There was a time when I was really getting into underwater videography with my action camera. Everything looked great on land, but as soon as I dipped below the surface, colours started disappearing, and shadows became overwhelmingly dark. Capturing those vibrant reef scenes or even just seeing clearly in murky water was a real struggle. It became obvious that if I wanted to get quality footage, or even just properly illuminate a dive, I needed some kind of underwater light source. Without one, all that effort to capture the beauty beneath the waves would be largely wasted on dark, colourless shots.
- Great for all underwater activities, take amazing POV underwater photos and videos with this Ultimaxx LED diving light. Capable of working in depths up to 40 meters.
- Imagine illuminating dark underwater scenic views with this waterproof light. Whether it is snorkel, scuba or dive, this Ultimaxx underwater light will be a great accessory for all your activities.
- Super strong lighting, this light mount kit illuminates a wide angle at 300 Lumens with 3 LEDs. The angle makes sure that the entire field of vision has proper lighting.
Important Considerations Before Purchasing a Dive Light
Anyone planning to take their photography or videography below the water’s surface quickly realizes the challenge of light. Water absorbs light frequencies, especially red and orange, making everything appear blue or green and dim at even shallow depths. An underwater light source is essential for restoring natural colours and brightening dark areas, transforming dull footage into vivid memories. The ideal customer for a dive light is someone serious about capturing high-quality photos or videos while snorkeling, scuba diving, or free diving, particularly in low-light environments or at significant depths. This also includes cave divers or those exploring wrecks. Someone who only plans to swim in well-lit, shallow pools or lakes with excellent visibility might not need a dedicated light. For casual, very shallow water use, simply relying on natural light might suffice, or perhaps a camera with better low-light performance would be a better investment.
Before buying, you need to consider several key factors. First, what is the maximum depth rating you need? Lights are rated for specific depths, and exceeding this can cause leaks and damage. Second, consider the brightness (measured in lumens) and beam angle – a wider angle is better for illuminating a scene for video, while a tighter beam might be useful for spotting. Third, battery life is crucial, especially for longer dives; look at the advertised runtime for different power modes. Fourth, consider the light modes offered (e.g., high, low, SOS). Fifth, think about how it mounts to your camera or rig. Finally, assess the build quality and durability – underwater environments are demanding.
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Introducing the Ultimaxx 40m Dive Light
The Ultimaxx 40m (131 FT) Waterproof LED Underwater Dive Light is designed specifically to tackle the low-light challenges faced by action camera users underwater. It promises to provide powerful, consistent illumination down to 40 meters, helping restore colour and detail to your underwater footage. When you purchase it, you typically get the LED light itself, a bracket for mounting to action camera setups, a built-in rechargeable USB battery, and a USB charger.
This specific dive light is particularly suited for owners of GoPro HERO cameras (HERO 6, 5, 4, 3+, 3 Series, HERO, HERO+, HERO+ LCD, Session) and other action cameras of similar size, thanks to the included mounting bracket. It’s for the underwater enthusiast who wants a dedicated, relatively powerful, and waterproof lighting solution without the higher cost of professional-grade dive lights. It might not be the best fit for someone needing very high lumen output for deep technical dives or professional film production, or for those who need a light exclusively for land-based use, as its design is optimized for submersion.
Here are some pros and cons based on my experience and product information:
Pros:
* Rated waterproof down to 40 meters (131 ft), suitable for most recreational diving.
* Decent brightness at 300 lumens with a wide angle from 3 LEDs.
* Multiple light modes (Strong, Low, SOS) offer versatility.
* USB rechargeable built-in battery is convenient and avoids needing external batteries.
* Includes a bracket for easy mounting to popular action camera systems.
* Reasonably compact size for underwater gear.
Cons:
* Some users have reported potential issues with light oscillation causing banding in videos.
* Battery life on the highest setting is relatively short (1.3 hours).
* The latch mechanism for the battery compartment might be a point of concern for long-term durability according to some feedback.
Diving Deeper: Exploring the Ultimaxx Light’s Capabilities
Waterproof Capability and Depth Rating
One of the absolute most critical features of any underwater accessory is its waterproof rating. The Ultimaxx 40m (131 FT) Waterproof LED Underwater Dive Light boasts a rating of 40 meters, or 131 feet. This is a significant depth capability, putting it well within the range of standard recreational scuba diving limits (typically 18-30 meters, though some courses go deeper). For snorkelers or free divers, this rating is more than sufficient. This feature is paramount because, quite simply, if a light isn’t reliably waterproof at your intended depth, it’s useless, and potentially dangerous to your camera setup if mounted closely and it fails spectacularly. Knowing that this light can handle pressures at these depths provides confidence when exploring reefs, wrecks, or even just deeper parts of a lake. It allows you to focus on your activity and capturing the shot, rather than worrying about water ingress damaging the device. The design seems robust enough for typical underwater handling, with seals and construction intended to keep the water out. While I haven’t personally taken it to its maximum rated depth of 40m, it has performed flawlessly on multiple dives down to around 20-25m, keeping the internal components perfectly dry.
