Thread: New Led lenser HF series headlamps

Just wondering what the forums "light experts" think of these new units. Il be sticking with what I have but was intrigued when I seen em the other day on the net

Hmmm, interesting. I've never been a big fan of Led Lensers due to their led quality and the fact their focussing mechanism means they cant heatsink much and therefore their lumen output is limited (compared to fixed lens headlamps on the market).But this HF series with both flood and spot LED's should fix that. Unfortunately they dont have a moonlight mode, 20 lumens is pretty bright for low. I used the sub-lumen levels on my Zebralights all the time.

Without having tried them and just looking at the spec sheets and videos I figure...

- HF4 looks fairly basic but solid. Doesn't seem to have any way of adjusting the spot LED and flood LED. Looks like Low is just the wide LED and then Medium and High use both LED's.
- HF6 looks like the sweet spot. The "focussing system" seems to fade between the flood and spot LED's and you also have the L-M-H settings
- HF8 looks a bit overkill. I imagine the auto mode works using basic rangefinder which to swap/fade between LED's depending on the target its pointed it. Hard to tell without using it but I think I'd find it annoying in the outdoors and useful indoors in a roof. Its an expensive heavy headlamp though.

For my 2c I think I'll stick with simpler Zebralight style headlamps, or something like the Fenix HM65R-T if you want an adjustable beam

I've killed so many lensers I wouldn't bother looking at another one.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004589272840.html
Had one of these for a few years now and it's great.

Few months back got a Fenix HM 65R , bloody brilliant headlamp .
There is a review on them in the latest NZ Hunter magazine. would never buy another led lenser!

I've been given two LED Lenser headlamps over the time, for the price I paid I really rate them. Had a rechargeable version for a work light, not too bad either but didn't last too well for a rechargeable... The more powerful of the two battery headlamps has died twice, once due to the internals suffering a battery leak and the battery terminals needing to be fully rebuilt and the second was due to the cable at the battery pack end flexing and eventually breaking the cable inside the battery box. Fairly simple but pesky little repairs. I tend to agree with the comment by @MichaelB - if I was buying there are other lights that do more for less.

Don't rate Led Lenser at all
Theyre expensive bits of junk and of the 4 or 5 I've had, none have lasted the distance. Far better options advertised at the top (or bottom) of this page

Dont know whats wrong with the 2 lensers Ive got, probably had them 15+ years and no problems with them. Should of crapped out by now?

I had one and the wire pulled out of the battery pack at the worst possible time (caught on a branch) i reckon the design is a bit flimsy.

Bought a nitecore to replace it which is brilliant!

Out off the four us in my family we have had all our led lenders replaced under warranty twice & they have all gone to hell now as they just keep dying lol one weekend away at a scout camp both mine & my daughters just deside to diy for no apparent reason lol I guess they like sheep if gone to petzl for wife & kids & I got one the ones that where sold on here didn't know you could get so long out off a head lamp lol

Originally Posted by blip

Dont know whats wrong with the 2 lensers Ive got, probably had them 15+ years and no problems with them. Should of crapped out by now?

I've had a few different models over the years and have been running a h15r pretty hard the last few months with no problems yet *knock on wood* I had a mh7 previously that I accidentally ran over in my Ranger which pieced back together and still works to this day

over the last 10 year have owned 4 led lenser 2 torch, 2 headlamps all shit the bed with minimal use while being very well looked after so never again for me just overpriced crap. Got a 65$ cree led torch for PTD and lasted 1 year before cree chip fell out replaced for 40$with better model off aliexpress as i have 14 18650 batteries has lasted over 1 year now still going strong, same with a nightforce headlamp over 3 years use now have spent 4 months all up in the bush with it everyday/night getting used still not 1 problem so will get another newer nitecore

My experience with led lenser head torches mirrors many others: Overpriced, bad design, very modest light output compared to the competition.

Went through two different models, and three off the one model, till the retailer would not replace it cause I had already gone through 3 of them. Poor design. Have not run one for about 6 years now. Were replaced with maxtoch and nitecore products. Absolutely failsafe products.

Originally Posted by Carbine

over the last 10 year have owned 4 led lenser 2 torch, 2 headlamps all shit the bed with minimal use while being very well looked after so never again for me just overpriced crap. Got a 65$ cree led torch for PTD and lasted 1 year before cree chip fell out replaced for 40$with better model off aliexpress as i have 14 18650 batteries has lasted over 1 year now still going strong, same with a nightforce headlamp over 3 years use now have spent 4 months all up in the bush with it everyday/night getting used still not 1 problem so will get another newer nitecore

YEP AGREE- Lenser could be far better- and like you my Ali express specials and the nightcores have blown Lenser out of the water daily.............

Everyone's being polite. Lenser are pieces of crap!

Originally Posted by TimC

Everyone's being polite. Lenser are pieces of crap!

Perhaps, but with this new series they have got rid of their biggest flaw/feature of the focusing wsystem and all the moving parts, poor heat sinking, and difficult weather sealing that goes with it.

If I was in the market I’d be tempted to try one but really it’s only now on equal footing with the likes Fenix/nitecore, not at an advantage