Is My New Inova T2 Really New?

[1011Tristar]

I just received my new(?) Inova T2, and the packaging seems odd to me. The light comes packed in a blister pack (which is normally ultrasonically sealed). The light I got came in a blister pack (clamshell) with the flange of blister pack white, w/ bubbles (looks like it was glued) on the top 2 corners, and lower right side - not normal for ultrasonically sealing. Also, the spot with the white area (glue?) on lower right side also crimped / bent (back side of blister pack). I wonder if the package had been opened, used, glued shut, and returned, or if this is normal for Inova packaging. I also wonder if the light had been switched with a 2007 T2 (how do I tell the difference?).

 

[jtblue]

it could be old, i work in a camping store and our boss told us that the older inova T series had a silver coloured ring at the head of the torch and the newest models are completely black

 

[ZMZ67]

The 2007 and 2008 T1s are nearly identical and I would assume that the same applies with the the T2s though I only have the 2008 versions.The black ring was introduced on the 2007 series so that is not a way to tell.
A couple things to look for the- 07 lights heat up very quickly,also if you have access to an aspheric lens or jewelers loupe you can magnify the image of the emitter on a white wall or ceiling(light turned on).The image will be a solid square on the 07 lights.The 08 lights will have a square with a "hole" or "dot" grid pattern.There are 16 "holes" IIRC.The packaging does sound suspicious by your description but could have been a legitimate return or resealed for some other reason.

 

[polkiuj]

If you have good eyesight and stare really hard at the emitter, you could tell the K2 apart from the K2 TFFC. TFFC has 16 holes or dots on the die and this should be visible from the lens.

Also, if you have another light to compare, K2 is really dim compared to the 2008 T2 with the K2 TFFC. Good lights to compare are Q5 or R2 lights running on 1xNiMH AA. The T2 should be brighter than that if you do a ceiling bounce. If it is dimmer then you probably have a 2007 model with the K2. Model T2-WB.

2008 version is T2-MP

 

[1011Tristar]

Thank you all for the help. The LED does have the 16 dots, so I guess it is the 2008 model. The beam is very warm compared with my original T2, which is on the cool side...are the 2008 T2s all on the warm side, or is luck of the draw?

 

[rookiedaddy]

not all T2 MP on the warm side, I've seen blue-ish cool tint of 2008 T2 MP.

 

[ZMZ67]

Thank you all for the help. The LED does have the 16 dots, so I guess it is the 2008 model. The beam is very warm compared with my original T2, which is on the cool side...are the 2008 T2s all on the warm side, or is luck of the draw?

The tints vary but many are on the "warm" side.Most of my T-series lights are "warmer" than average but one appears very white,no blue tint though.

 

[1011Tristar]

I took the new T2 out the other night to compare it to my TIROS T2 & TIROS T5. The T2-MP is quite a bit lighter than the old T2, which is good for traveling, but it doesn't feel as solid as the TIROS lights - probably due to the thinner body tube wall. It throws a little further than my old T2, but it's not a huge difference...but, it has quite a bit of sidespill, making it more usefull for many applications (even though I like the very spotty nature of the TIROS lights). When I compared it to my TIROS T5, I found that the T5 has greater throw, but again, far less sidespill than the new T2. Overall, I'm happy with the new T2, but I wish Invova could have put the new emitter in the TIROS lights - that would really throw!