In 2018, shortly after winning the wildlife category in the prestigious photography competition organized by Asian Geographic , I received a request from a Chinese company, then unknown to me, Orcatorch.
Orcatorch's proposal to Franco Tulli
They asked me if I'd be interested in becoming a beta tester for their underwater lights and possibly one of their brand ambassadors . At the time, I was using some small, very powerful flashlights from a well-known American company. I was quite satisfied, but since I didn't have an agreement with the manufacturer, I had to pay the rather expensive purchase price myself.
So when Jimmy, this was the name of the Orcatorch employee who contacted me, after complimenting me on the underwater photos I took, offered to send me one of their underwater lights to test, it seemed like an excellent opportunity to test new technologies and new equipment.
The Orcatorch Project, High Quality Underwater Torches
Before accepting, however, I tried to find out some information about the company to which, in some way, my name would be linked. I discovered that it had been founded relatively recently, in 2014, by a group of tech enthusiasts in Shenzhen, a Chinese megacity with over 17 million inhabitants. Their founder, Carson Wang, had found the lights divers had been using until then to be mostly shoddy and short-lived, and so he decided to use his talents to improve this sector by creating a dive light brand that would produce innovative, high-quality dive lights.
Thus was born the Orcatorch company, named after the Orca, a fearless, free-spirited marine creature capable of challenging anyone in the sea. My previous experiences with Chinese products hadn't always been positive, but this time the promise seemed excellent, so I accepted.
The first flashlight: D910V
The first flashlight I received was the D910V, and I was absolutely blown away! It was quite heavy, but small and compact enough. Up until that point, I had never owned a flashlight with more than 2000 lumens of power. This one delivered 5000 lumens with three light modes and a 120-degree wide-angle beam, neutral white light, a color temperature of 5700K, and a CRI of 92! But the amazing features didn't end there.
The electronics featured intelligent overheating protection and overload and discharge protection. The battery, which provided 50 minutes at full power and almost 9 hours at 500 lumens , could be charged both externally with a magnetic attachment without disassembling it, and internally with a jack. The three O-rings separating it from the head guaranteed waterproofing up to 150 meters!
If at first glance it seemed like an excellent torch, especially for video recording, the first tests in the water only confirmed its great qualities.
A lasting collaboration
More than five years have passed since then, and our collaboration has only grown stronger. The company has grown enormously thanks to the quality of its products, which have effectively satisfied a market increasingly hungry for light. Over time, they have expanded their offerings and implemented improvements, thanks in part to our suggestions, covering every sector of diving , from recreational with the incredible D710 and its 3000-lumen power button or the affordable D530, to technical with the D630 for cave diving or the high-performance D860.
Orcatorch Underwater Photography Products
Today Orcatorch offers various products dedicated, although not limited, to underwater video and photography , in particular two torches that I am particularly fond of due to the constant use I make of them in practically every dive.
D900V
The first, which has been in production for some time now, is the D900V. It partially mirrors the D910V, inheriting its shape and dimensions, as well as some of the features I've already mentioned. However, while it sacrifices some power while still delivering a more than adequate 2700 lumens , a double button allows you to vary the light from a 120° neutral white beam to an 8° cool white spot beam, and from red to ultraviolet light.
This versatility is essential for those whose hands are full holding a large camera. With a single illuminator positioned in a sphere on top of the housing, you can have a spot light to illuminate narrow crevices between rocks while searching for subjects, or a wide beam to help you focus and shoot with ease.
Red light can also be used to photograph, without affecting or scaring the subject, the famous Mandarin Fish during mating or the beautiful Gorgon Starfish at night with its arms outstretched while catching food. Finally, ultraviolet light can capture the incredible biofluorescence of marine creatures that glow with an ink-like color otherwise invisible to the human eye.
Orcatorch D710V
Orcatorch's latest addition, the D710V, which I had the pleasure of testing before its release, also shares many of these features. It has three light sources: red, UV, and white, with a super-wide 120° beam, two modes, and a maximum output of 2000 lumens. Added to this are all the other features of high-end Orcatorch models, such as intelligent overheating protection and the high-strength A6061-T6 aluminum construction. All of this is packaged in the same size and aesthetic as the D710, making it lightweight and portable, whether handheld or mounted on a case.
They have many options for all needs, so I invite you to visit their website www.orcatorch.com , where you can find detailed information on each product.
