65 replies to this topic

[lidde]

Thank you Anthony for bumping it up! :-)

I would also love to hear what people think of these two strobes now a year later.

[anthp]

We do our best to keep the gurus honest

[JackConnick]

Yeah and add in some tests on the Inon D2000. I've read reviews, but not comparisons to the Z220 and the Ike strobes.

Jack

[james]

Hmm..I've got the D2000 and the Z220 here in my hand - what would you like to see tested? I also own Ike DS125's and SS200's...

Cheers
James

[anthp]

Well since you're offering James...

How about angle of coverage UW (previous tests have been topside) and perhaps an estimation of real UW guide number with more than a single measurement of intensity at the centre of the beam. In fact, I think it was you who originally suggested that a test with multiple intensity measurement across the angle of coverage would be most informative?

I realise this sounds like a lot of work (and certainly would be!!), but it would surely help those of us who are yet to heavily invest in any particular strobe system.

It would also be really useful to help us choose the correct pair of strobes in the beginning (since it is unwise to mix strobes of various colour balance/K number). In fact, if you're feeling really energetic, it would be great to know how much difference the colour temperature of the strobe makes to UW colour balance.

Thanks again for your offer James - any light shed on this subject would be more than welcome!!

[JackConnick]

James;

I think something along the lines of what Jeff did (which was wonderful!). Actual, real-world comparisons with a couple of cameras. I'd like to know how the D2000 stacks up against an Ike 50 and then again against a Z220 in terms of real-world power and angle of coverage UW

In particular, I have a Fuji F810 and am looking around at strobes. I want something that I can buy once and grow into a DSLR system as I upgrade. I'm thinking that the Z220 may be a better bet than the D2000 for the same price as I can't use the sTTL features and it has hardwire sync. But maybe an Ike 50 is a better idea. I am interested in a compact system (after lugging 2x S&S120's around) and the DS125s are a bit big, besides being more expensive.

Hey, you wanted to get an F810 anyway didn't you? If not please send me some strobes so I can check it out and write a report...

Jack

[motionsync]

James:

You have the D2000 and the Z220 and the Ike DS125' ?
I whant to know witch of them have the best for wide angle photo?
I use a Olympus 5050 with a pt5 housing & a INON UWL100 lens

Normaly i take fotos witout a stobe. But i need one for

I know that the Ike 125 is very powerfull but the Inon 2000 have Auto Exposure and 13 manual settings...

1 Use the strobe in Open Water between 0-20 meters (Normaly I shoot i 5-10 meters deep). Most i take wide angle pictures

2. Some close ups form freedivers

3. Take Photos from Freediving Indoor competitions. Fresh & salt water Pools are max 3-5 meter deep. Mostly I am 0.5-3 meters from freediver away.

[james]

Hi Lambis,

It sounds like for your needs, any of those three strobes will work well.

Cheers
James

[Giles]

James ... for the money .... whoch one of them would you buy again ...

are the Inons as good as people make out they are .. or is it just a case of they ar eamazing for the size of them but not that amazing compared to larger strobes.

I have my one YS 120 which I bought for $500 and is now being sold at $800 ! I have no idea what is going on there!

Anyway .. I have been ' thinking' I would like 2 strobes, and have been 'considering' the Inons but know nothing about them apart from people used to say they gave a blue colour to photos, and that they are lovely and small.

My questions are ... how long do batteries last? Are they nice and light? Do you ever want 'more' power'? would you buy them again?

and on top of that .. if you could have your choice would you use them over all the others you have ? (I think you used them in Cayman .. but don't remember and you may not have had others then .. are they just a good travel strobe for you?)

[james]

Hi Giles,

Yes, I was using the Z220's for the dives we did at Turtle Farm Reef with Alex and Sarah. The one where you found out about my "underwater talking" propensity...

The strobes were great for those macro shots. I used one w/ a cord and one as a slave and they were very reliable. The slave fired when I wanted it to and didn't fire when I didn't want it to.

I also have 2 DS125's which I have put together with the Ikelite 20D housing. They are larger, and use NiCad packs instead of 4 AA's. I don't have any quantitative tests, but I think they are more powerful, and I'm pretty sure (but again, haven't tested) that they throw a wider beam because of their circular "pigtail" flashtube. You are correct that the Ikes have a lower color temperature, which some find better for UW shooting.

There is no "better" strobe that is small, light, and will cover a 100mm down to a 10.5mm fisheye lens. My personal set is Ike SS200's for wide and Inon 220's for macro. I was playing around w/ my 200's last weekend and I was able to light a whole 15mm fisheye scene using the Ike 200's - impressive!

If you were very discriminating in your strobe aiming you MIGHT be able to get away w/ using DS125's for everything.

Cheers
James

[Giles]

I don't see myself buying Ikelites, I LOVE my Sea&Sea YS120, but I am thinking the 15mm fisheye 'might' ust need a little extra than I have needed in the past with approx 21mm WA. So I was thinking about selling the YS 120 as it's almost double what I paid for it in the shops and buying something else. I have always lusted after Alex's Subtronics .. but I think they are alittle pricey for me right now .. maybe next year.

I may just pick up a second hand cheapey to keep me going until then and slave it from the 120. Many people don't like the 120 as it only has 1/2 and full setting, I like that .. less to think about, and to be honest it's about as big a strobe as I would ever want, I don't think I could deal wth 2 YS 350,s or Ike 200's (they are big right ?)

I don't suppose you have ever tried the 15mm fisheye with the 220's have you ? And how long do the 4 AA's last for ? That is the only thing I dislike about my 120 is it takes 8 AA's .. but has awesome recycle for a AA powered strobe.

It's nice to find out information like this .. even though I will probably just end up buying whatever comes along first !

[james]

Well, if you're just going to buy whatever comes along, then there's no reason for me to waste my time trying to help you, right?

Have a nice day.

james

[anthp]

Hey c'mon James

Don't let "numericallydamp" make you feel redundant! There are lots of us swimming around in here who would be delighted to learn more of your experiences with the flotilla strobes in your arsenal.

At the risk of confusing your conclusions, I'll try to paraphrase my understanding of your thoughts. Ideally you would use a pair of monster strobes (ike200s) for WA and a pair of nice small strobes for macro (z220). If you are feeling frugal, you might be able to get away with a couple of Ike DS125's for most things (macro and WA) if you are very judicious in the way you use them.

It sounds like the DS125s are noticably less powerful than your meaty Ike200s (as expected), but your feeling is that the DS125s are more powerful than the z220's (which is funny given the indicated Guide Numbers of the z220s).

It would be absolutely sensational if you had a chance to confirm your suspicions on this front (and perhaps the angle of coverage aspect) with a rigorous test.

Thanks again for your insights...

[Giles]

Well, if you're just going to buy whatever comes along, then there's no reason for me to waste my time trying to help you, right?

Have a nice day.

james

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what crawled in your wetsuit I was kinda more meaning When I have money to buy a strobe I'll probably buy what I can afford .. and who knows what that is ?

But I was kindahoping to hear that after having used a pair of Inon's you would recomend them and that maybe they weren't a complete loss on a 15mm fisheye (i have a 1.6 crop so chances are better)

Now chances are that as I won't have internet I won't get to see you're response, soeven though I fnid your information and knowledge and experiences invaluable, I may never get to see them now

maybe it will draw reference for someone else lucky enough to get to read it until I manage to connect to the world wide web again. over and out.

[onokai]

I do not know much about the Inon's but do know abit about the D125 and Ike's 200's. My 200's are very powerful but quite heavy and large. Not as big and heavy as the old 150's which may be before your time.The D125 for me are small & lite and recycle super quik. As far a service Ike's fast and easy- for usa folks-I know that can not be said about any offshore models.Unless you happen to be near where they are made. If your abroad then Ike's service is a slow pain as well. Mark

100 post's and with film

[tdpriest]

Hmmn...

I've described my rig before: I moved from twin YS120s and nikonos to a Nikon Coolpix 5000 and used two Z220s for wide-angle at 100ASA with excellent results on wrecks and sharks, and most things smaller. I then moved on to a D70 in a Nexus, and these two Z220s worked fine with the 10.5mm (180 degrees) on long TLC arms, and the 200ASA chip meant that I stopped down or powered down on most shots. The size of the Z22s is fantastic, and I thought they were robust (ubtil my older one glitched a few months ago: it seems to be locked in "quench", even when in manual mode...). A handful of 2300mA AAs lasts 2-300 frames, and they are so much easier than a big power pack, and some of the new chargers are really small....

Examples are the featherstar on the bottles and the bluewater Mako on PoW last year (both from the smaller camera).

I begin to think, with Martin Edge, that the arms are crucial: the angle and spacing of the strobes can make more difference than the actual strobes. The small moment arm of the Z220s, or the replacement 2000s, makes them much easier to handle than the DS125s or YS120s etc on 1m+ arms.

B)

Tim
D70, Nexus, Z220s, mostly fisheye...

[Tazzie]

Excellent information here, I'm trying to decide between the two models as well at the moment as my YS90 doesn't have the range of power I would like.

One thing that doens't seem to have been covered - am I right in thinking both the Ike and the Inon have spotter lights as standard? If so, is one better than the other for that?

Many thanks in advance

[james]

The Ike spotting light is larger and more powerful than the Inon in my opinion. Plus, it can be difficult to get the Inon spotting light to work.

James

[MikeO]

Plus, it can be difficult to get the Inon spotting light to work.

James

What does that mean? Is there something wrong with the design? One of the things I do like about the DS-125 is that I can use it both as my night dive light and strobe. Not sure I'd want to do that with the Z-240 . . .

Mike

Edited by MikeO, 08 August 2007 - 09:04 AM.

[Christian K]

The Ike spotting light is larger and more powerful than the Inon in my opinion. Plus, it can be difficult to get the Inon spotting light to work.

James

Don't know which one is larger or more powerful, but the Inons spotting light (at least the 240) is very easy to operate - just push a button on the back of the strobe and the spotting light will go on for 8-10 seconds. If you want it permanent, just push the button in and lock it by turning the button half a turn. Can't imagine it to be easier.

/christian