video light deal: Evolva Future Technology D02

[elanarchist]

https://www.amazon.com/Evolva-Future-Technology-Underwater-Photography/dp/B01FD3QQGK

I bought a couple of these last month to replace my Sola 600s and am impressed with the bang for the buck.. sure they aren't gonna light up the reef for wide angle, but for the price you're getting a lot of light and includes ball mount and quality 18650 cell with charger that doubles as USB power bank.

I don't think this $47.99 price will last for long though!

 

[coralcruiser]

I just came across that on Amazon yesterday. Have been looking at the sola 800 and fix mini1000swr

 

[PAK325]

How has this light worked out for you? I just recently bought a different flashlight to try to cheat my way to a video light, but I could afford 2 of these for the price of that flashlight.

 

[rmssetc]

https://www.amazon.com/Evolva-Future-Technology-Underwater-Photography/dp/B01FD3QQGK

I bought a couple of these last month to replace my Sola 600s and am impressed with the bang for the buck.. sure they aren't gonna light up the reef for wide angle, but for the price you're getting a lot of light and includes ball mount and quality 18650 cell with charger that doubles as USB power bank.

I don't think this $47.99 price will last for long though!

I bought one of those a few weeks ago in advance of an upcoming trip to CZM.

Likes: magnetic switch. compact size, ability to use 26650 batteries, price.

Dislikes: too many modes, cannot have red+white LEDs simultaneously, beam angle, output.

I've also got an Orcatorch D810v. In a completely subjective,non-scientific, utterly biased comparison (using the same battery), the D810v is brighter and has a much wider, more even beam. On the negative side, the Orcatorch uses a rotating head as the switch, it's a little heavier, and it's got a silly name.

The Evolva light is packaged up, awaiting a return to Amazon tomorrow (look for it at a discount in the Amazon return/refurb Warehouse site soon).

The Orcatorch is a touch more expensive, but still very reasonable.

OrcaTorch D810-950 lumens mechanically head rotary video light

 

[uncfnp]

@PAK325 We used these for the first time on our recent Bonaire trip. Agree with rmssetc that there are too many worthless modes (at least for me) but its not a deal breaker. Otherwise we were please. Of course we are just amatuer photogs. An example from a night dive...

 

[PAK325]

I'm doing the blackbeard cruise on New Years Eve and am searching for a light to add to my SRP tray for my GoPro.

I was mainly looking at the lights to enhance color at depth, but it'll definitely get some use for night dives too. The light I bought was this Tovatec Fusion 1000 lm (http://www.leisurepro.com/p-tvtfu1000/tovatec-fusion-1000-light) one to use in conjunction with my Tusa 300 lm (Tusa).

I really don't know how big of a difference the two lights will be from true video lights (like these Evolvas position themselves as), but I figured that the Tovatec will be a backup flashlight too.

I don't want to get them wet until I know which solution actually makes the most sense, but there is a disappointing lack of reviews for scuba stuff by actual users...

@uncfnp, your night video looks great! Do you use one or two of those Evolva lights? Do you have any video at around 50' depth during the day? That's really the type of shot I'm looking to improve by using the lights.

@rmssetc Thanks for your feedback. That makes me feel a little better about what I ordered. Do you think the Tovatec light compares with your Orcatorch very well?
http://www.leisurepro.com/p-tvtfu1000/tovatec-fusion-1000-light

 

[rmssetc]

I'm doing the blackbeard cruise on New Years Eve and am searching for a light to add to my SRP tray for my GoPro.

@rmssetc Thanks for your feedback. That makes me feel a little better about what I ordered. Do you think the Tovatec light compares with your Orcatorch very well?
http://www.leisurepro.com/p-tvtfu1000/tovatec-fusion-1000-light

I have no idea, never having touched the Tovatec light. I do like the idea that it's a zoom -- narrow to wide-angle, but that's at the cost of 2~4 cheap lights.

 

[uncfnp]

@PAK325 I have two lights and it was not as useful for day shots on my Bonaire dives. You have to be fairly close. I'd guesstimate about 3 feet. I'll look through my videos tomorrow and see if I can find any samples.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

@uncfnp, your night video looks great! Do you use one or two of those Evolva lights? Do you have any video at around 50' depth during the day? That's really the type of shot I'm looking to improve by using the lights.

@rmssetc Thanks for your feedback. That makes me feel a little better about what I ordered. Do you think the Tovatec light compares with your Orcatorch very well?
http://www.leisurepro.com/p-tvtfu1000/tovatec-fusion-1000-light

I used the Tovatec Fusion 1000 in my last trip, in zooming to its wide mode, due to it being a reflector focused light (instead of lens), much of the light gets pushed out to the extreme edge of the lighted area. In fact, if you take the light head off and use it in its 140 deg mode, the intensity of the light is just as bright (if not a tiny bit brighter) than when used in its 100 deg mode.

Brightness wise, my headlamp, which is FL1 rated to be 405 lumens at 85 deg, is roughly 25% brighter than the tovatec at 100 deg. If you compensate for the different beam angle, the tovatec is probably putting out 450 lumens into that 100 deg circle. The rest got diverted to the extreme edge.

 

[PAK325]

I have no idea, never having touched the Tovatec light. I do like the idea that it's a zoom -- narrow to wide-angle, but that's at the cost of 2~4 cheap lights.

@PAK325 I have two lights and it was not as useful for day shots on my Bonaire dives. You have to be fairly close. I'd guesstimate about 3 feet. I'll look through my videos tomorrow and see if I can find any samples.

I used the Tovatec Fusion 1000 in my last trip, in zooming to its wide mode, due to it being a reflector focused light (instead of lens), much of the light gets pushed out to the extreme edge of the lighted area. In fact, if you take the light head off and use it in its 140 deg mode, the intensity of the light is just as bright (if not a tiny bit brighter) than when used in its 100 deg mode.

Brightness wise, my headlamp, which is FL1 rated to be 405 lumens at 85 deg, is roughly 25% brighter than the tovatec at 100 deg. If you compensate for the different beam angle, the tovatec is probably putting out 450 lumens into that 100 deg circle. The rest got diverted to the extreme edge.

Thanks guys. I was disappointed in the Tovatec. The radius was fantastic, but like @Lwang said, the brightness left something to be desired.

Now the question is whether or not to buy the evolvas. They're probably the best looking options in my price range... I'd appreciate any other info or video you have, @uncfnp