Are you considering buying a diving light? The market offers a multitude of brands and models with varied features, which can make the choice complicated. Diveavenue guides you to see more clearly and accompanies you in choosing your next luminous companion!
Below, we propose to decipher the language of diving lamps and torches before looking at the different applications in diving.
What you really need to look at before taking out your credit card is understanding what manufacturers are trying to tell us (and sometimes what they are hiding).
Lumens vs Lux: The Lumen (lm) measures the total amount of light produced by the LED. The Lux (lx) measures the intensity on a given surface of 1m2. Pro tip: For video, look for Lumens. To pierce through turbid water and see far, look for Lux (concentrated beam).
Color Temperature (Kelvin): A light of 6500°K appears "cool white" (neon type), ideal for pure exploration because it pierces better. For a natural rendering, we prefer 5000°K to 5500°K, close to daylight.
CRI (Color Rendering Index): This is the Holy Grail for photographers. The closer the index is to 100, the more vibrant the reds and oranges will be. Do not go below 90 for high-quality images.
The Angle: The refraction trap. Careful! A torch announced at 120° in the air will only be 80° to 90° underwater due to the density of the medium. Always check if the angle is given "in water".
And now, how to choose your diving torch??? Several criteria must be taken into account.
For each diving lamp or torch, a particular use. Is it a backup light? A light for video or photo? The choice is wide, we offer several models according to the use.
A backup light is considered a compact lamp, low power with a light intensity of about 1000 to 1500 Lumens. They often have a very narrow beam angle between 6° and 15° to concentrate the light power. It's the lamp you forget in your BCD pocket but that saves the day. Many brands offer these products for reasonable budgets such as the BIGBLUE AL1300NP or the DIVEPRO S10. These small LED torches offer runtimes up to 2 hours at full power and can serve as a backup lamp for durations of nearly 10 hours.
The exploration lamp. This is the most versatile product. Manufacturers have designed powerful diving torches with dual beams. Ideal for lighting gorgonians on rocks or illuminating a cavity to observe an animal.
These diving torches generally offer power between 2500 Lm and 4000 Lm, such as the Bigblue VTL3800P, the Divepro M35 which develops up to 6000 Lm. The power award goes to the Bigblue VTL10000P torch.
It is the most versatile product. Ideally, it offers two beams: a wide one for ambiance and a spot one for inspecting holes.
Top model: Bersub Focus Evo 4800. French-made, ultra-robust, and capable of going down to 300 m.
Many divers enjoy diving in lakes or dark seas. Using a wide beam is discouraged as it risks illuminating suspended particles. The diver will prefer a narrow beam around 10 degrees.
The range of narrow-beam torches offers high power up to 8000 Lm such as the Bigblue TL8000P. Other intermediate powers are just as efficient, like the Bigblue TL3500P or the Divepro S26 with 2600 Lm and the Divepro S40 with 4000 Lm.
Videographers need significant power due to the often reduced sensor size, such as those used on the Paralenz Vaquita for example.
The videographer diver will not hesitate to invest in high powers of 6000 to 15,000 Lm. Also, note the following points:
Here, we forget reach to prioritize homogeneity. We are looking for a wide beam, without a "hot spot" in the center, and a high CRI.
Camera sensors are larger and require less light in applications like macro or close-up shots. The question of torches vs. strobes often arises. In the context of our subject, we will focus on the use of torches in underwater photography.
The diver will favor diving torches with a high CRI and medium power, unless they want wide shots. For example, at Bigblue, the entire range of torches VL8000P to VL15000P.
Finally, two manufacturers offer very innovative torches on the market with an optical fiber associated with a remote control. This is an ideal set for the photographer or videographer. Indeed, when the subjects photographed or filmed are mobile, it must be possible to adapt the light very quickly. With the remote control, the photographer/videographer looks at their subject and varies the light with a finger to best adapt the power to the situation.
Bigblue thus offers the torches VL8000PRC with its push-button remote control and its possibility of four power levels.
Feedback from forums (Reddit, Plongeur.com) shows that magnetic switches (rotary rings) are often more reliable in the long run because they don't penetrate the body of the light. Push-buttons can sometimes get stuck with salt or oxidize if they are not rinsed thoroughly.
Airline regulations (IATA) are becoming increasingly strict. For 2025-2026, it is strongly recommended (and even mandatory in some countries) that your batteries travel with a state of charge below 30%. Keep this in mind before arriving at the airport!
Rinsing: Don't just settle for a quick spray. Let your dive light soak in a tub of fresh water for a few hours to dissolve salt trapped under the buttons.
O-rings: Inspect them before every season. A single speck of dust or a hair is enough to cause water ingress. Use pure silicone grease— ust enough to make them look shiny.
Are you still unsure about which dive light or torch to choose? Don't hesitate to contact us! Our team will be happy to advise you and help you find the model perfectly suited to your needs.
Don’t wait any longer and discover our section for dive lights and torches