An underwater flashlight is an essential tool used by divers on night dives, cave dives, and wreck dives.
They are also very handy when exploring crevices and swim throughs on reefs and dive sites. That said, whether you’re an experienced diver or just starting out, a good dive torch is an important safety device in any diver’s arsenal.
It can be difficult to know the right dive light for you, so we’re here to help you with what you’re looking for. These torches are specially designed to assist you with illuminating the underwater environment. For your consideration, we have the best budget, mid-range, and high-end dive lights.
Review of Scubapro Nova 850 Dive Light Dive Light review
The Nova 850 is an amazing dive torch for any diver looking to have a reliable and versatile dive light. This relatively new product sports 850 lumens and is super easy to use. I love the sleek and lightweight design made from heavy-duty aluminum. Scubapro is one of the most well-known brands in the scuba diving industry and they make lots of different accessories for divers including BCD’s and Masks. The Scubapro Nova 850 is one of the best dive lights as it is built to last.
Review of Orcatorch D630 Dive Light Dive Light review
Hands down one of the best dive lights in the industry is the Orcatorch D630. With 5 hours of runtime at its brightest setting emitting a whopping 4000 lumens, the Orcatorch D630 does not disappoint. As soon as you pick this unit up, you get the impression of quality. This dive light is a favourite for cave divers as well as professional divers when surveying areas for work.
Review of Mares EOS 20RZ Dive Light Dive Light review
This Mares torch is one of the bulkier dive torches, however the light emitted offers a luminous intensity that is second only to the Tovatec Fusion 3600. With a whopping 2300 lumen output, if you’re looking for the brightest dive light… this is the one for you. This dive light is great for dive instructors and divemasters alike, who need a strong bright and wide light in order to illuminate the environment while leading dives.
Review of Big Blue AL1200NP-II Dive Light Dive Light review
Big Blue is a brand known for producing high quality dive lights, their Big Blue AL12000NP-II model is a great device that many divers rely on for their night dives. This torch produces a soft but strong light and can last up to 20 hours on its lowest power setting. The battery life of this torch makes it an ideal back-up torch and as such I recommend pairing it with a wide range beam torch like the Mares torch EOS 20Rz.
Review of Kraken NR 2000 Dive Light Dive Light review
One of the best dive lights on the market for price, the Kraken NR 2000 offers seriously bright illumination and doesn’t compromise on range. This model of the Kraken dive lights is the favorite of wreck divers as it is compact and tough and is known to be very reliable. The Kraken NR 2000 is everything a recreational diver can ask for in a dive light.
Review of Light and Motion GoBe 500 Spot Dive Light Dive Light review
For beginner divers looking for an all-round torch that can be used above ground as well as underwater, the GoBe 500 is the perfect instrument. With multiple mounting options and custom optics, the GoBee 500 is extremely versatile and is a good first dive light. If you’re a dive centre looking to buy a large quantity of standardized dive lights for training beginners and night dives, look no further. This reliable dive light is affordable and stylish.
Review of Tovatec Fusion 3600 Dive Light Dive Light review
On this list is one of the most popular dive lights, the Tovatec Fusion 3600 is the brightest light on our top 10 best dive lights guide. Using a Cree LED light this dive torch can turn night into day and provides a focused beam to see some 200ft / 60m into the distance. Although this torch is heavy and bulky it provides a very strong quality light and for this reason it is popular with divers of all levels.
Review of Dive Rite LX20 Dive Light Dive Light review
The Dive Rite LX20 offers a constant current, meaning that the brightness of the light emitted stays consistent until the battery runs out. Mainly used by experienced divers as a primary dive torch with a glove mount, this compact dive light is perfect for tech divers and cave divers. The Dive Rite LX20 has earned its place on this list for its quality and reliability.
