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A dive light is any light source carried by an underwater diver to illuminate his route, especially at night. Primarily, self-contained lights are used by divers, while in few cases, lights powered by cable supply are used.
Dive lights are mainly used at night or during cave dives when little or no natural light source can find its way. Dive lights help in providing lights underwater navigation, safety, and seeing the actual color of objects.
How to choose a dive light
One of the essential Scuba diving equipment for your safety and enjoyment should always be with you whether you’re diving during daytime or nighttime.
You might be wondering, do you need a dive light if you’re starting diving? Yes, you need a dive light, beginner divers go as far as 50 to 130 feet, and at just 30 feet, everything loses its color and turn to shades of gray and blue – and that’s not perfect if you are in the sea for the unique visual experience of seeing underwater.
A good dive light is your best friend during dives, as it will help you reveal your way through and guide you through darker and deeper waters. If you’re looking to purchase a dive light that you will use for your next diving, here are some factors to note:
What activities are you willing to engage in?
When choosing a dive light, the first thing to ask yourself is what activities you are willing to engage in, as there are different types of dive lights, so you need to select the best for your actions. If you’re going on spearfishing, choose a light that can be mounted on your weapon or your head to have your hands free to operate your tools and weapon. A sizeable primary light will be the best if you’re exploring underwater caves and significant shipwrecks. Oh, note a sizeable primary light if you’re visiting the wreck of the Titanic (winks).
The Beam angle of the dive light
Another crucial factor to note when choosing a dive light is its beam angle. A narrow beam angle is what you will need for illuminating specific spots, such as when you need to observe a water plant, a small rock, or an underwater crevice. A narrower light is also the perfect option for hazy, low visibility waters.
A wider beam angle is needed for night driving as it provides maximum visibility of the surroundings and keeps you alert of dangers.
How deep are you willing to go
A good thing to note when choosing a dive light is the duration of your dive as the longer your dive light’s power duration is, the more reliable it is during long drives. This highly depends on the kind of material your underwater light source was made from whether it is high-intensity discharge, light-emitting diode, or incandescent.
Mostly, LEDs and HIDs offer more powerful lights and last for longer durations. LEDs however are more popular as they are more energy-efficient, durable, and more robust than HIDs.
Incandescents are usually less powerful and less expensive than LEDs and HIDs, and also have a shorter battery lifespan. But you might be wondering, Why do most divers still use Xenon despite their short battery span? The main reason is that incandescents give off warmer colors which can make sea creatures and plants look more appealing in pictures and videos.
Just be alerted that, the deeper you go, the darker it gets, which is why you need to get a powerful light source with a long battery span if you are going on deep dives.
Note your budget
The last but most important thing to note when choosing an underwater light source is your budget. Dive lights with powerful bulbs and a longer battery span are more expensive. Because dive lights become your main source of safety in deep water, investing in them becomes worthy in the long run. This is particularly why you are required to choose an LED light, as it provides more power than incandescents and lasts longer than HIDs.
Again, if you’re buying multiple light sources to rig them together for photography and video sources, it’s better to buy a single good one as the affordable ones can rack up a bill if they’re bought in multiples.
Also, note investing in rechargeable batteries than cheap disposable ones that you have to be changing frequently. In a nutshell, choose a dive light that favors your budget while favoring you.
Types of dive lights
After knowing the factors to note when choosing a dive light, the next thing to look at is the types of dive light to choose the one that suits you best. Below are some types of dive lights:
- Primary dive light
Primary dive lights are handheld light sources that are large, bright, and designed for both nighttime and daytime usage in hazy water bodies. It usually comes armed with a pistol or lantern grip and divers usually find this type of light more comfortable compared to stick lights. It has a wide coverage, and its power is focused in the center beam making it to be able to penetrate through turbid water bodies without requiring an additional light source.
Primary dive lights are very durable as they can last for up to ten years, which makes them very expensive. They offer three choices of bulbs – the long-lasting LED light that offers more light and power than the older halogens comes at an affordable price, the HID bulbs produce power five times than the halogen bulbs comes at a pretty expensive price and the cheap halogen bulbs that give off the warm traditional light. Primary dive Lights can use either disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries.
If you’re going on night diving or deep diving, a primary dive light is the perfect source of underwater light for you.
- Secondary dive lights
Unlike primary dive lights, secondary dive lights are smaller handheld light sources that can be used for extra illumination during daytime diving. However, some divers use a secondary dive light as a backup in case your primary light source stops abruptly. These types of light sources offer a narrower beam light as such they can be used for illuminating specific spots in waters.
Secondary dive lights are very smaller and compact and can be inserted into the pockets of your buoyancy compensator, they also offer a narrow beam light compared to other underwater light sources due to their small size.
For shallow daytime diving, take a secondary dive light In case your primary dive light stops.
