I always enjoy reviewing flashlights like the German made LED Lenser products, which are extremely nice. One of the latest LED Lenser flashlights in the new HP (High Performance) line that has come on the market is the P7. This light is unique in that it has a focusable lens and is super bright.
As per a lot of LED Lenser flashlights that I’ve reviewed in the past, the P7 also comes in a nice Black box which would be suitable for presentation as a gift.
Flashlight Specifications
Light type: Cree LED
Bulb: High-intensity 4.45-watt 167 lumens Gallium LED
Lens: Plastic composite material
Reflector: Advanced Speed Focus System
Beam type: Spot
Case type: Aluminum
Powered by: 4 AAA Alkaline batteries included
Water resistant?: Yes
Size: 5.5 x 1.4 in
Weight (with batteries): 7oz
Package Contents
P7 flashlight
4 AAA batteries installed
Handstrap
Canvas belt case
Instruction / spec sheet
The P7 has a Black aluminum case, with a knurled grip and an eyelet on the cap for the included handstrap. In hand it very feels solid and comfortable, with good balance. The only writing on the flashlight is the LED Lenser logo and model number.
The interesting feature of this light is that it has a focusable beam. Focusing is accomplished by extending and retracting the lens of the flashlight. When the lens is fully extended, it is approximately 5.5 inches long.
When you slide the lens back towards the body, it is shrinks by about .25 inches. The lens remains at the length you slide it to by friction. You can slide it back and forth while the light is on or off.
The lens is made of a plastic material with a dome in the middle that allows the LED to focus the beam of light. The P7 uses a Gallium LED that provides 167 lumens. I think it’s the brightest flashlight that I’ve reviewed yet.
On the opposite end, you find the metal power switch which is located in the end cap of the flashlight. It’s a spring loaded click switch with good tactile feedback.
The o-ring sealed end cap unscrews to reveal an attached battery holder. The P7 is powered by 4 AAA batteries which are thankfully included with the flashlight. This flashlight advertises the fact that it will give up to 130 hours of light on one set of batteries.
Also included with this flashlight is a nice canvas belt case. It has a belt loop and a small carabiner.
The P7 has a three step Quick-Cycle switch function. Press power without clicking it for maximum light, click it once for low light, click again for high beam and then again to power it off.
Here is a picture of my office with no lights on, at night, with the door closed. You can only make out the glowing LEDs from some of my electronics. I’m standing in the corner of the room focusing on the opposite corner approximately 16 feet away.
Now let’s power on the P7 and see what it can do…
This is what the beam looks like with the lens extended out 100% and the power switch clicked in once. It’s a narrow focused bright beam.
Here’s what the beam looks like on the second setting. You can see that the beam has widened, allowing you to see more area.
Here’s what it looks like when you slide the lens to the shortest position and press the power button once. The light is well spread out with no real bright spots or areas of intensity.
Click the power button once more and WOW, a super bright wide spread beam that pretty much illuminates the entire room. According to the specs, the P7 has a 0-711 foot light range. That’s quite impressive.
As you will notice from the images above, all of the settings have very visible differences in beam focus and brightness. I can understand how this flashlight would be very helpful for people that make their living working in dark areas. That said, I can also see how this light would be useful to anyone that needs to shed a little light (or a lot of light) into a dark spot.
I really like the LED Lenser P7 for its rugged design, variable focusing options and super bright beam. The fact that it uses regular AAA batteries is also a plus in my opinion. Even though it’s quite a bit more expensive, the P7 is now my favorite LED Lenser flashlight, unseating my previous favorite, the LL7732.
Update 11/04/15
Seven years later and I’m still using this flashlight. While I don’t have a lot of times when I need a flashlight, when I do, I grab this one. I like it because I like the feel in my hand, the easy press tail switch and the bright beam. The only thing I don’t like about the flashlight is that it takes 4 batteries. That’s a lot of batteries to replace. Luckily they are AAA’s, but even that size isn’t cheap. LED Lenser flashlights are built to last. According to my review, this light was priced at $120 back in 2008. You can find it for less than $50 on Amazon today if you’re interested. The P7 really is built to last and I know I’ll be using it for many more years to come.
Product Information
| Price: | $120.00 |
| Manufacturer: | LED Lenser |
| Retailer: | Amazon |
| Pros: |
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| Cons: |
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That is one sweet flashlight!
I need to hunt down one of those for my tool bag!
hi julie..i agreed with you this is a nice torch. i bought this 3 days ago. but at the first time i’ve got a problem with the plastic lens its like a crack from inside. as u can see on your picture no.5 in this page, i notice there’s same problem like mine too.(but the torch does a good job) only its not nice when we look at the lens. The crack is on the left hand side of the lens. but only the P7 product all like that (is it faulty from the factory?) Not the hocus pocus from led lenser. Do you know why Julie?
