc is when I use my Peak pocket tube.

One of my initial concerns with because the LED was set so deeply, the sidespill suffered while doing wall-hunting. In real world useage, it doesn't seem as noticable, if at all. Just like how I thought the SF E1B would cause an issue with it's narrower beam, that turned out to be OK when you actually use the light.

I also like the fact the E01 has a couple flat areas on the side of the battery tube. It makes "mouth holding" useage much easier. I'm still trying to get use to the fact the E01 feels "fatter" when I'm holding it. It should be no surprise, since it is.


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## WadeF

Do you have a meter that hooks up to your computer to do the run time graphs? If so, where can one get ahold of something like that?


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## swxb12

this_is_nascar, thank you for your testing. This is very useful.


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## chimo

Thanks for running those TIN. Nice job.


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## Badbeams3

Thank you! Looks like the E01 is brighter for 2/3 the batt life. I`m surprised to see the Arc drop so quickly in the first 20 minutes. Anyway looks like it failed to make the 11 hour bright burn on alkiline. Still, pretty good.


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## this_is_nascar

I've had that meter for so long, I don't recall where I got it. I'll check for my online receipts and let you know if I can find it. It's a data logging type device. Set it, forget it either plugged into the laptop or standalone and dump the data to the laptop at some other time.


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## BentHeadTX

this_is_nascar said:


> Unless Arc (or whatever name you want to use) has a change in heart, we'll never see it. That's why there have been many lights to catch-up with the nitch that Arc used to hold.
> 
> Anyway, I agree that it's a good thing the LED is sunken deep vs. sticking out the front end. I've been doing comparision "useage" type stuff in a dark room, comparing my E01 with the Arc. Each one of these E01's that I have are less-blue in the hotspot than what the Arc is. I'll tell ya, it was really nice being about to tailstand the E01 when I wanted to. The only way I get than in my Arc is when I use my Peak pocket tube.
> 
> One of my initial concerns with because the LED was set so deeply, the sidespill suffered while doing wall-hunting. In real world useage, it doesn't seem as noticable, if at all. Just like how I thought the SF E1B would cause an issue with it's narrower beam, that turned out to be OK when you actually use the light.
> 
> I also like the fact the E01 has a couple flat areas on the side of the battery tube. It makes "mouth holding" useage much easier. I'm still trying to get use to the fact the E01 feels "fatter" when I'm holding it. It should be no surprise, since it is.



Very well put,
After 6 years of using the same regulator, folks asking for tail standing (Arc AA 2003 vintage) the Arc AAA XLR treads, $10 to $15 surcharges for a 50 cent premium LED and questions about flatter regulation, the GS LED sticking out past the bezel disaster... it would be unreasonable to think that the rest of the world would leave the niche alone. 
One could hope that Arc (or whatever they are now) would respond by upgrading the LED, upgrading the regulator and maybe a high/low system to justify the cost of the premium model. They can do it, I have faith that they can. But will they? 
The big question is can they afford not to? These are interesting times that we live in... the gauntlet has been thrown...will it be picked up by the thrower?


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## greenLED

Nicely done, Ray - thanks.

I'm confused by your statement, though:


> It's pretty obvious that Arc has a much better moon mode, at the Scarface of normal regulated runtime.


It seems to me like the E01 is brighter than the Arc (and stays that way longer) while the curve falls in moon mode. 
What are you defining as "better"? I guess would be the short question. Thanks.


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## this_is_nascar

greenLED said:


> Nicely done, Ray - thanks.
> 
> I'm confused by your statement, though:
> It seems to me like the E01 is brighter than the Arc (and stays that way longer) while the curve falls in moon mode.
> What are you defining as "better"? I guess would be the short question. Thanks.



What I'm trying to say (and I'll re-read the data to make sure I'm correct) is that during the normal regulated period of both lights, the E01 is the absolute clear winner. No one can debate that. For the 1st 2.5 hours or so, the Arc is brighter. That too is pretty clear. However from the 2.5 hour to the 8.5 hour mark, the E01 has it all over the Arc, quite noticably. OK, now I see what you're saying. On the graphs, you can see the Arc drops into moon mode rather drastically, whereas the E01 take quite a bit longer to drop down in output, before flattening again to dim light. It looks like it does that (drops) over the course of an hour or so, whereas the Arc drops in a matter of minutes. Now that I think about it, I like the way the E01 does that, by dropping over the course of that hour. It's almost like an on-board "low battery indicator". Whereas the Arc goes from bright to moon mode almost immediately, the Fenix starts dropping over the course of an hour, giving you an indication that you'll still have some good light for a bit, but you better plan on replacing the batter soon.


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## greenLED

Got it. Thanks. Sounds like if I need another AAA keychain light it'll be an E01.


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## m13a8

I have a couple of these on order, I can't wait until they arrive!! These look like they'd make great gifts!


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## Bearcat

Wow!! Thanks for the review. 

Does anyone know what to expect the runtime to be using a Rayovac Hybrid 800 mAh?


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## Badbeams3

I still don`t get the moon mode comments...in the last chart the Arc goes totaly in to moon mode at 60...and becomes useless at 120. So a spread of 60.

The E01...lets call it totally in moon mode at 280...and goes to 380 before useless...a spead of 100.

What am I missing? Isn`t the E01`s "in complete moon mode" 40% longer for all practical purposes?


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## this_is_nascar

In the Edit #2 chart, the E01 starts coming out of regulation at ~201 to ~301/321. The Arc at ~341 to ~361. What I'm trying to say is the E01 seems to have more useable, lenghtened time of moon/non-regulated light than the Arc does. I think we're splitting hairs here, unless I'm totally missing what you're asking.


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## Crenshaw

wow, that regulation is scary! absolutely flat for 280mins....

Crenshaw


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## Badbeams3

this_is_nascar said:


> I think we're splitting hairs here, unless I'm totally missing what you're asking.


 
LOL...yea...have to agree with that. Any chance you have a old E0...could you pop it on your meter for a moment so we can see how the be brightness compares to the new one? Interested to see if it has double the output more~less?


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## Blue72

TIN will you be doing a L92 runtime test with the ARC DS for comparison, since the L92 should have a much different discharge curve on the ARC compared to the alkaline.


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## da.gee

Great info. Thanks much. 

I'm very interested in this light as an Arc type replacement. I like the colors too.


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## abvidledUK

Once again, Fenix shows just how good their electronics are.


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## cybersoga

Wow, those graphs really show what we have been expecting.

Things I like about this light

* Switch contact design - the negative connection on the PCB contacts directly with a rim inside the battery tube, the battery is always held steady by a spring.
* Knurling is very good
* Anodised threads
* Flat sides on the body make it easier to hold
* Fully regulated light output from a standard AAA battery
* Can stand on it's end
* Excellent value for money


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## Sharpy_swe

NO we got a flatliner / YES we got a flatliner 



Great graphs, thanks!


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## this_is_nascar

Thanks again everyone. Yes, I'll be doing the L92 in the Arc sometime tonight. Currently the L92 in the Fenix is on the meter. It was still running brightly when I left for work a hour or so ago. Sorry, I don't have an E0 light.


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## streetmaster

*TIN*, thanks a million for your time and batteries spent on the runtime tests. Also, your personal opinion on the E01 prove to be just as important/valuable to me. What really matters to me is the practical everyday usability/durability of this light. I am even more anxious to receive my E01's now. Thanks again.:twothumbs


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## cmeisenzahl

Very interesting data, nice review, thanks!


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## powernoodle

Just a couple of thoughts here. First, I find the spill to perfectly fine. Seems to be no different than the Arc in that regard, though I have not compared them side by side. There is certainly plenty of good spill with my E01.

Second, the head on my E01 turns a little too easy and might activate in my pocket without my consent. But I did lube it with Slick 50 bearing grease, so its probably my fault. 

But I am pleased with the light, especially at under $15 shipped (when you order 2 or more in order to get the fenix-store discount). Very good light, especially factoring in the price. I'm getting a little tired of dropping big bucks for little EDC lights, so this is nice.


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## this_is_nascar

With all the recent offerings of 1 x AAA lights, I'm really glad the E01 appears to be a winner. I've been a fan of the 1 x AAA light, long before it became fashionable on CPF. I really believe that with this Fenix E01 + Fenix LOD Q4 + LiteFlux LF2X in my pockets/key-chain, 99% of my lighting needs are met, without sacrificing much pocket real estate.

-- E01 for that super long runtime.
-- LOD Q4 when a bit more lighting is required.
-- LF2X when a very dim light is needed.


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## AFAustin

Thanks, Ray. Great charts and info., as usual. It makes the wait for my EO1s a little sweeter!


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## NoFair

Great review TIN

Thanks for taking the time to do this

Sverre


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## Ty_Bower

Nice review... I've been hooked on AAA lights ever since I bought a Microstream off B/S/T. Now seeing the data on the E01, I'll have to go order one of these too.

But why isn't this posted in the Reviews sub-forum?


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## BigBluefish

A nice review. Can't wait to see the L92 runtime. I ordered a purple E01 for my wife, now I think I'll get myself a blue one.


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## AvPD

this_is_nascar said:


> -- The LED (and this is my biggest complaint) is set too deep into the reflector.
> -- Because of the deep-set LED, side spill is pretty useless in what I look for in this type of light.



I ordered one of these as an introduction to Fenix lights but I noticed on a photograph at Kaidomain (below) that almost all of the light emitted from the sides of the LED is lost, which makes for a pretty poor design from such a hyped up manufacturer.
I installed a 5mm LED into a 2XAA Maglite clone, and there's a fair amount of light to be directed forward by a properly positioned reflector.


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## Brownstone

this_is_nascar said:


> I've had that meter for so long, I don't recall where I got it. I'll check for my online receipts and let you know if I can find it. It's a data logging type device. Set it, forget it either plugged into the laptop or standalone and dump the data to the laptop at some other time.



I know your post was about the E01, but I'd also be interested in knowing more about your test setup.


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## Brownstone

AvPD said:


> ...almost all of the light emitted from the sides of the LED is lost, which makes for a pretty poor design from such a hyped up manufacturer. I installed a 5mm LED into a 2XAA Maglite clone, and there's a fair amount of light to be directed forward by a properly positioned reflector.



What sort of 5mm LED did you do your Maglite testing with? The Nichia GS has very high directivity with little light from the sides. This graph might help:


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## Blue72

TIN

Any observations in outdoor use between the E01 and the ARC

Thanks!


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## edc3

Thanks for the review. I'm dying to get my light, but no shipping notification yet.


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## servito

this_is_nascar said:


> With all the recent offerings of 1 x AAA lights, I'm really glad the E01 appears to be a winner. I've been a fan of the 1 x AAA light, long before it became fashionable on CPF. I really believe that with this Fenix E01 + Fenix LOD Q4 + LiteFlux LF2X in my pockets/key-chain, 99% of my lighting needs are met, without sacrificing much pocket real estate.
> 
> -- E01 for that super long runtime.
> -- LOD Q4 when a bit more lighting is required.
> -- LF2X when a very dim light is needed.



I agree with the selection you will be carrying on your pocket, well, at least for the Fenix, that will be the ones on mine.

Mmmmmmm, this is giving me good vibrations about this torch, many people are talking good things about it, can't wait for mine to be here.

The worst thing is that I will get my LOD Q4 before my E01, so I don't know if I will test it before getting the E01, so I could be disappointed by the throw of the latter.


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## servito

Repeated post, sorry.


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## Jarl

Nice! Pity there's no comparison to the arc GS, but I'd guess the arc will hold its own for longer than the E01 with a GS.


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## AvPD

Brownstone said:


> What sort of 5mm LED did you do your Maglite testing with?



One of the 14000mcd ones from Dealextreme (link).


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## LED-holic

AvPD said:


> I ordered one of these as an introduction to Fenix lights but I noticed on a photograph at Kaidomain (below) that almost all of the light emitted from the sides of the LED is lost, which makes for a pretty poor design from such a hyped up manufacturer.
> I installed a 5mm LED into a 2XAA Maglite clone, and there's a fair amount of light to be directed forward by a properly positioned reflector.


According to this post it is not a problem.

I'd be interested if you could prove your statement by removing the LED from the head and measuring the side spill, if any.


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## Brownstone

AvPD said:


> One of the 14000mcd ones from Dealextreme (link).



I can't determine the manufacturer even though they give a part number, and the specifications they provide don't make any claim on a viewing angle.

Let's say it is a typical 5mm LED with a "standard" 2θ½ of 60°. The directivity would look something like this:






And in comparison, a Nichia GS has a directivity like this:






I'm just saying we can't assume all 5mm LEDs are alike in terms of sidespill.


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## Blue72

Jarl said:


> Nice! Pity there's no comparison to the arc GS, but I'd guess the arc will hold its own for longer than the E01 with a GS.


 

They did its in the other post


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## Jarl

Sorry, in terms of runtime, not output


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## Marduke

Jarl said:


> Sorry, in terms of runtime, not output



Output should be relatively unaffected since it delivers the same current regardless of what LED is installed. Only a slightly lower Vf LED would help, but that's a small difference.


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## crocodilo

Is it correct to assume that comparing a Fenix E0 to an Arc CS would be close to comparing the Fenix E01 to an Arc DS or GS? Runtimes seem unnafecyed by the new LEDs, and relative luminosity as well: the Fenix starts off below the Arc, but the Arc will drop steadily and faster...

I must say I own an E0 and an Arc CS, but am temped on upgrading only the Fenix ($$$).


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## nikon

Quote:
Originally Posted by *AvPD* 

 
_...almost all of the light emitted from the sides of the LED is lost, which makes for a pretty poor design from such a hyped up manufacturer. I installed a 5mm LED into a 2XAA Maglite clone, and there's a fair amount of light to be directed forward by a properly positioned reflector._





Brownstone said:


> What sort of 5mm LED did you do your Maglite testing with? The Nichia GS has very high directivity with little light from the sides. This graph might help:


 



Here is a beamshot comparison of a Nichia GS and a Nichia CS at one foot from a white wall. They have a nearly identical radiation pattern.

________NICHIA GS____________________________________NICHIA CS







And here is a comparison of the beam of an ARC aaa with a Nichia CS and that of a FENIX EO1 with a Nichia GS, both at one foot from a white wall. Note the larger amount of spill light from the Arc.

_______ARC aaa with CS__________________________Fenix EO1 with GS







Below is the same pair of lights two feet from the wall. You can see that the spill from the Arc becomes comparitively larger the farther the lights are from the wall. (The widest part of the spill from the Arc appears much dimmer in the picture that it does in person. This is an artifact of the medium's limited dynamic range). Clearly, the FeniX EO1 is not utilizing all of the light emitted by the LED, probably due to its deep positioning in the reflector.

_______ARC aaa with CS__________________________Fenix EO1 with GS


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## this_is_nascar

I'm speachless. I'm plotting the data of the E01 with the L92. 13.5 hours of flat, regulated runtime, then a pretty quick drop-off in output.


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## streetmaster

this_is_nascar said:


> I'm speachless. I'm plotting the data of the E01 with the L92. 13.5 hours of flat, regulated runtime, then a pretty quick drop-off in output.


WOW. :rock: Guess I better grab some lithiums


----------



## Burgess

Awesome !


That's what I'll be putting in these E01 flashlights,

when i pass 'em out as gifts to my non-Flashaholic friends / family. :thumbsup:



Wanna' keep things as trouble-free as possible for them.



Thank you for the runtime data & graphs, NASCAR !

:twothumbs

_


----------



## Brownstone

nikon said:


> Here is a beamshot comparison of a Nichia GS and a Nichia CS at one foot from a white wall. They have a nearly identical radiation pattern.



Agreed. Additionally, the datasheets of the CS and GS show they have almost identical directivity plots.



nikon said:


> Clearly, the FeniX EO1 is not utilizing all of the light emitted by the LED, probably due to its deep positioning in the reflector.



I don't think that conclusion can be drawn from these images. Utilizing the light differently does not mean the E01 is "not utilizing all of the light". It is likely that photons that the ARC sends to spill are getting reflected into the throw of the E01.

I think there are two separate but related questions here.

First question: Does the GS LED send any appreciable light out the sides, which the E01 then wastes due to positioning of the LED in the reflector? I believe the answer to this is "no". The directivity graphs of the CS and GS show us that only an insignificant amount of light emits from the sides.

Second question: Does the shape of the E01 reflector, combined with the relative position of the emitter relative to the reflector, lead to a less efficient use of the photons emitted? I believe the answer here is "maybe", but that is a different question than I was answering with the directivity plots.


----------



## this_is_nascar

this_is_nascar said:


> I'm speachless. I'm plotting the data of the E01 with the L92. 13.5 hours of flat, regulated runtime, then a pretty quick drop-off in output.



Edit #3 with a chart has been added to the 1st post.


----------



## this_is_nascar

Jarl said:


> Nice! Pity there's no comparison to the arc GS, but I'd guess the arc will hold its own for longer than the E01 with a GS.



... and you base this guess on what, may I ask? The Arc, with or without the GS, will run flatter in regulation and longer and a bit brighter than it does on alkaline, but I can guarentee it won't out run/last what I'm seeing in the E01.


----------



## this_is_nascar

Ty_Bower said:


> Nice review... I've been hooked on AAA lights ever since I bought a Microstream off B/S/T. Now seeing the data on the E01, I'll have to go order one of these too.
> 
> But why isn't this posted in the Reviews sub-forum?



I believe there's some Administrative type stuff going on, whereas CPF Administration wants to decide what is considered a review. Rather than wasting my time dealing with it, I posted it here, as suggested by the announcement I recall reading.


----------



## this_is_nascar

dd61999 said:


> TIN
> 
> Any observations in outdoor use between the E01 and the ARC
> 
> Thanks!



I never made it outdoors last night. Hopefully tonight.


----------



## powernoodle

Powernoodle _loves_ that flat, flat regulation. And plenty of it too. 8 hours, am I reading it right? Awesome.


----------



## this_is_nascar

powernoodle said:


> Powernoodle _loves_ that flat, flat regulation. And plenty of it too. 8 hours, am I reading it right? Awesome.



8.1 hours on alkalines and 13.75 on lithium.


----------



## nikon

Brownstone said:


> Agreed. Additionally, the datasheets of the CS and GS show they have almost identical directivity plots.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think that conclusion can be drawn from these images. Utilizing the light differently does not mean the E01 is "not utilizing all of the light". It is likely that photons that the ARC sends to spill are getting reflected into the throw of the E01.
> 
> I think there are two separate but related questions here.
> 
> First question: Does the GS LED send any appreciable light out the sides, which the E01 then wastes due to positioning of the LED in the reflector? I believe the answer to this is "no". The directivity graphs of the CS and GS show us that only an insignificant amount of light emits from the sides.
> 
> Second question: Does the shape of the E01 reflector, combined with the relative position of the emitter relative to the reflector, lead to a less efficient use of the photons emitted? I believe the answer here is "maybe", but that is a different question than I was answering with the directivity plots.


 


Brownstone.....I'm not trying to start an argument, but I would ask that you keep Occam's Razor in mind. The simplest answer is usually the right one. Don't make more assumtions than the minimum needed. Instead of trying to figure out what will happen by looking at charts, test it for yourself. All you need is a lit LED and an empty head from an Arc or similar light. Shine it on a wall and slide the head back and forward over the LED. You'll see dramatic changes in the beam pattern. There's only one right spot, and the spot used by the Fenix isn't it.


----------



## BentHeadTX

13.75 hours on lithium? 
Nice emergency light you have there, small, very light and will burn all night. Forget all the other jazz (LED running at power spec, flat regulation, great LED protection, spring to prevent battery smashing etc., etc. etc...) 
This is a serious no brainer, ain't it?


----------



## Blue72

TIN

AWESOME INFO,THANKS!!!!!!!!

