Questions about buying a primary light

[John Bailey]

I would seriously consider the 21 watt Halcyon unless you find it too big. I have a 10 watt and find it generally useless for signalling in shallow water in the daytime. It is ok once you are at depth but a 21 watt seems to be better and probably more or a bargain in the long-term.

John

 

[lamont]

How do you really feel? Wow!

Kathydee, clearly budget will be as big a factor as anything else. We don't know where you stand there. You are also asking for advice while having only done what appears to be internet homework......

Find a shop or two that stocks the lights. Go look at the different features, sizes, weights and then narrow it down from there. Look at what manufactures reps are close to you for future warranty work. Most will have good CS for repairs, expediting down time would be a key to purchase local......

Don't rule out starting with something a bit smaller and working your way up. It is hard to justify spending $ 1,500 - 3k on a light out of the gate when you could pick up something like a new DR 6250 eLed for $600 and go from there........

Then again, if you can swing the "one time purchase, never outgrow it" and feel that you have enough research and facts to support the decision, I commend you for doing so....

Either way, good luck with your en devour...

I started out with a Halcyon 10W Pro6 and in retrospect should have just shelled out for the 18W. I pretty quickly wound up with one anyway.

If you are a new diver and you think you need a 10W, you probably need a 21W/24W.

I understand not wanting to shell out $1,200+ on a flashlight because I made that mistake -- but its still a mistake.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Everyone I know dives with their focused beam on the tightest setting as well. Only time that a buddy used the wider setting was in No Hoch in Mexico. KMD flooded Heaven's Gate and I forgot to breath.

The only time I have my light on the wide setting was when we were doing some video work in a cave, and we were too cheap for video reflectors.

Team of 3 -- one guy out in front, two behind side by side, each with our 18w lights set to wide open, lighting up the guy in front plus the surrounding tunnel. I held the camera, and it actually worked decently...but not as effective as video reflectors.

 

[D_B]

I started out with a Halcyon 10W Pro6 and in retrospect should have just shelled out for the 18W. I pretty quickly wound up with one anyway.

If you are a new diver and you think you need a 10W, you probably need a 21W/24W.

I understand not wanting to shell out $1,200+ on a flashlight because I made that mistake -- but its still a mistake.

That's the one thing that I've seen posted quite a bit about HID lights ... to get more than a 10w, because you probably, eventually, will get somthing more later ... I guess that would be a 21w now

 

[lamont]

That's the one thing that I've seen posted quite a bit about HID lights ... to get more than a 10w, because you probably, eventually, will get somthing more later ... I guess that would be a 21w now

I'd only say it isn't "probably, eventually" but "nearly certain, sooner than you think".

Light is addictive.

 

[D_B]

So .. what your really saying is ... that when they develop a white light "fat" lazer beam light, your in!

 

[kathydee]

I understand not wanting to shell out $1,200+ on a flashlight because I made that mistake -- but its still a mistake.

I have no problem spending this much, it's an important piece of equipment. I agree, it's cheaper to buy good gear in the first place with room for growth and not have to upgrade later.

In a few weeks I will be able to dive a Sartek, curious about the size of the light head. Interested in the possibility of interchangable light heads which might span more dive conditions. Still researching.

Thanks everyone!

 

[D_B]

Hijack ... I'm interested in this one ..

[SIZE=+1]CBPS10H2113DS (U.S. Pat.# 6,679,619)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]21/13 Watt Focusable HID System with on/off/21/13 watt switch on the head, 8.8AH Lithium Ion Battery Pack in Screw Cap PVC Canister with the new rotary switch (Belt or Backplate Mount), HID-GSHR Adjustable Rigid Goodman Handle, and Universal Fast Charger (100-240 VAC) . Burn Time about 4 hours U.S. Pat.# 6,679,619[/SIZE]


[SIZE=-1]MSRP $1,200.00 [/SIZE]


...Any thoughts on the switchable aspects or burn time (it's about $150 more than the straight 21w one)

 

[TSandM]

Kathy, I'm lazy and didn't go back through the whole thread. I don't know what your budget concerns are, but used HID lights are available quite frequently. I've bought three, and two have turned out to be excellent purchases, although one I'm going to turn around because my cave instructor says he thinks it just isn't worth the money I'd have to put into it to customize it to me for cave purposes. But I'm quite sure I can resell it for what I paid for it, which is not true of new lights

At any rate, a used light may be the place to start, so you have something to use while you try to figure out what the perfect light for you is.

 

[nadwidny]

Absolutely. There are enough used lights out there popping up on the forums that if someone is on a reduced budget they can more easily afford a good light and not waste money on a less suitable alternative just because it was the cheaper alternative.