- Canister dive light
Canister dive lights are mostly used by technical divers and deepwater divers exploring shipwrecks and caves. It is also known as a canister light and comes with a canister containing a battery pack that connects to the light bulb using a long coarse power wire. This makes the battery larger, thus being able to contain more power and in turn, gives off a brighter and wider beam of light more than primary dive lights.
The bulb of a canister dive light is separate from the apparatus, thus giving you the chance to attach the bulb to your wrist or waist. For deep water diving and explorations, a canister dive light is the best source of light for you.
- Marker dive lights
If you’re in murky low visibility water and you need to keep visible to your diving team, note getting a marker dive light. This will help keep you visible to your team especially if your secondary or primary dive light is pointing away from them.
The lumen rating of marker dive lights doesn’t matter much, if you’re going on a long burn time, a nondisposable lumen like LED strobes or flares are recommended. These came in different designs and colors and are usually attached to your snorkel or your tank valve.
Avoid glow sticks as they are not environment friendly and can only be used once.
- Mounted dive lights
Mounted dive lights are for divers that want their hands free during explorations, spearfishing, or treasure hunting. It is usually mounted on its head like the ones hikers use, sometimes, it is mounted on the wrist or top of the hand.
Note using mounted dive lights with disposable batteries as they last longer and can be used once you need to as far as you have got a fresh battery pack available. However, using disposable batteries will cost you a lot of money in the long run and it is not eco-friendly.
Mounted dive lights are very small and compact, they’re a good light source during cave and shipwreck explorations, especially if you get a good one that gives off a strong beam of light.
- Photography and Video dive lights
Photography dive lights are types of dive lights that emit a flash of light each time an image is taken. A video dive light on the other hand offers a more wide and good flood of light thereby exposing a scene properly, unlike a primary dive light that has concentrated on the middle.
Photography and video dive lights are mostly adjustable to give you a chance to properly expose your shots and videos.
The 5 Best Dive Lights Are Reviewed Below
With hundreds of brands advertising dive lights on Amazon, choosing the best dive light is not an easy task. You might be too overwhelming to choose the right one for yourself, especially as a novice. To save you from falling in the wrong hands, we’ve decided to review the five best dive lights on Amazon. Whether you are buying a dive light for yourself or you are getting one as a gift for a diver friend, this list will surely help you.
1
GENWISS Scuba diving flashlight dive torch
The Genesis scuba diving flashlight is the number best seller in diving safety lights on Amazon. The 2000 lumens diving flashlight is used for underwater enthusiasts, underwater exploration, salvage, and photography. It can be used for up to 80 meters underwater.
Made from a strong and durable aluminum alloy, the Genwiss scuba diving flashlight is suitable for extreme weather conditions both indoors and outdoors. It features a super bright XML-L2 white LED light source, making it the perfect flashlight for underwater fishing, diving works, caves and shipwrecks exploration, and other outdoor activities like camping, hiking, caving, and hunting.
It comes with a rechargeable battery that can be connected to a computer, a power bank, or a wall charger. The indicator shows red while it is charging and shows green when it is fully charged.
The Genesis diving flashlight comes with a high efficiency super bright 2000lm LED bulb and 2 O rings that enhance the waterproof performance of the dive light. It has a waterproof switch made from military-grade aluminum that has anti-oxidation and anti-seawater corrosion.
Key Features:
- The Genesis diving flashlight has a bright LED illumination that emits a super bright even spotlight when diving, fishing, hiking, or hunting
- It is super bright having a powerful XM-L2 LED, 2000 lumens, and a neutral light that helps you observe a target 100m away
- It is very easy to operate and comes with a rechargeable 18650 battery that can be charged again and again
- The flashlight is made up of a compact 6061 aluminum alloy case, and a tough glass that’s crash-proof and shock-resistant.
- Has a high-efficiency 2000lm LED bulbs and 2 O rings that enhance its waterproof performance
- Its indicator shows red while charging and shows green when it is fully charged.
- The brand offers a two-year product replacement guarantee. If for any reason, the dive light stops working, they will replace the product for free
Specification:
- Brand name: Genesis
- Manufacturer’s name: Genesis
- Country of origin: China
- Weight of item: 0.97 pounds
- Weight of package: 0.36 kilograms
- Dimension of item: 5.55 x 1.65 x 1.65 inches [L × W × H]
- Dimensions of item package: 6.5 x 3.94 x 2.05 inches [L × W × H]
- Material: Aluminum (Both in and out)
- Color: Black
- Suggested users: Men
- Sport type: Dive
Pros
- Comes with a rechargeable 18650 battery
- It is made from a durable non-rusty aluminum
- Features a super bright having a powerful XM-L2 LED with 2000 lumens
- Has a waterproof switch
- It can be used for hiking, diving, caving, and deep fishing
Cons
- Some buyers claimed the light is less than 2000 lumens
- It is a bit expensive
- It uses a rechargeable battery that can run down at any moment
2
ORCATORCH D560 mini scuba headlamp dive light
The ORCATORCH D560 is a small diving headlamp that uses the Cree LED. This headlamp dive torch can be powered using a 1 × AA battery or a 1 × 14500 battery. The dive light is sealed and protected with 2 O rings and has a tough glass lens that enables light to be taken underwater to a maximum depth of about 150 meters. The headlamp can light different angles when assembled with an ORCATORCH MX05 flashlight mask clip.
