Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - dinotte 800l or p7?

i can't decide. what are the pros and cons other than cost? is the p7 reliable?

I cannot compare a P7 to a DiNotte, but I can say that it blows my 6V 15W halogen Marwi Nightpro Torch out of the water.

I paid over $100 for the Marwi system (light, mount, bottle cage battery, charger) from an online dealer.

I paid a BF member < $40 for an MTE SSC P7 2 mode light, (2) 18650 batteries and a charger. I already had some lock blocks, or I would have needed to buy a mount.

The P7 in a lock block takes up about the same amount of room on the bars, but is a bit harder to adjust up and down and cannot really be aimed side to side if bar mounted with a lock block.

I have not had a single problem with either light. Had over a hundred hours on the halogen. Have about 3 or 4 hours on the P7 so not apples to apples here either, but they are proven lights, so I do not expect problems.

The P7 can easily be used off the bike for camping trips, etc. The dedicated bike light, not so much.

Spare batteries are not expensive and you could easily carry three or four in a saddle bag or pocket if you were going for a long ride. The dedicated bike light has a bottle cage battery that is expensive to replace and hard to carry a spare on the bike and still have room for a bottle of water. With the P7, I can use both my bottle cages for water again.

The P7 puts out more, brighter, whiter light, has the same run time and costs 40% of what I paid for a real "bike light"

I would have no problem at all telling you to get a P7, some batteries, a charger and some lock blocks. I would even say get two p7s and mount one on your helmet to allow you to look into corners, shine at cars approaching from side streets, light up your computer, etc.

is the p7 US or china made?

is the p7 US or china made? The LED comes from taiwan, I believe. I don't know if the rest of the encasing is made in taiwan or china.

Why does it matter?

P7 every time.

:)

Multiple P7's.

Dollar for dollar, the P7 wins.
Lumen for lumen, the Dinotte wins.

Of course if you compare 1 Dinotte to 2 or 3 P7s, the P7s will win the lumen contest and save you considerable $$$.

For some people a Ferrari is not a waste of money, even if you can modify a Honda Civic to go just as fast for much less cost. It's up to you. I'm a P7 kind of guy personally, but I respect what the Dinotte has to offer.

is the p7 reliable?

I can vouch for only 3 months and 30+ charges, and all of my P7s have worked perfectly during that time.

Are you mountain biking or road riding?

If you're riding on the road, I would say the 400L would be better suited for use than the 800L. If you really want a lot of light on the road, I would still say 2 400L's are better than one 800L because they let you change out lenses to get the light spread you prefer (I prefer narrow so it goes a long ways down the road). I would certainly recommend a 400L and a 400L on the helmet before recommending just an 800L.

On the other hand, just yesterday I wrote a big piece on how I thought the shaped beam of the Lumotec/Bush and Mueller lights was far superior to the light output of even 2 400L's, having now had experience with both...

Multiple P7's.

+1

I have a P7 and will add another later on this year.

Having said that I might go for a high power thrower instead.

:)

Dollar for dollar, the P7 wins.
Lumen for lumen, the Dinotte wins.

That isn't strictly true, not all dinotte lights have more lumens than the P7 torches.

A good P7 torch has more lumens than some of the AA powered dinotte lights.

:thumb:

i can't decide. what are the pros and cons other than cost? is the p7 reliable?

from what i've seen and read on the boxes for Dinnotte is weight, they are heavy, and probably not as bright, however they last a little longer than the P7 on battery power.

But, the P7 is way more powerful.... only for the first 2 hours, then it drops to the lumen of the Dinnotte for the remaining hours, is very light, and is extremely affordable.

you can get 2 P7 for the price of 1 Dinnotte :thumb:

We're talking about the Dinotte 800L correct? The $439 one?

That would be 10 P7s for the price of one Dinotte.

The LED comes from taiwan, I believe. I don't know if the rest of the encasing is made in taiwan or china.

Why does it matter?

SSC = Seoul Semiconductor Inc.
most likely produced in south korea.

I'm not even going to start on the 'is it made in the USA?' part.
protectionism is really counterproductive

We're talking about the Dinotte 800L correct? The $439 one?

That would be 10 P7s for the price of one Dinotte.



Are you including the cost of batteries, mounts, and charger? I don't own either one so that is why I am asking. I did just check the Dinotte site and they are selling the 800L/400L combo for for $449 so at this sale price it makes sense to get this combo over just one 800L. This combo is supposed to get you 2.5 hours of light at 1200 lumens. What would be the cost of P7's to get similar lumen output with ~2.5 hours runtime when you are including the cost of batteries, charger, mounts? I'm sure it will be still much much cheaper to go the P7 route, but not quite as bad as originally.

$50 for the light itself x2
$10 for pair of batteries. x2
$15~50 for charger
$5 for mounts

single 18650 battery will give about 1hr of run time. a 2x18650 flashlight will give a bit more than 2hrs of run time.

have you considered a light and motion seca 700 which has a better beam pattern than any of the above?

key point here is the shape of the beam pattern, flashlights are flashlights and dinottes aren't much better.

2 P7 @ $36 each = $72
18650 batteries 2 pack @$10 x 2 = $20
trustfire charger 1 @ $8.81 = $8.81
3 pack of lock blocks 1 @ $16.49 = $16.49

grand total under $120 and still have money for a couple of PB superflashes and shipping and still come in well under $200.

BTW, it was AEO who got me hooked on P7's!:thumb:

:innocent:

this 2x18650 gives me more than 2hrs of run time.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa131/AEObikes/LED%20lights/ledcaad01.jpg

Hard to argue with the low cost of a P7 setup.

I would also go with P7 flashlights.. I use 2 of them for my night rides.. Normally I just keep 1 on, but I have a few very dark spots and turn the 2nd one on, really lights up the road.

3000mah Ultrafires on ebay.. Just received this last week and they are solid batteries.. Ran a test and easily got 20 minutes more over 2400 mah 18650 batteries.. Seller was quick to ship and was here in 7 business days.. They also sell 4 packs with cases too..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220362820486

dinottes require the battery pack to run, correct?

then you have the clunky fredness of flashlights. the extra weight hassle in battery changing and who knows cheap quality batteries and flashight and electronics. sometimes you jsut want something a bit nicer.
look at the p7 above and the 600l and 200l side by side. what one do you think weigh's more? the batteries for the dinotte are light and easy to carry the extra.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/transporation/dinote1.jpg

Dinottes are really sleek, but I don't think they are worth the extra money, except the rear light.

i can't decide. what are the pros and cons other than cost? is the p7 reliable?

Excluding cost...

P7 offers

Makes a fantastic flashlight when you're not riding


The 800l offers

Reliability
Brighter (no those p7s are not 900lumen!)
Customer service/warranty
Upgradability
One is enough

one disadvantage of the dinotte is the really small and unspecialized reflector. it really is just a flash light with a separate battery pack.

P7 flashlights and dinottes throw light everywhere. lumens can be rated every which way, the important part is where it goes with it's beam pattern.

if you want a really dedicated bike light, go with a light and motion.

one disadvantage of the dinotte is the really small and unspecialized reflector. it really is just a flash light with a separate battery pack.

P7 flashlights and dinottes throw light everywhere. lumens can be rated every which way, the important part is where it goes with it's beam pattern.

if you want a really dedicated bike light, go with a light and motion.

But if you want a cheap really dedicated bike light with a beam shaped and designed for bike use, you should also consider a Lumotec / Busch and Mueller.

The 800l offers

Reliability
Brighter (no those p7s are not 900lumen!)
Customer service/warranty
Upgradability
One is enough


All those things are nice, yes, but not for $400+. Plus my P7 has been plenty reliable, has provided plenty of light, and one is enough. I put a Fenix on my helmet but that would be there no matter what I had on the handlebars.

The biggest drawback to the P7's is the run time.

Looking at the Busch and Muller lights I have to agree with PaulRivers, they look the best in terms of where they throw the light.

I got hooked into the thrill of the Fenix for my road bike, think it was the premium
185 lumens
Nice light, affordable for lighting up the road, being seen (strobe) and AA availability. Great as a flashlight to read maps, fix a flat at night or put on my helmet. I bought the eneloops, sanyo, charger and now have tons of AA batteries some we use around the home.
As life goes so did my Fenix. It was lost when I was doored in November.

I bought a Romisen and ESE from Shining Beam to replace the Fenix, a mistake in hind sight. I wanted to still use the AA batteries.

Maybe I should of replaced the Fenix with a P7, who knows.
The Romisen is "okay", but I prefer it had a strobe or flash also.
The ESE worked okay for 3 months and then the solder of the spring in the cap fell apart. I fixed the solder myself and then the unit stopped a month later. Shining Beam would not support the repair.

The end result is:
I will buy new lights ONLY from a company that will support the unit with a real warranty.
I will not deal with HK or Chinese companies for the light because I already deal with Chinese Vendors and understand the reality of the margin they are making.
I will buy a Dinnotte 200 beacuse at $99.00 it is reliable and lasts over 2 hours on High.
I will buy the Dinnotte, because I can put on my helmet and it will not weigh me down. Ever ride 4 hours with an extra weight on your head. Your neck will ache, trust me.
I will buy the Dinnotte because if technology changes and it will I can sell the sucker and get 75% of what I paid or more.
I will buy the Dinnotte because if stuck on the road, it will take AA's sold in almost any store.
I will buy the dinnotte because I have banged into my flashlights several times when I stand out of the saddle.

Perhaps if I never bought the Fenix I would have started with a P7.

Oh yeah, why did I not buy another Fenix? I thought I was getting 2 for the price of one. I loved my Fenix and for sure would have bought a 2nd for christmas.

Rob

P7 is good for lighting up 180 degree
Fenix is good for Distance throw straight ahead

is good to use them in combination.

basically Fenix on your helmet, so it shoots where you see, and P7 on the bike handlebar

Where is the best place to buy the P7 and Fenix? I really like the 600L but don't feel like paying $400!

Well, the P7's are so cheap by now - the service/warranty argument falls pretty flat for me.
The flashlights are pretty reliable anyhow - the underlying technology is the same as for the dinottes.
Very likely merely the shipping costs of having my real-good-bike-specific light fixed on warranty would be around the same as the ones for a new P7 light (incl. shipping).
My biggest concern is however, whatever lights one buys - they will be working just fine in 2 or 3 years, but they will be outdated. LED technology is progressing so fast - and hopefully reflector design will soon, too.
Unfortunately I will want to have the next technology perhaps two generations from now. Thus, bike lights are too short lived for me in this aspect to spend the big bucks.

Where is the best place to buy the P7 and Fenix? I really like the 600L but don't feel like paying $400!

fenix - 4sevens.com

P7 & others - dealextreme.com, shiningbeam.com, ebay

All those things are nice, yes, but not for $400+.

Read the OP. Cost is not an issue.

Read the OP. Cost is not an issue.

and after the OP gets all the facts, let's see if that remains the same, ok?

Read the OP. Cost is not an issue.

If cost is not an issue then get a Lupine..

http://gretnabikes.com/lupine_lights.asp

Read the OP. Cost is not an issue.

actually, cost was an issue. and still is. but so is my life. after riding in a heavy down pour the other morning i'm glad i got these things. i nearly got killed without them.

when i have the 800l on high and put my hand in front of it... and look at my hand, i'm damn near blinded by the reflection off my hand. same with the 400r rear light but not quite to the same degree.

and if you look at the light and motion (which is too expensive) beam shots, they're about the same or worse than the dinotte.

http://www.gearreview.com/LEDs09_800L_images.php

http://www.gearreview.com/LEDs09_seca-700_images.php

dinotte stays best bang for the buck out of dedicated bike lights.

i just couldn't trust the p7.

Can someone please confirm that the "P7" flashlight talked about in this thread is in fact the
http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/globalAssets/ltCurve.gif

MTE SSC P7-C LED 900 lumens Tactical Flashlight?

It seems a new LED is going to come out soon. I'm gonna hold off my DX flashlight purchase until the end of this year when this LED goes mainstream.

This is going to seriously piss off Dinotte and the like, their LEDs are currently obsolete.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=514891

P7, easy. I'm still using the one I bought back in September, along with the same pair of batteries, charger, and mounts.

actually, cost was an issue. and still is. but so is my life. after riding in a heavy down pour the other morning i'm glad i got these things. i nearly got killed without them.

when i have the 800l on high and put my hand in front of it... and look at my hand, i'm damn near blinded by the reflection off my hand. same with the 400r rear light but not quite to the same degree.

and if you look at the light and motion (which is too expensive) beam shots, they're about the same or worse than the dinotte.

http://www.gearreview.com/LEDs09_800L_images.php

http://www.gearreview.com/LEDs09_seca-700_images.php

dinotte stays best bang for the buck out of dedicated bike lights.

i just couldn't trust the p7.


I thought the same thing looking at the shots. Actually, I always thought the Light and Motion light looked kind of pathetic. It just doesn't look as bright as the Dinotte.

But having used similar lights on my bike, my perception has changed from experience. The fact that the Dinotte is really bright in the center? It makes it look really bright in pictures. In practice, my eyes are always struggling to see outside the center of the beam - it's so bright, if you actually aim it like that your eyes adjust to the bright light in the middle and they struggle to deal with the lower light level outside the beam.

