The Sub Torches or sub lamps are divided into three models: Halogen, LED and HID. But which is the best? Let's start with the sub Led torches which lately are the most requested by the market, later we will see why. The term "LED" is an acronym for "Light Emitting Diode", as the word itself says, it is a diode that emits light. When a LED is used, it is always necessary to associate it with current control electronics in order to always keep it within the range values in order to prevent the LED from burning out. (This can be considered a disadvantage) LED torches have several advantages: the autonomy, given by the low consumption of the LED, they heat up less than a halogen torch and finally the resistance to shocks and vibrations (there is no LED filament). A long life (50,000 hours against the 50 hours of a Xenon halogen or 1,000 hours of a halogen), high efficiency (80-100 lm/W). An instant ignition and no problem with continuous switching on and off. (in several torches you have intermittent SOS). HID Torches These are very expensive torches with bulbs without metal filament where the light is produced by a continuous electric discharge between two electrodes immersed in a gas atmosphere (HID is the acronym for High Intensity Discharge), usually Xenon. Halogen lamps resemble incandescent lamps, but an element, usually iodine, xenon or krypton, is added to the lamp bulb, which causes the filament to glow at a hotter temperature. In particular, the use of xenon as a gas makes it possible to obtain a light very similar to sunlight and therefore these lamps are the most used in photographic applications. Normally these lamps last only a few tens of hours against the hundreds or thousands of other halogen lamps but they give a higher luminous yield as well as a spectrum very similar to sunlight. The advantages are an excellent color rendering in daytime dives, the possibility of adjusting the 'intensity, low cost, good strength and durability. Disadvantages: low efficiency which results in either poor autonomy or large and consequently heavy battery packs. In this article we will see which are the latest underwater torches with LED technology powered by battery packs made up of 2 or more cells:
XTAR D28 3600: is an extremely powerful dive light, ideal for cave/wreck diving. It is equipped with a latest generation XHP70.2 P4 LED with very high efficiency and a useful life of 20,000 hours. Its maximum output is 3600 lumens when used at turbo. There are four possible output levels and the maximum achievable distance is 550 m on land, corresponding to 75,625 candles. The color temperature of the beam is extremely cold and is 7000K. The flashlight has a single switch that allows you to turn the flashlight on and off when pressed or switch to lock mode, simply by turning it to the left. The switch is particularly convenient and simple to activate just as it should be in situations where you are using a dive light in deep water. The deep and smooth parabola allows it to obtain an extremely focused beam, with an aperture of 8° which allows it to reach great distances even underwater. Above the side switch is a status LED indicator that lets you know when the battery is low and when the cells need to be charged. The flashlight is waterproof according to the IPX8 standard and is therefore submersible to a depth of 100m.
XTAR WALRUS D08: is a flashlight born to be used underwater by divers but also to be used as a fill light, video light and focus light during underwater shooting. This is an indispensable tool for those who practice deep sea underwater photography. Its maximum Turbo power reaches 2000 lumens and the maximum autonomy is 4 hours. The beam angle is 120°, so it's very wide and ensures that everything in front of you is illuminated. This torch is equipped with two different switches that allow you to use and manage the interface in a very simple and intuitive way. Among the various output levels, there is also the SOS level which can save your life when you are in a difficult situation. The color rendering index is very high as this torch is equipped with LEDs that produce a neutral type beam with CRI > 95. The red light allows you to get close to the shyest creatures without scaring them in the depths of the sea. The power supply of this flashlight is supplied by four 18650 cells included in the package. The dimensions of this flashlight are 150 mm in length, 57 mm in head diameter, 59 mm in body diameter and 56.5 mm in tail diameter, while the weight is 465 grams, excluding battery. The package is rich and complete and includes, in addition to the flashlight, also a charger, an adapter, a charging cable, a wrist lanyard, four 3500mAH 18650 batteries, a cloth for cleaning the glass and the user manual.
