Inova T3 or SL Propolymer 4aa luxeon??

Hey guys, sorry if this has been asked before, but I assure you that I have used the "search" function for the forums, and have not found enough nice pictures of the light (esp. SL 4AA) beams and details.

I have a choice of 2 torchlights : Inova t3 or Streamlight Propolymer 4aa luxeon. Price does not matter. I plan to use the torchlight for light-painting buildings, and also to blow the sh*t out of the buggers who love to compare torchlights. I do some occasional camping and outdoor activities.

Here is the criteria for selection:
*Size of hotspot
*Amount of Spillbeam (enough to light up trail?)
-Throw
-Size/shape/design of light
-Apparent brightness (to the eye)
-Ease of holding light for long duration
-Type of switch

The size of hotspot would be especially important as I do not want a light that has too small a hotspot (eg. Pelican m6).

Thanks for your input. :thanks:

The SL will have a very tight hotspot. The T3 has a slightly bigger hotspot. Both will be tight, but I would probably take the 4aa over the inova because it's lighter, lasts longer, and is much cheaper. But, if you'll be painting houses, I'd suggest something like the helitek or a longer lasting light.

Thanks for your speedy reply mrandychen! I meant I like to use my flashlights to shine up buildings and see how bright the light is.

I thought the 4aa is bigger and heavier and fatter and bulkier than the t3?

I saw from the beamshots on this forum that the SL4aa has a better spillbeam than the t3, but the drawback is that the SL4aa has a much smaller hot spot. Still undecided on which to choose...

If you were out walking in the forest at night which light would you take with you? :shrug:

I would definitive go for the Streamlight. Much cheaper, throws longer, and most important of all, runs on cheap and easy obtainable AA-batteries (you can get 123 cheap if you buy them bulk from internet, but that's imho to much work just to get some batteries). Not to mention almost twice the batterylife on the SL. The Streamlight isn't that big either, not maybe a pocket light, but then the T3 isn't either.
The only drawback is that the Streamlight is quite ugly. Some like the industrial worklight look, but the T3 imho is much nicer looking.

Thanks lobo! Yeah sure the SL looks uglier than the t3, but how much further can the SL throw than the T3? :huh:

Maybe should have mentioned that I don't own any of the light, just going on figures from the net now...

You can compare the thrownumbers here:
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/streamlight_propolyluxeon.htm
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/inova_t.htm

I'm sooo trying not to become a flashaholic, promised myself just to become a member her just so I could get some information to buy ONE light that would cover must of my needs. Just bought the Fenix L2p but I am damned tempted to buy the SL PP 4AA Luxeon after everything I read about it.
For me it's a nobrainer between the SL PP 4AA Luxeon and the T3, but mainly because I can't make myself spend to much money on something like a flashlight, the price and the use of regular AA batteries(getting 123-batteries in Sweden for a decent price is a real hazzle) AND the outstanding performance, makes the SL PP 4AA a must have (sadly for me... ).

The Inova T3 has the best finish and better materials hands down! If you don't mind the battery type and the price, then go for the Inova T3. I have used both, and in the dark, the T3 throws a huge "cone" of light that I find much more useful than the narrow "laser" beam of the Propolymer. Although if you're going to use them at close range, both lights show an equally tight spot. Don't get me wrong, both are fine lights, but I prefer the T3 due to its size, design, quality of materials and beam pattern.

Inova has better built quality. I vote for Inova for more critical mission.
I think most will recommend sl4aa. I personally do not like the idea of overdriving LED in a plastic flashlight.

ledled said:

Inova has better built quality. I vote for Inova for more critical mission.
I think most will recommend sl4aa. I personally do not like the idea of overdriving LED in a plastic flashlight.

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To be fair, I believe the SL is quite capable of taking on critical missions, after all, it's geared to a lot of professional people (firemen, heavy industry etc) and it looks to be able to take a beating, looks to be the perfect workhorse.
Is the Luxeon model also overdriven? Thought it only was the 7-led model?

But if money was no issue, I would also get the T3, it looks makes it much more desirable.

I have the PP 4AA Lux, great light but cheap looking, and though I've had no proplems with mine, some users are reporting switch malfunctions. I have an Inova T1 and a T2...they're beautiful to look at but lack the throw and hot spot size of the T3, which I wish I had instead of the over-sized PP 4AA Lux.

Uh guys, speaking of overdriving LEDs in a plastic body, my Princeton Tec Rage was found mysteriously broken this morning. Caused by the overheating of the body, or the heat not being able to escape through plastic(lights with metal bodies can let heat escape...)? Or maybe a careless person could have stepped on it? I don't know. Pictures on the internet often show a truck rolling over this torch, yet it doesn't break. Mine was quite hardy though. Here are a few pics:

Broken end of PT Rage:


Reflector's metal is wearing off too...:



So. Broken by heat, or carelessness of a family member, I still don't know.

But at least it gives me a reason to get a new torch....

nutz_about_lights said:

...If you were out walking in the forest at night which light would you take with you? :shrug:

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They are both good lights, but I wouldn't take either one. I think variable output is very important, especially at night when your eyes are dark adapted.

The Nuwai TM-301X-3 is smaller than the T3, less expensive, has about the same output, and has two level output:

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/nuwai_tm301x3.htm

If you can afford more money, the Surefire A2 would be nice. I've heard of some going for around $100 (maybe buy/sell/trade forum?).

