POST-REVIEW UPDATE (24th FEB 2021): Several commenters have said that the PD40R V2.0 cannot output the full 3000 lumens once the battery is only partially depleted (below ~80%). Since publishing this review, I can confirm through experimentation that once the battery indicator begins to flash green, as opposed to holding a solid green (which Fenix states is ~85% charge) the PD40R V2.0 appears to reach maximum brightness in "high" mode (1000 lumens) and is unable to achieve "turbo" mode (3000 lumens). This is somewhat disappointing as I would still consider a battery with 85% charge to be relatively full. I was not aware of this at the time I made this video, and for future reviews I will be testing flashlights through various stages of battery depletion.
Yes I eventually gave up on my dirty old piece of duct tape on my PD36R and ripped it off. I put off doing it for fear of dust and grit getting in there but so far so good.
Both have the same beam profile. If the battery drained below 80% charge, the pd40r v2 won't go to full 3000 lumens. Maybe that's why you couldn't tell much difference. Both have their advantages.
Both lights were fully charged before recording these scenes. The difference is there, it's just not as dramatic as it appears on paper when reading the spec sheet. I don't see it as a fault. I'm no engineer but I suspect the law of diminishing returns might be a factor.
@@WildStuff no expert here neither but I have learned that to appear twice as bright to the human eye, a light source has to give 4 times the output. For a same beam profile of course. They call that an Inverse Square Law. So to make it simple you need a 6000 lumens to make it look significaly brighter than a 1500 lumens light. My 2 cents :)
FENIX lights. On the pricy side. With overly simplistic UI's. would prefer to have Turbo mode only be acceed with "2-clicks' so you wouldn't need to cycle through High/Turbo to get to Low from Med. So you only need to cycle through 2 modes to get to the 3rd. I have the TK16...the cheapest light in their lineup on Amazon....turned out to be the one I bought. Better deal/performance are the Thrunite's IMHO.
Hello mate, thanks for the review. Is there any chance you could check which light is brighter between 50%-80% battery capacity? I recently bought a PD40R V2 but am wondering if I should return it for a PD36R seeing as it can't turbo under 80%. Your help would be greatly appreciated!
I'll give it a try once my PD40R's battery drains a bit. If the claims about the PD40R v2 not being able to use turbo below 80% battery are true, then theoretically the PD36R should be the winner, as it would be 1600 vs 1000 lumens instead of 1600 vs 3000.
@@WildStuff Cheers mate. It does still seem to boost a little more than high, but certainly not anywhere near as much as 3000 lm. I know the PD36R ramps down quite quickly too, so it would be interesting to see how they compare in a real world scenario with reduced battery and being slightly warm.
@@WildStuff it is a shock the 80% battery use equals no turbo mode. I mean I love it but I leave it home if I need a reliable flash light. My olights are much better
@@creature7 I can now confirm this is true. At the point where the battery is depleted enough to change from a solid green indicator light to a flashing green light (approx 85% according to Fenix), turbo mode is no longer possible. I have added a post-review note to my video description.
@@WildStuff Cheers mate. I've got one final question then, how does high on the PD40R compare to high on the PD36R? Even though the PD36R can turbo below 85% battery, can the PD40R still sustain a brighter light for longer?
I got mine from Amazon yesterday. The low and strobe mode works fine, but I am not getting medium, high and ultra. All 3 are the same brightness, about as bright as the strobe. I may return it as it may be faulty.
On paper, the PD40R v2 has a slightly longer throw, but when you put them side by side I think the TK16 v2 is the overall winner, being noticeably brighter. The TK16 v2 can also continue using turbo mode as the battery depletes lower than 80%, something the PD40R v2 has a problem with. Stay tuned, I plan to start working on my TK16 v2 review this week.
I find the pd40r won't engage 3000k mode when battery is at 3/4 full. that's a fail. I do have this torch and I do love it but there is better. Olight is doing a great job.
