Ikelite DS 51 Strobe

Hi

Just wanted a bit of background info on this strobe.

I have an option to purchase this strobe with a POS at the moment but want to know if I upgrade to an SLR in the future will this strobe be of any use/worthwhile having??

Many thanks

For Info I have a dslr sony a350.

Hi

 

Just wanted a bit of background info on this strobe.

 

I have an option to purchase this strobe with a POS at the moment but want to know if I upgrade to an SLR in the future will this strobe be of any use/worthwhile having??

 

Many thanks

 

For Info I have a dslr sony a350.

Hi Fisher,

I have a DS51 and a DS50 which i am currently using with the Canon G7/Ikelite housing. The strobe is great for macro and limited wide angle coverage, BUT if you are thinking of moving to a DSLR setup then i would r ecommend the DS125. You should be able to get this 2nd hand at great prices as Ikelite has announced a new Sunstrobe DS160.

Cheers,

Diggy

Hi Fisher,

 

I have a DS51 and a DS50 which i am currently using with the Canon G7/Ikelite housing. The strobe is great for macro and limited wide angle coverage, BUT if you are thinking of moving to a DSLR setup then i would r ecommend the DS125. You should be able to get this 2nd hand at great prices as Ikelite has announced a new Sunstrobe DS160.

 

Cheers,

 

Diggy

So you would not advise to purchase this second hand then, the position that I am in is that I cannot afford an slr housing yet, but may look at one in the future, so I have opted to try and get a second hand pns with a strobe. I have found one with this strobe, and just wondered if it was worth investing in it or not.

thanks for your help

I don't know I'd say "don't buy" just because you may go DSLR in the future. I'm using two DS50's (old versions of the 51) with a DSLR now. I will say I wish I had more light power for wide angle shots. But they've not been useless by any means, and I am actually out there shooting whereas if I'd waited to afford DS125s I wouldn't be there yet.

If you know all you ever want to shoot is super wide angle stuff, then you know you will want more light later on. But then you'd be going absolutely crazy shooting now with a PnS (sorry, when I see POS I think Piece of .... ) and no strobe! If you like shooting more close-up macro and/or coral texture stuff, the 50 will be just fine.

Don't know where you are (in the states or otherwise) but you should be able to get a used DS51 strobehead for about $300 or a bit less. I've got an older DS50 (one I can't use with the updated iTTL in the Ikelite housing) on sale for ebay right now with the EV controller, arm, tray handle, etc. and if I get $325 for the whole setup I'll be quite happy (NOT intended as a plug - there are plenty of watchers, even with no bids yet I'm comfortable it'll sell). Cost me about $400 combined and I shot with it for a year with my little Canon A520 before taking the plunge and upgrading to my Oly E330.

thanks for that, I am in the UK, I will have a look and see what the price is for it then