Help: WA w/Tokina 10-17 @ Cocos: which strobes?

I'm heading for Cocos in mid-Jan, and after some excellent advice on the Tokina 10-17 lens, I'm now wondering if I want another set of strobes for this wide lens.

Last time in Cocos I was diving w/the Nikon 12-24 (on a D200/Aquatica) and dual Z240's. Fairly happy w/these strobes but kept looking at what others were diving with and wondering if there might be a better strobe set up for WA (little wider coverage or color, etc.).

Either the S&S YS250 or the Ike DS200 look like a great strobe, but both are big (and heavy out of water), and a little out of my price range.

I could use my Z240's, or I could get 2 new Ike DS125's, or 2 S&S YS-110's.

I'm looking for any/all advice on lighting the Tokina with these strobes. Is there anyone out there using any of these combinations? Anything else I should consider?

The Ike 125's hold a certain sway w/me given that back in the film days I shot almost exclusively w/2 Ike 50's for years (loved those strobes). Their recycle time is nice too, but are they wide enough? Also - given they have a lot less (built in) power adjustment options (I believe just 4 steps) is this too much of a limitation? I actually don't remember stepping down the power on the Z240's very much at Cocos - we were usually shooting through several feet of water (not inches...)

Thoughts/advice/prescriptive help?

Thanks,

- Matt

I'm heading for Cocos in mid-Jan, and after some excellent advice on the Tokina 10-17 lens, I'm now wondering if I want another set of strobes for this wide lens.

 

Last time in Cocos I was diving w/the Nikon 12-24 (on a D200/Aquatica) and dual Z240's. Fairly happy w/these strobes but kept looking at what others were diving with and wondering if there might be a better strobe set up for WA (little wider coverage or color, etc.).

 

Either the S&S YS250 or the Ike DS200 look like a great strobe, but both are big (and heavy out of water), and a little out of my price range.

 

I could use my Z240's, or I could get 2 new Ike DS125's, or 2 S&S YS-110's.

 

I'm looking for any/all advice on lighting the Tokina with these strobes. Is there anyone out there using any of these combinations? Anything else I should consider?

 

The Ike 125's hold a certain sway w/me given that back in the film days I shot almost exclusively w/2 Ike 50's for years (loved those strobes). Their recycle time is nice too, but are they wide enough? Also - given they have a lot less (built in) power adjustment options (I believe just 4 steps) is this too much of a limitation? I actually don't remember stepping down the power on the Z240's very much at Cocos - we were usually shooting through several feet of water (not inches...)

 

Thoughts/advice/prescriptive help?

 

Thanks,

 

- Matt

I use the same strobes (Z240) to light the 10.5 and I have not run into any problems (yet). I think if you use them right it will not be a problem. If you want more power, I don't think the DS125 or YS110 will help you. You have to step up with bigger and more expensive strobes like the YS250.

The Sea&Sea and Inons have virtually the same colour temperature, whilst the Ike's are a little warmer. Recycle speed is very fast with Inons, YS250:s ans Ike's, whilst the YS110:s are comparatively 'slow'.

cheers

Christian

I don't think the Ike125 or S&S110 will be any better that the Z240 in terms of power of coverage - in fact they might be worse. The only advantage would be for the Ike in WA in terms of color, but IMO not enough to justify the change.

If you want better than that, you will have to spend more...

Matt, Inon Z-240's will be fine...

Cocos Hammerhead shot with a Canon 400D, Tokina 10-17, Inon Z240's...

ISO400 but had to open up the aperture to 5.6/ shutter down to 1/60s

I wouldn't worry too much about strobes. I think most of your shots will probably be ambient shots unless a hammerhead/ ray/ etc comes in real close. But this is your 2nd trip so you probably know that already.

Just to follow up Pak's very fine example, here's a manta ray shot in Moçambique with the Nikkor 10.5 and dual Z240:s. It was very big, I'd estimate the wing span to nearly 5 metres.

Depth: 27 metres/80ft

Distance: 0.75metres/2.5ft

ISO 100

A: 5.6

S: 1/125

3/4 Power, no diffuser

good luck

I agree with the above assessments. On my trip to Galapagos earlier this year I did not see any advantage of my Subtronic Midis (published angle of coverage 116 degrees) over the Inon Z240's others had.