Do you think lights are over priced?

[buton]

I was browsing digikey.com on the leds section and there are some leds, sold as individuals with a rating of 600,500,1000 lumens de and they are about 6 to 10 dollars. so why dive lights are the so expensive? I I know that mechanical, design is not cheap but for example the solas 500 is 299 and sola 1200 is 699, so really 400 more dollars for a led change how is that possible.? I is almost the same format factor.

300 led in digikey.com is 1.7 dollars
500 lumen is 3 dollars
1000 lumens is 15


,

 

[gcarter]

Small volumes result in high manufacturing costs and fewer units over which to amortize development costs.

 

[divad]

Nothing is "over priced."

 

[chrpai]

Nothing is "over priced."

Fundamentally, I get exactly what you are saying. That said, when I go diving in Lake Travis and I see people bring their $700 lights and my $40 and $70 lights out perform theirs..... I can tell you which I think is over priced.

 

[JamesK]

Heck yeah they are overpriced! Of course this coming from the guy who owns multiple SOLA 1200's, handfuls of backup lights, a couple canister lights and is buying another canister light (light monkey 35w HID with video head) on Wednesday. The price needs to come down because I need a dual 50w HID setup next.

 

[DMDavid]

Fundamentally, I get exactly what you are saying. That said, when I go diving in Lake Travis and I see people bring their $700 lights and my $40 and $70 lights out perform theirs..... I can tell you which I think is over priced.

I have many lights that were priced under $45 and they still perform quite well for their intended task.
But when it comes to proper video lighting I haven't been able to find something quite as good as a Sola 1200.

If anyone has any suggestions on a light that can perform as well as the Sola 1200 for a much lower price I would be willing to check into it.

 

[lucca brassi]

I have once calculated my costs in building high quality , high output , canister light . For example 14,4V /10Ah canister with 24W HID (+50€ on LED costs ) or 35W LED light source .

Costs of material (delrin) +head housing (bought like defect light or new housing ) + my own construction + electrical parts + machining costs + my complete assembly brings price to arround 550€

In that case you must know very precise what you are doing to reduce costs.

Small lights, backups are not interesting for me because you could never compete with market prices and also assembly is very delicate due to very compact design (rings , glass , threads..., spacers)

 

[divad]

The price needs to come down because I need a dual 50w HID setup next.

The price only "needs" to come down when they aren't selling.

 

[Flodad]

without hijacking the thread... then what light do you believe is a reasonably priced light as your primary dive light?

 

[phoenix31tt]

i agree that most backup lights are overpriced (i.e. the non-canister and non-video lights).. i just bought a couple for $34 and they outperform my 60$ and my instructors $100+ dollar lights... and they have more features :O