Honestly I understand why people think it's brighter - it's only personal experience that's changed my mind. The more even light distribution of the Light and Motion light doesn't look as cool in pictures. But the fact that it's light output is more "even" is less "oh, cool" in pics but more "oh, I can just see stuff whether it's immediately in front of me or ahead and to the side".

Hopefully, one of these days I'll get my hands on a camera with manual controls and I'll be able to post pics of how it actually looks to my eyes...I mean, I was pretty surprised myself (not about either of these two lights in particular, but about the shaped beam vs unshaped beam).

when the new technology gets going and dinotte works it out they usually have upgrade options that are decent.

then you have the clunky fredness of flashlights. the extra weight hassle in battery changing and who knows cheap quality batteries and flashight and electronics. sometimes you jsut want something a bit nicer.
look at the p7 above and the 600l and 200l side by side. what one do you think weigh's more? the batteries for the dinotte are light and easy to carry the extra.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/transporation/dinote1.jpg

Fredness? What's the giant plastic thing on the front of your bike with the wood fender? :lol:

DiNotte. I've done the flashlights taped to my bars in the past, and won't ever look back. But I don't blame anyone for not wanting to drop $500+ on lights for a bike. From a cost perspective the P7's are a great deal.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v128/JoshSC/DSC_0463-1.jpg

I thought the same thing looking at the shots. Actually, I always thought the Light and Motion light looked kind of pathetic. It just doesn't look as bright as the Dinotte.

But having used similar lights on my bike, my perception has changed from experience. The fact that the Dinotte is really bright in the center? It makes it look really bright in pictures. In practice, my eyes are always struggling to see outside the center of the beam - it's so bright, if you actually aim it like that your eyes adjust to the bright light in the middle and they struggle to deal with the lower light level outside the beam.

Honestly I understand why people think it's brighter - it's only personal experience that's changed my mind. The more even light distribution of the Light and Motion light doesn't look as cool in pictures. But the fact that it's light output is more "even" is less "oh, cool" in pics but more "oh, I can just see stuff whether it's immediately in front of me or ahead and to the side".

Hopefully, one of these days I'll get my hands on a camera with manual controls and I'll be able to post pics of how it actually looks to my eyes...I mean, I was pretty surprised myself (not about either of these two lights in particular, but about the shaped beam vs unshaped beam).

yeah, i still need to try it out when it's really dark out. so far they're just keeping me safer in storms. lots of storms... like the one that's apparently coming for my tomorrow morning commute. :notamused:

I have tried many of the P7 lights and just love them.. The best part is that the battery technology is evolving so now, I use 3000mah batteries that give me between 80-100 minutes of runtime.. I carry a couple extra cells with me just in case I go for longer rides.. When the batteries are shot, I have to pay just 9.00 each to get more.. Twice I have been burned by Niterider when my battery stop holding it's charge. 150.00 to 200.00 for a new battery, no thanks I will stick with a P7.. Between my P7's I have about 80 hours of useage with no issues.. I had one that would switch modes but was an easy fix with some Rare Earth magnets..

I commute at night (Leave my shop around midnight) and been using P7 lights for about 1 1/2 years.

If you want a reliable light for occasional or coming home bit late from your club ride, both will do a good job. The brand I use is MTE and haven't given me any trouble - including so many rain/dust, disassembly for battery and later, modification.

However if you are looking to commute at night like I do, you need to think about multiple light setup and cost will become a big issue. I can spend quite a bit of money but spending $800 for 2 light is bit too much or more for 3 lights.

I travel both suburb with street lighting and dark country road. My current setup includes 2 front always on P7 + pheonix 200 lumen helmet light and 2 P7 additional/backup lights.

When you're traveling at 22-25mph, there's no such thing as too much light - you want to see even a pebble on that road or that little pebble could throw you off. For rear - get something powerful also, either dinott or like me, 5 PBSF mounted all over the back basket + 2 recent purchase of red flashlight that is discussed on another thread here. I'm lit up like a Xmas tree at midnight and people on cars avoid me like a plaque (most actually get fully over to the other lane and then more).

Someone mentioned about Dinotte being bit more tidy - well, when you're dealing with multiple lights, that becomes less of an issue. And it doesn't cost lot of money to convert the P7 to use a single battery source. For all my light, I made a custome battery case that holds 4 to 9 18650 batteries. For the light itself, I made a simple dummy cell for all P7 and viola! I got something better than dinott.

Fredness? What's the giant plastic thing on the front of your bike with the wood fender? :lol:
hey it's a bent I can get away with it.
but I just took it off I really like the bike without it. but the wooden fenders are cool I get a lot of compliments on them.