Bigblue Video & Photo Lights — Serious Light for Serious Shooters
Bigblue entered the dive light market in 2007 at the DEMA show in Orlando and has been building on that foundation ever since. From the beginning, the company positioned itself at the intersection of innovation, performance, and real-world value — producing lights that compete on specification with much more expensive alternatives. Today, Bigblue is recognized globally among underwater photographers and videographers as one of the most technically capable and value-forward light manufacturers in the industry.
The Video Photo Light collection represents Bigblue's serious shooter range — lights specifically engineered for underwater imaging rather than general dive illumination. The distinction matters: a video light needs wide, even coverage with accurate color rendering, adjustable intensity output, long burn times for extended shooting sessions, and low enough profile to integrate cleanly with camera rigs. Bigblue's video and photo lights are built around these priorities, with lumen outputs ranging from purpose-configured narrow-beam photography lights to high-output wide-beam video lights exceeding 30,000 lumens in the canister series.
At DiveCatalog.com, we carry Bigblue's video and photo light lineup as an authorized dealer — from the accessible AL1300 series for recreational photographers to the professional-grade VL and VTL canister lights for serious videographers and working professionals.
Understanding Bigblue Video Light Technology
Beam Angles and Video vs. Photography Use
The fundamental difference between a video light and a photography strobe is continuous output. A strobe fires a brief burst of light synchronized with the camera shutter — it can be very powerful for a fraction of a second. A video light must provide continuous illumination throughout the shot, which demands efficient LEDs, effective heat management, and meaningful battery capacity. Bigblue video lights use the latest high-efficiency LED emitters to balance lumen output against burn time.
Beam angle determines coverage. Wide-beam lights (typically 100–120°) cover the full frame of a wide-angle lens system and produce even illumination across the scene. Narrow-beam lights (10–15°) concentrate output into a tight spot — useful for illuminating specific subjects at distance, for photography where the strobe handles primary illumination and the video light assists focus, or for cave and wreck diving where reach matters more than coverage.
Auto Flash Off (AFO) Technology
Bigblue's Auto Flash Off function automatically cuts light output for the duration of a camera strobe flash and restores it immediately after. This eliminates backscatter in the strobe zone — when continuous video lights fire simultaneously with a strobe, they can illuminate suspended particles directly in front of the lens in the strobe path. AFO eliminates this by briefly shutting off the video light when the strobe fires. Available on select Bigblue models including the AL1100RAFO-II series.
Red LED Mode
Several Bigblue video lights include a built-in red LED mode accessible via a specific button sequence. Red light at low intensity is invisible or near-invisible to many marine creatures — they don't respond to it the way they respond to white light, making it invaluable for setting up shots of shy or light-sensitive subjects without causing the animal to flee or change behavior before you're ready to shoot. Red mode is also useful as a low-disturbance illumination source in settings where you want light without affecting the ambient environment.
FluoroDive Technology
Bigblue's FluoroDive kits convert select video lights into fluorescence diving lights. Marine organisms — particularly corals — contain fluorescent proteins that are completely invisible in normal white light but fluoresce brilliantly when illuminated with specific high-energy wavelengths (typically violet/blue) and viewed through a yellow barrier filter. The FluoroDive kit includes the appropriate filter for the light head and a barrier filter for the camera, opening up a visually extraordinary category of underwater photography that reveals colors invisible during normal diving. Available for multiple Bigblue light models.
T6061 Aluminum Construction
Bigblue builds their light bodies from T6061-grade aluminum — the same alloy used in aerospace applications, valued for its strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and machinability. T6061 components can be machined to tight tolerances, which matters for watertight O-ring seals at depth. The result is a light that is genuinely durable and rated to 100 meters depth across the standard range.
Bigblue Video Light Range at DiveCatalog.com
AL Series — Accessible Video Lights
The AL (Aluminum Light) series covers Bigblue's most accessible video lights — self-contained units with integrated batteries, standard lumen outputs from 1200 to 1800 lumens, and wide-beam configurations suited to recreational photographers and videographers. The AL1300NP is the most popular recreational video light in the Bigblue lineup — balanced, versatile, and appropriate for wide-angle reef and wreck shooting. The AL1200 and AL1100RAFO-II (with Auto Flash Off) serve photographers who use video lights as fill or focus lights alongside strobes. Available with ball mounts for camera rig integration.
