Underwater, ambient light, and correcting filters can only take you so far. With light and color loss starting after just a few feet, successful videographers often rely on quality underwater video lights to reproduce the colors and beauty of the underwater world around them. Choosing an underwater video light can be challenging in a market saturated with options. Check out our recommendations below for a variety of high quality, feature-rich video lights.
When you're shopping for video lights, it's important to keep in mind your shooting locations, lighting conditions, and the scene you envision in your head. Will you be diving deep or shooting shallow where there is lots of bright light? This will affect the lumen power you're looking for. Generally, we recommend looking for a high power video light when you are shooting in bright conditions or with a wide angle lens. This allows you to match the background ambient light with a bright foreground video light for optimal color and contrast. Are you shooting a wide angle lens and need wide beam coverage to match? Do you need a versatile light with added features like a narrow beam (often used to signal buddies as a dive light), a red beam (for helping the camera focus without scaring shy marine life) or creative options such as UV leds. If you want a colorful spotlight to add a little creative flare to your photography, then you may want to consider a light with a colorful RGB mode like the Kraken Sports Hydra 4000 WRGBU. Choose the light that best suits your shooting needs and price point.
Professional underwater video lights are essential for adding color, details, and contrast to your underwater video - whether you are shooting an 8K or 4K documentary for Netflix or capturing creative content for your YouTube channel or Instagram reel. Our top-of-the-line, pro-level video lights offer features beyond the capabilities of a normal underwater video light. They feature the highest quality LED's, construction and performance. High power professional lights are often limited to a single, elegant wide white beam. Their purpose is only to bring accurate colors out of your underwater scene.
Jump to section:
- Best All Around Underwater Video Lights
- Best GoPro/Action Camera Underwater Video Light
- Best Underwater Video Snoot Lights
- Best Underwater Video Lights for Macro Video
- Best Underwater Video Lights for Professional Underwater Video
- Best Underwater Focus Lights
Best All Around Underwater Video Lights of 2022:
Kraken Sports Hydra 4000 WRGBU Video Light
*Best Overall Choice"
The Kraken Sports Hydra 4000 Video Light is a compact and powerful video light and has tons of awesome features also found in its "big brother", the Hydra 8000. This video light puts out a whopping 4000 lumens. In addition, the video light has built in WRGBU LEDs which allows you to use the red as focus light, blue for floro and other colors for creative shots. Controlling the video light is also very easy with its three-button control system. The video light also features a burst mode. It can act as a strobe when attached to your camera via a fiber optic cable and, furthermore, it is compatible with the Kraken universal remote. The Kraken Hydra 4000 truly is a must-have video light!
If you want 2000 more lumens of power, the Kraken Sports Hydra 6000 WRGBU Video Light is a great option.
- 4000 Lumens
- Burst Mode Feature (6000Lumens)
- Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 90
- Color Temperature: 5000K
- Wide 120° Beam
- 75 Mins Burn Time at Full Power
Kraken Sports Hydra 8000 Video Light
"Powerful, Great Features, Multicolor RGB and Professional Level"
The Kraken Sports Hydra 8000 Video Light is compact and small for its high performance power. Aside from having an 8000 lumens output, the video light has built in RGB LEDs which allows you to use the red as focus light, blue for floro and other colors for creative shots. This is also highly recommended to to anyone who is plannnig on capturing even wide angle video. In addition the light offers a strobe mode, emitting a more powerful burst when connected to the camera via a fiber optic cable. The Hydra 8000 is compatible with the Kraken universal remote so you don't always have to reach over to operate the light when diving.
- 8,000 Lumens
- Wide beam angle of 120° on land and 100° underwater
- RGB LED - red for focus light, blue for floro and others for creative shots
- Strobe Burst Mode
- Higher color rendering index of 90
- burn time of 58min at full power
Best GoPro/Action Camera Underwater Video Light & Tray:
SeaLife Sea Dragon Pro Dual Beam
*Comes with Tray & Handle, Ready to Shoot"
The SeaLife Sea Dragon Pro Dual Beam is your perfect compact single video light set for your action camera setup. The Sea Dragon 3000SF Dual Beam Video Light features a dual beam angle feature - spot & wide. It also has a high CRI rating of 90 on flood mode and 70 for spot, and replicates natural sunlight which adds natural brilliance to your videos and stills. Operation is also very simple with its single button control. The set comes with a Flex-Connect Single Tray and grip, all you need to do is attach your camera housing and you're ready to shoot!
