Primary light advice

Hello all

I'd really appreciate some advice on a good primary light - I'm looking for something hand held (pistol grip type thingy) which is amazingly bright, that lasts for at least an hour and a half, which isn't too big or heavy, that's sturdy and that is 'good value'! I think that about covers it!

Marky, the Underwater Kinetics Light Cannon HID is a well regarded HID light, medium in size, readily available in both standard battery and rechargeable. The standard battery is cheaper, and I would just use NiMh rechargables, just get a really high mah rated battery set and a good pro charger with spares.

Thanks for the advice - I already own a UK backup light that was brighter than the 'proper' hired lights on a night dive in Malaysia, so I am happy with the brand. The battery advice makes sense, too.

Just about any primary light used by dive guides in Asia is going to be of really poor quality.

Many of the tech diving crowd seems to be enamored with cannister lights with handheld "torches" on umbilical cords to the cannister, but these things are in the $400 to $1000 range due to the limited production methods.

I see the UK lightcannons on Ebay all the time.

I'd stick with UK or Pelican. I have a UK C4 and C8 and both are great. One word of caution if you use normal rechargables(not from dive company) the light will probably float. Rechargables are a lot lighter, I found it out the hard way:)