Fenix LR40R vs. LR50R Flashlight

While the LR40R and the LR50R are similar in a lot of ways, the two flashlights offer two very different experiences for users. Both are extremely powerful tools, capable of blasting up to 12,000 lumens, and both lights have battery level indicators, allowing users to know exactly how much battery life is left in their devices at any given time. They also come with a discharge function. This feature allows users to charge other devices, such as a cell phone, using the flashlight’s battery. The discharge feature is a simple, convenient function should the user find themselves stranded or lost. Both lights are made with the same level of quality fans have come to expect from Fenix: they’re impact resistant, IP68 waterproof, dust-proof, and have lockout functions for safety. They are also around the same size and weight, making them unbelievably bright for a light of this size. If you are looking for a long distance flashlight with some serious power, both the LR50R and the LR40R make perfect companions. However, the way each of these lights function is completely different.

The LR40R is a flashlight, capable of functioning as a floodlight or a spotlight. This way, users have the option of a piercing spotlight to cut through the darkness with a max throw of 2100ft (640m) or an extremely bright floodlight to illuminate all of their surroundings up to a distance of 1345ft (410m). On the other hand, the LR50R is a true high-performance spotlight, capable of throwing 12,000 lumens over a see-it-to-believe-it distance of over 3117ft (950m) – that’s equivalent to just over over ten football fields!

Brightness Modes

When it comes to modes and brightness levels, the two lights operate very differently. The LR40R has two stainless steel buttons, one for floodlight and one for spotlight. Pressing one of these buttons allows for users to choose between those two modes or in conjunction. In total, the LR40R flashlight has: eleven operating modes, four spotlights, and five floodlight settings. The light also includes a strobe and SOS signaling setting, which can be extremely helpful in signalling for help in search and rescue situations.

Alternatively, the LR50R operates a bit differently. It has two seperate operating modes: tactical and general. The left button activates the tactical mode which limits the light to its turbo, strobe, and SOS signaling settings. The right button operates the general mode; six different brightness settings to choose from but no SOS signaling or strobe modes. This set up allows the light to function in two different ways and serve entirely different purposes. Tactical mode allows for simple, but effective, use and ensures you’ll have plenty of light exactly when you need it without having to flip between brightness levels. General mode is perfect for choosing the correct brightness and runtime for the situation at hand.

Runtimes & Batteries

The two lights also have comparatively different runtimes. The LR50R has a max runtime of 58 hours on it’s lowest setting. While that alone is impressive, it pales in comparison to the LR40R’s max runtime of 92 hours and 18 minutes – that’s almost 4 full days of light at its lowest brightness level. Both lights come with a lithium-ion battery pack that function in the same way. However, the LR40R uses 18650 batteries as a backup, while the LR50R uses 21700 batteries for it’s backup. They can be recharged using a USB Type-C cord, and both the LR50R and the LR40R can be completely recharged in just under 3 and a half hours.

Intelligent Brightness Downshifting Sensor

The LR50R comes with a unique step-down sensor. This safety feature uses an intelligent sensor built into the flashlights’ lens to automatically downshift the light’s brightness level when it comes too close to a surface. By doing this, it protects surfaces from being harmed or potentially burnt by the high temperature of the extremely bright light. When the light reaches 60℃ or above the brightness level will reduce to allow the light to cool down.

Maximum Brightness For All

Overall, while these two flashlights from Fenix share many similarities, they offer totally different user experiences. The LR40R functions more as a floodlight, offering a super bright wide beam. The LR50R is a spotlight with the ability to blast a tight super bright beam over 1000 yards. Whether you are just looking to light up the world with one of the brightness flashlights on the market, or need the most reliable lighting tool as a first responder for search and rescue efforts, both the LR40R and the LR50R have what it takes to get the job done. Check out our full line up of long range flashlights on our site. If you can’t find what you’re looking for or have any questions, feel free to contact us or chat with our LiveChat agent.