Fenix P3D Q5 Review by C.B.

July 2008

The Fenix P3D Q5 is arguably one of Fenix’s most popular flashlights. This 2x CR123A powered light is a multi-level flashlight that uses a Cree Q5 LED to provide up to 215 Lumens in Turbo mode and 120 Lumens in General mode. The P3D has a slim body that is only a slightly wider in diameter than a CR123A battery, but as it uses two batteries it is relatively long and so is a comfortable size to use. The flashlight is controlled by a switch on the tail of the light, and the General and Turbo modes are selected by rotating the head of the light similar to other Fenix lights.

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The Fenix P3D is part of the P-series of lights that currently comprises of the P1D, P2D and the P3D. The P1D and P2D are both 1x CR123A flashlights, while the P3D is essentially a larger and more powerful version of the P2D. While the P2D is smaller, the P3D packs both high-power and long battery life into an easily pocket-able light, and as such is ideal for those who require a powerful and versatile light for every day carry.

Specifications

Cree Premium Q5 7090 XR-E LED with 50,000 hour lifespan
• Turbo Mode: 215 Lumens (1.8 hours), Strobe
• General Mode: 120 Lumens (4.8 hours), 53 Lumens (13 hours), 12 Lumens (65 hours), SOS
• Digitally regulated brightness
• Two 3.0V CR123A batteries
• Type III Hard Anodized finish
• Low battery indication system
• Waterproof to IPX-8 standard

p3d-reflector

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The Fenix P3D comes packaged in a cardboard box with a clear plastic window through which the flashlight can be seen. Inside the box is a plastic container with a compartment for the light and another compartment that contains the included accessories. These accessories comprise of a holster, lanyard, two spare o-rings, a spare rubber switch cover, an instruction manual and a warranty card. The packaging is enough to securely hold the flashlight during shipping, and this light arrived from www.FenixTorch.co.uk with no damage.

The Fenix P3D is a thin and slim flashlight that makes it ideal for comfortable every day carry and use. The included holster is very well made and securely holds the light while also making it easy to access. The size of the P3D makes the 215 Lumens it can produce in Turbo mode extremely impressive, as this is only slightly less than other high-powered Fenix lights such as the T1 and TK10/TK11, which are noticeably larger and heavier. At 49g (excluding batteries) the P3D is very light for such a well made flashlight, and this again improves its ergonomics.

The surface of the P3D is generally smooth with some texturing at the head and tail of the light, while the centre of the light has flat sides in a hexagonal shape. Although textured knurling could make the light easier to grip when wet, the shape and balance of the P3D make it very easy to hold the light and to reach the switch on the tail.

fenix-p3d

Both the head and tail of the Fenix P3D unscrew and batteries can be inserted from either end. The P3D uses 2x CR123A batteries and they should be placed with the positive ends facing towards the head of the light. Both ends of the flashlight have o-rings to help protect the light from water, and both the o-rings and threads of the light should be kept well cleaned and lubricated. Ensuring all electrical contact surfaces are kept clean will also help ensure correct operation of the light. The flashlight was lubricated with NyoGel 779ZC (o-rings) and NyoGel 759G (threads) to help with water protection and make the head of the light smoothly rotate to select modes.

On the tail of the P3D is a switch of the ‘reverse-clickie’ type. This means the switch has to be clicked in and then released to activate the light. A ‘soft-press’ (pushing the switch lightly without a full click) can then be used to cycle through the levels of the light. Although this does mean the light has no ‘momentary’ function, it does make the light easy to use and means that levels can be cycled through quickly and quietly without having to fully click the switch each time. Those who require a momentary switch may consider flashlights with a ‘tactical’ forward-clickie such as the TK10. The tail of the light also has two small holes that can be used to attach the lanyard.

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The head of the light contains the LED, reflector, lens and electronics of the light. Inside the rear of head the positive battery contact point can be seen, along with a ring that contacts the body when the head is fully screwed on, thus activating the Turbo mode. As the P3D is a compact light (only 2.1cm diameter) it has a relatively small reflector, but despite this it still puts out an excellent amount of light with a very good beam shape. The reflector on this particular P3D has a ‘light orange peel’ texture that helps ensure the beam pattern is smooth and even with no artefacts.