Thanks
[Edited at November 20, 2008 02:53:40 AM.]
richardo:
I don’t think it’s a crack, I think it’s a break off point between the lenses. They probably have a whole sheet of them and break them apart. That’s just my guess though…
Hiya,
To get the maximum light output do you have to press and hold the power button or can you just press it once?
Thanks.
Richard:
You don’t have to hold the power button to get the brightest light. It’s just a feature that allows you to use the high beam without clicking the power button twice to cycle to it. They way it works is that you press the power button once and it’s in dim mode. Press it a 2nd time and it’s in bright mode. Press a 3rd time and it’s off. When it’s off, if you press the power button without clicking it all the way in, it will use the high beam until you release the button, at which time the light will be off. Hope this makes sense.
hi again Julie..
Thank you for your answer on my question Julie. just curious if thats not a crack, why the other type of the Led Lenser ex:hocus pocus or T7 that i looke. doesn’t have a break f point like my P7?
Thank you Julie…
richardo:
I’m going to try to get ahold of someone at LED Lenser and ask them about the defect in the lens. Since several people have told me that their own P7 has the same deformity, it makes me believe that it’s some sort of manufacturing defect.
Just to clarify then Julie, you have to press and hold the power button for the high beam. You couldnt press for the high beam and then put it down with the high beam still on? As soon as you release your pressure on the power button the high beam goes off althogether?
Richard:
The answer to your question is yes.
BUT: You can also press the power button twice to go to high beam and at that point, you can put the light down and it will still be on high beam.
The feature to just lightly press the power button to use high beam is for quick use. Does that make sense?
Thats great, thanks Julie.
ok than…i appreciate that. but if this is really a manufacturing defect how can i swap it over, because when i bought it, all the P7 in that store have the same problem like that.( im in Sydney).
i’m waiting an explanation from Led Lenser and thank you for ur concern julie.
Here’s the reply that I received from Rob at lightsandknives.com
It is a manufacturing tool mark that is in all of them. It is not
considered a defect by the manufacturer and does not have any effect on the beam characteristics.
Hej!
Pricken på linsen kommer från att de måste fästa linsen för att kunna slipa till den. Pricken påverkar inte skenet. Vad gäller tryckknappen. Första trycket ger 15% av tot. sken, andra utan att fästa ger 130% ljustyrka och slutligen fast sken på sista och då till fullt sken.
Gav det någon ledning tro
nicki
The small ‘crack’ is on all LED Lensers with the collumated lenses. It is part of the lens and not a defect.
Corbs
Yeah, that’s true, I own 2 of this. They all have tiny “crack” on the side of the lens. I did talk to seller about it, he told me it’s the way they made. But they won’t affect the light at all. By the way, it’s germany technology but made in China. The battery life is really good on this type of flash light. Much much longer than my Fenix TK10 flash lights, but Fenix is brigher but burn battery too fast. I mount one on my paintball gun, best part about this flash is I can set to spread mode while not in combat, and change to “focus” mode when in combat. I can even see the beam 100 meters away. Cool light! Worth every penny.
Hi, i really like this flashlight, i have 3 questions: i live in Dubai where can i get this from? second question how long do the batteries last? can i use rechargeable ones?
i need one bad 🙂
thank you
This seems thing seems pricey- I think the surefire flashlights or the fenix lights would be a better value. I don’t like how it uses the AAA batteries either – AA would be better.
Considering this since I have finally used up all of my cr123 batteries for my surefires (have 3 flashlights, and purchased 100 batteries at the same time 5 yrs ago) Looking at prices, definately cheaper to buy new flashlight and fill with much cheaper batteries. Will likely put the surfires in the cars since the batteries last forever. Surprised that the life and light are as good as the specs say for a AAA. But that allows for a smaller tube.
Looking forward to getting mine.
I did my research over many months on what would be “the final word” in pocket sized flashlights. On paper it sure seemed impressive. When I bought mine today ($103.94 CDN), I was blown away with the performance of it.
I had a hard time justifying the price tag, but I can see the quality components (precisely machined parts, gold contacts, etc.) and you get what you pay for.
It throws light like a star, and illuminates evenly.
About the previous comment about the flashlight being made in China: it is false.
The gift box was made in China; but the torch itself is all German, and it shows. (built in Solingen, Germany)
I recommend this light to anyone looking for a “pocket searchlight”.
Efficiency, power, rugged quality, and good looks.
In my opinion, this is the final word in pocket sized flashlights.