I assume the Arc ds is running alkalines on the E01 Lithium e2 graph?

The only thing that is holding me back from ordering a bunch of them is the spill. The beamshots that I have seen so far, it reminds me of my ARC vs Fauxton. The fauxton are plenty bright but do not have enough spill for my liking when outdoors. I await to hear your feedback on the outdoor use of the E01.

Thanks again for sharing this info


----------



## Burgess

Especially when giving one to *non*-Flashaholics.


:wave:
_


----------



## HighLight

Maybe someone will figure out a way to reposition the led ourselves so we can turn this into the light we all hoped it would be. Not that there's anything really wrong with this light but I'm sure some of us flashaholics would like to experiment with repositioning the led. Hopefully if its posible to do this then someone will post instructions.


----------



## this_is_nascar

I just spent some time in the dark backyard with the E01 and the Arc-DS. It's true the sidespill of the Arc is wider and more noticeable than the E01. The problem is that I'm not sure it really matters. It's going to depend on how you use the light. Personally, I found the E01 to light up whatever I need to see nicely. In real use, I don't consider the narrower sidespill to be a problem. I did notice the E01 throws just a tad-bit further, lighting up things better that are further away. I tried using both lights like I would normally do. In this case, I went and looked for some crap in the toolshed. I also did some thing around and in the camper in the darkness using both lights. I found the E01 to work just fine. It was nice to be able to tailstand the E01 on the camper counter-top to light the inside. Further in the backyard, I attempted to simulate walking along a path. The E01 did great, but the Arc light up just a bit more on each side of the path.

My true test will be during Memorial Day weekend when the wife and I go camping. I'll be sure to take both lights with me and give them a good workout. Overall, I'm really impressed with the E01. Without repeating myself too much, the E01 has more advantages over the Arc than disadvantages for my particular useage pattern.


----------



## geek4christ

this_is_nascar said:


> I just spent some time in the dark backyard with the E01 and the Arc-DS. It's true the sidespill of the Arc is wider and more noticeable than the E01. The problem is that I'm not sure it really matters. It's going to depend on how you use the light. Personally, I found the E01 to light up whatever I need to see nicely. In real use, I don't consider the narrower sidespill to be a problem.



That's exactly what I've been thinking, and you said it better than I could have. Also, in looking at Nikon's comparison photos, I think I actually prefer the very smooth transition from spot to spill of the E01 (we'll see if I like it when my blue one arrives).


----------



## Brownstone

nikon said:


> Brownstone.....I'm not trying to start an argument, but I would ask that you keep Occam's Razor in mind. The simplest answer is usually the right one. Don't make more assumtions than the minimum needed. Instead of trying to figure out what will happen by looking at charts, test it for yourself. All you need is a lit LED and an empty head from an Arc or similar light. Shine it on a wall and slide the head back and forward over the LED. You'll see dramatic changes in the beam pattern. There's only one right spot, and the spot used by the Fenix isn't it.



Hi Nikon.

I'm trying to be argumentative either, but I know my post could have come across that way. I agree with you that the quality of the beam pattern depends on the location of the emitter relative to the reflector. Absolutely. I just don't agree that the quality difference comes from light leaking the side of the LED and missing the reflector.

Cheers


----------



## this_is_nascar

Edit #4: If I had any doubts at all that the Fenix E01 was going replace my Arc-DS as an EDC, those doubts have just been put to rest. This finding is simply amazing as far as I'm concerned. One of things that I always liked about the Arc is the ability to fire on a very low cell. I've seen the Arc fire on cells that were in the .7/.8 volt range. I always considered this to be a big deal for me, especially since the Arc is many times the only light I have on my possession. I just happened to do a test with a cell that metered at .41-volts standing voltage. I tried it in every Arc that I own and as expected didn't fire. I then took this same cell and put it in the E01 that I've been testing the light fired. I was simply blown-away by this. I metered the cell again and it should the same .41-volts. I then tried it in the other (3) E01's that I have and it fire in every one. You've got to be freakin' kidding me. Way to go on that circuit Fenix.


----------



## streetmaster

this_is_nascar said:


> I just spent some time in the dark backyard with the E01 and the Arc-DS. It's true the sidespill of the Arc is wider and more noticeable than the E01. The problem is that I'm not sure it really matters. It's going to depend on how you use the light. Personally, I found the E01 to light up whatever I need to see nicely. In real use, I don't consider the narrower sidespill to be a problem. I did notice the E01 throws just a tad-bit further, lighting up things better that are further away. I tried using both lights like I would normally do. In this case, I went and looked for some crap in the toolshed. I also did some thing around and in the camper in the darkness using both lights. I found the E01 to work just fine. It was nice to be able to tailstand the E01 on the camper counter-top to light the inside. Further in the backyard, I attempted to simulate walking along a path. The E01 did great, but the Arc light up just a bit more on each side of the path.
> 
> My true test will be during Memorial Day weekend when the wife and I go camping. I'll be sure to take both lights with me and give them a good workout. Overall, I'm really impressed with the E01. Without repeating myself too much, the E01 has more advantages over the Arc than disadvantages for my particular useage pattern.


Thank you TIN. :thumbsup: That's what I needed to hear. Real life tests. I'm very happy to hear that the throw is acceptable. :candle: I'm not as picky about the side spill, as long as the majority of the beam is a reasonable width for common use. I think I'm gonna like these E01's


----------



## Moat

Great stuff, TIN - thankyou! :goodjob:

This light does appear, indeed, like a no-brainer. 0.41V - outstanding!


----------



## Marduke

It also appears as if the E01 has a brighter moon mode


----------



## greenLED

this_is_nascar said:


> One of things that I always liked about the Arc is the ability to fire on a very low cell. I've seen the Arc fire on cells that were in the .7/.8 volt range. .... I then took this same cell and put it in the E01 that I've been testing the light fired. I was simply blown-away by this.


Suh-weet!! :rock:


----------



## LA OZ

Thank you for the great review. Now I can tell my father inlaw that it will go for more than 8 hours.


----------



## lumenal

Nice L92 graphs.

Personally, with my intermittent use of keychain lights and barring an emergency, a couple L92s and an EO1 will give me about 10 years worth of lighting.:laughing:


----------



## nikon

TIN.....Thanks for doing all this work. One of the things I've learned from all this is that the EO1 I received is only about half as bright as yours and some others. My ARC CS outperforms it in every department. 

I'll be getting another one in the mail tomorrow. I hope it performs up to par.


----------



## kaichu dento

this_is_nascar said:


> With all the recent offerings of 1 x AAA lights, I'm really glad the E01 appears to be a winner. I've been a fan of the 1 x AAA light, long before it became fashionable on CPF. I really believe that with this Fenix E01 + Fenix LOD Q4 + LiteFlux LF2X in my pockets/key-chain, 99% of my lighting needs are met, without sacrificing much pocket real estate.
> 
> -- E01 for that super long runtime.
> -- LOD Q4 when a bit more lighting is required.
> -- LF2X when a very dim light is needed.


My dream EDC has always and will always be the 1xAAA and it's so damn nice to see so many serious offerings on the table now!

I love the Fenix 1xAAA's so much that I just got a shipment of 3-L0D Q4's, 5-L0D's after my initial purchase of 2-L0D Q4's. 

Now because of you guys I'm probably going to buy up some E01's for gifts. Thanks for all the great reviews/opinions and info!


----------



## chimo

Has anyone measured the current draw on these yet? 

For 13.75hrs run-time on a L92 (Lithium), that would suggest between 70-100mA according to the Energizer data sheets.

For the E92 (Alkaline), that would suggest around 100-120mA.


----------



## streetmaster

If you put more(or less) voltage to these GS LEDs, does the tint change at all?


----------



## Phaserburn

TIN, thanks; love your reviews as we seem to have some similar interest points as to what makes a light quality.

As impressive as the runtime on lithiums are, the 8 hrs of flat regulation is where this light is at for me. As you can buy 3 quality alk AAAs for the price of one lithium, alks are the way to go for me. That's the point; great performance on cheap, primary cells. Love that!


----------



## streetmaster

How about rechargeables? I wonder how 800mah would do? I have 4 of them with no use at the moment.


----------



## this_is_nascar

My next several days of testing will attempt to learn the consistency between E01 units. All testing/reporting to date has been based off the one unit. At this time, I have (3) more waiting to be tested. I want to make sure that somehow I didn't happen to get a pick of the litter for testing, so I'm going to meter at least (2) more units on both alkaline and lithium. Unit #2 with the Duracell is on the meter now. The only thing that sucks about testing the E01 is that it run sooooooooooooooo long, it's quiite some time between testing and reporting those results.


----------



## Daekar

TIN, your review pushed me over the edge. I just ordered 3 more, two as gifts.  And just to top it off, I noticed that 4Sevens got the L1D-CE Olive bodies+tailcaps up for sale! Yay, more money gone from my checking account!


----------



## kanarie

I was wondering how the Fenix E01 will perform on a Ni-MH AAA


----------



## nikon

chimo said:


> Has anyone measured the current draw on these yet?
> 
> For 13.75hrs run-time on a L92 (Lithium), that would suggest between 70-100mA according to the Energizer data sheets.
> 
> For the E92 (Alkaline), that would suggest around 100-120mA.


 
On my EO1 the current draw is 84mA on a new alkaline battery and 74mA on a new lithium battery.


----------



## Sharpy_swe

Amazing runtime with the L92 :twothumbs

*this_is_nascar* thanks, your E01 review is getting better and better and.... !!!


----------



## Led75

nikon said:


> TIN.....Thanks for doing all this work. One of the things I've learned from all this is that the EO1 I received is only about half as bright as yours and some others. My ARC CS outperforms it in every department.
> 
> I'll be getting another one in the mail tomorrow. I hope it performs up to par.


 I got three of them wednesday.1 is really bright the other 2 not as bright but all 3 of them are brighter than my E0 so i am happy:twothumbs


----------



## chimo

nikon said:


> On my EO1 the current draw is 84mA on a new alkaline battery and 74mA on a new lithium battery.




Thanks Nikon - I bet that was a fresh alkaline.


----------



## HKJ

nikon said:


> On my EO1 the current draw is 84mA on a new alkaline battery and 74mA on a new lithium battery.



Be careful how your measure the current draw, the resistance in the meter may affect the result!

But on a perfectly regulated light it will increase the displayed value (Because it needs to draw more current to compensate for the voltage drop in the meter).

I.e. your may have a E01 with very low output current.


----------



## IsaacHayes

Great graphs! The E01's trade off for initial brightness is well worth it for the amount of runtime you gain, and that it's FLAT output. The time that the arc is brighter is less than the time the EO1 is brighter after the arc dips down!

The only negative is the recessed LED but that's small and the *only* thing I see that could be tweaked. For $15 you can't beat it!


----------



## crocodilo

Led75 said:


> I got three of them wednesday.1 is really bright the other 2 not as bright but all 3 of them are brighter than my E0 so i am happy:twothumbs


 

Question is, how will runtimes compare between the three of them and your E0? Does the brighter one sacrifice some runtime, or it just has a more efficient LED?

BTW, I too would like to thank TIN for the graphs, and everybody else for their opinions and contributions. This thread is GREAT!


----------



## Blue72

any runtime graphs yet with the ARC using Lithium e2 for comparison?


----------



## this_is_nascar

dd61999 said:


> any runtime graphs yet with the ARC using Lithium e2 for comparison?



Not from me. I'm not going to worry about doing it. I know the results are not even close to the E01. Right now, I'm working to checking the consistency between E01 units.


----------



## cave dave

IsaacHayes said:


> The only negative is the recessed LED but that's small and the *only* thing I see that could be tweaked. For $15 you can't beat it!



Bet Fenix raises their LED before ARC lowers theres!


----------



## this_is_nascar

For those of you who were asking about the Fenix E1, I had forgotten that I used to have a few of those too. I haven't re-read this thread to see if my thoughts had changed, but HERE'S some data you may be able to compare against the E01.


----------



## Blue72

this_is_nascar said:


> I'm not going to worry about doing it. I know the results are not even close to the E01.


 
Can you tell me where you bought your runtime equipment. I would love to perform a few tests of my own.

I think the lithium would show a dramatic difference in the ARC. The E01 would be the runtime champ, but the ARC would be much brighter and much flatter regulation with the Lithium. Of course I am just speculating based on previous runtime charts of the ARC CS with the lithium.


----------



## this_is_nascar

Yes, I know for a fact, the Arc does better on the L92's. I've done enough testing on them to know that for sure, however it still doesn't even come close to the E01 for flat regulation and runtime. The L92 makes the Arc brighter, but only for several hours over the E01. If I can find some of my older capture data for the Arc and the L92, I'll post it or reference it here. At the 5-6 hour mark, the Arc on L92's drops drastically.


----------



## __philippe

this_is_nascar said:


> Thanks again everyone. Yes, I'll be doing the L92 in the Arc sometime tonight. Currently the L92 in the Fenix is on the meter. It was still running brightly when I left for work a hour or so ago. Sorry, I don't have an E0 light.


 
Hello TIN,

Are you still planning to run the Arc with a lithium L92 to complete the informative 4th runtime graph in your post #1 ? 

Thanks for your time and effort in this review.

Cheers,

__philippe


----------



## this_is_nascar

__philippe said:


> Hello TIN,
> 
> Are you still planning to run the Arc with a lithium L92 to complete the informative 4th runtime graph in your post #1 ?
> 
> Thanks for your time and effort in this review.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> __philippe




Not sure yet. If I do, It won't be for several days. I'm currently performing a consistantcy test between units. I know for a fact using the L92 in the Arc, we'll see better regulation, although not as flat as the Fenix and after the 5-6 hour mark it drops off drastically. Brightness with the L92 Arc is slighter brighter than with alkalines.


----------



## Led75

Nascar your Reviews are top notch! ..Being a noob that i am I have learned alot from you:thanks:!


----------



## V8TOYTRUCK

Thanks for the runtime/reviews TIN, they are an asset to CPF and Flashaholics!

Wish they would hurry up and ship the colored ones! I plan on giving these out this xmas with lithiums. 

Any takers on a durability test Fenix vs ARC? If this thing is as tough as the T1/TK10 then that would be the icing on the cake. 47s, if you send some out to get ''punished'' it would seal the deal for this AAA EDC.


----------



## WadeF

V8TOYTRUCK said:


> Any takers on a durability test Fenix vs ARC? If this thing is as tough as the T1/TK10 then that would be the icing on the cake. 47s, if you send some out to get ''punished'' it would seal the deal for this AAA EDC.


 
If the ARC GS wasn't $50 I might be willing to try that. I'm waiting on my ARC GS to return from Arc so I can compare it to my E01's. From what I can see I can't see how the ARC would be any more durable than the E01. If anything I'd expect the E01 to be more durable since the GS LED is much more recessed and protected. 

Time will tell which has the better HA.


----------



## cdosrun

I just swapped the Nichia CS emitter in my old E0 for a nice new GS as used in the E01 and took some photos so I could see if there was any difference in output.

The new LED puts out quite a bit of light in a band at an obtuse angle to the general direction, has Fenix quelled this by recessing the emitter deeper?

E0 with stock CS





E0 with GS





Andrew


----------



## mighty82

cdosrun said:


> I just swapped the Nichia CS emitter in my old E0 for a nice new GS as used in the E01 and took some photos so I could see if there was any difference in output.
> 
> The new LED puts out quite a bit of light in a band at an obtuse angle to the general direction, has Fenix quelled this by recessing the emitter deeper?


That could be the reason. That wierd line of spill would be annoying to me. Does the arc gs have this?


----------



## this_is_nascar

Edit #5 has been added to Post #1.


----------



## Marduke

cdosrun said:


> I just swapped the Nichia CS emitter in my old E0 for a nice new GS as used in the E01 and took some photos so I could see if there was any difference in output.
> 
> The new LED puts out quite a bit of light in a band at an obtuse angle to the general direction, *has Fenix quelled this by recessing the emitter deeper?*
> 
> E0 with stock CS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> E0 with GS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Andrew



That is my theory. It's a known issue and common complaint with the Arc lights and is common among all 5mm LED's.

The Nichia GS is only about a 15 degree beam angle, so very little of the light would ever reach a reflector either way. That's why most 5mm lights don't even have a traditional reflector.

My guess is that Fenix was trying to capture that little bit of refracted light that comes off the very tip of the dome of a 5mm LED and use it to soften the beam pattern. If you hold a 5mm parallel something flat, you see what I mean. It's just a small % of the total light, but it would help smooth the beam pattern if you could use it. Bare LED's, and lights like the Arc and E0 don't capture it at all, and it just goes off to either side of the light and is not part of the useful beam pattern.

You can see the effect very well in these pictures:
http://www.dealextreme.com/customerp...c1c623c22f.jpg
http://www.dealextreme.com/customerp...c1290cd859.jpg
http://www.dealextreme.com/customerp...bdd05c1552.jpg

And this one is a genuine GS
http://www.dealextreme.com/productim...ku_12270_5.jpg


----------



## streetmaster

this_is_nascar said:


> Edit #5 has been added to Post #1.


Wow, that's not very comforting. That's quite a difference in brightness isn't it? Is it normal for there to be that much variance between the same models?


----------



## mighty82

I guess i will have to buy a few more and keep the best ones for myself. Something tells me it's going to cost me much more than $15 after all


----------



## this_is_nascar

streetmaster said:


> Wow, that's not very comforting. That's quite a difference in brightness isn't it? Is it normal for there to be that much variance between the same models?



It's no different than every other light out there that uses an LED and a circuit. We my find that #2 is the dud of the bunch (as it relates to brightness), but won't know for sure until the others have been metered. Like I said, it's nothing to be concerned about. If #2's runtime was shorter than #1, then we'd have a problem.


----------



## this_is_nascar

mighty82 said:


> I guess i will have to buy a few more and keep the best ones for myself. Something tells me it's going to cost me much more than $15 after all



Join the club. I've been doing that for years. It's allot easier to do with a $15 light than a light that costs several hundred bucks


----------



## cdosrun

Marduke said:


> My guess is that Fenix was trying to capture that little bit of *refracted light that comes off the very tip of the dome* of a 5mm LED and use it to soften the beam pattern. If you hold a 5mm parallel something flat, you see what I mean. It's just a small % of the total light, but it would help smooth the beam pattern if you could use it. Bare LED's, and lights like the Arc and E0 don't capture it at all, and it just goes off to either side of the light and is not part of the useful beam pattern.



Marduke, that is exactly what I have been noticing, the refracted light from the GS LED seems to be much more pronounced than from the CS, is there a particular reason for it? Is it just the higher refractive index of the epoxy to achieve a tight beam angle with a larger die or is there a more interesting reason?

Andrew


----------



## Marduke

cdosrun said:


> Marduke, that is exactly what I have been noticing, the refracted light from the GS LED seems to be much more pronounced than from the CS, is there a particular reason for it? Is it just the higher refractive index of the epoxy to achieve a tight beam angle with a larger die or is there a more interesting reason?
> 
> Andrew



I believe the reason is why the Arc GS lights have gotten a bad rap recently. The shape of the GS is slightly different than the DS or CS, which is why it sticks out of the Arc.

I've seen this "ring" of light coming off the tip of all 5mm LED's I've seen, so perhaps this is the reason Fenix designed the LED to be deeply recessed, with only the tip of the LED being in the focal region of the reflector to catch that "ring" of light that is otherwise wasted and annoying.


----------



## BentHeadTX

Even if number 2 is a "dud", it still runs only 15% lower than the other and gives over 15 hours of runtime on an L92  As you state, it won't be noticable to the naked eye and the runtime is even longer. 

Soooo, if it is not brighter...it runs longer which gives MONSTER kudos to the regulator inside (Wooohoo! Fenix...great regulator...again) I am happy that I bought one on a whim when purchasing a L1D Q5 light... happy indeed! A single AAA keychain light with simple interface that non-flashaholics will appreciate. They HATE twist it three times but not four to get max or minimum output sort of thing. Turn the damn thing on and it is on! 