Initial impressions suggest that the Fenix P3D is a well designed and well built light that can provide an incredible amount of power for its size. Coupled with this is the versatility it can offer due to it being a multi-mode light, and as such it can provide a suitable amount of lighting for nearly any requirement.

In Use

Once the two CR123A batteries have been inserted into the P3D and the tail fully screwed on, the light can be activated by fully clicking the switch at the rear. Depending on whether the head of the light has been fully screwed on or not, the P3D will either come on in the solid beam of the Turbo mode or the lowest setting of the General mode. To ensure the General mode is activated, the head of the light can be securely tightened and then slightly unscrewed to ensure the internal contact with the body is broken. Once this is done, the light will function in General mode, and can be cycled from low to medium to high to SOS repeatedly by soft-pressing the switch. If the light is turned off for more than two seconds then it will revert to the lowest setting again. If the light is fully turned off and on in less than two seconds then this will be treated as a level change and the P3D will cycle to the next to the level as appropriate. The light can also be reset to the initial level by holding down the switch in a soft-press for more than two seconds. In this way, the light can be used as low - medium - high - two second soft press – low, without requiring the light to be switched off with a click.

p3d-q5

To put the Fenix P3D in Turbo mode, the head of the light should be fully tightened. This completes the contact with the body inside the head and the light will now function in Turbo mode. Turning the light on in this mode will put it on full 215 Lumen, soft-pressing the switch to change levels will put it into disorienting strobe mode that rapidly flashes bright light. As with the General mode, turning the light off for more than two seconds will put the light into the original level of 215 Lumens of constant light. It should be noted that Fenix recommend the Turbo mode not be used for extended periods in high ambient temperatures. This is because the Cree LED produces a large amount of heat when driven to 215 Lumens, and the compact design of the light makes this heat difficult to quickly dissipate. Flashlights such as the Fenix T1 or TK10 have large, heavy heads and bodies that can act as a heatsink in order to draw heat away from the LED and dissipate the heat. This should not prevent users from making use of the Turbo mode on the P3D, but the light can become notably warm when run for long periods without adequate cooling. As such care should be taken to ensure the LED does not overhead and become damaged.

The various levels of the Fenix P3D are very useful and are another reason the light is ideal for every day carry. The low mode is bright enough to clearly see in darkness and can be used for close-up work without being blinding. The medium level is appropriate for most tasks that do not require very bright light, and is a good balance between brightness and runtime. The high level of the P3D is more than bright enough for almost any requirement except very long distance outdoor use, and can easily be used when working in complete darkness and strong lighting is required, either directly on a subject or to provide overall lighting bounced off a ceiling. The SOS mode provides a relatively slow but bright cycle of three dots, three dashes, three dots, and will continue to repeat this. The only issue is that there are relatively long pauses between the flashes of light. The two levels in the Turbo mode of the light are ideal for extreme circumstances. The 215 Lumens of light is extremely bright and can be very useful when needed. The disorienting strobe is ideal for either attracting attention at night or for causing a distraction.

p3d-head

The only arguable issues with controlling the light when in use are the brightness of the low level and the positioning of the SOS level. Although the lowest setting of the P3D is noticeably lower than any of the others, it could still be dimmer for use in complete darkness when only a small amount of light is required. However, even at 12 Lumens the P3D will produce 65 hours of light, the equivalent of 2.7 days of solid use. This makes the low level seem very reasonable, and a red filter for the P3D is available that will provide a darker and less obvious beam if required. The SOS level could obviously be a very important feature, and has clearly been placed in the General mode so that is can always be accessed one-handed by cycling through the levels with the switch. However, although the SOS level could in theory save a life, it is also very unlikely to be used regularly. As such, is can be annoying to have to cycle through it to get from the high back to the low mode quickly. This can be negated by turning the light off or soft-pressing the switch for two seconds, but during this time the P3D will not be providing any light.

The beam of the P3D is very smooth and even due to the textured reflector, and this particular model has a very natural white tint to it. There is a strong and fairly large hotspot in the centre of the beam that fades to a bright and useable spill. Overall this beam shape is ideal for most every day uses as it is very easy to work under and can provide key brightness where needed. Using the P3D to work in dark areas is very easy and can make difficult jobs much simpler by properly illuminating the area required. The beam provided by the Fenix P3D may be more appropriate than those from lights such as the T1/TK10 for everyday use as the slightly wider and softer hotspot is not quite as blinding.