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S.U.P.E.R. Part 1: INON Z-240 Strobe Review
In new ongoing series S.U.P.E.R. (Scubaverse’s Underwater Photography Equipment Reviews), Nick and Caroline Robertson Brown from Frogfish Photography will be reviewing new underwater photography equipment, general diving equipment, and some older favourites too.
For the first instalment of S.U.P.E.R., Nick and Caroline will be looking at an iconic strobe from INON; the Z-240.
Someone once told me, when I was first starting out in underwater photography, that the best strobe to buy is the one you will not want to – or have to – replace anytime soon. They are an important piece of underwater photography equipment that requires a significant financial commitment, and you want to get the best quality strobes that you can afford right from the start.
We each have two INON Z-240 strobes, a couple of which have been in our service for close to 8 years, and we have never regretted going for these excellent strobes. They are intuitive to use, with easy controls to adjust just the amount of light you want when in manual mode. The sensitive light sensor also means that they can be used off-camera as a remote slave strobe for some more experimental lighting techniques. A set of good AA batteries (we prefer high power Eneloops) will makes these strobes last for 3 dives without any trouble. But the best thing about them is that they are reliable. We have never had a fault occur, even though they are treated rather roughly and have now done hundreds of photography dives.
Technical Spec
The INON Z-240 has a guide number of 24, making it a strobe that has a really good amount of burn time/power for its price. It offers a 100 degree circular beam without a diffuser and a 110 degree beam with the supplied -0.5 or -1.5 diffuser. You can also get colour temperature conversion filters that fit easily on the front. Other interesting accessories include snoots to pinpoint your light source and a neoprene cover to protect the strobe and make it more buoyant. We love the quick recycling time of this strobe. The website quotes a 1.6 second recycle time at full power, but the reality is much better than this, with the strobe firing much more quickly at lower powers. The strobe also has an LED focus light which turns off as the strobe fires, which can help focusing in darker conditions and also is useful when modelling for other photographers. Again, for the price and the power, this is a lightweight and compact strobe that makes it our choice when travelling overseas and trying to stay within a tight baggage allowance. It has also proved to be tough enough to cope with some of the UK’s most challenging conditions.
For more information:
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Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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