My next order will be much more E01 related.... oh yes! Now, if they come out with a L2D RB120... yeah, I'll take one or two of those also. Thanks again TIN for the good news... alkalines can run keychain lights although I will run lithium myself. No weird batteries!


----------



## adirondackdestroyer

Excellent review TIN! All you are doing though is making me want my EO1 even more!!! Hopefully sometime early next week.


----------



## Burgess

These *excellent Graphs* by This_Is_NASCAR

are gonna' sell a *LOT* of these Fenix E01 flashlights !


_


----------



## DoubleDutch

Very good info. Thanks a lot TIN. Your graphs really won me over to start using Lithiums (and probably buying more E01's ). Next to my LOD Q4 this will be the perfect backup light. Though my E0 isn't doing so badly either.

Kees


----------



## this_is_nascar

DoubleDutch said:


> Very good info. Thanks a lot TIN. Your graphs really won me over to start using Lithiums (and probably buying more E01's ). Next to my LOD Q4 this will be the perfect backup light. Though my E0 isn't doing so badly either.
> 
> Kees



Since getting the E01, I've been EDCing it, the LOD Q4 and a LF2X. I'm going to see how that combination works for a few weeks. My Arc and Proton Pro are retired to the shelf for the time being.


----------



## chimo

15% variance seems to be well within spec for these LEDs.

W bin: 31,000-45,000 mcd
V bin: 22,000-31,000 mcd


----------



## Marduke

Size comparison with the LOD, E0, and E01 (click picture for zoom)


----------



## Ty_Bower

Great photo, showing the relative sizes. I've got a E01 on it's way. I'm anxious to compare it to my L0P.


----------



## paulr

Ray, can you do a ceiling bounce test vs the Arc DS? I think the hot spot measurement doesn't really indicate the comparative total output, since a lot of the E01 beam is lost in the deep reflector. I wonder what happens if you just attack the bezel with a grinding disc to shorten it.....


----------



## mighty82

paulr said:


> Ray, can you do a ceiling bounce test vs the Arc DS? I think the hot spot measurement doesn't really indicate the comparative total output, since a lot of the E01 beam is lost in the deep reflector. I wonder what happens if you just attack the bezel with a grinding disc to shorten it.....


Nope, a lot of the E01's output is NOT lost in the deep reflector. The deep reflector is catching that thin line of spill that no other reflectors do. That spill is about the only spill from a gs led that is possible to catch with a reflector. Haven't we already discussed this? :ironic:


----------



## streetmaster

mighty82 said:


> Nope, a lot of the E01's output is NOT lost in the deep reflector. The deep reflector is catching that thin line of spill that no other reflectors do. That spill is about the only spill from a gs led that is possible to catch with a reflector. Haven't we already discussed this? :ironic:


I think you're right. If you look at the reflector when the light is on, you can see that side spill on the reflector. So, it IS catching it and using it in the beam.


----------



## cybersoga

Is it fair to say this is the most efficient light there is that runs on a single AAA battery?


----------



## nikon

mighty82 said:


> Nope, a lot of the E01's output is NOT lost in the deep reflector. The deep reflector is catching that thin line of spill that no other reflectors do. That spill is about the only spill from a gs led that is possible to catch with a reflector. Haven't we already discussed this? :ironic:


 
It may have been discussed, but you've drawn the wrong conclusion. The radiation from the side of the LED is indeed getting lost due to the deep placement of the LED in the reflector. Here is a pic of the two EO1's I've received. The LED in the one on the left is set slightly less deep than the other. Notice that neither EO1 sample is utilizing its reflector efficiently due to the depth at which the LED is set.








And here are the beams they cast at a distance of less than one foot from a white wall. The difference becomes more noticeable as distance increases.







Now here is a beamshot of an Arc CS compared with a Fenix EO1, Arc on the left. The Arc does not recess its LED nearly as much as does the Fenix.







Bear in mind that this is an older ARC CS, rated at a maximum of about 6 lumens, yet it clearly puts out more light than does the Fenix. There is also much greater spill light, since the Arc doesn't trap the side radiation of the LED as does the Fenix. 

Look again at the first picture and notice the portion of the reflector which is not being used. That's the reason for the scarcity of spill light produced by the Fenix in the comparison with the Arc CS.


Look down into the the EO1's reflector and see that the area where the LED is placed has nearly vertical walls. The side light from the LED is simply unable to escape.


----------



## IMSabbel

No.
The "side light", at least the only non-neglectable part, comes from the very tip of the led and is captured handily.
The amount escaping from the real side is an order of magnitude lower, and you wouldnt be able to focus it with the same reflector anyway (tip spill and side spill have different virtual lightsources).


----------



## Ty_Bower

nikon said:


> The radiation from the side of the LED is indeed getting lost due to the deep placement of the LED in the reflector.



If I believe the diagrams I've seen, the radiation from the side of the GS is essentially nil. 99% of the light comes out in a 15 degree cone.



> Bear in mind that this is an older ARC CS, rated at a maximum of about 6 lumens, yet it clearly puts out more light than does the Fenix.



Clearly, your photo is completely over saturated in the hotspot. You cannot draw any conclusions about total lumen output when the photo is overexposed.



> The side light from the LED is simply unable to escape.



The GS has no side light. It all comes out the front in a 15 degree cone.


----------



## cybersoga

nikon said:


> Now here is a beamshot of an Arc CS compared with a Fenix EO1, Arc on the left. The Arc does not recess its LED nearly as much as does the Fenix.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bear in mind that this is an older ARC CS, rated at a maximum of about 6 lumens, yet it clearly puts out more light than does the Fenix. There is also much greater spill light, since the Arc doesn't trap the side radiation of the LED as does the Fenix.



Perhaps the CS in that Arc doesn't focus the light as well as the newer GS in the E01 due to better optics, I don't know what the difference between the CS and GS are so perhaps somebody in the know can confirm/deny.


----------



## Marduke

Furthermore you can clearly see in the pictures that the ring of light coming on the tip of the LED is being reflected in the bottom of the reflector.


----------



## streetmaster

Marduke said:


> Furthermore you can clearly see in the pictures that the ring of light coming on the tip of the LED is being reflected in the bottom of the reflector.


That's EXACTLY what I noticed. No one can really deny that, it's easy to see.


----------



## nikon

Ty_Bower said:


> Clearly, your photo is completely over saturated in the hotspot. You cannot draw any conclusions about total lumen output when the photo is overexposed.


 
You need to read more closely. What we're talking about here is sidespill, not the central spot or total lumens. The sidespill in the comparative photos is not overexposed. A blind man could see that the Arc utilizes the light better.

I won't even bother to respond to your other statements.


----------



## nikon

cybersoga said:


> Perhaps the CS in that Arc doesn't focus the light as well as the newer GS in the E01 due to better optics, I don't know what the difference between the CS and GS are so perhaps somebody in the know can confirm/deny.


 
I posted this several days ago on this thread.....https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2450851#post2450851
I guess you missed it.

Here's a side by side beamshot of a bare GS and a bare CS, each directly driven by two Energizer AA Lithium batteries. Each is drawing 30mA from their batteries. Distance from the white wall is two feet. The beam, other than color and brightness, is the same for both. 


.........GS on left.............................................. ........................CS on right







And here's a shot from the side.....

.........GS on left.............................................. ........................CS on right


----------



## mighty82

In a light with a "normal" led, let's say a cree, the reflector makes the hotspot. A 5mm led is already focused and makes the hotspot without a reflector. From what i can see, the light reflecting from the reflector in lights with 5mm leds seems to be going more to the "spill light" than it would in a normal setup. If i take the led out of my E0 and use it without a reflector the hotspot is almost as bright but with less spill.

Another thing I noticed when comparing is that my E01 has even MORE spill than my E0, it just doesn't have the defined outline.


----------



## HoopleHead

my E01 in black came today. first impressions:

- well worth the $15, without a doubt.
- a great cheap arc alternative, whatever the tradeoffs may be.
- love that it tailstands, one of my biggest issues with the arc.
- doesnt replace my non-protruding-LED arc-aaa GS as my daytime EDC, but still a great light.

i call this one another win for fenix!


----------



## Marduke

nikon said:


> I posted this several days ago on this thread.....https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2450851#post2450851
> I guess you missed it.
> 
> Here's a side by side beamshot of a bare GS and a bare CS, each directly driven by two Energizer AA Lithium batteries. Each is drawing 30mA from their batteries. Distance from the white wall is two feet. The beam, other than color and brightness, is the same for both.
> 
> 
> And here's a shot from the side.....
> 
> .........GS on left.............................................. ........................CS on right




And that picture clearly shows exactly what we're trying to tell you. That "sidespill" isn't coming from the length of the LED, it's a ring of light emanating entirely from the very tip of the LED, and makes up an EXTREMELY small % of the total light output. The E01 perfectly catches that ring of light and directs it forward, where other lights waste if off the the side far away from the rest of the beam.


This is a known effect of nearly all high dome type 5mm LED's (the common ones we're all familiar with). There is even a lengthy discussion of the effect in the Arc subforum if you really want to read up on it.


Otherwise, we get it, you don't like your E01. If you don't like it, just sell it in the MP and you'll be rid of it.


----------



## HighLight

Is there any way to mod the led to make it sit higher in the reflector? Then we could have a comparison done side by side with an unmodified one. Should make for an interesting comparison to test everyones theories. I would be very interested in seeing the beamshots thats for sure.


----------



## nikon

Marduke said:


> And that picture clearly shows exactly what we're trying to tell you. That "sidespill" isn't coming from the length of the LED, it's a ring of light emanating entirely from the very tip of the LED, and makes up an EXTREMELY small % of the total light output. The E01 perfectly catches that ring of light and directs it forward, where other lights waste if off the the side far away from the rest of the beam.


 
I'm about ready to give up. Trying to explain something to a cheerleader is like trying to convince a child that Santa Claus isn't real. You'll come up with all sorts of convoluted reasoning to hold onto your belief that this flashlight is the savior of the earth. The EO1 does not redirect the sidelight forward, it contains it in the vertical sides at the bottom of the reflector. If you can prove otherwise, then do so with a genuine example of how this works instead of pulling some wild theory out of your...well, you know where. It's the Arc which redirects the sidelight forward. That's why the Arc has so much more spill than the EO1. And it's not..."an EXTREMELY small amount of the total light output...", as you'll see if you look at the last picture I posted. The GS, in fact, puts out even more sidelight than does the CS.

Earlier in this thread I posted the following. Give it a try and then tell me what you think....."... keep Occam's Razor in mind. The simplest answer is usually the right one. Don't make more assumtions than the minimum needed. Instead of trying to figure out what will happen by looking at charts, test it for yourself. All you need is a lit LED and an empty head from an Arc or similar light. Shine it on a wall and slide the head back and forward over the LED. You'll see dramatic changes in the beam pattern. There's only one right spot, and the spot used by the Fenix isn't it."




> This is a known effect of nearly all high dome type 5mm LED's (the common ones we're all familiar with). There is even a lengthy discussion of the effect in the Arc subforum if you really want to read up on it.


 
Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.




> Otherwise, we get it, you don't like your E01. If you don't like it, just sell it in the MP and you'll be rid of it.


 
Now that's a perfect example of how you've once again drawn the wrong conclusion. I never said that I don't like the Fenix EO1. I do, in fact, like it. However, I bought it because Fenix claims that the output is a constant 10 lumens. The light I received is far from it. What I don't like is false advertising. 

Here's an opportunity for you to show everyone how much you love the EO1...send me the price I paid for it and I'll sell it to you. And the offer is open to anyone else who'd like to buy it.


----------



## Marduke

You keep calling it "side light", but the light isn't coming from the sides. All that light is coming directly off the very tip of the LED, which is not buried in the bottom of the reflector, it sticks out right at the focal point of the reflector. This effect appears to somehow be magnified somewhat in the GS LED, which has a slightly different shape than the old style single die 5mm's.

Look at your own pictures and you can see where all that light is coming from.

Also, why do you think their lumen claim is false? Your sole comparison is the Arc, who is to say that figure is any more accurate? Arc lights have a long history of underestimating their brightness claims.


Also, please don't call me a "cheerleader". One look at my profile will tell you I'm not some naive highschool kid.


----------



## Daekar

I don't of course, have my E01s yet, so I'm going off of the pictures posted, but it looks like that at least Nikon's E01 might have the emitter set a tiny bit too deep to allow the sidebeam from the tip to hit the reflector properly... it's hard to tell exactly where it is from the picture though. I don't know if Nikon has multiple examples or not, if so it would be nice if he would chime in and share that information (apologies if it was already stated/implied - I missed it). It cannot be up for debate that the "wings" of light on both the CS and GS come from the tip of the emitter, not the sides or the base, a quick glance at the pictures show that. BUT if the tip doesn't stick out into the reflector even a little bit, then it will act as Nikon says. I'm hoping that Nikon has an inferior example of the product and that Marduke probably has one where the emitter is set high enough for the "wings" to be properly reflected and diffused into spill.

I can personally testify that my Arc DS allows those "wings" to escape from the side, it's noticable under normal usage and and looks pretty cool in heavy fog, regardless of how inefficient it is.


----------



## Marduke

Daekar said:


> I don't of course, have my E01s yet, so I'm going off of the pictures posted, but it looks like that at least Nikon's E01 might have the emitter set a tiny bit too deep to allow the sidebeam from the tip to hit the reflector properly... it's hard to tell exactly where it is from the picture though. I don't know if Nikon has multiple examples or not, if so it would be nice if he would chime in and share that information (apologies if it was already stated/implied - I missed it). It cannot be up for debate that the "wings" of light on both the CS and GS come from the tip of the emitter, not the sides or the base, a quick glance at the pictures show that. BUT if the tip doesn't stick out into the reflector even a little bit, then it will act as Nikon says. I'm hoping that Nikon has an inferior example of the product and that Marduke probably has one where the emitter is set high enough for the "wings" to be properly reflected and diffused into spill.
> 
> I can personally testify that my Arc DS allows those "wings" to escape from the side, it's noticable under normal usage and and looks pretty cool in heavy fog, regardless of how inefficient it is.



Well, my E01 looks just like those pictured, and the tip is indeed not buried, but rather right in the focal region of the reflector.


----------



## arty

*Fenix E01 Review Lux readings?*

Does anyone have lux readings for this light?

It seems bigger than the ARC, at least in diameter and length. Is this noticeable in the hand or on a keychain?


----------



## this_is_nascar

*Re: Fenix E01 Review Lux readings?*



arty said:


> Does anyone have lux readings for this light?
> 
> It seems bigger than the ARC, at least in diameter and length. Is this noticeable in the hand or on a keychain?



Yes, to me, the size difference in roundness is noticable.


----------



## adirondackdestroyer

Overall I've found the EO1 to be one hell of a keychain light, especially for the price of $15. Here are the only things that could possibly make the light better (IMO):

- Raise the height of the LED
- Have more threads after the O ring on the head of the light, so that you can unscrew the head a full turn before the O ring is exposed. 

Other than that this light is damn near perfect. The knurling is excellent as well as the feel/size as well.


----------



## IMSabbel

nikon said:


> I'm about ready to give up..


Well, i certainly do.
You clearly have no understanding whatsoever about what you are talking about, so further discussion is indeed pointless.


----------



## Ty_Bower

adirondackdestroyer said:


> Here are the only things that could possibly make the light better (IMO):
> 
> - Raise the height of the LED



I hope they don't. Look at the last pic in this post by UnknownVT:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2460083&postcount=14

If the LED comes up any higher in the head, you're going to get those annoying "side-spikes".


----------



## geepondy

*Re: Fenix E01 Review Lux readings?*

That's useful information. Sometime ago, I tried switching the Arc on the keychain to an LOD and found the size difference noticeable enough so I went back to the Arc and it looks like the same to be said for the E01 then.



this_is_nascar said:


> Yes, to me, the size difference in roundness is noticable.


----------



## mighty82

*Re: Fenix E01 Review Lux readings?*



geepondy said:


> That's useful information. Sometime ago, I tried switching the Arc on the keychain to an LOD and found the size difference noticeable enough so I went back to the Arc and it looks like the same to be said for the E01 then.


I like the size of the E01/L0D more than the arc/E0. I have large hands and I find the slightly larger size to be much easier to grip. I can't feel the difference on the keychain.


----------



## streetmaster

Ty_Bower said:


> I hope they don't. Look at the last pic in this post by UnknownVT:
> https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2460083&postcount=14
> 
> If the LED comes up any higher in the head, you're going to get those annoying "side-spikes".


I agree with you 100%. But, some people just refuse to see that fact. There is a very good reason the LED is set where it is. Fenix didn't get to be the great flashlight manufacturer that they are by being stupid. All you have to do is look at the reflector when the light is on and you can SEE the "side spikes" light bouncing off the reflector.


----------



## this_is_nascar

Edit #6 has been posted.


----------



## BigHonu

Wow, that is some impressive runtimes!

Thanks for the work TIN!


----------



## Marduke

Looks like B#2 is slated to be gifted out...

Must be a low bin GS with a high Vf


----------



## IMSabbel

Just wondering...
Any reason why there arent any NiMh tested?
As for me, that would be the most likely food those things would get....


----------



## Bearcat

IMSabbel said:


> Just wondering...
> Any reason why there arent any NiMh tested?
> As for me, that would be the most likely food those things would get....


 


Yeah, Rayovac Hybrids or Eneloops.


----------



## mighty82

IMSabbel said:


> Just wondering...
> Any reason why there arent any NiMh tested?
> As for me, that would be the most likely food those things would get....


I don't see why anyone would use a NiMh in these. They last forever on a cheap alkaline cell. That's half the reason i like this lights, they are the only lights i have that can run in regulation on an alkaline cell (and the E0). A normal NiMh will self discharge more energy than you use, and i save my eneloops for stuff that needs them, or at least where NiMh gives an advantage over alkaline.


----------



## Brownstone

mighty82 said:


> I don't see why anyone would use a NiMh in these. They last forever on a cheap alkaline cell. That's half the reason i like this lights, they are the only lights i have that can run in regulation on an alkaline cell (and the E0). A normal NiMh will self discharge more energy than you use, and i save my eneloops for stuff that needs them, or at least where NiMh gives an advantage over alkaline.



Alkalines don't work so well in temperature extremes. If the flashlight might have to be used outdoors in very cold or very hot weather, this might be a good excuse to put one of those Energizer L92 cells in.


----------



## 4sevens

Actually we get a ton of lights come back simply because of leaky alkalines.
Even the brand named cells leak like crazy when left in a hot car.

The down sides of the nimh is that they self discharge. Solution.... Eneloops.
They hold their charge for a long long time. Since I switched to enloops
I never went back.

Lithiums are still good if you want to put a light in an energency pack or
first aid kit. Then you should be good for 10 years


----------



## NITEFISH

4sevens said:


> Actually we get a ton of lights come back simply because of leaky alkalines.
> Even the brand named cells leak like crazy when left in a hot car.
> 
> The down sides of the nimh is that they self discharge. Solution.... Eneloops.
> They hold their charge for a long long time. Since I switched to enloops
> I never went back.
> 
> Lithiums are still good if you want to put a light in an energency pack or
> first aid kit. Then you should be good for 10 years



Exactly what I was thinking. I have many lights damaged, destroyed because of leaky alks. I personally haven't bought an alk in about 2-3 years. Sure would be nice to see some results on nimh, just to satisfy my curiosity.:shrug:
Ditto on other points as well.:thumbsup:
By the way got my EO1 this week... nice.


----------



## mighty82

I never had an alkaline leak. It must have something to do with where i live. It never gets that hot here.

I received another E01 today, and this one is much dimmer than the other ones. It's more like my E0. Well, it's a gamble..


