# ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters)



## Bigmac_79 (Jul 17, 2014)

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Fenix is one of the leading names in high-end flashlights, and the've recently released the new TK32, an 18650 class for balanced throw of 900+ lumens and individual red, green and blue emitters.



_
Thanks to Fenix for providing the TK32 for review._

I’ll be reviewing the TK32 in two sections: first, I’ll discuss the light objectively (the facts about the light itself), then I’ll discuss the light subjectively (my impressions about the light's performance when used for specific applications). If you have any other specific applications you'd like the light tested for, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Video Review

Below is a video review of the TK32. Due to my old image hosting site closing down, I've got new restrictions on image uploads and have replaced the "Construction" section of my reviews with a more detailed video review.


_This video is available in 1080p HD, but defaults to a lower quality. To select the playback quality click the settings button (looks like a gear) after you've started the video._


Objective

*Manufacturer's Specifications*

Price: 95 USD





Product Manual









Dimensions





Plus, here's a few shots with some good detail.
(click to enlarge)










*User Interface*

The TK32 is controlled by two rear switches, the power switch and the mode switch. The power switch is a mechanical forward-clicky, and the mode switch seems to be an electronic switch. The power switch is the larger of the two, is a circle, and is raised to protrude farther that the mode switch. The mode switch is smaller, sits lower, and has an almost crescent moon shape. The TK32 has four regular white brightness modes and three color modes.

To turn the light on/off, you press the power switch. Pressing it half way will activate the light momentarily until you release, and pressing it all the way with click it into position so that it remains on until you press it again. This will turn the light on in the last white brightness mode you used (the color modes are not memorized). From there, you can cycle through the four brightness modes in the sequence Low -> Medium -> High -> Turbo. 

To activate the color modes, you turn the light on then hold down the mode button for about a second, and it will come on in the last color mode you used. Then, clicking the mode switch again will cycle through the color modes in the sequence Green -> Blue -> Red (each side emitter is a single color). Holding the mode switch again will take you back to the last white brightness mode you used. Alternately, when the light is off, you can hold down on the mode button and it will act as a momentary switch for the Red mode, leaving the Red emitter on until you release the mode button.

Something I discovered by accident but don't remember being in the manual: If you are using the momentary Red function by holding the mode button when the light had been off, then click the power button without releasing the mode button (not hard to do due to the switch layout, hence my finding it by accident), it switches to a constant Red function. You can then release the mode button and the Red mode will stay on, and will not change for any clicks or holds of the mode button, but will only turn off when you click the power button again. I'm not sure if this was intended (I'll have to check the manual or possibly ask Fenix) but I find it to be useful.


*Action Shots*

You can click on any of these shots to see them full size.

Light in Hand








BeamSlice










MugShot










White Wall
_ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/20" 
_
















White wall w/ increased exposure:








Indoor Shots
_ISO 100, f/3.5, 1"
_
















Outdoor Shots
_ISO 100, f/3.5, 2.5"
_
















And a few with higher exposure:








Long-Range Shots
_ISO 100, f/3.5, 5"
_










*Performance*

Submersion: I submersed the TK32 under a foot of water for about an hour, clicking both switches several times. I found no evidence of water entering or damaging the light.

Heat: The TK32 gets hot after about 10 minutes on Turbo, but not uncomfortably so, then cools down when it automatically steps down output at 15 minutes.

PWM: I was able to detect very rapid PWM on the low modes of the TK32 using my camera, but it was not visible to the naked eye.

Drop: I dropped the TK32 from about a meter onto various surfaces (including grass, carpet, dirt, and hard wood), and found no cosmetic or functional damage.

Reverse Polarity Protection: Fenix claims reverse polarity protection for the TK32, so I tried inserting the batter backwards and clicking the switches. When I corrected the battery, it resumed normal function with no apparent damage.

Over-Discharge Protection: Fenix claims over discharge protection for the TK32, and I did find my battery not completely drained when the run was done. However, there are a series of stepdowns in output that will occur before that, which are a better cue to re-charge your battery before it gets very low.