Featuring an IP-68 rated waterproof material, and a reliable head rotatory switch, the mini D560 headlamp is the perfect dive light divers to mount on their helmets.
The product also features a utilized CREE XM-L2(U4)LED, having a 50,000 hours lifespan, a sharp light intensity of 3520 cd, and the farthest range of 125 meters.
Its mechanically head rotatory switch and the double-coated tough glass lenses offer high dependability underwater. Made from an aircraft high-grade aluminum material, a high-efficiency current circuit offering brightness, and an alloy aluminum reflector having professional optical analysis, the D560 mini headlamp is the perfect option for deepwater divers.
Here are the technical parameters of the ORCATORCH D560 mini scuba headlamp dive light:
Battery model: The AA battery having 165 lumens, 1h25mins, the 14500 battery having 630 lumens, 1h
Distance of beam: 73m & 119m ( for AA & 14500 batteries respectively)
Impact-resistant of dive light: 1m
Depth of dive: 150 meters underwater
Dimensions: 92×20×24 [ length × diameter × head respectively)
Voltage: 0.6 – 0.8 voltages
Key Features:
- The ORCATORCH D560 is a mini dive headlamp weighing about 47.5 grams and having a length of about 92mm as such it won’t take much space in your pack.
- Comes with an MX05 max clip (that can rotate up to 360°) that you can clip to your dive light and attach to your helmet giving you a chance to use your hands.
- It is compatible with either an AA battery or a 14500 battery. Two AA batteries come with the package
- Has a mechanical head twist that offers reliability underwater. The rotatory switch is very easy to operate, you can screw it to turn on the light and unscrew it to turn off the light
- The brand offers direct replacement or refund if the product doesn’t meet your expectation when you received it
Specification:
- Brand name: ORCATORCH
- Manufacturer’s name: ORCATORCH TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
- Country of origin: China
- Weight of item: 0.1 pounds
- Weight of package: 0.9 kilograms
- Dimension of item: 3.62 x 0.79 x 0.94 inches [L × W × H]
- Dimension of item package: 5.71 x 2.48 x 1.42 inches [L × W × H]
- Color: Black
- Material: Aluminum
- Size: small size
- Sport type: Diving
- Skill level: For beginners
- Description of warranty: 2 years
Pros
- The headlamp is mini making it very portable
- It can use both AA or 14500 batteries
- Has a mechanical head twist that offers reliability in water
- It uses a disposable battery
- It has coated toughened glass lenses that offer high reliability in water
Cons
- It uses a disposable battery which can cost you a lot of money In the long run
3
Koah Muzzle Mounted Light Kit
The Koah diving flashlight Amp 1, 90L offers a bright spotlight and a lightweight body for convenience in snorkeling, diving, cave and shipwrecks explorations, and spearfishing.
The Koah Muzzle light kit includes a 1 Amp, 90L LED Princeton tech flashlight, a one Amp KOAH, a 90L light holder, an adhesive receive mount, two AA batteries, and a quick-release buckle. It also comes with a built-in carabiner to clip the torch to your dive jacket or belt for easy access. The flashlight provides a bright spotlight of 64 meters and 90 lumens and is rated for use for up to 100 meters underwater.
The snorkel flashlight features; a quick snap-in for convenience, 90 lumens of light, a mac bright LED for long burn time, a bright narrow beam, and 72 hours of burn time.
Key Features:
- The KOAH muzzle mounted dive light kit comes with a 1 Amp, 90L LED Princeton tech flashlight, a one Amp KOAH, a 90L light holder, an adhesive receive mount, two AA batteries, and a quick-release buckle
- The mounted flashlight offers a bright light and it’s very convenient because of its lightweight.
