scubafanatic
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OK kids, my 2 brand new X1-VB (3 C cell) hand held back up lights arrived Wed 2/17 and while I haven't dove them yet, I'll go ahead and share my preliminary impressions. First, some disclaimers:
1) I'm not an optics/lighting expert, I'm not an engineer either, and I don't play one on T.V.
2) My somewhat underwater light experience is limited to: UK HID Light Cannons / assorted smaller UK halogen back up lights and one 4 C cell LED UK light/ an older Diverite 10W HID 'can' light / a really old halogen Diverite 50W 'can' light / a few older halogen and a few newer Halcyon 3-C cell LED 'Scout' back up lights/ Oxycheq Raider I and III....plus, of course, I've been exposed to/seen in use numerous other recreational level and tech level lights in use by other divers.
3) While I've done a little wreck diving and a little cave diving, I'm really mostly an advanced recreational diver interested in tropical-ish fishies/reefs/locations, hence I'm NOT PRIMARILY interested in pure light 'horsepower', I'm looking for a well balanced/well designed light in addition to 'horsepower'.
OK, here's are just some initial thoughts:
the X1-VB looks/feels like a high quality item, fits my hand well, feels solid...and the black anodized aluminum construction looks very 'techie'/sporty, not like so many brightly colored plastic cheezy recreational lights.
Shortly I'll be installing SS clips on the ends of the light bodies to clip off to my fixed harness D-rings, I also will begin experimenting this weekend with some Oxycheq 'light socks' as I'd like to equip these lights with soft Goodman handles, 'cause I think the light socks are simply BRILLIANT!
Reasons I chose this light:
--LED (I'm done with halogen/HID, HID replacement bulbs run $ 150-$200, are fragile/shortlived, can't be cycled on/off too fast/power hungry, inability to modulate their light intensity to suit the circumstances)
--Magnetic (and Rotating) on/off switch. I'm done with ANY light activated by a 'twist the light head action'. I simply don't trust that design, especially in a back up light as they're flood prone, self-activate with increased depth, depleting the batteries. Magnetic activation eliminates this concern. Also, I wanted a 'rotating' switch, not a 'sliding' switch and sliding switches tend to self-activate when they rub against other gear or when stowed under my webbing rubber bands. Manufacturers like Intova have had a seemingly endless series of issues with their sliding magnetic switches, switches falling out/leaking/becoming very sticky and refusing to activate or shut off.
--Focusable (I wanted the ability to control, to diffuse the light as needed, so I can leave it on narrow beam if I need 'punch', but I can diffuse it into a softer wider beam to light up a much larger area if needed or to look at critters without blinding them...and on max spread this light produces a very uniform, wide beam, without the excessive central hotspot like HID's, HID's produce too much light at the very center of the beam, and not enough light just off the beam center, plus the LED is a much 'warmer' light quality, HID is too harsh/blue with lots of UV=bad!
I've usually just been diving my 3 C cell 'Scouts' on recreational night dives, they're a little on the weak side and I wouldn't mind if they had a bit more 'horsepower', but they're adequate in clear water. I stuck with the 'Scouts' as I was waiting for light manufacturers to grow a brain and actually deploy lights with the features I wanted in a light, also waiting for LED's to mature to a sufficient output level...plus, this light has the variable focus beam I've been wanting which is a recent development.
These new X1-VB's completely blow away my 'Scouts' in light output, (yeah, I know Halcyon underruns their LED's for the sake of increased reliability) and the lights are essentially the same size (Halcyon = 8" long/ X1-VB = 9.3" long). It's hard for me to quantify the relative light outputs, looks like it's putting out dozens of times the light though!
Now, side by side, I can't believe I was actually diving with that piece-of-crap Halcyon! Really though, LED technology has certainly improved (I know even Halcyon has a newer, more powerful LED in their 'Scouts', although I'm sure the X1-VB would still completely blow away the 'new' LED 'Scout' too!
My only preliminary concerns with the X1-VB are as follows:
1) black anodized housing looks really cool, but will it hold up to diver abuse ? My Oxycheq Raider lights look cool too, but that black coating is a little sensitive to chipping, my Raider I has minor shipping on the front edge of the light head, and I've barely used it. (that being said, I know the coating is only cosmetic and any 'chipping' won't hurt the AL body, but it would be nice to have my light stay cool looking!)
2) the variable focusing 'ring' is a little narrow (3/8" wide) and I wouldn't mind if that 'ring' had been a little wider which would make it a touch easier to hold onto while turning, not a big deal, and it's possible if that 'ring' were wider it would have made the light body longer, which has a downside of making the light bulkier....just sayin'.
3) will I be successful in adding the Oxycheq light sock modification to the design ? (this 'issue' certainly isn't a design fault, as I bought the light knowing I was taking my own chances on being able to add the 'sock') The X1-VB main body is 1.2" diameter, the Oxycheq Raider I = 1.3" diameter, and the Oxycheq Raider III = 1.0" diameter, so I'm thinking I can make one of those 2 'socks' fit, we'll see.
I will say that even though I've not yet dove these lights, I still plan to buy in a month or so, yet another MbSub light (the PHOTON2/VB-50 LED 'head'/rigid Goodman Handle combo) in another month or so, I just wanted to see how the cheaper X1-VB's looked first, in person.
