63 replies to this topic

[meltdownman]

Just got back from Truk and Palau using the Sola 600 with the dual white light feature.

The unit worked flawlessly on all 40 dives while using a Recsea housing for my Canon S95 housing.

Pros: Worked flawlessly, very even distribution of light, 3 levels of intensity of light for both wide beam and narrow beam, lasted multiple dives before needing rechaging with no diminishing of intensity of light as the battery drained over the course of multiple dives, charging took just several hours, great for night dives, seemed less affected by backscatter than other lights, and really penentrated much more so than many of the other hand held lights that I saw with the larger batteries.

Cons: Since I was both wreck diving and reef diving I decided to go with the option of dual white lights vs white and red. The intensity of the white light was too annoying for the fish and they tended to scatter them (especially for macro work). Having said that I was glad I had the dual whites for wreck diving. I don't like the portion of the ball head attachment that lets you attach it optionally to the flash shoe located on the top of my Recsea housing. You have to screw the unit to tighten it to keep it in place. Unfortunately as you adjust the light to redirect the beam this tended to loosen the light from the shoe. This could be a potential problem of loosing the light and not knowing it. I subsequently moved the light to the second ultralight arm and did not worry about it anymore.

NOTE: Soo many people had to play around with the little light when I was not looking that they did not know how to turn the thing off (you have to push the switch in either direction for a couple of seconds). So I found myself having to go and turn it off for them. They all seemed pretty facinated by it.

NOTE: make sure when you order the unit that if you are using it for uw photography that you get the ball head that is compatible with the ultralight setup (if that is what you have). Mine came with the hand strap that you see many divers using these days. The shop had to send me out the optional ball head so I could mount it to my ultra light arms.

If I purchase a second light to help with the video portion of lighting then I will more than likely get the white/red light combo to help with macro shots by using the red light.

Edited by meltdownman, 23 March 2011 - 02:14 AM.

[peterbkk]

You have to screw the unit to tighten it to keep it in place. Unfortunately as you adjust the light to redirect the beam this tended to loosen the light from the shoe. This could be a potential problem of loosing the light and not knowing it. I subsequently moved the light to the second ultralight arm and did not worry about it anymore.

I have my Sola 1200s on locline arms with the ultralight mount on the housing. I was concerned about the screw inside either end of the arm working loose or the locline snapping open (e.g. bumping around on an ascent line in a strong current). You could easily lose a light head. So I doubled up the protection.

I bought some strong brass picture frame wire. Cut it longer than the arm. Made a loop in both ends by twisting it back on itself. Snapped open the last link in the arm then removed the screw. Placed the loop over screw, added some loctite, and screwed it back in. The wire runs inside the locline arm to the other end where, once again, it is placed under the screw. The loctite stops the screw loosening. The brass loop acts as an extra washer and helps prevents the screw loosening. If the locline arm ever snaps open, the brass wire will hold the loose part of the arm and the light to the housing. Seems to work.

Regards
Peter

[JKrumsick]

I know that others have had frustration with the customer service of Light and Motion before...

Here's a few ideas on timeline for them to get back to me -

2 Weeks from receiving my email complaint for them to get me an RMA # and tell me to ship it.

2 more weeks after emailing them after they received it to acknowledge they have it and are working on it.

1 more month for them to ship it back to me.

These people are as slow as molasses...

[pdemaagt]

We spent some time in our calibrated test chamber (the shop bathroom) yesterday a-b-ing a bunch of lights. I can't really discuss our findings too much here as I am a dealer and forum rules don't allow it, I think.

But anyway I would say the i-Torch is a decent light, well built and with a greatly improved light quality. Very even, but it has a hard edge that means you'll find yourself adjusting it's aim a more. Users seem to like them and they are popular.

The Solas are just so much nicer, albeit at a higher price. Very even, brighter, whiter and a soft edge that just gets dimmer towards the edge, much less fussy. Tiny, sealed and rechargeable.

My customer liked the warmer i-Torch for his video light and decided he could buy two as opposed to one of the Solas.

I have to tell you having a red focus light is great. We were just night diving at Molokini on Maui and the "sea-lice" was thick. I switch to red stealth mode and had no problems, got nice clean squid shots without backscatter.

I'll try to find some time to write a blog article on some of these lights, but there are so many now.

Jack

Hi Jack did you write a blog about it in the end? i would be interested.