----------



## Ty_Bower

4sevens said:


> Since I switched to eneloops I never went back.



I wish you sold them in the Fenix-Store...


----------



## 4sevens

Ty_Bower said:


> I wish you sold them in the Fenix-Store...


You just wait.  We'll have them soon enough.
We're going to have to make a massive order to get the right prices.


----------



## Brownstone

Ty_Bower said:


> I wish you sold (_Eneloops)_ in the Fenix-Store...




I have a suspicion that Eneloops are about to either be discontinued or replaced with a second generation. The things have been going on clearance all over the place (Costco, Wal-Mart, Circuit City) which is too much to be coincidence to me. It looks like the retail channel is being purged of the product.


----------



## sino

mighty82 said:


> I received another E01 today, and this one is much dimmer than the other ones. It's more like my E0. Well, it's a gamble..



This is what concerns me. Yeah, I know, it's only $15 and build quality is excellent, blah blah blah, but I wish quality control were a little more reliable on the LED itself. 

For my purposes I need a light that's definitely brighter than the E0, not as bright as the E0 and not very slightly brighter than the E0. Is this situation likely to improve as production ramps up, or will it always be a crapshoot?

Around here we joke about the LED lottery, but if Fenix is going to advertise a 10 lumen light, it should be 10 lumens (+/- 1 lumen). I think this same standard should apply to all manufacturers, not just Fenix, so I'm not singling them out here.


----------



## mighty82

sino said:


> This is what concerns me. Yeah, I know, it's only $15 and build quality is excellent, blah blah blah, but I wish quality control were a little more reliable on the LED itself.
> 
> For my purposes I need a light that's definitely brighter than the E0, not as bright as the E0 and not very slightly brighter than the E0. Is this situation likely to improve as production ramps up, or will it always be a crapshoot?
> 
> Around here we joke about the LED lottery, but if Fenix is going to advertise a 10 lumen light, it should be 10 lumens (+/- 1 lumen). I think this same standard should apply to all manufacturers, not just Fenix, so I'm not singling them out here.


Yup.. This confirms what I was suspecting, and several other people have suggested. The E01/E0 is "constant voltage" regulated instead of constant current. So with lower vf, output goes up and runtime goes down. And with higher vf, output goes down and runtime goes up. The output stays flat like with constant current regulation.

With constant current regulated lights, like most other fenix's, the output stays the same, but the current draw/runtime will vary. This is why we get so big variations in output on this lights.


----------



## streetmaster

4sevens said:


> You just wait.  We'll have them soon enough.
> We're going to have to make a massive order to get the right prices.


That would be awesome! I would much rather buy Eneloops from Fenix-Store than anywhere else. I'm looking forward to it. Any chance I have to buy from you guys, I take it!


----------



## Daekar

streetmaster said:


> That would be awesome! I would much rather buy Eneloops from Fenix-Store than anywhere else. I'm looking forward to it. Any chance I have to buy from you guys, I take it!


 
Ditto to that. I'd definitely rather send business (mine and others') your way than to Thomas Distributing or somewhere else (not that TD has ever done me wrong, mark you...). It'd be nice to be able to recommend somebody order an L2D, accessories, and batteries + charger all from the same place. You aren't going to carry MAHA battery chargers by any chance, are you? That would truely be a one-stop shop for a serious flashaholic... let me list off the top of my head...

Fenix... check.
Zebralight... check.
Polarion... check.
Accessories... check.
Microfire... check.
Olight... check.
AW Batteries... check.
AW Chargers... check.
LSD NiMH Batteries... wishing.
MAHA Chargers... wishing. 

Really, you'd only need to carry two more categories of items for me to tell anyone never to shop anywhere else... :thumbsup:


----------



## this_is_nascar

Edit #7 has been added to Post #1.


----------



## Grumpy

I have 4 of these in black and can not tell a difference in the brightness with my eyes. They all look the same brightness to me. 

They all have nice finish.

They all have smooth threads.

Like them alot.


----------



## Phaserburn

this_is_nascar said:


> Edit #7 has been added to Post #1.


 
Brighter ones that run a bit longer than dimmer ones using the same circuit/battery combo can possibly be attributed to very small differences in the forward voltage variances in the individual leds themselves. A few milliamps difference to the led at this drive level would potentially be visible to the naked eye.


----------



## this_is_nascar

As everyone knows, I've been singing the praises of the Fenix E01, ever since I received mine. I thought I had (4) of them only to discover I really have (6) of them. Then, today, (2) more from my Fenix back-order shows up. I figured I fire these two, just to make sure they worked and *WHAT A DISSAPPOINTED*. I seen my share of off-centered Nichia before. I've had them to the point where the off-centered LED actually make the beam it produced nice and even. I've also seen them where the off-centered LED caused the beam to be off-centered. Well, you guessed it. Both of the E01's are extremely off-centered to the point where they're unusable as far as I'm concerned. If these (2) units would have been the 1st delivery of the E01's that I received, my review would have been somewhat different.

Come on Fenix, sh** or get off the pot when QA'ing these things. Don't get complacent like so many other's have in recent years. We embraced you quickly and strongly because you have a history of putting out a solid product for the $$$, but it doesn't mean we won't drop you in a heartbeat if you continue to falter.


----------



## mighty82

this_is_nascar said:


> As everyone knows, I've been singing the praises of the Fenix E01, ever since I received mine. I thought I had (4) of them only to discover I really have (6) of them. Then, today, (2) more from my Fenix back-order shows up. I figured I fire these two, just to make sure they worked and *WHAT A DISSAPPOINTED*. I seen my share of off-centered Nichia before. I've had them to the point where the off-centered LED actually make the beam it produced nice and even. I've also seen them where the off-centered LED caused the beam to be off-centered. Well, you guessed it. Both of the E01's are extremely off-centered to the point where they're unusable as far as I'm concerned. If these (2) units would have been the 1st delivery of the E01's that I received, my review would have been somewhat different.
> 
> Come on Fenix, sh** or get off the pot when QA'ing these things. Don't get complacent like so many other's have in recent years. We embraced you quickly and strongly because you have a history of putting out a solid product for the $$$, but it doesn't mean we won't drop you in a heartbeat if you continue to falter.


It looks like the last batch has a lot of off center led's. I have read other reports on that too. My lights has off center led's too, but they are pointing in the right direction, they just don't sit in the center of the "hole". So I get a perfectly centered hotspot, but a spill that is brighter on one side.


----------



## chimo

I got mine today. Anyone else notice that the threads are the same as for the L0P series (except male/female reversed)? If you gutted the L0P head it would still be a little too short to fit an N-cell in there.


----------



## streetmaster

Both my LEDs are off center too. But it doesn't seem to have a bad effect on the beam pattern. I think if the LED is off to the side but not tilted, it's ok. If the LED is tilted, then we have problems. Also, today I received the E01 that I ordered for my father. I decided to put a battery in it to check it out. It must be from a second batch or something. This thing is WAY bluer than my two. The entire beam is blue, not just the hot spot. I'm glad mine weren't like that. Mine are mostly yellowish with a slightly blue hot spot.


----------



## mighty82

chimo said:


> I got mine today. Anyone else notice that the threads are the same as for the L0P series (except male/female reversed)? If you gutted the L0P head it would still be a little too short to fit an N-cell in there.


Yes, I have been playing around with that too. Putting the E01 head into the E0 head and such. If you put the E0 or L0D body into the E01 body, you have a 2xaaa battery holder 

Edit: When I think about it, DONT use it as a 2xaaa holder, you will short the batteries :duh2: I ALMOST tried it. Phew, that was a close one


----------



## this_is_nascar

I just noticed the confirmation that Peter posted over in the Arc thread, that this small batch of Arc-AAA GS lights that are now available are guarenteed NOT to have the LED sticking out past the bezel rim. With that being said, I ordered (2) units, so I can do the head-to-head runtime against the E01. If you recall, the Arc-AAA used in the first graph is only a DS.


----------



## Yapo

I look forward to seeing your GS vs GS runtime graphs!


----------



## BentHeadTX

All hail TIN!
Now if I ever actually receive my E01... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


----------



## V8TOYTRUCK

I hope 5/10 is really the ship date for the colored ones. *crosses fingers*


----------



## Burgess

Unless they're "tweeking" the LED placement,

after reading these thread postings.


_


----------



## Phaserburn

Burgess said:


> Unless they're "tweeking" the LED placement,
> 
> after reading these thread postings.
> 
> 
> _


 
I'd be happy to wait longer for that!


----------



## Ty_Bower

Here's my contribution to the review. I received a shipment today containing four olive E01. They are all from the same batch number - US344652. Machining is excellent. Anodizing is consistent. Heads are darker than the bodies, as expected. Brightness on all four is more or less the same to my eye.

One has a noticeably different tint from the other three, with the one being "greenish" while the others are the typical "bluish" I'd expect from a 5mm LED. Note that the green one still has a predominately blue center spot. It's mostly the spill tint that appears different.

All have a oval (or perhaps more accurately, a rounded rectangular) center spot. Immediately surrounding the center spot is thin yellowish ring. The spot on all four is slightly off center in the overall beam, but none are so bad it would warrant a return.

The spill on three of them is like all the photos I've seen of the E01. The center spot fades away into the spill. There isn't much in a discernible edge to the spill. The fourth one does have a rather sharply defined edge to the spill. I've looked into the head to see if it appears that the LED is sitting higher (or lower) on the one with the defined spill perimeter, but it is impossible for me to tell. They all look more or less the same. Overall brightness and general usability seems to be about the same too.

These are not good lights for white wall hunters. There are lots of noticeable irregularities in the beams. Out of my four samples, one has a different tint and one has a different shape to the beam. All have slightly off center spots and color variation across the beam. None of them are brighter than my old L0P (with a fresh lithium primary). None of them can match the L0P for quality of beam (color, shape, smoothness).

These are good value lights. They seem to be well built, very small, and usefully bright.The price is a lot less than I paid for my L0P. They'll run a heck of a lot longer than the L0P. I'll probably end up replacing the L0P on my keyring with an E01, just so I know I've got a good chance of having plenty of juice in the cell when I need it. My L0P's battery seems to be in a perpetual state of "nearly run down". The others are going out as gifts to family members.


----------



## Hitthespot

Your usual good job Nascar. Thank you for the review. I just ordered one.


Thanks

Bill


----------



## chibato

I know this has been discussed before, but I can't seem to find it: I realize there are different versions for different countries, but do the serial numbers on the Fenix heads coorespond to different batches? 

BTW, heard that additional colors may be arriving at the fenix-store on 5/12. I am definitely diggin the blue one after seeing 4sevens in UnknownVT's review.


----------



## this_is_nascar

My (2) new Arc-GS units just arrived. The LED is sunk just enough that it doesn't stick out the end of the bezel. It can now rest face-down on a flat surface without wobbling or falling. From what I recall from my 1st gen Arc-GS, the beam appears to be the same. Unit #1 is on the meter as I type. After this test on the Duracell is done, I"ll plot it against the E01 alkaline test and post the chart.


----------



## V8TOYTRUCK

Thanks TIN..looking forward to seeing how the $50 GS does next to the $15 GS


----------



## Marduke

V8TOYTRUCK said:


> Thanks TIN..looking forward to seeing how the $50 GS does next to the $15 GS



I actually wouldn't mind seeing how both of them stack up to a $1.85 GS also


----------



## Bearcat

V8TOYTRUCK said:


> Thanks TIN..looking forward to seeing how the $50 GS does next to the $15 GS


 
Yeah, I'm with you on that one. 

I still would like to see how the E01 does using a Eneloop battery vs alkaline battery.


----------



## V8TOYTRUCK

TIN, If you are interested in doing a AAA Eneloop test. I'd be glad to send you some fully charged AAA eneloops.


----------



## nikon

IMSabbel said:


> Well, i certainly do.
> You clearly have no understanding whatsoever about what you are talking about, so further discussion is indeed pointless.


 
Expecto Patronum!


----------



## Crenshaw

oh now, ive got a late batch E01 on the way...argh! cross fingers...

it will be interesting to see how the ARc gs and the E01 size up

Crenshaw


----------



## Daekar

I received two olive E01's yesterday, and they seem to be consistent with what everybody else is seeing: good anodizing and knurling, fairly good color matching but not perfect, oval hotspot typical of the GS, purplish beam when compared to my Arc AAA-P DS (which is practically warm white with a little blue spot in the middle), nice deep-set emitter well centered, strong (but loud compared to my other lights) threads. Overall I'm very pleased. The only downside I see is that it's not as pretty or as small as my Arc, but I think the runtime and non-battery-crusher design makes up for that and the purple beam.


----------



## LG&M

I got mine from the same batch as Ty Bower. My thoughts are about the same as his/hers. It's a little more blue then I thought it would be. Still that will not matter in real world use. I think I will make a little Kydex holder for it I don't like having to hold all my keys when I want to use my light.


----------



## this_is_nascar

Edit #8 has been added to the 1st post. It shows the latest version of the Arc-P (GS) compared to the E01 (GS).


----------



## geepondy

Comparing Arc configuration to Fenix configuration, anyway you look at it, the Fenix gives more total light under the curve. Having said that, price difference aside, The Arc GS in lithium configuration with 6 plus hours of brighter light and arguably a more useful beam would still probably make it my default keychain light. It looks like Fenix could bump the light output up a bit to make it more in line with that of the Arc and still produce a longer run time.

Ray, it looks like the Arc GS starts out at about 4500 on your meter while the Arc DS starts out at maybe 3600. Can you physically see a difference between the two? The GS has a more sloppy beam compared to the DS, is this true? I'd love to see a beam comparison somewhere between an Arc GS, an Arc DS and the Fenix E01.


----------



## this_is_nascar

geepondy said:


> Comparing Arc configuration to Fenix configuration, anyway you look at it, the Fenix gives more total light under the curve. Having said that, price difference aside, The Arc GS in lithium configuration with 6 plus hours of brighter light and arguably a more useful beam would still probably make it my default keychain light. It looks like Fenix could bump the light output up a bit to make it more in line with that of the Arc and still produce a longer run time.
> 
> Ray, it looks like the Arc GS starts out at about 4500 on your meter while the Arc DS starts out at maybe 3600. Can you physically see a difference between the two? The GS has a more sloppy beam compared to the DS, is this true? I'd love to see a beam comparison somewhere between an Arc GS, an Arc DS and the Fenix E01.



Yes, the Arc is visably brighter at the onset and has wider flood. With either light, I don't care for the beam the GS LED produces. If I had to pick my favorite of the Nichia beams/tints, it would be the DS hands-down. It wouldn't matter which of these 2-hosts it's in. Even though the Arc is brighter for the first several hours, slimmer, lighter and made in the USA, it's really difficult to pass on the E01. I really light the longer, steadier runtime, the ability to tail-stand out of the box, the smoothness of the twisty action and its ability to fire on an almost dead battery and this does not even take into consideration the price difference.


----------



## Daekar

this_is_nascar said:


> With either light, I don't care for the beam the GS LED produces. If I had to pick my favorite of the Nichia beams/tints, it would be the DS hands-down. It wouldn't matter which of these 2-hosts it's in.


 
+1 for that! The beam on my (well, my fiancee's now) Arc DS is by far the most beautiful beam I've ever seen out of a standard LED and makes the GS beam from my E01 look positively primitive.

Still, when you need it light is light, and long running violet-ish light is more useful than shorter runtime which is whiter...


----------



## Blue72

TIN

It seems according to your graph that the ARC GS is considerably brighter than the ARC DS. Is it noticeably different when looking at the beams side by side. 

I am curious since earlier reports from other people stated the difference between brightness of the Arc DS and GS was minimal.


----------



## this_is_nascar

dd61999 said:


> TIN
> 
> It seems according to your graph that the ARC GS is considerably brighter than the ARC DS. Is it noticeably different when looking at the beams side by side.
> 
> I am curious since earlier reports from other people stated the difference between brightness of the Arc DS and GS was minimal.



Brightness is noticable, but not to the extent that you would think in looking at the graph.


----------



## MikeSalt

Just received my E01. Perfectly centered emitter and very little tint variation across the beam!


----------



## WadeF

Great run time tests TiN! It's pretty amazing how long those things run! Once it drops out of regulation, how long will it put out light?


----------



## this_is_nascar

Edit #9 has been added to show the 2nd Arc unit.


----------



## V8TOYTRUCK

Thank you TIN...I'll be picking up some AAA lithiums to feed this little guy...


----------



## Daekar

The more I look at the graphs the more I wonder if the Arc GS would be a better competition for the E01 if Peter had been able to convince those in control at Arc that the GS should be more focused on runtime. I haven't calculated the area under the curves, but it seems that at least with a lithium cell the driver of the Arc could be throttled back to equal the brightness and runtime of the E01. Honestly I prefer the Arc form factor to the E01, but the practical reality of longer runtime outweighs that small difference. Well, that and the E01 doesn't crush cells...


----------



## Blue72

Daekar said:


> The more I look at the graphs the more I wonder if the Arc GS would be a better competition for the E01 if Peter had been able to convince those in control at Arc that the GS should be more focused on runtime. I haven't calculated the area under the curves, but it seems that at least with a lithium cell the driver of the Arc could be throttled back to equal the brightness and runtime of the E01. Honestly I prefer the Arc form factor to the E01, but the practical reality of longer runtime outweighs that small difference. Well, that and the E01 doesn't crush cells...


 

actually I think Peter should leave the ARC alone it offers a balance of decent brightness with decent runtime. For long runtime we now have the EO1. No use creating the same type of flashlight already offered by fenix at a higher price point.


----------



## TONY M

Great work TIN! I must get some lithium AAA's for my E01.


----------



## TONY M

dd61999 said:


> For long runtime we now have the EO1. No use creating the same type of flashlight already offered by fenix at a higher price point.


 
You have a good point dd61999. Only the extreme collectors (like many of us) need to get several near identical lights just for ourselves only to keep them in a drawer or someplace they are not being used...


----------



## dealgrabber2002

edit: sorry, i asked an question that's already been answered.


----------



## Daekar

Just thought I'd mention that the Purple E01 I ordered as a gift arrived, and the coloring and color matching is perfect! A nice, consistence beautiful deep purple. Good job Fenix!


----------



## paulr

Daekar said:


> The more I look at the graphs the more I wonder if the Arc GS would be a better competition for the E01 if Peter had been able to convince those in control at Arc that the GS should be more focused on runtime. I haven't calculated the area under the curves, but it seems that at least with a lithium cell the driver of the Arc could be throttled back to equal the brightness and runtime of the E01. Honestly I prefer the Arc form factor to the E01, but the practical reality of longer runtime outweighs that small difference. Well, that and the E01 doesn't crush cells...


I don't think "those in control" (Arc's financial backers) care at all about whether the AAA-GS is focused on brightness or runtime. That type of issue, they leave up to Peter. The Arc AAA reflects the priorities Peter chose for it, which he explained at length. Basically: 1) it should have 5 hours of runtime on cheap generic batteries (so maybe more runtime on better batteries); 2) it should be as bright as possible within the 5 hour requirement. This explicitly does not optimize "area under the curve" since the leds are less efficient at higher drive levels. 

My own feeling is that ultra long runtime is partially defeated by flat regulation. I don't understand why so many CPF'ers are so entranced by ruler-flat discharge curves. I'd rather have the discharge curve reflect the amount of energy remaining in the battery, so there's effectively an automatic power step-down to preserve runtime as the battery gets low. As a side benefit with alkalines, they recover some power capability when they've rested for a while. That means if you turn on an Arc and it's full brightness for a moment and then drops to lower brightness, you know the battery is getting low, while at the same time you still have a usable light for quite a while. You can then change the battery when you get around to it. With flat regulation, you get no feedback at all about what condition the battery is in, until the bottom falls out.


