Help Decide - My head's spinning with Diving Light Options! (pics added)

Other Types of Lights Diving Lights
1

Hi All,
First post here. I’m interested in getting a new dive light or two and could use some help… I already purchased a TrustFire TR-J2 (haven’t dove with it yet) and in retrospect I wish I’d gotten a more compact 1-battery TR-J1. Anyway, I’d like to have two lights, both fairly compact 1x18650, both bright, one that’s more wide-angle (flood), and one that’s more narrow (like the TR-J2) - or just one that’s adjustable! I’m not dead set on just one battery - especially if it would be brighter with two. You guys are the experts, so I thought I’d ask here! Here are a few that I’ve found, but I don’t trust the lumen ratings, can’t tell if they’re really wider angle or not (I’m just guessing by the width of the lens end), and don’t know how long they’ll last on a fully charged battery (I’d like to get an hour on high setting; ideally more). What do you think about these lights? All are using XM-L T6 LED - I’m leaning towards one of the first 3 or getting the 3-LED TrustFire, but it’s large and expensive (#6):

1. EDI-T D34 - listed as 1800 lumens, 80 meters, $30 or $46 w/ batteries - this one uses 1x 26650 - most of the others use 1x 18650:
here it is on eBay w/o batteries
2. Unknown light - I think maybe an EDI-T? - listed as 1600 lumens, 100 meters, $47 or $55 w/ batteries:
here it is on eBay w/o batteries
3. Yezl Q2 (I think) / F1 - listed as 1600 lumens, 100 meters, $47 or $55 w/ batteries - listed as 860 lumens and $37.50 on CNQG (+ $8 shipping):
here it is on eBay w/o batteries
here it is on CNQG
4. This one was reviewed here positively, but it looks like it isn’t very wide angle… 500 lumens, 100 meters, just $22:
here it is on eBay w/o batteries
5. This “BT-OS66” claims 950 lumens, 50 meters, but just “up to” 1 hour of battery, 1 reviewer claimed it had a wide angle, $37 w/o batteries:
here it is on tmart
6. The TrustFire TR DF003 is more expensive and much larger (not exactly what I was looking for), but it’s 3 LEDs (and really bright) too. I imagine the 3 LEDs and larger head allow it to make a more wide angle beam? I wonder what battery life is like… Anyway, it’s listed as 4,000 lumens, 100 meters, uses 2x 26650 (or 2x 18650), and $84 w/o batteries.
here it is on eBay w/o batteries
Unfortunately, I read there are issues with the switching mechanism that make it difficult to impossible to turn on / off or change modes once submerged :frowning:

I kind of doubt these ones are floods, but maybe you know otherwise?
7. Unknown light using 2 batteries, 1200 lumens, 100 meters, $46 w/ batteries:
here it is on eBay w/ batteries
8. Another unknown light using 2 batteries, 1600 lumens, 100 meters, $46 w/ batteries:
here it is on eBay w/ batteries
9. This one uses 2x 26650 batteries, 1600 lumens, 200 meters, $58 w/o batteries:
here it is on eBay w/o batteries
10. XTAR D06 - This one’s a little pricier, rated at 800 lumens, 100 meters, $69 on eBay, doesn’t look like it’s wide angle though?:
here it is on eBay for $69

I found several other lights by EDI-T on their website as well:
EDI-T Dive Lights

It would also be nice to get one with a wrist-mount strap, but that’s not a must-have… Thanks in advance for any advice / recommendations! Here are photos of the 10 lights above:
1:

2:

3:

4:

5:

6:

7:

8:

9:

10:

—Kyle

2

Welcome to the forum. Anything rated over 1000 lumens for a single XML is suspect. Extra cells will add run time but cannot change this. XML’s make good floods but smaller die sizes especially xre make best throwers. If you find a host you like you can mode it to change the led or driver. It takes less output when it’s concentrated and smaller die sizes focus better. Sometimes you can change the optic or reflector. OP, or orange peel will smooth the beam eliminating bright/dim spots (known as artifacts) at the cost of overall brightness. As a diver myself, I prefer this over maximizing output. Smooth, or polished will output the highest percentage of light generated but can result in rings and/or other artifacts. A deep reflector will focus a tighter beam than a shallow one. A larger reflector will gather and focus more light from the same led than a smaller one. As far as specific lights go, I mod my own so can’t help you there but stay tuned, help is on the way.