Spectral Analysis













All light that we see as white is actually made up of several different colors put together. The relative intensities of the different colors in the mix are what determine the tint of the white we see. For example, cool white LED's have a lot of blue, and warm white LED's have more red or yellow. This measurement was done on a home made spectrometer. The plot below the picture is corrected for the spectral sensitivity of the human eye. Note: the peak in the 900nm region doesn't really exist, it's a piece of the second-order spectrum that's showing up here because of the high intensity of the light source. 

Output and Runtime




ANSI FL-1 runtime ratings are the time it takes for a light to fall to 10% of it's original output (counting from 30 seconds after turning the light on). 

The vertical axis of the graphs below represents a relative brightness measurement using a home made light box. The horizontal axis is time in hours:minutes:seconds. Runtimes are stated in hours:minutes:seconds. These graphs may be truncated to show detail.

*Mode Comparison*

Turbo




High





Throwing Distance

ANSI FL-1 standard for stating a light's throwing distance is the distance at which the peak beam intensity (usually at the center of the beam) is 0.25 lux. I calculate throwing distance and candela (lux at 1 meter) by measuring peak beam intensity at five different distances and using the formula lux*distance^2=constant.






Subjective Review

Quick break down:

+ Higher brightness than claimed, very rare :thumbsup:
+ RGB output, also rare :thumbsup:
+ Excellent regulation
+ Good beam pattern at long distance
+ Good throw
+ Two-button user interface
+ No flashy modes
+ Momentary Red
+ Decent Low mode
+ Separate color mode memory

- Ringy beam pattern up close and for RGB emitters
- Each emitter only one color
- Rolls

So, the TK32 is a pretty unique light. There are very few high-end lights that utilize colored emitters, and even fewer that have max brightnesses higher than their claims . The TK32 uses three emitters on inner sides of the reflector, each with a different color, red, green, or blue. I've seen other lights with colored emitters where a single emitter can do multiple colors, and I presume each one is dimmer than it's single color emitter counterpart, but if I were picky, I'd say I preferred having three tri-colored emitters over three brighter single-colored emitters for the sake of the beam. However, I won't be that picky . 

The beam pattern on the TK32 definitely shows the effects of having emitters on the side. Up close, the white beam shows visible beam artifacts, though they do fade out of noticeability as the distance increases. The colored beams are of course very weird shaped, as you can see in the pictures above. I suppose Fenix could have set these down a bit closer to the center of the reflector to make the color beams a bit more round, but this undoubtably would have been at the cost of the shape and even the throw of the main white beam, so overall I think it's a good compromise. If you're looking for a perfect beam that's maximally reflected and you don't care about having colored beams, the TK32 isn't right for you, but if you want the color beams, then be assured that the TK32 does them very well and their affect on the main beam is minimal. 

The regulation of the TK32 is very good - in fact, it's pretty much exactly what I like to see. The Turbo mode throws out the max brightness your battery can handle for about 15 minutes, then drops approximately the level of the High mode, and in my mind that's just what "Turbo" should mean--pushing as hard as it can for a short time only. You can turn it off and back on to get back to Turbo if you desire, but it's wise to let some heat dissipate first. The High mode is very flatly regulated for the majority of it's run time, then when the batteries get low it drops to a still usable level that is also regulated. This is a sort of warning, because after that will come another drop to a very low output, which is just about enough light to find your backup batteries in the dark (which I find is infinitely better than lights that are fully regulated until the battery dies, then just shut off and leave you in the dark). The Low mode I measured to be about 7 lumens, pretty close to the 10 they claim, which I appreciate as a good light level for close-up work. I generally like a bit of a lower minimum output, but the TK32 is pretty much a throw-oriented light, and a beam that tightly focused isn't extremely useful up close at any light output, so I'll be carrying something dimmer and floodier for prolonged close use anyway. 

I appreciate the user interface on the TK32, using separate buttons for power and mode control, but keeping the buttons close together so that you don't have to switch you grip to use either one. I especially like the momentary red function available by holding the mode button when the light is off--this pretty much makes up for the lack of a white super-low mode, because I can use it to preserve my night vision or avoid attracting attention. Additionally, as I mentioned in the UI section above, I found by accident that you can make the momentary red mode become constant red by pressing the power button while already using the momentary red. I don't remember this being in the manual (I'll be checking later) so I don't know if it's intentional, but I really appreciate it.

