Dive Lights, many changes, comparison chart

[jar546]

The dive light companies are all over the place and there is new technology in the queue as the industry changes rapidly. Trying to sort through the technical data is almost confusing. Is there any site that breaks down CURRENT dive lights on the market and does reviews/comparisons?

 

[CajunJosh]

To answer your question, I'm not sure if there is a chart out there but do you have an specific questions about lights and lighting technology?

 

[davetowz]

I would love to see a beam on beam underwater comparison of all the current offerings, in several different diving conditions. Probably never happen though, but light manufacturers, you have been challenged to get together and prove your metal. or delrin.

 

[lucca brassi]

under section 3. in my signature my help

 

[jar546]

To answer your question, I'm not sure if there is a chart out there but do you have an specific questions about lights and lighting technology?

Not really. More like several due to the increasing complexity of the market.

Items in the marketplace need to be uniform for comparing:

* A single definition and measuring quantifier for brightness.
* Size of the beam based on a minimum brightness for a given distance. (how narrow or wide)
* How long the device lasts until it meets a specific, minimum brightness or percentage of maximum brightness
* How long the device lasts until it is not longer illuminating

The industry needs standardization. We are seeing more "lumens" being specified as an example.

Just food for thought.

 

[Jax]

Good question, jarhead.

When I first started looking, LEDs were on the fringe, and everything was about HID.

Then comes mb-sub's VB-50 Cave, and wow'd the audience. Then Intova came out with their LED backups that almost as bright as the primaries.

HIDs are easy to compare - they have xx watts and y burn times.

Now comes the LEDs - some have said that the burn times should not be "until dead", but until the output is half of the fresh charge.

As for the "xx watt" LEDs - that is just a comparison of the LED by the manufacturer to their own HID, and who knows how accurate that is?


CHALLENGE: Each manufacturer should do a night underwater test of all of their products and photograph the beams at 5m, 10m and 25m, to the same target.

 

[jar546]

Jax,

As an fyi, as coincidental as it may seem, JAR is actually my initials and 546 is my paramedic number. Neither has anything to do with the Marine Corps although my entire life because I was in the Marine Corps, people automatically associate my initials with being a Jarhead. I think it is funny. When I use to put my initials on stuff at work, my fellow workers would always add .."head" to my initials until it dawned on them what my middle name was and they put 2 and 2 together. I suppose my eagle, globe and anchor in my avatar feeds into that.

Anyway, I keep saying that the LEDs are changing the game too quickly but it is a good thing. I was buying a backup light and my shop was pushing the SL4 by UK. The eLED version was more money than the standard but I went with it because I love LED lights and have had great success with them over the years due to how long they last and how bright they are, not to mention they are more rugged than bulbs. I still use it and people are impressed by how bright it is at about 113 lumens. I just found out that a few months after I bought it this year, the SL4 is the same price and the brightness was increased to 400 lumens with the new version. That is over 3 times as bright as the original. I also like how it can be used above water without overheating like an HID. Small, compact and only 4 C batteries.

The only issue there is that I feel like I got jipped (is that a word?) because the upgrade was so fast to come out right after they just came out with the first eLED.

 

[Jax]

:lol: I use the term 'jarhead' affectionately; my sister married one and I have quite a few long-time friends that were in the Corps . . . and yes, I figured the Corps av was a hint. But I AM Army and do have to give y'all doo-doo . . . it's in the job description.


'sTruth what you say about the LEDs coming out so fast. I bought the CREE when it was the greatest, and then I went to Cave Adventurer's and Edd introduced me to the Intova Ultra Nova.

 

[jar546]

That Intova Ultra Nova is pretty slick for the price. They could probably bump up the lumens like the SL4 did.

 

[CajunJosh]

Most manufactures list a lumen rating and degrees of spread on their beams now don't they? I just recently purchased a stykr 10w 700 Lumen LED and a Polarion Abyss Dual S 45w 4000 lumen HID. The manufactures both listed run times, beam divergence and light output.

You may also find Candle Power Forums a useful resource in learning the difference between candle power and source vs out the front lumen ratings. They are always on top of the latest LED die technologies and what's coming down the pipe and how soon. It might not be the comparison chart you are looking for but it's a great wealth of knowledge in understanding all the terminology and where the technology is going.

Also being designed for use out of water is on a case by case basis and not specific to HID or LED. Some of the newer higher powered LED dies out the there produce some heat and I know lights like the dive rite led lux can't be used out of water for long before protection systems kick in and lower the output whereas my Polarion HID is made for in and out of water use without the need for water cooling.