Re: Pelican m6 3w (vs) Inova Xo3 - beamshots pleas
Here they are!
First the XO3 in a dark room with the lowest setting on the camera at about 15ft. It may not appear so, but these lights really light up a room. The camera is turned way down.
Now the Pelican M6-HA3 from the Battery Station in the same room at 15ft and same camera settings. Notice that you can seen more detail in the side spill.
Now a head-to-head outside, on my garage at about 40ft with the XO3 on the left. Again the camera is turned down to prevent wash-out - it's a cheap 1.3Mpixel.
The Pelican has a tighter hotspot, slightly better throw, more side spill, and a much whiter tint than the XO3. It currently costs $99+shipping from the Battery Station. It's got a great natural HA3 finish and a premium reflector. It has a standard polycarb lens. It's regulated and will run on 2 CR123s or a 17670/Pila 168S without modification (I've found AW's protected 17670s fit well). The threads on the tail cap are a bit rough and the clickie has a very light click that is IMHO too soft. I've noticed that if you screw the tail cap on a bit too tight, the light won't work at all leaving you bewildered. The knurling on the body is the best I've seen with lots of grip. This light gets HOT if left on unattended for more than 5 minutes - WOW hot!
The Inova is built like a tank and costs about $55+shipping ($45 less than the Pelican). It too runs on 2 CR123s but I've been unable to fit protected cells in this light without modification (unprotected 17670s fit well). I've heard that a Pila 168S will fit if the outer wrapper is removed but I cannot confirm this. RCR123s are also not recommended as the regulator can handle only about 7v max.
This light does not got as hot as the Pelican and I suspect it's because the emitter is not driven as hard in the Inova. The body of the XO3 is plain and smooth and even the knurling on the tail cap provides little grip. The threads on the tail cap are very smooth. It's about 3/4" longer than the Pelican. It has a AR coated mineral lens and a tough stainless steel bezel.
Overall, I believe the Pelican to be a superior product, but $45 better??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif