Nemrod

I think you underestimate the S220. Before I bought the S220s as a filler set until something comes along that is better and that I can afford, I had borrowed a set of Z240 strobes. This is because one of my ancient D2000 strobes had a malfunction (after being dropped one time too many) so a friend who was going home earlier than me lent me his Z240s. I am shooting nearly the same settings overall with the S220 strobes that I was with the borrowed Z2409 set and both are considerably stronger than my old D2000 set. The Weefine does look like a nice strobe, not saying it does not. I do not shoot video at all but still, I suppose the video light is a good addition as a back up light during night dives. Circular or not, that is a big jump from 17 to 22 regardless of the flash tube and it is not as if the S220 has a narrow beam exactly itself and the S220 really does not need a diffuser due to the dome lens. Maybe Weefine will offer a new strobe model with a little more power without becoming huge in both size and $ range. It is kinda expensive already without being proven reliability in the market.

The Weefine is an interesting strobe but it is GN 17 vs my current S220s at GN22 (for whatever those numbers are useful or not) and it is kind of expensive for an unproven brand. I guess I can give Inon a little more time and if nothing comes out from them or elsewhere I guess it will be some DS3 Duo strobes. Neutral in the water, GN33 and relatively compact. And somewhat affordable.

The problem with most of the strobes you mention @Architeuthis is that they are much different in buoyancy and size in the water and more $$$$$ with the exception of the YSD3 which like you I am dubious of them due to the poor reliability of the previous generation. The HF1 is just huge, heavy and negative in the water. For those of us shooting mid size rigs they seem awfully large in comparison to the camera/housing. I have an older D2000 (of a set of two purchased new around 2005?), which has the On/Off switch problem after being dropped. It has been at a well known repair place for nearly a year. I give up on it and got some S220 strobes to fill the gap until Inon releases the new ZXXX or I decide upon something else.

Is there any hope for this strobe in my remaining lifetime? I sure hope Inon is not going out of business? It has always been difficult getting repairs for Inon gear but the upside was that it never broke, thus never needed repairs, mostly.

Thanks, I had forgotten that. My WWL-1 has a Nauticam bayonet mount. I think it was added on, do not remember. It should zip right on the Z50 I would think.

David, cannot wait to see your new outfit at SD. JFYI and please anyone correct me if wrong. The only difference between the Nauticam WWL-1 and the Nauticam WWL-1B is the removable foam float collar on the WWL-1 and the integral aluminum float collar on the WWL-1B. Optically and in all dimensions not affected by the float collar, they are the same lens. The WWL-C is a different lens, more compact and is not the same optically. The WWL-1 lens assumes a 28mm and the WWL-C assumes a 24mm lens and both have zoom through capability. The WWL-C may not be as wide with some camera/lens combos?

I sort of like this concept for the new Canon R50 and the new little Nikon. Fixed port with water contact optics. But I do wish it had BBF and an additional auxiliary bulkhead port so it might be possible to have both a vacuum system and onboard charging. What is the flash sync speed for this R50? Looks like a nice outfit, hope it does good for you.

I use a Pelican Air for on the airline or in transit. But once at the dive site I use a Sam's Club bag, about $9. I have one that I have used for several years, even got rescued by a Bedouin gentleman in Egypt, I gave him more tip for finding my bag than it could be worth but he was so proud to have helped me!

Thanks for the brain drain. It hurts my head thinking about it sometimes. Thing is, I have two A6400 cameras widely separated in serial number. And UWT sent me a replacement with newer software way back, I mean, it is a now nearly a 5 yo camera and the same with the UWT trigger. None of them worked, not a different camera nor trigger. Beats me :(. I know one thing, this has put me off on (future) cameras that require an external $$$ trigger. At least with the A6400 I can sync off the built in flash which works perfectly, every time, all the time, just not super fast. And it eats my battery if I did not have a booster or onboard charging capability.

Thanks, it is none of those things, I wish it were that simple. The random loss of sync is unpredictable, random. It works perfect for a few shots, maybe twenty shots and then one or two do not sync, in the water or on my kitchen table. This in any camera mode, strobe mode, trigger mode with various strobes (S&S, D2000, S2000, S220, YS) and all sorts of cables (Inon, Divervision, Nauticam), with the trigger set to sTTL or M or anything in between. It syncs fine and then it does not. I thought at first when the camera wakes up after going to sleep but even with my booster battery and the camera never goes to sleep, same thing. Tried a different camera and three different UWT triggers. When it works it is great, but it is not reliable. I still like my camera and enjoy using it but next time it will not be a Sony though the above problem is not due to Sony (I think). Here are the irritating things about the Alpha cameras: 1. No native fisheye lens, zoom or prime. 2. No pre-flash cancel. 3. The 1/160 maximum sync.

I find the 16-50 kit lens works good enough for who and what it is for and especially when coupled with the WWL-1. However, if you can find a Sigma 19mm prime it is excellent with the WWL-1. As to triggers, perhaps there is some difference with the 6700 vs the 6400 but I have not been able to get the UWT trigger to sync reliably, mostly it does, sometimes it does not, random.

I will look at photos for minutes, even hours. As soon as a video pops on I am gone.

It is working for me also. With the battery pack removed the adapter can tuck in there. The problem I have is that the battery pack is the better solution for most uses as long as they are working and they work very well.

I got one of these and stupidly I did not realize that it was a USB-C and my A6400 is a mini-USB. The NA6400 can use a booster battery pack underneath the camera and I can stuff the wiring and adapter below the camera in place of the booster pack. The booster pack keeps my camera running for often a full four long dives. This is with the LCD screen running full time and using the onboard flash for sync. I do have a UWT board trigger but it just never really worked reliably, actually not very well at all, thus I use the camera flash for syncing my strobes. Which of course eats battery thus my desire to have an alternative means of charging my camera battery without opening the housing. I have two booster packs and they are going strong still so I guess I am okay for the time being.

I would rather an integrated product that consisted of an exoskeleton that interfaced mechanically and electronically with the internal photo module. Which could be replaced and upgraded with both firmware and software and with a one inch sensor or M4:3 sensor to keep it compact and travel friendly. A fixed 24-75/90M zoom integrated into a fixed port with macro and designed to use water contact optics for wide angle and fisheye perspective.