I'll check that out - I charged it several times during the making of this review to ensure it was running at peak output. I'll have to let it run down a bit and try again.
That is to assure longer run times on your lower modes since the PD40R V2 only has 4 brightness settings. I have the original 40R and I have 5 levels of brightness. Olight, in my opinion, doesn't have the build quality as good as Fenix and other reviewers say that as well. Each to their own
@@MemphisMojo15s well it's not good enough in my opinion, it's like my car limiting power on 3/4 tank of fuel. I have a number of torches and olight is much better in the quality department in my opinion and fuctions as advertised.
@@Studat I finally confirmed this for myself today. At the point where the battery is depleted enough to change from a solid green indicator light to a flashing green light (approx 85% according to Fenix), turbo mode is no longer possible. I agree this is disappointing. I've added a post-review note to my video description.
I haven't tested it for that purpose, but it wouldn't surprise me if it could make some cotton wool start to smoke. It would at least help you dry out your tinder if it was a bit wet.
POST-REVIEW UPDATE (24th FEB 2021):
Several commenters have said that the PD40R V2.0 cannot output the full 3000 lumens once the battery is only partially depleted (below ~80%). Since publishing this review, I can confirm through experimentation that once the battery indicator begins to flash green, as opposed to holding a solid green (which Fenix states is ~85% charge) the PD40R V2.0 appears to reach maximum brightness in "high" mode (1000 lumens) and is unable to achieve "turbo" mode (3000 lumens). This is somewhat disappointing as I would still consider a battery with 85% charge to be relatively full. I was not aware of this at the time I made this video, and for future reviews I will be testing flashlights through various stages of battery depletion.
I remember the days of carrying batteries for everything, what a nightmare... USB ports are such a good idea!
Great review. In my opinion, it would be perfect with a tail switch that allowed it to tail stand.
The PD32 2016 edition had that feature perfected. Would love to see an upgraded version.
And a red light
Excellent comparison video. Great torch, might have to consider investing in one.
Make sure you've read the post-review update in the description before buying - and then take a look at the TK16 v2.0 instead.
Here's a tip, the usb charging slots are water protected even without the rubber flaps. So you can just rip it off without worrying
Yes I eventually gave up on my dirty old piece of duct tape on my PD36R and ripped it off. I put off doing it for fear of dust and grit getting in there but so far so good.
"WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot to tower we have visual, coming in for approach, over".
I prefer PD36TAC 3000 lumens over PD40R V2.
However, wish there was a lanyard slot on PD36TAC
Both have the same beam profile. If the battery drained below 80% charge, the pd40r v2 won't go to full 3000 lumens. Maybe that's why you couldn't tell much difference. Both have their advantages.
Both lights were fully charged before recording these scenes.
The difference is there, it's just not as dramatic as it appears on paper when reading the spec sheet.
I don't see it as a fault.
I'm no engineer but I suspect the law of diminishing returns might be a factor.
@@WildStuff should have tested beyond 200m. At close range you won't see much difference.
I hate that about mine, under 80% and no 3k.... huge fail. I will stick with my olights. they do as advertised
@@WildStuff no expert here neither but I have learned that to appear twice as bright to the human eye, a light source has to give 4 times the output. For a same beam profile of course. They call that an Inverse Square Law.
So to make it simple you need a 6000 lumens to make it look significaly brighter than a 1500 lumens light. My 2 cents :)
@@battube44tqs Sounds plausible to me. I'm happy to go with that idea.
FENIX lights. On the pricy side. With overly simplistic UI's. would prefer to have Turbo mode only be acceed with "2-clicks' so you wouldn't need to cycle through High/Turbo to get to Low from Med. So you only need to cycle through 2 modes to get to the 3rd. I have the TK16...the cheapest light in their lineup on Amazon....turned out to be the one I bought.
Better deal/performance are the Thrunite's IMHO.