There were just a few negatives I found with the TK32. I already mentioned the rings in the beam when up close or using the color modes, and the fact that I know tri-color emitters exist . In addition, I saw that Fenix claims the TK32 has "anti-roll" design, which is just plain silly, because it definitely rolls when placed on a flat surface. Last, the knurling is just a bit rougher that I generally like, but I'm sure there are situations where I will appreciate it. I just generally prefer grip to come from the shape of the light instead of the knurling.

Overall, the TK32 is an excellent light by Fenix, and I've really enjoyed using it. As I said, very few high-end lights implement colored emitters, and the TK32 does this very well with minimal sacrifice of the main beam. It's still on the high end of brightness for single-cell lights, and has good throw for it's class as well. If you're looking for a general thrower with the addition of a multiple beam colors, the TK32 should definitely be on your list to consider!


*Long Term Impressions*
I'll fill this part in after carrying the light for a while. If nothing get's added here, either I find nothing else worth noting about the light, or I end up not using it often.

7.28.14 A feature has been pointed out to me that I neglected in the original review. In order to have both the mode and power switches in the tail, Fenix has designed the TK32 with a "dual layer battery tube" so that power can flow through the power switch independently of the signals that must flow through the mode switch. I've included a picture below that shows the two separate conductive layers in the body of the light, one inner and one outer.


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## kj2 (Jul 17, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

Thanks for the review


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 17, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



kj2 said:


> Thanks for the review



You're welcome!


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## rickypanecatyl (Jul 21, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

Big Mac love the fact that you do the drop and underwater tests. Just curious is that something you have to pay for out of your own pocket if they don't pass the test?
Also curious if you do that on all your tests - it'd be interesting to see who passed and who didn't!

Have you seen or reviewed the Eagletac S200C2? It seems to have fairly similar specs to this light. All things being equal I'd pick it over this light as 1. I don't need colors 2. You can select output BEFORE turning it on.
However the most important criteria to me in deciding between the 2 would be the Big Mac exclusive test: How well do they survive water and falls.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 21, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



rickypanecatyl said:


> Big Mac love the fact that you do the drop and underwater tests. Just curious is that something you have to pay for out of your own pocket if they don't pass the test?
> Also curious if you do that on all your tests - it'd be interesting to see who passed and who didn't!
> 
> Have you seen or reviewed the Eagletac S200C2? It seems to have fairly similar specs to this light. All things being equal I'd pick it over this light as 1. I don't need colors 2. You can select output BEFORE turning it on.
> However the most important criteria to me in deciding between the 2 would be the Big Mac exclusive test: How well do they survive water and falls.



Glad you appreciate the reviews  The drop test is always stressful, but actually I've had only a very few fail. I can't recall exactly which ones it was, but it always just means the review doesn't get completed. I don't have money to spend on this hobby, and the manufacturers in those cases were not interested in continuing the review. I imagine if it ever happened with a reputable manufacturer they would replace it, I've had a few manufacturers replace units that failed for other reasons.

I've tried to get in touch with Eagletac about reviews in the past with no response from them, so I don't have any Eagletac models I've reviewed. If you are interested in seeing my review of the SC200C2, feel free to let them know, it seems to make a big difference when customers request or reccomend my reviews for most manufacturers.


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## Cinder (Jul 21, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

Thanks for the this! Looking forward to the completed review. I'm actually really tempted to get this, the only thing keeping me back are 1) Can't tail stand (or so it seems) and 2) I already have a Fenix TK 22. In your opinion, will the TK 32 be a worthy replacement for the TK 22? The TK22 is my current "throw" light. Other lights I have are Olight M10 Maverick and Thrunite TN 12 (2014).

I'll probably be able to decide for myself once you complete the review.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 21, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



Cinder said:


> Thanks for the this! Looking forward to the completed review. I'm actually really tempted to get this, the only thing keeping me back are 1) Can't tail stand (or so it seems) and 2) I already have a Fenix TK 22. In your opinion, will the TK 32 be a worthy replacement for the TK 22? The TK22 is my current "throw" light. Other lights I have are Olight M10 Maverick and Thrunite TN 12 (2014).
> 
> I'll probably be able to decide for myself once you complete the review.



