Flashlight Like Few Others Has ‘Digital Zoom’: Fenix LD45R Review

Press a button and rotate a wheel, and the Fenix LD45R flashlight’s beam of light smoothly adjusts from a tight beam to a broad floodlight. Sure, zooming flashlights may seem like old news on the surface. But inside the LD45R is a new technology, unlike anything I’ve ever used.

That’s because the LD45R doesn’t have any moving internal parts. Instead of a moving lens or mirror to adjust the throw of the light, the LD45R uses a digital system to focus and disperse light that is entirely new and unique to this light.

I took a production Fenix LD45R into the dark nights of the Winter Solstice to see how it stacks up.

In short: The Fenix LD45R is a premium flashlight with high power output. There alone, it stacks up well with the competition. But it outshines the crowded market with a very functional zooming system (more on this later) that users will find both intuitive and eye-pleasing. At around $160, it’s a heavy hit to the wallet, but that price brings one of the most advanced zooming flashlights I’ve ever seen.

Compare the Fenix LD45R to others reviewed here in our guide to the best flashlights.

Fenix LD45R Review

Pick up the Fenix LD45R flashlight, and you’ll notice its heft and sturdiness. The light feels like solid steel, both solid and heavy. To put it another way, it feels expensive. My first impression was that this was a very nice flashlight.

At 6.11 inches long with a 1.75-inch head diameter, this flashlight is a little too big for the pocket. Yes, it can fit in a front pocket. But it’s big and more suited for a pack or holster carry.

On the bottom is a simple, covered USB-C charging port. On the top is a single button with a dial and LCD screen. Pressing the button turns the flashlight on and off and can lock and unlock it. Double-tapping, it launches either SOS or strobe modes. The dial adjusts the zoom.

That’s it. The user interface for a zooming, multi-power light could not be simpler. And I kind of love that. Hand the light to anyone, and they should understand how it functions in a few seconds. Explain the lock and unlock once, and they’ll have it. Nothing is difficult to use or understand.

And the light the LD45R produces is pleasant, bright, and useful.

A Zooming Flashlight, Modernized

The Fenix LD45R produces both a wonderful floodlight that pleasantly illuminates a huge area and a tight spotlight that can reach 1,578 feet across fields. This is real versatility. But zooming lights are nothing new, as I alluded to earlier.

What sets the LD45R apart is its digital zoom. Unlike other zooming lights, which move the mirrored lenses to change the focus of the light, the LD45R has no moving parts inside the lens. Spin the focus dial, and you won’t see any motion behind the glass lens. The mirror will stay entirely stationary, as will the flashlight head.

That’s because the light disperses the otherwise tight spotlight through a digital pattern. A brand spokesman explained that it works by putting a check pattern on the lens, which diffuses the light into a wider beam. There is no mechanical focusing mechanism.

It’s worth noting that at least one other brand — MANKERLIGHT — has a flashlight with a digital zoom. But the MANKERLIGHT Crown is a different beast, cranking out 5,000 lumens at a price of $460. Weighing 19.1 ounces, it’s apples and oranges.

Why does this matter? Most zooming flashlights have a moving bezel, which allows the user to move the head up and down to focus the beam.

This is problematic for multiple reasons. First, the moving parts compromise water and dust resistance and create a likely failure point. Second, and almost equally important, the way that light is collimated by moving the mirrors forward and back is inefficient. A lot of light is lost in this style of focusing a light.

Because of these issues, most high-end flashlight makers don’t deal with zooming lights. That is, until now.

Thanks to the digital zoom, the Fenix LD45R is waterproof to 2 meters, dustproof, and has a 1-meter drop rating. These are solid specs for a zooming flashlight.

Fenix LD45R Review: The Joy of Quality Zoom

I’ll say that I’m stoked about having a high-quality zooming flashlight. Zooming lights are so wonderfully versatile, allowing you to send a long beam blasting across a field in one moment and then flood the whole campsite in soft light the next. You don’t have to choose between a thrower and a floodlight — you get both in one package.

Beyond that, the LD45R is an excellent flashlight at its core. It runs off a 21700 rechargeable Li-ion battery. On low power (20 lumens), it can run for 65 hours. It will maintain 1,000 lumens for over an hour before getting too hot and needing to reduce output.

And it can — for a short time — crank out a whopping 2,800 lumens. It’s worth noting that it can only run at that power for a little over a minute before it gets too hot and regulates down to a lower output. But for short blasts, having a powerful turbo mode is awesome. And for most uses, 1,000 lumens is more than enough.

Finally, I like the LCD screen’s simple readout. Tap the power button, and it tells you the battery percentage remaining exactly. While running, it tells you the exact current lumen output, even changing the reading as the light regulates itself down due to heat. It was wild to see the light reading dial down from 2,800 to 2,600, and then 2,500, and so on, as the light also visibly dimmed during regulation.

Who Should Buy It?

This is a $160 question. I want to say that this light is for anyone. But it comes with a hefty price tag and is pretty big and heavy for hiking, hunting, or other places where weight and size come with a penalty. If you need a light EDC flashlight, you’ll probably find better choices for less money.

While the LD45R does a great job as a tail stand, it does not have a tail button, which reduces its tactical useability. In most tactical situations, users hold the flashlight in an overhand grip, which doesn’t work well with side buttons. But there’s no shortage of tactical flashlights from Fenix or many other brands.

But for those who want a powerful, high-quality zooming flashlight, the Fenix LD45R is now a top choice. It will be fantastic around campsites, carried in work vehicles, or around the home or farm. There just aren’t that many options of this type and quality. If you use a flashlight mostly for work or carry it in a holster and don’t mind its 10-ounce weight, this is the best zooming flashlight you can get today.