Are Canister Lights fading away...

[tbone1004]

I can't imagine why anyone would purchase that light. It works fine, it's just horribly expensive for what it is, the head is massive, and the light numbers they get are annoying because the lux numbers just mean it's a laser pointer. It produces 710 lumens, which they claim "are not an accurate indicator of useable light in a diving scenario". Well hate to burst your bubble halcyon, but measuring lux in the center of the spot vs the entire corona is not an accurate depiction of your lights performance.

Anyway, for anyone who wants to blow that much money on a well built, excessively large backup light, go for it. Despite their claims, it can't throw more light than a 21w HID, it should throw comparable light to a fresh 10W.

There are obviously other lights out there, but for the same money, $1k, you can get the UWLD-15, which on low is outputting 10% more than the flare, but burns for 10 hours instead of 5 on the baby canister. So you get a light that can output more than 2x the light for 3.5 hours instead of 5, is physically smaller both in the canister and the light head, still has the switch on the head instead of the canister and per todays prices on DRiS, is only $100 more, has an infinitely better goodman handle, and has external charging... No brainer right there.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I can't imagine why anyone would purchase that light. It works fine, it's just horribly expensive for what it is, the head is massive, and the light numbers they get are annoying because the lux numbers just mean it's a laser pointer. It produces 710 lumens, which they claim "are not an accurate indicator of useable light in a diving scenario". Well hate to burst your bubble halcyon, but measuring lux in the center of the spot vs the entire corona is not an accurate depiction of your lights performance.

Anyway, for anyone who wants to blow that much money on a well built, excessively large backup light, go for it. Despite their claims, it can't throw more light than a 21w HID, it should throw comparable light to a fresh 10W.

There are obviously other lights out there, but for the same money, $1k, you can get the UWLD-15, which on low is outputting 10% more than the flare, but burns for 10 hours instead of 5 on the baby canister. So you get a light that can output more than 2x the light for 3.5 hours instead of 5, is physically smaller both in the canister and the light head, still has the switch on the head instead of the canister and per todays prices on DRiS, is only $100 more, has an infinitely better goodman handle, and has external charging... No brainer right there.

As usual, you seem to give a thorough and authoratative review of stuff you don't own and likely have never used...☺

 

[tbone1004]

I have used it, and as such, I certainly would never own it because it is simply outclassed by other products on the market.

You're telling me that you would purchase something that is physically larger, more difficult to use, with half the burn time, and half the light output for the same money? Why?

The simple facts are this.
The Halcyon light is 710 lumen max output, and can hold it for 5 hours.
The UWLD-15 is 1500 lumen on high and can hold it for 3.5 hours. On low, the LD-15 throws 800 lumen, and can do it for 10.
The LD-15 with the short canister is $100 more than the Focus.
They are both about the same total weight, LD is 1.3kg, the Halcyon is 1.4kg
They don't quote dimensions on any of their stuff, but while the canister is super tiny, the head is massive
The Light Dude mini canister and the Halcyon lights have about the same watt hours, around 55wh. This means that the LD is 2x as efficient at the same light output as the Halcyon. Halcyon gets 300 minutes on high, LD gets 600 minutes on low, which is normalized for the same light output. Alternatively, the LD15 on medium gets 300 minutes of burn time, but puts out 50% more light than the Halcyon.
LD-15 has external charging vs having to unscrew the pack from the tether base and screwing it into the table charger
Halcyon offers Focus, but it's a $400 upgrade, and now you have a $1350 light, and it still only throws 710 lumen. I can get the same light output from the backup lights on the market and with a video spread on them they work very well for cave video. A pair of those plus the LD-15 and I'm still $100 cheaper than the Halcyon Focus. Yeah the video lights only burn for an hour each on high, but you'll get better video from two of them on medium than the Focus on high in video spread.

Jack Hammer, I ask you this. Why on earth would you buy the Halcyon? What does it have that the LD-15 doesn't, and what does it do better than the LD-15?

 

[OMANDIVER]

Ive been to the LDS twice now and tried out the cordless and came to the same conclusion, too big and heavy. I agree with the weight/size benefit and dropping it issue too. Wouldnt want take one into a cave.

 

[PfcAJ]

I have used it, and as such, I certainly would never own it because it is simply outclassed by other products on the market.

You're telling me that you would purchase something that is physically larger, more difficult to use, with half the burn time, and half the light output for the same money? Why?

The simple facts are this.
The Halcyon light is 710 lumen max output, and can hold it for 5 hours.
The UWLD-15 is 1500 lumen on high and can hold it for 3.5 hours. On low, the LD-15 throws 800 lumen, and can do it for 10.
The LD-15 with the short canister is $100 more than the Focus.
They are both about the same total weight, LD is 1.3kg, the Halcyon is 1.4kg
They don't quote dimensions on any of their stuff, but while the canister is super tiny, the head is massive
The Light Dude mini canister and the Halcyon lights have about the same watt hours, around 55wh. This means that the LD is 2x as efficient at the same light output as the Halcyon. Halcyon gets 300 minutes on high, LD gets 600 minutes on low, which is normalized for the same light output. Alternatively, the LD15 on medium gets 300 minutes of burn time, but puts out 50% more light than the Halcyon.
LD-15 has external charging vs having to unscrew the pack from the tether base and screwing it into the table charger
Halcyon offers Focus, but it's a $400 upgrade, and now you have a $1350 light, and it still only throws 710 lumen. I can get the same light output from the backup lights on the market and with a video spread on them they work very well for cave video. A pair of those plus the LD-15 and I'm still $100 cheaper than the Halcyon Focus. Yeah the video lights only burn for an hour each on high, but you'll get better video from two of them on medium than the Focus on high in video spread.

