Focus light

[grahamfairbank]

I'm sure this has been covered... But what is the favorite focus light out there these days?

On the trip I just got off, for night shots I zip tied my backup light to my flash arm and it was ok... Except for not staying aimed and leaving a hot spot in the image ....

Any ideas?

(rig is s95, canon housing, ys27 (1), with dual arm tray which I could put light on)

Thanks

 

[Searcaigh]

I am using a neat LED focus light that I picked up from Scubacam in Singapore, it is branded as "Fisheye" but that is all. Works well for me.

 

[grahamfairbank]

What about just replacing the ys27 with a ys01... Or a pair for their focus light

 

[merxlin]

I use this one, but its small and really only good fairly close. Goes off when the strobe fires:
nano

 

[Searcaigh]

I use this one, but its small and really only good fairly close. Goes off when the strobe fires:
nano

That is exactly what mine looks like and has a bracket with screw attachment that fits on the hotshoe slot of my housing.

 

[Searcaigh]

What about just replacing the ys27 with a ys01... Or a pair for their focus light

Depends on how much it eats batteries. I have focus lights on my YS110alphas but rarely use them.

 

[John Gulliver]

The Fisheye FIX LED500 DX works fine for me. It's a bit heavy and very expensive though.

 

[Larry C]

I just got the Light & Motion Sola 600. It's tiny, light and powerful (600 actual lumens). It has a sealed, permanent built in battery (no covers with o-rings and can be charged wet). There are three levels of white light and two levels of red light. It's expensive. and the switch is a bit soft. Unless you lock the switch your light level changes every time you bump it. Other downside is that it barely covers two dives at full power. They say 75 minutes, and that sounds about right. After a 1 hour dive, I had it turn off after about half of a 45 minute dive. Because the battery is built in, you can't carry a spare to swap and it takes a few hours to recharge, so it wouldn't be the best for a live aboard with 5 or 6 dives a day. It does, however, make a lot of light at lesser levels and last twice as long in those conditions. The red light is awesome for not bothering light sensitive creatures. To extend the diving time, I've stopped turning it on before dropping off the boat and started waiting till I'm at least under water. I also use it on half power or red, which uses less power, unless I need it as a dive light. It's got decent power even at the lowest setting and the light is very soft and wide.

 

[grahamfairbank]

I just got the Light & Motion Sola 600....

That's too bad to hear about the Sola - I played with one and thought it was slick and obscenely bright -

 

[grahamfairbank]

Depends on how much it eats batteries. I have focus lights on my YS110alphas but rarely use them.

Do you not use your focus light because of battery burn or because you don't shoot in conditions that require you to use a focus light?