Bigblue 450 Lumens Led Head Lamp Scuba Dive Light Hl450xw Reviews
Inexpensive and reliable LEDs accept transformed dive lights in the by x years.Marker 'Crowley' Russell rounds up the best, for everything from an occasional night dive to deep cave penetration
- What is an LED?
- Tips for buying
- Recharging
- Swoop LIGHTS – BASIC
- DivePro D5-3 £79.95
- Hollis LED half dozen £99.95
- Low-cal & Move GoBe S500 £92
- Mares EOS 3RZ £102
- Metalsub XRE 1250 Rechargeable £275
- Scubapro Nova 850 / 850 Wide £131/£149
- Seac R5 £125
- SeaLife Sea Dragon Mini 1300S £130
- Tovatec 1000 USB £85
- Underwater Kinetics MiniQ-twoscore Mk2 £63.95
- DIVE LIGHTS – ADVANCED/TECHNICAL
- DiveRite EX35 £1099.99
- Hollis LED 1200 £699.95
- Low-cal & Movement SOLA Dive 2500 Southward/F £550
- Mares XR DCT Canister Lite £578
- Metalsub KL1242 Cablelight (6350 Lumen Pony Release Version) £910
- OrcaTorch D630 £499.95
- Seac R40 £260
- Tovatec 3600 £220
- DIVE LIGHTS – MULTIPURPOSE
- DivePro S11 £129.95
- Light & Motion Stella CL 1000/2500UW £460
- Mares EOS 10RW £115
- SeaLife Sea Dragon Mini 1000F £165
- Tovatec Fusion 1500 £120
- Underwater Kinetics AquaLite Pro 100 £259.95
- Getting technical
Nobody forgets their kickoff night dive. Many defined of a sure age won't forget their first underwater torch, either. It was big, garishly coloured, had a filament bulb that burned very brightly until just after you jumped, or perhaps went 'pop' when you turned it on, out at body of water, in the nighttime, with no spare batteries.
Thankfully, time has moved on and today'southward dive lights are brighter, smaller and much more reliable than their predecessors. Improvements in battery applied science have been dramatic, but the game-changer was the appearance of inexpensive, white-coloured LEDs.
What is an LED?
A diode is an electrical component that allows electricity to flow through information technology in only one direction, and a 'Calorie-free-Emitting Diode' – LED – emits light while doing so, through a process known as electroluminescence. The colour of the low-cal emitted can be varied depending on the material used in the LED'south construction.
Cherry-red LEDs are the easiest to produce and became commonplace in the 1970s in the displays of electronic pocket calculators. White LEDs first appeared in 1996, and while they were initially more difficult and expensive to manufacture, developments have since seen LED lighting come to dominate the market.
LEDs are brighter, utilize less energy, last longer, and are less prone to impairment than filament or element of group vii bulbs. With advances in battery applied science to match, nearly modernistic torches can last for several hours at their highest output earlier the batteries either demand replacing or recharging.
Tips for ownership
There is a huge range of dive lights bachelor on the market today, just as with other types of gear, you can narrow down your selection by the type of diving you are well-nigh likely to do. If you lot're the sort of diver who makes ane or 2 like shooting fish in a barrel night dives a year in a tropical resort-based location with five other defined and a dive guide, and then a small and compact, lower-priced torch is probably all y'all will demand.
If you're making dark dives in a more remote or challenging environment, such every bit from a liveaboard, then you might want to invest in something of a college specification. Spend more than money if you accept it, but it'southward worth pointing out that turning upwardly to a recreational nighttime swoop with a lite that is too powerful sort of defeats the object of diving in the darkness – and won't win you any beer-tabular array buddies if y'all frighten all the critters away.
The larger canister lights are generally the preserve of cave or wreck defined, and techies will non need advice from this feature to make their ownership decisions. Nonetheless, those who might be seeking to join the dark side in the futurity might desire to look at lights that are brighter, accept a wider range of power modes, longer burn times, and tin be used with a hands-free grip.
Thanks to the versatility of LED engineering, there is an increasing number of lights that can exist used both for peering at things in the darkness, or as video lights. If yous think you might want a light to use for both options, make sure it has an adjustable beam angle. Remember that a torch is used for signalling underwater, which requires a tight, narrow 'spot' light to be constructive. Broad-angle 'flood' lights don't do this and shouldn't be used as general-purpose torches.
