Happy with your Inons?

Hello,

I've used Ike strobes for many years, and I'm quite satisfied with the performance and reliability of my DS-125s. However, they are kinda big and heavy, especially when I am traveling with land as well as uw camera gear. Before I melt the credit card down, though, I have a few questions:

1. Is anyone having good luck with a Nikon-Subal-Inon setup?

2. Should 2 Z240's (or D-2000's?) cover a 10.5FE well?

3. Am I crazy to consider switching brands?

4. Is Inon service pretty good?

5. Anyone used these with the HW inline or in-housing converter, or the S&S?

Thanks for any help or comments.

Cheers,

Chris

I like them for macro and 24mm wideangle, but would not be happy with the coverage when using a fisheye for reef scenics.

Cheers

James

1. Is anyone having good luck with a Nikon-Subal-Inon setup?

2. Should 2 Z240's (or D-2000's?) cover a 10.5FE well?

3. Am I crazy to consider switching brands?

4. Is Inon service pretty good?

5. Anyone used these with the HW inline or in-housing converter, or the S&S?

1. I am using a Nikon-Subal-Inon setup. When in Cozumel last summer, I was able to demo the Inon Z240 and I ended up purchasing the strobe. I was very pleased with this strobe.

2 I don't yet own two Z240 strobes. However, for most of my Cozumel shots using my 10.5 FE lens, I used both the Z240 and either my old SS200 or my old SB105, so it's hard to answer your question. I am planning to buy another Z240. What the results will be when using two Z240s with my 10.5, I'm not sure. I will probably know the answer when I go on my next big trip this fall.

3. I haven't had to use their service yet. However, when in Cozumel, I was on the same boat with both Steve Philbrook and his wife. Steve was great about answering all my questions. After I got home and had a chance to read the manual, I emailed Steve's wife with some additional questions I had and she promptly answered my questions. That probably doesn't qualify as service, but they were responsive.

4. I don't use these products.

Hope I've been of some help :-)

Ellen

Hey Chris

I've been using Inons for about 3 years having traded in my Nikonos SB105. I'm really happy with them (I have a 220 and a 220S). They are terrific for travelling - and, so far, trouble free. The only time I have thought them slightly under-powered was with coverage with a 10.5mm.

But with an 18-70, 60 or 105 no problems.

I have found one other slight issue with them which has been covered in a Wetpixel post some months back: a problem sometimes getting them to charge because of the way certain rechargable batteries sit in the battery compartment. It seems to be an issue relating to the slightly differing diameter that AA batteries have. It can be a bit frustrating - but once the batteries are sitting right the strobe performs very well.

I'd certainly buy them again if I was starting from scratch - and am toying with the idea of going to the 240s and using a TTL converter.

Hello,

 

I've used Ike strobes for many years, and I'm quite satisfied with the performance and reliability of my DS-125s. However, they are kinda big and heavy, especially when I am traveling with land as well as uw camera gear. Before I melt the credit card down, though, I have a few questions:

 

1. Is anyone having good luck with a Nikon-Subal-Inon setup?

2. Should 2 Z240's (or D-2000's?) cover a 10.5FE well?

3. Am I crazy to consider switching brands?

4. Is Inon service pretty good?

5. Anyone used these with the HW inline or in-housing converter, or the S&S?

 

Thanks for any help or comments.

 

Cheers,

Chris

In my oppinion the inons provide enough light for wide angle. I use them with HW iTTL converter which is built in my houding.

About service, i can't tell you anything since they always performed well. Some examples of WA's i did. (all pics were taken with the 10.5 FE)

Trail Blazer at Wakatobi:

Blade at Wakatobi:

and example of more cold waters (ireland)

To me this is enough light, you can decide for yourself whether this amount of light is appropriate for you or not. The only situation that i'd like to have more light is in shallow waters against lots of sunlight, but i guess that's a common problem.

good luck, Udo

I switched from DS125 to Z240's. I did it so I could use the ttl converter, which worked best with Inons, plus I was thinking smaller. This was before Ikelite came out with their ttl converter.

Which do I like better? I don't know. The smaller footprint isn't a big deal. If I had it to do over, I probably would keep the DS125. Now that I've switched, I won't bother switching back.

Six dozen of one, half a gross of the other.

Does that help?

All,

Thanks for all the helpful comments. George, you may have talked me out of it. Udo, your pictures were particularly helpful, and you may have talked me into it. Ah, gear.

You'll know I'm switching if you see my 125's in the classifieds....

Chris