Went to a dive shop asking about a light. Guy comes out with an insane light HID I think? It shone like white light and lit up the whole shop - awesome light with large portable battery but the price was $3k. Do people think I am an idiot for not wanting the light at that price?
I'm looking for a white light source - HID sounds good from the other posts. I don't want it to cost me my wages though. Is there any way of getting a half decent light for cheap or does anyone want to sell one to me? Or, has anyone made their own setup and are there some tricks to beating off the price tag?
I have arms and stuff - just need the head and battery setup.
Dong
For close up macro and nite dives in clear water, consider 2x10W HID like the Niterider ones for under 2K. For a really cheap alternative and if you don't mind the bulk, get two UK Light Cannon 10W HID's or even the Taiwanese Darkbuster 21/24W handhelds that can be attached to arms.
The 24watt HID Darkbusters are cheap like $800 for two but you need to make some diffusers for them but thats easy to do. I am also happy to say that even though they are cheap they work wonderful. I have done many dives with them including over 50 just last month with them. Taken then down to 45 meters no problems and they are easy to charge, you can get 2 dives out of them.
I also have a set of $3000 HID's which have broken down many times.
I guess I am old school or maybe just cheap. I still use and very much like my twin 50watt halogen lights. You can still get halogen lights from Sartek, Nocturnal and Ikelite. Should cost $500-$800. I like that I can instantly turn them on/off.
The 24watt HID Darkbusters are cheap like $800 for two but you need to make some diffusers for them but thats easy to do. I am also happy to say that even though they are cheap they work wonderful. I have done many dives with them including over 50 just last month with them. Taken then down to 45 meters no problems and they are easy to charge, you can get 2 dives out of them.
I see you got those 24 watt hanheld's attached to your arms - I like the idea of no cords - I think this is your setup Wagsy? I have seen some of your work and it is pretty good so you must be telling the truth
Excuse my ignorance but I have a Princton Tech handheld torch with a diffuser and attached to an arm like yours but it just doesn't cut it and seems weak. I thought about getting another one but my first one is so weak I don't want to waste the money.
I'm sure Wags could fill you in with more hands on experience with the Darkbuster HID's. I did have a chance to test them out in a shop and those 24W one's are quite bright. As tempting as the price was, the weight of them and size was a turn off for me as 1) I would use them with a pretty small housing and 2) I primarily dive overseas where traveling light and luggage space is a premium...
I don't know which Princeton tec lights you have but quickly checking on their site, I think their brightest halogen light is approx 20W output. I believe a HID would have roughly 3xtimes equivalent watts than a halogen. So a 21-24W HID would be equivalent to roughly a 60W or more halogen. Calculating lumens, the multiplier is greater I believe.
edit: forgot to mention, backscatter.com has a nice article on selecting video lights.
I think I am heading towards Wagsy's HID lights because weight is not a problem for me - once you are underneath the weight isn't a problem anyway.
I gotta get away from piddly lights and bring some serious colour back down deep.
I use a pair of Niterider 10w HIDs, just fine for close-up/macro, and the battery pack can be clipped on to the cummerbund of your BC using a wet connected cable, and the lamp heads themselves are very light. Good burn time too. The colour temperature of the HIDs seems to suit the Sony's as I have had very true colours with AWB. The only problem I have is when my buddies shine there spotter torches on the subject while I am filming and I get a horrible yellow patch
The lightness of the heads means I can use the Niterider loc-line style arms (thinner than the standard L/L), so they are quick to adjust and they stay put even out of the water.
I did get some really eery wide angle shots in the cenotes at Cancun filming in pitch dark, but that was with DV rather than HDV.
