Inon rumors: New Inon S-220 to replacement S-2000

47 minutes ago, TimG said:

I don't!

I really like the AA battery strategy. Easy and cheap to obtain batteries, easy to recharge, chose between 4 or 8 with the Supercharger, easy to carry battery chargers, same batteries as lots of other gizmos (including my dive light) so one USB charger does the lot.

I really would not welcome some bespoke charger (à la L&M Sola lights)

+1 for Tim.
Nothing worse that those heavy and bulky proprietary battery packs with the mandatory proprietary charger as well. If any of those fails in the middle of nowhere you are done for and strobe becomes 2x the size carrying wise.

Best would be a strobe which could use both types of batteries but NOT a  battery pack...so AA or 14500 or 18500 (albeit only 3)..these are all similar sizes to the point you could drop 4x AA or 4x 14500. And with 18500 one could use some kind of a plastic cartridge, albeit with 3 batteries, so that it should still fit the battery compartment. Free to use whatever, depending on performance needed, and there is always easily obtainable AA as a backup. And we keep the small form factor.

Simplistic table, based on parallel connection.

1 hour ago, TimG said:

I don't!

I really like the AA battery strategy. Easy and cheap to obtain batteries, easy to recharge, chose between 4 or 8 with the Supercharger, easy to carry battery chargers, same batteries as lots of other gizmos (including my dive light) so one USB charger does the lot.

I really would not welcome some bespoke charger (à la L&M Sola lights)

The retras for me power up ONLY with ENELOOP and no other brands.   Other smaller flashes can stay alive with a variety of AAs and do not need so much power so in that sense I agree that they can be more versatile but where do I find ENELOOP batteries in  Zanzibar or while traveling?  I had multiple discussions with Oskar about this.    I use lithium batteries for all my dive lights anyway and the charger would be the same and universal.

I can appreciate not being able to get Eneloops in Zanzibar. I had the same problem in Sint Maarten. I just stocked up when traveling. I did find them in various airport shops. 

Interesting that you’ve only been able to power the Retras with Eneloops. I’ve not come across that before. 

9 hours ago, TimG said:

I really like the AA battery strategy. Easy and cheap to obtain batteries

+1 for AA batteries. They are the universal convenience. AA battery compatibility is part of my kit buying decision (though sadly no longer possible for camera bodies).

With everything on universal AA rechargeables, if I have any issues on location, I am sure to be able to borrow some rechargeable AAs, buy some rechargeable AAs, or buy some disposable AAs. Everything can share one charger. If it breaks on location, there will be someone else with a charger I can borrow or somewhere local I can buy a charger. When batteries die after too many cycles, replacing them is cheap.

The only time I had my baggage rifled by baggage handlers I still carried batteries in my hold bag and the handlers stole the batteries. I arrived on location with all my kit and no batteries. Simple solution, buy a few packs of disposable AA in the supermarket. 

+1 for AA batteries. They are the universal convenience. AA battery compatibility is part of my kit buying decision (though sadly no longer possible for camera bodies).
With everything on universal AA rechargeables, if I have any issues on location, I am sure to be able to borrow some rechargeable AAs, buy some rechargeable AAs, or buy some disposable AAs. Everything can share one charger. If it breaks on location, there will be someone else with a charger I can borrow or somewhere local I can buy a charger. When batteries die after too many cycles, replacing them is cheap.
The only time I had my baggage rifled by baggage handlers I still carried batteries in my hold bag and the handlers stole the batteries. I arrived on location with all my kit and no batteries. Simple solution, buy a few packs of disposable AA in the supermarket. 
 

Coming to more power.. do you really need that much "power"??

Still not sure what the next inon strobe will be. I like them as they have been so damm reliable. And with the ease of AA battery.

I am so surprise that they shift z330 off the line so quick. It was a worthy upgrade from the z240 line.



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Typical situation with several other gadgets charging around...

I would be more happy if they switch to 18650 batteries. Two of these would be offer enough power and we could cut down to two for each strobe.  I wonder way these are not used for the upcommig releases. 

Speaking of 18650 batteries - has anybody had a chance to test Weefine WFS-07 strobe? Just saw an ad in UWP magazine, looked over, seems pretty decent for such a small package and packing 2x 18650 batteries. Just the GN number is "only" 22, and it quotes 60Ws. HSS mode is also somehow strange (or maybe its the translation) - its almost like its cutting the power number further in half.

1 hour ago, makar0n said:

HSS mode is also somehow strange (or maybe its the translation) - its almost like its cutting the power number further in half. 

My experience with HSS (on Retra Pro) is that it cuts the power by considerably more than half. On a strobe that is 60W/s to begin with... I wouldn't bother.

On 4/4/2023 at 1:44 AM, Alex_Mustard said:

I fear the rise of lithium batteries in strobes. There are clearly performance advantages, but it also feels inevitable that one fire on a plane somewhere will bring a 10 year worldwide ban for spare and large lithium batteries. 

This concerns me as well.  My dive lights all use lithium batteries and I carry them in the cabin in protective containers that can be purchased easily and cheaply, or if they are installed, I simply cut a small disc out of something like an expired DAN card and place it over the positive terminal so the light cannot be activated in a bag.  But I doubt most people take those steps.

1 hour ago, Barmaglot said:

My experience with HSS (on Retra Pro) is that it cuts the power by considerably more than half. On a strobe that is 60W/s to begin with... I wouldn't bother.

Thanks for the tip. No experience with HSS as still rocking the good, old z240s
But then indeed on this strobe it becomes kinda pointless...shame really, rest is quite nice. Wish they would dispatch with the light, make space for 3rd battery instead, and some more powerful strobe thingies...och well, lest see what Inon has coming

Perhaps question to ask, if it may accommodate S2000 snoot?

So since I am building out a new UW rig,  and if I was Inon Fanboi, would these strobes be a viable stand-in till the z330 successors are released? Strictly wide angle, coming from the s2000's.

If you still have the S2000s I wouldn't bother upgrading. For strictly wide angle these will probably be not quite powerful enough, unless on a compact. Also the controls on the back look as fidly as ever. I wish they had improved those a bit.

I can't see much benefit to upgrading from an S-2000, they are a little underpowered but probably usable on compacts -m43 for wide angle where you are using lower apertures.