Video Lights?

[grouchyturtle]

Is HID the way to go?

I was thinking of a few possibilities:

(2) UK Light Canons (shouldn't have sold the one I had)

1. Cheap
2. Comes with diffusers for video (one of my budies can get me diffusers for free anyway)
3. Ultralight makes a mount specifically for the LC 100

1. Heavy (all of which will be suspended on the light arm)
2. 16 batteries

(2) Stealthdive canisters w/DiveRite MR11 head (I assume I'd want the 13-Degree NOT the 6?)

1. Canisters could be mounted on the housing with only the heads on the light arms
2. Only 2 batteries

1. Expensive

(1) Stealthdive canister w/DiveRite MR11 head along with the Stealthdive Canister/10watt Terkel I already have

1. Canisters could be mounted on the housing with only the heads on the light arms
2. Only 2 batteries
3. I only have to buy 1 light

1. Still kind of expensive
2. Lighting may not be even due to differences in the 2 light heads

(1) Stealthdive Canister w/10watt Terkel head along with the Stealthdive Canister/10watt Terkel I already have

1. Canisters could be mounted on the housing with only the heads on the light arms
2. Only 2 batteries
3. I only have to buy 1 light
4. More even lighting than the previous option

1. I little more expensive than the previous option, paying for a focusable head that isn't needed

Just use the HID I already have

1. Canister could be mounted on the housing with only the head on the light arm
2. Only 1 battery
3. Nothing to buy, just need to mount the lith I already own onto my housing

1. 1 light may not be enough?

Or any combination of the above, for example:
My HID with an LC 100
Buy one Stealthdive canister w/ (2) DiveRite MR11 heads and only (1) battery (that way I at least save a few $$$ on the battery and canister, I can us the 2nd head with the canister and battery I already have)

Do any of these sound like a good idea?
Do any of these sound like a really bad idea?

PLEASE HELP! Any suggestion?

 

[JRO]

Hey Grunzster,

I used one Light Cannon on my last dive trip to the Bahamas and I was very impressed with the results (especially for the price) during my night dives (I didn't use it during the day).

Can you point me in the direction of Ultralight's website. I used it free hand which caused quite a bit of task overloading. Now that I know that the end result is good, I need to find a way to mount it effectively.

Jeff

 

[grouchyturtle]

http://www.ulcs.com

The only thing I'm nervous about with using the LC-100s is it may be a little awkward handling the housing with all the weight up high like that.

Did you use the diffusers?

 

[JRO]

http://www.ulcs.com

The only thing I'm nervous about with using the LC-100s is it may be a little awkward handling the housing with all the weight up high like that.

Did you use the diffusers?

Thanks much...now I just need to figure out how to connect it to a USVH housing. I suppose weight could be an issue, my housing tends to be positive which may help resolve the issue.

I used both diffusers.

 

[Diver Mike]

I have used two UK 100 Light Cannons as video lightsfor over 15 months and love them.

I use the UL arms but do not have the lights "above" my Equinox housing, but rather bent down and on the center line of the housing. I use the weighted handles on the hosuing wings and the unit is perfectly balanced. It took me a while to get it right, but I found that having the lights lower made a big difference. With the diffusers on the light is well balanced and wihtout any major "hot spots". When properly focused you will notice no difference with having the lights lower.

 

[grouchyturtle]

So do you use just one arm section on each side?

I really like the Ultralight arms, but they really expensive!

Trying to find other options, maybe even making my own fixed arms and just permanently aim the lights where I want them.

 

[Diver Mike]

So do you use just one arm section on each side?

I really like the Ultralight arms, but they really expensive!

Trying to find other options, maybe even making my own fixed arms and just permanently aim the lights where I want them.

I have a set of UL arms now, but when I first got the camera, I used the "snap together" arms that cost like 50 bucks for the set. They will hold up the light cannons, but just barely.

I think if I had it to do over, I would look at DIY'ing some arms to reduce the costs and to get "exactly" what I wanted.

I had Equinox make me two "dovetails" that I use with the lights to replace the handles and attach to the ends of the arms. This makes a good and SECURE connection.

 

[grouchyturtle]

There are so many things out there that would work great for light arms, especially some pro audio or computer widgets. Mic booms maybe?

Except they're all made of materials that would rust after one dive!

 

[grouchyturtle]

OK I got some more info from a few different sources including one guy who does custom housings and mods.

They all say that Halogen is better than HID for video, because of the color temp of the light.

Is this true. If so it's a plus in 1 sense...Halogen is cheaper than HID...BUT Halogen has much worse burn times than HID. Most that I've looked at burn for only about 40 minutes.

 

[ronrosa]

BUT Halogen has much worse burn times than HID. Most that I've looked at burn for only about 40 minutes.

BUT, halogen lights can be turned on/off whenever you want. I only turn on my halogen video light when needed. From what I've read, HID lights are kept on all the time due to warm-up times and problems with turning them on/off too frequently/quickly.

On night dives, my "main" light is a small flashlight on a retractor clipped to my bc. Turn on my big halogen video light when I film, turn it off when I stop recording. Can't imagine having a bright wide angle HID light on all the time on a night dive. I would probably scare all the fish away.

A light rated for 40 minutes of continuous burn time would last me at least 2 night dives the way I use it.