Diving torches and lights: LED, lumens and choosing your lighting
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Diving torches and lights: LED, lumens and choosing your lighting

C
CDB
August 19, 2026 1 min read

For night diving 1,000+ lumens recommended. Spot vs flood difference. Always carry a backup torch.

Divers constantly seek a balance between power, battery life, price, and size. There is great interest in canisterless lights, model comparisons, DIY repair of failed lights, and filter adaptation. The difference between a freediving or spearfishing torch and a technical diving light is also a source of confusion for beginners.

LED technology has almost completely displaced the old halogen bulbs, offering greater energy efficiency and a color temperature better suited to revealing the true colors of the marine environment, which start to be lost from 10 meters downward. The beam angle is decisive: a narrow beam (spot, 10–15°) concentrates light at a distance; a wide beam (flood, 60–120°) illuminates a larger area and is more suitable for photography. For recreational night diving, a minimum output of 1,000 lumens is recommended, and a backup torch should always be carried.