Fenix E0 - first impressions

MG_Saldivar · Sep 21, 2006

I just received my new Fenix E0 in the mail... It appears to be Fenix's attempt at competing with the Arc AAA.

Mine seems to be just as bright as my Arc AAA Premium, and even has the same blue-ish tint and faint artifacts (concentric rings around the hotspot) as the Arc. The E0 is approximately $15 cheaper than the regular Arc and $25 - $30 cheaper than the premium Arc.

I'd say that if you want Arc AAA brightness at a cheaper price but with a similar form factor, the E0 is a good deal (plus the E0 appears to have a longer runtime, as per the early reviews I've seen). However, also according to early reviews, the E0's regulation is less flat; also, from my own observation, the Arc AAA's body seems much tougher and scratch-resistant.

If you want a cheap but sturdy AAA with brightness comparable to an Arc AAA, I'd recommend looking at the E1, which I also own and like.

thatmguy · Sep 21, 2006

I have a couple E1's en route, waiting to see how they compare.

All my ARC's (5-6) are the originals. Love them, and can't see any reason to spend 2x what I paid (<$20 each) for a bit more performance.

Jedi_Knife · Sep 22, 2006

I just got an E0, also. The beam quality, brightness, and tint are all much better than the Arc that I used to own. Of course it wasn't the "premium" version of the Arc, but then again Fenix manages to make fairly consistent quality products that don't need to be sorted into "premium" models.

Revolvergeek · Sep 22, 2006

MG_Saldivar said:
However, also according to early reviews, the E0's regulation is less flat.

You might want to go check some of the threads over on CPFs. The last ones that I read suggested that the E0 had much better regulation than the ARC. I guess that I am going to have to order one after the first of the month and check these little guys out.

thatmguy · Sep 22, 2006

Just got my E1's.

Put new batteries in them and an original ARC-P.

About same OAL, dia, and heft.

In an unscientific "against the hall wall from the bathroom" test, found the E1 to be brighter at the center, as well as having a wider beam spread.

Into another room with the lights out for a bit more distance.

Again, the E1 gave better light quality (IMHO), brighter, and a bigger center spot. As expected, the spread/spill increased, but I don't see that as a bad thing, since it will illuminate the area surrounding what I want to see.

I think I'm going to pick up a few more Fenix products, starting with the E0 based on your thread.

MG_Saldivar · Sep 23, 2006

Revolvergeek said:
You might want to go check some of the threads over on CPFs. The last ones that I read suggested that the E0 had much better regulation than the ARC.

Looks like you're right -- thanks for the heads up!

For $20, I do think the E0 is a good deal, although I'll use it primarily as a secondary or tertiary light --- I try to keep at least one 1W on me when I leave home.

Sid Post · Sep 23, 2006

Is lumen output the only difference between the E0 and E1?

Thanks,
Sid

MG_Saldivar · Sep 23, 2006

Sid,

This link give info on E1 runtime, while this other link gives info on E0 runtime -- runtime seems to be a big difference (in addition to brightness).

In terms of form factor, the E0 is about 0.5 to 1 cm shorter than the E1, although the diameter is the same. Further (in case this matters to you; it does to some), the E0 does not have a 'lens' (i.e., I can touch the LED with my finger).

Revolvergeek · Oct 17, 2006

I have been carrying around my E0 since last Friday and am very pleased with it. We had a power outage last night and it was plenty light to navigate around with. I used it in candle mode for a while, bouncing the light off the ceiling to light up the whole room dimly. The Arc can't stand on its tail, so I ended up being ver glad that I had the E0 with me.

MG_Saldivar · Oct 17, 2006

Revolvergeek, I see you've only had your E0 a few days, but so far, does the legendary flat regulation seem to be true with your light?

Charlie Moore · Oct 19, 2006

I have all the Fenix 1xAAA lights. I also have several Arc 1xAAA light models since 2002 through the 4th generation. Although I like the Fenix EO and especially its long, flat run-time; I don't consider it a true competitor to the current Arc AAA. It's just not bright enough.

I'm still waiting for the run-time plots (should be out by tomorrow) for each of the three brightness levels on the new Fenix L0P SE -- if they are pretty good, then I'm going to quit saying the Arc AAA is the best key-chain light and replace it with the Fenix L0P SE.

Revolvergeek · Oct 19, 2006

MG_Saldivar said:
Revolvergeek, I see you've only had your E0 a few days, but so far, does the legendary flat regulation seem to be true with your light?

As best as I can tell yes. I have only run it for maybe 5 or 6 hours total, most of that the other night during the power outage, but I can't see any difference.

To be honest I don't expect to see any difference with the few minutes a day usage I typically put these keyring lights to. My turq ARC only gets a battery change every 8-10 months, and my Photons maybe once a year (except for the purple one). I mainly like the idea of the regulated long runtime for hurricane season and when travelling. We spent about 4.5 days with no power after Katrina, and I like the idea of a keyring light that I can always have on me that has more than a couple nights potential runtime on the battery that is in it.