- Multiple light output modes, 175 Lumens, 135 Lumens, and 30 Lumens
- Powered by 4XAAA
- Advanced focus system allows user to select beam position
- Casts beam up to 650-Feet
- Dynamic switch offers three levels of light
For those of you planning on getting this as a gift I should start by describing the packaging as being top notch. The black cardboard box is very slick and folds open like a jewelry box. The flashlight sits in a foam holder. 4 AAA alkaline batteries are included, as is a belt case and a mini caribiner. The build itself is all metal, no plastic except the lens which looks like it also would take a lot of abuse.
The waterproofing checks out. I turned it on, dropped it in a sink full of water, and rolled it around under water for a couple minutes. The light continued to work fine, and after retrieving it and opening it up the inside was still dry.
A brief explanation on brightness and battery life. This isn't a voltage regulated flashlight. In a voltage regulated flashlight you get constant brightness until the batteries die and the brightness goes to zero. Instead this is a direct drive flashlight, the batteries go through a resistor straight into the LED. In a direct drive flashlight the brightness slowly fades as the batteries slowly fade. So at minute 0 the brightness is indeed the claimed 178 lumens on burst (and compared to my 90 lumen headlamp seems twice as bright), 138 lumens on high. However, the brightness slowly falls off. This brings me to the battery life numbers. The claimed 2h on high is likely to a totally no light scenario. In real use the alkaline batteries used on the high setting will slowly decline to be at 50% brightness by 75 minutes and 10% brightness by 80 minutes. Eneloop rechargeables do a bit better, lasting about 95 minutes to 50% brightness and 105 minutes to 10% brightness. Expect similar performance for other Ni-MH rechargeables as the Eneloops.
The focusing system switching from spot to fill is easy to operate with the holding hand pushing in or out.
In summary this is a good flashlight, though the lack of voltage regulation means if you use it for extended periods of time you won't get the full brightness out of it. If you need the full brightness I'd recommend looking at the Fenix E21 or Fenix LD20 which use 2AA batteries and are voltage regulated in this price range. If you don't mind the slow decline in brightness during extended use this flashlight is a perfectly good choice too.
Buy LED Lenser 880004 P7 LED Flashlight, Black Now
I LOVE flashlights, so trying this one out was a no-brainer. I've tried Streamlights, 5.11's, Fenix, and many others. This one ranks right in the middle of those quality brands. I will list the pros/cons first and then you can read my explanations below. (See my photos on the product page too)
PROS:
* Quality material, well made
* Very bright, has (3) light intensity modes
* Nice even light in flood mode
* No halo effect in spot mode
* One-handed transition from spot to flood
* Compact
* Runs on AAA batteries, so they are easy to find/replace
* IPX4 water rating (see description below!)
CONS:
* Tail cap is rounded, preventing you from standing it on end
* No squared off edges to prevent incidental rolling while laying on uneven surface
* High output mode can only be used while holding down the switch, preventing hands-free operation in that mode.
* No barrel on/off switch. (Possibly due to one-handed spot/flood transition function)
The quality of this light is fantastic... very well made. I like the one-handed spot to flood transition function. It is SO much better than having to manually twist the head of the light to focus it. What I also like is that the flood maintains a very consistent spill and does not halo when focusing to a flood as many others do.
This light is very bright, which sometimes translates to higher battery consumption. But you can adjust between three modes. However, only two of those modes, the lower two, are available hand-free. The high output (HO) mode is only available if you continuously press the button. I didn't like that. You should be able to have all three modes hands-free.
Some people, especially law enforcement or security, might not like the fact this only has a tail cap switch. Some people prefer to use that exclusively, but others don't. That switch also prevents you from placing it on end to light up a room or tent via the ceiling.
The IPX4 rating is not explained on the product page. This basically means it can withstand a light rain for a little while. Don't confuse that with submersible, which it is not.
Overall, this is a very good light if you know the limitations beforehand. I threw some lithium AAA's in it and I carry it in my car for those emergencies that sometimes happen.
I do recommend it. I did take off a star for the HO mode button holding, the rounded tail cap, and nothing to prevent it from rolling.
Read Best Reviews of LED Lenser 880004 P7 LED Flashlight, Black Here
Good, basic flashlight. It's lightweight but has a nice solid casing, a very bright light, and the beam reaches quite a long way. This is a very good thing. The product description says it illuminates the area in front of you to a distance of 630 feet...which is the distance I prefer to maintain between me and whatever prowler/creature I suspect might be lurking out there in the dark. The description also says it is an ideal choice for work, home, or adventure. Well, my field is public relations, and this is one profession where shedding light on the subject is not necessarily a good thing. And "adventures" are something I prefer to avoid -"adventure" is usually a euphemism for wet, cold, and in dire need of rescue. However, for home use, this is indeed a very handy item.
