Is anyone using Cheap Chinese Video light?

[BoltSnap]

I wouldn’t really put those much higher than the AliBaba ones in terms of quality

Anything specific about them that bothers you?

 

[grantctobin]

Anything specific about them that bothers you?

Poor threading, a history of battery issues, inconsistency with buttons as you approach their depth limit, overrated lumen count, the NDA from the batteries that did explode (which is SOP for a suit such as that)…

 

[Ardy]

I wouldn’t really put those much higher than the AliBaba ones in terms of quality

I bought a recommended torch from a US store (Logo on side has gears) and it leaked through the back on the first dive. Got my money back and bought a big blue which has served me well over about 80 dives. I still use the dud by loosening the front off and tightening to turn on.
It is only a torch and not a vid light.

 

[runsongas]

questionable battery packs on the big blues. build quality not any better than xtar/archon. unrealistic lumen specs compared to other manufacturers that follow ANSI standards. alibaba lights use standard 18650 or 26650 batteries so you can put whatever panasonic/sanyo/samsung battery you want. finding a 32650 or 4x18650 square battery is more of a pain for the bigger big blues.

 

[BoltSnap]

Isn’t that “China”?

Don't tell people from HK that

 

[runsongas]

just give it a few years. CCP will beat it out of them or they'll leave HK.

 

[Ardy]

just give it a few years. CCP will beat it out of them or they'll leave HK.

Or the whole of the Western world will copy the CCP and Russia and it will all be academic.

 

[Darnold9999]

they look interesting. They are about $AUS 160 more than the $80 ones. Happy to spend a bit extra if they are constructed better. Have you any ideas if that is correct?
An Aussie store has them for $699 er! no thanks

No idea if the construction is better. I wanted the wide angle and the other ones were not available when I bought mine. The construction looks to be pretty good. I do have another of their hand held lights as a backup for night diving and it seems about the same in terms of build quality. If you don’t need the wide angle I would get the cheaper one. Wide angle gives you an even light across your field of view with no hot spot. However it is more difficult to avoid backscatter than a narrower beam. Lights need to be further from the camera.

Have had a more expensive “quality” light (sea dragon) and it flooded for no good reason. Could have had several of the cheap lights for the same price.

Did have an archon light - junk. Switch rusted after a few dives.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

We have a pair of older entry level scubalamp products ALL PRODUCTS

No issues. Nice wide beam with no hot spots. About 7 years old. Over 100 salt water dives in my bcd pocket.

Model PV10. Seems they have gone upscale quite a bit since then.

 

[Ardy]

We have a pair of older entry level scubalamp products ALL PRODUCTS

No issues. Nice wide beam with no hot spots. About 7 years old. Over 100 salt water dives in my bcd pocket.

Model PV10. Seems they have gone upscale quite a bit since then.

They are out of my miserable budget.