Sola Video 3800

I've been expanding my UW photography equipment as it becomes a larger hobby and this was my first video light. I've used it for a couple of years in mostly warm, tropical waters and haven't had any major issues. As far as lightning is concerned, it has performed extremely well for stills and videos. Post dive editing has been minimal and I really like the color temperature of this light. Battery life is pretty good considering the small size of the light, just need to be mindful to turn it off.

Two issues I have with this light - The first is the charging mechanism. You need to be EXTREMELY mindful to keep the contacts clean. The contacts are molded into the light to reduce flood risks associated with battery changes, but these contacts wear relatively quickly. Even with proper cleaning every dive, they still corroded on me.

The other issue I have is the with the power switch. More of mild gripes, but I like the sealed switch and the ability to turn to lock for travel. However, I have still had the light turn on once or twice while in the carrying case. The LEDs are clearly green on above water, but as soon as you go underwater, they look orangish and its difficult to tell sometimes whether it is actually green or orange. Especially in the daylight.

Overall, I have really liked this light and would buy it again if it weren't for two things - The charging ports corroding means limited longevity and the self-contained battery. While it's nice to not have to worry about cleaning and lubricating seals after a dive trip, The ability to have spare batteries on hand is a priority on my next light purchase. Diving somewhere like Bonaire, where dives are often lengthy, it would be nice to be able to swap batteries.

Been using this light paired with my Sony A7rIV, and gotta say fantastic performance for money for such a small piece of kit. I'm mainly using it for stills, and I needed a small, low-profile light source that I could pair with my housing for run and gun photography. I've usually got so much other kit to handle that I couldn't be bothered to deal with strobes' size/hassle, so this light is a great solution. Super easy to use, battery lasts ages, and pretty idiot-proof. The spectrum output is great and so is the power.

Light underwater is what makes a difference between a regular video and outstanding videos. Stunning colors need that extra help.

If you know the frustration of flooded lights and shorted batteries, these are sealed and very reliable. Have tested them down to 155ft and they outperform!

I film with two of these lights mounted on my camera rig, people always give me many compliments about the quality of my video and I keep telling them, “it’s the lights”
If you are like me and you like to see detail in your videos, like the rhinopores on a nudibranch or the scales on a giant sea bass, you need those lights.
Light bring the life out of creatures and help with the resolution of the camera, you can film with a small point-and-shoot, a GoPro, or a great expensive camera but if you don’t have the right light your video is going to be doll and grainy, these lights are the lightest and most compact you can find for underwater video, easy to travel and amazingly thought. I specially love the dome for the flood which makes a huge difference on the way the light is distributed over the subject.