Can anyone tell me if there is a way to “lock” the switch button to prevent the torch being turned on accidentally?
@Ian: No, there isn’t any way to do that.
Thanks for the quick reply Julie. Your report on the P7 and other reviews I have seen on utube make me think that this is the torch to go for. However, I recently bought a much cheaper version of a 3 watt LED torch at a local supermarket as a “try out”. It is very similar in size to the P7 and has the same type of button switch at the base. I had it in my pocket yesterday and sat down at the computer. I felt the torch knock against the side of the chair and when I looked down, it had switched itself on (this is a “click” button – not momentary “on”). I haven’t had a torch with this type of switch before and it seems a weak point in the design if an accidental knock can turn it on. This could easily happen when the torch is packed away or inside a pocket. Still, I guess with the minimal battery consumption, it probably wouldn’t matter if it did turn on and you didn’t notice for a few hours. (I think you can guess I’m trying to persuade myself that this issue isn’t really a problem – so I can go and buy one!).
Cheers,
Ian
Oh, by-the-way, thanks for your review. It gives good detail and the pics of the various beams/focusing are very helpful. When someone is wanting to know how good a torch is, it’s not much use telling them the wattage or lumens. You really need to see what the light is like and your pics show that.
I have just purchased a P7 and it is magic. You have to see the light to believe it. I would suggest that you borrow, buy or steal one to give it a try.
Cecil
Good review and good pics.
Does anyone know what shop I could buy this from in the UK? I don’t really want to order online.
Thanks.
For any photographers out there this is a great alternative to a video light, or to use in the shade, recomended by David Ziser in USA.
Just purchased the T7 and love it so far. I know the batteries claim 130 hours, but I imagine that is on low power. Anyone know how long the batteries last at high power?
That is really nice, but that is kind of pricey for me presently so what I did was find a 220 lumen led Dorcy rechargeable for around $50.00. This flashlight has a powerful spotlight function ONLY, but I say go out and find another flashlight with a beam like this, that is rechargeable (you simply plug the chord into the flashlight-there is No access to the batteries-and it comes with a DC chord as well), and can be purchase for about $50.00 bucks in fact I saw one site this evening where it can been purchased for $47.00
I love this light, but I am currently saving for a p7. $120.00
Have you ever tried the Luxem 10 Watt?
@Jason Chambers No, I haven’t, but I’ll try to get one…
Nathan, have a look here: http://www.ledco.co.uk/index_wheretobuy.asp (this is the UK distributor) but be prepared to pay £49.99 in a shop as opposed to £40ish online.
Steve
Hey great review on the P7, I just got one today. It trully is amazingly powerful. FUnny though, i dont see the small “crack” on the lense.
@Jien Maybe they received enough complaints that they have changed their manufacturing processes…
hmm lol yea maybe, im lucky then? thnx for the quick reply
Hi Julie:
The P7 has 3 light output; low, high & maximum..If you click the button once, the output is low…twice, the output is high…If I click the button again while in high output mode, will I get the maximum output? Can I use the maximum light output without holding or pressing the button?(like putting the P7 on the table with the light in maximum output turn on)..Hope to hear from you soon…Thanks
@Victor If you click the button a third time, the light will turn off. To get the maximum light, you have to hold the button in slightly after the 2nd click (on high). If you let go of the button the strength goes back to the high level.
Hi Julie,
Does the P7 have the PTT technology like the P5? Is the light output of the P5 same as the P7? Do you have a review of the P5 on your site? Thanks
@Victor I’ve looked at all the specs for the P7 and do not see that it has PTT technology. I’m going to write to the people that sent it me, and find out for sure. I’ll report back here when I find out. 🙂
@Victor The P7 does not have PTT. PTT is simply a step-up voltage circuit, which allows small lights with only one battery to have a higher output. The P7 runs on more than one battery. Hope this helps.
sorry to go off topic but… do you guys use lightandknives.com often? i ordered a LED light stick from them a last week and received an email from them about the order but nothing about it being shipped or a tracking number… i tried calling them a few times today but it goes straight to their answering machine… im starting to get worried.
@James They send us samples for review semi-often. They are usually pretty quick at responding to emails.
thanks julie, i just emailed them so hopefully they will respond back!
@James let me know if they don’t and I’ll contact them on your behalf.
Early in 2009 I bought the P7 for my mom to replace her very old 2-AA Maglite that had leaky batteries that became permanently stuck inside. A good flashlight is mandatory for the elderly.
The P7 redefines Rock N Roll in that it REALLY rocks! It rocks big time and seriously.