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Hi All,

Yeah, I imagine most of the lights I listed are pretty close in terms of lumens, and the minor differences are based on how hard they’re driven, how wide the angle is, smooth or textured reflector, etc.? I think I would get the TrustFire 3 LED one if it weren’t for all the issues with turning it off / on, changing modes, and shorting underwater Great light and body, very poor switch design from what I’ve read…

Without being able to see them first-hand and without knowing anything about the angle of the lights, I’m leaning towards the Yezl Q2. I found a website that has mini reviews of this diving light and many others here:
Torchy the Battery Boy: Diving Torch Database

Of the less expensive ones there, the Yezl Q2 looks pretty good. Bright and reasonably wide. The XTAR D06 looks about the same, but is more expensive.

Other lights on that site look good too, but they’re pricier and I can’t find them online:
A. The Torchy iCharge 3xR5 looks crazy wide and bright, but pricey and I can’t find it anywhere…
B. The Superstar 1000N looks similar (not quite as wide), but also pricier and I can’t find it.
C. The related Superstar 1000W has no real hot spot (very wide), but would probably be good for video (also not sure where to purchase it).

Anyway, unless I hear some other feedback here, I’m leaning towards the Yezl Q2, but I’d like to see the EDI-T D34 and some of the others compared… Take care,
—Kyle

4

Hey Kyle,

Keygos S3 (eBay). This is the best deal on a light with decent brightness. It's appears to be a Yezl Q2 clone? I don't know, but it's a great buy for a dive light. It has a rear attachment point for a tying a bolt snap. (how to).

This is what it would look like on the harness...

Light Monkey Jr. pictured

I have other expensive ones like Mb-sub, and Light for Me, $260 & $200 respectively. But that was in the past. Here are some dive light beam shots with mouse overs (here).

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Thanks MRTdiver! That Keygos S3 looks like it’s the same as the Yezl Q2 for a bit less money.

Nice idea on the bolt snap connection too. I might have to do that. But, wouldn’t a keyring do the same job (and less tying / burning)? Take care,
—Kyle

6

So I got my Yezl Q3 back from repair. I took off the extension tube and ran it on single 18650 battery, then compared it to the Keygos S3. It was a little brighter than the S3 (~Yezl Q2). But looking at the specs the Yezl Q3 may run more amps than the Q2

So if the Keygos S3 is basically the Yezl Q2, than that makes sense that even with one battery the Yezl Q3 is still bright than the Keygos S3.

Pros:compact light, runs on 18650 (so long life and usually brighter), XM-L LED, inexpensive, rear attachment point

Cons: may leak around front bezel area if precautions aren't taken (silicon grease o-ring, screw bezel tight), some noticeable purple tint, I don't care for all the strobe modes (4), in fact I wish it was 2 modes only, like High/Med.

We tie snap bolts onto flashlights, reels, etc with cave line so that in the event that the snap bolt doesn't function (locked up) we can cut the line and then use it.

I guess you're saying that with the key ring you would attach it to the flashlight & d-ring, then leave it attached during all your dives. Though it would be very difficult to remove the light from the keyring during the dive. I guess I would say the negatives with that...

(1) when the dives are done and we're back home sometimes I'll remove all the reels, backups, canister lights from the backplate/harness and a snap bolt makes quick work. Then I can rinse and clean everything.

(2) sometimes during the dive I've handed off my backup light to my dive buddy. And there is a lot of things that may be going on during a technical dive. To also mess with a split/key ring would cause unnecessary frustration.

7

Thanks for running that little test! The Yezl Q3 is likely a better choice, but it ends up almost twice as expensive (about $70 at AliExpress.com with shipping). So I might go with the Keygos S3.

Regarding the keyring idea, what I meant was use a keyring to attach the flashlight to the bolt snap (instead of the nylon rope). i.e. Flashlight - Keyring - Bolt Snap instead of Flashlight - Rope - Bolt Snap. Either way would work fine I guess! Take care,
—Kyle

8

Hi All,
Just thought I’d post a quick follow-up to this thread. I ended up buying the Keygos S3 (AKA Yezl Q2). I did my first night dives with this light last week and had great results. I also took a TrustFire TR-J2 down with me and tried both of them. They both work well, but the Keygos S3 has a wider angle and was a little brighter too. I really preferred it. I had applied some diffusion film to the inside of the lens to smooth out the hotspot and that worked great too. For $36 on eBay, I’d certainly recommend this light for diving! Take care,
—Kyle