Canister lights, though more powerful and longer lasting, have an altogether greater risk to you the diver as well your buddy and, in my opinion, should not be used by 90% of recreational divers. It is an unnecessary risk.The concern is primarily related to the length of the cord and how it interacts (tangles) with whatever hoses and equipment you also have.
Storage and Deployment
Excellent video from InnerSpace Explorers on the basics- Battery pack on right side of body (preferably right hip - why? Because it can also be used for tucking your long hose - similar to a Hose Stick)
- Light Cord is UNDER long hose primary and tucked under waist belt - why? Do not want your primary regulator hose trapped during an OOA donation situation.
- Light head clipped to right D-Ring unless in use
- When deploying, confirm with hand that the hose is not tangled
- If need to use left hand, STOW or TRANSFER the light to right hand. Do not wave your light around.
- Tuck that cable back under your waist belt when you are done with the light!!
Expensive vs Less Expensive
From an industry perspective we can generally look at two options for a canister light. There are various different brands that sell expensive and less expensive options, but we'll use these two to compare.| OrcaTorch D630v2 | Halcyon Focus 2.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $550 | $1,660 |
| Max Lumens | ~4000 | ~7000 (converted from Lux) |
| Beam Angle | Fixed 7 degree | Adjustable (~5 - 55 degrees) |
| Battery Size | 12Ah | 5.2Ah |
| Runtime on High | 5 hours | 2 hours |
| Runtime on ~1500 Lumens | 7 hours | 5 hours |
| On/Off Switch | Press | Magnetic |
On paper, the Halcyon is better. But is it ~$1,000 better? That's up to you.