Having 4-AAA’s makes it a nice size to hand hold. I’ve considered the P14 which uses 4-AAs but it is 3″ longer (8.5″ total) and almost 0.5″ larger in diameter — hardly as hand-holdable as the P7. Not that the P7 has a ‘delicate’ appearance by any means!
The machining on it is as equally awesome as its battery life and ‘feel’. I took it to a club meeting (mostly retirees/pensioners present) and one auto designer from General Motors (here in Detroit) unscrewed the back switch-cap to look at the battery arrangement and marveled at the threading/machining…his comment, “Oh wow.” And then, “Oh WOW”. This P7 really is an elegant piece of work!
You can take the P7 to full Spot, place it right side up in a ~can so that it points up at a white ceiling in your home and it fairly illumines the room! Wonder how the P7 would work in this way in an infant’s room in the middle of the night when the parent needs to look-in or diaper/bottle (illuminating the ceiling and the room ~dimly). I mention this if anyone needs to justify it’s purchase to the other half!!! 😉
The P7 is high performance and rocks the top end of the coolness chart.
Would I recommend it? I bought one! (IOW, unequivocally yes!).
If you can hit this www site be certain you have plenty of time and a towel to sop up your drool!!!
http://www.ledlenserusa.com/technology.php
Hi Julie,
I just got my P7 today and I tried it in my room with the lights close. I was really impressed with its performance..I ask the lady in the store about the INOVA flashlight and they told me it has a higher quality than the LED LENSER..Hope you can make a review about the INOVA light, because I am planning to buy one also…Their X series model is much cheaper than the Led Lenser 7732, they are also same in size and shape but I don’t know if it performs as the same with the 7732.
Hi Julie,
I have a question: Are COAST LED LENSER & LED LENSER the same and one product brand? I’ve check the site of Discount LED lights & Knifes site and I saw they are the authorized dealer of Coast Led Lenser & Led Lenser products…
Victor
Led Lenser is made by Coast, just a corporate division.
About the ‘momentary on’ feature:
With practice, this light is usable at great ranges to ‘ping’ morse code (S.O.S.) messages to potential rescuers. Both a plane or ship should have no problem seeing your message. That, or using it to strobe to get attention from a distance.
It took me some practice to keep even pulses, but I think it could become an invaluable skill to use this light for rescue signal purposes.
I can illuminate every street sign for 4 city blocks when I turn this light on at high power on spot focus. When hiking, I can light the whole trail, or use the flood focus to create the effect of an automotive headlight.
This light may not be as bright as some of the competition’s, but no AAA powered light can come anywhere close. All the competitors use expensive big batteries, or CR123 lithium batteries, which cost $5 Canadian dollars each to replace (and they typically only last 1-3 hours on 100+ lumen settings). AAA is available everywhere, and can be easily found as rechargeable batteries. I still haven’t burnt out a set of AAA’s on the P7 yet, and I almost always use the high power setting. I can’t say how long they last on high output, but it is longer than you likely expect.
I bought the P7, chucked it in a rifle mount for LED Lenser’s Hokus Focus and it’s the best thing I have ever used for night hunting.
I’ve been using all manner of gun mounted lights for the last 6 years and this torch runs rings around them. The battery life and brightness rocks!
Maybe I seem stupid, but could one of you comment on the real differences between the P7 and the T7? Why would one choose for the one or the other type?Thnks
The difference between the P7 and the T7 is the outer casing.
The T7 has their ‘tactical’ casing with un-knurled circles for mounting rings (to attach to a weapon). The internal components and features are identical. A hunter or law enforcer may prefer the T7 over the P7.
LED Lenser Products:
http://www.ledlenserusa.com/products.php
Hi, bought my P7 yesterday, nice review. I notice you say that one full click of the button from ‘off’ turns on the low beam, another full click turns on high beam and another turns it off. On mine it would seem one full click turns on high beam, the next turns on low beam and the next turns it off. I bought mine in Australia, would this make a difference to your product?
Also, on mine the function of getting maximum beam by only partially depressing the button does not seem to work as you say it does on yours…mine only seems to go maximum for the fraction of a second when you press the button in.
@Hugh I just doubled checked mine to make sure what I said in the review was valid and it is. It’s possible that they’ve changed the functionality of the flashlight since my review…
Ah thanks. Does yours flicker at all when you lightly press the button for maximum power?
@Hugh No, it doesn’t flicker. It’s pretty much either ON or OFF.
Julie, what is the difference between P7 and B7? Thanks.
@SK No idea, I’ve not heard of the B7…
Thanks Julie. Still figuring out how to use the different modes effectively.