Review of Orcatorch D550 Dive Light Dive Light review
Orcatorch is one of the most reliable brands for dive torches. This model of the Orcatorch is known for its long battery life and bright light that is emitted in the form of a strong narrow beam. This means longer bottom time and peace of mind when on a night dive. This torch is recommended for divers of any level who want a reliable torch by their side when exploring wrecks or caves. The reliability and quality of this product places it at the top of our top 10 best dive lights list
Review of Underwater Kinetics Aqualite Pro S Dive Light Dive Light review
From Underwater Kinetics comes the Aqualite Pro S. This dive light is designed to work for underwater photography as it produces a soft light that allows you to capture creatures with your dive camera. This dive light works perfectly when paired with a GoPro and is often used by experienced divers to capture underwater videos and stills. Its ergonomic grip and light weight makes it easy to handle and maneuver.
Review of Light Monkey 50W HID Dive Light Dive Light review
The Light Monkey 50W HID is a very useful tool for cave dives, as it gives of a bright and consistent light perfect for tech divers. Light Monkey has designed the 50W HID to have an adjustable beam in order for divers to be able to select the width as well as the angle of the light beam. Using a 20 amp hour lithium battery pack, the 50W HID has a burn time of 4 hours. Additionally, the solid factory sealed canister protects the battery from flooding.
Review of Diverite EX35 Dive Light Dive Light review
Diverite continues to produce industry leading products, and the EX35 is no different. With 4300 lumens of output emitted from a Cree XHP35 HI bulb this product is state of the art. Coming in at just under 2kg, it is slightly heavier than most other canister dive lights but for good reason. At max power this dive light has a runtime of six hours.
What to look for when buying a Dive Light?
When looking to choose the best dive light, there are a number of key factors that should be taken into consideration. For example, what you will be using the dive light for (photography, leading dives or personal use) and the type of diving you will be participating in (night dives, wreck dives or cave dives). Therefore, the things to consider when buying the best dive light for you are:
Light Intensity is measured in lumens and is very important for things like underwater photography, where you don’t want a strong light. Normally you want to go with something with around 1500 to 2500 lumen of output.
Light Beam varies from wide beam to narrow, focused beams. Our recommendation is to go with a torch that has options for different beam widths, such as the Mares torch EOS 20RZ W/Lock.
Dive Light Battery can come in rechargeable and disposable battery models. I personally like the disposable battery models as rechargeable batteries eventually stop holding their charge. That said, if you have a power bank you can charge your torch between dives. Another important point to note is that the best dive lights have a constant circuit, meaning that the brightness of the light remains consistent and doesn’t falter.
Dimensions of the dive light can be important when it comes to the handling of the torch. A heavier and bulkier dive light might get in the way of your other accessories, so I always recommend going with a lightweight flashlight like the Orcatorch D550.
For more information on other essential scuba diving gear, check out our Best guide to Underwater Cameras, Dive Knives, and DSMB.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Dive Lights For Every Budget
The best Underwater Flashlight / Dive Lights have the following features:
light intensity around 1500-2500 lumen
options for light beam widths
good battery life
lightweight for easy handling
do not let water in
These are The Best Dive Lights we have tested:
A good all-purpose Dive Light has around 1500 – 2500 lumen of output. Lumen is the measurement of light intensity and is especially important for underwater photography, where you don’t want a strong light as it will scare away your underwater inhabitants.
How many lumen you need depends on what you will do:
Daytime diving in clear water: 200 lumen will do
Daytime diving in cloudy water: 500 – 1000 lumen
Recreational night diving: 500 – 1000 lumen
Cave/Wreck Diving: 1500 – 2500 lumen
Deep Underwater Photography: 1500 – 2500 lumen
Deep Macro Video: 2500 – 3800 lumen
All purpose Macro & Wide Video: 4000 – 6000 lumen
Shallow Wide Angle Video Light & Photography (Professional): 8000 – 15.000 lumen
What do you need in your dive light?
Learn all about the product specifics in our
Dive Light Review
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Yes, it’s changing fast. What’s good today, will be old and outdated tomorrow.
I bought the heavy video lights
Now your newer models are much lighter and large on lumens.
Hi Toni,
For a smaller, lightweight dive light with an adjustable beam, I definitely recommend the Diverite LX20 as it is lighter than the Mares EOS but more compact and the beam can be adjusted to suit your needs.
Hope this helps!
I’d like an adjustable beam, smaller, light dive light. Any suggestions?
Thanks for sharing this precious information with us this really helpful for me.