Are lights necessary for 15m dive.

[astroprojector]

Hello,

I am not an active diver. Usually I go on introductory dives. The introductory dives are do not go deeper than 20 meters. I will be going to introductory dive in Red Sea this summer and want to take my GoPro camera. I have all the equipment: dive housing, red filter and handle, however, is it necessary to have a light at 20 meters or is it bright enough to go without one?

I was going to make my own GoPro handle out of PVC and attach lights to it, however, I cannot find a flex arms and not sure what the best light to use, a 4000LM or 1800LM?

Thanks

 

[sphyrnidus]

Below 10 m if you want to film small things a light is nice. It is not strictly necessary . I use a Sola 1200 which is sufficient. If you want just to film the surroundings use the red filter, but no light, it is one or the other. Enjoy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tigerman]

The red sea has fantastic visibility, but the reds do disappear fast there as well...

On another note, doing intro (DSD?) dives over and over again will cost you more than just getting certified and going on a dayboat in the long run.

 

[diversteve]

cannot find a flex arms

Grainger Industrial Supply - MRO Products, Equipment & Tools - type in Loc Line - it's the same stuff. There's a dozen+ Grainger stores in L.A.

The Original Modular Hose System | Loc-Line is the mfr's website.

You can also find it all over eBay. Seems to be about the cheapest there.

 

[avigulf]

small fishes and critters like to hide under stones and then you need light to best see these. Also for penetrating wreckdiving lights are essential.

 

[Tigerman]

You wont do any penetration wreck diving during a DSD...

 

[astroprojector]

So, I am still debating if I need lights. Most likely this will be the only time I will be diving in the Red Sea and I want to make sure that the video comes out OK.

Can someone tell me if any of these lights will be enough. All are 2000Lm.

150M Underwater 2000LM CREE XM L T6 Waterproof Diving Flashlight Torch for 18650 | eBay

2000LM Underwater 260ft CREE XML T6 LED 26650 Diving Flashlight Torch Waterproof | eBay

2000LM CREE XML T6 LED Flashlight Diving Underwater 80M Torch Lamp Charger | eBay

Thanks

 

[Tigerman]

I have no experience with the mentioned lights, however I'll just give some more visual input.
ALL of the shots in this album was taken with a Canon G7 with no lights and only VERY few with the internal flash.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/evenalie/sets/72157632837148793/
The shots was taken at depths down to 30 meters. I DID however shoot raw and whitebalanced in post-processing, something that is also possible with the GoPro.
Yes, lights will help. But do you NEED them for 15 meter dives in the red sea? You decide

 

[diversteve]

So, I am still debating if I need lights. Most likely this will be the only time I will be diving in the Red Sea and I want to make sure that the video comes out OK.

Can someone tell me if any of these lights will be enough. All are 2000Lm.

150M Underwater 2000LM CREE XM L T6 Waterproof Diving Flashlight Torch for 18650 | eBay

2000LM Underwater 260ft CREE XML T6 LED 26650 Diving Flashlight Torch Waterproof | eBay

2000LM CREE XML T6 LED Flashlight Diving Underwater 80M Torch Lamp Charger | eBay

Thanks

2000LM is pretty bright - at night. During the day at 15M in the bright Red Sea about all those lights will realistically be good for is macro - which the GoPro doesn't do well - or lighting up something in a dark opening. 20X that isn't enough light to alter anything in bright sunlight.

Although you likely won't be diving at night, those lights would be of some slight use for that.

Except that they probably have the wrong beam angle. A typical dive light is in the 10-15^o range unless it's specified as wide or for video. The GoPro has a fixed 170^o field of view. Which can be changed to 110^o in some modes. So most night video shot with a typical dive light/GoPro would have a bright spot in the center surrounded by a ring of increasing darkness. You can actually see it in the 3rd listing where the picture shows the light output. Notice how narrow the beam is with the shadowy secondary beam. That's what you'd see on your video. A video light would show the entire wider secondary beam uniformly lit.

Video lights sold for the GoPro are typically in the 90-120^o range. Most people overlap two. The Sola referenced above has a 60^o angle in Flood mode. It's a really good light for video because there's no reflector needed, each LED projects a wide beam.



Even says so in their advertising: "Its wide flood doubles as a general video light for the new class of camera with video capability"

But of course they're $600 also.

 

[3D diver]

You need a wider beam for video. A couple of the new DRIS Imact lights, or something similar, might suffice:

Impact Stubby Dive Light - Dive Right in Scuba