LED Flashlights...Anyone have 1st hand knowledge??

[Ghost.Diver]

I was looking at these LED flashlights from Tektite (www.tek-tite.com) and was curious to know if anyone has seen them in use, used them, or had any other info on them. I am not talking about the LED marker lights, but the ones with at least 7 LED's up to 19 LED's. The add I ran across claimed color temp in the range of 6500 K (sunlight, HID, etc). Looking at replacing some of my backup lights. 3 C cell light just over 7" long...

Anyone have anything good/bad to say about UK's Light Cannon??

 

[herman]

I have one of the little 3 LED ones with 2 AAA's and that thing is great. It is from a different manuf, which I can't remember the name of at the moment. It puts out a lot more light than most 2 cell AA lights and as yet I have not used up a set of batteries. The manuf claims you get 150 hrs out of a set of batteries or about 100x that of a standard light. The light is kind of strange, it's a blue white light, like that out of a light cannon. I like the small one I have and if I were looking at a 3-4 cell type light I would sure check the larger one out.

 

[jonnythan]

As a caver, I've seen and used all manner of small efficient lights. Here's my opinion on white LED's:

I own a Petzl Tikka (3 LED's, 3 AAA's), a Princeton Tec Matrix (3 voltage regulated - dimmer initially but constant brightness throughout battery life, 2 AA). I have used single LED flashlights, and array LED lamps.

The Tikka is an excellent headlamp. It's very light and bright, but the best part is that there's a very even distribution of light... sort of like the light from a candle or carbide lamp, just bluish. The Tikka is excellent for camping, while the Matrix (similar headlamp, but more rugged) is great for caving in low-volume passageways.

I'm unimpressed with the LED flashlights. They're wonderful for reliability and have very even light output, but just don't have the intensity from an incandescent flashlight. You simply can't beat a decent 4 watt headlamp for lighting up a decent sized room, or shining a beam 60 feet to the ceiling. You just can't do that with an LED lamp.

This being said, I can't imagine white LED's making a decent scuba light. I could see an LED array making a nice even light that illuminates about 3 feet in front of you... 20-LED arrays begin to rival perhaps 5 or 6 watt halogens, but (especially given the cost) cannot compare to a 10 watt HID even a regular 12 watt halogen.

Then again, I've never used LED arrays underwater, I may be completely wrong

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by jonnythan
Then again, I've never used LED arrays underwater, I may be completely wrong

You're not.

 

[Se7en]

I concur completely with jonnythan

I also have a petzl 4 LED / 4.5 volts headlamp, and it is excellent for anything within 3 metres. I'm doing a 24hour rogaine this weekend, and it's a must have for the map reading and general stuff.

I also have a cannister light with a 10 degree / 35 watt head, and a hand held with a 6 degree reflector. (both Halogen)

The LED headlamp lights up everything within 2m in front of me, the cannister light throws a bright 2 ft diameter spot on the wall 5m away, and the hand held light puts up a 1 foot spot.

Underwater, the handheld is good for picking things out in overhangs / wrecks etc, the cannister light is great at lighting up a decent area at night / wrecks.

The LED light penetrates about 1 foot, and lights up a semisphere of crap in the water...
(I bagged it and tried it out on a shallow night dive. Pointless.)

Mike

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

LED's are truely remarkable. There not GREAT for long distance but the beat the heck out of halagen lights. I just tried my new UK HID sun cannon. MY GOD!!! It's awesome. I just couldn't believe. No one else could believe it either. I had the new Pelican Nemo and an older 8 celled UK light with it. It blew everything out of the water. It put my poor little LED's to shame also.

 

[spottydog]

I don't know about the LEDs so can't help at all there.

THe UK Cannon is absolutely amazing for light. I was diving in the Clyde a few weeks ago with a UK D4R on the brightest bulb when someone came towards me with the UK Cannon. I could definitely see the cannon light before I saw the diver and the colours on the coral lit up be it were wonderful (my D4 just didn't do them justice). I am definitely planning on buying a Canno in the near future.