Lots of inexpensive dive light options - any experience with these ones? (photos)

[kyley]

Hi All,
I recently purchased a TrustFire TR-J2 (haven't dove with it yet) and I think it's a pretty narrow beam light. Anyway, I'd like to have two lights (so I have a backup), and I'd like to get one that's more wide angle. Here are a few that I've found. The list may be helpful to some of you - and maybe you can share your experience if you've used any of them. I don't trust the lumen ratings, can't tell if they're really wider angle or not (I'm just guessing by the width of the lens end), and I don't know how long they'll last on a fully charged battery (I'd like to get at least an hour on high setting; ideally more). All these lights are using XM-L T6 LED - I'm leaning towards one of the first 3:

1. EDI-T D34 - listed as 1800 lumens, 80 meters, $30 or $46 w/ batteries - this one uses 1x 26650 - most of the others use 1x 18650:
1800Lm CREE XML XM L T6 LED Diving Flashlight Torch Waterproof 26650 | eBay
2. Unknown light - I think maybe another EDI-T? - listed as 1600 lumens, 100 meters, $47 or $55 w/ batteries:
1600Lm 100M Underwater Diving CREE XM L LED Flashlight Torch Waterproof Light F1 | eBay
3. Yezl Q2 (I think) / F1 - listed as 1600 lumens, 100 meters, $47 or $55 w/ batteries - listed as 860 lumens and $37.50 on CNQG (+ $8 shipping):
1600Lm 100M Underwater Diving CREE XM L LED Flashlight Torch Waterproof Light F2 | eBay
YEZL Q2 CREE XM-L T6 1x18650 100m Diving Flashlight_YEZL Flashlights_Electronics Wholesale online
4. I read a good review of this one, but it looks like it isn't very wide angle... 500 lumens, 100 meters, just $22:
1500 LM CREE XM L T6 LED Flashlight Waterproof Magnetic Control Torch Lamp | eBay
5. This "BT-OS66" claims 950 lumens, 50 meters, but just "up to" 1 hour of battery, 1 reviewer claimed it had a wide angle, $37 w/o batteries:
CREE XM-LT6 6W 950 Lumen Diving LED Flashlight - Tmart.com
6. The TrustFire TR DF003 is about twice the cost of the others and much larger (not exactly what I was looking for), but it's 3 LEDs (and really bright) too. I imagine the 3 LEDs and larger head allow it to make a more wide angle beam? I wonder what battery life is like... Anyway, it's listed as 4,000 lumens, 100 meters, uses 2x 26650 (or 2x 18650), and $84 w/o batteries.
TrustFire TR DF003 3X CREE XM L T6 LED 4000LUMENS Diving Flashlight Torch | eBay
Unfortunately, I read there are issues with the switching mechanism that make it difficult to impossible to turn on / off or change modes once submerged

I kind of doubt these ones are floods, but maybe some of you may have more interest in them?
7. Unknown light using 2 batteries, 1200 lumens, 100 meters, $46 w/ batteries:
1200LM CREE XM L T6 LED Dive Diving Flashlight Torch Underwater Light | eBay
8. Another unknown light using 2 batteries, 1600 lumens, 100 meters, $46 w/ batteries:
1600 LM 100M Diver Diving CREE XM L LED Flashlight Torch Waterproof 18650 Light | eBay
9. This one uses 2x 26650 batteries (larger batteries), 1600 lumens, 200 meters, $58 w/o batteries:
1600Lm 200M Underwater Diving CREE XM L LED Flashlight Torch Waterproof Light | eBay
10. XTAR D06 - This one's a little pricier, rated at 800 lumens, 100 meters, $69 on eBay, I've seen good reviews, but it doesn't look like it's wide angle though:
XTAR D06 Scuba CREE XM L T6 LED Flashlight 18650 800LUMENS Diving Charger Set | eBay

I found several other lights by EDI-T on their website as well:
EDI-T » LED Diving Flashlights

It would also be nice to get one with a wrist-mount strap, but that's not a must-have... Thanks in advance for any advice / recommendations! Here are photos of the 10 lights above:
1:

2:

3:

4:

5:

6:

7:

8:

9:

10:

Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[lucca brassi]

Do you really want them ,
Do you really want make you cry....?

sorry close Boy George - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me - YouTube

 

[miketsp]

Just my opinion but wide-angle lights for diving are a waste of time unless you intend to use them for photography.

