As long as I still have access to wholesale pricing I'll sell them at steep discounts to divers! Hit me up anytime.
Diving Torch
- Thread starter ManLiz
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I am skeptical that the Nitecore is really 3 degrees. I've never seen any dive light with that tight a beam. But, I'll grant that it COULD be, I guess.
Xtar generally makes good lights, but the D20 is nowhere close to 1000 lumens. Look up the specs on the Cree XP-L V6 LED emitter and see for yourself. Also, it uses an 18650 battery. That used to be the gold standard. Now, the 21700 has pretty well established itself as the gold standard in batteries for cordless dive lights. It's only a small amount larger and has 50% more capacity. I would only suggest buying a cordless dive light with a single 21700 battery (unless you're buying something big that has a multi-cell pack, like a Dive Rite FX40). 18650 batteries are obsolete (for cordless dive lights).
The Acebeam D20 says it's a 13 degree bream, not 5. Way too wide.
D20 Dive Light
Acebeam D20 is a Palm-Sized Dive Light utilized with a powerful CREE XHP35 HD LED. Micro-USB rechargeable battery.
www.acebeam.com
For my recreational diving, I use 2 lights.
My primary is a Dive Rite CX3. It is an awesome light. They retail for $179. It has multiple brightness levels with a max of 1900 lumens in an 8 degree beam. It uses a 21700 battery. It includes a magnetic charging cable, so you don't have to open the light to charge it. My only knock on it is that it is a push button on/off and it does not have any way to "lock" it to prevent it from being turned on by accident. So, you just have to be careful witih it to make sure that doesn't happen.
Dive Rite CX3 Handheld Light Kit
The CX3 is a compact handheld dive light with 1900 lumens of daylight. The relatively small size makes it a great light for the traveling sport diver, while its power and features appeal technical divers.
www.divegearexpress.com
My backup light (e.g. for night dives, where you have to have 2 lights) is the Dive Gear Express DGX700. It is also an awesome light. It retails for $79. It also uses a 21700 battery. It only claims 700 lumens output, but it is an honest 700, unlike most other light manufacturer's claims. It is as bright as other lights claiming 1500 lumens or more. It is also an 8 degree beam. It only has one brightness level, because it is a twist on/off instead of a push button. That is bad because you can't turn it down. But, it is good because it is ABSOLUTELY reliable, and it will not turn on by accident.
DGX Gears 700 TWIST Handheld Light
The DGX 700 TWIST Handheld Light features a true out-the-front 700 system lumens (1100+ raw LED lumens) of cool white 6500°K light in a tight 8° beam and a 90+ minute burn time.
www.divegearexpress.com
This is a video I shot comparing the DGX700 to the OrcaTorch D710. OrcaTorch says their light puts out 1700 lumens on High. The DGX claims 700. You can see in the video that the DGX700 is brighter.
This is a video comparing the DGX700 to the DGX1000-6 and BigBlue VTL9000P Max. It really helps see why a tighter beam (the DGX1000-6) is better if the water is turbid at all (i.e. has any silt or other crap floating in the water). It also shows what a true 2000 lumens looks compared to 700.
13 degrees is way too wide. It should either be 8 or less, or 70 or more for use as a video light.
It is literally physically impossible for a dive light with current technology (LED emitters and batteries) to output 5000 lumens for an hour from an 18650 battery.
The specs on Amazon do not say what LED emitter it uses. They also don't say what battery it uses, but a review says it uses an 18650. It doesn't give a beam angle. And the specs it does give are totally inconsistent. In one place it says 3 hours on High. In another it says 2.5. One place it says "6000k brightness" and another it says 5500k - and those are both actually the color temperature - not the number of lumens.
I would feel 100% confident in rejecting that one as a piece of cheap Chinesium junk.
SouthernSharktoothDiver
Contributor
@stuartv I honestly couldn't tell you about any of that. I've been told it's not as bright as advertised, and that's probably true. That being said, it's bright enough for the dark river water, and lasts long enough for one dive before I change the batteries, so it's good enough for me. That being said, I would generally agree these are not buy good, buy once lights. I expect I'll be using something very different in ten years. But for now, it meets my price point, and works well enough.
That's fine. If it works for you that's all that really matters.
But, $40 and it doesn't come with a battery?
Versus $79 for a DGX700 that comes with a battery (which is 50% more capacity than what the Windfire uses)? And (I believe) is simply a better, more useful light for scuba diving.
I have 2 x DGX600 lights that are about 10 years old now and still work like new. The DGX700 is basically the same light, just a tiny bit fatter and longer to accommodate a 21700 battery versus an 18650. I expect my DGX700s will also still be working like new when they are 10 years old, too.
What is "worth it" is always down to the individual and their wallet and needs. But, scuba diving is not a cheap hobby. I personally would have a hard time justifying ever spending less because $79 was "too much" for a dive light.
Also, there is literally nobody in the industry that has a better return policy or customer service than Dive Gear Express. I could literally return my 10 year old DGX600 lights tomorrow for store credit of the full purchase price if I wanted to.
SouthernSharktoothDiver
Contributor
@stuartv it comes with a battery. I just bought extras to swap out in between dives. As for the DGX 700, it looks like a good light. If I had found that when I was doing my initial shopping I might've bought it instead, although I don't know if it's bright enough for what I'm doing. The guy that showed me how to do this uses a big blue 3000 lumen light, and he recommended the windfires as a cheap alternative light, so that's what I bought. My cousin and I recently got a scubapro light rated at 1000 lumens used as part of a lot of gear, so it will be interesting to see how that compares.
Ultimately, I suspect I might break down and buy a Canister light at some point probably whenever my current light system decides to fail, or whenever I get out of grad school and start getting paid. The streamlined setup and long batter life is highly appealing. I had orcatorch on my list for that, but DGX also seems to make a solid model, so I'll add them to the shortlist. Any suggestions you have on the matter would be appreciated.
Ultimately, I suspect I might break down and buy a Canister light at some point probably whenever my current light system decides to fail, or whenever I get out of grad school and start getting paid. The streamlined setup and long batter life is highly appealing. I had orcatorch on my list for that, but DGX also seems to make a solid model, so I'll add them to the shortlist. Any suggestions you have on the matter would be appreciated.
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