why buy 250 lumen light if 900-1000 lumens is available?

[yaml]

so, we are looking to buy lights again - after perusing what's available, i have the following observation/question:
if the objective is to be able to see (in holes or at night) and more lumens means more brightness, then why would anyone buy a light with 250 lumens when so many lights with 900 -1000 lumnes are available?
am i missing something? yes the higher lumen lights are a bit more expensive but in the grand scheme of equipment costs lights are a minor player (not talking about high priced cannister lights - merely the small handheld lights that are easily clipped on or stored in a pouch);

having said that - what are your opinions on the sporasub 900 or the doris 1000 (not sure i have the name correct)? or do you have any personal recs on small handheld superbright lights?
thanks

 

[Angry Turtle]

More is not necessarily better, it all depends on what you are going to use it for.

I used to use a light that claimed 900 lumens and had low/medium/high settings. In clear tropical waters on a night dive I used to dive it on the low setting and with two fingers covering the output. Too much light interferes with night behaviors of wildlife, and scares them away into hiding. I now use a 125 lumens light or a 220 lumens light for that type of diving. I use a big whopper 2600 lumens light though for cavern diving, caves can have dark (and low light reflecting) walls.

 

[rhwestfall]

yep, what "AT" said.... in clear open water, sometimes you need less light......

 

[kelemvor]

having said that - what are your opinions on the sporasub 900 or the doris 1000 (not sure i have the name correct)? or do you have any personal recs on small handheld superbright lights?
thanks

I think you're talking about the "dris 1000" from "dive right in scuba". It's a shop that lists stuff on this site. I bought one a few weeks ago and love it. It's my first real dive light, but I've borrowed a number of others. It's all black aluminum, and a little heavy due to the 3 C batteries it uses. It's very bright, but several people including the seller say it's slightly less than 1000 lumen in reality. Anyway, if you think a bright light such as this is what you want then I think it's not a bad choice. At the price they sell it I'm sure it's made in China if that matters to you. I just ordered a second because it's MUCH cheaper than lights with similar output. I haven't run a set of batteries completely out yet, but generic store brand C batts have gone 2 hours with me on a dive, and 90 minutes in the pool.

I like that it takes standard C batteries, that way I can use disposables or rechargeable if I want rather than being stuck with a special rechargeable only battery.

One of the lights I borrowed was a Lights & Motion Sola 1200. It's smaller than the DRIS 1k, and brighter. I liked it better overall than the DRIS. However, it's also $700 vs <$100 for the dris. I already told you what I bought

I actually ordered a second one so I'd have a backup - it hasn't come in just yet though.

 

[driftwood]

This is a light that I have come to really like, Diving Diver Scuba CREE XM L T6 LED 18650 Flashlight | eBay

Just small enough to fit in my BC pocket, variable output and great quality. The drawbacks are that it has a narrow beam and the burn time is just over a hour at maximum output.

By the time you buy the batteries and charger, you are still less than $75. Tough to beat at that price.

 

[Angry Turtle]

This is a light that I have come to really like, Diving Diver Scuba CREE XM L T6 LED 18650 Flashlight | eBay

Just small enough to fit in my BC pocket, variable output and great quality. The drawbacks are that it has a narrow beam and the burn time is just over a hour at maximum output.

By the time you buy the batteries and charger, you are still less than $75. Tough to beat at that price.

How long have you had it? I don't want to derail the OP's thread, but just in case this is my experience...this is VERY similar to the magic shine, or novae, or a series or other names they are sold under. They are the ones I mention on my above post as "I used to use". While others are happy with theirs, my wife and I had one each and they lasted about a year of trouble free operation, then all of a sudden they kill new batteries. Now, new batteries and freshly charged are apparently somehow ruined by the light not to accept a charge and to not operate the light again.

 

[j2s]

More is not necessarily better, it all depends on what you are going to use it for.

I used to use a light that claimed 900 lumens and had low/medium/high settings. In clear tropical waters on a night dive I used to dive it on the low setting and with two fingers covering the output. Too much light interferes with night behaviors of wildlife, and scares them away into hiding. I now use a 125 lumens light or a 220 lumens light for that type of diving. I use a big whopper 2600 lumens light though for cavern diving, caves can have dark (and low light reflecting) walls.

Ditto and 'burn time' plays a factor when deciding which light will work best for you......

 

[BoltSnap]

I buy the highest lum light I can afford in general and within reason even if higher than required since the batteries would last a lot longer when used in lower power setting.

 

[driftwood]

How long have you had it? I don't want to derail the OP's thread, but just in case this is my experience...this is VERY similar to the magic shine, or novae, or a series or other names they are sold under. They are the ones I mention on my above post as "I used to use". While others are happy with theirs, my wife and I had one each and they lasted about a year of trouble free operation, then all of a sudden they kill new batteries. Now, new batteries and freshly charged are apparently somehow ruined by the light not to accept a charge and to not operate the light again.

Guess I got a good one. Mine has been trouble free for around 1 1/2 years. If things change I will be sure to let everyone know.

BTW, I completely agree that the burn time needs to get a lot better.

 

[g1138]

If you're right up, close, and personal with the invert life, a 1000lumen light will basically turn what you're looking at into a white hot stop.
A lower lumen light will allow all colors to shine without whiting everything out.