Hoping to complete the review today/tomorrow . For your questions, 1) Yes, it can't tail stand, but if you want it for a thrower that might not be too much of a loss. 2) I don't have a TK22, but by looking at it and it's specs I can make a few guesses. First, the TK32 is going to throw significantly further, because it has a larger head. That larger head may or may not be an inconvenience for you, depending on how you want to carry it. Also, the TK32 doesn't have the side switch, both switches are on the back, so it's going to feel a bit different as you use it. Obviously, the TK32 has the color emitters, which are fun, but I don't know if you'll be using it for some purpose where they will actually be useful. They do affect the beam pattern, but it's not too noticeable at longer distances. If you're looking for something to significantly out-throw your TK22, you may want to look into larger lights with bigger reflectors and higher mac outputs, but if you want to keep the 1x18650 format, the TK32 compares pretty well in throw to other similar sized lights.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 21, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

Almost everything but the beam shots has been added, and I hope to take those tonight :thumbsup:


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## Cinder (Jul 22, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



Bigmac_79 said:


> Hoping to complete the review today/tomorrow . For your questions, 1) Yes, it can't tail stand, but if you want it for a thrower that might not be too much of a loss. 2) I don't have a TK22, but by looking at it and it's specs I can make a few guesses. First, the TK32 is going to throw significantly further, because it has a larger head. That larger head may or may not be an inconvenience for you, depending on how you want to carry it. Also, the TK32 doesn't have the side switch, both switches are on the back, so it's going to feel a bit different as you use it. Obviously, the TK32 has the color emitters, which are fun, but I don't know if you'll be using it for some purpose where they will actually be useful. They do affect the beam pattern, but it's not too noticeable at longer distances. If you're looking for something to significantly out-throw your TK22, you may want to look into larger lights with bigger reflectors and higher mac outputs, but if you want to keep the 1x18650 format, the TK32 compares pretty well in throw to other similar sized lights.



Thank you, I've also read the completed review. This will help me with my decision! Great write up.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 22, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



Cinder said:


> Thank you, I've also read the completed review. This will help me with my decision! Great write up.



Great, glad to be of help!


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 22, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

Beamshots added, and the review is complete :thumbsup:


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## rickypanecatyl (Jul 23, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



> I especially like the momentary red function available by holding the mode button when the light is off--this pretty much makes up for the lack of a white super-low mode, because I can use it to preserve my night vision or avoid attracting attention. Additionally, as I mentioned in the UI section above, I found by accident that you can make the momentary red mode become constant red by pressing the power button while already using the momentary red. I don't remember this being in the manual (I'll be checking later) so I don't know if it's intentional, but I really appreciate it.



That sounds like a cool/practical use of the red led. If at all possible, I really like having moonlight modes on my lights and was wondering if this could substitute. Here are some of my .1 lumen/moonlight mode uses:
- I find .1 lumens is plenty to read a book at night in bed with my wife when she is asleep. 4 lumens and she groans at me, "Turn that thing off and go to sleep!!" I can get away with .1 lumen.
- I'm on the road lots and sleep in hostel type settings. Getting up and navigating my way to the bathroom or looking thru my bag in the middle of the night .1 lumens is more than enough. 4 lumens wakes up others and disturbs them. 
- My #1 use for moonlight mode importance wise! I work with an NGO doing relief work in combat/war/disaster areas. Very often I am in situations in the jungle/desert middle of the night with potential hostiles even snipers around. There are times I want/need to read a map/note whatever. In that kind of darkness, the light from a phone screen/GPS whatever SCREAMS out your location which is not good if you are trying to keep that secret! 4 lumens is massive and even with .1 lumens I'll probably try and block most of the light coming out when I turn it on.

All that bringing me to my questions on the TK32 of:

1. How easy/difficult would you say it is to distinguish between those buttons in pitch black darkness by feel? Is it pretty simple to know that you are pushing in the mode button for the red light to preserve night vision and not accidently hit the on button to get max brightness? (And the reverse question is also important - is it easy in the same scenario to get max brightness and not the red when that is what you want?)

