@stuartv definitely update us on the burn time of your new light. I don't dive during the summers so I have some time before I have to decide on which light I want.
The bigblue website also lists 2 different battery sizes for the new light, just above the price they say it's 21700x4, but lower down in the specs table they say 18650x4. I hope your right that it's 21700's.
The BB site is HORRIBLE with its copy-and-paste errors. I think the 9000 has copy-and-paste errors that were carried over from when it used to be an 8000.
My VTL13500P-Max was delivered today. It is definitely a 21700x4 battery pack. It is charging now.
Head end to head end, they are the same diameter. But, as you can see, the 9000 gets a little skinnier just behind the light head, where the 13500 stays fat. The overall length of the head portion appears to be the same between the two. It's just the battery tube portion that is fatter and a little bit longer.
Just to elaborate on what Grant said.
Basically lights fall into two categories:
#1 Cheaper lights that are not constant output with mostly made up lumen numbers (bigblue, orca, and all other cheap brands). For example, big blue 2800lm actually starts at 2.3k (so 18% lower) and then the output implodes (after 60 minutes the output is 1300 which is 46% of 2800). The same is true for every other cheap non constant output light. So they may seem cheap when you buy one, but on a ratio (that I just made up) of $ to lumen to work time they are dogshit.
That said, orca torch appears to have the best customer support and if you want a cheap light, they are the best among the cheap brands (at least the impression I got from people posting about their experience with orca on SB)
We Test Lights
www.wetestlights.com
#2 Constant output lights. Those are more expensive but the output is actually what you get. If you want to save some money, avoid buying from any north american brand / retailer and just buy from the EU (gralmarine, seaya for example) or buy used.
I didnt know about the constant vs non constant output light thing until I read several threads about lights on SB. And it is something that is good to know so you understand what you are buying
I think it is time to take "cheap" out of these comparisons.
The new DGX lights are constant output and they are only $89.
Instead of "cheap/expensive" to distinguish the lights, I vote that we use "crappy/good".
"The crappy lights are not constant output." After all, some of them are not even cheap, and they are still not constant output.
"The good lights are constant output." They range in price from $89 to over $2,000.
For good, cordless lights, we now have:
Dive Rite LX20+ ($550)
Dive Gear Express DGX1000-6 ($89)
Dive Gear Express DGX1000-8 ($89)
Apeks Luna ADV* ($849)
Apeks Luna* ($699) (I *think* this one is also constant output)
Any others?
With these options available, we really now only have to settle for a "lesser" cordless light if we want, either, a light that can switch between a spot and a flood beam, or a light that will zoom between spot and flood. I don't know of a constant output light that will do either of those things.
Also, while many (including myself) like to complain about the performance of BigBlue lights and the inaccuracy of their specs, I have always heard really good things about their customer service. And especially that they are based in Florida (for U.S. customers, anyway).
My shop is a dealer and we've always had great service. One of my shop owners was just telling me the other day about a customer that brought in a BB light that they had obviously flooded with salt water. But, the customer swore it had never been flooded. We sent it to BB and BB just sent him out a new light. No questions asked.
* I included the Apeks lights, but their 20 degree spot beam makes them too wide angle, in MY opinion, to use for scuba. Apparently, they were originally designed to use on bicycles and Apeks picked them up and re-labeled them.