Jack Hammer, I ask you this. Why on earth would you buy the Halcyon? What does it have that the LD-15 doesn't, and what does it do better than the LD-15?

Every LD light that I've seen has a very wide beam. I don't want that.

The Focus keeps up with a 21w, even in low vis/silt. I've never not once seen another LED that can do that.

 

[tbone1004]

check out the LD15, has a narrower beam than the big ones at 6*. Halcyon says the focus can go down to 4*, which makes signalling a bit easier in murky stuff, but gives you tunnel vision because there isn't a whole lot going on outside of the spot light. Makes it all but useless for video without aux lights to help out. Different strokes for different folks I guess, but the square 4* beam isn't very useful for most cave diving. If you dig it, then you dig it I guess

 

[PfcAJ]

check out the LD15, has a narrower beam than the big ones at 6*. Halcyon says the focus can go down to 4*, which makes signalling a bit easier in murky stuff, but gives you tunnel vision because there isn't a whole lot going on outside of the spot light. Makes it all but useless for video without aux lights to help out. Different strokes for different folks I guess, but the square 4* beam isn't very useful for most cave diving. If you dig it, then you dig it I guess

I dont buy that. Guys are doing hard core cave exploration with the Focus.

If I want a video light I'll bring a video light.

 

[LiteHedded]

check out the LD15, has a narrower beam than the big ones at 6*. Halcyon says the focus can go down to 4*, which makes signalling a bit easier in murky stuff, but gives you tunnel vision because there isn't a whole lot going on outside of the spot light. Makes it all but useless for video without aux lights to help out. Different strokes for different folks I guess, but the square 4* beam isn't very useful for most cave diving. If you dig it, then you dig it I guess

that's just nuts
the wkpp and MCEP have switched almost exclusively to the focus/flare combo and are doing some cave diving with them

 

[Jack Hammer]

I have used it, and as such, I certainly would never own it because it is simply outclassed by other products on the market.

You're telling me that you would purchase something that is physically larger, more difficult to use, with half the burn time, and half the light output for the same money? Why?

The simple facts are this.
The Halcyon light is 710 lumen max output, and can hold it for 5 hours.
The UWLD-15 is 1500 lumen on high and can hold it for 3.5 hours. On low, the LD-15 throws 800 lumen, and can do it for 10.
The LD-15 with the short canister is $100 more than the Focus.
They are both about the same total weight, LD is 1.3kg, the Halcyon is 1.4kg
They don't quote dimensions on any of their stuff, but while the canister is super tiny, the head is massive
The Light Dude mini canister and the Halcyon lights have about the same watt hours, around 55wh. This means that the LD is 2x as efficient at the same light output as the Halcyon. Halcyon gets 300 minutes on high, LD gets 600 minutes on low, which is normalized for the same light output. Alternatively, the LD15 on medium gets 300 minutes of burn time, but puts out 50% more light than the Halcyon.
LD-15 has external charging vs having to unscrew the pack from the tether base and screwing it into the table charger
Halcyon offers Focus, but it's a $400 upgrade, and now you have a $1350 light, and it still only throws 710 lumen. I can get the same light output from the backup lights on the market and with a video spread on them they work very well for cave video. A pair of those plus the LD-15 and I'm still $100 cheaper than the Halcyon Focus. Yeah the video lights only burn for an hour each on high, but you'll get better video from two of them on medium than the Focus on high in video spread.

Jack Hammer, I ask you this. Why on earth would you buy the Halcyon? What does it have that the LD-15 doesn't, and what does it do better than the LD-15?

Do you get paid by the post or the number of UWLD lights (great light btw) sold? One only need look as far as your signature to see a bias.

IMO, switching to the Focus was an upgrade from my UWLD (again, a great light). I didn't care for the dispersement pattern and found that a lot of the light it put out wasn't where I wanted it. I got the EO corded head only and use it with the larger can I already had.

Land specs don't mean squat under water. The light head is not heavy or cumbersome at all in the water. I didn't like the standard goodman handle so I swapped it out for a pricey Explorer handle which I really like, especially when scootering. I dont care for the locking switch but it hasnt been problematic. It would be nice to have a brighter setting for the light but it hasn't been an issue for me either and unlike the UWLD you love so much (not that there's anything wrong with that) it works extremely well in murk and silty water.

Do I think it's the best light for every body? Nope. I think it's the light that works best for me and have zero regrets about buying it or using it for the past 2 years. If they came out with a brighter model I'd consider buying it. The ease of use, functionality, clarity, and focusability are worth the cost to me.

☺

 

[LiteHedded]

you can get it without the switch in the head and with a regular goodman via special order