2. Any estimate of how many lumens the 100mWatt red is? Thoughts on how it might work in the scenarios I mentioned above? Enough to read in bed at night without waking the spouse for example?


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## oKtosiTe (Jul 23, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

While I was really hoping for a competitor to the SRT7, this light fails to content (for me) for the following reasons:



Lack of a pocket clip. the reversible pocket clip on the SRT7 makes it more versatile: carrying and clipping it to a hat or other objects.
PWM, I'm quite sensitive to this, but it can also be a hazard in certain work environments with fast-moving machinery.
Size of the head, while even the SRT7 may be hard to pocket-carry for some, this sadly falls well outside the margin (I realize the throw will be more important to others).
Lack of a moonlight mode.
Lack of strobe, I like my disco modes. 

Still, as a colourblind, nightblind flashaholic, it is nice to see more lights fill this niche, and I will be keeping a close eye on the space.
And, of course,* thanks for the review*!

A correction: "Over-Discharge Protection: Fenix claims reverse polarity protection for [...]"


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 23, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



rickypanecatyl said:


> That sounds like a cool/practical use of the red led. If at all possible, I really like having moonlight modes on my lights and was wondering if this could substitute. Here are some of my .1 lumen/moonlight mode uses:
> - I find .1 lumens is plenty to read a book at night in bed with my wife when she is asleep. 4 lumens and she groans at me, "Turn that thing off and go to sleep!!" I can get away with .1 lumen.
> - I'm on the road lots and sleep in hostel type settings. Getting up and navigating my way to the bathroom or looking thru my bag in the middle of the night .1 lumens is more than enough. 4 lumens wakes up others and disturbs them.
> - My #1 use for moonlight mode importance wise! I work with an NGO doing relief work in combat/war/disaster areas. Very often I am in situations in the jungle/desert middle of the night with potential hostiles even snipers around. There are times I want/need to read a map/note whatever. In that kind of darkness, the light from a phone screen/GPS whatever SCREAMS out your location which is not good if you are trying to keep that secret! 4 lumens is massive and even with .1 lumens I'll probably try and block most of the light coming out when I turn it on.
> ...



1. Very easy to distinguish the buttons in the dark, due to their shape but mainly due to the fact that the power button sticks out significantly more than the mode button. As far as how easy it is to hit one and not the other--I found that when I was first getting used to the light, it took some concentration to focus on which button I was hitting, and I couldn't do it reliably when I was trying to do it quickly, but only when I was doing it slowly and taking time to think about it. However, as I've used it more and gotten more used to it, it takes less time and concentration, so I believe as you get familiar with the feel of the buttons you'll be able to do it quickly and reliably, it just takes some practice.

2. It's tough to say how many lumens the red emitter is, and rather complicated to explain. The short story is that "lumens" are relative to the human eye's ability to perceive a certain wavelength, so that (all other factors being equal) a blue light will have more lumens than a red light, and an infrared light will have no lumens at all because we are most sensitive to blue light and not at all sensitive to infrared. My measurements are based on a photocell with it's own sensitivity spectrum (very different from the human eye, but I'm in the process of designing a system with one that matches the human eye much better) and I've calibrated it's readings to lumen values, but only for light beams close to the typical white LED spectrum. If I were to estimate by my eye alone, I'd say that it allows me to see about as much as a white light of around 1-3 lumens, but is actually much "less noticeable" than a white light of that brightness. I don't understand the biology side of things as well as the physics side, but it's been my experience (and I've heard others relate similar feelings) that red light causes less change in your eyes' dark adaptation, and thus it's less jarring on your eyes when you turn it on and off.