I bought a B7 that looked exactly like P7 except it is Titanium colour. Overall, I am very please with Lenser over other CREE LED flashlights that I have used. Although it appeared costly but I would called it cost effective based on the built and the intensity of light that it produced.
Wow! I’ve owned this flashlight for a couple of weeks now and I’m still excited about it. I’ve owned a lot of flashlights over the years and this one, by far, tops them all. I live on a couple of acres and I wanted a good flashlight for walking the dog at night. The first night I used the P7, I laughed out loud. It was amazing! I could stand on one end of the property and light up the other end with this light. With the widest setting, the yard was flooded with light. With the focused setting, I could shine an intense beam all the way across the yard. Incredible.
Regarding the small slit in the lens mentioned above, I have not found this on my lens. Also, the bright setting on my flashlight is the same intensity as the momentary setting. I can’t tell any difference in the two beams. The lower intensity setting is just fine for general use and compares with most other flashlights’ normal intensity. One word of caution: be careful not to shine the high intensity beam in anyone’s eyes!
Thanks for the great review Julie. It led me to the purchase of this fantastic flashlight.
Hi there!
My P7 torch works in the same way as Hughs. I purchased mine last week in the UK. Press for bright, click to lock bright, click again for less bright, press for bright again or click for off.
I use mine for policing. It outshines my crewmates surefire and consigns the force issue maglights to the rubbish bin!
It says 167 lumens at some place and 200 lumens at another place. Is it 167 at high and 200 at maximum or what?
I have the Hocus Focus today and thinking about buying the P7/T7. Will I be surprised of the light? I think Hocus Focus have 80 lumen witch will be make the P7 twice as strong.
Thanks
Thomas
Within the last couple of weeks I purchased a P7 and a multi functional mounting bracket (a Christmas present to myself) which I have fitted to the scope on my Ruger 10/22. The P7 sits off to the left hand side of the scope and lyes horizontal with the scope. An interchangeable end cap with attached cable and pressure switch is also available for the P7 for use with a firearm as is a proper scope mounting ring system (my next purchase). A night shooting trip this week proved what an excellent piece of equipment and set up this is. So much so I’m considering investing in a second unit that I can permanently mount to my 12g pump action. This is a must for any serious firearms enthusiast and cheaper than purpose built tactical illumination systems.
Talking to my local sports/firearms shop they said that the sales of night shooting spotlights have plummeted since this technology and range of equipment became available. Depending on the wattage a night shooting lamp is usually more powerful but this lightweight unit mounted on a scope provides infinitely more versatility in allowing the shooter to be able to move around at night independently and unencumbered by large lamps and heavy battery packs.
Thomas, i have both the old P7 which is 167 lumens, but the new one is 200 lumens, the one you would buy now is the 200 lumen one,there is a video on youtube demonstrating the differences between the old and new.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecx-YL0-eXE&feature=player_embedded
that is the link
Can anyone help me??
I need 10 No. 5″ LED-Lenser Candle in the Wind Lamps.
I live in Manchester England.
Many Thanks
Eddie
Hi guys! Any idea what’s the difference between a water resistant and splash-proof? It says water resistant here in this review but it says splash-proof on the box. I know that it can’t be submerged so I’m inquiring how far I can take my P7. Thanks in advance.
Hi guys! Since no one answered my question about the difference between water resistant and splash-proof, I decided to experiment and let you guys decide where the P7 will fall under. I got my P7 about e weeks ago via Amazon. I was convinced by the power of this little might. It’s very bright! The outer casing looks great! The variable focusing system is a gem! But it’s ruggedness is somewhat disappointing. How can you call this high performance when you can’t even clean it under running water when its dirty? I didn’t submerged or dunked the P7 but yet you can see tiny droplets of water inside the lens. I was just washing the P7 because it got dirty. Every time I clean the P7, i was to disassemble the front part so I can swab the inside of the lens so the water can disappear! What a disappointment! Yes its got about 200 lumens but what will it do good if you can’t even get the darn thing wet! Thumbs down for me! And that applies to all LED LENSER except the Frogman which I use for diving. No problem with that.
Hi Julie, sorry to ask again, but what made you say in your review that the P7 is water resistant when the manufacturer says its only splash-proof? Enlighten me please. Thanks.
@Edsel It was probably listed on the packaging or manufacturer’s site at the time I wrote the review.
Hi Julie, i bought my P7 on ebay recently. Can i use a rechargeable AAA batteries for this flashlight? Tq.
@Danny I haven’t tried rechargeable batteries in the P7, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work.
Thanks Julie. I wonder if Led Lencer produced their own batteries as well. Do you know where i can get the original Led Lenser batteries? Thanks again.
Someone was enquiring where these can be purchased in Dubai.
DreamGT stock various Led Lenser torches at the same prices direct for customers living in Dubai and the UAE.
visit http://www.dreamgt.com/torches.html
for more details.
Thanks
Bonjour All,
Looking (!!!) for the best (for some of my needs…) lightening equipment, I’ve settled here.
So far, my favourites are an Osram 4 led, 3 AA battery powered.
The rechargeable NiMh 2500 milliamp batteries, I use for almost everything, last for an average of three weeks of a 3 hour daily use.
And a Milwaukee worklight, M12 line 12 volts, powered by their C12 Lithium-Ion batt, magnetic (stuck on my garage door) but with a Xenon energy hungry bulb.
There’s a Led bulb upgrade on the Milwaukee site but, priced at substiantially more than 20 bucks, I’m wondering about a sensible alternative!
And availaible here, across the pond, with a minimum extra charges.
Pierre
Haute Normandie
France
The P7 is the same as my P14. It has two light levels that are achieved when the button is pressed and left clicked on. It is only when you fully push the button in and hold it that you get the maximum output. The maximum output is when the switch bypasses the two resistors used to give the high and low levels. So in reality this torch has three levels. Low, High and Maximum when the switch is pushed right in and held there. I am not sure why Led Lenser do this but by shorting out the resistor that controls the high mode in in this torch you can gain Maximum output by doing this simple modification.
Just bought my first led flashlight, and im happy that its a led lenser p7. and im very satisfied with its performance the design is simple and very classy compared to surefire and fenix IMHO.
The distributor in UAE is AL MASAOOD.
The p7 design is like a painting, a rolex, and an elegant living room furniture its a work of art.
overall im very happy and satisfied.
Thanks julie, thanks to nick also…..
Hi , I bought a led lenser P7 rechargable , after 1 charge and 2 weeks use I went to charge again and it just flashed green all the time even though it was dead flat , I took it back and they replaced the charger and the battery head , 1 more charge and then the same all over again , i am very dissapointed as I have bought lots of Led lensers and this one is a lemon< has anyone else had these problems?
Hi,
I purchased the P7 Lenser as a scope mounted light for stalking nocturnal feral pigs. Although I would have to give a very, very slight edge to the Surefire for penetrating beam strength, this is an excellent bit of gear and, considering the extended battery life, easily goes toe-to-toe with the Surefire. If you plan to use a color filter on this flashlight, keep in mind that the LED spectrum with the stock diode is blue-shifted. Putting a red filter on this light will weaken the greatly weaken the beam. You may have more success with an amber plastic or a yellow photography filter.
I dropped my t7 and it appears the led is broke I took it apart everything looks fine but when I first turn it on Iget a miniscule amount of light for a second that can only be seen by looking directly in the lends. Any ideas it was only about a two foot drop I think it should be able to withstand that.
Dear Julie,
I’m planning to buy a Led Lenser P7 for myself due to various positive remarks. Can you tell me if there’s a fake Led Lenser P7 on the market? The price on ebay is very much lower than our local store here in the Philippines. The P7’s i mention are mostly from Hongkong dealers? I dont want to buy fake!
@Nides I’m sorry, but I don’t know the answer to that question… 🙁 It’s very possible that it has been copied, but I don’t know how to find out without getting one myself.
Hi, I have a t7 led lenser & the switch is defective.
Does anyone know where I can purchase this switch in the USA .
I have the p7. When you turn it off it stays on faintly. Its never done that before. Any ideas?
@adam That sounds like the switch isn’t activating correctly. I haven’t had that happen either. Not sure how you would fix it…
I’m a ship engineer and I know many people who use LED Lensers and endorse them, I think more and more people are buying them, including myself. The head torches are also excellent.
If buying online us the LED Lenser official seller on Amazon is my recommendation. Normally about £30-40GBP for a P7.
Also dropping your T7 from 2 foot and it breaking is unusual, seen P7s dropped a lot and they have always worked. I would call that sods law!
I’m really glad I found this webpage, it saved me the bother of sending my P7 back to Amazon as I thought the little “crack” was as a result of someone dropping it or some such! Now I know they all have it. And I’ve learned a lot more about my new little gadget!
Thank you very much!
Does the p7 flashlight have a leather case availlable? I prefere a leather case over nylon, the velcro does not last, a snap would be much better in time.
@Denis I don’t think LED Lenser offers a leather case, but you might be able to find one elsewhere that can fit the flashlight…
I was have one led lednser P7 but now the Knopf on/off damaged, were I can buy it in the Indonesia?