Recharging
Some lights take removable, rechargeable batteries, some of which can also be used with single-utilise alkaline (such as AA, CR123 etc…) batteries. Other lights are sealed and tin can only exist recharged using an appropriate cable (sometimes USB, sometimes not). For well-nigh people, information technology won't thing either way, merely if you might be diving in a location where power supplies are intermittent or unavailable, so beingness able to swap for a spare set up of batteries might exist a dainty option
DIVE LIGHTS – Basic
Lights that are well suited to recreational dark diving, some of which might as well be considered as backup lights for more than advanced and technical divers.
DivePro D5-3 £79.95
DivePro has an all-encompassing range of both handheld torches and video lights. The D5-3 is the well-nigh compact at just 12.5cm in length, only if size and price don't matter, the D20 at £159.95 is most twice the size, twice every bit brilliant and burns for twice as long.
LED/Power: CREE XP-L/1380 Lumens
Color temp: 6500K
Modes: High, Med, Low, Strobe, SOS
Beam Angle: 10° spot
Burn Time: 110min (loftier), 220min (depression)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 125mm/88g
Battery: 1×18650 Li-ion rechargeable
www.divepro.com
www.nautilusdiving.co.uk (UK)
Hollis LED 6£99.95
Tech specialists Hollis produced the LED 6 as a fill-in light to its primary canister systems, merely recreational divers will find a robust and dependable torch in the LED half dozen.
LED/Power: CREE LED T6/320 Lumens
Colour temp: 5000K-7000K
Modes: single-way operation
Axle Angle: 8° spot
Burn Time: 360min
Depth: 180m
Length/Weight: 147mm/340g
Bombardment: 3xC single-use
Body: Anodised aluminium
Switch:Mechanical
www.hollis.com
Light & Motion GoBe S500£92
Calorie-free and Motion's GoBe range is designed with the aforementioned sort of sporty philosophy backside action cameras. The range includes IR and UV models and the 60° GoBe yard broad-bending video light at £165
LED/Power: CREE LED/500 Lumens
Colour temp: North/A
Modes: Loftier, med, low, extended, SOS
Beam Angle: 8°
Fire Time: 90mins (high), 720mins (low)
Depth: 120m
Length/Weight: 125mm/172g
Battery: Rechargeable only, USB
world wide web.cpspartnership.co.uk
www.lightandmotion.com
Mares EOS 3RZ £102
The entry-level torch in the Mares RZ range – 'R' for 'Rechargeable' and 'Z' for 'Zoomable' in reference to the adaptable beam width. The 5RZ, 10RZ, 15RZ and the tiptop-of-the-range, 2300 lumen EOS 20RZ, priced at £266, complete the line-up.
LED/Power: CREE XPE LED/320 Lumens
Colour temp: 6700K-7800K
Modes: Full, low, flash
Beam Bending: 'zoomable' 11° – 75°
Burn Fourth dimension: 55mins (high), 120mins (depression)
Depth: 120m
Length/Weight: 137mm/152g
Battery: 1xICR14500 Li-ion
www.mares.com
Metalsub XRE 1250 Rechargeable£275
One of a limited number of wirelessly charging torches, the XRE 1250 also includes an LED visual indicator for remaining burn time, deep belch protection and an overpressure relief valve for battery gas leakage.
LED/Power: Metalsub/1250 Lumens
Colour temp: 5700K
Modes: 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, strobe, SOS
Beam Angle: 10°
Burn Time: 120mins (100%), 360mins (25%)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 220mm/500g
Battery: Rechargeable, wireless
www.cpspartnership.co.uk
www.metalsub.nl
Scubapro Nova 850 / 850 Broad£131/£149
The Nova 850 and 850 Broad are the aforementioned product with a dissimilar beam angle, machined from heavy-duty aluminium and featuring bombardment off-gas pressure relief valve. Rechargeable 850R and 850RW versions are also available with a marginally college price tag.
LED/Power: CREE XPL LED/850 Lumens
Colour temp: 4200K
Modes: Full, 50%
Beam Angle: viii° (Nova)/ fourscore° (Nova Wide)
Burn Fourth dimension: 120mins (full) 420mins (50%)
Depth: 150m
Length/Weight: 253mm/292g
Battery: 3xC
www.scubapro.com
Seac R5£125
Seac's rechargeable range starts with the R3, a compact and lightweight pocket dive torch priced at £85, but limited to a ix° spot at 400 lumens. The R5 is larger, brighter, with light intensity and beam width adjustable through a rotating switch.
