Keldan has announced via their US distributer, Nauticam USA, that they are now shipping their Video 8M light. The “M” stands for modular as there are a variety of light modules and reflectors available for each light. There are two standard models, the Video 8M Flux and Video 8M CRI. The former has an output of 9000 lumen and the latter 8000, but at a higher CRI value, which results in more faithful rendering of colors underwater.

They are both shipping now, with the Video 8M Flux retailing at $1980 and the 8M CRI at $2090.

Press release

Now Shipping:Keldan Video 8M

Modular U/W Video Light

Underwater Video Light for Professionals

Announcing the Video 8M - the 2015 update to the modular underwater video lighting system widely recognized as the finest light of its kind. The Video 8M provides high output, high quality light in a modular format that allows the discerning underwater videographer to choose the right type of light needed for a particular look or set of conditions.

The Video 8M is sold in two different basic models, Video 8M FLUX and Video 8M CRI, and both include the 90º/110º dome reflector. Additional LED Modules are sold separately. The Video 8M FLUX is the high output workhorse of the family. With 9000 measured lumens at operating temperature, this light is able to add detail back to shadow areas in the brightest sunlight. The Video 8M CRI model produces 8000 lumens of broad spectrum high Color Rendition Index (CRI) light to faithfully restore colors that are missing at depth.

LED Modules

In addition to the basic FLUX and CRI LED Modules, KELDAN also offers Cyan (High Color Temperature), Ultraviolet (UV), Deep Red, and Blue modules as add ons.

LED Module Details:
 

Module	Output	Temp/λ	Usage	Spectrum
FLUX	9000 lumen	5000K	Highest Output. The FLUX module provides very good color rendition with a CRI of 83, and 11,000 generated lumens. This is the light that can bring back shadow detail in the brightest daylight.
CRI	8000 lumen	5600K	Best color. The CRI module produces excellent color, with a CRI of 96. Choose the Video CRI light to get the most accurate color possible.
Cyan	5000 lumen	30000K	The Cyan module reproduces the ambient light for typical blue water. This is useful for ambient light custom white balance, and can be used with filters to achieve very natural looking footage.
UV	5 watts UV	400nm	Fluorescence. The bulk of the output from this module is invisible to the human eye, and so can be used for fluorescence imaging, with no barrier filter needed.
Blue	28 watts	450nm	Yellow filter fluorescence. This light produces a very bright beam at around 450nm (blue), which is used for fluorescence imaging in conjunction with a yellow barrier filter. Most marine life that fluoresces does so more intensely with blue than with UV.
Deep Red	25 watts	655nm	This deep red light source can be used as infrared light for observing fish at night. In general, Fish do not see light at wavelength above 570nm. This module is emitting light in the non visible range for the fish but still visible for human and for the camera sensor.

Cyan Technique

Shooting underwater video with the Cyan LED Module seems a bit contradictory at first glance, considering that with most lighting techniques, the idea is to work against the ambient light to restore missing colors.

Reflectors

To the keen eye of the underwater videographer, the shape and quality of the beam is paramount. The dome of the Video 8X allows for a 110º usable beam angle with gradual falloff. There are no hard edges to contend with even with ultra wide lenses.

The beam angle in water of the standard dome reflector when measured using the FWHM standard of 50% intensity is 90 degrees, but that doesn’t accurately represent the beam pattern of this light. The usable beam angle is much wider thanks to a very even and gradual edge falloff.

For a higher exposure value in smaller area, the optional 50º packs the same amount of power into a smaller area. This is useful for illuminating subjects while keeping the background dark, and also can be used for macro shooting to allow higher aperture shooting.

Depth Rating: 200m

This rugged yet precise Swiss-made has been proven to function flawlessly at depths up to 200 meters (660 feet).

Batteries

Battery packs can be easily changed in the field, supporting long shooting days, and an LED charge indicator provides battery info at a glance.

Run time depends on the LED Module used and the power setting, but ranges from 45 minutes to over 2 hours with the FLUX and CRI modules, and even higher with other modules.

Existing Light Upgrades

Owners of previous versions of the “8” series can update their lights simply by purchasing one of the new LED Modules. In some cases, an updated battery will also be required for the upgrade. Check with an Authorized Keldan Dealer for details.

Availability and Price

The KELDAN Video 8M is available now from KELDAN dealers world-wide. More information is available on Keldan’s website.

Keldan is distributed in the Americas by Nauticam USA. More information about Nauticam USA products is available on Nauticam USA’s site, or by email.

KELDAN Video 8 FLUX
Model Number: 775
MSRP: $1980
Available Now

KELDAN Video 8 CRI
Model Number: 774
MSRP: $2090
Available Now