Efficient head torch with wide-angle spot or bright flood mode

[tundrakurmitsa]

Hi all, I've been using Scurion (I think it's Basic 700) for caving since 2013 but I'm not fully satisfied with it 'cause it has a very tight spot which doesn't work well in photography. Now that I need a new helmet, I'm considering buying a new torch as well. A friend of mine has a Rude Nora which has been very good for taking pictures. Availability of Rude Nora is uncertain, and I don't live in the UK. I would like to have an efficient head torch with wide-angle spot beam / bright flood like Rude Nora has. Are the new Scurions better with this? What do you suggest?

 

[porgzilla]

The Fenix HM65R features both spot and flood beams, and allows you to use both at the same time

 

[Benfool]

Im pretty certain you can get replacement optics for the scurion which give it a wider spot beam, specifically for photography.

I think I have some at home, but im diving in Mexico until mid may so can't check until then.

DM me and we can discuss it.

B

 

[Leclused]

Scurion 1500
Meander (new on the market)
Phaethon

All three options as headlamp

But why not combine a new headlamp with one or two good torches.

I combine a scurion 1500 with a sofrin sp36 with warm light for photo’s

 

[Leclused]

Scurion 1500
Meander (new on the market)
Phaethon

All three options as headlamp

But why not combine a new headlamp with one or two good torches.

I combine a scurion 1500 with a sofrin sp36 with warm light for photo’s

The link to the meander website: https://www.meandre-technologie.com/en

 

[Benfool]

My personal view is buy a light with support and maintence based in the UK. Caving lights do go wrong and having to send it overseas for a repair is a pain in the arse (espesally post brexit).

Obveously Rude Nora is based in the UK, but Scurion also have UK based support and many repairs can be carried out without sending back to Switzerland.

B

 

[Leclused]

I thought I will show you guys some examples. Photos taking in a french cave during an exploration trip. So quick quick done. Galery is 20-25m high, 5 m wide.

Used material for photo 1

- Scurion 1500 (caver left, it's me)
- extra headlamp of caver right (don't know the type)
- Sofrin torch on turbo aiming from right to left beside the photographer
- Scurion 700 of the photographer

Camera: Phone (not an Iphone)

In photo 2. I'm using my Scurion 1500 to uplight the galery but no spot is to be seen .

 

[Al S]

Bought a Scurion when they first came out over here, think there was only one model then.
A few years ago I sent mine back and Rolf updated the innards so that it was the same as the latest, brightest model. He also replaced the perspex front. Now have a top of the range lamp again but at a fraction of the cost of a buying a new one from scratch (as an aside he also made fantastic use of caver post/7 degrees of separation and was handed my updated torch by a pupil at the school I work at whose dad had been caving in Austria with some Swiss cavers...). Aware that it's possibly getting a bit Trigger's broom (new electronics, new battery...) but I've now had the same lamp for nearly 20 years and it's still going strong.
Agree with you that the spot is very spotty but if I'm taking pictures with the subject quite close I just use the wide beam on full which I think gives quite a nice light, or if I've both beams on point the spot into the distance and just have the subject illuminated with the wide beam as below: