UK - HID Lite Cannon As Video Lights?

[R.Soper]

Hi all,

I am just wondering if anyone has experience of using these lights as video lights. I have a Gates housing for a Sony PC105, and have ordered two of these torches, with articulated arms, for my housing. Do they work OK, for those of you who have used them? I am also wondering how you have found the articulated arms, do you find they are "stiff eneaugh" to support the weight of the torches.

I get the impression that there have been issues with the torch, from when they were first was brought on the market. I am led to believe the issues seem to be in relation to bulbs which do not work, or work but not for very long, and the fragility of the system, and issues surrounding general unreliability. Can anyone confirm if these issues have been "ironed out" by now? They seem great value for money.

Can anyone also give me a few tips on what to do, and what not to do with the torch, so they hopefully last longer than six months!

The other option was the HID Nightrider lights, very sexy but crazy prices!

Thanks - Bob

 

[PeaceDog]

Bob:

The Light Canons are excellent divelights, among the absolute best on the market; but be warned, they're not great video lights right out of the box.

At the very least know you'll need to buy extra diffusion filters for them because they have some wicked hotspots. I had a pair myself for my Equinox Housing.

Their biggest advantage is their disadvantage - they have no sync cords or battery packs associated with them, so they're completely self-contained. That's awesome. However, having to stuff 8 C's in them means they're incredibly heavy, and as a result your rig tends to be a bit top-heavy of off balance. When you're framing a shot, the center of gravity shouldn't be dangling off your strobe arms, if you know what I mean.

That said, the beam is intense and they do exactly what they claim to do.

-Aaron

 

[JamieZ]

IMHO 10w light canons are no where near bright enough for video. Their 10w HID's with diffusers to soften the hot spots created with out it. This is another poor characteristic of these lights, diffusers dim down the brightness of the light. I wouldn't go with anything less then dual 21w hid's for video. Even these wont produce great looking results in dark areas such as caves or deep wrecks. I recently chose to purchase 2- 21w dark buster lanterns made by brightstar for 299 each. These are by far a superior light compared to the light canons. They use a video reflector to spread out the light instead of a diffuser. They make my 10w canister light look like a bic lighter next to them.

As far as using snap-loc fittings for light arms, they kind of suck. Away to make them a little stiffer is to run a hose up the middle of them.

 

[R.Soper]

Thanks for the info guys, i would love to be able to buy dual 21W - HID's for my video rig but i just can't afford it! In a perfect world, i would buy the Niterider Pro 40 HID lights, but at US$2700 i think its a bit pricey. As it stands, i am spending about US$700 on these lights, with rechargable battery packs, and the articulated arms. I just can't justify spending more than that when at the end of the day, i am not a proffesional videographer producing films for National Geographic.

Scubanarc, i will use your suggestion of running hose pipe inside the articulated arms if i find they are not stiff eneaugh - thanks.

Peacedog i believe the Lite Cannon's come with two diffusers for each torch, do you think this will be sufficient to reduce "hot spots?" If you were to use two diffusers on each torch, how much light would you lose from the torch as mentioned by Scubanarc?

 

[sharksdelight]

I've used the cannons since they were first introduced at Dema several years ago. They have several advantages and disadvantages. That they are self contained is wonderful. They are heavy but lighter than the UK AquaSun video lights that they replaced. The light is certainly bright enough and with the use of the diffusers and proper positioning one should be able to avoid over exposing your subject as well as having hot spots. Those two things have never been a real problem for me. Sometimes I will use 2 diffusers per light but also have had success with just one.
Maybe because I do more international dive travel than many I have found that the cannons biggest weakness is their fragility. I got used to always traveling with one or two spare cannons because I never knew when the switches would malfunction or not. They could be a real pain in that way. Even tho UK backs them up with lifetime warranties, that means nothing if you are on a boat somewhere 3000 miles from home. When the switches were working they have great burn times and do just fine. Have never even had to replace a bulb.
I have also grown tired of dragging along 24 rechargeable C batteries, 8 for each and the spare, and the two large rechargers I got from Radio Shack. An alternative is to bring regular batteries but then you would need to bring many more than 24 with you and they would certainly add weight on the way there. Airlines are going nuts about weight allowances. Personally, I have never found the lights to cause my housing to feel topheavy or unbalanced and I have used both ultr light arms and the articulated ones which I actually prefer because they are easier to adjust.The arms hold their shape in the water, just not top side.
I found them to be especially effective lights during the day. However, they seem to burn blue on night dives and so I switch over to the warmth of halogen lights for filming at night.
I have recently switched over to the Light & Motion HID lights with my Gates housing but do not have enough pragmatic experience with them yet to talk knowledgeably.
Thus my contribution to this thread. Hey all-
Steve:14:

