Ikelite 161 or something else?

If you could choose between (2) 161's or something else, what would you choose? If "something else" what would that be and why? I have an opportunity to get (2) of these units but as my experience has been with video lights, being a new foray into strobes, I'm but a neophite. I shoot mostly wide angle (caves/wrecks), no macro stuff.

Thanks,

Don

I would get 2 YSD1 strobes and a focus light, but then again you already have video lights. More power than the 161, non-proprietary batteries, smaller and work quite well.

BIll

Thanks Bvanant... I will look into the YSD1's

Agree with Bill. I went from DS-125s to D1s for the very reasons he cites. The biggest advantage is the weight difference. Plus they are easier to adjust UW IMO. For me it was a choice between Z240 and the D1s.

I like the Z240 as well, but in a drysuit making knob adjustments is tough.

Bill

If I were to do it again, I might be tempted to try other strobes - mostly because the DS-160/161's are big and heavy. However, I've shooting with a pair of DS160's (essentially the same strobe as a DS-161) for a little over five years - in caves, wrecks, warmwater (without gloves) and coldwater (with dry gloves) and neither one has ever let me down. They are powerful enough for almost anything, absolutely durable and simple to use/operate - either in TTL mode or manual. Again, it is the size and weight I find a bit cumbersome at times. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with any other strobes.

I switched from DS161's to YS-D1's last year. Comparable output when corrected for coverage angle, and much lighter to travel with. The YS-D1's are also easier to adjust power when shooting manual.

Thanks everyone for your comments, it really helps give me a few things to compare against. I get the impression most folks don't like the size / weight of the units and thus recommend other options. With that being a major factor, another factor I'm looking at is output. Would you say the output is as good if not better than most other strobes on the market?

Thanks again,

Don

If diffusers are used to equalize the coverage angles of other strobes, then I would answer yes, output of the 161 is as good as most of the other strobes on the market.

I think the D1 is rated about a full stop more powerful than the 160 and in my hands at least it seems to be a bit more than a full stop more powerful. Of course if that full stop is important, only you can determine.

Bill

I've no personal experience with strobes other than the pair of DS161 I currently use. The units are kinda clunky and heavy, but I've managed to get decent (In my humble opinion) photos with the strobes.

During a recent trip to La Paz, Baja California Sur, I did experience a failure with one of my battery packs. This left me with one working strobe for most of the trip. The one strobe that worked provided enough light for me to get workable images. I guess output with DS161's is as good as other strobes if positioned correctly. Check out the La Paz Folder in the portfolio section of www.cortezbluephotography.com Most of the photos were done with a single strobe.

Power consumption is probably not a major issue for you, but for what it's worth... A couple of other photographers in my group were using other strobes. They were changing batteries after a couple of dives every day. My DS161 battery lasted all day.

I'm not sure what happened with the battery pack that failed. Ikelite backed it with their warranty and requested that I return both battery packs for service. They repaired the one that failed and serviced the one that worked.

-AZTinman

I think the D1 is rated about a full stop more powerful than the 160 and in my hands at least it seems to be a bit more than a full stop more powerful. Of course if that full stop is important, only you can determine.

Bill

According to IKE, the 160 has a GN of 24 with a beam angle of 90 degrees and a beam angle of 100 degrees with the diffuser.

According to S&S, the D1 has a GN of 32 (a full stop more) with a beam angle of 80x80 degrees and a GN of 24 with a 100 degree diffuser. So the D1 still has a stop more power than the 160 at 100 degrees. This seems to be borne out in tests (in the studio), I haven't bothered to see if the difference is maintained underwater but I see no reason that it shouldn't be.

In my hands at least, the GNs given by the manufacturers are a bit dicey anyway, kind of like lumen ratings on torches, a lot depends on what you think you are trying to measure. That being said, in my hands at least the 160 is measurably less powerful than the D1 at similar beam angles (100 degrees).

Bill

Thanks everyone for the very helpful information and insight. After talking with one of Ike's "Ambassadors" earlier today, I believe I will give the 161's a shot. I will use these in conjunction with an assortment of video lights for a couple upcoming cave shoots and then some Great Lake Wreck stuff in April.

I have two DS-161's that are used in very good condition I will part with for $550 each plus shipping. Let me know if you are interested.

I use two 161's and have been very happy with them. I use my stuff mostly in very cold water (39° - 41° year round) and they have performed flawlessly. They are heavy, but 99% of the time, I am not flying and that's the only time it matters.

I think that one advantage of the large battery is the speed at which the strobes recycle. My typical shooting technique is to shoot a series of shots in rapid succession... and these strobes are always ready. I don't pay attention to GN much, only because most of the time, I'm using them at half to 2/3 power.

I have friends with S&S strobes and my two impressions are that (a) in a week-long trip, you would need so many AAs that the spares probably weigh as much as the Ikelite battery packs, and (b) from what I have seen, the battery compartment is poorly designed and the door is a likely failure/flooding point. I know of two cases of this happening in the past year, although one of the guy is really bad at maintaining his gear, so it was likely "user error" !

I have two DS-161's that are used in very good condition I will part with for $550 each plus shipping. Let me know if you are interested.

I'm interested in these strobes. PM me with more details and pictures.

On the battery issue, I hate proprietary batteries and for strobes I take about 12 rechargeable batteries that cumulatively weigh far less than a single 161 battery pack. As for failure mode, I have never flooded any S&S strobe (I wish I could say that about cameras and such), the battery compartment is quite robust in my hands at least. As for recycle time, you are correct, especially at low power, the Ike will cycle faster, for me that is not a terribly important issue since nudibranchs rarely move terribly fast.

Bill

...for me that is not a terribly important issue since nudibranchs rarely move terribly fast.

They probably move faster than shipwrecks, but I find if I shoot one image at a time, that pesky exhaust bubble will ALWAYS obliterate the diver's face.