Looking for a great inexpensive light?

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Joshua Smith
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Joshua Smith »

Grateful Diver wrote:I just picked up one of these this week ...

http://www.diverightinscuba.com/catalog ... -3380.html

Took it diving in Lake Washington yesterday. At 85 ffw I gave it a side-by-side comparison against my 21W HID Salvo, and I must say I'm pretty impressed. Pretty close to the same shape and intensity beam ... not quite as bright, but I was after all comparing a $90 light to one that costs over $1000.

Anyway, it'll blow the britches off of any other handheld I've seen ... can easily be used as a primary for someone who doesn't want to spend money on a can light ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Well, it took me a year or so to get around to it, but I finally ordered one of these!
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Jeff Pack
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Jeff Pack »

I've got the DRIS shorty now on a goodman handle as a sort of mini primary light, for like warm water or travel diving, or someplace my 35w HID is just overkill.

personally, I find it too big and heavy as a backup, but its a respectable primary. Be forewarned its machined very tight, and not all rechargeables (2400-2500ma) fit in it.
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LowDrag
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by LowDrag »

I have used mine for the first time recently at Cove 2 with pretty murky conditions and lit up the area really good. Well worth the money. If you are doing like I am and using a GoPro while diving it will wash out anything you light up with it.
Alaska-Herb
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Alaska-Herb »

I have one of the DRIS 1000 s and the shorty and both are good lights with nice punch in our green waters. But another light I found to like even better and is with in a few $ the same price. This is the HOG morph it actually has the same punch as the shorty similar burn times but a fraction of the weight. It comes in as a back up it uses a single 2600mah li-ion 18650 battery has a burn time on full power at about 80 mins. It also has a option for a video head that is actually very nice. All I have to compare the video head to is my sea life video light. The morph video light is about 1/4 of the size and weight has a broader light circle and no visable hot spot.

If I was buying another light it would be the morph $130 for the light, a battery, and a charger I have the standard and 2 with video heads and love them.
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Tom Nic
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Tom Nic »

That Hog light looks pretty sweet!
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Linedog
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Linedog »

I have a Hog Morph with the video head and it works great, small, light weight and a good burn time.
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kdupreez
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by kdupreez »

I have 2 x DRIS 1000 lumen back up lights and they are bright as all hell!!

If you only have about $100 for a light there aint any light out there that can touch this one for its power to cost ratio!

If you want to borrow one to try it, let me know.

GREAT lights and DRIS folks are also fantastic to deal with.
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thefeve
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by thefeve »

If anyone would be interested in buying a used DRIS 1000 light, i'm thinkin' about selling mine to pick up the Hog Morph with the video head for my gopro setup....

Edit - FWIW, love my DRIS light. Used it as my primary for a while before pickin' up a dusty light (which also rocks). Only reason i'm thinkin about the Hog light is my need for a video light and i don't have the spare cashola lyin' around to just pick it up...
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Alaska-Herb
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Alaska-Herb »

The DRIS 1000 lum light (full size) , the 1000 lum shorty and the Hog Morph are all three great lights I have at least one of each of them and would not be afraid to buy any of them again, they are all great lights with different strengths. I also have two Hog morphs with a video head and am buying them for a gopro set up when I pull the trigger one this month. ( they are on sale)

I think that the 1000 lum is to big to do well in a goodman handle, but does well if you want to hand carry it, the shorty does really well in a goodman. The Hog does great in a sock and the hog with a video head i think would be great for any video head.
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Matt S.
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Matt S. »

Linedog wrote:I have a Hog Morph with the video head and it works great, small, light weight and a good burn time.
Can you tell me how smart the charge/discharge cycle is? Specifically--

Will it let you run it down so far that it damages the lipo battery?

Does it include any warnings about charging it and storing it charged?

Both of those things can damage lipo batteries. A good system will prevent you from making those mistakes by intelligently managing charge and discharge to keep the battery safe. For example, a laptop computer works like that.

I tried asking the manufacturer a couple of times but couldn't get a response, and the answers are really important to how a person might use the product. Because the canister is sealed, you must take really good care of the batteries if they won't care for themselves.
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Linedog
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Linedog »

:angry:
Last edited by Linedog on Wed Sep 11, 2013 11:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Linedog
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Linedog »

I have the backup model, $4 for a new battery. Sorry I don't have answers for your questions. It came with no paperwork at all.
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Matt S.
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Matt S. »

Darn, I assumed you had the full size model.
LowDrag
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by LowDrag »

Matt S. wrote:
Linedog wrote:I have a Hog Morph with the video head and it works great, small, light weight and a good burn time.
Can you tell me how smart the charge/discharge cycle is? Specifically--

Will it let you run it down so far that it damages the lipo battery?

Does it include any warnings about charging it and storing it charged?

Both of those things can damage lipo batteries. A good system will prevent you from making those mistakes by intelligently managing charge and discharge to keep the battery safe. For example, a laptop computer works like that.

I tried asking the manufacturer a couple of times but couldn't get a response, and the answers are really important to how a person might use the product. Because the canister is sealed, you must take really good care of the batteries if they won't care for themselves.
Hey Matt, if you go over to Scubaboard in the Manufacturers forum there is an Edge forum where you should be able to find the answer to your question. cerich is the Edge manufacturer that answers most of the HOG/Edge questions asked in that forum. He has answered a few of my questions when asked. If you aren't a member of SB I could ask for you if you want me to, just let me know.

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Linedog
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Linedog »

image.jpg
Pretty simple, I plan on adding a second light soon.
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Matt S.
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Matt S. »

I did ask at ScubaBoard... Even bumped post... Even emailed them directly through their web site... No replies. It's too bad, I'd really like to learn more about the light. Those details are a big deal with the sealed battery.
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BillZ
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by BillZ »

Matt S. wrote:I did ask at ScubaBoard... Even bumped post... Even emailed them directly through their web site... No replies. It's too bad, I'd really like to learn more about the light. Those details are a big deal with the sealed battery.

I've called (old school phone style) the guys at HOG on a few occasions with product questions and gotten a live body on the phone every time. They've always been super helpful.

http://www.edge-gear.com/ContactUs.aspx
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Grateful Diver
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Grateful Diver »

It's possible Chris is traveling ... he's usually pretty good about responding to customers ...

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Matt S.
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Re: Looking for a great inexpensive light?

Post by Matt S. »

I'll try calling with those questions next time I get the itch.
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