The Japanese Fisheye has recently updated its Focus Light 1500DX, an illuminator that already made use of the latest available technologies for this type of equipment but that, today, the company has managed to improve by placing a series of “features” that we could hardly manage to find in other flashlights around. If we wish to have into a single object a wide light, a spot light, a red light, the possibility of fine power tuning, two charging options, LCD display with charge’s remaining time and maximum quality of light, this is definitely the best solution we can find on the market.
Technical specifications
Maximum power 1500 lumens
Wide light 100 ° (up to 1500 lumens)
Red Light 100 ° (up to 250 lumens)
Spot Light 30 ° (up to 500 lumens)
Color temperature 6000K
Digital display showing the power and battery life level
Ability to control the power of light from 0 to 100% in increments of 1% or 25%.
Two charging options – directly to the battery or from inside the case with external connector
Autonomy to the maximum power: 120 min (Spot), 90 min (Wide)
Charging time 2 hours
Maximum operating depth 100 meters
Possibility to control remotely through the Fix Neo remote
Technology, safety and a LED display with more information
The new model has now a revised LED display providing simultaneously more information about the light mode used and the remaining charging time. The ultra-modern LCD panel is now able to communicate in real time the battery charge status, the remaining charge minutes, and the light’s output power in the different modes. During the dive, just a glance and you have immediately access to all necessary information. A microprocessor controls the flashlight Fix Neo 1500 DX II SWR, allowing maintaining constant the flow of light for the whole battery charge cycle. Thanks to this technology, the flashlight is always monitored from the point of view of heat in its internal components, allowing its use even outdoor (out of the water). It will be the processor to make sure that overheating does not happen, auto-adjusting the power or directly turning off the flashlight (very interesting function, which gives us a lot of confidence in case we forgot the light switched on inside our scuba gear bag).
1500 lumen, Wide, Spot and red light
Maximum versatility with a maximum power output of 1500 lumens: Basically, everything it takes to perform as a focus light, but also the right power for video shooting in medium shots, close-ups and macro. The light beam is easily adjustable and covers all the needs the dive may require. The wider field angle is a true 100°, able to cover a very wide portion of the frame and can serve either as a support to our camera’s autofocus or as real video light. The spot mode reduces the angle to 30° so as to concentrate the light on a single subject and do not illuminate all the rest of the background, but especially useful for using as a true and proper flashlight. Finally, the red light function that, during night dives, will give us the opportunity to not frighten the marine life more susceptible to light, and still have the right amount of lighting available to allow autofocus a proper working. The Fix Neo 150 SWR’s color quality is very high and able to offer very bright colors. The light temperature is around 6000° Kelvin and can reproduce very natural colors even at depth. A very useful and interesting characteristic of all Neo Fix torches is the interchangeability of the lighting heads. We will be able to have different sources of light, according to our operational needs, without having necessarily to buy a complete set. The body, once connected to the new head, will be reprogrammed with a simple key combinations and could provide the durability and power data correctly and updated.
Controls and power settings
Changing the light mode and the power level is quite easy and fast. All the Fix flashlights have three buttons that let easy access to all available operating functions. The buttons are well spaced, so to avoid accidental or mistaken pressing, and are very simple to handle even wearing thicker gloves. There is also a physical block preventing accidental activation when stowed in our luggage or scuba gear duffel bag: safety always first!
Just press the primary control button to switch on the device and to allow four power adjustments, in increments of 25%. Through the upper buttons, you can perform an even more precise fine-tuning in 1% increments. Everything is really easy to operate and very, very fast to perform. To change the light beam and then switch from Spot to Wide mode and vice versa, you must press and hold the round button a little more than a second. Switching to the red light function is a little more challenging: in fact, you have to hold the round button together with an arrow key, requiring therefore two hands.
Here a video showing the different functions
Batteries and Charging
Definitely one of the features I most appreciated about Fix torches is the management of charging.
The Fix Neo SWR 1500 is powered by a lithium battery and can be recharged according to our needs in two different ways:
1. By directly connecting the power supply to the torch through the provided charging connector, thus avoiding unscrew the head to remove the battery,
2. Recharging the battery in the classical way, which allows us to keep always a spare battery under charge while we use the flashlight during diving, and always have light even throughout long full day sessions in the boat, where it is not always possible to recharge our batteries.
In case you use this flashlight as a true focus light, consider that you will never go beyond 25/50% power, which means an extremely long duration, frequently over 3 hours of battery life.
Accessories
The provision of adapters, attacks and handles that Fix torches provide as standard is definitely complete. The package contents is indeed exhaustive and covers most of the uses
Package contents:
• 1 x FIX Neo 1500 SWR
• 1 x 2-Way Handle
• 1 x YS adapter
• 1 x Ultra adapter
• 1 x GoPro adapter
• 1 x Loc-Line adapter
• 1 x Lithium battery
• 1 x Charger
• 1 x charging socket
• 1 x Cap charging connector
• 1 x wrist strap
• 1 x spare O-ring
• 1 x O-ring grease
• 1 x O-ring Remover
• 1 x Allen key
• 1 x screw lock
In the Mediterranean, on deep wrecks and shoals, visibility and light can be scarce. Here, the focus light can be of great support for our autofocus precision.
Usage in the field
I waited some months before writing a review about Fix Neo DX 1500 SWR: I preferred to use it intensively in all the different types of dives I usually make, so to have a complete picture of all its peculiarities, strengths and weaknesses. I can definitely say, without half measures, this is a top quality product. Certainly, the more complete and versatile focus light I have used to date. In these months of work, I used it around in the Mediterranean and in tropical seas for macro shooting, in very low visibility conditions in the Adriatic Sea during muck dives, at night dives both for macro and close focus wide angle, in caves, deep diving, wreck diving and in shallow waters on coral reefs. Well, the Fix Neo DX 1500 SWR has always behaved very well by providing me all the light I needed. High reliability, long autonomy and versatility: in short, you cannot ask for more from a focus light.
The cost is € 550, 00 and it is sold, in Italy, by www.fotosub-shop.it
WORDS and PICTURES by Marcello Di Francesco
