Fenix TK30 LEP Flashlight Review

Fenix has a LEP flashlight – the TK30!  I for one am massively excited about that, and am pleased to have one for review.  Read on for testing!

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Official Specs and Features

Here’s a link to the Fenix TK30 LEP flashlight product page.

Versions

There’s only one version.

Price

This complete package LEP sells for $299.95.  Head over to fenix-store.com for the Fenix TK30 LEP flashlight!

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Short Review

LEPs are just so incredible.  This one is no exception.  The TK30 is probably even more exceptional because it doesn’t have a massive head.  All around just a great (and fun) flashlight.

Long Review

The Big Table

Fenix TK30 LEP Flashlight
Emitter:	LEP
Price in USD at publication time:	$299.95
Cell:	1×21700 (included)
High Runtime Graph	Low Runtime Graph
LVP?	Yes, with a switch warning
Switch Type:	Both
Quiescent Current (mA):	–
On-Board Charging?	Yes
Charge Port Type:	USB-C
Charge Graph
Power off Charge Port	–
Claimed Lumens (lm)	500
Measured Lumens (at 30s)	361 (72.2% of claim)^
Candela per Lumen	1138.7
Claimed Throw (m)	1200
Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s)	6370lux @ 7.38m = 346938cd
Throw (Calculated) (m)	1178.0 (98.2% of claim)^
All my Fenix reviews!

^ Measurement disclaimer:  Testing flashlights is my hobby. I use hobbyist-level equipment for testing, including some I made myself. Try not to get buried in the details of manufacturer specifications versus measurements recorded here; A certain amount of difference (say, 10 or 15%) is perfectly reasonable.

What’s Included

• Fenix TK30 LEP Flashlight
• Fenix 5000mAh 21700 cell
• Lanyard
• Charge Cable (USB to USB-C)
• Nylon pouch
• Spare o-ring
• Manual and papers

Package and Manual

Build Quality and Disassembly

Typical and very solid Fenix built quality is seen here.  More than just that though, the form factor will be familiar if you have (or have seen) other Fenix lights.  The PD40R V2.0 has this same look.  The PD36r has the same look.  It’s a very “Fenix” look (and that’s good).

Here’s a top-down view.

The head has this imprinting, which is an important note:

Warning:  Class IIIb/Class 3B White Laser Flashlight

This is very important!  You’ll actually have to sign a liability form in order to purchase the Fenix TK30 LEP flashlight.  (I signed one too!)

You’ll remove the tailcap to swap cells.  These threads are very smooth, square-cut, well-lubed, and anodized.  Around four full turns are required for removal.

In the tailcap is a nice beefy spring, and access to the switch if you ever need it.

The head also has a spring and some other electronic connections going on.  However, the cell used here is standard.

The head does not separate from the body.  Possibly it’s glued, and could be removed with the right persuasion, but I was unable to remove it by hand.

Size and Comps

Length: 6.22 inches
Head Width: 1.26 inches
Body Width: 1.02 inches
Weight: 5.15 Ounces

If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here (usually the third photo).  If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll show that here, too (usually the fourth photo).

Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+.  Mine’s a custom “baked” edition Nichia 219b triple.  A very nice 18650 light.

And here’s the light beside my custom engraved TorchLAB BOSS 35, an 18350 light.  I reviewed the aluminum version of that light in both 35 and 70 formats.

Retention and Carry

Included and installed on the Fenix TK30 LEP flashlight is a pocket clip.  The clip has a pleasant amount of spring and due to the length of the TK30, allows deep carry.

The clip hits the body in a good place too and allows easy on/off.

It’s a friction fit clip and only connects on the tail end.

Also included is a lanyard, which connects through one of the two loops in the tailcap.  There’s only one loop, so normally I’d warn that the lanyard will interfere with tailstanding, but this light won’t tailstand anyway.

Finally for carry is the nylon pouch.  The light will fit in either direction.