So for those scenarios you mention:
Reading in bed: It's likely about the right amount of light for reading in bed without waking up your wife, but I find my wife is more annoyed to see a red light than a white light if she does happen to wake up, so keep that in mind . The other thing is the beam artifacts, it will be up to you if you think they will bother you too much for long reading sessions.
Navigating a dark house: It's great for that, I use it for that purpose often and it hasn't disturbed anyone yet. But again, if anyone does happen to be awake, seeing a colored light seems to be more startling to most people that a standard white light, just because it's not something they are used to.
Dangerous situations: The red light will certainly be better in those situations than a phone or gps screen. However, I would place the TK32's red mode in the range of "walking around without attracting too much attention". If all I needed to do was read a map or note and my life might depend on not being seen, I would rather have something with a dimmer red mode (such as the SRT3). However, if you're just going to have one light, the TK32 would probably be better for it's high brightness available when necessary.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 23, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



oKtosiTe said:


> While I was really hoping for a competitor to the SRT7, this light fails to content (for me) for the following reasons:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Glad the review was helpful  And thanks for catching that mistake, I've corrected it now.


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## rickypanecatyl (Jul 24, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

Thanks for the extremely thorough answer! Appreciate it a bunch...

Just had a happy thought - the local "quality" flashlight store just dropped Nitecore and picked up Fenix... I might just be able to walk in and feel the buttons myself to see how distinct they are in the dark.


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 24, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



rickypanecatyl said:


> Thanks for the extremely thorough answer! Appreciate it a bunch...
> 
> Just had a happy thought - the local "quality" flashlight store just dropped Nitecore and picked up Fenix... I might just be able to walk in and feel the buttons myself to see how distinct they are in the dark.



I'm always jealous of those who live near a brick/mortar store that carries real flashlights. :rock:


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## Bigmac_79 (Jul 28, 2014)

Long Term section updated with some info I missed previously.


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## martinaee (Aug 2, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



Bigmac_79 said:


> I'm always jealous of those who live near a brick/mortar store that carries real flashlights. :rock:



Well up until just recently I literally lived just over a mile from Bright Guy so I know what you mean. Now I live half an hour away from them so that stinks. It was cool being able to go in and actually see basically any Fenix/SF/Streamlight/etc. in person.


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## drummer132132 (Aug 4, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



Cinder said:


> Thanks for the this! Looking forward to the completed review. I'm actually really tempted to get this, the only thing keeping me back are 1) Can't tail stand (or so it seems) and 2) I already have a Fenix TK 22. In your opinion, will the TK 32 be a worthy replacement for the TK 22? The TK22 is my current "throw" light. Other lights I have are Olight M10 Maverick and Thrunite TN 12 (2014).
> 
> I'll probably be able to decide for myself once you complete the review.






Bigmac_79 said:


> Hoping to complete the review today/tomorrow . For your questions, 1) Yes, it can't tail stand, but if you want it for a thrower that might not be too much of a loss. 2) I don't have a TK22, but by looking at it and it's specs I can make a few guesses. First, the TK32 is going to throw significantly further, because it has a larger head. That larger head may or may not be an inconvenience for you, depending on how you want to carry it. Also, the TK32 doesn't have the side switch, both switches are on the back, so it's going to feel a bit different as you use it. Obviously, the TK32 has the color emitters, which are fun, but I don't know if you'll be using it for some purpose where they will actually be useful. They do affect the beam pattern, but it's not too noticeable at longer distances. If you're looking for something to significantly out-throw your TK22, you may want to look into larger lights with bigger reflectors and higher mac outputs, but if you want to keep the 1x18650 format, the TK32 compares pretty well in throw to other similar sized lights.



To add to Cinder's question, this is for those who may have both lights, which hotspot is going to be "bigger" (or are they equal?)?


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## drummer132132 (Aug 26, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

TBH they should really make a version 2 of this light. Keep everything basically the same except change a few things: 

remove the colored emitters/cutouts in the reflector (smooth basically?), 
keep the current UI in mode switching when the normal beam is on, instead of the mode switch giving instant red hold it down for a second to access strobe, 2 seconds for SoS, 3 seconds for Beacon.
tailstand capable but if I know Fenix they in general never do this 

Honestly after some of these changes this would be in my eyes a pretty awesome light since in general it already has very good throw for its size and very good spill too.


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## oKtosiTe (Aug 29, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



drummer132132 said:


> TBH they should really make a version 2 of this light. Keep everything basically the same except change a few things:
> 
> remove the colored emitters/cutouts in the reflector (smooth basically?),
> keep the current UI in mode switching when the normal beam is on, instead of the mode switch giving instant red hold it down for a second to access strobe, 2 seconds for SoS, 3 seconds for Beacon.
> ...



