INON D2000 Underwater Flash for TTL
Simplicity with Digital Compacts

Off camera strobes let you light larger areas, use creative lighting angles and eliminate backscatter. The INON D2000 brings together all of the key features needed to make your strobe photography simple yet versatile. It is based upon the Z- 220 and Z-240 strobes that are used by leading underwater photographers including "The Underwater Photographer" author, "Sport Diver Magazine" columnist and legendary teacher, Martin Edge, Tom Peschak, the marine biologist whose work graces "BBC Wildlife Magazine" and author of the books "Currents of Contrast", "Wild Seas, Secret Shores" and "South Africa's Great White Shark" , Alex Mustard, famed for "Art of Diving" and John Collins, the man behind the hardback "Cool Waters. Emerald Seas".

The D-2000 was created for digital compact and prosumer camera users, but offers a near identical specification to the professional level Z-240 which is aimed at D- SLR users. The INON D-2000 combines features and benefits other strobes are hard pressed to match that have real long term value to underwater photographers. The specification of the INON D-2000 means that it is both perfect as a beginners first gun and also excels as a strobe for the most demanding compact or prosumer camera user. It can be also adapted to D- SLR's. Wide-angle coverage, high power, fast recycling, convenient automation and full creative exposure control are all built into an ultra compact and lightweight body. The D-2000 is time proven in the field over many years and enjoys an outstanding reputation for reliability.

The twin flash tubes provide 100 degree coverage to suit popular wide angle lenses, including the INON 105AD and INON UWL100 lenses. Experience has shown INON are being modest and the D-2000 is useable with slightly wider angle lenses. You can further increase the angle and soften the light by using INON diffusers. Martin Edge, the author of the classic how to book. "The Underwater Photographer", "Sport Diver Magazine" photography columnist and |"Exposure" presenter for "The Underwater Channel" has shown a single INON gun, equipped with an INON diffuser, can actually light a full frame fisheye lens, like INON's UFL165AD. These fit easily and securely to the front of your INON D-2000 with a screw. You can choose white diffusers in strengths of - 0.5 stops to - 3 stops. Canon owners may prefer blue diffusers which help reduce colour casts that lean towards yellow/red.

The guide number is 20, so you've got lots of power available. On full power recycling is under two seconds, so the INON D- 2000 is usually ready to fire again before the camera is. It's rare to need full power, so usually the recycling is near instantaneous. The INON D-2000 runs off just four AA batteries. You don't need to carry dedicated rechargeable power packs and chargers or find time to recharge between dives. Nor are you compromised on the number of shots you can take - expect at least 400 flashes from a fresh set of alkaline cells. If you'd like to use rechargeable batteries, then of course, you can. Batteries are easily removed for security inspections. The D- 2000 has a transparent battery cap and the silicone O ring used to seal it is easily visible through the cap. This helps ensure that you can see the O ring is properly seated before diving.

Exposure control on the D- 2000 is usually TTL (through the lens). This is the most accurate and fool proof way to enjoy the simplicity of fully automatic flash exposure. Your own camera determines the correct flash exposure and instructs the D- 2000 to add the right amount of light to properly expose your subject. The advantage of using the cameras own light meter is that the light meters are now very advanced, so result are usually excellent and that the light meter will be pointing directly at your subject (the strobe often isn't for very good reasons). Any changes you make to your camera settings that would influence the flash, such as increasing or decreasing the ISO, will automatically be made to the strobe. So it is hassle free and much more reliable than an auto strobe. That said, TTL isn't perfect and some subjects can confuse it. A good example is a diver in a dark suit. The meter will overreact to the suit and cause the strobe to overexpose the divers face. So the INON D- 2000 has a compensation feature that allows you to slightly under or overexpose your subject. You can also control your gun manually, choosing from thirteen power settings. This provides very finely controlled exposures as each setting adds or subtracts a half stop. An "Auto" mode is provided. This option is rarely used and not our preferred way of working with the D-2000. Auto utilizes a light meter built into the D-2000. It operates completely independently of the cameras own built in light meter. It works best with cameras that allow you to set the F stop or aperture manually. The matching F stop is then set on the D-2000. When you take the picture, the INON D- 2000 calculates the correct output. However auto systems depend upon you being able to set F stop and film speed. It's also imperative you aim the strobe directly at your subject so the meter sees the light bouncing off your target. This positioning often also creates backscatter. TTL or manual is better!

Your INON D- 2000 can also be used as a remote slave unit. This can allow endless opportunities for creative multi flash lighting. You can set the slave for TTL, in which case it exactly matches the output of the master strobe. If you'd like a slight exposure differential, then set the TTL compensation to under or overexpose by as much as two stops. You can also choose to use auto or full manual. The D- 2000 is equipped with a modelling light. A 3 watt LED is used. This is more rugged than a normal torch bulb and draws very little power, preserving most of your battery life for taking pictures. The modelling light lets you check the colour of subjects that are close to the camera and confirms proper strobe aiming. It is a nice feature at night or in wrecks and caves to help you see where you are going. You can choose whether to lock the light on or have it activate for just ten seconds at the push of a button. The INON D- 2000 has controls that are easy to operate - even when wearing gloves. The INON D-2000 connects to your housing using a reliable fiber optic wet lead. It isn't necessary to have a through housing connection. Because the cameras own flash is used to control the D- 2000, it has to fire. This would cause cross lighting and backscatter in many situations. So it is important that light from it does not penetrate into the water. INON's very neat solution is to provide reusable filters that cover your built in flash and convert the white light to infra red. Infra red won't travel through water for any distance, so any potential problems are solved. INON offer several wet lead options for twinning up the D- 2000 for dual strobe photography. This very elegant system is available for most popular own label underwater compact and prosumer cameras and adaptable to many independently produced camera housings. D-SLR housings are beginning to also utilize this very reliable and low maintenance connection and we have found INON fiber optics cables, which are multi stranded, very rugged and long lasting. For connecting to D - SLR housings with a Nikonos type socket, a special adapter is offered. This converts the electrical signal to a pulse of light that can trigger the D -2000. However, if you feel you may be moving towards a D -SLR in the future talk through your options with Mark or Steve - a Z- 240 might be a better choice.

Ultra compact, (100mm x 100mm) the INON D- 2000 is easy to travel with, weighing only 525 grams without batteries. So it is easy to travel with and produces minimal drag underwater. Unlike much heavier and far larger strobes offering similar power and wide angle coverage, the INON D-2000 is less inclined to drift when used in current on lightweight flash arms. The small size also means that this wide angle gun is very effective for macro and close up work as it can be aimed into tight spaces or placed right up against the camera housing. INON strobes have proven themselves to be user friendly, rugged and dependable.