This is a pretty standard pouch.

The LEP may not be used while inside the pouch – there are no openings on either end.

Power and Runtime

Power for the Fenix TK30 LEP flashlight comes from a single lithium-ion cell.  Included with your purchase is the appropriately sized cell – a 21700.

This is a “standard button top” but with a few extra features.  “Standard” here means that the TK30 will work with other cells.

The cell is installed in the normal direction – positive terminal toward the head.

Only two steady modes are available on the TK30, and here are runtimes for both.  I measure the output as “a little under the rating,” but this is a very unusual light – extreme throw, low output.  So I wouldn’t worry about the lumen measures at all (more important are the throw numbers, which the light hits).

The test below is an uncooled test, and I think we can see the active thermal regulation here.  Basically, we never see the temperature get over 40°C.  This also speaks to the efficiency of the LEP in general.  The output is low, but the setup needs around 0.75A to produce that.  It’s not bad, it’s not a negative, it’s just an interesting bit of information.

The TK30 has low voltage protection, and also the e-switch on the head blinks a warning when cell voltage is low.

Charging

While the TK30 itself doesn’t have built-in charging, the included cell does.  The cell has a USB-C port near the positive terminal.

A cable is included for charging – USB to USB-C.

Charging looks good, but because of the high capacity of the cell (5000mAh), charging takes a while (around 3.5 hours).  It looks like the charging “starts soft” and only ramps up to a high current when the cell reaches a certain voltage.

Modes and Currents

Mode	Mode Claimed Output (lm)	Claimed Runtime	Measured Lumens	Tailcap Amps
High	500	3h	361	2.96
Low	100	5h	105	0.74

Pulse Width Modulation

No PWM is to be seen on either mode.

Here you can see a “baseline” – a chart with almost no light hitting the sensor.

Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has some of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so bad that I used a post about it to explain PWM! Here are multiple timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make comparing this “worst” PWM light to the test light easier. That post also explains why I didn’t test the WF-602C at the usual 50us scale.

User Interface and Operation

Two switches operate the TK30.  First is the mechanical tail switch.

This switch is proud, and as I said above, prevents tailstaning.

It’s quite stiff (which is fine), and has a very clicky action.

Next is the e-switch on the side of the body.  This switch has an indicator in the center and feels like metal.

It’s a small switch, and just barely proud from the body.

The action is very low – maybe 0.2mm or so.  The action of the switch doesn’t take it below the edge of the body, and the switch is not squishy.  It’s an unusual switch and I love it.  Not loud, very positive action, very little slop.  If it was just a bit broader, and easier to find without looking it’d be perfect.  (Seriously, these metal indicating switches are what everyone needs to be using.)

Here’s a user interface table!

State	Action	Result
Off	Click Tail Switch	On (Mode memory (excluding strobe)
On	Click Tail Switch	Off
Off	Side Switch – Any action	No result
On	Click Side Switch	Mode advance (L>H)
On	Hold Side Switch	Strobe
Off	Tap Tail Switch	Momentary of memorized mode

LED and Beam

This is a LEP.  A LEP is a “laser excited phosphor” and is a quite interesting technology.  This isn’t a standard flashlight… as stated above you’ll need to sign a liability form just to buy one!

Here are a couple of uncalibrated beamshots.

These beamshots are always with the following settings:  f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. These photos are taken at floor level and the beam hits the ceiling around 9 feet away.

Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b version) (affiliate link)

I keep the test flashlight on the left, and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the right.

I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!

Conclusion

What I like

• Great build quality
• Massive throw with a small head
• Nice complete package
• Dual switch interface helps prevent accidentally blinding oneself
• Very good thermal regulation.

What I don’t like

• I could handle an extra mode in there
• Liability form – I get it but ….

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Notes

• This light was provided by Fenix-Store.com for review. I was not paid to write this review.
• This content originally appeared at zeroair.org.  Please visit there for the best experience!
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