- The KOAH muzzle flashlight can be used for diving, snorkeling, and spearfishing
- The snorkel flashlight comes with two AA batteries in the package
- It features an inbuilt carabiner that you can use to clip it to your belt or dive jacket
- It gives a bright narrow beam light of about 64 meters and 90 lumens and is rated to be used up to 100 meters underwater
Specification:
- Brand name: KOAH
- Manufacturer’s name: KOAH
- Part number: KLGTKT
- Color: Black and orange
- Size: Small Size
- Sport type: Diving, snorkeling, and spearfishing
Pros
- It is lightly weighted thereby adding convenience
- It comes with two AA batteries in the package
- It uses disposable batteries
- It provides bright light of 64 meters and 90 lumens
- It is rated to be used up to 100 meters underwater
Cons
- It uses disposable batteries that will cost a lot in the long run
4
SLONIK rechargeable CREE Headlamp
The upgraded SLONIK rechargeable Cree headlamp is a super and powerful dive light. The 1000 lumen rechargeable headlight is capable of reflecting a 600 feet beam and it is very compact and lightweight.
It has a long-life battery – a 220MAH battery, it also has a USB battery charging cable. It offers 8 hours battery span in low mode and 3.5 hours span in high mode. This convenient headlamp gets full in only 2 hours.
SONIK rechargeable headlamp is made from an aero-grade aluminum alloy for extreme weather conditions, IPX8 dustproof, and waterproof grade.
The adjustable nylon headband is snug and fits comfortably, and you can easily detach the light to fit into your pocket. It can be swiveled up and down 90° and you can switch between low and high lighting modes using one button.
It has a 100000 life span and offers 48 months warranty.
Key Features:
- The Sonik headlamp is a 1000 lumen rechargeable headlamp that is compact and lightweight, capable of reflecting up to 600ft
- It comes with a 2200MAH battery, that charges within two hours, and have a lifespan of 8 hours on low mode and 3.5 hours on high mode, and a USB battery charger cable
- The headlamp is made from an aero grade aluminum alloy 6063 for extreme condition
- Have an adjustable nylon headband that is snug and comfortably fits and you can detach it to fit into your pocket
- Can be used for both personal and industrial uses of diving, camping, and hiking
- The brand offers 48 months warranty
Specification:
- Brand name: SONIK
- Manufacturer’s name: SONIK
- Weight of item: 4. 1ounces
- Dimension of product: 3.38 x 1.26 x 0.97 inches [L × W × H]
- The model number of item: SLNK-HEAD-10W-2
- Battery Type: Lithium-ion battery
- Style: 10W 2200mA 2 LEDs
- Color: Black
- Material: Aero-grade aluminum alloy 6063
- Source of power: battery
Pros
- It can be attached to a helmet
- It is very compact and lightweight
- It is made from an aero grade aluminum alloy making it more durable
- It uses rechargeable batteries, thereby saving you from buying more batteries
Cons
- It uses rechargeable batteries that can shut down at any moment.
Buying Guide Questions
Below we shall take a look at some frequently asked questions by dive light buyers about lumens and how to choose a dive light.
How many lumens do I need for a dive light?
This highly depends on your plans and how deep you want to go, a dive light with an average of 200 or more lumen output is okay for any recreational diving.
For an exploration of shipwrecks and caves, a dive light with a higher number of lumens is required.
How do I choose a dive light?
There are many factors to note when choosing a dive light, they include; the activities you are willing to engage in, how deep you are going to dive, why are you diving and how much do you have.
Your activities will determine the kind of light you’re going to choose, as a light for recreational diving might not be good for exploration diving. The depth you’re intending to go is also a crucial factor to note, as most dive lights have the maximum depth of water they can light. For more about how to choose a dive light, check the beginning of this article.
How deep can you dive without dying?
A human being can dive to a long-distance without dying. The average human bone crushes at about 11159 kilograms per square inch. This means a human being can dive up to 35.5 kilometers before the bone crushes. And this point is three times as deep as the deepest ocean.
How bright is 1000 lumens?
1000 lumens is very bright, that is, it’s bright enough to let you see items at a very far distance from where you are. Most dive lights feature lenses to focus light into a range of about 150 to 200 meters
How many lumens do I need?
Generally, for diving, a dive light with a lumen output of 200 and above will work perfectly for any kind of diving. The exact number of lumens that you will need depends on the kind of diving you’re going and how deep you intend to go
How many lumens are HID?
HIDs generally have about 3,500 lumens which are about three times that of a halogen lamp.
How deep do navy seals dive?
Navy seals don’t have a specific depth that they dive into. Rather dive only as deep as they are required to. Commonly, they don’t require being in deep water for their diving, but during their training, they are taught to dive as deep as 100 to 300 feet.
How far will 5000 lumens shine?
5,000 is a large amount of lumen and it is capable of covering a range of up to 250 square feet.
Is 3000 Lumen too bright?
This depends on the size of your room. 3000 lumens can be used to give a large room a bright light. If your room is small or it’s a bedroom it’s not advisable to use a 3000 lumen as it might be too bright.
Conclusion
Dive lights are extremely important as they help you in having a good view of the water, they also protect you from prey and keep you visible to your dive team. Having a good dive light will help you a lot in the success of your diving, with the above guide and review, we’re sure you have a good guide in choosing a dive light.
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