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INON Underwater Strobe Arms

The INON strobe arm system provides easy and precise control of your flash unit or video light. A good strobe arm replicates the movement of your own arm to provide lots of flexibility in how you illuminate your subject. A stills photographer might choose one strobe position simply to avoid backscatter in low visibility or need to line up their strobe completely differently for more creative close up lighting, such as using top lighting to control textures and shadows. A videographer might need to mount a single light high above their housing for even wide- angle lighting or bring a pair of lights in beside the lens port to shoot a macro sequence. The importance of strobe arms is often overlooked and underestimated by new underwater image-makers. Many budget strobe arms, often packaged with entry-level flashguns, simply don't work well for anything but close up photography. They lack the length for shooting backscatter free images at any distance, can't be locked off to hold a strobe or video lights position in moving water and offer only limited movement restricting how you can aim your light source. A thought through arm system solves all these problems. It will allow you to quickly change your strobe position, while holding the gun firmly, even in a running current. A selection of arm lengths provides endless options for lighting your subjects the way you choose to. More than anything, a good strobe arm makes your underwater photography easier and more productive. A bad one holds you back.

The INON Strobe arm is a complete system that is designed to be modular, allowing you to customise your rig to your own demands. It is a ball joint arm meaning that sections of arm are connected to one another and to your strobe or video light and to your housing using clamps. It's these that provide the movement needed for controlling the direction of light from your strobe or lamp. Because it is modular you can normally adapt your INON arm system if you alter your camera equipment down the line, perhaps by changing housings or strobes. So your main investment in arms and clamps is protected for the future. At most you'll only need to buy a new low cost INON housing or strobe mount.

INON's strobe arm system begins with a choice of arm lengths. These let you work at your best even at extremes of superwide angle and supermacro photography. INON frame arms are manufactured from lightweight aluminium with slots cut through that further reduce weight and, when diving, allow water to flow through to minimise drag. Heavy strobes and video lights can badly unbalance your underwater camera, causing the rig to pitch forwards or sideways and creating strain on your wrists. INON provide optional buoyancy collars for their frame arms that can help offset the weight of strobes and greatly improve the overall handling of your camera, especially if you need to shoot one handed. This float is solid and cannot leak as air filled tube arms can. It provides 70 grams of lift. More recently, INON have introduced a range of five float arms to help underwater photographers more precisely balance out their systems. Offering positive buoyancy of 75 grams, 135 grams, 210 grams, 390 grams and 650 grams the INON float arms can really improve camera handling. In fact, Ocean Optics owner Steve Warren is known for the Precision Buoyancy Courses he runs through our dive training arm, Mavericks. He'll argue that good underwater photography begins with having excellent buoyancy control skills. And part of acquiring those involves getting your camera system as close to neutrally buoyant and trimmed as possible. The tank is the perfect place to balance your camera. You can attach INON lens holders to the arms if you want to carry your INON compact camera lenses securely, yet still have instant access for lens changes.

The INON clamp provides the movable joint between arms and mounting points on your strobe, tray or housing. The clamp is rugged and has an unmistakable tensioning knob. You cannot accidentally clamp the arm between the tensioning knob and the outside of the clamp. The clamp dovetails with the balls on the arms and mounts. These incorporate an O-ring, which provides the all-important friction that makes INON arms so efficient. When tensioned properly, INON arms glide into any position you choose without requiring you to slacken off or tighten the clamp - you simply don't need to touch the clamp again. This is important as it saves you time when making strobe adjustments and encourages the photographer to try new lighting angles. A choice of adapters allows you to connect most popular strobes, including INON and Sea and Sea, to the INON arm system. Other adapters let you attach your arm to most housings. If you are looking to select your first ball joint arm, we would always suggest coming in and spending half an hour trying different combinations. