I weighed my h7 and its a mere 1 gram off the advertised weight. That was in its pouch with no batteries in it. The site doesn't specify what's included in the weight but that seems to be close enough. thanks again for your input. if you stumble onto anything else please keep us up to date. cheers
Thanks for taking the time to comment and for the feedback. The funny thing is, I'm happier with the performance of the p5 and p7 where I'm not at all with the p3. It's a shame of LED lenser that it can be such a luck of the draw type thing.
Agree 100%. so long as you're happy with the product and price you paid for it. I'm not encouraging counterfeit purchases over genuine ones but if you're happy , so be it. thanks for commenting.
I just bought some LED Lenser torches off ebay and looked through the guides to see if they were fake. They were so close and only some cues were different. The thing is, I am so happy with the build quality of the ones I got and happy with the price I don't care if it is fake or not...
Hi, thanks for the feedback. Was here something in the video which you found annoying? As per the video, Ebay originally raised the legitimacy of the items and I followed this up with emails to the seller and also queried a LED lenser genuine supplier. I emailed them pics and they were unable or unwilling to advise if it was a legit item unless I gave them the sellers details. If a dealer can't identify it, how shall a consumer ? I didn't blame the seller, I said several times I was unsure.
cheers for the update. I guess that's how it goes. If the knock offs are just as good and you're happy with it, kinda hard to justify paying extra to make yourself feel warm and fuzzy inside thinking more expensive means genuine and better.
I just bought some LED Lenser torches off ebay and looked through the guides to see if they were fake. They were so close and only some cues were different. The thing is, I am so happy with the build quality of the ones I got and happy with the price I don't care if it is fake or not... I also bought 3 x Telstra HTC Desire phones for my family. All came in HTC Telstra boxes. All phones had subtle differences. I think torches are the same... Different production runs...
Cheers for the Info Ray. It was actually Zen who I contacted as they popped up as a genuine dealer here in Australia. I was in contact with them via email and phone. As per the vid, they weren't inclined to make a judgement call based on the item alone and wanted the details of the seller. I understand, there was no reason for them to stick their necks out, so I don't hold it against them. That is interesting info though re the copies. thanks for posting.
after going over it, i think mine was a reject (quality control failed at factory) rather than a fake, a reject that was sold, as there is a defect in the head of the torch, it's gouging out parts of the head when you spot to focus, apart from that it's pretty impressive.
On the main part of the real P3 just before the end of the tail cap there is also a thin bit of metal around the center cylinder of the light vs. the one you have.
I have bought 5 Led Lenser torches within 3 month from a same authorized dealer. 3 of them are P3, and each one has slightly different on f&f and tail cap. even the button spring feels different. The QC is not top but according to price I think they are still acceptable.
Sorry ive only just found your vid. Ive and M7 which came with LED Lenser batteries but a P5E, which came in a test-it pack but it came with Duracell. I dont think thats an issue to worry about. What you could do is contact LED Lenser themselves directly with your comcerns. The first thing they should ask for is the seriel number from your torch. Its unique and traceable. I hope this helps you?
I know this video and it’s comments were a good 7yrs ago but it happened to auto-play when looking for online version of a manual (whilst packing for my son’s school camp). We live in Australia and our P3 was bought (retail!) in Australia - either Leatherman or Battery World(??) either, both widely known reputable stockists of such products. Therefore, authenticity was & still isn’t a question. Having said that, mine has similarities of the one you believe to be a fake! Yes, to the black box, official paperwork, listed accessories, gold coil etc. however, certainly has the cute textured power on/off button, exposed inner board, batch number (even a tiny QR code on far right of the label), etc.
Thanks AZ, yeah it was a while ago and you can see the comments go both way and it still gets them now and then which is a surprise. At the end of the day , the little bloody thing is still working and sits in my first aid kit in the car. so legit or not, I got my monies worth I think. Thanks for taking the time mate.
The BM Stands for Blue Moon, There is only one genuine authorized exclusive importer and distributor of wholesale Led Lenser torches and accessories in Australia that is Zen Imports Pty Ltd in West Ryde NSW. All fake Led Lenser torches will be destroyed if returned for warranty or assessment of being a fake and so they should be. When you buy from Zen you are asked to complete a form which identify you as a genuine seller of Led Lenser and other products etc. the form asks you to notify the wholesaler of any EBay stores and also any websites that you are selling there products from so when people contact them they can advise you if you are purchasing products from an appointed authorized re seller. Yep been doing business as a authorized re seller of Led Lenser torches now for 5 years in store and online. my advise would be to pay a little more as a 5 year warranty is no good to you when you return your torch for repairs and have it destroyed because its has been identified as a fake. We receive several emails a weeks from companies claiming to manufacture and wholesale Led Lenser torches however these are fakes these companies are easily identified because of there very very low pricing and there offers to become your business partner with exclusive distributorship etc. Cheers Trev
thanks for taking the time to post Trev Can I ask if a (unknowing) customer returns a non-genuine item for repair and it is destroyed, is the customer compensated ? Is this done after receiving the approval of the owner of the torch/item ? Whilst I appreciate the position the auth'd importers/sellers must be in, I would be mighty upset if they destroyed my item I had purchased under the belief that it was the genuine article. I think it is clear from the comments relating to this video, it is extremely hard for a buyer to distinguish the genuine item even once they have it in their hands, let alone based on pictures over the web. As outlined in the video, even Zen were unable to advise when I sent in pictures of the suspect item and provided them a good level of detail to go with it. Their interest was focused on who the retailer was and not so much in identifying the item as genuine or otherwise. I appreciated that no money had been spent with them and as such their desire to offer their time and/or assistance could be expected to be minimal but it does confirm the challenges that face the average consumer when choosing their item if a auth'd importer can't provide sufficient information to help us make an informed decision. Thanks again for the comment. It's great for consumers to see it from the other side of the counter
Thanks for the info and the heads up Bec. Genuine or not, I wouldn't have purchased this one if I new the differences before hand when compared to the p5 in the vid. This was my 5th LED lenser product and all up to this point have had their brand batteries included. The last and most recent one before this was the H7 like you and it came with LED lenser batteries. This was maybe a little over a month ago. It seems a little odd. :)
it sounds like a bit of a lucky dip out there. If you're happy with the result, so be it and all is well. It does make the purchase process a little nerve racking is all :) thanks for commenting
Come to think of it, both of mine did not have the yellow and black hazard sticker on the torch. I have purchased Led Lenser products in the past and they have all had this sticker on there.
I have purchase many p3 led lensers and have also noticed differences in them and prices. Ones I purchase for my 2 sons are p3 with no abbreviations after the number. The tail switch is different then mine which is a P3BM. I have had issues with one of my son's battery which was a led lenser battery that corroded inside the flashlight and would not come out. There return policy is flawless. New one was sent back in very short time. My P3BM is by my side with the leatherman (same light for many years 5+) and is used none stop at work and home. I do not think any of them are fake, just different models made by led lenser at different times or offered in different places. Price differences may be with or without box and the accesorries. Warranty and durability of led lenser will keep me purchasing this brand when I will need to.
That it would. As per the vid though, I couldn't get the supplier here to offer any assistance in identifying the one I had. If they're not taking an active role or allowing the consumer to understand what to look for it's hard to place the responsibility on the buyer. Just simply saying most sellers on ebay sell fake items is a bit broad in my mind. Even though you're taking a chance, it's hard not to at near half the price. Even more so if the quality of genuine items is decreasing.
I think I've seen Ray's sell a kit with the p3 and leatherman. The retailer I got mine of said mine was part of that same kit but sold separately. Perhaps rays does the same thing.
I've sent the Australian LED Lenser rep an email with pics of the item asking for their opinion on it. They said they can't tell me if it is fake or not until I tell them which seller I purchased the item from on ebay. I figured the pics should be enough to advise one way or the other. If they are unsure I'm happy for them to say so. I'm sending it back tomorrow for a full refund. Either way I'm not happy with it regardless. Either its fake or no
i've got the same model of p3 as yours. there are different variations of the p3 model. p3 "BM" stands for BLUE MOON, hence the blueish ring that appears at the vocal point of the beam when switched on. i bought mine at aussie disposals so i think it'll be genuine. internal and external wise, mine appears exactly as yours. though mine did come with the box, and all accessories
oh - except I got mine in an LED LENSER box but standard-looking LED, patterned rubber end, those 2 clips on the battery. I also took mine apart down to the last parts and they all look pretty well made.
I'm veeery late I know, but looks genuine enough to me. Why didn't you just contact Led Lenser, give them the serial number and ask them to verify it was genuine? 1. It's a smaller flashlight that has different button, so what? It's smaller and harder to press, maybe that's why they designed it to stick out further and have extra grip. 2. I'm pretty sure my blackbox M7 came with duracell alkalines, doesn't seem strange to me. 3. He explained he took the flashlight from another "kit", that's why it didn't come with the standard blackbox and loose in a plastic bag. You already answered this yourself? 4. It has a weaker led, and a simpler focusing system. Might it be an earlier/simpler version that wasn't patent pending? Occam's razor says you received a genuine Led Lenser without the original packaging. How much time would it take to make a fake Led Lenser flashlight look that good, it just wouldn't be worth the money or time investment.
I'm in the UK, mine is identical to yours, my P3 came in a sealed bundle with the H5, this came with Duracell batteries! I personally believe you have a totally genuine P3...........
i have no idea if your p3 is genuine or not but i understand your concer with the differences. i'm doing a bit of research because i've just bought a p7 on ebay. i just thought i'd mention that the genuine led lenser h7 i recently bought from a trust worthy retail shop came with duracell batteries too so maybe the companies have made a deal and led lenser are now using them.
what if the logo is a little bit below center? I have a P7, I bought at local store. I 'm in Malaysia. Unfortunately, we have a lot of chinese counterfeit here.
seems like the real deal, I have the same torch which I bought from a reputable outdoors shop in person, came with all the original packing etc, the torch is virtually identical, so I doubt yours is fake.
I got P3 from maplin UK that's the new name for radio shack and mine is the same as yours in every aspect except I got packaging. Maybe they unpacked it to save on post.
Actually the US version do have a rubber switch and ship with Duracell battery's to me it looks like a US version, but you can call led lenser and check
Fake item , i have one , which i brought form Ebay uk , comes with black box and contact and switch look different (like p7 ).and also comes with small carrying pouch . like p7. Thanks
That Wave/Bit Kit/P3 deal does exist, it's sold at Dick's Sporting Goods. I can see parting out the kit to earn a profit, given it's sold for US $80, much less than the three items separately
Hey there, I purchased this p3 in a combo with P7.2 from an authorised dealer In the uk called Maplins. All of mine is identical to yours apart from the contact at the end in which mine has a gold spiral, where yours had a silver plate like contact.
I have checked who the seller was that i purchased from on Amazon and it was from Led Lenser directly. So i guess they are real after all, maybe they do not include the gold pins and stickers as this is more of a budget model. I paid just over £11 for mine so i wouldn't expect it to be the best. It does the job and the box and everything included inside was the same as my P7.
Hard to say. There seems to be so much confusion around what is genuine and what it not. I guess the the only thing that matters is, are you happy with it. ?
good vid! there are alot of sellers on ebay selling led lensers stating they are from australia when they are really from china. i have had the same problems as you!
I have one of P3 and it's the same of yours, I buy that in an hardstore and no black box but a plastic bag, but led lenser battery are included and they sell the p5 also have a better led and cost much than p3 15€ vs 45€
I bought a p4 from my local rays outdoors and now I freaking out it's not genuine it says bm after it like your p3 is it possible that it is just a model type or did I get screwed by rays outdoors
Hi Zen would merely be trying to authenticate the seller as an authorized re-seller by establishing who they are. if a product is fake and only if, unfortunately authorized distributors are obligated by law not return and destroy counterfeit products, This is no different to customs seizing goods at the boarder items must be recorded evidence taken action to notify and investigate and charges laid in the case of customs. The reason Led Lenser torches are so reproduced is because they are one of if not the largest selling brand torches in Australia. it is normally the price that dictates a counterfeit Led Lenser Torch rather than the issues relating to unauthorized resale however this is still a concern when wholesalers are trying to protect territory for those making a living from selling Authorized products. Counterfeit products are easier to distinguish when you say have say two or three genuine product of and identical product in make and model in front of you to compare against. most counterfeit products usually also have the same serial numbers and easy to identify differences its usually the smallest things etc.