LED/Power: CREE XPG2/500 Lumens
Colour temp: 5700K-7300K
Modes: Variable with magnetic switch
Axle Bending: 12° – 75°
Fire Time: 120mins (full), 24hours (very low)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 166mm/300g
Battery: 1x 18650 Li-ion / USB recharge
world wide web.seacsub.com
SeaLife Sea Dragon Mini 1300S£130
A meaty and powerful torch from underwater photography pioneers SeaLife. The Mini 1300S takes either a single lithium-ion rechargeable battery (non included) or two CR123 alkaline cells.
LED/Power: Luxeon V /1300 Lumens
Colour temp: 6000K-7000K
Modes: Full, 50%, 25%, blinking, SOS
Axle Bending: eight° spot
Burn down Time: 85mins (full), 340 mins (25%)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 157mm/174g
Battery: 1x 18650 Li-ion / 2 x CR123
www.sealife-cameras.com
Tovatec yard USB£85
Integrated USB charging ways the battery never has to exist removed from the Tovatec g torch, with the magnetic toggle switch having a visual LED charge indicator.
LED/Power: Lifetime CREE LED/1000 Lumens
Colour temp: Northward/A
Modes: 100%, l%, SOS
Beam Angle: 12°
Burn Time: 60mins (100%), 125mins (50%)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 160mm/125g
Bombardment: 18650 Li-ion USB recharge
www.cpspartnership.co.uk
www.tovatec.com
Underwater Kinetics MiniQ-twoscore Mk2£63.95
Something of a become-to-light for many divers who need to go on their hands gratuitous underwater. The lightweight MiniQ-40 Mk2 is a new take on a classic lite, packaged with a mask strap for busy divers.
LED/Power: eLED/250 Lumens
Color temp: N/A
Modes: On/Off
Beam Angle: variable 12°– 60°
Burn down Time: 300mins
Depth: 150m
Length/Weight: 190mm/254g
Battery: 4xAA Alkaline
world wide web.sea-sea.com
www.uwkdive.com
Swoop LIGHTS – Advanced/TECHNICAL
Lights that go beyond the requirements of recreational diving and into the earth of deep tech, cavern and wreck penetration, where adequate lighting tin can become a affair of life and expiry.
DiveRite EX35£1099.99
Tech specialist DiveRite's EX35 Primary Canister Light is a powerful lamp defended to hardcore cave diving techies. Up to six hours' burn fourth dimension in 100% fashion (1hr total power; 5hrs gradual taper), and a staggering 600 hours at 1%.
LED/Power: CREE XHP35/4300 Lumens
Colour temp: 5700K
Modes: 100%, 50%, 25%,5%,i%, Strobe
Beam Angle: 6°
Burn down Time: 360mins (100%), 600 hours (1%)
Depth: 150m
Length/Weight: 86mm+300mm/1930g
Battery: 150 Wh Li-Ion canister
www.sea-sea.com
www.diverite.com
Hollis LED 1200£699.95
Hollis' successor to its popular L16, the 1200 packs a brighter beam and lower weight. Standard and sidemount configurations are available, both packaged with an elastic goodman handle – a mounting which secures the torch to the top of your hand, allowing y'all to use your fingers.
LED/Ability: OSRAM LED/1200 Lumens
Colour temp: 6000K
Modes: unmarried fashion operation
Beam Angle: 6° spot
Fire Time: 300min
Depth: 180m
Length/Weight: 200mm (canister)/one.08kg
Battery: 57.5wH Li-Ion canister battery
www.hollis.com
Lite & Motion SOLA Swoop 2500 S/F£550
Toggles between a wide 2500 lumen flood or narrow 1200 lumen spot at the flick of a switch, the SOLA Dive 2500 is packaged with a hands-gratis Goodman manner mountain merely can be converted for use with a camera tray. The bombardment pack is sealed but recharges is 1h45m thank you to Low-cal & Motion's 'Fast Charge' technology.
LED/Ability: CREE LED/2500 Lumens
Colour temp: N/A
Modes: High, med, low, SOS
Beam Bending: variable 12° spot or 60° inundation
Burn down Time: 70mins (high), 280mins (depression)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 102mm/265g
Battery: Built-in Li-ion, rechargeable only
Trunk: Mill sealed
Switch:Mechanical
www.cpspartnership.co.great britain
www.lightandmotion.com
Mares XR DCT Canister Low-cal£578
A slimline canister organisation from the Mares Extended Range line, capable of 27 hours burn time in very low ability mode. DCTS sidemount model available at £533 and 120° beam DCTV video light model at £622.
