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Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:09 am
by BASSMAN
Okay Guys,
Need some input here.

Looking into getting a new Primary Light :book:
:smt024
My reserch so far, has told me that sometimes a realy good flood light can turn your night dive in to a day dive as far as scaring off fish before you see them.

Some recommend a good straight beam so you can catch fish sleeping.

I have been looking at getting a HID Light Cannon.

Is that too much light? :dontknow:

I can't afford the whole HID, Wrist mount and canister type light.

Are those types more of a flood or spot?


What do you use?
What are your recomendations?

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:33 am
by Grateful Diver
For local diving, a spot is almost always preferable to a flood. That's because a flood light disperses quickly in the "soup" we call Puget Sound ... it's kind've like driving in a snowstorm with your high beams on.

Tell ya what ... I have two 10W HID lights ... same power, different width beams. One's a 6 degree beam that can be focused down to a tight spot, the other is a 13 degree beam that can't. Let's go diving sometime, and you can decide for yourself which one you like better.

Seeing is believing.

To answer your question about the Light Cannon ... it's a great light for the price, and they're popular for Puget Sound diving for very good reasons.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:42 am
by Sounder
Do go dive them and check them out - I'd also look into the Princeton Tec Shockwave LED. I LOVE mine, although I haven't taken it in the Puget Sound let. I have taken it into Pine Lake and stirred up some "muck" from the bottom to cloud the already Puget Sound-like water to see how it did. I was very impressed, and for the price you just can't beat them! Beyond that, it runs triple 3-watt LED's so your battery burn time is around 20 hours with LOTS of nice white light. It was also named "Tester's Choice" and "Best Buy." On Ebay you can find them for $100 (new in box INCLUDING shipping). Grateful Diver recommends the bright yellow one so WHEN you drop it you'll be able to see it. Thanks Bob!!! #-o

There's also a thread about lights here too - check it out. Calvin has used the Shockwave LED and is writing a review sometime soon. \:D/

http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?t=275

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:35 pm
by sparky
Grateful Diver wrote:For local diving, a spot is almost always preferable to a flood. That's because a flood light disperses quickly in the "soup" we call Puget Sound ... it's kind've like driving in a snowstorm with your high beams on.

Tell ya what ... I have two 10W HID lights ... same power, different width beams. One's a 6 degree beam that can be focused down to a tight spot, the other is a 13 degree beam that can't. Let's go diving sometime, and you can decide for yourself which one you like better.

Seeing is believing.

To answer your question about the Light Cannon ... it's a great light for the price, and they're popular for Puget Sound diving for very good reasons.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
I would recomend you try any dive gear before you buy it if at all possabule and any time you can dive with Grateful Diver you are going to learn something even if you try not to

my self I am going to be getting the Green Force light sold by club members at Tacome Scube when I get it I will be more then cglad to let you dive it ,

But a hand held light canon is a good choice as well I have to borrow them but I do every chance I get

I should brake down and buy myself one I guess.

Sparky

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 4:55 pm
by Tangfish
The Light Cannon is a great but temperamental light. I had one for a while and I ended up carrying around some dead weight (including 16 rechargeable batteries and a charger) all around the Philippines because the module burnt out. The C8 eLED is a great light, inexpensive (comparatively) and can stand up to a real beating. It also has a very long burn time. That's if you're going with a torch. What Grateful Diver is talking about is a canister light I believe, which is in a class of its own (much brighter and more complex setup). I will be getting a canister eventually.

You can read my review of the C8 eLED vs. Light Cannon here. Otherwise, see Sounder's post about the Princeton Tec (which I also had).

Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:22 pm
by Diver_C
http://www.Nite-Diver.com are great hid lights! My 10w with 3" ADJUSTABLE wide-spot lighthead is very bright; brighter than Dive-Rite's 10w, and the canister can't flood :supz:

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:10 am
by Jeff Kruse
Personally I would stay away from the light cannon. It's no brighter than the UKD8R 30W. If you really really cant afford a canister light then the UKD8R 30W would be my choice.

10W HID canisters lights have come down in price but you will have to search around. Stick with the spot over the flood. BTW you can get a spot reflector for the UKD8R!!! With a spot reflector the 30W bulb looks brighter than any 10W HID!

http://www.brightguy.com is a good source for lights/parts.

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 10:32 pm
by Diver_Dave
Dusty light of coarse..

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 4:34 pm
by Jeff Pack
another 14 year wakeup?

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 5:34 pm
by BASSMAN
I need a new dusty light!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:09 pm
by Tangfish
Is Dusty still making them?

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:00 am
by Norris
He is still in business!!!

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:01 am
by Norris

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:31 am
by Tangfish
Thanks Norris, and whassup my homie?!

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 2:21 pm
by Norris
Tangfish wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:31 am
Thanks Norris, and whassup my homie?!
Aww you know, chilling like a ruthless ass villain. Still getting my dive on pretty regularly. Did the Warren car last Sat :norris:

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 5:44 pm
by Tangfish
Norris wrote:
Tangfish wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:31 am
Thanks Norris, and whassup my homie?!
Aww you know, chilling like a ruthless ass villain. Still getting my dive on pretty regularly. Did the Warren car last Sat :norris:
Awesome dude! Any photos? Wonder what kind of shape it’s in these days. Don’t mean to threadjack, but actually there’s not enough of that around here these days Image

Re: Dive Lights? Spot Vs. Flood. What do you use?

Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:32 am
by Norris
Ha I am throwing a video together as we speak. Still looking decent, and a fun summer dive for sure. I will post my video in here once done.