Looking for a primary light/focus light

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anchochile

Contributor
Messages
273
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Location
Northern California
# of dives
100 - 199
I'm looking for a primary dive light that can also double as a focus light when I diving with my camera. I need to check the following boxes:

  • Can be mounted to the shoe mount on the Olympus TG-5 housing
  • Spot beam option (Spot only OR spot/flood is fine, but not flood-only)
  • Easy one-hand controls (button or slider, as opposed to twist on/off)
  • Pretty darn bright...not sure how to quantify this, but I currently use the DGX 600 as my primary light, and love how clearly and brightly it illuminates even at a distance - I can use it to point out critters even during bright shallow dives in clear water.
  • Some control over output would be nice to have but not essential (a dimmer, or multiple brightness settings)
  • Under $200, and ideally under $150

Any suggestions?
 
You probably don 't want a spot beam for a focus light....too bright and not necessarily aimed at your subject.
The SOLA 1200 Photo meets all your requirements except price...$300 new, maybe $240 used on eBay.
The Tovatec Fusion 1000 also meets your specs, and is only $130, but is 7 inches long and unwieldy as a focus light.
The BigBlue VTL2600p also meets your specs, except it is stronger and more than $200.
Take a look at the Kraken 1000. Kraken Sports Hydra 1000+ WSR
 
You probably don 't want a spot beam for a focus light....too bright and not necessarily aimed at your subject.
The SOLA 1200 Photo meets all your requirements except price...$300 new, maybe $240 used on eBay.
The Tovatec Fusion 1000 also meets your specs, and is only $130, but is 7 inches long and unwieldy as a focus light.
The BigBlue VTL2600p also meets your specs, except it is stronger and more than $200.
Take a look at the Kraken 1000. Kraken Sports Hydra 1000+ WSR

Thanks - guess I was confused on spot vs flood for a focus light. If a flood beam is better for focusing, I probably want a light that will do both, as I think I would still want a spot beam option for use as a primary dive light (for better penetrating distance, ability to signal, etc).

The SOLA seems to be flood only, and as you said, the BigBlue is out of my price range. The Kraken looks like a great option. My only question is its ease of use - it looks like it only has one button, and I can't find a manual online, so I wonder if cycling through all the different beam options (spot/flood/red, and 3 power levels for each) would be annoying in the water. Other than that, it seems like my best bet at this point.
 
Thanks - guess I was confused on spot vs flood for a focus light. If a flood beam is better for focusing, I probably want a light that will do both, as I think I would still want a spot beam option for use as a primary dive light (for better penetrating distance, ability to signal, etc).

The SOLA seems to be flood only, and as you said, the BigBlue is out of my price range. The Kraken looks like a great option. My only question is its ease of use - it looks like it only has one button, and I can't find a manual online, so I wonder if cycling through all the different beam options (spot/flood/red, and 3 power levels for each) would be annoying in the water. Other than that, it seems like my best bet at this point.
There are spot-only Solas and flood-only Solas and ones that do both. The "video" model is flood only. The "photo" model is both modes.
 
The Tovatec Fusion 1000 also meets your specs, and is only $130, but is 7 inches long and unwieldy as a focus light.

I wouldn’t recommend the Tovatec Fusion 1000 as a camera light unless it’s for simple amateur photography. I doesn’t work well for photos.
 
There are spot-only Solas and flood-only Solas and ones that do both. The "video" model is flood only. The "photo" model is both modes.

It looks like the Sola 1200 Photo is flood-only, according to the Light & Motion website - maybe you're thinking of a different model, or maybe I'm misunderstanding the website?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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