So keep everything the same except change the defining features of the light? 
Perhaps there are already lights out there closer to what you are looking for?


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## drummer132132 (Aug 29, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



oKtosiTe said:


> So keep everything the same except change the defining features of the light?
> Perhaps there are already lights out there closer to what you are looking for?



From what I can see there is one from Eagletac called the M25C2. Has everything in terms of mode selection but the head/reflector is big. The TK32 is a bit smaller (not by leaps and bounds) so a good middle ground. After using the light for a few weeks I am just finding that I wish it had a strobe. Its a nice walking light at night if you want something that packs a punch but is relatively small and in that extremely rare occasion of needing a deterrent for either an animal or person a strobe would have been nice (just a wish list?). Fenix did push the TK32 as a hunting light which is fine but I do wish they had second version of it. Heck name it the TK33 or something, doesn't matter to me 

As a side note if I had known Eagletac was going to release the M25C2 I probably would have waited and bought that instead. If you know of other lights that have 40k lux or higher but similar to the size of the TK32 point them out and I'll gladly research them


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## bdogps (Nov 10, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

Fenix!!!!!!!!! Can you see what I see?


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## zs&tas (Nov 11, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

The new olight M2X, similar size and the new throw king for its size, it blows everything outa the water. sorta glad i didnt buy this yet. its a shame as i really like it though.


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## oKtosiTe (Nov 11, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*



zs&tas said:


> The new olight M2X, similar size and the new throw king for its size, it blows everything outa the water. sorta glad i didnt buy this yet. its a shame as i really like it though.


I still think each of them fills its own little niche.


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## Bigmac_79 (Nov 11, 2014)

*Re: ReviewTheLight: Fenix TK32 (950 Lumens + 100mW RGB Emitters) [In Progress]*

In my opinion, the main feature of the TK32 is it's inclusion of color emitters, not really it's throw. The M2X, having no color emitters, won't ever compete with the TK32 because they are different tools for different purposes. (Buying a new wrench won't make my hammer obsolete.)


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## bdogps (Nov 11, 2014)

zs&tas said:


> The new olight M2X, similar size and the new throw king for its size, it blows everything outa the water. sorta glad i didnt buy this yet. its a shame as i really like it though.



Similar size? The M2X has the same light reflector size as the M3X. The differences is the M2X uses one 18650 vs M3x uses 2 18650s. The M2x led has been modified(I read it from their product description) so the hot spot will be smaller than the M3X so it can throw farther(you know, bigger the hotspot the less it can throw due to being less concentrated.) 

Tk32 has a well balanced hot spot and has those RGB leds which I like.

I dont think Fenix was advertising it as being a throw king, they were advertising it more as a hunting torch mate.


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## zs&tas (Nov 12, 2014)

thats what makes this hobby great, we all see something different / have different requirements and so the manufacturers have to make a shed load of different lights !!

I see a small single 18650 light with a big reflector for increased throw, it prob made it the throwyest (?) light for its size. now there is the M2x with a different led and a massive increase in throw - upping the bar in that department. the colour leds are a bonus to me. note red i would use and do use all the time 
I still really like this light just i would buy it for its throw and urr now i prob wont ?


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## bdogps (Nov 14, 2014)

Anyone else is having problems with spring on tail cap or the switch itself? 

This fenix light embarrassed me yesterday in front of a die hard led-lenser user and fan. I was showing him how great these lights are and when he was using it, the damn crap would not stay on. It was their shitty spring(coil?)! I had do manipulated a couple of times(spring coil on tail cap switch) for it work, then, tada. It was so embarrassing! Here I was praising fenix to this led-lenser person, and worst part, this tk32 is not a month old. Luckily I had my Thrunite TN11s, and he actually liked it, and was considering to switching to dark side(using 18650s torches).


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## Bigmac_79 (Nov 15, 2014)

bdogps said:


> Anyone else is having problems with spring on tail cap or the switch itself?
> 
> This fenix light embarrassed me yesterday in front of a die hard led-lenser user and fan. I was showing him how great these lights are and when he was using it, the damn crap would not stay on. It was their shitty spring(coil?)! I had do manipulated a couple of times(spring coil on tail cap switch) for it work, then, tada. It was so embarrassing! Here I was praising fenix to this led-lenser person, and worst part, this tk32 is not a month old. Luckily I had my fenix TN11s, and he actually liked it, and was considering to switching to dark side(using 18650s torches).




