Z240 or S2000? Advice?

[snowdog61]

I'm just getting started in the UW photography thing and can't say where i'll end up as far as a setup in the future. I didn't plan on making this anything more than "capture the moment" thing so I originally purchased a S95 and Canon housing but have recently upgraded to the Ikelite housing. Unfortunately I still don't have a strobe. Strobes and lenses seem to be the two things that are transferable if a camera change down the road is desired but more than likely, I'll be remaining with a P&S and single strobe on a flexarm for cost & ease of use. I've been looking at the S2000 but have an opportunity to purchase a used Z240 (type III) for about the same price. Any advice for a newbie?

 

[ozziworld]

I love my S2000. It is perfect for the S95 totally in keeping with the compact theme.

I would however opt fort the Z240 if you have the option for the same price as long as it is in good condition. You will actually get a better return on re-sale with the Z240 than you will with the S2000 and you would have spent less to acquire the Z240 to begin with.

 

[HerraduraDivers]

The S2000 is a sweet small strobe but confronting it with the Z240 il miss:
- External Automatic Mode
- Connecor for electrical triggering
- 1 strobe tube (the Z240 has 2 strobe tubes for a better distribution)
- 4 GN of power ( 4 GN more is not that much under water, but more power is always better)
- lesser manual V corrections than the Z240
- no focus light
Read here about the technical details and how they work: INON?Strobe Lineup
Read here about the INON strobes: INON?Strobe Lineup

I would go with the Z240 if in good shape.

Chris

 

[chile7236]

what kind of warranty coverage do you get on a used strobe? ...i am cheap so if i was to get a used strobe for a good deal (which is still a bit of coin) and it died on me, i'd be pissed.

 

[snowdog61]

Thanks all - unfortunately my waffling caused my opportunity to slip through my fingers once again as the Z240 was snatched up. I'll keep looking but finding a used Inon seems to chore - people really hold onto these things!! The used pair of S2000s were gone before i even saw the post. Buying used, is always a gamble but it's hard to beat the prices. Looks like i'm diving this weekend and shooting in ambient light again

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

The S2000 is a sweet small strobe but confronting it with the Z240 il miss:

- 4 GN of power ( 4 GN more is not that much under water, but more power is always better)

Chris

GN 4 increase will vary depending on orig GN. A increase of GN from 20 to 24 is almost about 45% increase in power. If you had a strobe with GN of 100, increasing to 104 is practically nothing.

 

[bvanant]

While it is true that a GN of 20 to 24 is a 20% improvement in GN and a theoretical 44% increase in power, in the real world it means that for a given subject you can take the picture a bit further away. At f16 for example and a GN of 20 the subject distance is 1.25 meters away and for GN 24 it is 1.5 meters away a gain of a quarter meter or only 9 inches. NOT a big difference. at 2 meters you are talking f 10 vs. f12 not even a full stop difference but maybe enough to gain a bit of DOF.

In any case while the two strobes have similar GN the Z240 covers a much wider angle at that same GN.

Bill

 

[Ardy]

Until the last 3 years where Aussie dollar has improved I always bought second hand and got a great run out of them. I always bought SnS flashes and they proved themselves excellent and very reliable.

I found a good ebay supplier from Phillipines (splashphotography) who has great prices on Inon flashes. If I had a P&S which will be upgraded to an EPL style camera, trust me they all will, no reason why this should not be the standard replacement for P&S as prices come down, then the better the flash the better for UW photography.