I wanted a tiny backup light that I could use on vacation or keep in my dry-suit pocket here at home as a backup to my backup light. The D560 rated 630 lumens on a flashlight that's only 9cm long had me intrigued. I did some cold water dives in Puget Sound as well as a week diving off Isle Cozumel in Mexico.
So how did the D560 do?
In the case: It with spare o-rings, two aaa batteries, zip ties, a Mask strap mount, a lanyard, a user manual, and a warranty card.
Build and design: It’s built tough. The overall quality feels durable and solid in hand. The threading screws together with ease. It came with lubricated double o-rings that should help keep it watertight at depth. It feels very much like a scaled-down D550. I did not baby this light and just threw it in my dive bag when done. There is no visible wear on my sample after 15 dives.
Depth Rated 150m IXP-8
Size: 9cm
Net Weight: 47.5 grams without battery
Power: It’s powered by a single AAA battery or 14500 rechargeable lithium battery.
* Beam Distance (Land): AA Battery 240' (73m), Lithium-Ion 390' (119m)
* Working Voltage: 0.8 to 4.2
The D560 uses a Cree XM-L2(U4) LED that can put out 630 lumens output with a 14500 battery.
It has 3520 Candela and runs at 5000-Degree Kelvin
Eggshell reflector for a defused 12-degree spot.
Max Runtime:
* Using a single 700 mAh Lithium-Ion 14500 Battery you get 630 Lumens for 60-Minutes (14500 batteries are available to 1150mAh)
I chose to use a Vapcell H10 14500 Purple/White 10A Button Top 1000mAh Battery
* Using a single AA Alkaline Battery you get 180 Lumens for 85-Minutes
Simple: The light is intuitive and easy to use. Simply twist on and off. From off, a one-quarter turn of the switch will activate the light.
Attachment points: There is a single attachment point on the tail of the light. The Orcatorch MX05 mask mount is included. The mount can rotate 360°.
You can use the provided lanyard or in my case, a 316SS Boltsnap secured with #24 cave line.
The Boltsnap was not included with the D560 but Orcatorch does offer one for purchase separately called the SH02 Boltsnap Hook.
Finish: The finish shows little wear after multiple dives. Constructed from high-strength A6061-T6 aluminum. It has a Mil-Spec Type III hard anodized finish for durability and corrosion resistance. I found it to be very tough.
Final Thoughts:
Pros:
-Bright and sustainable output.
-No so bright that you are blinding the marine life.
-Good color spectrum for underwater use.
-Solid build quality.
-Good Size. It’s tiny
-Very lightweight.
-Twist On/Off for easy use.
-The rotary head switch offers high reliability underwater. I much prefer the twist over a button style.
-Includes one aaa battery
-Adds safety to any dive
-150m rated depth makes this usable to technical and recreational divers.
-Good value
-Light is offered in three color options
-Excellent backup light.
-Nice that you can use a standard alkaline battery found worldwide if needed.
-AA battery cuts the lumens significantly.
-Perfect for travel
-Can be used on land or sea
-It’s the little light that could. It has earned a spot in my dive kit.
Con’s:
•An included rechargeable 14500 battery should be included. The light is significantly brighter with the rechargeable battery versus the AA.
-I did not use the mask attachment as it does not lend itself to my diving.
-Low runtime means it will need recharging or fresh cells for almost every dive. Best to have multiple batteries to swap as needed.
-Only one brightness setting
-Spot angle at 12 degrees is wider than I like. I prefer a tighter 7-8 degree non-diffused spot.