LED's vs HID's

Hi All,

I've just been looking at the FA-MI website and they have some very interesting looking lighting kits.

www.fa-mi.com

Does anybody use LED lights. I was going to go for the 12W HID's with 50W efficiency, but I now see they do a LED with the same power. O.k there more expensive but the bulbs are cheaper and more robust.

I know drew said that 50W lights were to bright and I've always been concerned with frying the subject. I used some of Amphibico's 10W's in Malta and they were fine.

Any Idea's

Dive safe

DeanB

hey hey hey... don't oversummarize my quotes

50W HID has about 3000 lumens. In daytime they can go further but at night they are too bright for macro/closeup work. There are switchable HIDs 35/50 but even at 35W it's overpowering at night for closer work.

I'd check on the LED bulb's CRI. Some feel it is inconsequential but anything less than 60 CRI and your colors reproduced will suffer.

Cheers drew,

There are so many people who say Halogen is on par with HID because the 'costs' of HID. I'm willing to spend more if the lighting is good As I said the 10W's were fine in caves and wrecks. The guide even switched his torch off because my lights were over powering his.

The Fa-mi site says the 12W has 50W efficiency with 6000K NON switchable. I think this might be enough for close proximity in daylight and for decent night lighting.

Any thoughts ??

Dive safe

DeanB

Well that depends on your math.

Halogen bulb is $3 for 100W 12V 3600lm xenophot, 50hr lifespan. HID $200+ 50W 3000+ lm 1000hrs lifespan.

So HID is actually more expensive but you have fewer replacement intervals.

Halogen has 100CRI and switchable voltage so it's one size fits all light. I usually use 100/200W xenophots and switch from 25-100%. They are instant on and have no warm up. When the bulb dims you know you are running out of juice, HID just cuts due to the ballast, sucks when you are in the middle of something.

BUT halogen burn a bit more juice so require bigger batteries for the same burn times.

I've only seen LED lights twice and don't know enough to make a judgement.