Looks fake to me. I have just recently purchased one - comparing yours V mine they are very similar, however the finish is alot better on mine, smoother without the textures i am seeing on yours. Every detail is finer, yours appear course looking. Also on the switch, the outer tab on mine is slightly smaller, and again the finish on the plastic is alot better.
I got my P3 from Amazon UK and it looks exactly the same as yours. I don't think mine is a fake and I don't think your's is either. It's a bit pointless comparing the one you have to a different model because they aren't the same torch so obviously they are going to have differences in quality and construction. It's possible also that as the P3 is a budget torch they might have revised it over time to use a few slightly cheaper components, that kind of thing happens all the time with electronics manufacturers.
id lean towards thinking the p3 is fake iv had the p3 and p4 both had exact same switches both gold plated springs also the switch piece is solid as opposed to rubber same as on my p7
I have the same P7,P5 and P3... All mine came from Blacks Outdoor when I was a retain manager in the UK. I'll check mine against yours and get back to you. Your P5 is definitely the same as mine. As for my P7 and P3 they came in a pack together... Watch this space
lol i was wrong about p5 my mate just brought his round !! exactly the same as yours :) still gonna have a look at p3 cause i know zooming and preforming of my bought in proper shop is exactly the same ? will have good look tormorrow and post update : )
Go to Amazon.co.uk and find 2 star review for LED Lenser 8402TP P2 Key Ring Torch (Test It Pack) - Black. The byuer thinks that LED Lenser might have cheapened their construction. But it would be great to have the manufacturer's response to this issue to be sure.
I got my p3 free with the p7 from maplin and it's identical to yours, I don't believe yours is fake. The p3 doesn't have the expensive features that the p7 has.
EMAIL LED LENSER and ask if they are authorized resellers . Bought a p17 today from an authorized seller and its looks guinuine. If not i will rage and go to there house and throw it through there windows
10:26 All LED lenser Genuine products have that little notch in the lens on the side, the bit that looks like it's damaged, that is caused when they take the lens out of the mould. that is 100% fake, i've ordered a P17 which i think might be fake, i seriously hope it isn't though, going to hve to give it a good going over to make sure. LED Lenser have a 'break down' of all the parts in their torch's on their site, it's a good idea to have a look and compare,
Man i was all happy since i have a P3 on the way... Guess what... I think its the same one that you have. I looked it up and it has a 1 x 5 mm LED in it. I do think its real but the very low end version.
G'Day mate , its probably a bit late for you seeing as this was posted 9 months ago but here is my 2 cents worth . I work in retail and we are an authorised reseller of Led Lenser products so ill tell you what i know . 1. Zen Imports are the only importer of Led Lenser and Leatherman into Australia. 2. A while ago Led Lenser brought out a bonus pack where you got a H7 Headlamp AND a P3 , im guessing he has split the packs to make more money .
does seem odd that we've both bought h7's within a few months of each other and had different batteries. if i hadn't bought it from an aussie disposals store i'd be worrying about mine now. i just thought i'd also mention for anyone who finds themselves here looking for clues of fakes, it might be worth checking the weight of your product with the specs on their web site.
Man i was all happy since i have a P3 on the way... Guess what... I think its the same one that you have. I looked it up and it has a 1 x 5 mm LED in it. I do think its real but the very low end version. With 13Lm
I have the high end P3 AFSP which is 75 lum , the battery terminals are the same as yours , also the PCB in the end is the same , LED chip is different but thats cause it is a high end LED , There are lots of fakes and after speaking to the Zen rep he stated that some are so good that their techs have to pull the item apart and test each item to tell the difference , You can contact Zen and they will test it and verify if its fake or not . I dont believe yours is fake ,
10:26 All LED lenser Genuine products have that little notch in the lens on the side, the bit that looks like it's damaged, that is caused when they take the lens out of the mould. that is 100% fake, i've ordered a P17 which i think might be fake, i seriously hope it isn't though, going to hve to give it a good going over to make sure.
