2007 Inova T3's have arrived! Preview with beamshots.

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MattK

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The new 2007 T3's are here!

As most of you know by now TIROS has been eliminated in favor of a clear AR coated mineral glass lense and diamond turned reflector.

Other changes:
-Anodized black bezel.
-K2 LED rated at 100 lumens. "with 100 lumen LED"
-Now uses 3 X CR123A. Claimed runtime is now 2.5Hrs. SAME SIZED BODY.
-Slightly more expensive, :(

Please do not ask me about RCR123A, 18650, 17670 etc. These have been here for 6hrs and your guess is as good as mine.

I've been told that it's running at 850mah.

Item Listing is up LINK

Let's go to the pictures :)

theshorelinemarket_1936_8755779
theshorelinemarket_1936_8905509


Beamshots:

At about 18 feet.

Original TIROS T3
OT3%20-%200%20stops.jpg

2007 model T3
07T3%20-%200%20stops.jpg


Old on left, new on right in the following pics at about 30"

0-stops
T3%20-%2007%20T3%20-%200%20stops.jpg


1 Stop
T3%20-%2007%20T3%20-%201%20stop.jpg


2 Stops
T3%20-%2007%20T3%20-2%20stops.jpg
 

flashy bazook

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good job, Inova, in getting the new models out quickly! and many thanks for the beamshots, MattK, they are great.

in terms of the specs: it sounds like the new T3 is about the same as the old (still unreplaced) T5: both have 3 cells, both are rated for 100 lumen.

in terms of runtime, the new T3 has 2.5 hrs as against the old T5 having 3 hrs.

main difference must then be the optics, old TIROS vs new optics, and perhaps the new T3 being driven a bit harder. K2 also could be more heat efficient than the Lux-IV in the old T5.
 

Blindasabat

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Nice pictures, nice light, nice comparison, but you need to stop the camera down even more to see which has a hotter spot. Both are still overexposed at -2 stops. But some cameras can't do any more than that.
 

dixemon

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I like the features of the new T3 but Im more interested in the T1 and T2 sized lights. Also If these came in a yellow color with a polycarbonate lens I would probably buy 20 of them for our hangar deck.
 

Mad1

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3 CR123's is it longer now? Also is it the beamshots or me? but it doesn't really look like it's got any more spill.
 

MattK

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Flashy - Thanks - my pleasure!

Blindasabat - My digicam only does 2 tops :(

dixemon - T1 and T2 are still a few weeks out.

Mad1 - same sized body. The p;d T3 I have runs very green but is on the bright side too - Lux lottery as usual. It has considerably more spill - must be my photog. skills.
 
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ginaz

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inova has a gift for being really confusing at times. i'm going to have to see the whole new line-up before i can really make any decisions. times like these make me really miss flahlightreviews...
 

r0b0r

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Are the heads ACCESSIBLE!?
(inova you *******s)

If they are, I'm going to wait a while to return my T3 for repair\replacement... hopefully get one that can be repaired when it dies... none of this sending back to the states nonsense:scowl:
 

Robocop

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Ok I have to ask but who is the dare devil that will try the water freeze trick to get the internals out...haha we all know someone will do it.

I have never been a fan of the TIROS and these side by side comparisons do not do much to make me like them either.....man that reflector design is much more of an improvement in my opinion.

Thanks for the pics and I do like the new features much better.
 

pilou

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Many thanks Matt.

I think that if you look carefully, you will notice what TIROS had brought to the table: a wider and "flatter" central hot spot. You will also notice that the rings aren't an issue at all in the 18' beam shot. So I think Inova had done a good job with TIROS. Of course, these advantages came at the expense of less side spill. I would argue that both beam patterns have their place in practice, and I wouldn't be surprised if law enforcement people eventually asked for both types of lights from Inova.

I also would venture to guess that if the new T3 had retained TIROS, its central spot would have looked noticeably brighter than that of the old one. We are seeing similar levels (need lower stops to see better) in the spot, but remember that the new light has higher output.

I also notice that, just like with the new T4, the SS bezel is gone.
 

flashy bazook

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Illum_the_nation said:
not really considering the amount of room TIROS takes up....Im somewhat saddened by this new change...

TIROS was the reason why I liked inovas
ohgeez.gif

as I posted, it sounds like the new T3's (with the non-TIROS optic) are similar to the old (and still unreplaced) T5's. Same specs, except for the K2 in place of the Lux-IV, and the new optic.

With the price reductions, you could just buy the T5 which is still being sold and has the TIROS optic, and you'd be getting similar performance to the new T3.
 

MattK

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Well the T3 is still about 2" shorter than a T5 and has the tailcap switch so many here prefer.

The new T5 is 6-8 weeks out still and will have a smaller side-spill but, will throw farther than the T3. Runtime is also longer.
 

frogs3

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I already have a T2 and 2 TIROS T5's, which serve me, my wife and daughter very well, BUT having FLASHAHOLIC disease, I can wait for the new T5, since it looks like it will fit in nicely for outdoor applications, especially with the side switch that I prefer.

Patience, patience...
 

pilou

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MattK said:
The new T5 is 6-8 weeks out still and will have a smaller side-spill but, will throw farther than the T3. Runtime is also longer.

Aha! So it seems like both types of beams will be provided, one in the T3 the other in the T5.
 

MattK

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Indeed. The new T5 also has some newfangled battery tray for battery changes. I haven't seen it but it was described to me as, 'the new T5 will use three cells that are placed into a 'tray'. When the cells are spentsSlide the tray out and pop in a new tray.'
 

enLIGHTenment

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This is not an improvement. TIROS was what make the T series great. Inova has taken what was a great light and turned it into yet another aluminum pipe with a mirror on one end.
 
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