At night or in poor vis you want a light with penetrating power.

Trying to signal your buddy with a wide-angle beam is difficult.

During the daytime, when using it for looking into holes, crevices or under ledges you want a tight strong beam to illuminate inside.

Just my 2c.

 

[Dr Dog]

Hey
I use a canister as my primary light, but I did grab an inexpensive back up, that I think works fantastic.. U/K SL3 handheld. I grabbed it for 40 dollars CAD.. I have used it, and it works well.

 

[SangP]

This is my backup:

Penetrater 220

 

[kyley]

Just my opinion but wide-angle lights for diving are a waste of time unless you intend to use them for photography.
At night or in poor vis you want a light with penetrating power.

Thanks miketsp,
I do want a wide angle partly for photography, and I'd like a more even light beam when looking at critters on the reef anyway rather than blasting them with the hotspot. It's easier to see a more evenly lit-up area. Some of the lights out now are bright enough that even at wide angle they light up a big area pretty well. At any rate, one that's not super narrow with a diffuser may work too.

At any rate, I already have a good narrow beam with the TrustFire TR-J2. The wide angle would probably become my primary, and the TrustFire my backup (or switch to it as needed).

I did grab an inexpensive back up, that I think works fantastic.. U/K SL3 handheld.

This is my backup: Penetrater 220

Thanks for these recommendations, but I'd like to get something brighter than these two. It's surprising, but these inexpensive China-made lights do have the bright thing down with the XM-L T6 LEDs... My main reason for posting is to see if any here have used these and have determined thier brightness and angle of light in person. Take care,

--Kyle

 

[nimoh]

I agree with miketsp, get a tight beam on your primary and backups so that you can signal. If your primary fails, and you switch to your backup, you will need to signal at that point, and a wide angle backup will not work so well for that.

For photography, I would look at a strobe instead of a wide angle light, and get a wide angle light for shooting video.

 

[3D diver]

Wow, a lot of lumens out there & it's only gonna get better.

The ratings seem inconsistent---a lot of different numbers for what appear to be the same LED---but I read somewhere the differences are a matter of sorting at test, so the results may be real.

If you really want to spread the light, and don't mind losing some intensity, use a simple white diffuser (like used on flourescent lamps).

Here's a comparison of the beam spread of a 1000 lumen DRIS light as-delivered and with a white diffuser:

 

[kyley]

Yeah, I imagine most of the lights I listed are pretty close in terms of lumens, but there can be a difference based on how hard they're driven, how wide the angle is, smooth or textured reflector, etc. I think I would get the TrustFire 3 LED one if it weren't for all the issues with turning it off / on, changing modes, and shorting underwater Great light and body, very poor switch design...

Without being able to see them first-hand and without knowing anything about the angle of the lights, I'm leaning towards the Yezl Q2. A found a website that has mini reviews of this light and many others here:
Torchy the Battery Boy: Diving Torch Database
Of the less expensive ones, the Yezl Q2 looks pretty good. Bright and reasonably wide. The XTAR D06 looks about the same, but is more expensive.

Other lights on that site look good too, but they're pricier and I can't find them online:
A. The Torchy iCharge 3xR5 looks crazy wide and bright, but pricey and I can't find it anywhere... B. The Superstar 1000N looks similar (not quite as wide), but also pricier and I can't find it.
C. The related Superstar 1000W has no real hot spot, but would probably be good for video (also not sure where to purchase it).

Anyway, unless I hear some other feedback here, I'm leaning towards the Yezl Q2, but I'd like to see the EDI-T D34 and some of the others in a side-by-side comparison... Take care,
--Kyle

 

[00wabbit]

When you find a light check out my Goodman handle I designed with the help of some other scubaboarders. It was originally designed to fit the DRIS1000 which seems to be the go to light around here.