Hi
Can anyone tell me if the following is normal with this torch please. When I switch it off there appears to be a residual light that last for some time within the LED. This is hard to see in daylight but in low light and darkness the glow is clearly identifiable. Two issues from this, is it draining the batteries, and therefore a fault, plus it is possible to identify ones position in certain low light scenarios from a non tactical standpoint.
So, fault or just the norm with LED systems, any thoughts and pointers much appreciated.
Martin
Hi,
Just read Martin’s comment, just noticed for the first time that my P7 (now) does this also, at the end of it’s first set of batteries. With new batteries I have a slight amount of light with the switch off. Very interesting and sounds like the switch just went faulty. I’d be very interested if there is any other logical explanation for this; the torch is now pretty much useless.
Greg.
Same thing happened to mine. How can I fix it?
i would like to put a pressure switch on my led lenser P7, where can i get a cheap one, or where do you connect the wires to bypass the on/off switch
HI ,
I have the led lenser B7, after aprox 1 hour usage, it goes to the lowest setting autom.
when i turn the light of for about 10 min it works perfectly again for an hour or so. Batery 4 AAA changed 4 times already, same result.
The torch is 1 month old.
I just recieved my p7, was wondering why the on & off button on my one is rubber & not metal like is stated in this review.
Thanks
Baz
@Baz that review was written 3 years ago. They must have made some changes.
Couple of factual answers to questions asked & comments made
1. LED LENSER is NOT made in Germany but in Yangjiang City, Guandon Province of China – This is an absolute fact, you will see the picture of the factory in any LED LENSER catalog
2. Splashproof means pretty much nothing-proof as far as water is concerned and the whole LED LENSER range is this level except for the Frogman specialist diving torch.
Many other Chinese and US made torches have much higher standards of waterproofing and state clear test criteria to prove this giving details of what depth of water they are submerged in and for how long?
hope this helps?
I’ve owned one of these P7’s for just over 1 year. Whilst it is well made and does give good light, it’s still dustbin fodder after the warranty runs out. In the space of 2 days the switch went from normal to a dim glow when it should be off. Then it failed to latch in any position. Now it’s on bright or off, but only by unscrewing the cap to break the circuit. I can’t find anyone selling spares for these, so would suggest buy something cheaper, and if you need more light get something larger.
I have the T7, and it has started staying on slightly in the off position. Pain in the neck as it kills the batteries eventually. Torch is only just over a year old and hardly used. Gutted. Please would anyone post any info on fixes here, please?
Hi Hotfoot,
That’s what mine did, and at just over a year old too. It’s too much work for the switch needing to cycle through 1 press for on bright (usual use) then 2 presses for off. Plus with maybe a bad batch of low quality switches, this is a common failure.
Luckily they do have a 2 year warranty and are very good. e-mail the UK distributor Ledco Ltd on
ma**@le***.uk
or call them on 01344 876222 and I’m sure they’ll send you a new switch/battery box assembly for free by return of post.
I can confirm that COAST and Led Lenser are no longer associated!
COAST have upped the lumens and improved the beams on their very own range…. Grrr I hate loving torches (and so does my bank balance)
Great review, the LED Lenser P7 is a good flashlight as I have one myself and it has never let me down, for its size it is unbelievable the amount of light that it produces, im soon looking to treating myself to a led lenser H14R headlamp to.
Coast and LED Lenser are now separate companies and that presents problems with warranty. I had a Coast LED Lenser and sent it back to Coast, heard nothing for a month emailed them and got a call the next day. The lady from customer service was real nice and started explaining that I had sent the light to the wrong company. Coast had sent the light over to LED Lenser and she wanted to give me their phone number. I informed her not to worry about it, I had figured out that their was no warranty. That if their were a warranty I would have heard something from somebody. She then hung up on me.
I have a Led Lenser P7 and since I changed the batteries the flashlight stays partially illuminated even after it is shut off. do you know what would cause this and what I might do to correct this?
Mine did this, and i’m sure it is the batteries leaking fluid (as my original Batt’s did) and this creates a small short across the bottom circuit board. It’s acid leaking, so ditch the batteries and clean it good. If it’s leaked though to the switch, you may have issues with that as well soon.
I have the p7 LED LENSER and the back power button no longer works, it doesnt click to stay on. I have to hold down the power to get it to work. Any ideas how I can fix this or where i can take it to?
Come on Julie you should be neck deep in eneloop’s by now. Batteries shouldn’t be a problem for you.
Can you believe that I got my first set of Eneloops just a few days ago? I still haven’t charged them up 🙂
:O
A. They come Charged so get to using them.
B. I’m taking away one geek credit.
I know I have over 100 of them. Every wireless mouse, keyboard, flashlight, remote, kid toy-(ok this accounts for probably 75% of them). Nothing will convert you faster than having your sons FAVORITE racecar toy eat through 8 double AA’s in 20 minutes.
