Keldan Luna Lights

[Davide DB]

I have several high-power LED lights but I keep using my Keldan Luna ones all the time. 
I bought them used as new in 2014 and they still run like a breeze now. I have had a few minor mishaps: in ten years I broke a magnetic switch and the plastic holder that holds the YS attachment. In both cases Keldan sent me the parts home free of charge. In one case Daniel keller skyped in to fix my problem immediately while I was in the boat. What more can I ask for?

 

 

 

 

My original Luna's were 5000 lumens, CRI 96. Then years ago I decided to change only the LED module. At a totally affordable expense I changed the led module to the latest 9K lumen COB model also CRI 96.

This is the old LED module that I kept with its little box like a jewel.

 

New COB module on the left and old led array module on the right.

 

The old 5K lumen module was obtained with led arrays. at that time there were no COB leds yet. I must say that maybe the light from the led array module was softer/warmer than COB. But it is my impression not supported by scientific evidence. I can imagine the care to achieve such a high light quality with all those LEDs.  Note the different colors of led used. Was that their secret recipe to get a wider light spectrum with high CRI? 🧙‍♂️ Who knows...

 

What is most striking about taking apart a Keldan lamp is the disarming simplicity of its design. All the light technology is in the led module. Externally you just have the aluminum casing and a magnetic switch that is nothing more than a plastic ring that slides with a small magnet inside it.

 

Let's see some Keldan Luna Porn... 🐷

 

 

Led module has three pins that fits directly in the battery pack

 

Once connected the light is turned on via an external magnet. IIRC 5 positions/power steps.

 

 

This is an old battery pack, the new one has a digital display. On both there is a test switch position to check remaining battery life and there are two white leds that can be useful to check for pasta cooking time at night  😉 (the light rear cap is transparent).

 

 

The huge head has an inner white diffuser like a strobe. I don't know if with the current COB module it's still needed but it's there. (No, the cat's ass is not part of the light)
 
Real Luna Porn

 

Once disassembled this is the inner alu tube. Everything come apart with a push of a finger. No tools needed.

 

So keldan Luna's have the advantage of:

 

• having the interchangeable led module
• in water they are almost neutral respect other brands (-140 gr)

 

Disadvantages:

 

• a very bulky head and reflector so they are a curse to travel nowadays (no problem for me because I reach by car 99% of my dive sites)
• You cannot use ambient filters. Actually you would need double the lumen output for effectively use ambient filters.

 

To stay in topic, yes they have a constant light output 🙂

 

long story short.

 

Over the past few months I have thought several times about replacing them with a pair of new 8Xs. Then I saw the price and I woke up all wet 😅
Though, if I put together the initial price in 2014 and the price of the two LED modules and spread it over the 10 years of use I have to say that maybe it was worth it. (In ten years I have changed 4 cameras and 3 housings and these keldan Luna are still here). Of course the initial investment is very high.

 

 

 

 

[humu9679]

@Davide DB Keldan porn indeed. Very sexy.

[Chris Ross]

Nice looking lights, and it seems very well thought out with quality components. Though I would suggest cats and o-rings don't mix!

[bghazzal]

-140g underwater ? Wow!
How come they are so light compared to the 5000 to 7000 lumen lights I am seeing which weigh more than double?
Is it the battery pack, or the +buoyancy of the reflector?
A little difficult to find specs for these now, but looks like they're around 900g on land from what I found, which is pretty impressive (700g+ positive compensation?).
The lights I'm looking at are on the 700g on land / -350g to -430g buoyancy in water range...


 

Edited August 4 by bghazzal

[Davide DB]

6 hours ago, bghazzal said:

Is it the battery pack, or the +buoyancy of the reflector?

 

Reflector. It's huge, empty and has a polycarbonate dome.

The battery pack is the largest IATA allowed.