Please try the PD40R v2 head with PD36R tail end.
Hello mate, thanks for the review. Is there any chance you could check which light is brighter between 50%-80% battery capacity? I recently bought a PD40R V2 but am wondering if I should return it for a PD36R seeing as it can't turbo under 80%. Your help would be greatly appreciated!
I'll give it a try once my PD40R's battery drains a bit. If the claims about the PD40R v2 not being able to use turbo below 80% battery are true, then theoretically the PD36R should be the winner, as it would be 1600 vs 1000 lumens instead of 1600 vs 3000.
@@WildStuff Cheers mate. It does still seem to boost a little more than high, but certainly not anywhere near as much as 3000 lm. I know the PD36R ramps down quite quickly too, so it would be interesting to see how they compare in a real world scenario with reduced battery and being slightly warm.
@@WildStuff it is a shock the 80% battery use equals no turbo mode. I mean I love it but I leave it home if I need a reliable flash light. My olights are much better
@@creature7 I can now confirm this is true. At the point where the battery is depleted enough to change from a solid green indicator light to a flashing green light (approx 85% according to Fenix), turbo mode is no longer possible. I have added a post-review note to my video description.
@@WildStuff Cheers mate. I've got one final question then, how does high on the PD40R compare to high on the PD36R? Even though the PD36R can turbo below 85% battery, can the PD40R still sustain a brighter light for longer?
I got mine from Amazon yesterday. The low and strobe mode works fine, but I am not getting medium, high and ultra. All 3 are the same brightness, about as bright as the strobe. I may return it as it may be faulty.
That's definitely odd. I trust you fully charged the battery first?
@@WildStuff oh yes, of course. It's weird, I get only the following settings....... low, high, high, high, strobe. I have no medium, or turbo
@@WildStuff Oh! It's working now. I charged it (again), took about an hour. ALL 5 settings are working! Woo hoo!
Does anyone know how the overall quantity of light and the throw compare between this light and the T16 V2.0?
On paper, the PD40R v2 has a slightly longer throw, but when you put them side by side I think the TK16 v2 is the overall winner, being noticeably brighter. The TK16 v2 can also continue using turbo mode as the battery depletes lower than 80%, something the PD40R v2 has a problem with.
Stay tuned, I plan to start working on my TK16 v2 review this week.
My TK16 v2.0 review, with PD40R v2 comparisons:
ua-cam.com/video/oY85t-BKvuk/v-deo.html
Pd40 r vc TK 22 v2 ou TK 16 V2.0?
Sorry mate, not quite sure what your question is. Are you asking which is the best of those 3 models?
I find the pd40r won't engage 3000k mode when battery is at 3/4 full. that's a fail. I do have this torch and I do love it but there is better. Olight is doing a great job.
I'll check that out - I charged it several times during the making of this review to ensure it was running at peak output. I'll have to let it run down a bit and try again.
@@WildStuff yeah, bit of a let down, a hack is to remove the tail cap and reconnect it. You should review the fenix lr35r, that thing is amazing
That is to assure longer run times on your lower modes since the PD40R V2 only has 4 brightness settings. I have the original 40R and I have 5 levels of brightness. Olight, in my opinion, doesn't have the build quality as good as Fenix and other reviewers say that as well. Each to their own
@@MemphisMojo15s well it's not good enough in my opinion, it's like my car limiting power on 3/4 tank of fuel. I have a number of torches and olight is much better in the quality department in my opinion and fuctions as advertised.
@@Studat I finally confirmed this for myself today. At the point where the battery is depleted enough to change from a solid green indicator light to a flashing green light (approx 85% according to Fenix), turbo mode is no longer possible. I agree this is disappointing. I've added a post-review note to my video description.
Could you light a fire in an emergency?
I haven't tested it for that purpose, but it wouldn't surprise me if it could make some cotton wool start to smoke. It would at least help you dry out your tinder if it was a bit wet.