Hi guys!
I need your help and advice, because I’m a bit lost when it comes to choosing a new light.
Right now, I’m diving with a Divepro S26 (6° / 2600 lm). I’d like to get a flood beam for exploration, to illuminate a wider area. At first, I was considering the BigBlue VTL 4200, then the VTL 9000 with its 120° flood at 9000 lm and 10° spot at 1200 lm. But when I saw it in a shop yesterday, it felt a bit big and long. The 4200 seems like a nice size, but it has less battery life and power. I don’t do any video, unfortunately i didn't have the chance to see clearly underwater or even in photos how different are 4200 vs 1000 (or 6200 for example), to know exactly what are my needs. But from what I understand, having more power could be more interesting with a wide beam, since the light is more spread out"
I also noticed that if I stick to the VL models (120° flood only, without switching to a narrow beam), they are actually more compact and a bit cheaper. For example, the VL6200 (529 €) or even the VL9000/10000 (675 €). Since these don’t have a narrow beam, I’d still keep my S26 as a backup for communication. That way I’d always have to carry two lights if I really wanted to stick to DIR principles — even if, to be honest, for now I’m not doing very long or complex tech dives, and I don’t communicate that much underwater.
What do you think about this setup?
For context: I’m a new TDI Extended Range diver, usually going down to 30–60 m with decompression, and I’d love to do more wreck dives in the future — and eventually go deeper in the coming years. (If this information can have an impact on the required power, even if a tek diver told me he took his 4200 down to 100 m without any problems.
Thanks a lot, have a good sunday
Chris
I need your help and advice, because I’m a bit lost when it comes to choosing a new light.
Right now, I’m diving with a Divepro S26 (6° / 2600 lm). I’d like to get a flood beam for exploration, to illuminate a wider area. At first, I was considering the BigBlue VTL 4200, then the VTL 9000 with its 120° flood at 9000 lm and 10° spot at 1200 lm. But when I saw it in a shop yesterday, it felt a bit big and long. The 4200 seems like a nice size, but it has less battery life and power. I don’t do any video, unfortunately i didn't have the chance to see clearly underwater or even in photos how different are 4200 vs 1000 (or 6200 for example), to know exactly what are my needs. But from what I understand, having more power could be more interesting with a wide beam, since the light is more spread out"
I also noticed that if I stick to the VL models (120° flood only, without switching to a narrow beam), they are actually more compact and a bit cheaper. For example, the VL6200 (529 €) or even the VL9000/10000 (675 €). Since these don’t have a narrow beam, I’d still keep my S26 as a backup for communication. That way I’d always have to carry two lights if I really wanted to stick to DIR principles — even if, to be honest, for now I’m not doing very long or complex tech dives, and I don’t communicate that much underwater.
What do you think about this setup?
For context: I’m a new TDI Extended Range diver, usually going down to 30–60 m with decompression, and I’d love to do more wreck dives in the future — and eventually go deeper in the coming years. (If this information can have an impact on the required power, even if a tek diver told me he took his 4200 down to 100 m without any problems.
Thanks a lot, have a good sunday
Chris
i already have a 2600lm light with 6º