LED/Power: 3xCREE XML2 LED/3200 Lumens
Colour temp: Northward/A
Modes: loftier, medium, low, very low, strobe
Beam Angle: 9°
Burn Time: 130mins (high), 27hours (very low)
Depth: 200m
Length/Weight: 73mm (head)/754g
Battery: 3×26500 Li-ion
world wide web.mares.com
Metalsub KL1242 Cablelight (6350 Lumen Pony Release Version)£910
I of the deepest-rated technical dive lights, the KL1242 is available in either 6350 or 2400 lumens, with several different battery pack options giving a fire fourth dimension on full power from 3 hours for the 6350 lumen model to six-and-a-one-half hours for the 2400 light.
LED/Power: Metalsub/6350 Lumens
Colour temp: 5700K
Modes: variable 0 – 100%, wink, strobe, SOS
Beam Angle: 10° spot
Burn Fourth dimension: 120mins
Depth: 250m
Length/Weight: 160mm/550g (caput)
Battery: 340mm, ii.5kg NiMH 12C 10Ah
world wide web.cpspartnership.co.britain
www.metalsub.nl
OrcaTorch D630£499.95
The D630 has an adjustable cablevision which allows for 90° and 180° rotation between the canister and light head, making the light suitable for both back- and side-mounted configurations.
LED/Power: 5x CREE LED/4000 Lumens
Colour temp: N/A
Modes: High, medium, low
Beam Bending: 7°
Fire Time: 300mins (high), 24hours (low)
Depth: 150m
Length/Weight: 96mm+209mm/1370g
Bombardment: 89Wh canister
www.sea-body of water.com
world wide web.orcatorch.com
Seac R40£260
The superlative end of Seac'southward rechargeable range, the Seac R40 contains 3 LEDs with a variable width beam and a switch-lock to prevent accidental ignition.
LED/Power: 3xCREE XPL /2300 Lumens
Colour temp: 5700K-7300K
Modes: High, depression, flashing
Axle Bending: Variable 12° – 75°
Burn Time: 120mins (full), 300 mins (low)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 206mm/594g
Battery: 1x 26680 Li-ion / USB recharge
www.seacsub.com
Tovatec 3600£220
A powerful handheld torch with a zoomable beam adjustable from spot to broad flood. Takes two Li-ion rechargeable batteries but is packaged with an adaptor for single-employ AA batteries when charging is non possible
LED/Power: Lifetime CREE LED/3600 Lumens
Colour temp: 5600K-6800K
Modes: 100%, 50%, 10%, Strobe
Beam Angle: variable 12°– 100°
Fire Fourth dimension: 70mins (100%), 960mins (10%)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 272mm/644g
Battery: 2×26650 Li-ion / 6xAA
www.cpspartnership.co.uk
www.tovatec.com
DIVE LIGHTS – MULTIPURPOSE
Lights that accept additional settings or wider, variable beams that can be used as handheld torches for nighttime diving, or fitted to a mounting subclass and used every bit video lights
DivePro S11£129.95
DivePro makes a serial of specialist video lights as well torches simply the S11 combines the best of both worlds with a ball mount, three diffusers and two snoots included equally standard.
LED/Power: CREE XPL-V6/1380 Lumens
Colour temp: 6500K/5000K/3000K
Modes: High, Med, Low, Strobe, SOS
Beam Angle: 10° spot, 60° wide
Burn Time: 110min (high), 220min (low)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 140mm/99g
Bombardment: 1×18650 Li-ion bombardment
www.divepro.com
www.nautilusdiving.co.united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland
Calorie-free & Motion Stella CL thou/2500UW£460
Designed every bit a video calorie-free for utilise both underwater and topside with a color rendering alphabetize of 91. The beam angle can be focused using the included snap-on Fresnel modifier.
LED/Ability: 50&M COB/2500 Lumens
Color temp: 5600K
Modes: High, med, low
Axle Angle: variable 25°– 120°
Burn Time: 70mins (high), 280mins (low)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 110mm/277g
Battery: Integrated Li-ion, rechargeable only
www.cpspartnership.co.uk
www.lightandmotion.com
Mares EOS 10RW£115
A wide-angle dive and video light with visual battery life indicator, Mares likewise produce the EOS 10RW video set which includes two torches, flexible arms and an activeness camera mounting tray, priced at £266.
LED/Power: CREE XML2 LED/1053 Lumens
Colour temp: 5800K-7300K
Modes: Full, depression, SOS
Beam Angle: Broad
Burn Fourth dimension: 135mins (high), 255mins (low)
Depth: 120m
Length/Weight: 186mm/537g
Battery: 1xICR26500 Li-ion
www.mares.com
SeaLife Body of water Dragon Mini 1000F£165
A versatile light suited to action photographic camera users likewise every bit underwater photographers. Can be manus-held for nighttime diving, or mounted every bit a camera accessory. YS adapter and mounts included.