- 3000 lumens
- CRI 90 on flood mode and 70 on sport
- Ultra wide beam angle 120° flood and 15° spot
- Regulated circuitry
- Comes with Flex Tray and Flex Grip
Best Underwater Video Snoot Lights:
DivePro MP30 Macro Snoot
*Best Snoot Light*
The DivePro MP30 Macro Snoot Light is a compact & powerful snoot light. It is our favorite snoot light for underwater video because it uses a series of internal lenses to condense the light it outputs into a very narrow, -5° beam. This means that the light beams actually condense to a point in front of the light allowing you to adjust the power and width of the light on the subject. This is the only snoot light on the market that will allow you to capture video with acceptable shutter speeds and ISOs - espeically if you want black background video. The MP30 snoot light produces an output of 210,000 Lux max power and can run for 110 mins. It can also be used for snoot photo applications. It's very easy to aim because the beam is traceable and looks like a search light underwater.
- Powerful Output: 210,000 Lux (High), 100,000 Lux (Mid), 15,000 (Low)
- Run Time: 110mins (High), 230mins (Mid), 1340mins (Low)
- Beam Angle: -5°
- Single push button operation
- Illuminated Battery Indicator
DivePro MP10 Supermacro Snoot
*Best Supermacro Snoot*
The DivePro MP10 Supermacro Snoot Light is a small, powerful, & compact snoot light, specifically designed for shooting supermacro video. Don't be deceived by its size - it packs a punch with its power output of 1,150LM. It's a versatile snoot device, allowing you to screw in various attachments to reduce the beam angle and uses optical lenses that condense the output. The snoot light can serve as your backup dive light (without any attachment).
- Powerful Output: 1150 LM
- Multiple Beam Angle Options: (3°, 24°, 72°)
- Features an optical material that concentrates the output
- AI Stepless Dimming
- It retains the last power setting used.
- CRI: 80
- Color Temperature: 5000K
Kraken Sports Hydra Optical Snoot
*Fantastic Snoot Attachment for Kraken Sports Hydra Lights*
The Kraken Sports Hydra Series Optical Snoot is designed to be used with the Hydra 4000, Hydra 6000 and Hydra 8000 and condenses the video light's beam to a smaller point for high contrast, snoot lighting! This is the perfect tool for capturing video with black backgrounds or a great snoot for taking photos. Simply screw on the snoot to your hydra video light and you're ready to shoot. Because it's a continuous light, it is very easy to check if your subject is illuminated before shooting it. It also features an aperture mask - you can choose the desired size of the output, perfect for your subject.
Best Underwater Video Lights for Macro Video and Videographers on a Budget:
Light & Motion Sola Video 3800 Flood Light
"Reliable, Easy to Use, and Compact"
The Light & Motion Sola Video 3800 Flood Light is a super compact, high quality video light. It features a bright 3,800 lumen beam. The beam is even and without hotspots. The light is very ergonomic with a unique magnetic slider switch, and it's fully sealed to prevent floodin. We highly recommend the Sola 3800 as the perfect travel light - it's small and durable. Sola lights are very reliable - they burn evenly throughout their output without any changes as the charge decreases.
- 3,800 lumens
- Wide beam angle of 90° (up to 110° with optional dome port)
- Smooth & consistent wide beam using the best CREE LEDs and enhanced firmware
- Easy to use magnetic slider switch
- Battery life of 50 minutes on full power
Big Blue VTL3800P Dual Beam Video Light
"Easy to Use and Longer Battery Life"
A perfect dual purpose light for underwater video! The Big Blue VTL3800P Dual Beam Video Light includes an ultra wide 120° beam angle great for video shooting at 3,800 lumens, 10° narrow beam at 1,200 lumens and a red beam at 100 lumens for focusing and for skittish critters. The video light provides flexibility not only for photography/videography but also can be used as a general dive light. It also uses a reliable push-button on/off switching system with four levels of brightness for the wide beam, one level for the narrow beam, and one for the red beam. The light also has a built-in battery indicator,
- Powerful light at 3,800 lumens
- Features both wide spot beams
- Wide beam angle of 120° and narrow 10° beam angle for spot
- Double oring seal
- Easy one button push control
- Color temperature 6500K
- Long battery life up to 1.5hrs at full power and 15hrs in lowest setting
- Max depth of 100m
Light & Motion Sola 2500F Video Light
"Special Low Price, Exclusively at Bluewater"
The Sola Light & Motion Sola 2500F Video Light is a high quality, tiny video light perfect for all levels of videographers. This exclusive Bluewater light is perfectly priced, features a bright 2,500 lumens, and is easy to control through the unique Sola magnetic slider switch. The fully sealed design and rechargeable battery make for a safe and secure system. The small size is perfect for traveling. A single 2500 lumen beam is a little dim for wide angle video in bright conditions. So we either recommend purchasing two or considering a higher power light if you want to shoot wide angle video.
