1st strobe for beginner rx100 m2

[fish80]

Hello guys,

I have been experimenting with my rx100 m2 in meikon housing for a bit, I think I got pretty comfortable shooting with ambient light. Now i would like to buy a strobe. I am thinking only one to start with, to be less bulky and also because I use it freediving. Unless you guys say i absolutely need 2.

Which strobe you recommend for a beginner with this camera and housing? I have been offered an ikelite af35 for 200$, looks very practical but it seems to have a narrow angle beam. I have also seen online a sea&sea Y01 for about 400$ with arms.

What do you think?

Thanks!!

 

[snowdog61]

If you have any thoughts of continuing in UW photography, then decide how you want to use your strobes. I wanted mine to be compact for travel and didn't shoot a lot of WA so went with the Inon S2000 (which I still have albeit 2 of them now). If you only plan on macro or CFWA then you can likely get by on the smaller sized strobe(s) and not notice it. Strobes will easily transfer if you decide to upgrade to a larger format sensor but you can't ever have too much available light. Buy the best you can afford - good strobes tend to hold their value.

 

[Skeptic14]

Starting with just one strobe is fine.

The ys-01 is a good strobe, offering both ttl and manual control and should sync with the rx100, but if uw photography is a hobby you think will stick you might want to look at the ys-d2. It's more powerful and more versatile and the control system has some nice touches that makes using it very easy (diff color for diff modes, audible cue).

 

[bvanant]

Good advice; strobes/lenses/ports are forever. Camera bodies and housings not so much. I have a variety of S2000, YS-D1, Z240 and YS-01s. For a recent trip to God's Pocket in Canada I brought only 2 S-2000 strobes since the vis wasn't going to allow for much WA shooting.
Cheers

Bill

 

[fish80]

thanks guys great advice!

 

[snowdog61]

my rig has morphed from the bare OEM housing; to a single handle Inon tray with a lone hard mounted S2000; to an Ikelite housing on an Ike tray with a single flexarm; to a double handle Ike tray with 2 flexarms (and 2 S2000s); and finally(?) at a recsea housing with dual ball float arms and lens holder. If I had known then.... The only commonality here is I've continued to use the same strobes (lens too) so you can see how things will likely progress. I'm still shooting the same compact (Canon S95) because I get the performance I want out of it and it is compact. Everything (except my WA and cameras) can go into a 13"x9" soft case and doesn't weigh a ton. There have been times I really wish I had a larger format sensor or had been able to stop down past F8 but those occasions are fairly rare. I'm more often wishing I had more light (Z or D Inons) but again, I would be back to pulling around a much larger rig which is against my original goal. True WA doesn't happen often for me and I'm not fond of the lens weight. The RX series has me pondering a camera change but I still don't see a need to upscale my strobes because of what & how I shoot.

 

[jameseg]

Another vote for the Inon S2000. Very compact size and it can grow with you.

James

 

[Tbar]

As others say the strobe will move on with your next camera rig. The Inon D200 or Z240 are still quite small. Start with ball arms even if it is just on arm, you need to get the strobe into the best position for the photo. If it is on a fixed mount that you have little flexibility, flex arms offer a bit more but cant 'grow' while ball arms are flexible and will grow as you need. An you will need a good tray.

A friend recently bought a Strobe/tray package with INON Strobe and Tray & Arm Set for Dual Mounting Screw Housings- INON S-2000 or D-2000 or Z-240 strobe and Howshot tray and a:

1. 1x INON D-2000 Strobe (an option)
2. 1x Howshot Fiber Optic Cable 613L for INON Strobes with YS Connector #OFL613-IN-SS
3. 1x Howshot Digital Tray for Dual Mounting Screw Housings
4. 1x Howshot Handle with Ball for digital tray
5. 2x Howshot Clamp
6. 1x Howshot 6" Double Ball Arm
7. 1x Howshot Strobe Adapter for INON's Strobes

And the Howshot Adjustable Right Grip, Howshot Adjustable Right Grip- Adjustable right grip compatible with Howshot Tray- grip ext

This is a good start and ready for expansion

You may want to consider a defuser for the strobe if you are doing macro, or close wide angle

Note: I am not associated with Divervision but I do buy a bit from them and have had great service.