Newbie light buyer

[ls1mtz]

I got certified at 20 years old and put in about 40 OW dives before having a medical condition that knocked me back for 10 years. Now I’m finally getting back into the water and reassembling a kit. I’ve purchased most of my setup (backplate/wing) but I can’t decide what lights to go with. I will be doing mostly OW dives until I get comfortable enough to move onto more certifications. I live in Florida so eventually I see wrecks and caves in my future but not within 5 years so I’m thinking that will be a new light purchase easy down the road (lx20). It would be nice if I could turn one of these lights into a future backup light for cavern if it actually lasted over 5 years.

My budget is pretty limited, I’d like to get two lights for under $200. I see that there are some Labor Day sales going on so I can do that but the brands are questionable to me. I was looking at the Orcatorch D710 because the specs look good for the price but the only reviews I see are basically paid or gifted light reviews which I don’t put any credence into. Does anyone have real world experience with Orcatorch? I was thinking if Orcatorch has a quality problem then a Dive rite CX2 looks nice but I can get a D710 and a D530 for the same price of the CX2. The ITAR D26 looks decent on paper too but I’m looking for advice as I’m lost on which to go with. I’m open to new recommendations, I’ve searched the forum and still need some help, I can tell that eventually I’ll end up with a LX20 but I can’t afford it right now. Thank you for any insight you can give.

 

[Marie13]

Check out the lights from DGX. The DGX branded lights are nice and work just fine for recreational divers. I have several DR CX2. If you travel to dive, not needing a separate charger is a nice plus. I have 3. I use them as primary for recreational diving and backups for cave diving. They are plenty bright. They are long, however.

Secondary Dive Lights

Diving LED Lights from DGX, Dive Rite, Kraken and Mares XR. Brighter than previous generation canister lights, these are top quality handhelds for demanding sport diving applications. Most are excellent choices as secondary backups and in some cases even a primary for shorter technical dives.

www.divegearexpress.com

 

[lexvil]

I use the D710, own two and really like them, XTAR is also a good brand, I’ve bought all for my own use. I prefer the size of the 710 more because the 21700 battery allowed for a smaller profile.

with two lights make one a simple twist head type because there is little to go wrong and one like the 710 for the various power settings.

 

[Jhgt2d]

Also consider the BX2 from dive rite. It works quite well and when you upgrade you can use it as a backup.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

You might want to consider this light for a primary. Very bright, rechargeable battery and no mechanical switch - you just turn the light head a few degrees.

OrcaTorch D700 Dive Light

With a maximum output of 1700 lumens and a beam distance of up to 320 meters, the OrcaTorch D700 is ideal for deep diving and exploring wrecks and reefs.

makospearguns.com

This second light might be the perfect back up light, much smaller (so it easily stows in a pocket - or can be worn on the mask) and is still very bright if you select the rechargeable battery option. Again no mechanical switch to leak or fail.

Mini 630 Lumen Dive Light

If you are looking for an awesome miniature dive light, the Mini 630 Dive Light is it

makospearguns.com

 

[stuartv]

I've tried a fair number of lights.

The first two lights I bought were the DGX600 twist lights. My two are almost 9 years old now and still work perfectly.

But, nowadays, I really just have 3 lights that I use. For cave diving and similar, I have an Underwater Light Dude canister light.

For everything else, I have come (almost) full circle and have a pair of the DGX700 twist lights.

DGX Gears 700 TWIST Handheld Light

The DGX 700 TWIST Handheld Light features a true out-the-front 700 system lumens (1100+ raw LED lumens) of cool white 6500°K light in a tight 8° beam and a 90+ minute burn time.

www.divegearexpress.com

I think it is pretty much the same basic light as the DGX600, except it is 3mm or so thicker, because it uses a 21700 battery, instead of an 18650 (which is 21mm diameter versus 18, and 70mm long versus 65).

The difference is a 21700 battery will have 5000 mAh of capacity, where the 18650 will have more like 3000.

That translates to the DGX700 having a fair bit longer burn time for a light that is basically the same size and output.

Also, the 21700 battery has a little USB-C port on the side near one end with an internal charger. So, to charge it, all you need is a power supply with a USB-C cable. No charger to pack along. Just a USB-C cable and wall wart.

21700 batteries run $20 - 30. So, a light that comes with one and is only $80 total is a hard value to beat. The only thing it lacks that I wish it had was the ability to run on Low and/or Medium output settings. I have another twist light that toggles between low and high just by turning it off and back on quickly, so I know it can be done in a twist light. I wish the DGX700 worked like that. Otherwise, it's just about perfect for what it is.

The Dive Rite BX2 is comparable and a good light. But, it uses the 18650 battery and it's a little more expensive. The DGX700, with it's longer burn time because of its higher capacity battery is, to ME, about the best option out there these days for value in a cordless light.

I also have a Kraken 1500 Zoom light. It uses the same 21700 battery as the DGX700. It is cool because of how bright it can go, it has multiple power levels, and how it can zoom from a 45 degree beam to a 10 degree. But, I don't like how long it is or how bulky the zoom head is. I have also come to generally stay away from push button cordless lights because they seem to get turned on by accident way too often. A twist light will never turn on by accident (if you operate it properly).

 

[stuartv]

The Orcatorch D710 does look pretty sweet with its 3000 lumen max output, plus 3 lower levels, and using a 21700 battery.

But, the double-click to unlock would make me shy away from it. In my experience, you can just about guarantee it will get turned on by accident. Possibly while you have it clipped to your harness. Possibly in your dive bag. Who knows.

The DGX700 is a fair bit cheaper and you'll not find it dead when you really need it because it got accidentally turned on and it ran down the battery without you realizing it.

Mako's D700 looks better, to me, than the D710, as it is a twist light. But, with the same battery as the DGX700 and being a lot brigher (according to the specs), the DGX light will give a longer burn time. The DGX light is plenty bright (in my opinion, anyway), so I would choose it for the cheaper price and longer burn time.

Or, maybe 1 D700 and 1 DGX700 and you can decide which one to use based on how much burn time you actually need and how bright you need. And that still keeps you under $200.

 

[happy-diver]

My issue is some torches when diving in daylight and attempting to look in dark holes through particulates
just don't cut it

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

My issue is some torches when diving in daylight and attempting to look in dark holes through particulates
just don't cut it

In those situations, it is advantageous to have a focused light that is very bright.

When diving in bright sunlight, it takes a lot of lumens to light up under a ledge when your pupils are contracted. This is the exact situation, a freediver finds themselves in when diving on a sunny day in clear water and then swimming down 15 seconds and trying to look under a ledge.

 

[lexvil]

The Orcatorch D710 does look pretty sweet with its 3000 lumen max output, plus 3 lower levels, and using a 21700 battery.

But, the double-click to unlock would make me shy away from it. In my experience, you can just about guarantee it will get turned on by accident. Possibly while you have it clipped to your harness. Possibly in your dive bag. Who knows.

The DGX700 is a fair bit cheaper and you'll not find it dead when you really need it because it got accidentally turned on and it ran down the battery without you realizing it.

Mako's D700 looks better, to me, than the D710, as it is a twist light. But, with the same battery as the DGX700 and being a lot brigher (according to the specs), the DGX light will give a longer burn time. The DGX light is plenty bright (in my opinion, anyway), so I would choose it for the cheaper price and longer burn time.

Or, maybe 1 D700 and 1 DGX700 and you can decide which one to use based on how much burn time you actually need and how bright you need. And that still keeps you under $200.

The D710 switch is very low profile, hard to turn it on accidentally but for transport you can also twist the head a touch, it’s a pretty nice light, give it a try.