How Do I Choose a Dive Light?

colorful illustration of a scuba diver shining a dive light on a dark blue scene

Lauren Rebbeck

Dear Annie,

As a newer diver, I’m overwhelmed by the number of dive lights on the market. Do I need a light? And, if so, how do I choose a good one?

—Enlightened

Dear Enlightened,

An underwater light is more than a requirement for night diving. Whether you’re roaming kelp forests, hovering over a coral reef or exploring a shipwreck, light can transform a dive into a kaleidoscope of color and keep you safe in challenging conditions. With so many lights on the market, let’s walk through what to consider when making a purchase. After all, a light is one the most important pieces of dive gear you’ll own.

Why Carry an Underwater Light?

Even during the brightest day dives, natural sunlight fades as we descend. Water absorbs and scatters light, with reds disappearing first, then oranges and yellows. By 30 feet, the underwater world can look muted, with a blue-green tint. A dive light restores vibrant colors.

More importantly, dive lights are a safety tool. We can get our buddy’s attention, illuminate hand signals or communicate with other divers if needed.

Dive lights fall into two categories:

» Primary light. Bright, reliable and built for extended use, these are the main sources of illumination for underwater imaging, night or technical dives.

» Secondary (backup) light. Smaller and lightweight, these serve as backups but also work well for day dives when you want to highlight colors or peer into dark spaces.

Here are some other factors to consider.

Beam Angle

Wide beams (60 to 120 degrees) spread light evenly and illuminate large areas. A narrow beam (10 to 15 degrees) penetrates the water column farther, allowing a diver to see into deeper cracks and crevices or more easily get another diver’s attention. Some dive lights come with the ability to toggle between wide and narrow beams.

Brightness

Lumens measure the total amount of visible light a source emits. A small backup light may output 200 to 500 lumens, while a primary dive light can output 1,000 to more than 10,000 lumens. For underwater photography or videography, you’ll want a minimum of 2,000 lumens (depending on the light sensitivity of your camera). But brightness isn’t everything—beam angle, color temperature and water clarity all affect how light performs underwater.

Battery Type

Most modern dive lights are designed with a rechargeable battery for maximum brightness and run time. There are still some dive lights on the market that use disposable batteries, but rechargeables usually hold a charge better, deliver more consistent power and dramatically reduce waste.

Millions of single-use batteries end up in landfills every year, where they can leak heavy metals and toxic chemicals into soil and water. If you’re traveling and choose to use disposables, make sure you carry your used batteries back home and discard them responsibly.

During a PADI Advanced Open Water or Night Diver course, you’ll learn best practices like how to use your unit and how to signal with light. Here are some quick tips: You can typically use a compact light for hours on its lowest setting, but if you need more light for night diving or imaging, make sure to fully charge your light before each dive. After diving, always rinse thoroughly and press buttons and switches while rinsing to avoid salt residue buildup. Check O-rings if you need to open and close to recharge, following manufacturer guidelines for O-ring care. And always avoid shining your light directly into your buddy’s eyes!

We’ve been in a lighting revolution for more than a decade now. Compact, bright lights are available at a reasonable price for all divers. When choosing a light, look at the beam, brightness, battery, burn time and variety of settings. Most of us have more than one dive light for all our different light diving needs. I can’t wait to hear about which you choose!

Ask Annie

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer Annie Crawley answers your most pressing questions about dive etiquette, training qualms and gear analysis with zero judgment and a whole lot of lived experience.

Have a question for Annie? Send to [email protected] with the subject, "Ask Annie".