Help - we are (finally) ready to invest in dive lights - can anyone recommend a good one for less than $200? Looking for LED - have read some of the posts - and looking for brightness ( concentrated with a halo is ok ) - diving with just one or two people in Bonaire - if this makes any difference on recommendations - we don't need to find a boat when we surface.... Thank you!!!
Good LED dive light without breaking the bank??
- Thread starter wpohlmann
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Jorgy
Contributor
Some lights I think you could consider.......M
Dorcy 220:
Penetrater 220, Piranha Dive Manufacturing
The Intova Ultra:
Diving Backup Lights - Dive Gear Express
I have one of each - the Dorcy is bright and small - I prefer the beam coverage of the Ultra.....
I just ordered one of these - it is a 3 C Cell light and much bigger than the others........so we shall see....
Search Light | Intova
Dorcy 220:
Penetrater 220, Piranha Dive Manufacturing
The Intova Ultra:
Diving Backup Lights - Dive Gear Express
I have one of each - the Dorcy is bright and small - I prefer the beam coverage of the Ultra.....
I just ordered one of these - it is a 3 C Cell light and much bigger than the others........so we shall see....
Search Light | Intova
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I really like the Dorcy/Penetrater lights (sold by them or Piranha Dive Mfg. - same light) They're Cree lights and are really bright - 220 lumens. They take 6 AAA batteries and one set lasted me a whole week of night dives. It throws a somewhat collected beam that widens near the end. One night I was hanging at 15' and lighting the bottom up at 80' - clear water (Turks/Caicos) like Bonaire. Several people on the boat later asked about it and intended to buy one.
They're in the $40-60 range:
Dorcy Dive II 220 Lumen Submersible LED Dive Light
Penetrater 220, Piranha Dive Manufacturing
The new Underwater Kinetics C8 eLed is up to 400 lumens now. Waterproof Lights and Flashlights » Underwater Kinetics
Amazon sells it for $100: Amazon.com: Underwater Kinetics C8 eLED Flashlight: Sports & Outdoors
My buddy has the older C8 eLed (260 lumens?), it's brighter than my Dorcy. But I paid 1/2 of what he did. And my backup Dorcy fits in my BC pocket.
They're in the $40-60 range:
Dorcy Dive II 220 Lumen Submersible LED Dive Light
Penetrater 220, Piranha Dive Manufacturing
The new Underwater Kinetics C8 eLed is up to 400 lumens now. Waterproof Lights and Flashlights » Underwater Kinetics
Amazon sells it for $100: Amazon.com: Underwater Kinetics C8 eLED Flashlight: Sports & Outdoors
My buddy has the older C8 eLed (260 lumens?), it's brighter than my Dorcy. But I paid 1/2 of what he did. And my backup Dorcy fits in my BC pocket.
Jorgy
Contributor
UK makes great lights - I use a Q40 LED plus on my mask strap when I night dive with my camera.......
The C8 is a BIG light......my first dive light was a PC Shockwave (non-LED) for travel I prefer a non-pistol grip light.....
M
The C8 is a BIG light......my first dive light was a PC Shockwave (non-LED) for travel I prefer a non-pistol grip light.....
M
soonerwink
Contributor
I bought a Dorcy II, and love it. Much better than my Big Blue Hid light and much smaller. Also if you enter promo code, scuba, you can get light for 43.20 and free shipping. Dorcy Dive II 220 Lumen Submersible LED Dive Light
DazedAndConfuzed
Contributor
You probably don't want a concentrated beam light for clear water diving. You will be spending too much time sweeping your light all over the place like those spotlights during air-raids.
A medium beam or strong wide beam one would be more useful. You aim the light in the general area and your eyes could scan the whole area for any critters.
You could get the princeton tec miniwave LED, which has around 400 lumens and has moderately wide beam, for around $80.
A medium beam or strong wide beam one would be more useful. You aim the light in the general area and your eyes could scan the whole area for any critters.
You could get the princeton tec miniwave LED, which has around 400 lumens and has moderately wide beam, for around $80.
I love these threads. They pop up once a week or so. "What I really want is an awesome light, and I know deep down that what I want is the performance of a canister light, but I only have $100 to spend".
You want a big bright effective light, and they break the bank, and they're worth it.
You want a big bright effective light, and they break the bank, and they're worth it.
DevonDiver
N/A
Wide beam vs Spot?
Spot for signalling, wide for general viewing. Spot is better for bad viz, penetration etc. Wide beam is nicer on a reef. Then there is issues if you will be doing photography/videography etc.. I have a little Intova that is great as a back-up for reading gauges, signalling and getting out of a wreck with. It wouldn't be so cool on a reef night dive though...