----------



## mighty82

paulr said:


> With flat regulation, you get no feedback at all about what condition the battery is in, until the bottom falls out.


You are aware that most lights that have "flat regulation", including the fenix E01 will give you many hours of usable light after they fall out of regulation right? Or have you just decided to ignore that fact? :thinking: I would much rather have a clear indication when it's time to change the battery, than to constantly wonder if it's dim enough to change the battery now, or go change the battery before it's half empty because I can see it's getting dimmer and I want the flashlight to be at it's brightest. Just my honest opinion.


----------



## paulr

mighty82 said:


> You are aware that most lights that have "flat regulation", including the fenix E01 will give you many hours of usable light after they fall out of regulation right? Or have you just decided to ignore that fact?


I'm quite aware of it, however the fall-off is very sharp at the end of regulation. Also, if there's enough juice in the battery to be making X lumens after 5 hours, then at the beginning of the run there was enough to be making 2X lumens, so the regulated light decided to leave the extra power "on the table", a decision in tension with wanting to maximize output. Anyway, it's a matter of preference, I just don't see a usability improvement from flat regulation and I see it as better design for the light to follow the way the battery actually behaves. If you want flat regulation, go for it. It's just not necessarily an advantage for everyone. It's in the eye of the beholder.


----------



## nikon

Well, well, well...I received three new EO1's today and found that the LED has been moved forward, where it should have been all along. As a result, the sidelight (yes, sidelight, since it comes out of the LED almost directly sideways) is no longer trapped in the vertical area at the bottom of the head. The beam is now larger and round, like the Arc, Infinity, Dorcy aaa, and other similar lights. There is more total light coming from the light now.

IMHO, the LED should be moved forward just a bit more. As it is, the circle of light is about 3/4ths that of the Arc, etc. A slightly more forward placemant would make the circle larger and, for my purposes, more useful. But it's a big improvement as it is.

The tint in two of the lights leans toward the purple and the third toward the yellow. It's all good.

The beams are off center, and none of the EO1's is as bright as the ARC CS, Infinity Ultra, or Dorcy aaa.


----------



## dealgrabber2002

nikon said:


> The tint in two of the lights leans toward the purple and the third toward the yellow. It's all good.



Yellow?! Aww man you got lucky!


----------



## paulr

Sigh, I see other folks are getting their blue E01's and I don't have a shipping notice yet... I hope it's just a backlog that F-S is working through.

Meanwhile this variation in led color is interesting. I just got an Arc AAA-GS and its beam seems like a mixture of white and violet, so it almost appears pink. I wonder if there is significant amount of UV in the beam.


----------



## TONY M

nikon said:


> Well, well, well...I received three new EO1's today and found that the LED has been moved forward, where it should have been all along. As a result, the sidelight (yes, sidelight, since it comes out of the LED almost directly sideways) is no longer trapped in the vertical area at the bottom of the head. The beam is now larger and round, like the Arc, Infinity, Dorcy aaa, and other similar lights. There is more total light coming from the light now.
> 
> IMHO, the LED should be moved forward just a bit more. As it is, the circle of light is about 3/4ths that of the Arc, etc. A slightly more forward placemant would make the circle larger and, for my purposes, more useful. But it's a big improvement as it is.
> 
> The tint in two of the lights leans toward the purple and the third toward the yellow. It's all good.
> 
> The beams are off center, and none of the EO1's is as bright as the ARC CS, Infinity Ultra, or Dorcy aaa.


 
Sounds good but how badly are the beams off centre and are the beams still slot/elliptical shaped?

I hope when mine arrives it has the LED further forward too.


Thanks


----------



## 4sevens

paulr said:


> Sigh, I see other folks are getting their blue E01's and I don't have a shipping notice yet... I hope it's just a backlog that F-S is working through.
> 
> Meanwhile this variation in led color is interesting. I just got an Arc AAA-GS and its beam seems like a mixture of white and violet, so it almost appears pink. I wonder if there is significant amount of UV in the beam.


Paul looks like yours shipped. I'm traveling on business and am in your neck of the woods


----------



## datiLED

I gave my wife her purple E01 last night, and it was very well received. :thumbsup: She likes that it won't turn on in her purse like the Inova MicroLight. She also likes the fact that I thought of her, and picked purple which is her favorite color. :twothumbs


----------



## HKJ

paulr said:


> Anyway, it's a matter of preference, I just don't see a usability improvement from flat regulation and I see it as better design for the light to follow the way the battery actually behaves. If you want flat regulation, go for it. It's just not necessarily an advantage for everyone. It's in the eye of the beholder.



I see a big advantage of flat regulation, especially when combined with multi level. Your can select the lowest level your requires and get the longest possible runtime.

Without regulation your have a high light output at the start (hopefully more than your need) and a low output at the end (probably less than your need), i.e. your are wasting power in the start and working in less than optimal light in the end.:candle:

But as your say: It's in the eye of the beholder.


----------



## kitelights

Two different issues - you're referring to the advantages of multi level. Paul is talking about a single stage 5mm LED - the Fenix EO1 and the ARC AAA specifically and he is correct. 

The flat regulated output of the EO1 is less efficient than the slope of the ARC because there's a cost to get the flat regulation. 

I personally like the flat output. There's something technically pleasing to me knowing that the output is constant until the cell is insufficient to power it. But that regulation is not better, it's just a preference, a choice. The public perception of it is probably that it is better, but it really is less efficient. 

The ARC was designed when it was a struggle to get sufficient light and runtime from a 5mm LED. It's curve was carefully chosen to produce the designer's goals.

Newer, more efficient LEDs now allow more latitude. Lower power results in less, but sufficient output with the benefit of increased runtime. So much so, that there's even enough to add in regulation.

The comment about ARC changing it's curve to compete with this light....it's the other way around. ARC has been the standard and Fenix wisely looked at how they could compete with the ARC and did a commendable job. 

They produced a similar light in size and appearance. To compete they made it in colors, made it to run longer (and flat) and made it to sell for 3 times less. They not only produce decent lights at appealing prices, they are accomplished at marketing. 

I'll also add that it's my opinion that 4 / 7s as their primary US distributor / retailer has added tremendously to Fenix's success. I consider his operation to be flawless and the fact that he can keep this crowd happy makes him almost a god in my eyes. I'm happy to say that I was in on the first L1P 'GB' when all of this started.

I've got 2 EO1s on order. It will probably become my 'go to' gift light because it fits my budget easier than the ARC. If there are any problems with this light, I'm confident that Fenix will make appropriate changes. (There have been some comments about concerns regarding the contacts wearing prematurely). It's seems that the LED position has already been changed.

I'm excited about this new light, mainly because of it's price point. Please don't forget that without the ARC AAA, it probably wouldn't exist.


----------



## HKJ

kitelights said:


> Two different issues - you're referring to the advantages of multi level. Paul is talking about a single stage 5mm LED - the Fenix EO1 and the ARC AAA specifically and he is correct.



I am not only talking about multi level lights.



kitelights said:


> The flat regulated output of the EO1 is less efficient than the slope of the ARC because there's a cost to get the flat regulation.



I am not sure about that. In the start the regulated light has the best efficiency because it is running the driver and led at a lower power level.


----------



## kitelights

There's no question that the starting output will affect the runtime, both regulated and unregulated - that's a given.

Reduce the ARC's starting output to match the Fenix and then compare (Apples to apples). There is a cost to maintain flat regulation. The subject is regulated vs unregulated, specifically Fenix's flat regulation vs ARC's 'semi' regulation or non regulation. The experts will debate the semantics regarding 'regulation' in the ARC. They say it really isn't regulated. It was designed to take advantage of the cell's drop to create a predictable or 'regulated' curve. 

Reread Paul's post - it is an excellent, easy to understand explanation and he does a much better job of it than I do.

We haven't taken driver efficiency into consideration. If the new flat driver were remarkably more efficient, that would change the outcome. If that were the case, I have the same argument - use that same technology to update the unregulated driver and it would still be more efficient than one that has to work harder and waste energy to maintain flat regulation.

BTW, don't forget - I *like* flat regulation.

OK EE's - your input?


----------



## UnknownVT

kitelights said:


> The flat regulated output of the EO1 is less efficient than the slope of the ARC because there's a cost to get the flat regulation.


 
Sorry to butt-in on this debate. 

Flat regulation does require some "cost", but if we are talking about the overall efficiency of the E01 and the ArcAAA GS or DS - there seems to be a very easy way of determining that by simply looking at this_is_nascar's excellent runtime curves in the opening post -

4 samples of E01 compared to ArcAAA GS

area under the curve = total output - 
taking the alkaline example and the worst E01 sample O#2 one can see that the E01 has more area under the curve than the ArcAAA GS - this applies to the respective lithium curves too - of course it follows the other 3 "better" E01 samples show considerably more than the ArcAAA GS

Similarly in E01 compared to ArcAAA DS - the E01 again shows quite significantly greater area under the curve than the ArcAAA DS.

Sorry for the interruption - please carry on.....


----------



## Marduke

You can see the affect of moving the LED forward here:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2480913&postcount=190

Different beam pattern (personal preference) doesn't mean the beam is actually brighter, just differently distributed. You can see from the first and last lights that the deeper set LED gives more throw, where the middle ones give more spill.


----------



## kitelights

I appreciate the input - particularly from those in the know.

I am aware of the current one on one comparison, but that's not what I'm talking about as I stated in my above post about apples to apples. 

I realize that I made several references to the Fenix and ARC specifically, but I'm talking about the type of regulation, not a direct comparison (we know that the higher output is less efficient). ARC is brighter with less runtime and Fenix runs longer with less output. I don't see those two variables not affecting each other in the near future.

I agree with Paul's statement and explanation regarding ruler flat regulation having several disadvantages (costs) associated with it and I injected it is less efficient. 

That said, Fenix has done an excellent job with this light: adequate output, very long runtime, the appeal of flat output, and an extremely low threshold (IIRC, 0.3v).

I've seen several requests for reduced output ARCs for long runtime with the reasoning that the newer LEDs are bright enough now to lower the drive current increasing the runtime and efficiency with less degradation to the LED.

Said another way, (apples to apples) if the Fenix was as bright as the ARC, which type of circuit would be more efficient? Make them any way you want, just make them equal - which type of circuit wins, regulated or unregulated?


----------



## HKJ

kitelights said:


> I agree with Paul's statement and explanation regarding ruler flat regulation having several disadvantages (costs) associated with it and I injected it is less efficient.



The cost for flat regulation is not really apparent in the pricing of the arc/fenix flashlights, neither is the less efficiency of flat regulation.



kitelights said:


> Said another way, (apples to apples) if the Fenix was as bright as the ARC, which type of circuit would be more efficient? Make them any way you want, just make them equal - which type of circuit wins, regulated or unregulated?



The Fenix circuit wins, but this has nothing to do with regulated or not.
But when needing a specific amount of light the flat regulated circuit wins, it does not start to bright and end at a too dark level. Take a look at the runtime graph, the arc can only keep up with the Fenix for 3 hours!


----------



## this_is_nascar

I guess I'm unclear as to the debate about the "better" of the (2) circuits. It's pretty clear to me. Even if brightness were equal in the (2) lights, the Fenix circuit is clearly more efficient. I don't understand how that can be debated. It runs much longer at a consistent/steady level and it will fire on cells the Arc can not. What is there to debate?


----------



## paulr

this_is_nascar said:


> I guess I'm unclear as to the debate about the "better" of the (2) circuits. It's pretty clear to me. Even if brightness were equal in the (2) lights, the Fenix circuit is clearly more efficient. I don't understand how that can be debated. It runs much longer at a consistent/steady level and it will fire on cells the Arc can not. What is there to debate?


It depends what you're looking for. The Fenix gets more total photons out because it drives the led at lower power (for apparently about 6 lumens out instead of 10), and the led is more efficient at lower power. It's like a car getting better gas mileage when you drive slower, because of decreased wind resistance. You can design an economy car (drive slow for maximum gas mileage) or you can design a sports car (design for higher speed, deliberately sacrificing some gas mileage to do so), or you can design a race car (floor the gas pedal, design for maximum top speed and the heck with gas mileage).

Economy car = Fenix E01, goes at 50 mph (6 lumens) for 10 hours, 500 miles total

Sports car = Arc GS, goes at 80 mph (10 lumens) for 5 hours, 400 miles total. I trust you can understand why the gas mileage is worse.

Race car = Peak Baltic Super power, goes at 150 mph for 15 minutes, 75 miles total, but quite a ride while it lasts. Of course to really use this car properly you should use jet fuel (lithium or nimh battery) rather than the regular gas (alkaline battery) that the E01 and Arc GS are designed for.

"Area under the curve" = total distance travelled on a tank of gas. More is not necessarily better, if you care about performance, since performance costs mileage. If you want to absolutely maximize area under the curve, drive at 5 mph (run flashlight led at 2-3 ma) which almost eliminates wind resistance effect. But nobody wants a car that slow or a flashlight that dim. You have to trade one thing against another. For different purposes you might choose different combinations to optimize.

Let's add one additional bit of weirdness because of how alkaline batteries work. An AAA alkaline battery is like a car's gas tank. Imagine that the wind resistance for some reason gets worse and worse as the amount of gas remaining in the tank gets lower. The sports car designer might adopt a strategy of making the car go faster when the tank is full and slowing down as the tank depletes. This is how the Arc works. Fenix instead chooses to go at a constant speed, causing a performance hit, but apparently improving the driving experience for some users. The Arc approach is to take the extra speed when you can get it cheaply.

Some CPF'ers (including me) have suggested that Arc offer an XLR (low power long running) version of the AAA, but Peter has said most buyers go for the highest possible output so he maximized output level subject to his self-imposed 5 hour runtime constraint that he felt an EDC light should provide. What can I say, he designed for a specific goal that reflected his priorities. His priorities were not silly, they're just not necessarily the same as everyone else's priorities. I've bought a lot of different 1AAA lights over the years and they all emphasize different things, but overall I think what Peter chose to optimize makes a lot of sense, even if it's not for everyone.

An even fancier version of this approach can be found in the old Arc4+ and probably its HDS-branded relatives. Those are digitally controlled lights with multiple internal voltage sensors so they can detect the battery state in real time, and the microprocessor can adjust the LED power level keeping it regulated at a level set by the software and changeable by the software. They chose an algorithm that steps down the power gradually as the battery depletes, a more precise version of what the Arc AAA does with its analog circuit.

One other thing: much of the confusion about the E01 comes from it having been advertised as a 10 lumen light, so people said "hah, 10 lumens for 10 hours sure beats 10.5 lumens (Arc GS) for 5 hours". But it looks like the E01 is really a 5 or 6 lumen light. There is no magic going on. The circuit efficiency is quite comparable between the E01 and Arc GS. The Arc has chosen to sacrifice some LED efficiency by driving faster, resulting in a 10 lumen light as measured on the integration sphere and stated in the advertising materials. Fenix uses a more "marketing-oriented" approach: they get more runtime by making a 6 lumen light, but then they advertise it as a 10 lumen light creating a bogus impression. Then when someone asks questions, they point to the runtime graphs showing that they got better fuel economy. Yes, they really did get better fuel economy, but they got it by not delivering the performance they advertised. They said they were selling a sports car when they were really selling a Geo Metro, so of course the gas mileage is higher. And lots of buyers actually _want_ a Geo Metro, so the E01 is great for that. I just wish the advertising said what it really is, but that would sell fewer lights. Again, there is nothing miraculous about this. When flashlights are concerned, overstating lumens is the oldest trick in the book.


----------



## nikon

Here's a pic of the five EO1's i now have. Two are the olive and black which arrived earlier, and three are the blue, purple, and orange which I just received a couple of days ago. Each light has brand a new Energizer alkaline battery. Would anyone care to guess which light is which?


----------



## WadeF

Nikon, the black and olive are on the ends, the colors are in the middle. At least, that's the case if your lights are like mine:






Also I posted about my informal run time test in the other E01 topics, so I'll also add here. With a single Duracell AAA akaline my E01 put out useful light for 35-36 hours, enough to see around in total darkness up to 10+ feet. Around 36-37 it dimmed down and went out. Then after resting it ran, with useful light, for another 5+ hours before going out, then resting again went for another 1 hour and 30 minutes, then after resting another hour, etc. If I kept at it I might squeeze more light out of it, but I've found I can get 40+ hours of useful light out of my E01 which I think is pretty impressive. I wonder what the results would be with a lithium AAA. I may try this next.  For $15 it's an amazing little light.


----------



## paulr

Here is an old review of mine of a Peak 1aaa light based on the Arc AAA tooling:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/72334

Per the runtime test at the end of the review, it ran for over 5 full days though it was pretty dim at the end. I did a similar test on a 60 cent Fauxton with similar results:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/1235411&postcount=37

There was a time when I found very long runtime (let's say that means over 10 hours) to be compelling, but after the fauxton experiment and getting to use flashlights in a real blackout (east coast 2003, see my many posts from that incident), I've sort of lost interest in it for most purposes. A 2+ hour main light backed up by a keychain fauxton really seems like enough. Of course I also just got the ultimate in long-running lights, a Luce de Notte...


----------



## cybersoga

WadeF said:


> Nikon, the black and olive are on the ends, the colors are in the middle. At least, that's the case if your lights are like mine:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also I posted about my informal run time test in the other E01 topics, so I'll also add here. With a single Duracell AAA akaline my E01 put out useful light for 35-36 hours, enough to see around in total darkness up to 10+ feet. Around 36-37 it dimmed down and went out. Then after resting it ran, with useful light, for another 5+ hours before going out, then resting again went for another 1 hour and 30 minutes, then after resting another hour, etc. If I kept at it I might squeeze more light out of it, but I've found I can get 40+ hours of useful light out of my E01 which I think is pretty impressive. I wonder what the results would be with a lithium AAA. I may try this next.  For $15 it's an amazing little light.



I just got two new olives from fenix-store and the beam looks more like your coloured ones. The black ones I got before that look like your olive and black. It looks to me like the latest batch of emitters arn't as good as the first.


----------



## nikon

paulr.....Yep, I arranged my lights in the same order. The three newer lights are in the middle. The new ones (blue, purple, and orange) clearly put out a lot more light than the olive and black, as evidenced both in the center and in the width of the spill. One can't really claim that lights such as these actually have any throw, but at a distance of ten feet things do look a tad brighter with the new ones, which are situated more forward in the reflector. As to whether that's conclusive proof of anything is still to be determined. What appears to be more obvious to me is that there is considerable variation in the brightness of the individual LED's.


