Inova T4 (2008) first impressions

Major disappointment!

I ordered 2 Inova T4 to use in my job. I needed an intense light source for some imaging work, and a self-contained, rechargeable power source was desirable. To date I had been using my personal gear, but it was time to get some official lighting components for my lab. For a narrow spot light, the Inova Tiros based lights have always been one of my favorites. I didn't have time to build a custom source, or do extra research, so I fell back to a trusted brand.

The good:
The design and manufacturing quality of this light is top notch. The body is large by LED standards, but the light weight makes it an easy back-pocket carry. The reflector is a very good design, and looks to be machined from solid aluminum. The surface has a haze to it, presumably for increased diffusion. It still says Made in USA on the box.


The bad:
It has a surprisingly wide spill beam, with a total cone angle of about 45 degrees. Then there are 2 concentric hot spots. The outer one diverges at about 15 degrees, and has a nicely faded edge. The inner one is square, blotchy, more yellow, and diverges at about half the outer. Outdoors at night it is not too bad, as long as you don't let the hot spots fall on anything too nearby. Indoors it is unpleasant. For my photo application, well, I have a problem on my hands. I can start adding optics to get to where I need to be, add diffusers to smooth things out (waste light) or maybe buy a couple of old XO3 to get the job done. Please note that this is my own specific problem for my "spotlight" need at work. As a flashlight using consumer, well, I have no use for a hot spot in my light, let alone 2 of them.

The ugly:
Nasty yellow light! I haven't used an incandescent light for years, but I could swear that I have one now. I will dig out an old Maglight and compare colors. Maybe I have been using LED and short arc xenon (and sunlight) too long. I realize that lighting color preference is an individual thing, so this may just by my own aversion to tungsten filaments. As a reference point, I hate the "soft white" type of fluorescent bulbs. Bright white is better, and "daylight" spectrum is best (if it really is close to a daylight balance).

There is also the issue of power settings. There are 2: wide open, and instant headache flicker. The low setting pulses at about 90 hz, with a roughly 15% duty cycle. That means it is completely off 85% of the time. I realize that this is a standard trick on old or cheap LED lights, but the T4 does not fall into either category. I tried to use it outside at night, and I thought it was terrible. There is no chance of dark-adapting with that hot spot around. Kicking it into low is freaky if you move around at all, with multiple images of everything. My solution was to shut it off and light up a Fenix P3D (Q5) on low or medium (no flicker). On high (not yet turbo) the Fenix offers better visibility than the T4 on high, save possibly at long distances (the Fenix diverges faster). On the other hand the T4 has more heat sink area, so I am quite comfortable running it continuously.

But more good:
I peeked inside, and the T4 looks to be pretty modular. I love the LED board that is heat-sinked on the forward side, and held in place by beautiful, removable, screws! The power supply is also a separate module, and connects to the LED board with spring loaded pins. Upgrade or repair seems feasible.

Overall:
I like the light, until I turn it on. The beam pattern is a "tweener" compromise that will not satisfy my need for a spot light, or a working flood light. The yellow color is just added unpleasantness. The center hot spot makes it a good light for long range viewing, although I suspect that most of the light is actually in the spill beam. I really believe that this is a good light, with a crappy LED. I don't mean a single instance, because the light that I have been describing is the better of the two. I think that whatever LED is in use is just a poor match for a housing of this quality.

gerG

Hmmm, i wont be getting one now.
I hope this isnt a sales ploy by another manufacturer.

:wow: you actually open the light engine !
Can you post some photos of it?

Manufacturer? I wish. I am just a lab rat at a large corporation. I used to be a member here 6 years ago, but my account seems to have gone missing.

I left out my first option: I plan to call up Inova next week and see what they suggest. If the LED is replaceable/removable, there may be some options.

gerG

I love taking macro shots! The problem is that this is a new product (version) by a manufacturer that I respect. I usually try to avoid public dissections for a few months after introduction. Did anybody open up the old version?

There really is not much to see. The back of the LED board has ring contacts, and the power module has 2 gold pins sticking out to touch the rings. The very nice part is that it can be taken apart and put together without harming the functionality.

gerG

Thx gerG,
But how do you get it opened?

Hi nanotech.

There is a threaded joint between the head and the body. There looks to be another one at the lens ring, but I have not had it opened yet. I carefully unscrewed the head from the body and had a look inside. It is a right handed thread, with an o-ring seal. Inova earns points for not smearing locktite or epoxy all over the threads like many other manufacturers. At least there was not any on the one that I opened. There is no guarantee that yours will behave the same, especially if it is an older model. Proceed with caution!

I think that Inova has a great opportunity here. Imagine having a light that was designed to easily swap/upgrade the LED puck. I can see half the people on this site having one of these lights with a little case of LEDs for "emitter rolling". I know I would, especially if I could get a Cree 7090 UV emitter.

gerG

I love my T4. Many people complain about LED's being to white and not being able to get any depth perception and stuff from the quality of light. The new Inovas are a bit yellow compared to other LEDs, but on their own are very white, far more than incandescents.

While the original poster may have no use for a hot spot, most people do if they want any throw at all. This light has a fantastic mix of flood and throw and is very bright. I like not having to buy batteries for it as well.

The low setting is a little reminiscent of a zombie attack in Dawn of the Dead (2004) but is only noticeable with fast movement. If your writing something down or doing up close things at night it is very useful because it won't totally kill your night vision.

Other good features are that they are made in USA, and you can run over them with a car they are so durable.

Xak said:

I love my T4. Many people complain about LED's being to white and not being able to get any depth perception and stuff from the quality of light. The new Inovas are a bit yellow compared to other LEDs, but on their own are very white, far more than incandescents.

While the original poster may have no use for a hot spot, most people do if they want any throw at all. This light has a fantastic mix of flood and throw and is very bright. I like not having to buy batteries for it as well.

The low setting is a little reminiscent of a zombie attack in Dawn of the Dead (2004) but is only noticeable with fast movement. If your writing something down or doing up close things at night it is very useful because it won't totally kill your night vision.

Other good features are that they are made in USA, and you can run over them with a car they are so durable.

Click to expand...

+1

I do not have the T3, but I do have the new T1, and it has the same basic characteristics mentioned, BUT, I see them in a positive light. In fact, it is probably one my overall favorites anymore.

The light has decent throw, not like the old Tiros, but very certainly very decent with a good amount of flood. The compromise is in fact, quite excellant and user friendly.

The beam is more yellow than other LEDs have been, but no where near what my old Surefire and other incads are. It is again, a compromise which gives some of the benefits of both beams. Again, congratulations, one of the biggest bitc*** heard about LEDs is the white or blueish tinted beam. People have been crying for years for a "warmer" LED light, well here it is, and it works, and works well. Now there will be people crying because it is not white anymore, cannot please everyone.

Runtime is very good, and not everyone wants or needs multiple modes, I personally do not. If someone does there are plenty out there.

I guess it just goes to show that no one light, or manufacturer is going to please everyone, and that the type of light it throws can be seen as good or bad, depending upon what one wants.

Very interesting. Shame they use the old pulse method for the low setting.
Instant headache... yeah... I know exactly what that is like. Had a string of LED christmas light that caused this within seconds. Went right into the trash.