time to buy WALs & strobes

[alcina]

OK...have read everything there is to read on strobes...will flip a coin, I think!

On WAL there seems to be less information. I am debating between the Sea & Sea and the INON. All information and personal experience with these two is most welcome.

For those who have or have used the INON WAL - what about the dome? Necessary? Things to know?

Thanks in advance

 

[Dee]

I have a S&S type L WA lens that I bought for the C-4040/PT10 a couple years ago. On the PT-15, I get just a hint of vignetting at the widest. I chose it over the Inon because the photos I was seeing from the Inon had blurred edges, sometimes severely so. They may have corrected that by now but it's something you should look for/at.

If you think you'll ever want to use a dome port to increase the coverage, Inon would be the answer. Myself, personally, the 20mm is wide enough and I don't need/want the extra size an weight of the dome port. But it does produce some amazing results! If I lived where you do, and could dive as often as you do, it would be a serious consideration!

 

[KidK9]

I, by no means, know as much about photography as Dee, but I have the Inon Type 2 WAL, and love it and have found no problems with vignetting that I can notice - and I have blown many pictures I have taken up to postersize.

 

[Gilligan]

I am using the Inon Type 1 WAL and am happy with it. I also am using the Inon D-180 Strobe with no complaints.
Of course I don't have any other brands to compare them to.
It is very important to get the correct Inon type WAL for your camera/housing. Refer to their chart for the correct one.
The Type 2 threads directly to the housing lens port ring as is.
The Type 1 requires the housing lens port ring to be changed to accomodate the lens.
Both are 67mm threads but the Type 1 sits closer to the housing lens. It would make contact with it and not thread on so hence the need to change the housing lens port ring.

 

[alcina]

I am using the Inon Type 1 WAL and am happy with it. I also am using the Inon D-180 Strobe with no complaints.
.

What swayed you to INON strobes? Size, price, coverage? Both the 180 and the Ike strobes have such good reviews!

 

[ChrisM]

WAL - I use Sea & Sea and am very happy with t, however, with the inon (and $350 more) you get the dome.... I used rand's dome once and was impressed.

Strobes - I use Sea & Sea for about 3 years, but would look hard at the Inon's. Have plenty of power and are small and good for travelling. Ike's are just too big for my taste

Chris

 

[Dee]

I used S&S strobes for years. When I bought the YS90DX, it was the only option for digital cameras other than Ikelite. I chose it because I'd always been extremely happy with S&S strobes. And I still think it's a great strobe.

When the Inon strobe came on the market, their smaller size caught my attention. After seeing some very impressive comparisons to it and the other contenders, and after Beast expressed interest in using a strobe (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) and the chance to try the Inon D-180 before buying it, I was totally convinced. Funny thing is, although it's shorter than the S&S, it actually weighs a few ounces more.

 

[ssra30]

I have the Inon WAL for awhile before I added the domeport. It is one of those case where sometimes I wish I just have the WAL and sometimes I am glad I have the domeport as well. Basically with Oly C5050 you either get 90+ degree coverage or 130+ when you have the domeport. It is not the easiest thing to disasemble the domeport regularly so once my WAL is put in the domeport, it never came out. For anything over a meter, the domeport is great but it is a bit overkill in some situations. With the WAL alone, there was really no vignette noticeable. With the the domeport, I get a little vignette on one cornor of the picture almost always. The picture will also be more like a fisheye type picture as well.

 

[Dee]

It is not the easiest thing to disasemble the domeport regularly so once my WAL is put in the domeport, it never came out. <snip> The picture will also be more like a fisheye type picture as well.

That's two of the major reasons I don't care for the domeport. I don't like the fisheye distortion and have seen very few photos that don't have it to some degree.

 

[ssra30]

That's two of the major reasons I don't care for the domeport. I don't like the fisheye distortion and have seen very few photos that don't have it to some degree.

But you will wish you have it when you see a 10m whaleshark swimming by

Also with the domeport, for most subject, you will need to swim up very close, ie a meter or less to really get a good pic otherwise, the subject will look tiny. I think it is a bit more difficult to use than the WAL alone but when you get it right, it is quite amazing (and no, I still don't get it right most of the time). In macro mode, you can focus a subject almost right in front of the domeport itself.