----------



## this_is_nascar

paulr said:


> It depends what you're looking for. The Fenix gets more total photons out because it drives the led at lower power (for apparently about 6 lumens out instead of 10), and the led is more efficient at lower power. It's like a car getting better gas mileage when you drive slower, because of decreased wind resistance. You can design an economy car (drive slow for maximum gas mileage) or you can design a sports car (design for higher speed, deliberately sacrificing some gas mileage to do so), or you can design a race car (floor the gas pedal, design for maximum top speed and the heck with gas mileage).
> 
> Economy car = Fenix E01, goes at 50 mph (6 lumens) for 10 hours, 500 miles total
> 
> Sports car = Arc GS, goes at 80 mph (10 lumens) for 5 hours, 400 miles total. I trust you can understand why the gas mileage is worse.
> 
> Race car = Peak Baltic Super power, goes at 150 mph for 15 minutes, 75 miles total, but quite a ride while it lasts. Of course to really use this car properly you should use jet fuel (lithium or nimh battery) rather than the regular gas (alkaline battery) that the E01 and Arc GS are designed for.
> 
> "Area under the curve" = total distance travelled on a tank of gas. More is not necessarily better, if you care about performance, since performance costs mileage. If you want to absolutely maximize area under the curve, drive at 5 mph (run flashlight led at 2-3 ma) which almost eliminates wind resistance effect. But nobody wants a car that slow or a flashlight that dim. You have to trade one thing against another. For different purposes you might choose different combinations to optimize.
> 
> Let's add one additional bit of weirdness because of how alkaline batteries work. An AAA alkaline battery is like a car's gas tank. Imagine that the wind resistance for some reason gets worse and worse as the amount of gas remaining in the tank gets lower. The sports car designer might adopt a strategy of making the car go faster when the tank is full and slowing down as the tank depletes. This is how the Arc works. Fenix instead chooses to go at a constant speed, causing a performance hit, but apparently improving the driving experience for some users. The Arc approach is to take the extra speed when you can get it cheaply.
> 
> Some CPF'ers (including me) have suggested that Arc offer an XLR (low power long running) version of the AAA, but Peter has said most buyers go for the highest possible output so he maximized output level subject to his self-imposed 5 hour runtime constraint that he felt an EDC light should provide. What can I say, he designed for a specific goal that reflected his priorities. His priorities were not silly, they're just not necessarily the same as everyone else's priorities. I've bought a lot of different 1AAA lights over the years and they all emphasize different things, but overall I think what Peter chose to optimize makes a lot of sense, even if it's not for everyone.
> 
> An even fancier version of this approach can be found in the old Arc4+ and probably its HDS-branded relatives. Those are digitally controlled lights with multiple internal voltage sensors so they can detect the battery state in real time, and the microprocessor can adjust the LED power level keeping it regulated at a level set by the software and changeable by the software. They chose an algorithm that steps down the power gradually as the battery depletes, a more precise version of what the Arc AAA does with its analog circuit.
> 
> One other thing: much of the confusion about the E01 comes from it having been advertised as a 10 lumen light, so people said "hah, 10 lumens for 10 hours sure beats 10.5 lumens (Arc GS) for 5 hours". But it looks like the E01 is really a 5 or 6 lumen light. There is no magic going on. The circuit efficiency is quite comparable between the E01 and Arc GS. The Arc has chosen to sacrifice some LED efficiency by driving faster, resulting in a 10 lumen light as measured on the integration sphere and stated in the advertising materials. Fenix uses a more "marketing-oriented" approach: they get more runtime by making a 6 lumen light, but then they advertise it as a 10 lumen light creating a bogus impression. Then when someone asks questions, they point to the runtime graphs showing that they got better fuel economy. Yes, they really did get better fuel economy, but they got it by not delivering the performance they advertised. They said they were selling a sports car when they were really selling a Geo Metro, so of course the gas mileage is higher. And lots of buyers actually _want_ a Geo Metro, so the E01 is great for that. I just wish the advertising said what it really is, but that would sell fewer lights. Again, there is nothing miraculous about this. When flashlights are concerned, overstating lumens is the oldest trick in the book.



I understand what you're saying, but I still feel if the current Arc circuit was tweeked only to lessen the output to that of the E01, we'd still find the Fenix circuit to do a better job. In additional, even thought it's ony a few tenths of a volt, non of this can argue the fact the Fenix circuit fires on a lower voltage. I still believe, brightness aside, the Fenix circuit is "better" and more effecient.

It's funny you mention the XLR. Not terribly long ago, Peter and I shared an email or two. I wanted to fully fund a 200-unit batch of Arc-XLR lights, however I wanted some exclusive rights to those lights and an agreement that Peter would never make another XLR after my batch. Obviously, the project never got off the ground.


----------



## paulr

this_is_nascar said:


> I understand what you're saying, but I still feel if the current Arc circuit was tweeked only to lessen the output to that of the E01, we'd still find the Fenix circuit to do a better job. In additional, even thought it's ony a few tenths of a volt, non of this can argue the fact the Fenix circuit fires on a lower voltage. I still believe, brightness aside, the Fenix circuit is "better" and more effecient.


I don't think there's much difference in the circuit efficiency, especially at comparable power levels, based on Chimo's recent measurements and analysis of both circuits, and the extensive analysis of the (old) Arc AAA circuit some years back. The circuits aren't rocket science. There's an off-the-shelf voltage boost chip and a few passive parts in each light, a Zetec in the Arc and some no-name Chinese chip in the E01. I agree that the abililty to light (dimly) at very low input voltage could be significant in some dire situation. But, Fauxtons are so small and cheap that it's easy enough to have an entire spare light if you're worried about that.

*Update:* Chimo's current graphs are a bit confusing but it does look like the Fenix converter is running more efficiently including at 1.0 volts which is where the output currents are similar. The important graph to look at is the bottom one. The top "efficiency" graph is less interesting because over most of it, the converters aren't running at the same output current and therefore the efficiencies shouldn't be directly compared, as described above in the car analogy.



> It's funny you mention the XLR. Not terribly long ago, Peter and I shared an email or two. I wanted to fully fund a 200-unit batch of Arc-XLR lights, however I wanted some exclusive rights to those lights and an agreement that Peter would never make another XLR after my batch. Obviously, the project never got off the ground.


Wow, that's interesting, I hadn't heard that story. Peter did make a few XLR's long ago, but said they didn't sell well. Anyway, see also my Peak Matterhorn test linked above, for low power lights. The runtime was just insane.


----------



## geek4christ

Nikon and WadeF, thanks for the pictures. Those make me *really* glad that I got two of the colored E01s that just shipped this week instead of the earlier ones with the LEDs set too deep.

this_is_nascar, thanks for your runtime graphs. They're very useful.


----------



## Bearcat

I wonder why the colored ones are brighter? Have they changed something in the later runs? Moving the LED forward, better LEDs? Is that just the case with the colored ones? Is that true with all the all the colored LEDs?:shrug:


----------



## AFAustin

I have one black I received a couple of weeks ago, and an orange and a blue I received a couple of days ago. The colored ones are mighty pretty, but their output is a bit less, and a bit bluer, than the black one's. That said, I'm pleased with all three.


----------



## WadeF

I'll have to take some lux readings to be sure, but I think my black and olive E01's have more throw than the newer colored E01's. The LED set more forward should improve the spill, but may hurt the throw? 

I really like my E01's when I put my little plastic diffuser cap over them. It makes the beam look whiter (blends all the different tints together), and it's still plenty bright for moving around a dark environment. 

I think Fenix should make and sell a diffuser for the E01. Maybe a set of 2, one shaped like the other Fenix diffusers (cone shaped), and one that is flat, like a SF F04 type of a thing. 

I'd love a low profile flat diffuser that would add some protective rubber or plastic around the head of the light (would help protect the light if it was on a keychain) and give a more diffused beam for close up work, etc.


----------



## jbviau

WadeF, the diameter of the head on the E01 is listed on the web as identical to that of the L0D. So I'm expecting that the old Natural Chapstick cap diffuser trick should work just fine for the E01. Likewise, for red and green diffusion, Carmex tube caps would work great as well. Can you or anyone confirm? Also, where did you get the cap you're using in that pic?

One more thing: I saw in another post that someone had improvised a cone/tube-shaped diffuser for a light this size by buying a Vicks inhaler and peeling the label off of the plastic part. I think this is it:

http://www.vicks.com/vapor-inhaler-info.php


----------



## kaichu dento

jbviau said:


> I saw in another post that someone had improvised a cone/tube-shaped diffuser for a light this size by buying a Vicks inhaler and peeling the label off of the plastic part. I think this is it:
> 
> http://www.vicks.com/vapor-inhaler-info.php


That's what I've been using and it's the best for lighting up a room candle style. I would have posted some pics but have just been too lazy. 

I think Wades' would be better for trying to just diffuse the beam though.

Anyone using their light candle-style should definitely get themselves a Vicks.


----------



## TONY M

A small diffuser like WadeF has could be EDC'd easier than a vicks inhaler cone I reckon. I wonder if it stays on tightly or would it come off easily in the pocket or on the keychain?


----------



## WadeF

Using the same battery I took 1 meter LUX readings of my E01's, here are the results:

Black - 53 lux
Olive - 58 lux
Blue - 43 lux
Orange - 43 lux
Purple - 40 lux

Here is a beam shot of the olive E01 without my plastic diffuser cap, and with:











jbviau said:


> Also, where did you get the cap you're using in that pic?


 
Capstick caps work. The plastic cap I am using came with a tube of hardware included with these stand alone corner shelves I picked up (single shelf with hardware to attach it to the wall). 

I think I threw away a bunch of them and only kep one tube with a cap to store the extra hardware in.  Kicking myself now. I like the cap as it allows for very stable bezel standing (and it glows enough to put out useful light when bezel standing), and gives a nice diffused beam. It also protects the head, emitter, etc, and fits snug. It's not falling off easily, that's for sure.


----------



## this_is_nascar

As it relates to these dims ones, I actually have an olive version on the meter that is very much dimmer than those which I've tested so far. I'm hoping that runtime is increased as well, considering how much dimmer it is than the rest. Once completed, I"ll be adding those results to the chart and posting it.


----------



## nikon

I measured the current draw at the battery cathode for the five samples I received, first with an Energizer lithium, and then with a Duraell alkaline. The same battery was used throughout each test. Both batteries were new. The lithium battery measured 1.775v and the alkaline measured 1.585v. Current draw is expressed in mA.

...................BLACK........OLIVE.........PURPLE........ORANGE........BLUE

LITHIUM.........58...............63.............58...............56..............58

ALKALINE........66...............71.............65...............64..............64


Next I subjectively judged the amount of throw with each light. The order, from most to least, was...

1- Purple
2- Olive, Orange, Blue (no clear winner)
3- Black

My judgement in this test could have been influenced by a number of factors. Since there is a variation in tint between the LED's, this could easily have affected the subjective results. However, one also encounters a type of subjectivity when using a light meter (perhaps bias would be a more accurate term), since light meters don't register all colors equally.


----------



## chimo

One you are done reading TIN's excellent review, you may want to check out the efficiency information I have posted here.

Paul


----------



## kaichu dento

TONY M said:


> A small diffuser like WadeF has could be EDC'd easier than a vicks inhaler cone I reckon. I wonder if it stays on tightly or would it come off easily in the pocket or on the keychain?


I guess that would depend on what you have in your pockets, but I just happen to have a Vicks Inhaler in my pocket at all times and it is my EDC inhaler, hence, my diffuser too.

The nice thing about WadeF's diffuser is for straight ahead use, but the inhaler cap beats anything else out there for lighting up a room.

It's kind of like the difference between a floody light and one with great throw; they're both better, for different uses.


----------



## TONY M

kaichu dento said:


> I guess that would depend on what you have in your pockets, but I just happen to have a Vicks Inhaler in my pocket at all times and it is my EDC inhaler, hence, my diffuser too.
> 
> The nice thing about WadeF's diffuser is for straight ahead use, but the inhaler cap beats anything else out there for lighting up a room.
> 
> It's kind of like the difference between a floody light and one with great throw; they're both better, for different uses.


I don't EDC a vicks inhaler but it sounds good making use of whatever you have on you! It won't take up too much room in the pocket then, Neat.


----------



## TONY M

OK my black Fenix EO1 arrived in today!
I'll not repeat what many others have said but it is a nice enough light. 
My sample looks identical to this one. http://www.light-reviews.com/fenix_e01/review.html
The knurling is finer (smaller?) on the body than the head (like the color E01's).
The LED is far back in the head.
The beam is OK but slightly blue and is a bit off centre but only noticeable if you are looking for it.

I might even do what WadeF did and time the runtime with a fresh and cheap alkaline battery.

All in all I'm happy with it!


----------



## geepondy

Received my blue E01 and I'm a bit underwhelmed as well. I guess it is what it is but my Arc CS has a slightly brighter and bigger hotspot and this is only the CS. This is dim enough so I'll take it off my list as potential Christmas gifts. I personally would sacrifice some runtime for brightness. I have a Photon Freedom on the keychain as a backup that could potentially provide a long runtime if needed. Perhaps Fenix will offer a brighter version before the end of the year as yes, construction wise, it's a very good value for the money.


----------



## this_is_nascar

Edit #10 of Post #1 has been updated with a chart that show the runtime of all my E01 lights, well except for the colored versions that just arrived today.


----------



## V8TOYTRUCK

Wow...I wonder if Fenix tests are like yours TIN inhouse. Pretty much which ever LED you get you will either get a good mix of brightness and runtime. 


Still waiting for mine  

I'll give it a few days but I suspect theft in my company mailroom.


----------



## this_is_nascar

I really haven't had a chance to play with my new colored ones, but the purple one that I looked at (it's now on my wife keychain) does have the LED set higher in the bezel and I really like it. I'm assuming these others will be like that too. I hoping that Fenix does this for the next batch of black and olive units.


----------



## defloyd77

Some of you guys simply amuse me. I just got my blue E01 today, man that thing is beautiful. Go upstairs and got a battery that couldn't fire up my MP3 player and turned it on. All I can say (not quoting what I said on a family site) is WOW! Not even my old Dorcy AAA could give off much useful light from that cell, but the Fenix was actually a tad dimmer than my Jetbeam C-LE V2 on low. That's freakin awesome! With a fresh alkie it's a little brighter than my C-LE which is rated at 9 lumens so Fenix's lumen statement at 10 is pretty accurate (for mine at least). So unless you got a dud E01, I don't see what some of your guys' problem is with this heckuva deal 15 dollar light (other than the PITA nail splitting split ring lol).


----------



## greenLED

My experimental design mind can't help but wonder how much of the spread in the output curves is due to variation in the batteries. 

Say, if you picked any E01, and ran the test a couple of times (using several new batteries in the process), what would the different outputs look like? 

Ray, if I sent you a bunch of Duracell alkies, would you be willing to repeat those runtime tests a couple of times using the same E01? 

(or maybe I'm just nitpicking - or maybe I haven't looked at this thread with enough attention and I missed something).



this_is_nascar said:


>


----------



## paulr

From the graphs and Chimo's analysis it's apparent that most of the difference is between Vf's in the leds. A tiny Vf difference changes the power level by quite a lot. Fenix could get more consistency by binning the leds precisely with the circuit they're using, or by using a current-regulation circuit instead of voltage regulation, but either way costs would go up. Again HDS took this to extremes with each light photometrically calibrated and digitally controlled.


----------



## this_is_nascar

greenLED said:


> My experimental design mind can't help but wonder how much of the spread in the output curves is due to variation in the batteries.
> 
> Say, if you picked any E01, and ran the test a couple of times (using several new batteries in the process), what would the different outputs look like?
> 
> Ray, if I sent you a bunch of Duracell alkies, would you be willing to repeat those runtime tests a couple of times using the same E01?
> 
> (or maybe I'm just nitpicking - or maybe I haven't looked at this thread with enough attention and I missed something).



From past experience, I know it's not from variations of batteries. Several times in the past, I've had a "questionable" test only to re-test and get the same results. I'm comfortable in saying the differences in output vs. runtime is a result of the LED and in some cases, slight variations of the circuit.


----------



## WadeF

paulr said:


> Again HDS took this to extremes with each light photometrically calibrated and digitally controlled.


 
Pretty cool, but I assume it would be cheaper to buy a few E01's and pick out the one that performs the best than to have Fenix make a light to those specs. 

Does Arc do anything similar to what HDS does with their premium Arc AAA's?


----------



## greenLED

this_is_nascar said:


> From past experience, I know it's not from variations of batteries. Several times in the past, I've had a "questionable" test only to re-test and get the same results. I'm comfortable in saying the differences in output vs. runtime is a result of the LED and in some cases, slight variations of the circuit.



Good to know. I fully trust your results and experience. :thumbsup:


----------



## BigHonu

I got my order of purple, blue and orange in yesterday and like others have mentioned, this is a great light for the money. Looks nice, good feel, and as demonstrated, great performance. The output was brighter than I expected, though this is the first 5mm light that I have since picking up an Arc AA awhile back.

With that said, these lights are really lacking in terms of tint. It doesn't 'lean' towards being purple, it is purple.

Still, my wife was happy with hers so that is all that matters, and for the price point, I can easily rationalize the tint enough to buy these as backups and gifts.


----------



## this_is_nascar

BigHonu said:


> It doesn't 'lean' towards being purple, it is purple.




That's about the best I've heard it put. You're dead-on.


----------



## Dantor

I agree also, like it's got a blue LED.


----------



## dealgrabber2002

I show it to my co-worker and he love it. He love it so much that he bought my used for $15. I didn't want to sell it. I told him I will order for him $15 and will arrive about 3-4 days... he said too long..he want it NOW! And plus it was back order... so I just sold him mine... I see a Flashaholic in him. lol


----------



## Robocop

I have read through this thread as well as the others I could find and I am still a little confused. Is there indeed a difference between the different colored bodies as far as LED position and tint?

I noticed some have said the LED appears to be further forward on the newer colored models and speculate that future versions made will be a little different. Has this been confirmed at all as I am going to order a few very soon and wonder if I should wait for any changes that possibly have been made.

I am mostly interested in Olive or Natural however if it appears that others colored versions are indeed a better tint or output I would just as soon grab a few of the colored versions.


----------



## kaichu dento

Duplicate post


----------



## kaichu dento

Duplicate post


----------



## kaichu dento

Duplicate post


----------



## kaichu dento

I haven't bought any but I suspect it has to do with batch/time frame as opposed to body color.

Black and Olive were the first ones available and before they started with the colored ones it became apparent people were unhappy with a few points, which they immediately attempted to rectify.

However they are using the LED's as they come in and hence changing beam coloration.


----------



## this_is_nascar

Robocop said:


> I have read through this thread as well as the others I could find and I am still a little confused. Is there indeed a difference between the different colored bodies as far as LED position and tint?
> 
> I noticed some have said the LED appears to be further forward on the newer colored models and speculate that future versions made will be a little different. Has this been confirmed at all as I am going to order a few very soon and wonder if I should wait for any changes that possibly have been made.
> 
> I am mostly interested in Olive or Natural however if it appears that others colored versions are indeed a better tint or output I would just as soon grab a few of the colored versions.



Upon further review of E01's that I have, I'd have to say that YES there is a slight variation of how deep the LED is set, however I can not say that Fenix concsiously set the LEDS of the colored E01's higher. I now really think it's hit and miss, no different the the Arc CS/DS lights. At first, I thought the colored ones were purposely set higher, but I no longer feel that's the case. Using my pinky finger, you can tell the variations of how deep the LED is set on all of these lights that I have.


----------



## C4LED

Robocop said:


> I noticed some have said the LED appears to be further forward on the newer colored models and speculate that future versions made will be a little different. Has this been confirmed at all as I am going to order a few very soon and wonder if I should wait for any changes that possibly have been made.



The other day I received both an olive and blue one. The blue one has the led less recessed than the olive. The olive one has a whiter beam with a smoother hot spot. The blue one has a better defined hot spot and a bit more throw. 

For me the olive one is the better choice since the beam is smoother and whiter and the eye doesn't focus so much on the hot spot to the exclusion of the lighter spill, in comparison to the blue version.

Both are quite good and compare the closest to the Inova X1 gen 2 (of all the lights I have) in terms of power and beam--though the Inova has wider spill.

Bottom line, these are both excellent lights. The E01's remind me a lot of my CMG Ultra-G's in terms of build and practical usefulness for emergencies, except (primarily) the spill is less and the beam is significantly more powerful.


----------



## this_is_nascar

Edit #11 has been added to the 1st post. Pretty interesting stuff.


----------



## Sir Lightalot

Interesting indeed. Looks the same as olive #4 in the graph above it?


----------



## Brownstone

Most white LEDs are actually blue LEDs with yellow phosphor. Part of the light escapes as blue, and part is down-converted by the phosphor to yellow. Blue+Yellow in the right combination is viewed as white.

I wonder Fenix is driving these LEDs lower than Nichia expected, and therefore the blue isn't energetic enough to stimulate the yellow. That could lead to the purple tint being discussed.