LED/Ability: Luxeon V /grand Lumens
Colour temp: 6000K-6500K
Modes: Total, 50%, 25%, blinking, SOS
Beam Angle: 130° wide
Fire Fourth dimension: 90mins (full), 360 mins (25%)
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 159mm/195g
Bombardment: 1x 18650 Li-ion / 2 x CR123
www.sealife-cameras.com
Tovatec Fusion 1500£120
Hands changes from manus-held torch to video light past mounting the Fusion 1500 in one of Tovatec'due south camera trays and zooming the axle angle to 100°. Accepts either rechargeable batteries or AA Alkaline if necessary.
LED/Power: Lifetime CREE LED/1500 Lumens
Colour temp: 5600K-6800K
Modes: 100%, 50%, 30%, strobe
Beam Angle: variable 12°– 100°
Burn Fourth dimension: 105min
Depth: 100m
Length/Weight: 200mm/485g
Battery: 26650 Li-ion / 3xAA
world wide web.cpspartnership.co.uk
world wide web.tovatec.com
Underwater Kinetics AquaLite Pro 100£259.95
A depression-profile broad-angle light packaged with accessory mounts, the operating way of the AquaLite Pro is selected by the rear rotator switch. Lamp heads can be swapped for 20° narrow beam and UV heads (sold separately)
LED/Power: eLED/1200 Lumens
Colour temp: Northward/A
Modes: 100%, threescore%, twoscore%, 25%, SOS
Beam Angle: 100°
Burn Time: 70mins (100%), 720min(25%)
Depth: 150m
Length/Weight: 128mm/180g
Battery: one×18650 Liion
www.sea-sea.com
www.uwkdive.com
Getting technical
LUMENS A lumen is the SI measurement of the total amount of visible light emitted by a low-cal source. Putting it briefly – the larger the number of lumens, the brighter the calorie-free.
SMD, COB AND CREE Surface Mounted Diode (SMD) and Bit On Board (COB) are methods of LED manufacture. COB is the nigh contempo and most energy efficient, but SMDs are still widely used. Cree is the name of a leading manufacturer of LEDs.
BURN Fourth dimension 'Fire time' is a measurement of how long a light should operate continuously on a particular power setting from a full charge. This is realistically only a useful approximation. Different batteries terminal for unlike lengths of time, rechargeable batteries fade with repeated use, and the surrounding temperature can affect how quickly a bombardment discharges.
Colour TEMPERATURE The 'colour temperature' of a light is a measurement of how 'hot' the light appears to be (just not how hot information technology actually is). For example: an fe bar will glow scarlet, and so yellow, then white as it gets hotter, hence red is a 'depression temperature' lite, and white is a 'high temperature' light. Colour temperature is important for underwater photographers and videographers, as it helps to balance a camera's sensors with the available light (white balancing). Color temperature is measured in Kelvins on a scale ranging from an orangey-red 1,500K to a bluish-white 30,000K. But to misfile the thing, depression temperature orangey light is referred to as 'warm', and high temperature bluish-white low-cal is called 'cool'.
Beam Angle Axle angle is a phrase commonly used to draw the width of the axle of low-cal emitted by the torch. 'Spot' lights are narrow, between around 6° and 12° of width, and are all-time for general purpose diving – don't forget that a dive calorie-free is likewise for signalling, which requires a tight, narrow beam to be constructive. 'Flood' lights illuminate a much greater surface area – annihilation from effectually 45° to 120° – great for use with cameras, but poor for signalling underwater and shouldn't be used as a primary lite unless the beam bending can be tightened.
MODES Some lights are On/Off, others have variable power settings – 100%, fifty%, 25% or variations thereof are common. Some lights take a strobe mode, which is a continually flashing signal designed to attract attending; others have an SOS mode, which repeatedly flashes the emergency point at high ability, should the demand ascend. Using lower power modes to extend battery life where possible is recommended, switching to loftier power only if it becomes necessary.
This article features in the Autumn 2019 Impress Result of Dive Magazine. Buy a single copy or subscribe for a year from as little equally £17.99 in the U.k., or become it delivered right to your doorstep anywhere in the globe with a mail service.
- About
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Crowley (known to his mum as Mark), packed in his IT task in 2005 and spent the next nine years working as a full-fourth dimension scuba diving professional person. He started writing for DIVE in 2010 and hasn't stopped since.
burnsinniffer1970.blogspot.com
Source: https://divemagazine.com/scuba-diving-equipment/the-best-scuba-diving-torches-lights
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