Light Output and Coverage (Lumens and Angle)
The light provides 300 lumens of light output using 3 LEDs. While 300 lumens might not sound like a blinding spotlight compared to some high-end video lights used by professionals, for its size, cost, and intended use with action cameras, it’s quite effective. The key benefit here isn’t just raw brightness, but how it’s delivered. The description mentions it illuminates a “wide angle”. This is crucial for underwater video and photography. A narrow beam creates a harsh spotlight effect, only illuminating a small circle, leaving the rest of your frame dark and inconsistent. A wide angle, like the one provided by this underwater light, ensures that the entire scene in front of your camera lens receives relatively even lighting. This is vital for restoring the natural colours across the whole frame and reducing harsh shadows, which is the primary goal of using a dive light with an action camera. It helps make your wide-angle action camera footage look far more natural and vibrant than it would relying solely on ambient light. In practical terms, this wide, 300-lumen output is sufficient to bring back reds and yellows on corals at shallow to moderate depths and illuminate shadowy areas around rocks or inside small crevices, significantly improving the visual quality of your recordings.
Multiple Light Modes for Versatility
A single brightness setting wouldn’t be ideal for various underwater scenarios. The Ultimaxx light offers three distinct modes: “STRONG”, “LOW”, and “SOS”.
* “STRONG” Setting: This is your main workhorse mode, providing the full 300 lumens. It’s best for actively illuminating your scene, bringing back colours, and brightening darker areas for optimal video quality. This is the mode you’ll likely use most often when actively filming or photographing, especially at greater depths where light absorption is more pronounced.
* “LOW” Setting: This is described as a “Power saver, low intensity deep dive setting”. While it saves power, its use in *deep* diving might be limited as light absorption at depth would require more lumens. However, the power-saving aspect is very beneficial. This mode is excellent for extending battery life when maximum brightness isn’t needed, perhaps for navigating in moderately lit areas, using it as a focus assist light in macro photography (though macro is less common with action cams), or for just having some visibility without draining the battery quickly. It’s also useful in shallower water where you just need a little extra fill light.
* “SOS” Setting: This mode functions as a flashing light. While it can technically be used as a basic flashlight on land, its primary purpose underwater is for communication or signaling in emergencies. Flashing lights are more noticeable underwater than steady beams, making it a useful safety feature for attracting attention from your dive buddy or boat if needed. This multipurpose aspect adds significant value beyond just illumination for filming.
USB Rechargeable Battery
The inclusion of a built-in, USB-rechargeable 5V 1000mAh battery is a major convenience factor. Unlike lights that require proprietary batteries or external chargers, this design means you can recharge the light using a standard USB port – the same kind you likely use for your action camera or phone. This simplifies travel and packing, as you don’t need a separate, bulky charger just for the light. The battery life varies significantly depending on the mode: “STRONG” gives you about 1.3 hours, “LOW” lasts around 6 hours, and “SOS” can run for up to 7 hours. The 1.3 hours on the highest setting means you might need to be mindful of when you turn the light on during a dive, or plan to use the low mode more often to conserve power, especially on longer dives or if doing multiple dives in a day without immediate access to charging. Carrying a portable USB power bank can be a workaround to recharge between dives if necessary. The convenience of USB charging, however, generally outweighs the shorter runtime on high power for typical recreational use.
Included Mounting Bracket
The Ultimaxx dive light comes with a bracket that makes mounting it alongside your action camera straightforward. This bracket is designed to integrate with the standard three-prong mounting system used by GoPro and many other action cameras. This is a simple but essential inclusion, saving you the hassle and expense of buying a separate mount. It allows you to easily attach the light to the side or top of your camera housing, a grip, or a tray system. Proper mounting is key to ensuring the light illuminates the area your camera is capturing effectively. The bracket feels sturdy enough for typical handling and is easy to attach and detach, facilitating quick setup changes before a dive. This out-of-the-box compatibility with standard action camera mounts is a significant benefit for users already invested in that ecosystem.
What Other Users Are Saying
Having looked online for feedback from other users, it appears many appreciate the concept and potential of the Ultimaxx dive light, particularly for its price point and brightness relative to its size. Users have noted that it provides a good amount of light for illuminating underwater scenes with their action cameras. However, some specific feedback highlighted potential issues, such as the light output having a noticeable oscillation that could cause banding effects in recorded photos and videos. There were also comments expressing concern about the long-term durability of the clear plastic latch mechanism used to secure the battery door.
Final Thoughts and Recommendation
Ultimately, the problem this Ultimaxx 40m (131 FT) Waterproof LED Underwater Dive Light solves is the lack of sufficient and correctly coloured light underwater for action cameras. Failure to address this results in disappointing, dark, and monochromatic footage. This light is a great fit for solving that problem for several reasons. First, its 40m depth rating makes it suitable for most recreational diving activities. Second, the 300 lumens with a wide beam helps significantly restore colour and brightness to your shots. Finally, the convenience of USB recharging adds practicality for travel and regular use. While there are some potential drawbacks like battery life on high mode and potential issues with light banding, for casual to intermediate underwater videographers using action cameras, it offers a valuable way to improve video quality without a massive investment. To see more details or make a purchase, Click here to check the product out.
Last update on 2025-07-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API