I'll admit that I tend to prefer metal lights to plastic ones. The Streamlight throws a pretty narrow beam while the T3 has a nice wide hotspot and though both lights have many fans, I'm not particularly enamored of either of those lights.

Having said that, if you want something that can throw, it will tend to have a narrower beam... that's simple physics. You either need a radically brighter LED with a similar reflector or you need an optic or reflector that concentrates that throw into a smaller beam, thus increasing throw. Both the Streamlight and T3 are decent throwers for it's size, but if you want real throw, you out to look into either getting an LEDBeam or a Lux III Magmod with a good LED. I'd consider a T-bin the minimum but a U-bin could be quite a bit brighter. Throw will be at least two times that of the other lights you mention... closer to three times.

I've seen a couple Magmods go for as cheap as $40 so counting in shipping to Singapore, maybe $50 or $55.

Also, if you're just wanting to shut people up and the light isn't likely to be used in a heavy duty capacity, there are plenty of incandescent lights that fit in a pocket that will blow almost any LED light away... The Streamlight TL-3, Streamlight Strion and Princeton Tec Surge to name three. You can get the Surge for under $30 and I don't think there are many LED lights at any price that can compete.

The PT Surge has great output and throw, but it requires 8 AAs stuffed into a battery carrier. It's not very easy to load, and with only 40 min. runtime to 50%, you load it a lot.

The TL-3 and Strion are both great lights with excellent throw. Personally I wouldn't use them for walking at night -- they're just too bright most of the time.

I've taken my TL-3 at night to compare its throw to my U2, and as long as I point it at a tree 50 yards away, it's OK. Pointing it at the sidewalk in front of me is pretty blinding, if your eyes are dark adapted. OTOH if you keep it on the path in front if you, your eyes will never get dark adapted in the first place, so it won't be unpleasant.

I agree between the T3 or 4AA luxeon, the T3 is probably a better choice, if you don't mind spending the extra money.

I still recommend a variable output light, however.

Like what the others here already recommended regarding the Streamlight 4dbA ProPolymer Luxeon. It's a very capable light to be sure! My personal preference ABOVE and BEYOND the Inova. . .Enjoy!

wat r u asking? u're at CPF... get both. :naughty:

ok... seriously. i would suggest the inova t3. it looks nicer. but according to specs (flashlightreivews) SL's got a better throw. Have you tried looking at the Pelican M6? It's got pretty gd thrown in a small package. I've got 1, tried it on a dimly lit beach... really gd throw for a small (2xCR123) light. i've also got a SL TL3. a cheap (3xCR123) throw light i would say. but u gotta get it frm the net. i can't seem to find it anywhere in singapore. i managed to get it 2nd hand frm another guy frm another forum.

the ultimate would be getting a mag mod with LOP reflector for the ultimate throw. or get the TL3 minimag mod. :rock:

Thanks guys for the replies! For those in Singapore, the Pelican M6 can be found at Sheares marketing along Beach Road (Evershine and century complex).. But it's not for sale. Display item.

For the rest, I am strictly looking at LED lights, although the PT Surge is a good bright light, I do not like the way incandescent lights decrease in brightness from the start and output decreases in a nice curve on the graph. I like lights that have constant output( i.e. straight line on graph) , than decrease suddenly and put out very low power for emergency use.

The t3 however may be a expensive light, but I want to clarify if it lives up to its claimed "250 feet" throw. Can it at least tell a person apart from a bear at 70 metres? (210 feet)?? Anyone has experience??

If it can, then I wouldn't mind paying a bit more to get the T3 instead of the SL 4aa luxeon... :thinking:

nutz_about_lights said:

Thanks guys for the replies! For those in Singapore, the Pelican M6 can be found at Sheares marketing along Beach Road (Evershine and century complex).. But it's not for sale. Display item.

For the rest, I am strictly looking at LED lights, although the PT Surge is a good bright light, I do not like the way incandescent lights decrease in brightness from the start and output decreases in a nice curve on the graph. I like lights that have constant output( i.e. straight line on graph) , than decrease suddenly and put out very low power for emergency use.

The t3 however may be a expensive light, but I want to clarify if it lives up to its claimed "250 feet" throw. Can it at least tell a person apart from a bear at 70 metres? (210 feet)?? Anyone has experience??

If it can, then I wouldn't mind paying a bit more to get the T3 instead of the SL 4aa luxeon... :thinking:

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regarding the PM6. dun get frm shears, get it frm the s'pore distributor. i 4got the address liao... :thinking: google (singapore) for it.
if u really wan a constant output and great throw... incand is best at throw, but they're not regulated. so they fade over time. i only know 1 light which will give constant brightness. SUREFIRE A2!! but it's really ex at shears.

I'm also really into lights, but cant justify spending a lot of money on them (to my girlfriend)! So I got myself the SL 4AA and absolutely love it.

I used it last night to check out a mysterious flying object in the sky (turns out to be an RC Dragonfly the neighbor was flying around), and all my buddies commented on how bright the flashlight was without even being asked.

So if you need a flashlight that uses cheap batteries, has great runtime, is very bright (especially to non-flashaholics), and best of all is inexpensive, go with the SL.

I complimented my SL with the Fenix L1p for 'around-the-house' lighting and they're a great pair for under $75.

If beam quality is a factor, then get the T3.

-David