New Constant Output lights from DGX!

[lexvil]

Hmm... Going to be in Manhattan in a couple days. Scuba.com might be on the agenda for miscellaneous things to do,

Quick review?

As a quick review, it has so far functioned as expected, got it a day ago, took it in the pool and operated each function,zoom in and out underwater and all good, the odd square artifact in the tight zoom doesn’t show its self in the water.

In use I like a wider beam in the dark to see more overall and having a light that can narrow the beam for specific things may be very useful, easier than switching to a spot light.

I hope to have it in the ocean this weekend but muther nature has not been very helpful.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Just received it, paid about $20 more than that,

If only there was someone on the board who could hook you up with even better prices

Tbh I haven't seen it listed yet though

 

[stuartv]

For a rarely used back up light, I honestly like that feature. One less charger to carry. I'm not a huge fan of batteries with the charger built in, I broke one from a drop falling off the counter.

I do need to get a new charger. I have an 8-bay that I use for AAs and 18650s, but 21700s won't fit as they are just barely too long.

Regardless, I'm pretty much always going to have a charger for other stuff (like other lights and strobe batteries). For that reason, I feel like it is no benefit to me at all to have the built in charger in the light. I'd happily trade for a shorter light. Not to mention the built-in charger just seems like one more way that the light could break, and would it then drain the battery or make the light inoperable? I don't know.

I have not yet had a bad experience with the 21700 cells with built-in charger. But, if I do, then I would have no real issue with just buying ones without that and using an external charger (that I'll have with me anyway).

Trying to find a good replacement. The CX2 is a bit long, but I do have just enough room on my harnesses to make it work. They turn on with a mode that is good for greater than 2 hours runtime, and is good enough to even scooter with. But it lacks a lock.

The DGX 1000-6 is compelling since someone mentioned it has a lock. But I wish I could program it to turn on in medium mode as default, that would give me the runtime I desire without having to remember to turn it down.

The 1000-6 is clinched for me now, based on the other thread I started, with the comparison.

The 1000-6 will turn off if you unscrew the tail/battery cap well under 1/2 a turn. That makes it kinda the best of all worlds, in my book. It's a twist light with a button for brightness.

To turn it off now, I will always just twist off (like I would with the DGX 700).

To turn it on, I will twist (a la DGX 700) and then press the button. And, as @lexvil already noted, it turns on on Low. You just press it to go to Medium and then High.

The only way I can think to improve it would be to make the twist on/off be THE way to turn it on and off, with the button ONLY cycling between brightness modes.

It would be tempting to also say that it should come on at whatever brightness level it was on previously. But, I think that would likely just make it more expensive for a very tiny benefit. I really am fine with it coming on on Low. Buut, if it could come on with a twist and be at the same brightness as previous, with no extra cost or battery drain in storage or anything like that, then yeah, I would spec that change, too.

As it is, now that I know I can reliably turn it off with no chance of accidentally turning it on, this light is going to be my default light for any time I'm not using a can light (or a combo spot/flood).

 

[lexvil]

If only there was someone on the board who could hook you up with even better prices

Tbh I haven't seen it listed yet though

The price of early adopters

 

[Manatee Diver]

Regardless, I'm pretty much always going to have a charger for other stuff (like other lights and strobe batteries). For that reason, I feel like it is no benefit to me at all to have the built in charger in the light. I'd happily trade for a shorter light. Not to mention the built-in charger just seems like one more way that the light could break, and would it then drain the battery or make the light inoperable? I don't know.

I'm the opposite, I don't use any other single cell lights and I am reaching the point that I am literally running out of room when going on trips. But there is the option of the small Xtar single cell charger, it isn't that big compared to my current two cell charger.

Later this year I should do a back up light shoot out, DGX 1000-6 vs Orcatorch DC710 vs Dive Rite CX-2 vs whatever other lights that I think might be a good option.

 

[stuartv]

I'm the opposite, I don't use any other single cell lights and I am reaching the point that I am literally running out of room when going on trips. But there is the option of the small Xtar single cell charger, it isn't that big compared to my current two cell charger.

It would pack smaller to just use the cells with the built-in charger and carry one additional spare, instead of a charger...

And you think you are running out of room? I just went to Truk. 2 checked bags just under 70#. Backpack and rollaboard both just under 50# each. And it was a struggle to get under those limits!

