Inova X5 and XO3: DISAPPOINTMENT!

I recently bought these two lights anticipating I was getting the brightest most advanced lights available today.

Imagine my disappointment when the X5's diffuse source is really only useful up to about 5 meters and the XO3's beam only throws a useful spot onobjects within about 12 meters. My UX Q40 eLED+ is significantly brighter than the XO3, and cost about half the price.

Do I have duds, or are the Inova lights overpriced gimmicks?

I don't think you have duds...

The strength of the X5 is the super long runtime it can achieve with two cells (or one depending on the colour of your X5)...it is also water proof to a pretty good depth i think. You're also getting lifetime warranty with Inova (which people have reported is pretty good). The X5 is also a really really tough torch... i doubt one has ever malfunctioned from usage abuse.

The X03 is also a pretty nice light...i do agree with you that it can't throw very far though. However, if you have a look at most factory produced 2 cell LED lights, you'll find that they can't really throw that well either (save for custom setups/builds etc). Part of the problem lies with the whiteness of a beam from a LED torch...pure white light gets washed out very easily and generally, is not very good for colour rendition. If you get a incan torch that has the same throw as a LED torch, most chances are that in real world usage you will find the incan torch to illuminate better at a distance.

Have a look at flashlightreviews.com and the lux reading of most 2xCR123 lights and the throw chart...the X03 is actually one of the better throwers...above it i can think of Pelican M6 2390, Night-Ops Gladius and LEDLogic striker VG...

That said, i don't think Inovas are overpriced gimmicks. They can be had fairly cheap online, mostly through US dealers.

umm... if you are so disappointed with them, you can always send them to me for free

no, really, i wouldn't mind

I've used the X5 as my EDC at work for about 6 months now and I consider it to be ideal for my needs. The floody output and long runtime are ideal when you're reading wiring diagrams or following wires or walking through a dark basement.

I guess it depends on your needs/wants as to whether these lights are a good fit for you. If you're just looking for something cool and bright to add to your collection, get something else. However, if you're looking for tough, reasonably-priced lights with good output, both seem like a good choice.

MrNaz said:

I recently bought these two lights anticipating I was getting the brightest most advanced lights available today.

Imagine my disappointment when the X5's diffuse source is really only useful up to about 5 meters and the XO3's beam only throws a useful spot onobjects within about 12 meters. My UX Q40 eLED+ is significantly brighter than the XO3, and cost about half the price.

Do I have duds, or are the Inova lights overpriced gimmicks?

Click to expand...

I can't speak for the XO3, but the X5 isn't meant to blow you away with brightness. It provides a very useful even flood, its waterproof to at least a hundred feet IIRC, its crushproof to one ton, it runs _forever_ on two cells, and is quite compact. Its not a toy light, its a tool light.

MrNaz -

I commented about the Inova X5 and XO3 in your other thread regarding batteries HERE. I think highly of my Inova flashlights. At about 25-30 lumens, the X5 is an excellent EDC flashlight with a great semi-flood EDC beam. The XO3 is a very nice mid distance thrower. They complement each other well.

73
dim

Sounds like maybe you purchased without doing all the homework on figuring out what you wanted in a light. As Delvance suggested, check out flashlightreviews.com to see what might suit you.

Please take a look at this thread with lots of side-by-side comparison beamshots -

Inova X5 (white)

The Inova X5 does not have a lot of throw - since it uses a cluster of 5 LEDs - but the later/current versions give off a lot of light - about the level of a good 1watt Luxeon.

The runtime is good, but NOT extraordinary - I estimated about 6hours - QuickBeam did a runtime of 6hours12mins to 50%.

You got duds, please send them to me and I will make sure that they get sent back to Inova with the proper indignant letter for you. Glad to help...

It would seem you purchased them without researching them first, their abilities are well known and found in many threads here, and on good flashlight reviews sites like http://www.flashlightreviews.com/

They are both excellant lights, well able to fill their intended purposes, and very rugged to boot. Hopefully, you will be able to find something that will fill your needs better with a bit of research.

Not sure why, but I playwith/use my X5 the least of my lights. I think it's because of the different type of output it has. Different than any other light. At least of the ones I have. It's good for just lighting up the immediate area. All flood. Not a good thrower, and overkill for close-up work.
It's pretty 'task specific'. YMMV

I dont have the X05 but I do have the X03 for about a year now and its throw is amazing imho, I can light up objects with ease at 50 yards, I also had taken it to the shooting range and lit up the range at 100 yards with no problems for my buddy to set up targets. What was funny is as soon as he turned around he gave the squint, arms raised to cover eyes and a yell, shut that damn thing off im now blind LOL...

Strong light that packs a solid powerful punch imho...

you didnt't do your research...Inovas are built like tanks, and to me their artistic cosmetic design overrules its brightness..

"brightest most advanced lights available today"


sigh, flashlights that are brightest most advanced lights available today try an HID @ pacific tactical.

FYI, I did 2 years of research before I bought my first light...Comparing one statistic number to another. Quickbeam, you have my thanks.

http://www.flashlightreviews.com

Illum_the_nation said:

you didnt't do your research...Inovas are built like tanks, and to me their artistic cosmetic design overrules its brightness..

"brightest most advanced lights available today"


sigh, flashlights that are brightest most advanced lights available today try an HID @ pacific tactical.

