I use a UK Light Cannon eled as my primary light. When I am night diving I take my older UK light cannon as a back up. Both have rechargeable batteries, and both do the job quite well for me.
Divegoose
Divegoose
Diving Light recommendations
- Thread starter MasterMindDiver
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Aquabot
Contributor
I have a 12w (about 1200 lumens) light monkey light I am selling. If interested check the classified section. Doesn't have any buttons or switches that can fail as the light is a twist on and off. Also have both soft and hard good man handles for it.
FM1520
Contributor
What kind of rechargeable batteries do you use?
Clark Fletcher
Contributor
I think you made a good choice. One of my dive buddies has the Big Blue TL3100. After seeing it in action, I've decided that it's going to be my next major equipment purchase. As far as "bang for the buck", there aren't many lights that can compare. If I'm not mistaken, my dive buddy used this light while blackwater diving in the Cooper River with great success.
BDSC
Contributor
Big Blue lights are the only dive lights I now use. Very well made. A lot of my dive friends use them as well.
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my only issue with big blue is that they don't have constant output drivers and aren't capable of ever putting out their full rated capacity.
They haven't tested the 3100, but it has held true for all of their lights so far. On the 2800P they claim 2800 for 90 minutes. They actually get a peak output of 2200 lumen, and while it does burn for 90 minutes, after only 30 minutes it is already down to 1500 and at around 80 minutes it almost immediately drops off to next to nothing. It's not an issue obviously, but it's something that you need to be aware of. It's not a 2800 lumen light for 90 minutes. It's an almost 2800 lumen light for a minute or two, then in my opinion is a 1500 lumen light for about 90 minutes.
This trend of only achieving an average of 2/3's the claimed light output for the duration of burn is something observed in all of their dive lights. It is partially a function of small batteries taking a huge voltage drop when those lights go on, but it's also something that in order to maximize claimed specs, they've been quite deceitful in my opinion over what the lights can do. The claims that they make for lumen and burn time are not currently possible with available technology in the market.
Again, not something that should stop you from buying the lights, just understand that they are not capable of the claims so temper your expectations.
We Test Lights | TL2800P Test and Review
They haven't tested the 3100, but it has held true for all of their lights so far. On the 2800P they claim 2800 for 90 minutes. They actually get a peak output of 2200 lumen, and while it does burn for 90 minutes, after only 30 minutes it is already down to 1500 and at around 80 minutes it almost immediately drops off to next to nothing. It's not an issue obviously, but it's something that you need to be aware of. It's not a 2800 lumen light for 90 minutes. It's an almost 2800 lumen light for a minute or two, then in my opinion is a 1500 lumen light for about 90 minutes.
This trend of only achieving an average of 2/3's the claimed light output for the duration of burn is something observed in all of their dive lights. It is partially a function of small batteries taking a huge voltage drop when those lights go on, but it's also something that in order to maximize claimed specs, they've been quite deceitful in my opinion over what the lights can do. The claims that they make for lumen and burn time are not currently possible with available technology in the market.
Again, not something that should stop you from buying the lights, just understand that they are not capable of the claims so temper your expectations.
We Test Lights | TL2800P Test and Review
BDSC
Contributor
I think when I go to DEMA this year I'll show them this thread and see what they say. Should be interesting.
When I see that they claim some torches have less than half the claimed beam width, I start to worry about the testing though. There's no way a user is not reporting that his torch outputs at 80° instead of 160. It'd ruin every single video you make with such a torch.
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remember that the beam angles change dramatically in water vs air and that the beam angle may actually spread out to 160, but if it's not really useful, then they won't quote it that wide. I've seen large and very faint coronas around the BB lights and it's enough to the point that it may as well not be there. This in comparison to the UWLD and L&M lights that claim a much more realistic beam angle and have a true even spread to the edge
Understanding UW Light Specs & Testing / Light and Motion - Light & Motion
The lights are tested on a machine that I can almost guarantee that Big Blue doesn't own *they're deep into 6 figures*, so it's going to be accurate, but if they have 80* with 90% of the light, and the rest of the beam angle with only 10%, does that outer fringe matter since it isn't useful to the camera?
BDSC
Contributor
I did a quick look into the link tbone supplied about the light testing. From what I can tell, the testing group seems to be affiliated with Light & Motion. If you look at their test results, it seems that every L&M light exceeds their specs and most other brands fall short. You have to wonder just how objective the testing is.
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