Review of my new Sola 1200 LED video lights

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drbill

The Lorax for the Kelp Forest
Scuba Legend
Rest in Peace
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Location
Santa Catalina Island, CA
# of dives
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For the past three years I've been using a set of Niterider HID video lights to film with my Sony HC-7 camcorder. During daylight I've not always been pleased with the results... the NiteRiders are not well diffused and have hot spots in them, making it difficult to evenly light close-up subjects.

At the Long Beach SCUBA Show I decided to buy a new set of L&M Sola 1200 LED lights from Scott Gietler's Bluewater Photo. Yesterday I was able to get in the water and finally test them. Here are my quick impressions.

The Solas performed very well. Light was evenly dispersed and there were no noticeable hot spots. With the subjects illuminated evenly, the results were much more pleasing. The annoying green cast always evident in prior filming when there was distance between the subject and background was not present. Colors seemed to be rendered far more naturally than with the HIDs.

I also love the fact that the Solas are very compact and I do not have to carry the heavy NiteRider battery with me. Of course that battery allowed burn times that covered at least three dives a day. The Solas have a 70 min burn time at full power, and are good for one normal dive of continuous burn. I'll experiment with the lower settings later.

In short, I'm very pleased with the test results and look forward to obtaining even more pleased HD video for my viewers in the future!
 
Good question. At max power the batteries are rated at 70 min. I believe it is 140 min on med and 280 on low power. Batteries are self contained and must be replaced by the manufacturer. Not as convenient as using standard batteries such as AAs.
 
They are supposed to come out with a SOLA 4000 very soon. That should really light things up UW I would think. Don't know how much they will be though.
 
The 4000 will be in the neighborhood of $1500 each. They are quit big compared to the 1200's but do put out a lot of light. They will also have 5 or 7 settings I belive. I saw the proto type at BTS and the DC dive show and talked to them about the light. The 1200s work good for me now.
 
I went to their website and you're right, they are quite a bit larger. I have the Sunray 1000 LED's now and they seem to be plenty of light for what I find myself shooting. As a matter of fact I usually have to turn them down from full power.
 
Ashley has made an excellent point. Having seen, tested or used most lights on the market, I find that companies are putting way too much emphasis on their 'power' settings. The most important thing one should look for in a light are its even dispersement of light, no hotspots and a proper color temperature. 5000k is a good temp as the light will not become too bluish on your footage. The power or lumens is over emphasized and has become a company's hyperbole. For medium and CU work, you have to turn down the power anyway or risk blowing out your frame. At full power, the throw of the light, no matter which light, still doesn't go too far underwater so the lumens whether 2000 or higher really doesn't mean much. Ashley's 1000 LEDs have power settings of 1000, 500 and 250 lumens while the Sunray 2000s, which I used to use, have settings of 2000, 1000 and 500. I almost always had to turn down the settings. The throw of light for either was pretty much the same. The older Sunray HID lights put out 997 lumens, just about the same as Ashley's 1000 LEDs and I am sure that in a blind footage comparison, no one could tell which footage was shot with which. Gates is coming out with a new light this summer which I hope to test in Costa Rica and I will be bringing a new set of Keldan lights to use and review to Hawaii next week. While the Sola's have no hotspots topside and an even dispersion of light, I have not seen them used yet under water. I don't like that I have to send them back to the manufacturer as the battery wears itself down. L & M, unfortunately has a history of not providing service to models it no longer makes. Ask anyone with an external L & M monitor who is now stuck with a non working one. No support at all. That would make me wary. Just because a companies new model is out doesn't mean that someone, who already has a decent set of lights, should feel that they need to get the latest and greatest. Usually the new and greatest is really a diminishing set of returns. If I were still using the L & M HID lights which have been sitting unused in my drawer for several years, I would be happy as they produced an excellent color and I had no hotspots.
Steve
Steve
 
I am not sure you have to send the L&M sola back to replace the batteries. When I got mine one didnt work so all I did was unscrew the light head and disconnected the battery and then re installed it and it worked and has been ever since. Just order a new battery and replace it your self, if they just sell the battery. If not I am sure you will be able to have a local battery shop make one for you.
 
Just got an email from an associate who asked his dealer about battery replacement with the Solas. He said he was told that the cost to replace the battery was almost as much as the new light itself. I have not confirmed this however.
Steve

I just contacted L&M and was told the cost to replace the Sola 1200 battery including testing is $75 each.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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