Biggest little dive light

[Packhorse]

Are you sure? For 2009 OMS started selling the newer "K2" Vega and headlamp. It puts out 180 lumens with a 3 hour burntime. Same as last one, just around 100 lumens more light.

3 hour run time will only be with 1550ma cells. Use 1000ma cells and run time will be 2 hours.

I am not sure but you may want to check if you get full brightness for 3 hours too. 3 watt for 3 hours is 9 watt hours and although the cells they recommend are rated at 9.3watt hours I am not sure they could deliver this over a short 3 hour period.

My lights can be set up as 3 watt or 4 watt depending on purchasers choice. at 3 watt burn time should be about the same as the OMS Vega K2. But with the 2 mode driver you could run it on low (+-38 lumen) for 25 hours!

 

[tgsmith]

I don't know much about LED's but I thought if they were "regulated" then it would put out the same light/brightness as long as you use the right batteries. Just from what I've seen, I think they do put out the same brightness. I use my OMS headlamp when night diving at Cow Springs(makes it a LOT safer/easier having that bright light when getting in/out). It finally died when I was loading up the car, at least 3 hours or more of burn-time had gone by, and the brightness suddenly cut out to a dull illumination. Still enough to work with on land, but less than cheap no-name 1watt headlamps you get in Wal-Mart.

Would you be able to provide the lumens output on your light at full power? Looks nice. I imagine shipping from NZ would be kinda expensive though, lol.

1000mah vs 1550 isn't an issue for me, I just bought a bunch off batteryjunction.com for 1/4 the in-store retail price I've seen......Not sure how it is for you kiwis down there! Like $1.43 per battery I think, which is incredible for CR123's.

LED's are neat, that's for sure. I almost regret buying my Salvo 12w LED after seeing the Sartek 6600......

 

[Packhorse]

You are right about regulated. But With some lights they are only regulated against over current and when the battery cant supply enough it only supplies what it can. Mine are like that. It means you will get 1.5-2 hours at full output then slowly dim down over another 1.5-2 hours. If its fully regulated it will burn at full output then switch off with no warning. Burn time will be shorter too.

I do not quote lumen output because
A. I dont know it. But the LED produces 225 lumen at the current I drive it at according to manufactures specs.
B. The lumen output is only part of the equation on how bright a beam it will have. The biggest part of the equation is the beam angle.

I have just found out the OMS Vega uses a Luxeon K2 LED. These are the LEDs I remove from the ISTs and replace with Cree Q5's as they are a more efficient LED.

Shipping to US is about $10NZD or $45NZD tracked. $1NZD =$0.52USD so its not to bad.

 

[Packhorse]

Nah Packhorse, this is crayfish(& boiled corn naturally)

Wow thats small crayfish! I would get arrested if I came back with that many that small!!


In NZ crayfish refer to both types of common lobster. Spiny red or Jasus Edwardsii as pictured in my avatar and Packhorse or Jasus verreauxi.

Fresh water crayfish are called either freshwater crayfish or Koura although saltwater crayfish are also called Koura some times. Koura is Maori for Crayfish. Kai is Maori for food. Kaikoura is on the east coast of the south Island and is a great dive site for catching crayfish for dinner.

I dont often get a chance to gather Koura. But I will be this weekend!

 

[diver 85]

Wow thats small crayfish! I would get arrested if I came back with that many that small!!


In NZ crayfish refer to both types of common lobster. Spiny red or Jasus Edwardsii as pictured in my avatar and Packhorse or Jasus verreauxi.

Fresh water crayfish are called either freshwater crayfish or Koura although saltwater crayfish are also called Koura some times. Koura is Maori for Crayfish. Kai is Maori for food. Kaikoura is on the east coast of the south Island and is a great dive site for catching crayfish for dinner.

I dont often get a chance to gather Koura. But I will be this weekend!

Don't tell a coonass what a crayfish is or isn't----lol....do ya'll suck the heads??

 

[HEFFAY]

Hey all. I got my IST Dive light a couple weeks ago (thanks packhorse!)and I'm just now getting around to using it. So far: I LOVE IT. Especially for a backup light. It's got awesome focus and not much spill which is what I wanted. Until I finish my DIY canister light, I'm stuck with using my UK C8 eLED light as a primary. I might actually ditch it for this IST in the time being!

The only thing I would recommend to anybody else interested in buying one is: get the single mode. In order to switch modes you have to turn the light off and then on again within a second or two... which can prove to be a little difficult with the twist on/off bottom. I received it with the 2-mode, but a quick email to Greg and he walked me through how to modify it to just stay on high all the time. Something that he'll do for you before sending it, as I understand.

Anyway, check out the beamshots below. Left is my UK C8 eLED on full charged alkaline batteries, and on the right is the Packhorse IST he sells. All in all, a fantastic light for the price!

 

[linger]

thanx for the beam-shot. I think that's an especially great comparision as I've got the c8 eled and am waiting on the modified ist to come in the mail

 

[HEFFAY]

thanx for the beam-shot. I think that's an especially great comparision as I've got the c8 eled and am waiting on the modified ist to come in the mail

you'll love it, and your dive buddies will hate you when your backup is brighter than their primary!

 

[SpiderSense]

alrighty.. ordered mine.
single mode 18650.

hope i dont accidentally blind my buddy!

 

[Packhorse]

Thanks for the beam shot Heffay.

If anyone else can do some with other lights I would appreciate it.