Night dive etiquette: Flood vs Spot
- Thread starter Rafael Moreira
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I too prefer night dives without lights. Gimme a full moon, little to no cloud cover and calm seas, perfection.
JoeTPhilly
Contributor
Yeah, Bonaire ostracod dives without lights are great. I need to work on a cover for the computer as even on cave setting the Peregrine is quite bright. Lights on afterward to help the Tarpons hunt.
I use the modeling/focus light on my camera rig for my primary night dive light. Often in red so as not to attract sea lice, and other little critters. It doesn't travel far and doesn't bother the critters much. If I start shooting video I break out the sun, otherwise it's a dim little white or red light with the occasional flash.
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Nothing more annoying than light cannons. On clear water rec night dives, less is more.
I have a 250 Lumen variable 3-26 degree beam angle light and often find that too bright. It's very versatile and almost perfect save being a tad too bright on occasion.
Been hunting for something lower lumen. Most lights now 1000 + lumens.
Ideally want a twist on light in the 125 lumen range with a 15 ish degree beam. Boy, hard to find.
If diving with others I won't turn on my light at all.
Light shows totally ruin night dives for me.
Best night dives IMO are done solo.
I have a 250 Lumen variable 3-26 degree beam angle light and often find that too bright. It's very versatile and almost perfect save being a tad too bright on occasion.
Been hunting for something lower lumen. Most lights now 1000 + lumens.
Ideally want a twist on light in the 125 lumen range with a 15 ish degree beam. Boy, hard to find.
If diving with others I won't turn on my light at all.
Light shows totally ruin night dives for me.
Best night dives IMO are done solo.
- Messages
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- Reaction score
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- Location
- Somewhere between here and there
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
The LM 2W back up almost fits the bill, 125 lumens, 13 degree beam angle, 6 hour burn time, twist activation but boy those CR123A batteries are spendy.
- Messages
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- Somewhere between here and there
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
And I'd not want to be called a whiny bitch if I had any issues 
PatW
Contributor
I find that I need far less light on a night dive than during the day.
During the day, I need a pretty bright light to illuminate under ledges and my eyes are light adapted.
At night, with dark adapted eyes, a relatively dim light does ok. Also most fish find shelters at night. A bright light can disturb them and force them to move and lose their safe spot.
As for other divers, using a dialed down strobe is probably fine. it is the misuse of a light by shining it into another diver’s eyes that is the big issue. You can do that with a strobe or a spot.
During the day, I need a pretty bright light to illuminate under ledges and my eyes are light adapted.
At night, with dark adapted eyes, a relatively dim light does ok. Also most fish find shelters at night. A bright light can disturb them and force them to move and lose their safe spot.
As for other divers, using a dialed down strobe is probably fine. it is the misuse of a light by shining it into another diver’s eyes that is the big issue. You can do that with a strobe or a spot.
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