New OMS HID Canister Light

[pants!]

Hey has anyone seen/tried out the new OMS Canister light? What are your thoughts? How does it compare to a Halcyon Helios or a Diverite? This is the fixed 10w system that I'm considering -- a little easier on the wallet

I've seen the OMS lights but have never used one. IMO the light doesn't really compare with a Halcyon or Salvo due to the tiny reflector and no ability to focus the beam. I also don't like the lack of strain relief on the cord. I'd say it's roughly equivalent to the Dive Rite MR11. I dislike the focusable Dive Rite because it appears rather shoddily assembled compared to Halcyon and Salvo lights.

If you want a fixed focus 10W HID, you should get http://www.diverssupplyusa.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=17764
It's got a quality strain relief on the cord and a high quality metal handle that is way easier to use than a fabric strap.

BTW, I highly recommend that any diver buy a canister light. Mine was the best purchase I've made thus far.

 

[Metalsub USA]

@ianr33

You are right, that is my opinion but I would like to call it an educated opinion. I went through about $600 worth of dive lights before I bought a HID light that fit my needs. That said, my needs are for deep dark Great Lakes shipwrecks and northern saltwater shipwreck diving. For this type of diving the 10 Watt Welch Allyn HID bulb was not bright enough.

A 50 Watt Halogen maybe a little bit brighter than a 10 Watt HID but the massive leap in burn time make any HID a better choice than a Halogen filament bulb. When you are doing multiple dive a day on one charge, burn time becomes very important.

I still want to stress the fact that Lundysd should serious look a higher wattage HID, whether in be from Metalsub or another manufacturer. I would hate to see him invest in a lamp now and decide he needs a brighter one next year.

21 Watt HID or above, that is my opinion.

 

[Warren_L]

Hey has anyone seen/tried out the new OMS Canister light? What are your thoughts? How does it compare to a Halcyon Helios or a Diverite? This is the fixed 10w system that I'm considering -- a little easier on the wallet

Lundysd, I had a chance to dive with a couple of guys last month who were sporting the latest OMS 10w HID canisters. I must say that I was impressed with the tightness of the beam and how bright it was for a 10w HID. I was comparing it side by side with my Salvo 21W HID and though my beam was a bit bigger, I was hard pressed to tell much in way of significant difference in beam intensity. The nice thing about the OMS was that the canister was compact (though I don't know how the runtime on the battery pack compares to my Salvo which runs 4 hours), and the switch is on the light head as opposed to the canister.

I dive the great lakes (mostly here in Kingston, Brockville, and Tobermory) and often in limited visibility, and though I do not own an OMS 10W light, it's the brightest 10W light I've seen so far, for what it's worth. Remember that the power of a bulb is not the only determinant of how good a light is - different bulbs can have different intensities with the same power rating, and as well the reflector used can make a big difference in beam quality.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Hey has anyone seen/tried out the new OMS Canister light? What are your thoughts? How does it compare to a Halcyon Helios or a Diverite? This is the fixed 10w system that I'm considering -- a little easier on the wallet

I have zero experience with the OMS; I do own a Dive-Rite 10 watt. In my opinion the adjustable focus head is worth the extra money - but I must also admit that almost all the time my focus remains static in a tight beam.
I like Dive-Rite and their light. I have no information for you on the OMS...
Rick

 

[do it easy]

I have the older 10W OMS (before lithium batteries). I think it's a great little light for the money. It seems similar to the DR, except I think I have an 11 cell, where I believe the DR light is 10 cell. Also, the switch is on the head and the canister is a screw on lid (no latches). These may or may not be advantages.

Yes the cord gets stiff when the water is about to freeze, but it's never been life threatening. The beam that I have is fixed, so if the vis is good, it more like a flood light, but it's fine for low (20') vis or inside a wreck.

I did get a cut in the strain relief- I don't know how. I don't think it matters as far as watertightness is concerned, but I did apply some underwater duct tape (aka aquaseal) just in case.

I like my OMS light. I have not personally tried the other 10W lights- DR, H, (does Salvo make a 10W?), but I think that they are fine as well. I haven't looked up the pricing, but I thought they were competative. I don't think that you'll go wrong with a 10W from a major manufacturer.

 

[ArcticDiver]

A couple months ago dove with some folks who were using OMS cannisters. We did about 20 or so dives together. Their lights seemed to do fine. No leaks. They were appropriately annoying in clear water situations. OOPS I guess I should have said they were appropriately bright for signaling.

The only problem was with one person's Goodman style handle. It fastens to the light head with a spring clip. It came off while it was clipped to the person's harness. He was happy when I found the handle and returned it.

I've just about settled on either OMS, or DiveRite for my next light. Which one will depend on which I can buy for the least money. Like many others I do have a bias toward a particular brand, DiveRite. Unlike some others, I will admit my bias.

Then I have a barely used LightCannon for sale. It is a fine light. If I were doing "standard" recreational diving it wouldn't be for sale.

.

 

[ianr33]

Getting back to the original question..............
I like my Dive Rite although the red cords are prone to breaking internally.New lights should have a new (hopefully improved)cord. Dive Rite service is great. Have never heard anything good about OMS service. Service is an important consideration with HID's as they have been known to break!
If you get a fixed focus light get a narrow beam. I always focus my light as tightly as possible and leave it there.
Looking at the OMS website their canister seems to be designed to clip to a backplate rather than a waistbelt,I dont like that idea.
HID's are horribly expensive but worth every penny.
Drop me a line if you want to go to Travis sometime to see how the DiveRite performs

 

[Metalsub USA]

@PANTS

Sorry for doing the hard sell, I’m new to the board and had not read the TOS yet. Thanks to you I have now read it and will abide by its rules.

Just trying to let Lundysd know about other possiblilities so he can make an informed decision for himself knowing all the options.

@ Lundysd

Definitely buy a light now that will still fit the type of diving you’re planning to do in two or three years, and buy the best you can afford. Stay with a HID though, you will need the longer burn times when wreckdiver.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I agree about the longer burn times ... that's certainly a consideration even for the recreational diver when you're doing multiple boat dives in a day, vacationing in a spot where you might want to use your light for two or more dives between charges, or dive in a place where you're camping or otherwise don't have access to a charger.

I own three HID canister lights, and they all have a burn time of 3-5 hours. Sometimes they're barely enough ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[do it easy]

Looking at the OMS website their canister seems to be designed to clip to a backplate rather than a waistbelt,I dont like that idea.

I clip mine to my waistbelt. You can clip it anywhere you want, but you might have to get a short piece of webbing.