 

[PeaceDog]

Thus my contribution to this thread.
Steve:14:

I agree with everything sharksdelight said.

It's probably the best option for your budget, just be aware of all the facts.

 

[meekal]

just my $0.02 you can check out my video at http://piddlefish.servepics.com/SCUBA/video.html then choose the NOV 26, 2004 video of the SPIEGEL GROVE... look specifically at around the 1:52 mark and then again at the 4:14 mark.

HOT HOT HOT. and that's with a diffuser on!

the video was COLOUR CORRECTED in post. that's why the HID is so orange looking so that's ANOTHER thing you have to consider if you're going to use lights U/W

since the HID's only have about a 2' working distance ANYTHING else you will also have to be putting ON and OFF your RED FILTER. that's a PITA. 4 sure.

again, just my $0.02.

 

[meekal]

Maybe because I do more international dive travel than many I have found that the cannons biggest weakness is their fragility. I got used to always traveling with one or two spare cannons because I never knew when the switches would malfunction or not. They could be a real pain in that way. Even tho UK backs them up with lifetime warranties, that means nothing if you are on a boat somewhere 3000 miles from home. When the switches were working they have great burn times and do just fine. Have never even had to replace a bulb.-
Steve:14:

amen.... those switches drive me nutZ-0. you look at the light wrong and it won't lightUp.... really sux even if your boat is only 6 miles out in the keys..... if it's a night dive, well...... kiss that goodBye. that's why i have also started bringing a 'spare' main light for night dives...... the UK eLED has been great so far... so it's NOT that UK makes a bad product, it's just something about the switches on the LIGHT CANNONS.

never even thought about the warranty. will use that NEXT time instead of PLAN-B..... PLAN-B is getting too expensive!

 

[R.Soper]

Thanks for the tips, Meekal, i watched your video which was great by the way.

Were the hotspots the white images in the top right quarter of the screen (i don't know what i am looking for here, and my programme has no timer.) How do you avoid these hotspots, and how do you use the red filter in conjunction with the lights?

Cheers - Bob

 

[JamieZ]

You can purchase the 2-21w hids for $600 (batteryspace.com)their custmer service sucks though)) thats a $100 less then what you'll be paying. They come with rechargable batteries and charger, as far as the arms make your own using parts easily purchased from mcmastercarr, look under snap loc fittings or loc line. You'll save yourself some cash and have way better lights with actual video reflectors. From personal use I wouldnt be happy using 10w HID's for video. Not enough bang for the buck........

Thanks for the info guys, i would love to be able to buy dual 21W - HID's for my video rig but i just can't afford it! In a perfect world, i would buy the Niterider Pro 40 HID lights, but at US$2700 i think its a bit pricey. As it stands, i am spending about US$700 on these lights, with rechargable battery packs, and the articulated arms. I just can't justify spending more than that when at the end of the day, i am not a proffesional videographer producing films for National Geographic.

Scubanarc, i will use your suggestion of running hose pipe inside the articulated arms if i find they are not stiff eneaugh - thanks.

Peacedog i believe the Lite Cannon's come with two diffusers for each torch, do you think this will be sufficient to reduce "hot spots?" If you were to use two diffusers on each torch, how much light would you lose from the torch as mentioned by Scubanarc?