Dang it. Now I have to get busy and earn a +1. Hmmmmmm….
I first obtained my P7 in 2009 and like you, still using it to this day. While it is a little large for the task, it’s part of what I carry every day – every single day. There are certainly brighter torches out there now and I’ve got a couple of the newer things that put out way more light than the now aged P7, but this thing is still what I drop into my left cargo pocket every day. Why? It has never once let me down – its been dropped numerous times, submerged in all manner of shit – hypersaline acidic mine water, sea water – it’s even been through the washing machine a couple of times and has never once shown any sign of failing. The black finish is now heavily worn from being carried and used / abused, a few dings and marks here and there but the on / off is still silky smooth, the focus slides without any dramas and, yeah – it just works. An amazing bit of kit. I’ll be carrying it for some time yet I think.
Send me a picture and I’ll add it to your comment. I bet others would like to see it 🙂
What is the best way to remove a stuck battery pack? Looks like it is due to leaking batteries>
Like a number of other owners of P7 the switch mechanism has failed and the torch turns itself on when stored , in addition the plastic lugs which hold the battery cartridge together at the top end, have fractured. Not something I expected from an item this expensive, I won’t be buying another
Like some of the recent contributors my P7 has started to faintly glow – when turned off. (3 or so yrs very lightly use and never in the wet). I have dismantled it and cleaned the accessible contacts / board but to no avail: clearly there is a slight short within the inaccessible part of the switch which allows a small amount of power to trickle past when the switch is ‘off’. Useless now as the batteries will flat. Very disappointed with the quality/ longevity. Anyone know of a solution?
C,mon Julie,
Please update your review because there’s lost of poor suckers buying these torches on the strength of your out of date, straight-out-of-the-box-only review findings, when actually, there’s a good chance the switch will fail. Fail to completely open the circuit, leaving a dim glow, then total failure. I’ve had a new battery box inc switch assembly under the 2 year warranty, and the replacement developed the same fault.
As an aircraft engineer I can’t use this torch for work as initially intended,because it’s too much bother to unscrew the cap a couple of turns to switch it off, so it’s relegated to my home garage for occasional use.
The very least you can do is update your review, because only those who take the time to scour the comments will find the real truth.
LED Lenser are a good brand, I have another of their torches which works fine after almost a decade of everyday harsh environment use. It’s just unfortunate that you chose to give (and maintain) such a ‘glowing’ report….(there’s a pun in there somewhere !) for such an overpriced design flaw…..which LED Lenser appear not to have corrected.
I’m still using this flashlight and have absolutely zero issues with it even after it’s been dropped a few times over the years.
I wonder if the switch issue is something unique to newer batches of the P7? Like I said above, I’ve had mine for 8 years now – got it in 2009 – and it’s still what I carry in my cargo pocket every day. It has never once let me down, and it’s been through a very hard life. I have a Ledlenser F1, which is more pocket friendly and does that easy cigar pinch hold, and it’ll reverse clip onto the front of my hard hat, but it chews up those CR123’s like a little monster. It lives in the car. I’ve got two H7’s – I prefer the older one to be honest. The newer one with the button thingy on the back of the battery pack tends to turn itself on in a bag when that rear button gets held down to switch modes. They’re neat little headlamps for light duty, crawling under the car stuff. I have a H14 and that’s probably my go-to headlamp if I’m using one out in the bush. Great lamp. I also now have a Nitecore EA41, the 2015 edition. It is a ridiculously bright lamp on full beam – gets warm though! The glowworm mode is great for a little bit of spot illumination without lighting up the whole word. Just a little too bulky for cargo pocket carry. It lives in my go-bag, so always at hand if I need some serious light. But the P7, all scuffed and beat up, is what I put in my pocket every day – never once let me down. I’m sorry to hear people are having issues with theirs – again, perhaps its something unique to the newer batches.
Correct, the obvious weak point in the P7 is the moving bit, ie. the internal switch. My failure is unfixable without sending it away, the switch clicks down and stays there, 10 cycles later it releases, it’s a 5 year old torch in good condition otherwise.
Torch was binned. Replacement brand bought.
I have have the P7 and the LED faintly glows as other have reported in the comments. Disappointed as it is a very expensive torch. Thought it would last a bit longer.
I have the M7 which is almost identical to the P7 and it has the same switch issue. Only ever used a couple of times but kept in a cupboard for emergencies. It flats the batteries in a month. Totally useless junk! Would never buy Led Lenser again! Bought a Fenix and haven’t looked back.