Oh no, that is certainly embarrassing! My tailcap is working fine, do you know exactly what happened with yours, or did you just wiggle it until it worked again?


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## bdogps (Nov 16, 2014)

Hey Bigmac,

I think the problem lies with the spring design. Every time I screw the tail cap close, I hear crunching noises from the spring. Once I unscrew it open, I think spring coils get caught on themselves. Then I screw it back to close it, the spring interferes with the switch, because it gets caught on itself. Then I find myself screwing the tightest possible, that is when it interferes with the switch. I hope this is making sense. Yes, the spring interferes with switch from preventing it from fully clicking.


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## bdogps (Dec 6, 2014)

Has anyone else noticed when the blue LED is on the main one turns on as well?


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## CelticCross74 (Dec 6, 2014)

Had my TK32 for months and love it! 950 lumens eh? Score another underrated light from Fenix. I have had zero tailcap problems. My reflector is perfectly smooth with zero imperfections. The colored LEDs are much brighter and more focused than on the SRT7. My TK32 is also MUCH brighter than my SRT7. Makes the lack of a clip less annoying. I didnt know about the red temporary mode. My blue LED comes on alone without the main beam. Sounds strange....


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## bdogps (Dec 16, 2014)

The more I inspect the light the more imperfections that I find. The coloured LEDs look like they have smudges or fingerprints in them. Anyone else noticed that on their TK32? It makes me want to exchange it, works fine, but the workmanship is subpar with other torch brands. Should I let this go or try to get an exchange?


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## Bigmac_79 (Dec 18, 2014)

bdogps said:


> Has anyone else noticed when the blue LED is on the main one turns on as well?



Someone mentioned this on the youtube video as well. I don't believe that any stray current is being sent to the main emitter, here's what I think is happening: the blue light from the blue emitter hits the phosphor in the main emitter, exciting it and causing it to re-emit white light. After all, the main emitter (like all modern white emitters) is really just a blue emitter covered in a phosphor to make the light white. You can see this effect on other lights with both blue and white emitters also. In fact, you can even see this effect when you shine the blue light into another XM-L emitter on another light! Pretty cool stuff


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## Bigmac_79 (Dec 18, 2014)

CelticCross74 said:


> Had my TK32 for months and love it! 950 lumens eh? Score another underrated light from Fenix. I have had zero tailcap problems. My reflector is perfectly smooth with zero imperfections. The colored LEDs are much brighter and more focused than on the SRT7. My TK32 is also MUCH brighter than my SRT7. Makes the lack of a clip less annoying. I didnt know about the red temporary mode. My blue LED comes on alone without the main beam. Sounds strange....



Thanks for your input!


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## Bigmac_79 (Dec 18, 2014)

bdogps said:


> The more I inspect the light the more imperfections that I find. The coloured LEDs look like they have smudges or fingerprints in them. Anyone else noticed that on their TK32? It makes me want to exchange it, works fine, but the workmanship is subpar with other torch brands. Should I let this go or try to get an exchange?



I haven't noticed any problems like that with mine. In my personal opinion, if the light functions fine I'd not bother with the exchange, but if there is a noticeable problem in it's use then the exchange would be worth it.


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## RickZ (Jul 29, 2016)

The anti-roll is silly. And the cut outs are hilarious: 5 cutouts on the heat fins and 6 shallow cutouts on the head which don't stop rolling, however you can put it ont it's side so the head is at the edge of the surface, and that works to rollstop.


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## CelticCross74 (Jul 30, 2016)

hey its the original TK32 thread!! Have had my original 32 bolted to my Mossberg 590 for months now and not even a hiccup it works fine. Now I have the 2016 version and it is incredible. The secondary LEDs are jaw dropping bright and focused. The main beam throws further and is brighter but the width is not as wide as the original. Very surprisingly the HI V3 emitter on my copy does not have the usual blinding white tint its actually kinda neautral.


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