VTL Series — High-Output Video Lights
The VTL (Video Technical Light) series represents Bigblue's high-output self-contained video lights, designed for professional and semi-professional videographers. The VTL3500P provides 3,800 lumens with a 120° wide beam and multiple power modes — 3,800/1,900/950/380 lumens — with burn times of 1.5/3/6/15 hours respectively. A unique narrow-beam mode (1,200 lumens, 10°) is accessible by pressing and holding the power button, providing a second lighting personality in a single unit. Red LED mode is included. The VTL series comes with rechargeable batteries, chargers, ball mounts, yellow filters, and accessories as standard.
CB/VL Series — Canister Lights for Professional Video
Bigblue's canister lights provide the highest lumen outputs available in the lineup — purpose-built for serious video production where maximum illumination over a wide area is required. Canister configurations separate the battery (in the canister body) from the light head (on the camera rig) via a cable, allowing larger battery capacity and higher sustained output than self-contained units. Outputs range from 6,500 to 33,000 lumens depending on model. Used by professional underwater videographers, marine researchers, and advanced technical diving videographers who need sustained high-intensity output over extended shooting sessions.
Who Are Bigblue Video Photo Lights For?
| Photographer / Videographer Type |
Recommended Light |
Key Reason |
| Recreational photographers (strobe users) |
AL1100RAFO-II or AL1200 |
Auto Flash Off for strobe compatibility; focus and fill light for wide-angle |
| Recreational videographers |
AL1300NP or VTL3500P |
Wide beam; good burn times; integrated ball mount; accessible price |
| Macro photographers |
Narrow-beam AL1300NP or dedicated spot |
Focused beam illuminates small subjects without washing out background |
| Fluorescence photographers |
Any compatible light + FluoroDive Kit |
FDK converts existing Bigblue light for fluorescence photography |
| Serious / professional videographers |
VTL series or canister CB/VL |
High lumen output; wide beam; multiple power modes; long burn times |
| Night divers interested in wildlife photography |
Any light with Red LED mode |
Red mode allows setup shots without disturbing light-sensitive subjects |
Why Buy Bigblue Video Photo Lights from DiveCatalog.com?
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Authorized Bigblue dealer — genuine products, full manufacturer warranty
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Expert advice — our team can help match the right light to your camera system and shooting style
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FluoroDive kits also available — for fluorescence photography conversion of compatible lights
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Fast shipping — in-stock lights ship within one business day
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Rewards program — earn points on every purchase
Frequently Asked Questions — Bigblue Video Photo Lights
What is the difference between a video light and a strobe?
A strobe fires a brief intense burst of light synchronized with the camera shutter — extremely powerful for a fraction of a second, producing sharp, well-lit images without motion blur from the light source. A video light provides continuous illumination throughout recording — lower peak output than a strobe, but sustained. Video lights also work for photography, particularly for photographers who prefer continuous light over flash. Many underwater photographers use both: strobes for primary lighting and a video light as a focus aid or fill light.
What is Auto Flash Off (AFO) and do I need it?
AFO automatically shuts off the video light for the instant a camera strobe fires, then restores it immediately. This prevents the video light from illuminating backscatter particles directly in the strobe's path. If you're using a video light alongside strobes, AFO is a meaningful advantage. If you're shooting video only (no strobe), AFO isn't relevant.
What is FluoroDive and how does it work?
FluoroDive is Bigblue's fluorescence photography kit. Corals and many other marine organisms contain fluorescent proteins that are invisible in normal white light but glow dramatically when illuminated with specific short-wavelength light (blue/violet). The FDK kit includes a filter for the light head that passes only the appropriate excitation wavelengths, and a barrier filter for your camera lens that blocks the excitation light and passes only the fluorescent emission. The combination reveals colors completely invisible during normal diving. Available for multiple Bigblue models — confirm compatibility before purchasing.
What lumen output do I need for video?
For close-range reef and wreck video (within 1–2 meters), 1,000–2,000 lumens from a wide-beam light typically produces good results with modern high-ISO cameras. For wider coverage, further subjects, or turbid water, 3,000+ lumens improves results. Professional video production benefits from the highest outputs available. Two lights at a moderate output often produce better, more even illumination than one very high-output light from a single position.
How deep can Bigblue lights go?
Most Bigblue standard video lights are rated to 100 meters. The canister series lights have varying depth ratings — check the individual product specifications for the model you're considering.
Bigblue built their reputation on lights that outperform their price. Browse the full video and photo light collection above and reach out if you'd like help matching the right light to your camera system and diving style.
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