S2000 or D2000 choice

[JimmyAdelaide]

Hi Guys,

I've been doing photography for quite a few years but always muck/macro and without a strobe.

Current camera is an Ixus 960IS and I am about to invest in my first strobe setup.

Ideally I would like my setup to be compact and good for travelling.

So I am torn between D2000 (Aiming light is the big plus for me) and the smaller S2000 (small size is awesome).

I may end up adding a second strobe, but I am weary of my setup becoming quite big then.

Most likely I will go the Inon D4 gripbase route with ball joint arm setup.

If anyone has first hand experience with comparing the 2 strobes and in particular if the modelling/aiming light really makes that much difference, I'd love to hear from you.

Sample pics would be great from anyone with a single or double S2000 setup.

Many thanks

 

[bvanant]

I have them both and use them both. I also use a dedicated aiming light. In general you don't want your strobe to be pointed at the subject directly so the value of the aiming light in that case is minimal. I like the S2000 a lot, ands use it for most of my macro endeavors. Nemrod will differ with this; his recommendation is the D2000. My take is smaller, lighter, less money is better since they are virtually identical in power.
Bill

 

[Midget]

I have the s2000 and the grip D arm. Love the strobe. Hate the arm. It would be much preferrable for you to get an arm (ie: ULCS) that allows for more flexible positioning than the Inon arm does.

 

[ozziworld]

I have the s2000 and I find it does everything I need it to do. I use it mostly on manual but have also trierd the sttl and it works fine.

I think the features that make the d2000 different are the external Auto and the Aiming Light.

If you don't find these features to be of much use to your style of shooting then I suppose it may not be worth the extra cost.

I bought a separate aiming light to go with my s2000. I am also looking to buy a second s2000.

I also have the ULCS arms and tray. They work great.

 

[Mooseman1007]

You could also look at the Sea+Sea YS-01 as its a hybrid of the two. Not as small as the S2000 but has the aiming light. And importantly its cheaper than either. I would definately give thought to the ULCS arm and tray, they are incredible.

 

[muzikbiz22]

You could also look at the Sea+Sea YS-01 as its a hybrid of the two. Not as small as the S2000 but has the aiming light. And importantly its cheaper than either. I would definately give thought to the ULCS arm and tray, they are incredible.

+1 YS-01 is a great strobe and worthy of a look. ULCS = bulletproof.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I find aiming light to be somewhat useful in knowing exactly were to point the stobes when you first get down. Also as on a night dive they are nice to use to sort of light the general area (as they are not pointed at the subject).

Ok, after you have done it a hundred times or so, then it is not so useful, and now I don't even turn mine on.


What I don't understand is focus lights. Most of what I take pictures of, is scared by lights, and on the rare times that I get to dive where it is actually light, you don't need one. Yes, the camera will struggle to get focus some of the time, but not scaring away the object of the photograph would seem to be worth it.

My vote would be for the smaller cheaper route...and get two.

 

[Ardy]

It depends what you want. I have a SnS 110a and an Inon Z240 both great strobes. The flash aiming light is handy but is tricky to use if you want to do edge flash exposure, particularly at night. You do need a master slave set up at least so that the master is the most powerful flash you can afford so that if you want to do WA it will go some way towards that. 2 small flashes as suggested by Puffer fish is not what I would do.

I would put the SnS 110a on the list as well as the build quality is excellent and the flash works well with strong output,(stronger the better). There is some great prices on ebay for the S2000, D2000, Z240 and the SnS 110a. Do a world wide search.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Ardy, I own a pair of YS110's...but they are not budget priced strobes and to be honest, having used several different smaller strobes and I cannot tell the difference.

Well made, absolutely, but no more powerful than any other guide number 20 strobe.

I just had one burn out, which took roughly 50,000 flashes to toast one of the capacitors.

While I am guilty of taking a thread off topic more than I should, in this case, if asked which one to get, a D or an S, I will answer that if you are on a budget, get a S's. If cost is not a concern, then two D's.. if you are somewhere in the middle, the 2 s's are the best bang for the buck.

Note: I like S&S, so my choice would be the YS-1, but the op is entitled to his choice, and Inon is not bad.

There is no field of view difference between any of these strobes, including the YS110a's...pretty much all the strobes are now around 100 degree coverage. (the exception being the new Oly strobe, but it is actually a land strobe put in a case by Inon).

In all my years of taking UW images, I have never once been in a situation where I thought "Boy, I sure wish I had a stronger strobe" Might happen one day.

It depends what you want. I have a SnS 110a and an Inon Z240 both great strobes. The flash aiming light is handy but is tricky to use if you want to do edge flash exposure, particularly at night. You do need a master slave set up at least so that the master is the most powerful flash you can afford so that if you want to do WA it will go some way towards that. 2 small flashes as suggested by Puffer fish is not what I would do.

I would put the SnS 110a on the list as well as the build quality is excellent and the flash works well with strong output,(stronger the better). There is some great prices on ebay for the S2000, D2000, Z240 and the SnS 110a. Do a world wide search.

 

[Ardy]

In all my years of taking UW images, I have never once been in a situation where I thought "Boy, I sure wish I had a stronger strobe" Might happen one day.

Hi Puffer Fish - Originally 25 years ago I had a locally made strobe by Sea Tite housings and the output on that thing was tremendous. Never had another strobe as strong or as wide and I miss it.

I disagree with you only on one point and that is doing wide angle photography or landscapes (waterscapes), I find I can never get enough light particularly in caves and have to accept 'light up the foreground and accept natural light beyond there. Have seen well lit wa shots and often wonder if they use multiple slave flashes.

Another point for OP is the SnS 110a costs the same as a D2000 and has a guide number of 22 v 20 for the D2000. Didn't check the coverage but I am guessing similar.

regards