FIX LIGHT LED1000DX Tested?

We've finished shooting all of the current focus / video lights that are currently available, and will publish a revised comparison once we are able to evaluate LED500.

I look forward to that revised comparison. Since my HG20DX light flooded in Indonesia last fall, I've been looking at replacements.

The LED1000 is looking especially appealing since I'll be able to use the HG20DX battery in it. I also liked the feature that you can control the light remotely while holding on to the housing.

Ellen

I haven't measured the beam angle of LED1000DX, but estimate it is close to its claimed 85 degrees.

 

Fisheye has also announced a new LED500DX in the same body, but with 4 LED. I don't have final USD pricing, but this is intended to be a more economical AA powered counterpart to LED1000DX that is still well suited as a modeling light for still photographers.

First of all, thanks Ryan for sharing!

I totally missed this reply. The LED500DX seems like a killer. If it's as good as the HG20DX, it will be a hit for sure.

Hope the new improved design will prevent the flooding issues the HG20DX has.

Also, still no one has answered this thread's original question: is the beam of the LED1000 as wide and smooth as the HG20DX???

85 degres doesn't say that much... I have another light that is 75 degrees but when I compared it to the HG20DX, the beam of the "75 degrees" light was a joke (much much more narrow). It is clear that the width of the beam can be mesaured in different ways.

/Segerdahl

Finally I have had the chance to test the FIXLED1000. Unfortunately I did not have the HG20DX to compare side by side, but I tested it against all of my dive lights (focus lights etc).

In short, the FIXLED1000 is nothing but outstanding!!!

I just love the wide, smoother beam (not 100% perfectly smooth, but almost) and the huge amount of power (1000 lumens!). If it's as wide as the HG20DX I frankly don't know (yet). But, it's surely wide enough for me.

Why so much power you might ask?

Well as it's easily adjustable it can be used for more than "just" a focus light. As a dive light it will lighten up the whole wreck or reef (well almost ) and as a video light it must be truly amazing. I often dive in dark relatively low viz waters and a light like this will make finding all sorts of things sooo much easier. No need to sweep, just point it forward and Sesame! In extremely low viz that wont work of course but I always bring a typical narrow beam dive light as well.

It would be interesting testing how well it would work as a strobe replacement. I know UWP did a test, but I want to make my own in dark green water.

Those of your diving in tropical waters probably don't see the point of this light. When I dive in e.g. the Red Sea, I never even bring a focus light. No need. And any cheap light will work great for night dives. But diving in dark, green relatively low viz waters e.g. in the Swedish west coast, especially in fjords where it's always very dark, a focus light is THE thing. I always strugle with altering the position of the focus light(s). I've tested multiple lights taped together or on individual arms and other things but nothing is good enough. Nothing even comes close to the beam of the FIXLED1000. Hey, I wish I had a diving store selling these babies!

To show how great it is, I did some tests. For all shots: D-SLR on a tripod, manual settings (f9, 14mm on a DX lens, ISO 200, 1/10, manual WB. The wall the lights are projected on is a 100" 4:3 projector screen.

FIXLED1000 at maximum power.

Ikelite Mini C Halogen with Fisheye Diffusor.

LED Lenser Frogman (the "big" one) with simple home build diffusor.

Tauchen Lamp GS35 with Diffusor head.

There have been some improvements on the general design since the HG20DX. For instance the lock button is better and there are less chances for a leak (due to several neat improvements, extra o-rings etc).

For a "plain" focus light, I'm sure the new FIXLED500 will be just as good.

/Peter

I dove this past weekend with someone using a housed Nikon D90 and the Fixlight LED1000DX, in our dark, cold waters, and in not so fine visibility (20 feet max). He is extremely pleased with the light. They have addressed the annoying cap issue (it comes off easily), it is powerful enough to use at 1/2 power, allowing for longer burn times, and therefore making a battery change on a 2 dive day unnecessary (the battery meter showed 1/2 leftafter two - 60 minute dives). The part that I was not so keen on is the lack of a different battery system: it is the same as the HG20DX, with the new style charger (that I have had some ugly issues with). Although expensive, he felt that the brightness, burn time, and not having to replace expensive bulbs was worth the extra cost. Not technical, but experiential

 

Cheers,

 

Marli

Interesting. But, what cap is it that comes off easily??

/Peter