Karl
1) I'm not an optics/lighting expert, I'm not an engineer either, and I don't play one on T.V.
2) My somewhat underwater light experience is limited to: UK HID Light Cannons / assorted smaller UK halogen back up lights and one 4 C cell LED UK light/ an older Diverite 10W HID 'can' light / a really old halogen Diverite 50W 'can' light / a few older halogen and a few newer Halcyon 3-C cell LED 'Scout' back up lights/ Oxycheq Raider I and III....plus, of course, I've been exposed to/seen in use numerous other recreational level and tech level lights in use by other divers.
3) While I've done a little wreck diving and a little cave diving, I'm really mostly an advanced recreational diver interested in tropical-ish fishies/reefs/locations, hence I'm NOT PRIMARILY interested in pure light 'horsepower', I'm looking for a well balanced/well designed light in addition to 'horsepower'.
OK, here's are just some initial thoughts:
the X1-VB looks/feels like a high quality item, fits my hand well, feels solid...and the black anodized aluminum construction looks very 'techie'/sporty, not like so many brightly colored plastic cheezy recreational lights.
Shortly I'll be installing SS clips on the ends of the light bodies to clip off to my fixed harness D-rings, I also will begin experimenting this weekend with some Oxycheq 'light socks' as I'd like to equip these lights with soft Goodman handles, 'cause I think the light socks are simply BRILLIANT!
Reasons I chose this light:
--LED (I'm done with halogen/HID, HID replacement bulbs run $ 150-$200, are fragile/shortlived, can't be cycled on/off too fast/power hungry, inability to modulate their light intensity to suit the circumstances)
--Magnetic (and Rotating) on/off switch. I'm done with ANY light activated by a 'twist the light head action'. I simply don't trust that design, especially in a back up light as they're flood prone, self-activate with increased depth, depleting the batteries. Magnetic activation eliminates this concern. Also, I wanted a 'rotating' switch, not a 'sliding' switch and sliding switches tend to self-activate when they rub against other gear or when stowed under my webbing rubber bands. Manufacturers like Intova have had a seemingly endless series of issues with their sliding magnetic switches, switches falling out/leaking/becoming very sticky and refusing to activate or shut off.
--Focusable (I wanted the ability to control, to diffuse the light as needed, so I can leave it on narrow beam if I need 'punch', but I can diffuse it into a softer wider beam to light up a much larger area if needed or to look at critters without blinding them...and on max spread this light produces a very uniform, wide beam, without the excessive central hotspot like HID's, HID's produce too much light at the very center of the beam, and not enough light just off the beam center, plus the LED is a much 'warmer' light quality, HID is too harsh/blue with lots of UV=bad!
I've usually just been diving my 3 C cell 'Scouts' on recreational night dives, they're a little on the weak side and I wouldn't mind if they had a bit more 'horsepower', but they're adequate in clear water. I stuck with the 'Scouts' as I was waiting for light manufacturers to grow a brain and actually deploy lights with the features I wanted in a light, also waiting for LED's to mature to a sufficient output level...plus, this light has the variable focus beam I've been wanting which is a recent development.
These new X1-VB's completely blow away my 'Scouts' in light output, (yeah, I know Halcyon underruns their LED's for the sake of increased reliability) and the lights are essentially the same size (Halcyon = 8" long/ X1-VB = 9.3" long). It's hard for me to quantify the relative light outputs, looks like it's putting out dozens of times the light though!
Now, side by side, I can't believe I was actually diving with that piece-of-crap Halcyon! Really though, LED technology has certainly improved (I know even Halcyon has a newer, more powerful LED in their 'Scouts', although I'm sure the X1-VB would still completely blow away the 'new' LED 'Scout' too!
My only preliminary concerns with the X1-VB are as follows:
1) black anodized housing looks really cool, but will it hold up to diver abuse ? My Oxycheq Raider lights look cool too, but that black coating is a little sensitive to chipping, my Raider I has minor shipping on the front edge of the light head, and I've barely used it. (that being said, I know the coating is only cosmetic and any 'chipping' won't hurt the AL body, but it would be nice to have my light stay cool looking!)
2) the variable focusing 'ring' is a little narrow (3/8" wide) and I wouldn't mind if that 'ring' had been a little wider which would make it a touch easier to hold onto while turning, not a big deal, and it's possible if that 'ring' were wider it would have made the light body longer, which has a downside of making the light bulkier....just sayin'.
3) will I be successful in adding the Oxycheq light sock modification to the design ? (this 'issue' certainly isn't a design fault, as I bought the light knowing I was taking my own chances on being able to add the 'sock') The X1-VB main body is 1.2" diameter, the Oxycheq Raider I = 1.3" diameter, and the Oxycheq Raider III = 1.0" diameter, so I'm thinking I can make one of those 2 'socks' fit, we'll see.
I will say that even though I've not yet dove these lights, I still plan to buy in a month or so, yet another MbSub light (the PHOTON2/VB-50 LED 'head'/rigid Goodman Handle combo) in another month or so, I just wanted to see how the cheaper X1-VB's looked first, in person.
Karl
