Great Little Tech Back Up OrcaTorch Dive Light D550

by M. Menduno

review articles


I am impressed with the OrcaTorch D550 dive lights. The small, rugged, compact flashlight rated to 150 m/492 ft makes a great tech backup light, or could be used as a small primary under the right conditions. My first dive with the D550 was at Coral Restoration Foundation’s coral nursery in the Florida Keys and the 1000 lumen torch was able to be seen clearly in day light. I like the magnetic push-button switch on the tail (easier to use than the traditional twist-to-power-on) and the fact that it has a strobe mode in addition to high and low power beam. Nice.


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I also liked the soft handle and neoprene sleeve which holds the dive light. However, I found it slipped around a bit. I ended up clipping the snap bolt that I had tied to the base of the light, to the plastic D-ring on the handle to make sure it wouldn’t come out of the sleeve. The peak power burn time of the D550 is more than twice that of my Dive Rite BX-2 (1095 lumens), which is just slightly fatter and heavier, though the BX-2 has a visibly tighter (6 degree at center) beam than the OrcaTorch (8 degree). Including an extra lithium battery and soft handle, the D550 is a very good value.


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