# Helios vs. Brightsar Darkbuster vs. Dive Rite



## blahblahblah (Sep 19, 2006)

This is an unfair comparison between 40w, 24w, and 10w HIDs. It does however show the differences in the 3 wattage categories.

The 3 contenders are:

10w Dive Rite flashlight
24w Brightstar Darkbuster
40w Polarion Helios PH40

All of these lights are rated for underwater use beyond the recreational diving limits. I wouldn't necessarily call the Helios a Diving light, but heck, I took a Ti-PD SCUBA diving! 

Here's the pics:








Left to right: 10w, 24w, 40w





Purposefully underexposed: 10w in center bottom position





NOTE: I am not a good photographer and don't claim to be one. The pics were taken around noon so it was bright outside and the window shades were open. The pics and lights are about 12' from the wall.


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## Amonra (Sep 19, 2006)

The difference is kind of painful.

Nice light collection btw are you a diver ?


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## blahblahblah (Sep 19, 2006)

Amonra said:


> The difference is kind of painful.
> 
> Nice light collection btw are you a diver ?



Thank you. I'm a newbie when it comes to diving. I was a flashaholic long before becoming a diver. 

I've got some Barbolights on order from the GB. Those will become my main diving lights, due to their size and the instant on quality of an LED.

Speaking of which... The Helios is near instant on! It takes only a couple seconds to reach full brightness. Instantly however it is brighter than the Darkbuster at full brightness.


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## Amonra (Sep 19, 2006)

ive got a Barbolight U-09, if youre getting one of them i assure you you won't be disappointed, they are great. here's a divelight i built myself.https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/117739

The helios is amazing, unfortunately it's too expensive for my small pockets.


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## blahblahblah (Sep 19, 2006)

Amonra said:


> ive got a Barbolight U-09, if youre getting one of them i assure you you won't be disappointed, they are great. here's a divelight i built myself.https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/117739
> 
> The helios is amazing, unfortunately it's too expensive for my small pockets.



I have U-15 and u-04 lights coming (multiples of each).

I saw your light thread before. I never figured out how you connected the batteries. Did you use some sort of battery carrier? or did you use battery packs w/ plugs? Is it still for sale?


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## Amonra (Sep 19, 2006)

the U-15 should be even better. from what i read the U-04 is a great light too.

I built a carrier myself out of veraboard. they are all in paralell so it's a very good runtime. yep still for sale.


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## cue003 (Sep 19, 2006)

Great shots. Not bad especially considering that you took those during the daytime. 

What is that lanyard thingy and attachment on the little black light?

Curtis


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## MoonRise (Sep 21, 2006)

The lanyard thingy looks like a lanyard and the attachment thingy looks like an attachment to clip to your dive vest/belt so you don't lose the light if/when you drop it or let go.


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## blahblahblah (Sep 21, 2006)

cue003 said:


> Great shots. Not bad especially considering that you took those during the daytime.
> 
> What is that lanyard thingy and attachment on the little black light?
> 
> Curtis



Moonrise got it pretty much right. The standard lanyard that comes with the Dive Rite is directly attached to the light. 

I attached the coil tether to the lanyard. The other end of the coil tether clips to my BCD (the vest that divers wear).

The coil tethers are available w/ multiple options for attachement. One end is usually a gate snap (available from cetacea or dive shops) or mini clip (available through berkeley point). The 'tool' side of the tether can either have a 1/4" camera thread, split ring, or loop. I have all three types w/ t he standard clip. 

The underwater camera gets the 1/4' thread type. My lights get the other 2 styles when used underwater. Above water, I use the split ring type on my HDS and the loop version on my Ti PD.


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## PapikAldo (Jan 22, 2007)

I need a Polarion Helios and I need it badly...
Its very well design & high-quality.
I think its also a bargain for 4000 Lumens and its size and quality !!!
I will get one,


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## LuxLuthor (Jan 22, 2007)

I cannot imagine subjecting a light as nice as the Helios to ocean diving, given the severity of saltwater corrosion damage I have seen. 

I guess maybe using it for freshwater would be ok, but rare is the freshwater that I find interesting. Besides the boring aquascape of most lakes I have been in, they generally have horrible visibility due to algae and turbulence (other than rock quarries)...where it seems even a 40W HID would make little difference.


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