Is anyone using Cheap Chinese Video light?

[Ardy]

Hi All, I have ignored the button with a red circle in it for the last 15 years due to time spent (wasted) in post-processing. Going up to Bali in the new year and thought I would press it a few times and see what I get.

Are there serious downsides to using a cheap Chinese light as this trip as it may be the only time I use it? Are there any tips for a mug doing video for the first time.
Also, can you mix video with stills in a single dive without too much hassle?

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Hi All, I have ignored the button with a red circle in it for the last 15 years due to time spent (wasted) in post-processing. Going up to Bali in the new year and thought I would press it a few times and see what I get.

Are there serious downsides to using a cheap Chinese light as this trip as it may be the only time I use it? Are there any tips for a mug doing video for the first time.
Also, can you mix video with stills in a single dive without too much hassle?

Is it really waterproof? That seems to be a big issue for underwater use.

And yes, I have discarded several "let's try a cheap light" experiments as they either:
- flooded
- stopped working after a few minutes
- turned off underwater (incorrect heat overload?) and need the battery removed and re-inserted to reset and work again. Not a useful procedure underwater.

 

[grantctobin]

Hi All, I have ignored the button with a red circle in it for the last 15 years due to time spent (wasted) in post-processing. Going up to Bali in the new year and thought I would press it a few times and see what I get.

Are there serious downsides to using a cheap Chinese light as this trip as it may be the only time I use it? Are there any tips for a mug doing video for the first time.
Also, can you mix video with stills in a single dive without too much hassle?

cheap chinese video light review

the original manufacturer is unknown. the flashlights are sold under several different brands: Brett, "Severe Cold", and various "fires" (uranusfire, supfire, vastfire, kcfire, walkefire, et cetera). as I already had some bad experience with buying Li-Ion batteries on aliexpress I made a note to...

scubaboard.com

 

[Ardy]

cheap chinese video light review

the original manufacturer is unknown. the flashlights are sold under several different brands: Brett, "Severe Cold", and various "fires" (uranusfire, supfire, vastfire, kcfire, walkefire, et cetera). as I already had some bad experience with buying Li-Ion batteries on aliexpress I made a note to...

scubaboard.com

Yes, I looked at that some time ago. Just checked for updates.

My main issue is not about buying one but anyone using them.

 

[tursiops]

I was very happy with this light; 6000 lumens for $80.

 

[Ardy]

I was very happy with this light; 6000 lumens for $80.

WAS ?

 

[Darnold9999]

I have had good luck with nitescuba’s lights as well. The video light I use is their NSV60. Very wide angle beam so no hot spot and a pair has survived roughly 80 dives with no issues. Run time approx 40 min on high much longer on low. Use it with a go pro.

 

[tursiops]

WAS ?

Yes, when I dived with it. I am not diving right now, so "was" not "am."

 

[macado]

I had 7 of them; I am down to 3 working ones. For the price I consider them disposible. I use them for offboard camera lighting and videos.

The weak point is the buttons. They rust/corrode and will occasionally flood through the buttons. Make sure you rinse the buttons thoroughly if diving in salt water. They are hard to beat for the price and I dont get upset if they get lost or flood.

 

[runsongas]

the buttons only have a single oring and don't seal well, a bigger issue if you dive in the ocean, but you can pack them with silicone grease which helps a bit.

some come with low quality sealing orings, but that is a cheap and easy fix if you have the right size from theoringstore.com

also make sure you get the correct button top batteries, some complaints come down to users trying to get by with cheaper flat tops which don't give enough electrical contact

if you do a bit of work and test dive it to verify it seals and stays waterproof at depth before the trip, you should be able to get a few hundred dives of use out of it before the anodization starts becoming a problem.