- 2,500 lumens
- Beam angle of 60° underwater
- Wide white beam, certified to the FL-1 Standard using CREE LED's
- Easy to use magnetic slider switch
- Battery life of 50 min on full power
Best Underwater Video Lights for Professional Underwater Video:
Light & Motion Sola Video Pro 15,000
"Factory Sealed, Fast Charging & Easy to Operate"
The Light & Motion Sola Video Pro 15000 is designed for photographers and videographers who want the best. It provides a high volume output of 15,000 lumens of light in a small and compact body. The beam is even and without any hotspots. Another great feature of the Sola 15,000 light is that it is factory sealed, so there are no o-rings to maintain. We say this light is for "photographers" as well as videographers, because it's so bright that we have been able to take wide angle photos with it!
- Unbelievably small
- Incredibly useful LED screen
- Stunningly Bright
- 3 hours at 2,500 lumens, 8 hours at 1000 lumens
Read our Sola Pro Video 15,000 Light Review
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Check out our Light & Motion Advanced Kit Two Video Pro 15,000s, filters, a carry case, and more for a great price! |
Check out our Light & Motion 15,000 Aquaterra Kit The only professional video kit that allows you to switch between underwater and topside video! |
Kraken Sports Hydra 15000 WRGBU Video Light
"Small & Compact, Powerful Output, Burst Mode"
The Kraken Sports Hydra 15000 WRGBU Video Light is a compact and powerful video light and has tons of awesome features. The video lights packs a serious punch with its whopping 15000 lumens output. In addition, the video light has built in RGB LEDs which allows you to use the red as focus light, blue for floro and other colors for creative shots. Controlling the video light is also very easy with its button & dial functions, plus, it has an LCD screen to get important information such as burn time remaining, level and mode. The video light can also be adjusted using the Kraken Remote Control via fiber optic cable (up to two video lights). It also has a built in dome which gives you a smooth and even light dispersion. The video light also features its burst mode. It can act as a strobe when attached to your camera via fiber optic cable. It is also compatible with the Kraken remote as well. Truly the Kraken Hydra 15000 is a must have video light!
- Powerful output of 15,000 lumens
- Burst mode of 18,000 lumens
- WRGBUE - Red for focus light, blue for floro and other colors for creative shots
- Easy knob and button operation with LCD screen
- CRI 90
- Beam angle of 120°
- Burn time of 60 mins at max power
Looking for a more affordable Kraken 15,000 lumen light with no RGBU features? Check out the Kraken Solar Flare Mini 15,000.
Keldan Video 8M Modular CRI Video Light
*Smooth Even Light, Easy Control, High CRI*
The Keldan Video 8M Flux Video Light boasts a powerful 8,000 lumens with a high color rendering index (i.e., accurately reproduces color). The front dome and high quality LED's produce a soft, even light with no hotspots at all. The light is controlled by a simple slider switch with three power levels. The depth rating of the video light is also impressive, rated at 200m. Why do so many pro video shooter look at Keldan Video Lights? Keldan offers a wide range of ambient video light filters for the most accurate manual white balance possible while still retaining the benefits of having artificial light. Contact us at Bluewater Photo to get set up with the right Keldan video filters for you.
- Powerful video light 13,000 lumens
- Includes 90º/110º dome reflector
- Color Rendering Index of 96
- Color temperature of 5,600 Kelvin
- Depth rating of 200m
- 45 min battery life on full power / 170 mins on minimum power
Big Blue VL15000P Tri Color Video Light
*High Power, with Multiple Light Modes*
The Big Blue VL15000P Tri Color Video Light is a super high powered video light which offers up to 15,000 lumens. This power is packed into a fairly compact body with an array of high powered LEDs. One great feature of the video light is the tri color lights. It has a cool white, warm white, and red beam. The warm white is great for reproducing skin tones well and helps make reds/oranges really pop underwater. Battery life is also longer than many lights at up to 2 hours on full power.
- Super powerful light at 15,000 lumens
- Wide beam angle of 160°
- Tri color feature - cool white, warm white and red
- Small and compact
- Color temperature - 6500K for cool white and 5500K for warm white
- 2 hour battery life on full power
Best Underwater Focus Lights:
Click here for the full Focus Lights Buyer's Guide
Kraken Sports Hydra 1000 Focus Edition
Free Snoot Attachment and Multi Color Filter
*Small & Compact, With Burst Mode*
The Kraken Sports Hydra 1000 Focus Edition is one of the best focus lights on the market. Aside from the affordable price, it has lots of great features. It is small and compact, yet packs a 1000-lumen punch. It also has a long burn time of 85 mins. One noteable feature of the focus light is its burst mode allowing it to act as a mini strobe. The focus light also now comes with a snoot attachment which is excellent for macro and super macro shooting. It also comes with a multi-color filter which gives you infinite options for creative shots.
- 1,000 Lumens
- 100° Beam Angle
- Burst Mode of 1500 Lumens
- Color Temperature 5500K
- Single Button Operation
- Free Snoot & Multi-Color Filter
Read our review of the Kraken Sports 1000 Focus Edition
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