Choosing a video light for underwater video

[Interceptor121]

The subject is quite complex but I have tried to put together some thoughts and considerations that hopefully help

Choosing a video light for your Underwater Video Rig | Interceptor121 Underwater Video

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Thanks very much and you just answered a few questions that I had. The entire market is just super saturated with lights, to include false spects., it is getting rather hard to keep it seperated. Some of it was still alittle over my head but I think that I get it. Care to kive a professional opinion about this light: Welcome To Bigblue Dive Lights

I also enjoyed your take on filters. I am using an Intova Sport Pro HD. I have a true slip on filter that does not allow water into it. So when you stated, "the SRP dome has a design issue as there is a layer of water between the lens and the filter that may absorb color and can’t be recovered." Does that mean I should put the lens on before entering the water in order to maintain an airspace?
Thanks again

 

[TheTrickster]

Interceptor - VERY Good!!

But one piece of important information is also needed.

CRI Rating.

I'm currently looking at buying Keldans and I started wondering - whats the difference between the Luna 8 and Luna 8 CRI, apart from an increase in price, yet a decrease in Lumens...

To me (now) factoring in a high CRI 90+ is an important spec to look for when looking at video lighting.

Example of CRI in play:

[video=youtube;_tISsunRpf0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tISsunRpf0[/video]

Glad to see others (you) are investigating this stuff too

 

[Interceptor121]

Interceptor - VERY Good!!

But one piece of important information is also needed.

CRI Rating.

I'm currently looking at buying Keldans and I started wondering - whats the difference between the Luna 8 and Luna 8 CRI, apart from an increase in price, yet a decrease in Lumens...

To me (now) factoring in a high CRI 90+ is an important spec to look for when looking at video lighting.

Example of CRI in play:

[video=youtube;_tISsunRpf0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tISsunRpf0[/video]

Glad to see others (you) are investigating this stuff too

That is very true however typically CRI are not mentioned in the specs when you buy a light. You need to be able to test it properly in the right conditions (not a shop) to evaluate. This is another factor that creates a huge difference in price

---------- Post added January 6th, 2014 at 09:26 AM ----------

Thanks very much and you just answered a few questions that I had. The entire market is just super saturated with lights, to include false spects., it is getting rather hard to keep it seperated. Some of it was still alittle over my head but I think that I get it. Care to kive a professional opinion about this light: Welcome To Bigblue Dive Lights

I also enjoyed your take on filters. I am using an Intova Sport Pro HD. I have a true slip on filter that does not allow water into it. So when you stated, "the SRP dome has a design issue as there is a layer of water between the lens and the filter that may absorb color and can’t be recovered." Does that mean I should put the lens on before entering the water in order to maintain an airspace?
Thanks again

No the filter goes on once you are in the water so that there are no bubble in between. The design of the SRP dome was more intended to make it look cool but ended up being unpractical as you can't put other accessories on and it has now been abandoned. It is a bit of an issue for companies like SRP trying to make something that at same time is feature rich and looks cool a bit like the tray that also has a design that is counter productive if you use light as requires even longer arms. The light you mention (and is not possible to talk about the quality of the beam without testing it) should work well up to 40" from the lens and would require arms 21" long with a tray one foot wide to operate properly. You can see that you need very soon wide arm as the angle goes past 60-70 degrees

 

[SlvrDragon50]

Good article. I wanted to get that Archon light, but your article is making me rethink my choice. SOLAs are just so damn expensive :|

Assuming my math is right, the Archon should perform about the same as the SOLA 400s right (more similar price)? Just a wider beam angle.

 

[Interceptor121]

Good article. I wanted to get that Archon light, but your article is making me rethink my choice. SOLAs are just so damn expensive :|

Assuming my math is right, the Archon should perform about the same as the SOLA 400s right (more similar price)? Just a wider beam angle.

There is no problem getting a wide light but you need to make sure you have long arms and get closer otherwise there is no benefit. The lights are just different one is wide and the other less wide it depends on what you want to shoot and at which distance

I understand Sola have a new light called Gobe+ that is priced at $299 that with 700 lumens and $299 seems interesting but also look at the Inon LE700W that costs $219 and has a 75 degrees beam
The sola will cover well up to 3 feet and will required shorter arms however the size of the subject is also limited. The Inon could get you to 2 feet and 4" and require slightly longer arms for optimal use

I did not intend to say that wide lights like the archon are bad however they do need other things to go with it a very wide lens and close shooting distances

 

[SlvrDragon50]

So I guess the thing that is confusing me... why pick the light with less lumens and beam angle (same lux at say 1')? Why not just go with say a single Archon so you dont have shadow issues versus to two Inon LE700W or two SOLA GoBe+?

 

[Interceptor121]

Single light illuminates all the water between you and the subject lights gets reflected by the particles and you end up having backscatter
For wide angle you always want two lights to avoid this problem

 

[SlvrDragon50]

Ahh, I see now. Thanks!

Gonna have to spend some time reevaluating my options now. Seems like I should be shooting for something with ~60-75* beam angle vs 110.

 

[Interceptor121]

Ahh, I see now. Thanks!

Gonna have to spend some time reevaluating my options now. Seems like I should be shooting for something with ~60-75* beam angle vs 110.

Or get very long arms