FYI, I did 2 years of research before I bought my first light...Comparing one statistic number to another. Quickbeam, you have my thanks.

http://www.flashlightreviews.com

Click to expand...

Let's ease up on the man, gents. He's got 5 posts....and we've all bought lights by mail and then when they arrived been a bit "surprised" by their performance. If one doesn't have a lot of experience comparing lights, throw, lux, and beams....well you get the drift....you got to start somewhere. Since when isn't it legit to express one's disappointment on the forums ?

That said, Inova's have a reliable reputation for being extremely well built lights.

....just my 2 cents.

-Regards

If I would have purchased an X5 before purchasing my first Surefire, I would have been disappointed to.

Maybe not disappointed but at least not impressed. The X5 is a great flashlight but it is not impressive unless you are impressed by the build or the runtime.

It is a very useful light but it is weak in the output department. I don't use my X5 very often at all as I find my Fenix lights do a better job on a much cheaper battery; rechargeable battery at that.

Mr. Naz, if you want to be impressed, try a Surefire. There are other equally or more impressive lights but I couldn't believe the beam that came from my first Surefire lights. I bought a 3P, 6P and a 9P at the same time and I was floored.

I have moved from incandescent lights now and the I am floored by the output of my U2 and L5. Neither of these lights will throw a beam as far as good incandescent lights but their output is jaw dropping to me.

-Goatee

phosphor said:

Let's ease up on the man, gents. He's got 5 posts....and we've all bought lights by mail and then when they arrived been a bit "surprised" by their performance. If one doesn't have a lot of experience comparing lights, throw, lux, and beams....well you get the drift....you got to start somewhere. Since when isn't it legit to express one's disappointment on the forums ?

That said, Inova's have a reliable reputation for being extremely well built lights.

....just my 2 cents.

-Regards

Click to expand...

Hey, I forgot when I was unelightened I asked stupid questions...
Sorry about that..

we all will have disappointments when we buy lights, soon or later information like throw and lumen will be very useful..

Your schooling starts here....:lolsign:

leukos said:

Sounds like maybe you purchased without doing all the homework on figuring out what you wanted in a light. As Delvance suggested, check out flashlightreviews.com to see what might suit you.

Click to expand...

What really happened was I bought the lights before I discovered this site and flashlightreviews.com

Up until a few days ago I thought I was the only person with a flashlight fetish.

That being said, my criticism of the X5 was completely ignoring its usefulness as a work light when changing tires or looking for something at night. I took it out on a walk last night, waited for my eyes to adjust, and once they did I was pleasantly surprised to find that when standing the X5 was able to usefully light up the whole patch of ground in front of me, rather than just a spot, making searching for something or working on something easier while using the light as opposed to a spot beam iluminator.

My point about the XO3 still stands though, the UK Q40 has similar beam characteristics and is brighter, for a much cheaper price. It is also waterproof to a far greater depth, making it more versatile. It is a bit larger, but I just feel that the XO3 could and should have been brighter than it is.

Brightness / Long Runtime / Small Size ... you can choose only two

Welcome to CPF :wave:

That said ... if you do venture in the high quality (read: high price) and / or custom realm of flashlights, there are bright, long-throwing lights with not-too-bad runtime in that size class. But they will cost significantly more than the Inovas.

If you'd prefer cheaper middle-class light I recommend checking out the following (list incomplete, of course):
- Nuwai
- Streamlight
- Princeton Tech
- Pentagonlight
- etc.

bernie

I recently bought X5 too. Except one thing, i am satisfied with it.

Inova X5 doesn't have current regulation circuit.
After 5~6hours current brightness , Brightness gradually decreases to zero for several hours. This mean that even though there exist some amount of residual battery power, it make you to change batteries. This is not only waste of money but also inefficient.

Except this ploblem, X5 can be accepted as one of the best floody type flashlight within price range($35).

I'm looking forword to a little bright new X5 with current regulation.

I wanted to give a flashlight to a good friend (non-flashaholic) who had just bought a Honda road bike and was planning a cross country trip. I thought about it for a good while and got him a X5. No need for him to carry extra batteries, completely waterproof and indestructable, small enough to forget it's there until he needs it and it has a cool gadget factor. He loves it and now he EDCs it at work as an operating engineer. I think they still have there place, but not much of a wow factor for us.

MrNaz said:

My point about the XO3 still stands though, the UK Q40 has similar beam characteristics and is brighter, for a much cheaper price.

Click to expand...

Welcome to CPF. Actually it does not. I suspect you may have gotten an XO3 that is not performing up to specs. The truth is that the UK Q40+ eled has less brightness and throw compared to the XO3. I have 3 XO3's and 3 T3's, all of which easily outperform the UK Q40+ eled lights. My neighbor has 2 Q40's and it is simply no contest. The Inova's win hands down. Also check out Flashlightreviews tests of the UK and XO3 lights (links below). Please do not misunderstand me. I believe that your observation was true, as you have no reason to state otherwise. I am only suggesting that your particular XO3 may not be operating at its specified brightness (defective?). Do you have access to another XO3 to ckeck this out? Again, welcome to cpf. Keep buying lights! The only thing that loses weight around here is your wallet :laughing:

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/inova_xo3.htm

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/uk_q40p.htm