If the lights go out, it will provide sufficient illumination to find the fuse box or the closet where the battery-lanterns are kept. And battery lanterns are a much better choice than a flashlight for illuminating a room. But for things like investigating a noise in the backyard or searching under the bushes for a stray cat or errant husband, the LED Lenser is the right tool for the job. It has some features that are good, like being able to switch betweeen a focused long-distance beam and and wider close-up light. You can also go from low to medium to high power. This last feature isn't really necessary because I can't imagine why one would want less light in the dark, unless you don't want to alert the authorities to your activities.
All in all, it has everything you need in a flashlight, it's easy to operate (although even my notoriously poor hand/eye coordination and almost total lack of motor skills have yet to meet any flashlight that was too complex to figure out).
I'd keep one of these in the glove compartment of the car for roadside emergencies, and another one someplace handy for home use. Of course "someplace handy" is the tricky part. Maybe someday someone will invent a flashlight that doesn't disapper as soon as the lights go out.
Want LED Lenser 880004 P7 LED Flashlight, Black Discount?
The LED Lenser P7 LED Flashlight is a solid small LED flashlight that works quite well for its size and has a very workable focusing feature.
(Note that where appropriate I have made comparisons to another high quality LED flashlight Fenix E21 Flashlight that I have owned for several months. This small flashlight runs on 2 AA batteries and does not have any ability to focus the beam size.)
The LED Lenser P7 is a very solidly constructed metal flashlight measuring about 5.25" long and 1.5" in diameter. It runs on 4 AAA batteries (I'm currently using NiMH rechargables Sanyo NEW 1500 Eneloop 4 Pack AAA Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries). The "focusing" feature allows you to adjust the beam between narrow and wide by moving the head of the P7 back and forth by about 0.25". The on-off is a push button on the rear of the flashlight. A lanyard cable and carrying case are included with the P7.
The P7 is quite bright for a small AAA flashlight by holding the on-off button in you can get a max output of 175 lumens (compare this to the huge Mag-Lite ST3D016 3-D Cell LED Flashlight with 131 lumens output.) This mode will last appr. 1 hour with NiMH batteries. Clicking the on-off button (without holding it in) will switch between 135 lumens / 2 hour mode, 27 lumens / 13 hours mode, and off. These modes are comparable to the Fenix E21 (154 lumens / 2.25 hours, 52 lumens / 11 hours).
I found that the beam focusing feature worked pretty well. Attached to this review are pics of the output beam when the P7 is focused as a flood, as a spot, and at a middle setting. I don't think I'd use the middle settings much due to the resulting dark spot in the center of the beam, but the flood and spot settings are good. Most other flashlights are designed either with a flood or as a thrower (spot) beam, so the ability of the P7 to switch between the two is very handy.
In sum, I think the LED Lenser P7 is a very good flashlight, with more light output than many of the "big box" store flashlights that are substantially larger and heavier than the P7. It is reasonable in size, but very solidly constructed and capable of taking some abuse. It currently costs more than my current favorite Fenix E21 with similar light output, but the focusing feature is a real advantage.
Edit May 2012: after trying out the newer Coast HP7 High Performance Focusing 251 Lumen LED Flashlight I have to call that flashlight superior to this one. It has a slightly higher output (251 lumens vs. 175 lumens), a wider flood beam, and a slightly narrower spot beam all for around the same price. That really isn't surprising as LED flashlight technology continues to advance. That said, the LED Lenser P7 is still a good choice if you can find a deal on it.
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This is not the flashlight you took to Girl Scout Camp -the one that needed four D batteries and doubled as a weapon in case your tent was attacked by rowdy squirrels. The one by which you read under the covers... for one night, because after the first night all four of your D cells were dead.
Nope. This is a compact powerful little wonder. It comes with a pouch and a carbiner so you can wear it on your belt for a night hike. You can concentrate the beam to see something specific more clearly, or you can diffuse the beam to take in a larger area. It's powered by 4 AAA batteries so you could even bring along spares and read your way though an entire two-week stint at camp. The LED Lenser 880004 P7 LED Flashlight can cast a beam of light 650 feet, which, incidentally is far enough to be able to see the tree that fell down in the back yard and crushed the steps, or the coyote trolling for kittens... or those rowdy squirrels. And when you are without power for hours and hours, it will enable you to find those candles and matches you tucked away for just such an occasion.
It fits in your junk drawer even when nothing else fits in your junk drawer. And it comes in a very nice box, making it an attractive and useful gift.
If only I'd had this when I was a Girl Scout...