This is pure speculation, I haven't played with Nichia LEDs enough to know if this is plausible. Just a thought...


----------



## this_is_nascar

Sir Lightalot said:


> Interesting indeed. Looks the same as olive #4 in the graph above it?



Thanks. I hadn't even noticed that. I guess there's just too many lights on the loose over here.


----------



## nikon

Brownstone said:


> Most white LEDs are actually blue LEDs with yellow phosphor. Part of the light escapes as blue, and part is down-converted by the phosphor to yellow. Blue+Yellow in the right combination is viewed as white.
> 
> I wonder Fenix is driving these LEDs lower than Nichia expected, and therefore the blue isn't energetic enough to stimulate the yellow. That could lead to the purple tint being discussed.
> 
> This is pure speculation, I haven't played with Nichia LEDs enough to know if this is plausible. Just a thought...


 
A member (Chimo, I believe) tested the current to the LED at 25 mA. Nichia's spec is 20 mA, so the EO1 is slightly overdriven.


----------



## paulr

nikon said:


> A member (Chimo, I believe) tested the current to the LED at 25 mA. Nichia's spec is 20 mA, so the EO1 is slightly overdriven.


There is quite a bit of variation between them. That is visible in the runtime graphs as well as the direct measurements.


----------



## warlord

Brownstone said:


> I wonder Fenix is driving these LEDs lower than Nichia expected, and therefore the blue isn't energetic enough to stimulate the yellow. That could lead to the purple tint being discussed.



I had thought that they were using a different color bin than the GS K1 c0W's I had been using to mod my E0's, which happen to give a much brighter more yellow light. I pulled the led and tested against another one of my bare GS's in a modded headlamp host. The led produced a much better color identical to the other GS led. 

Give me a min to upload the beamshots.

BTW, the headlamp has no regulation only a resistor to limit the current.

*Edit:*Added the beamshots. Go ahead and guess which one was pulled from the E01...












...it's the first pic in case you're wondering


----------



## TONY M

Ohhhhh... Let me guess the second one is the E01?


----------



## nikon

The beam on my purple EO1 is off center. While I was trying to adjust the alignment of the LED with my fingertip, the circuit board popped out of the rear of the head. Someone forgot the potting.


----------



## streetmaster

nikon said:


> The beam on my purple EO1 is off center. While I was trying to adjust the alignment of the LED with my fingertip, the circuit board popped out of the rear of the head. Someone forgot the potting.


Oooops!  This could be a good thing. :thumbsup:


----------



## nikon

warlord said:


> I had thought that they were using a different color bin than the GS K1 c0W's I had been using to mod my E0's, which happen to give a much brighter more yellow light. I pulled the led and tested against another one of my bare GS's in a modded headlamp host. The led produced a much better color identical to the other GS led.


 
That's my fovorite bin Nichia. What sort of tint did it have when it was in the EO1?


----------



## TONY M

My E01 is better than I had first thought.
The poor runtimes were due to a dud Duracell alkaline. I tried another battery and it lasted 10 1/2 hours before it noticeably dimmed. I am pleased with that.

I took photographs every 30mins - 1hour in the bathroom (only room with no windows) with my DSLR (placed on tripod) on manual exposure. The E01 was left on and untouched the entire duration. At 10 hours there was NO dimming at all at 10 1/2 hours it was down a bit and at 11 hours it was a good bit down. A good result!


----------



## warlord

nikon said:


> That's my fovorite bin Nichia. What sort of tint did it have when it was in the EO1?




I post a shot of it in my E01 to E0 GS mod thread.

Here's the GS c0W bin on an E0 board in and E01 host. This LED is set DEEP in the head, BTW.:





AND the shot from E01's original LED mounted in a headlamp for testing (the same pic from my post above). This shot was taken without any sort of reflector or beamshaping device; basically the LED was completely exposed. It's crazy how much better the color/brightness is compared to when it was driven by the E01 driver.





For more info here is the original beamshot comparison with the GS mod in the E0 host (pics are on a different wall/distance). The ringyness is what happens when you polish the aluminum bezel.


----------



## candlelight001

Is it a reasonable concern that the copper metal contacts on the underside of the circuit board (that touch the body when screwed all the way down) could wear out/wear off?


----------



## streetmaster

candlelight001 said:


> Is it a reasonable concern that the copper metal contacts on the underside of the circuit board (that touch the body when screwed all the way down) could wear out/wear off?


I don't know if it's reasonable, but I sure am worried about it. I play with mine all the time, so it may be one of the first ones to go bad.


----------



## mighty82

streetmaster said:


> I don't know if it's reasonable, but I sure am worried about it. I play with mine all the time, so it may be one of the first ones to go bad.


Me too. I have turned it on/off at least 100 times only today  I guess I can fix it with a little soldering if they start wearing out.


----------



## tsask

dealgrabber2002 said:


> I show it to my co-worker and he love it. He love it so much that he bought my used for $15. I didn't want to sell it. I told him I will order for him $15 and will arrive about 3-4 days... he said too long..he want it NOW! And plus it was back order... so I just sold him mine... I see a Flashaholic in him. lol


good move and you showed him a light he could never find at a store:thumbsup:


----------



## cybersoga

nikon said:


> The beam on my purple EO1 is off center. While I was trying to adjust the alignment of the LED with my fingertip, the circuit board popped out of the rear of the head. Someone forgot the potting.



please can we see photos of the head without the led in, i wanna know whether the notch on the led rests against a shelf in the head preventing it from coming any further forward.


----------



## chimo

cybersoga said:


> please can we see photos of the head without the led in, i wanna know whether the notch on the led rests against a shelf in the head preventing it from coming any further forward.



Pics can be found here.


----------



## nikon

cybersoga said:


> please can we see photos of the head without the led in, i wanna know whether the notch on the led rests against a shelf in the head preventing it from coming any further forward.


 
I'll post several pics later tonight. Gotta spend some quality time with the family first.:kiss:

OK, time for more flashlight fun. Here are some pics of the empty EO1 head. The first shows the head from the front. Note the long vertical space which leads down into the head. Beneath that is a slot which holds the o-ring, and beneath that is a small ledge against which the bottom lip of the LED rests. This holds the LED at what Fenix determined to be the proper height. The second pic is a view from inside the head, where the ledge is visible.












For the next two pics, I inserted a new Nichia GS into the head as far as it would go, the lip of the LED stopping against the ledge in the head. This head is then compared first with an orange head, in which the LED is set to the proper height by the Fenix factory. The second head compares the empty head/new LED with a black EO1 head from the first batch received. You can see that the LED is set too low in the black head, causing the odd beam pattern typical of the early samples of the EO1.


----------



## Burgess

Great work, Nikon !

:kewlpics:
_


----------



## cybersoga

Thanks  This one you've taken apart, was the LED set further back than it should have been before you took it apart?


----------



## kaichu dento

nikon said:


>


A picture is most certainly worth a thousand words! oo:


----------



## TONY M

nikon said:


>


Thanks for the photos Canon!
The LED is not recessed that much further in the black one by the looks of it. My black E01 has the LED in about the same position as you're black one it seems.


----------



## nikon

cybersoga said:


> Thanks  This one you've taken apart, was the LED set further back than it should have been before you took it apart?


 
The LED was at the proper height in the one I took apart. The second group of lights issued, i.e., the purple, orange, and blue, all have their LED's installed correctly. Only the first batch, the black and olive, have their LED's set too low.


----------



## nikon

TONY M said:


> Thanks for the photos Canon!
> The LED is not recessed that much further in the black one by the looks of it. My black E01 has the LED in about the same position as you're black one it seems.


 
Here's a pic of the purple and black lights in its original size, which should show more clearly the difference in the height of the LED's.







That small amount of difference in height makes a lot of difference in the beam. The first pic below is of a bare Nichis GS and CS side by side. Notice that in each, the side light produced by the LED's emanates from a point very near the front. If the LED is set even a little too low, most or all of that light will be trapped below the bottom of the reflector, in the vertical area, and will not be projected forward as spill. 

The second pic shows the beams of the purple light and the black light side by side, with the purple to the left.


----------



## KDOG3

I'd love to see someone swap out the LED for something brighter and whiter, I just hope whoever does it documents it! Could you file down the lip of the emitter and use longer leads so the emitter sits farther forward? I guess you'd have to find some way to seal it up then...


----------



## crocodilo

Just got a couple of E01s from fenix-store.

Both are great, a black and an olive one (light grey, actually...), and I've compared them to my Arc-P CS and E0 (also CS). The E01s are whiter and brighter than the older flashlights. They are also bigger (width), but handle very well, with great knurling.

Both have LEDs set at the same height, providing a nice beam, only not as wide as the Arc, but with very usable spill.

Strangely, only the black one came with a lubed o-ring.

So, if I had any doubts... yes, these are indeed the Arc-killers. Affordability, regulation, runtime and tint are all a step above. Brightness also has a slight increase. Only dowside to the Arc is size, but on the other hand these can tail-stand, and I care a lot for that. It's still to soon to compare reliability and resistance to prolonged use, but I would bet these are at the very least in the same ballpark as the Arc. And for this price, anyone can buy several E01s.

Mind you, I still like my Arc-P CS. But the brain is mightier than the heart. Care to guess which one will be on my nightstand tonight?


----------



## Cemoi

Someone mentioned a "natural" color but on fenix-store I only see black, blue, gold, purple and olive. Where can the "natural" be ordered?


----------



## streetmaster

Cemoi said:


> Someone mentioned a "natural" color but on fenix-store I only see black, blue, gold, purple and olive. Where can the "natural" be ordered?


There is no natural. The olive is the closest to that you can get. My olive E01 is fairly light in color. The color may be acceptable to you as an alternative. (no, I'm not offering to sell mine)


----------



## Cemoi

streetmaster said:


> There is no natural. The olive is the closest to that you can get.


There is a color called "kaki" in French, which translates to "khaki" or "olive drab" in English according to my Robert&Collins dictionary. It is the color used e.g. on military vehicles (and clothing) for camouflage. I would define it as a mixture of brown and green. Is the "olive" E01 close to that, or is it a more neutral light grey?


----------



## streetmaster

Cemoi said:


> There is a color called "kaki" in French, which translates to "khaki" or "olive drab" in English according to my Robert&Collins dictionary. It is the color used e.g. on military vehicles (and clothing) for camouflage. I would define it as a mixture of brown and green. Is the "olive" E01 close to that, or is it a more neutral light grey?


It's supposed to be olive drab. It's not what I would consider grey. But it IS on the lighter side of olive drab, the green tint isn't really dominant. Here's a picture of mine. It's really hard to capture the true color of it, but this picture is the closest one I have to it's real life color.


----------



## crocodilo

Check out

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/200287

for some pics of an olive E01 next to a natural P1CE. The lighting sucks, colour rendering is crappy, but it is quite noticeable that there isn't a large difference between these two finishes. In natural light, they are both somewhere between gray and bronze.


----------



## TONY M

The Olive and Natural look very similar in that link. Too bad Fenix doesn't make that model!


----------



## Cemoi

Thanks streetmaster and crocodilo, there is very little difference indeed between what Fenix call "natural" and what they call "olive".


----------



## Marduke

Red, olive, natural (discontinued)


----------



## TONY M

Cemoi said:


> Thanks streetmaster and crocodilo, there is very little difference indeed between what Fenix call "natural" and what they call "olive".


Olive can vary significantly in color, ranging from near natural to darkish military green.


----------



## Cemoi

TONY M said:


> Olive can vary significantly in color



Thanks for the warning. Does any Fenix reseller (Fenix-store?) allow to specify "I prefer an almost grey one", or is it a lottery?


----------



## 4sevens

Cemoi said:


> Thanks for the warning. Does any Fenix reseller (Fenix-store?) allow to specify "I prefer an almost grey one", or is it a lottery?


Unfortunately, you can't specify. They have been varying the
that finish due to
the earlier darker "olives" having issues with the head being darker than the 
body. It seems the lighter ones match a little easier. Anyway, they are
always improving and refining their process


----------



## UnknownVT

Cemoi said:


> There is a color called "kaki" in French, which translates to "khaki" or "olive drab" in English according to my Robert&Collins dictionary. It is the color used e.g. on military vehicles (and clothing) for camouflage. I would define it as a mixture of brown and green. Is the "olive" E01 close to that, or is it a more neutral light grey?


 
Please check out Post #*28* in Fenix E01 Comparison Review where I compare side-by-side the difference between the "olive" on some other Fenix lights - "When is an olive - Olive?"


----------



## BentHeadTX

4sevens said:


> Unfortunately, you can't specify. They have been varying the
> that finish due to
> the earlier darker "olives" having issues with the head being darker than the
> body. It seems the lighter ones match a little easier. Anyway, they are
> always improving and refining their process



I just received my olive E01 and it has a very natural look to it. Threw a lithium AAA inside to make a very light weight keychain light. 16 hours of regulated runtime is a bonus and it produces enough light to walk around with and perform most of the things I need to do. Figure I'll send out keychains this Christmas, an E01, SAK classic and pill fob on a carabiner should do it. 

I vote for the LED being sunk in as low as it is. It will take a special kind of stupid to damage the LED that way. It is not perfect, but it is something people have been asking for and Fenix provides. 10 hours of regulated runtime on alkaline, GS LED, tail-stands and spring-loaded negatiive contact? Now for the keys to chew on it for awhile...


----------



## Burgess

Wow, this Review thread has more than *20,000 views* !






Is that a *record* ? ? ?

( for a flashlight review, that is )


Nice work, This_Is_Nascar. :thumbsup:

_


----------



## Cemoi

4sevens said:


> It seems the lighter ones match a little easier.



OK, I'll order one and if I'm "unlucky" I'll give it as a gift.
As I'm also interested in a blue one, how blue is it?


----------



## geek4christ

Cemoi said:


> OK, I'll order one and if I'm "unlucky" I'll give it as a gift.
> As I'm also interested in a blue one, how blue is it?



The blue ones are dark: almost a midnight blue. The color matching between the head and body is very good on my blue one, too.


----------



## Ty_Bower

BentHeadTX said:


> I vote for the LED being sunk in as low as it is. It will take a special kind of stupid to damage the LED that way.



While I'm also of the opinion that Fenix should leave the depth of the LED in the E01 as it is, my reasoning is not the same as yours. It takes a special kind of stupid to wreck a 5mm LED, even if there is no bezel in the way to protect it. Just look at any of the Photon Micro-Lights (or their clones). They couldn't possibly be more exposed, and yet you never hear a report from someone who destroyed the LED on their Photon.


----------



## Cemoi

geek4christ said:


> The blue ones are dark: almost a midnight blue.


Thanks. Last color question, now about the orange: actually orange, or more "gold"?


----------



## Marduke

Cemoi said:


> Thanks. Last color question, now about the orange: actually orange, or more "gold"?



Judging from the pictures I've seen it's more gold than orange.


----------



## nikon

I'm sitting here with a navel orange in one hand and an orange Dorcy flashlight in the other (don't ask me why). I must say that the two colors don't look anything alike, the orange being far more gold than the flashlight. In real terms, Fenix got the color right. The color of the EO1 looks pretty much like an orange.


----------



## Sharpy_swe

Cemoi said:


> Thanks. Last color question, now about the orange: actually orange, or more "gold"?




More gold than orange, but I love my golden E01 it's a beuty 

But I'am not that happy with the blue one, I would prefer a lighter blue.


----------



## kaichu dento

Oops, thought it was black at first.

Guess they should definitely be calling it navy blue.

I got my Olive and Orange last week and the knurling is soooooo nice!


----------



## TONY M

Looks black to me!lol.
The gold is the nicest color to get the E01 in I reckon, it would go down well as a gift.


----------



## JLEGG

GOLD


----------



## tirod

Having been using a EO1 for about 6 weeks, I'm happy. It replaced an ARC AAA missing in action around here (gee, where did I put that thing down?) About the same output as the single AA Inova. Not quite as pretty a beam, but a lot easier in the pocket and use if already trained to a twist head. Lots more light than the old ARC.

I'm running it on a Nimh 900 and it's yet to show any drop off - with intermittent use, it may go months longer.

A much earlier post asked why not use rechargeables, and someone answered why bother? A valid point - The flashlight doesn't "care," it just reacts to the amount of available voltage and current. The real point to using a rechargeable is because lots of other stuff you have run the same battery - in which case rechargables are your logistics system for power. You're obviously not wanting to see the landfill topped out with one-time use batteries - or your wallet bottomed out paying for them.

The "effective' amount of light is the same either way, you have a useful light, and you're not tripping over stuff in the dark. At 10 lumens, if you are "sun-blinded," and going into a basement, it has enough. The old ARC was not quite bright enough for that.

Of course, if I buy a few more for presents, I might have to pick out a brighter, whiter LED, but the nice thing is the anodizing hasn't picked up any dings, so it won't even look used.


----------



## JWP_EE

I have read this thread from beginning to end because I am thinking of getting a Fenix E01. My current EDC flashlight is a CMG infinity ultra. I would like to know if the Fenix is brighter than the infinity. I believe the infinity uses a 5600 mcd LED and the GS LED is greater than 20,000 mcd. The Fenix should be brighter but I read in post 224 that it is dimmer. I like the looks of the Fenix and it would be smaller to carry, but I would like something a bit brighter.
Thanks for all the great work you guys do.


----------



## UnknownVT

JWP_EE said:


> My current EDC flashlight is a CMG infinity ultra. I would like to know if the Fenix is brighter than the infinity.


 
I have direct side-by-side comparison beamshots of the Fenix E01 vs. the CMG Infinity Ultra-G in Post #*26* of -

Fenix E01 Comparison Review


----------



## paulr

The E01 is somewhat brighter than the CMG Ultra but it is in the same general league. If you want more output in a Fenix AAA light, try an L0D CE Q5, but keep in mind that it's much more battery hungry and you'll want to run it on rechargeables.


----------



## kaichu dento

paulr said:


> If you want more output in a Fenix AAA light, try an L0D CE Q5...


When did they come out with the Q5!?! :wave:


----------



## JWP_EE

Thanks for the reply. Since the Fenix is a bit brighter I think I'll get a blue one.
Thanks again.


----------



## this_is_nascar

JWP_EE said:


> Thanks for the reply. Since the Fenix is a bit brighter I think I'll get a blue one.
> Thanks again.



From one Jerseyian to another, unless Fenix has changed them, keep in mind the BLUE one looks nothing like the picture of the BLUE one. It's much darker, almost a black color.


----------



## JWP_EE

Thanks. Dark blue is my favorite color. Most of my flashlights are black so either way I think I will be happy with the color.


----------



## dealgrabber2002

Anyone knows the guesstimate runtime for the E01 on Eneloope AAA (800mah)?


----------



## hyperloop

I got myself an olive E01 and for some reason the battery stuck in it and wouldnt come out, sent it back to the guy i got it from (i'm from singapore by the way) and he's sending it back to the factory and i expect a reply after the olympics (as he says that international mail into china is undergoing stringent security checks now and delivery might well be delayed so it's better to wait till after the olympics)

Got myself another one in the meantime, the purple one is a pretty nice colour and the other colours are as stated, the blue is very dark and the orange/gold is pretty nifty too.

lightwise, i find the E01 very handy and useful when things are pitch black and you dont want a high lumen light blinding you (or giving away your position when you are somewhere where you shouldnt be [while fishing!!])

i DIY-ed a diffuser and a spare battery holder for the E01, its posted here if anyone's interested https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/204494

cheers for a great light!


----------



## Sir Lightalot

I'm currently doing a run time test on my AA mod. So far its been running in regulation for a whopping 24 hours! I put the Eo1 head into a AA body and it works pretty darn good. Ill probably take some pics and post them in a new thread.


----------



## jzmtl

What AA body are you using?

Also how's everybody's purple e01 holidng up? I ordered one to break the black/nature tone of all my lights, hope it's not a mistake as I hear purple doesn't hold up nearly as well as nature.