Replaceable vs Rechargeable Battery?
Depends on location and availability of resupply and/or charging points.
Handheld vs Canister?
Canister provides longer burn-time and more power (for the right torch head). It's bulky and hard to attach easily to a jacket-style BCD. Handheld can be more convenient, especially for the travelling (excess airline baggage) diver. Handheld can be 'regular' torch or pistol grip. Pistol grips are bulky and cumbersome. You can use a universal goodman handle, with a 'regular' torch, mount them on mask straps, stow them in a pocket etc.
Burn time?
Long duration dives require long burn time. Equally, you may be in a location where recharging/replenishing batteries is not convenient. Likewise, you may be doing multiple dives per day, without wanting the hassle of changing batteries regularly.
I have an Aquastar LED torch that'll do 18 hours with 3x C-Cells.
Brightness?
Brightness is relevant to the diving. Open water divers might want to illuminate a wide area, but not blind/scare the fishes. Cave/wreck divers might need to penetrate bad viz. There is such a thing as "too bright", depending on your needs. I don't like 'too much brightness' when wreck diving, because it can cause blinding backscatter/reflection on bad viz. ... 'just enough' is fine. I really like the OMS canisters for wreck penetration - value plus suitable performance. My Aquastar torch is small (back-up for tech, primary for rec) but nice and bright without blinding marine life.
Price?
For the average open-water diver, there's certainly no need to spend more than $100 on a torch. There's a bunch of decent ones in the $60-80 range. If you have specialist needs, then you're looking at (much) more expensive options.
Spot for signalling, wide for general viewing. Spot is better for bad viz, penetration etc. Wide beam is nicer on a reef. Then there is issues if you will be doing photography/videography etc.. I have a little Intova that is great as a back-up for reading gauges, signalling and getting out of a wreck with. It wouldn't be so cool on a reef night dive though...
Replaceable vs Rechargeable Battery?
Depends on location and availability of resupply and/or charging points.
Handheld vs Canister?
Canister provides longer burn-time and more power (for the right torch head). It's bulky and hard to attach easily to a jacket-style BCD. Handheld can be more convenient, especially for the travelling (excess airline baggage) diver. Handheld can be 'regular' torch or pistol grip. Pistol grips are bulky and cumbersome. You can use a universal goodman handle, with a 'regular' torch, mount them on mask straps, stow them in a pocket etc.
Burn time?
Long duration dives require long burn time. Equally, you may be in a location where recharging/replenishing batteries is not convenient. Likewise, you may be doing multiple dives per day, without wanting the hassle of changing batteries regularly.
I have an Aquastar LED torch that'll do 18 hours with 3x C-Cells.
Brightness?
Brightness is relevant to the diving. Open water divers might want to illuminate a wide area, but not blind/scare the fishes. Cave/wreck divers might need to penetrate bad viz. There is such a thing as "too bright", depending on your needs. I don't like 'too much brightness' when wreck diving, because it can cause blinding backscatter/reflection on bad viz. ... 'just enough' is fine. I really like the OMS canisters for wreck penetration - value plus suitable performance. My Aquastar torch is small (back-up for tech, primary for rec) but nice and bright without blinding marine life.
Price?
For the average open-water diver, there's certainly no need to spend more than $100 on a torch. There's a bunch of decent ones in the $60-80 range. If you have specialist needs, then you're looking at (much) more expensive options.
Jorgy
Contributor
Lwang and DD both make excellent points about spot versus wide beams......
The PT Miniwave is now a contender at 390 lumen it used be something like 170.......
Since OP is looking for lights for two, I would do some like.....
A set of the Penetrators as backups and get a Miniwave that you "share" by diving very close together on your night dives.....
That would be the $200......Leisure Pro has the new Miniwave for $109
I would still get a second light for the person not carrying the Miniwave, since I think all night divers should have at least two lights......I carry at least three and a strobe......
Maybe something like a Intova Nova.....
Diving Backup Lights - Dive Gear Express
Or if you can swing $300 then a second Miniwave........
M
The PT Miniwave is now a contender at 390 lumen it used be something like 170.......
Since OP is looking for lights for two, I would do some like.....
A set of the Penetrators as backups and get a Miniwave that you "share" by diving very close together on your night dives.....
That would be the $200......Leisure Pro has the new Miniwave for $109
I would still get a second light for the person not carrying the Miniwave, since I think all night divers should have at least two lights......I carry at least three and a strobe......
Maybe something like a Intova Nova.....
Diving Backup Lights - Dive Gear Express
Or if you can swing $300 then a second Miniwave........
M
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