Do you think lights are over priced?

[divad]

I would never mistake you for my logic and humor............ or my confused, humorous, logic.

 

[Lorenzoid]

The reason dive lights seem expensive is, as someone else already said, dive light manufacturers work in low volumes compared with consumer electronics and other things that we deal with on a day to day basis and therefore have a good feel for how much they should costs. Some of these manufacturers are small operations. They make well engineered products. But because dive lights are a niche product, dive lights will always seem expensive. The lights offered by the bigger manufacturers like Underwater Kinetics, Pelican, and Princeton Tec indeed seem less expensive.

I like my Dorcy/Piranha Penetrator 220 lumen, which received a lot of praise here on SB a few years back and cost something like 50 or 60 bucks. It's widely used as a backup light, but it makes an acceptable primary light for reef diving in good visibility, especially where there is a concern of a powerful light overwhelming what you're there to look at. I have one as a primary and another as a backup.

 

[buton]

The reason dive lights seem expensive is, as someone else already said, dive light manufacturers work in low volumes compared with consumer electronics and other things that we deal with on a day to day basis and therefore have a good feel for how much they should costs. Some of these manufacturers are small operations. They make well engineered products. But because dive lights are a niche product, dive lights will always seem expensive. The lights offered by the bigger manufacturers like Underwater Kinetics, Pelican, and Princeton Tec indeed seem less expensive.

I like my Dorcy/Piranha Penetrator 220 lumen, which received a lot of praise here on SB a few years back and cost something like 50 or 60 bucks. It's widely used as a backup light, but it makes an acceptable primary light for reef diving in good visibility, especially where there is a concern of a powerful light overwhelming what you're there to look at. I have one as a primary and another as a backup.

This make sense then because machining on lathe is not cheap, aluminum either, coating the aluminum another expense.

I think the LED and electronics is the cheapest part.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

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.

Which $700 light vs. which brand of $70 light?
Out performs in which ways?

I ask, because I'm always sort of shopping for new lights.

 

[chrpai]

My DRIS 1000 is like a light saber in Lake Travis. I've dove next to people with the Sola 1200 and I'm just not impressed at all. I'm sure it's a great video light in blue water with great vis but for the diving I do... no way.

 

[eelnoraa]

Well, while I agree with you in this comparison, and I totally think Sola 1200 is lousy primary light, but you can alway pick such an example, compare a well design narrow beam dive light to an underwater video light.

My DRIS 1000 is like a light saber in Lake Travis. I've dove next to people with the Sola 1200 and I'm just not impressed at all. I'm sure it's a great video light in blue water with great vis but for the diving I do... no way.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

My DRIS 1000 is like a light saber in Lake Travis. I've dove next to people with the Sola 1200 and I'm just not impressed at all. I'm sure it's a great video light in blue water with great vis but for the diving I do... no way.

I'm considering a DRIS 1000 as a second backup light, will mostly see low to no viz conditions. Can you offer any experience on how it compares to one of the 3C LED Scouts and to a 21W HID?

 

[chrpai]

Well, while I agree with you in this comparison, and I totally think Sola 1200 is lousy primary light, but you can alway pick such an example, compare a well design narrow beam dive light to an underwater video light.

I didn't pick it to make a point, I picked it because I've seen several people dive them in Lake Travis as a primary light. I guess when you drop that kind of $ on something you figure you need to dive it. I otherwise gave it cred for what it's designed to do.

---------- Post Merged at 07:24 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 07:23 AM ----------

I'm considering a DRIS 1000 as a second backup light, will mostly see low to no viz conditions. Can you offer any experience on how it compares to one of the 3C LED Scouts and to a 21W HID?

Don't own either but I'm sure a 21W HID would rock the DRIS 1000. I'm just too cheap... haven't found the right used deal to get me to go canister.

 

[nimoh]

I just dove this past weekend with a guy using the same light as the DRIS 1000 (although it was not DRIS, it was the same light) and I had my 21W HID.

Obviously my light was brighter, but when he was beside me, I could see his light and his signals. At one point when he dropped about 10' back, I could tell by the light dimming that he was dropping back. So, I think functionally it is a good light with only a few minor issues (based on my experience this weekend):

1. the light has a low color temperature, and didn't show up as well on the wall and bottom we were diving on, although it was good enough

2. the beam could be a little tighter, although it was good enough.

3. I like can lights since it is a great place to tuck in my long hose, and if I drop the light head, it is attached to me. However, this is minor since you could always put the DRIS 1000 on a goodman handle and attach it to a fake canister with surgical tubing, thus turning it into a can light

I also have a Sola 1200 that I use for video, and agree that it is not a great primary light. The beam is too wide (even on the narrow setting), although the color temperature is pretty good for an LED.

just my two sense. On the flip side, I paid over $2000 for my 21W canister and Sola1200, throw in that and the DRIS 1000 is a fantastic light

 

[chrpai]

3. I like can lights since it is a great place to tuck in my long hose, and if I drop the light head, it is attached to me. However, this is minor since you could always put the DRIS 1000 on a goodman handle and attach it to a fake canister with surgical tubing, thus turning it into a can light

I agree with you... and one day I'll have a can. Until then, what I do is use EMT sheers on my webbing to wrap my long hose around. I put a boltsnap on my DRIS and attach it to the bungee webbing on my highland "tech" compass. If I drop the light, I don't lose it. Yes I do have to "hold" the light in my hand but that doesn't bother me.

Still, I'm sure one day I'll actually pony up on a good canister deal and I'll wonder why I ever did it this way. Until then, it works for me and it's CHEAP.