bought one from maplin p7 then i bought another set T7 and H7 head torch T7 and H7 from ebay cheaper than p7 in maplin and all them defo genuine items checked with one web side well happy with them ! even if my ebay set is fake still works amazing H7 head torch is amazing got p3 aswell as from maplin they were giving P3 and P7 for 49.99£ gonna look and will tell u if my different :) gave it to my gf as a gift she loves it :)
I know where you're coming from on this, but what if you're happy with it when you buy it, but because it's an inferior counterfeit it breaks easily at some point? That's when the counterfeit matters, I guess. That's what I'm concerned about. I've just bought a LED Lenser H7, and it seems very tacky and poor quality, though I found the retailer by following the distribution trail from LED Lenser website to certified UK distributed site, to UK retailer (certified by the distributer). Hmmmm...
I believe your P3 is genuine, from reviewing the video you have posted. I've have a P3 AFS P and is very similar. Your P5 and P7 on the other hand I suspect are not (P5 definitely not). The texture on the button I can confirm from leatherman is textured on all new models. Hope this helps. Good vid.
Good vid, I know this is a late comment but anyway, there's actually a few of us authorised dealers on ebay. I write guides about how to pick a fake lenser torch. The P3 could be old stock. It Should have a gold spring in the tail. They actually come with Duracell batteries. The best way to pick fakes is the serial number font. Most fakes have normal shaped numbers like an arial font. The lenser numbers are flatter & have slight curves on the edges. Get in touch with me if you want more info.
Its the real deal...you cant compTe the different models..there not all the same accross the board..mine has the dimples on the power button and came with duracell batteries and iys the real mccoy..
It's a fake! I have a p3, p5, p7, t7, p14. Everthing came with led lenser batteries, gold contacts, rubber O ring seal on the cap.! The seller should be ashamed of himself claiming that his led lenser is original. By the way. All of my led lenser came from ebay. P7, t7, and p17 came from a U.S. seller, the p5 came from hong kong seller.. P3 came from a local seller here in Cebu, philippines.
It's a fake! I have a p3, p5, p7, t7, p14. Each one came with led lenser batteries, lanyard, pouch, gold plated contacts, o-ring seal on the end cap. The seller should be ashamed of himself caliming that his led lenser is original! All of my led lenser came from ebay. p7, t7, and p14 came from a U.S. seller, p5 came from hongkong seller and my p3 came from a local seller here in Cebu, Philippines.
i just got done good. £33 LED Lenser P17, but the fake is a very good one, looks like the real thing, i went over it like a crazy man! lol, comparing it with everything i could find online and the one's i have, nothing aroused suspicion, then emailed LED Lenser the serial number, FAKE! seller has 1700 positive feedback aswell,
Search google for "fake led lenser" and follow ebay link I find myself in a similar position as a buyer of a led lenser h7 through ebay. Serial number is graved correctly but the laser logo looks fake ;)
Are you sure that your P5 and P7 are genuine? Their serial numbers looks like fake. Why do you compare different models? Find another P3BM. Led Lenser uses different LEDs and different optics for different models. P4BM differs very much from P4AFS, or they were back then, when I bought P4BM (and it looks very much like your P3BM, except it is longer and head and body has same diameter, inside they are the same - P3BM and P4BM). I also have L6 and both are from official importer and distributor of Zweibrüder Optoelectronics GmbH & Co. KG. Both P4BM and L6 came with Duracell batteries. K2L uses AG13 batteries. All three flashlights have serial numbers written with kinda square font type (L6 is made from some kind of plastic and writings are grey but the font type is the same). I'm 99% sure that your P5 and P7 are fake.
And to add to the last comment, I'm almost certain the p3 is real and by looking at the P5 i'm almost certain it's fake. The serial font does not look right on that or the P7 and the LED does not look right. And another good way to tell a fake is to zoom in on a wall from a couple of metres away and the LED will make the inner circle show the square shape of the LED, just like your P5 did on the wall. The original lensers don't do that they maintain a circle.
dont get me wrong man but ur vid is 17min long and its a bit annoying. as far as differences goes, did you even check the led lenser website first to see the specs and characteristics before blaming seller? for example P3 does come w/regular LED its just a much better LED then shitty flashlights being solf at gas stations and crap. P7 and others have Criptonic or whatever hell its called computerized digital lightning.