CCR, spare loop/DSV, spare complete rEvo electronics, sensors, etc., a full frame camera rig with WA and macro setups, 2 x strobes, 2 x 18K lumen video lights, GoPro kit, Insta360 X3 kit, BO/deco regs plus a spare plus rigging for 200' dives, 2 x backup lights, 1 x "primary" cordless on a hard Goodman, masks, fins, wetsuit/booties/hoods/gloves. And my laptop and power supply for that.

But I still fit my 8-bay charger, a BigBlue charger, 2 x DivePro chargers (video lights), 2 x NERD chargers, GoPro and X3 chargers, and a Sony camera battery charger.

LOL! I HAD to go for 2 weeks just to make it worth schlepping all that stuff!

Later this year I should do a back up light shoot out, DGX 1000-6 vs Orcatorch DC710 vs Dive Rite CX-2 vs whatever other lights that I think might be a good option.

I'd be happy to help out and/or contribute to that effort. I have several lights that could be added to that mix. Maybe we could meet in cave country and go somewhere in a cave for the best conditions for comparing.

I have UWLD LD-26 and LD-40 can lights, as well. We could include those just to see/show what the "backup" lights are really giving up in comparison to the big boy primaries.

 

[lexvil]

It would pack smaller to just use the cells with the built-in charger and carry one additional spare, instead of a charger...

And you think you are running out of room? I just went to Truk. 2 checked bags just under 70#. Backpack and rollaboard both just under 50# each. And it was a struggle to get under those limits!

CCR, spare loop/DSV, spare complete rEvo electronics, sensors, etc., a full frame camera rig with WA and macro setups, 2 x strobes, 2 x 18K lumen video lights, GoPro kit, Insta360 X3 kit, BO/deco regs plus a spare plus rigging for 200' dives, 2 x backup lights, 1 x "primary" cordless on a hard Goodman, masks, fins, wetsuit/booties/hoods/gloves. And my laptop and power supply for that.

But I still fit my 8-bay charger, a BigBlue charger, 2 x DivePro chargers (video lights), 2 x NERD chargers, GoPro and X3 chargers, and a Sony camera battery charger.

LOL! I HAD to go for 2 weeks just to make it worth schlepping all that stuff!



I'd be happy to help out and/or contribute to that effort. I have several lights that could be added to that mix. Maybe we could meet in cave country and go somewhere in a cave for the best conditions for comparing.

I have UWLD LD-26 and LD-40 can lights, as well. We could include those just to see/show what the "backup" lights are really giving up in comparison to the big boy primaries.

Let me know if you want to use the ZD710 in the tests, confined spaces is one of the type of dive where I think it would shine, so to speak.

 

[Manatee Diver]

And you think you are running out of room? I just went to Truk. 2 checked bags just under 70#. Backpack and rollaboard both just under 50# each. And it was a struggle to get under those limits!

I am pampered by driving, I even bring my preferred pillow a lot of the times. But now that I am adding scooters it is getting to the point that everything is disorganized mess.

I'd be happy to help out and/or contribute to that effort. I have several lights that could be added to that mix. Maybe we could meet in cave country and go somewhere in a cave for the best conditions for comparing.

I am thinking in the White Room at Ginnie or maybe the Bone Room, places that are easy to get to, but off the mainline so people are less likely to bother.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Got my 1000-6 today, some observations.

Much shorter light than the CX2, pretty much the same size as the CX1. The smooth body doesn't feel as nice in the hand as the knurled body of the CX1 and CX2, same with the larger bodies of the other two lights. I wish there was a larger shoulder between where the reflector slims down and the button, as that will be there the snoopy loop will hold the light. The digital lock is nice, but I wish it would ignore super long presses that would be consistent with something holding it down, like after 15 seconds ignore.

I am going to take it on a dive on Tuesday. Though it will be just butt clipped after a couple of dives I will use it as a back up to see how well the lock works in action.

 

[stuartv]

Got my 1000-6 today, some observations.

Much shorter light than the CX2, pretty much the same size as the CX1. The smooth body doesn't feel as nice in the hand as the knurled body of the CX1 and CX2, same with the larger bodies of the other two lights. I wish there was a larger shoulder between where the reflector slims down and the button, as that will be there the snoopy loop will hold the light. The digital lock is nice, but I wish it would ignore super long presses that would be consistent with something holding it down, like after 15 seconds ignore.

I am going to take it on a dive on Tuesday. Though it will be just butt clipped after a couple of dives I will use it as a back up to see how well the lock works in action.

Snoopy loop? Picture?