XTAR D36 5800 II: is a powerful flashlight equipped with different types of LEDs: CREE XHP70.2 and CSLPM1.TG. This torch is capable of producing two completely different beams: The large and powerful XHP 70.2 type LED is used to produce a 4200 lumen Turbo flood beam which, thanks to its 135° beam angle, allows you to illuminate anything which is faced at short distances. The other LED, combined with a small and deep reflector with orange peel treatment, allows for the generation of a Beam spot with an 8° angular opening and a maximum output of 1600 lumens. It is ideal for long distance lighting. The user interface is simple and intuitive and can be managed through the use of two different buttons to control 9 lighting modes. We have three normal levels plus a strobe level for both the flood light and the spotlight, while using the combined beams we have a single Turbo level given by the sum of the Turbos of the flood and spot beam.
The torch is water resistant to IPX 8 standard, and is submersible up to 100m deep. Dimensions are 176.2mm long, 52mm diameter body, 62mm diameter and head. The weight is 640 grams, without considering the batteries. There is also a small OLED display above the switches that allows you to view the current output, the selected mode, the battery level and the maximum runtime for the selected level.
Acebeam D45: is an underwater torch with an incredible turbo power of 4000 lumens and equipped with a series of powerful and performing CREE XHP70 LEDs that produce a beam with a maximum light intensity of 35,000 candles for a maximum distance of 374 meters. The reflector is composed of a multiple reflector with an orange peel treatment which guarantees a clean, homogeneous and artifact-free beam. The lens is made of 6 mm thick mineral glass with double anti-reflection and anti-scratch treatment. The light tint produced by the XHP70 is cool around 6500K. The entire body of the Acebeam D45 is made of aluminum alloy with a type III anti-abrasive hard anodized finish. The Acebeam D45 can dive to great depths: it can in fact be used up to 200 meters underwater. The power supply is given by three 18650 cells which guarantee a maximum autonomy of 12.5 hours at the lowest level of 350 lumens.
Acebeam D46: is a compact but extremely powerful underwater torch. It is equipped with the powerful and performing XHP70.2 LED and manages to produce a beam with an incredible power of 5200 lumens. The life of the LED has a lifespan of over 50,000 hours. The radius is large but also has a large range in fact it can reach a maximum distance of 398 meters. The Acebeam D46 is powered by 4 18650 cells.The lens is made of 6 mm thick tempered mineral glass to resist the force exerted by water at great depths. It has an anti-reflection treatment on both sides and also has an anti-scratch treatment. The entire body of the Acebeam D46 is made of aircraft grade aluminum with Type III hard anodizing with an anti-abrasive finish. The dimensions are 167 mm (6.6 in) for the length, 58 mm (2.3 in) for the diameter of the head, 54 mm (2.1 in) for the diameter of the tube, while the weight is 511 g (18 oz) without batteries . The maximum depth of use of the Acebeam D46 is 200 meters, while the impact resistance is 1.5 meters high.
OrcaTorch D900V: is an underwater video light specially designed for the underwater photographer and has a maximum light output of 2200 lumens. It features four colors within a single light: red, UV, neutral white with 120° wide beam and cool white with 8° spot beam. With the industry's first magnetic fast charging technology, the light can be charged without taking out the battery. It has a magnetic fast charging system with a short charging time of 2.5 hours and is powered by a battery pack, 11.1V 38Wh（3*18650）. The titanium alloy dual switch controls different light sources independently while the dual LED indicator gives you instant knowledge of the usage status. Water pressure resistant construction, depth rating up to 150 meters.
OrcaTorch D910V: is a high CRI neutral white video light for underwater photography. It features a chip-on-board CREE LED array to create an even illumination with an output of 5000 lumens 5700K and a 120 degree wide angle beam. With the industry's first magnetic fast charging technology, the light can be charged without taking out the battery. It has a magnetic fast charging system with a short charge time of 2.5 hours. A 12.6V 38Wh (3*18650) battery pack is included in the package. The titanium alloy switch controls 3 lighting modes while the LED status indicator shows the remaining battery power. This light is resistant to water pressure up to 150 meters deep. It is made with the highest quality materials and has an anodized finish resistant to seawater corrosion.
If you like underwater photography or simply like to practice deep diving in the middle of the sea, you should certainly evaluate the possibility of buying a light of those described in this article. The underwater torches analyzed are only a small part of the torches that are on the market. The category of these lights is that of underwater torches equipped with multi-battery power supply. As we have seen, these lights are equipped with high-performance battery packs usually composed of 4 18650 cells in series or in parallel which guarantee high runtimes and high powers, ideal for use in the deep sea.
