Which torch do UW photographers use?

[chrisugden]

hello

i'm thinking of getting a new lamp to replace my bright but unreliable & short burn time 20W halogen bulbed Princeton Tech Shockwave. I take photos (canon S70 compact, INON UWL 100 wide & sea&sea YS-27DX strobe) an lot when diving (green & blue) and usually use my back up torch (frogman lenser) for spotting etc when the vis and dark are not too restrictive.

the new torch needs to be good enough as a primary on dark/deep dives 40m+ but also to be used whilst using the camera. one of the new compact bright LED seems to fit the bill but i'm struggling choose one in the £200-300 range. any ideas?

i don't dive with many (if any) divers with a similar set up, and i started thinking what do most photographers use in temperate waters? a small spotting lamp or a bigger primary used occasionally? do we use the same broad range of torches that other divers do or is there a particular type?

chris

[ATJ]

Chris,

I dive with twin Ikelite DS125 and I use the modeling lights for my main illumination on the dive. Of course, this means I can't see the rig at all, so I wear a UK Mini Q40 eLED Plus on my mask to light the camera. I have used this set up for both green and blue water and it works well.

[KenByrne]

I use 2 Q40s one attached to each strobe. This is the only light I use and have used it day and night in green and blue water. I am thinking of trying LED versions but I'm not sure if the beam is focussed enough.

[jackdiver]

Well, when I used to dive with a compact and strobe, I used a Suunto Navy 209.

Great torch, very much like a Kowalski 620, but with better burn time.

I used to hook it on the strobe arm for one handed use.

Now I just use the spotting light of my YS 110, and carry a small green force backup torch (diamond LED?).

[simonmort]

Currently use the fisheye 8 Led lamp. cost me about 50 dollars, and has an auto off function. when the strobes are fired the sensor in the middle turns the lamp off, removing any hotspots in the image.

Burn time is about 8hrs.

Adapted the 8 L.E.D light colour, by adding a small coloured plastic filter inside the lamp. Figured this would aid the camera more in poor light.

I dont think this light, would be any good for what you are after.

Plus after buying 3 at once, have found the light output is different on each and after only 11 months 2 have packed up.

simon.

[TimIngmire]

If I take a torch, I use my CD 10w HID which is an umbilical - but then I use it on the deeper dives.

For shallow stuff, I will use the light built into into my strobes.