Best can light tec diving

[Matt S.]

I have had 2 HIDs and while I love 'em, each has failed due to a bad ballast.

I do not like the expense of the bulbs, the relative fragility of the light head, how you have to avoid turning the light on/off too quickly, OR the thought that a ballast might die again. However, I love the quality of the light and the ability to focus the beam from flood to spot.

If I was doing penetration dives I'd probably go LED and sacrifice focus, if I had to, for what seems to be superior durability.

Does anyone make an LED with adjustable focus yet?

 

[jketron]

The LM 21watt 10 amp has caught my eye, now I need to find the best price. Still don't want to over pay

 

[TSandM]

I have the old style lights which connect the battery to the lighthead with wires that go to Anderson connectors. The wires pull out of the connectors, the wires break from excessive motion, and they pull off the solder joints on the battery. All of this is readily fixed, but not always in the field.

They have gone to a battery that's permanently installed in the canister, and clips in the lighthead that fit into the battery, which should reduce the problem. But I believe now that, if the battery goes bad, the only way to change the battery is to send the light back to the factory.

 

[zoom5]

Does anyone make an LED with adjustable focus yet?

I believe mb-sub's Cave light is still the only focusable LED can light.

http://www.mb-sub.com/fileadmin/template/img/produkte/beam-shots.jpg

 

[buddhasummer]

I have had 2 HIDs and while I love 'em, each has failed due to a bad ballast.

I do not like the expense of the bulbs, the relative fragility of the light head, how you have to avoid turning the light on/off too quickly, OR the thought that a ballast might die again. However, I love the quality of the light and the ability to focus the beam from flood to spot.

If I was doing penetration dives I'd probably go LED and sacrifice focus, if I had to, for what seems to be superior durability.

Does anyone make an LED with adjustable focus yet?

Yes the Mb-Sub VB-50 head is 1250 lumens 26,000 lux and is focusable from 8-36 degrees. It has several battery configurations from hand held to canister.

 

[blake7]

Yes the Mb-Sub VB-50 head is 1250 lumens 26,000 lux and is focusable from 8-36 degrees. It has several battery configurations from hand held to canister.

I have the mb-sub VB-50 Cave with the canister. I dive with lots of folks that have Halcyon/Light Monkey/Salvo/Hog HID 21watt lights. It compares very favorably to those lights in the water, the focus at 8 degrees is not as tight as you can make the HID, but the overall light in the square is much more than the HIDs. There is virtually no back scatter since it uses a Fresnel lens to adjust the beam.

If I had to buy another light, I would buy the VB-50 Cave again.

BTW, there is great light comparison on the Dive Xtras' website, Dive Xtras Light Test that highlights some of the comments I and the others have made in this thread.

 

[mdax]

purchased two LM 21w hids about two years ago. We've been diving the heck out of them in caves of all types and are as happy as can be with them.

 

[Jax]

Yes the Mb-Sub VB-50 head is 1250 lumens 26,000 lux and is focusable from 8-36 degrees. It has several battery configurations from hand held to canister.

I thoroughly researched the Mb-sub VB-50, and it is a perfectly awesome LED light. However, its price tag reflects its abilities.

I went with the Light Monkey LED 21-10.

 

[Matt S.]

That IS a pretty swell light! And it must cost a BUNDLE for someone to choose the LM 21-10 over it for reasons of price. I'll probably keep making do with my Salvo 10W HID 'til the LED revolution evolves a bit further.

OP, I am sure you will love your LM when you get it.

 

[Peter_C]

Having dove with my friend using his focusable 25 watt LED, I can safely say there is no need to be able to focus an LED. They already have nice spill For night dives I would call the LED superior. For daytime I prefer my 21 watt HID since it is more of a fixed focus. If I had to buy a light today, it would be a 21 watt Light Monkey LED. Light Monkeys customer service is awesome and I have had ZERO failures out of my "Salvo" (pre LM), with years of fairly heavy use.