----------



## PurpleDrazi

jzmtl said:


> What AA body are you using?



I'd like to know too!!

Francis


----------



## Sir Lightalot

Its only from a dollar store light and i stuffed the head tightly in its own and used a paperclip carefully bended to act as a negative contact. But so far its on hour 26 and still going strong!


----------



## jzmtl

Ah I see, I thought it was something like the arc aa body from jsburly.

Saw the pic of purple e01 from earlier in this thread, it's more pink than purple, crap, I was afraid of that...


----------



## Black Rose

jzmtl said:


> Saw the pic of purple e01 from earlier in this thread, it's more pink than purple, crap, I was afraid of that...


I call it Pinkle 

Wifes' on the left, mine on the right.


----------



## PurpleDrazi

Sir Lightalot said:


> I put the Eo1 head into a AA body . . .



forgot to ask . . . how difficult was it to get the circuit out of the E01?


----------



## jzmtl

Black Rose said:


> I call it Pinkle
> 
> Wifes' on the left, mine on the right.



Dang it, should've went with natural...

Oh well, only real man EDC pink...


----------



## Robocop

Based on this very complete review I have ordered a few of the EO1 lights and I appreciate all the time it took to test this light.....Can anyone say if there have been any changes in this light between the first versions and the ones offered today?....such as tint or depth of the LED in the head.

A search did not show very much as far as the performance of the most current versions...I ordered the Olive colored versions as I like the neutral color best.


----------



## hyperloop

jzmtl said:


> Dang it, should've went with natural...
> 
> Oh well, only real man EDC pink...



but it is purple, i insist that it is purple (cos i got one too)


----------



## Sir Lightalot

PurpleDrazi said:


> forgot to ask . . . how difficult was it to get the circuit out of the E01?


Oh i didn't do anything that drastic . I put the entire head inside. It ran for 28 hours at least but it was 11:30 and i had to sleep, so i think its safe to assume 30 hours of regulation. I'm defiantly not testing the moon mode because i don't have the time :devil:.


----------



## Flying Turtle

Just noticed the numbers on the lights in Black Rose's pic a few posts back were the same for each light. I guess these are batch numbers, not serial numbers. The one on my light is different. It's US344752.

Geoff


----------



## hyperloop

mine says SG344752, country code and serial number?


----------



## richardcpf

2 Things i dislike from the e01: 

1. Really weak beam, even $2 rayovac krypton AAA keychain light is brighter.
2. I ordered the Olive one with the T1 combo and they sent me the very ugly golden one.

So i gave it to my girlfriend and she said "wow this little thing is so bright". (She havent seem my other flashlights yet)


----------



## bgiddins

hyperloop said:


> mine says SG344752, country code and serial number?


I just bought two lights - both with AU prefixes for Australia.


----------



## defloyd77

richardcpf said:


> 2 Things i dislike from the e01:
> 
> 1. Really weak beam, even $2 rayovac krypton AAA keychain light is brighter.
> (She havent seem my other flashlights yet)



You sure you got a fresh cell in there? Mine outshined the Culligan Man's Minimag yesterday when he was here and he said he just put fresh batteries in his (I think I broke his ego).


----------



## TONY M

Flying Turtle said:


> Just noticed the numbers on the lights in Black Rose's pic a few posts back were the same for each light. I guess these are batch numbers, not serial numbers. The one on my light is different. It's US344752.
> 
> Geoff


The first two letters are the country code.


----------



## dealgrabber2002

" Anyone knows the guesstimate runtime for the E01 on Eneloope AAA (800mah)?"

I think I found the answer to my own question. I remember doing so searching in this forum and saw a runtime chart from fenix-store. I forgot where I found it. By looking at it, it seems like you can get the "10 hrs moon-mode" is by using Alkaline. The runtime for the eneloope dies at 10 hrs and 1 hr of moon-mode. Is that correct?

Darn it, I wish I remember where I found that graph.


----------



## JWP_EE

Check this thread post #164 for the Fenix E01 runtime graph on Eneloop.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/193197&page=6


----------



## dealgrabber2002

Thanks JWP_EE

That's the one!


----------



## Robocop

Well I have to say I actually was suprised with my EO1 that I just received. The fit and finish is nice and the beam is well centered with a little purple to the tint. There is a small brown halo around the hotspot however considering I spent more on lunch today than I did for this toy I can not complain at all. It takes much to suprise me anymore and this 15 dollar light did just that.

It is decent bright and compared to an original Ultra-G I would say it is maybe 30 percent brighter to my eyes. All in all for 15 dollars I believe this is an incredible budget buy regardless of the lottery or tint between samples. I am actually considering a few more just for a few co-workers to keep on their keychain.....makes a great report writing light while inside the patrol car at night.


----------



## AFAustin

I likewise have really been enjoying my EO1 in the months I've had it. Very nice build quality and knurling, and smooth twistie with just the right feel. I agree with Robocop, output is noticeably brighter than my Ultra-G. The tiny size and 7-8 hr. flat runtime on one AAA alkie are great. I often slip it in my pocket, where it isn't even noticeable, and pull it out to read fine print my tired old eyes have trouble with.

This has to be a top nominee (along with the NC EX10 and D10) for bang-for-the-buck light of 2008.


----------



## geek4christ

These things are great for non-flashaholics. So far I've given 5 away and my family and friends really eat them up. The colors are a huge win in my book.


----------



## AFAustin

geek4christ said:


> These things are great for non-flashaholics. So far I've given 5 away and my family and friends really eat them up. The colors are a huge win in my book.



That is very true. When thinking about a good flashlight to give to a non-flashaholic, I often get stuck because of the battery issue. CPFers use lithium primary, lithium ion, NiMH cells, etc., on a daily basis, but for "civilians", I try to find something cool that does well on alkies, and that's not easy. The EO1 fills the bill.


----------



## EngrPaul

The wife likes her new purple light on her keychain. I have the gold stashed away in one of my cars.

Definitely buy this light for it's appearance, quality, durability, simplicity, long runtime, and convenient keychain size.

Don't buy the light to get a good LED color or beam quality. It's a tightly focused rectangle of blue-purple light (somewhat like the base of a gas flame), with a urine-yellow halo

Keep up the good work Fenix.


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## TONY M

EngrPaul said:


> Don't buy the light to get a good LED color or beam quality. It's a tightly focused rectangle of blue-purple light (somewhat like the base of a gas flame), with a urine-yellow halo


lol. Thats the best description of its beam that I have heard yet! Also mine emits some UV light or at least very close to it meaning some things can be seen during night time bathroom trips that you don't really want to see (not a problem in my bathroom of course).


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## Bonky

the blue of a gas flame is bluer, IMHO. Just got one today and the beam is purple/magenta. I really can't believe how non-white it is. While the flashlight itself seems to be extremely well made, I can't imagine firing it up for anything other than last-ditch emergency use. I wish they'd put a different LED in there. :duh2:


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## defloyd77

I discovered that the E01 can use a AAAA (yes 4 A's) cells (AT USER'S OWN RISK). So if you ever run out of AAA cells, you guys can grab all of your AAAA cells and fire that bad boy up with those (AT OWN RISK). That was a joke and a poor one at that, but there are AAAA sized cells in Duracell 9 volt batteries, so maybe it's not as silly sounding as it seems.


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## Flying Turtle

Another minor discovery. I've wanted a clip for my E01, but didn't want to buy one. I dawned on me to try the one that came with the River Rock 2AAA. Looks like it will work pretty well.







Geoff


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## defloyd77

That RR clip looks great, wish I still had mine to go with my blue E01, that'd look really awesome.


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## LG&M

The clip from a mechanical pencil will work also but it wont look as cool.


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## crocodilo

Small story: yesterday night (well into the night), after an engine fail at take-off, we switched the engine electronic control units using nothing but my E01 to light the work. Helicopter was repaired and under way well within the hour. Not bad, considering it's a $50.000.000 machine and a $15 flashlight...


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## AFAustin

Good anecdote....and excellent cost/benefit ratio!


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## brightnorm

Are there any runtime comparisons between the E0 and E01? I searched but couldn't find any.

Brightnorm


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## Marduke

brightnorm said:


> Are there any runtime comparisons between the E0 and E01? I searched but couldn't find any.
> 
> Brightnorm



They should be the same.


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## brightnorm

Thanks, I'm doing a crude comparative runtest now. The E0 and E01 have been running since 5pm (nearly 10 hrs) and the E01 is still brighter than the E0.

Even though E01 is brighter and sturdier than the E0 I'm sorry fenix didn't put the new LED in the E0. Its smaller and slimmer build makes a real difference on my crowded keyring.

Brightnorm


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## Bonky

and the results were......???


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## losabio

Thanks very much for taking the time to do this review, and thank you also to all the CPF folks that have contributed to this fine thread. I have a pair of E01's on the way -- one for me, one for my Pop -- and I'll be loading them up with Energizer L92s for sure.


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## Flying Turtle

Welcome to CPF, losabio. I'm sure you and your Dad will be quite happy with the E01. The problem is these are just the start. Enjoy.

Geoff


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## Burgess

Hello, Losabio --


Welcome to CandlePowerForums !

:welcome:



Hope you and yer' Dad enjoy the new flashlights.

_


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## losabio

Flying Turtle said:


> Welcome to CPF, losabio. I'm sure you and your Dad will be quite happy with the E01. The problem is these are just the start. Enjoy.
> 
> Geoff



Thanks for the welcome, I'm glad I found this place! My PayPal account is pretty glad I found this place too: it's been getting plenty of attention ever since I started looking around for a suitable replacement for a 6P that went missing. :thumbsup:


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## Zatoichi

I got one yesterday and think it's brilliant. Very well made and easy to use. The light is blue/purple as most people have mentioned, but it's bright enough. It's actually quite nice to turn a torch on in a dark room without blinding myself for a change.  I'm now walking round with the E02 and a Nitecore D10 in my pockets. Mine's a black one btw, and the LED seems to be positioned okay.


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## LED Flashlights.

I got a Fenix L01.

It has a blueish/purplish beam.


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## TONY M

LED Flashlights. said:


> I got a Fenix L01.
> 
> It has a blueish/purplish beam.


 Thats the trademark of the GS Nichia.


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## LED Flashlights.

It's not that bad.

The size of the flashlight and the 10 lumens far out weights the blueish/purplish beam it has.


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## defloyd77

LED Flashlights. said:


> It's not that bad.
> 
> The size of the flashlight and the 10 lumens far out weights the blueish/purplish beam it has.



Don't forget the runtime.


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## nuron

Are there any pictures of the beam? Looks like this has the runtime that I'm looking for but that beam color just sounds strange to me.


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## kenzo

nuron said:


> Are there any pictures of the beam? Looks like this has the runtime that I'm looking for but that beam color just sounds strange to me.



Don't worry. The beam color will grow on you. Personally I'm a fan of warm white but I EDC the E01 (keychain) as well as have a few with Trit glowrings attached lying around. The E01 is enough for most tasks and is a great light to have.
I'm looking at getting a few more :0


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## edc3

nuron said:


> Are there any pictures of the beam? Looks like this has the runtime that I'm looking for but that beam color just sounds strange to me.


 
There are some beamshots here:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/196504

I agree with kenzo. It's not really that bad when you're actually using the light. If you're shining it at a white wall and fixating on it, you won't like it. If you're using it, you'll like it.

It's definitely a good light - especially for the money. :thumbsup:


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## sims2k

Thanks. This thread is still useful after all this time.


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## kirby999

I've been reading (and buying) here for the past week and decided this thread should get my first post . I ordered an EO1 a few minutes ago. This will be my first Fenix of many to come I'm sure . It looks as though it's a great little light. kirby


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## Flying Turtle

Welcome to CPF, kirby. Sounds like you did your homework, and will be happy with the E01. For a keychain type light it's a best buy.

Geoff


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## Patriot

:welcome: Kirby999


I only own one EO1 and liked it so much that I now keep it in an emergency kit with L91 battery in it. I think you'll be please with you purchase.


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## kirby999

Thanks for the welcome !! I kinda gone a little crazy buying a few lights this past week , I think I like the smaller 1 AAA and 1 AA lights the best . kirby


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## MojaveMoon07

I'm recovering from an ankle injury, so I'm only concerned with whether 10 lumens of light (from the E01) is enough to sufficiently illuminate the ground within a ten foot radius of my feet while I'm walking outside at night.

Because I haven't owned an LED flashlight before, I have no frame of reference to calculate an answer to this question.

Thank you in advance!


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## edc3

Hi MojaveMoon07. :welcome:

Much depends on the ambient light where you're walking. I've used an E01 walking in a dark woods and found it adequate, but around where I live, with lots of ambient lighting, it gets washed out. Personally I use my E01's around the house as task lights and sometimes at work for peering into computer cases. Even if it doesn't fill your needs for a walking light, it's worth having one or two. They're very useful in a number of situations.

Don


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## MojaveMoon07

Thank you for taking the time to reply. This was exactly the information that I was looking for.




And thank you for the welcome!


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## Fallingwater

nikon said:


> The LED was at the proper height in the one I took apart. The second group of lights issued, i.e., the purple, orange, and blue, all have their LED's installed correctly. Only the first batch, the black and olive, have their LED's set too low.


I happened across this post during a google search for "fenix e01 take apart". Did Fenix get their act together for the black and olive E01s in the end? I have a friend who'd like a black one, but if there are still problems with the placement of the LED he'll get a blue one...


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## defloyd77

Fallingwater said:


> I happened across this post during a google search for "fenix e01 take apart". Did Fenix get their act together for the black and olive E01s in the end? I have a friend who'd like a black one, but if there are still problems with the placement of the LED he'll get a blue one...



They did.


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## jackthedog

Well, now I pretty much have to get one of these. Thanks for all the information.


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## Grijon

This thread is still helping people - ME, anyways! Ha ha, thanks for this!


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## martinaee

I haven't looked at the E01 in forever. Are there any new lights/leds out that can do what the E01 does? AKA suck every last drop out of a cell?

I had an olive E01 at one point. I'd like one again, but don't really want the purple tint.


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## Mr Floppy

martinaee said:


> I had an olive E01 at one point. I'd like one again, but don't really want the purple tint.



That's why I have an olive one modded by Vinh with a warm white nichia GS. Same ugly nichia beam pattern but the tint is so nice and warm


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## cistallus

martinaee said:


> I haven't looked at the E01 in forever. Are there any new lights/leds out that can do what the E01 does? AKA suck every last drop out of a cell?
> 
> I had an olive E01 at one point. I'd like one again, but don't really want the purple tint.



Battery Vampires thread: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...can-feed-your-quot-dead-quot-cells-to-listing


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## this_is_nascar

this_is_nascar said:


> These are my comments from yesterday, in another thread, after have the light for less than an hour.
> 
> _OK, so my (4) units arrived from BrightGuy today. I have a partial shipment on the way from Fenix-Store. I have a random unit on the meter now for about 15-minutes and I believe I can draw these very very early conclusions.
> 
> -- The E01 has better regulation, a more flatter curve, if a curve at all.
> -- The E01 is dimmer, whereas it's initial reading is 2500 vs. 3570 of the Arc. I'm only 30-minutes into the test.
> 
> Some personal comments:
> 
> -- Fit and finish is fine. I wish the Olive color was darker.
> -- The LED (and this is my biggest complaint) is set too deep into the reflector.
> -- Because of the deep-set LED, side spill is pretty useless in what I look for in this type of light.
> 
> Some of my opinions may change as I play and learn more about the light. It's still daylight, so I can't do any "real" outside/real use stuff yet. Keep in mind that I have not even had these an hour yet._
> 
> 
> Edit #1: Overnight, I put one of the E01's on the meter and here are the results compared to one of my better Arc-P DS lights.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #2: This shows only the runtime period between hours 5 and 12, in an attempt to see the amount of dim light (moon mode) after the regulation drops-out on each light. It's pretty obvious that Arc has a much better moon mode, at the Scarface of normal regulated runtime.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #3: What can be said about this. Brightness doesn't change on the L92, but runtime sure the hell does. Note this is an 18-hour graph. I don't recall ever plotting a light out that long on it's primary (in this case its only) brightness level. It's tough to see, but it drops out of regulation at ~825 minutes. That's 13.75-hours folks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #4: If I had any doubts at all that the Fenix E01 was going replace my Arc-DS as an EDC, those doubts have just been put to rest. This finding is simply amazing as far as I'm concerned. One of things that I always liked about the Arc is the ability to fire on a very low cell. I've seen the Arc fire on cells that were in the .7/.8 volt range. I always considered this to be a big deal for me, especially since the Arc is many times the only light I have on my possession. I just happened to do a test with a cell that metered at .41-volts standing voltage. I tried it in every Arc that I own and as expected didn't fire. I then took this same cell and put it in the E01 that I've been testing the light fired. I was simply blown-away by this. I metered the cell again and it should the same .41-volts. I then tried it in the other (3) E01's that I have and it fire in every one. You've got to be freakin' kidding me. Way to go on that circuit Fenix.
> 
> 
> Edit #5: Here's the comparitive testing of my 1st 2-units. Nothing really of a surprise here. I've never seen (2) of the same type lights produce the exact same readings. What's important here is that even though the 2nd unit it dimmer (not enough to be noticeable to the eye), it's runs longer in regulation. That's what you want to see. If it were dimmer and ran shorter, that would be a problem.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #6: I wanted to wait until the testing of my last unit of my current supply of E01's were completed, however that's still a couple days away, so I wanted to get this posted now. This chart shows the differences between units. There are (3) units which have been tested. Unit #4 is on the meter ow. Not that it matters but (2) of the (3) are black. The 3rd unit is olive and the 4th unit (currently being tested) is also olive. I have 2-more coming from the Fenix-Store whenever they have more stock. Each of these lights were metered with the Duracell alkaline and Energizer E2 (L92) lithium cells. It's pretty ironic that the 1st unit tested appears to be the one with the highest output so far. I color-coded the legend is such a way, that same color represents a particular unit. I think it makes it easier to read the graph. In all cases the L92 outperforms the alkaline.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #7: Here's the completed chart that adds the last E01 that I have in my possession. I just received a shipping notice that my last (2) units are on the way to me. I guess since I've tested all of these, that I'll go all the way and test these other (2) units when then arrive. Although there's a bit of a swing between these (4) units that I've tested so far, I wouldn't say that I've seen anything that really surprises me. Those units that are a bit brighter than the others don't run as long and those dimmer units do run longer than the brighter ones.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #8: This shows the head-to-head comparision of the Fenix E01 (GS) with the latest version of the Arc-AAA (GS). I have the 2nd Arc unit on the meter as we speak.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #9: Here's the chart with the 2nd Arc-AAA (GS) added.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #10: This last chart shows all the E01's that I own of the Black and Olive variety. Just today, my (6) new colored (2-of each) arrived. This chart plots each and every of my black and olive versions. It's pretty interesting to see the various range of output. It you throw out the high and low performers, all things seem to appear pretty equal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit #11: Now that the runtime tests of all my Black and Olive E01's have been completed, I've started on the colored ones I received the other day. This chart shows one of my gold units on a Duracell alkaline. The L92 test is still running, but I was so interested in this particular result, I had to post it now.
> 
> Take note of the very well defined "moon-mode" of this light. In all my prior testing of the other E01's, not one of them has shown this level of moon-mode. For the most part, the others show a rapid drop in output. I'm not sure if this is a fluke or if something changed on the colored versions. To keep the clutter down a bit, I only left the brightest and dimmest E01 on the graph to compare with this gold unit.


Just had to bump this thread, as it's near and dear to my heart. This, my friends, is what a properly regulated light looks like.

My E1 has been in my pocket everyday, since getting it way back when.


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## kyhunter1

Great review. E01's are far from obsolete. I would like to see them in stainless.


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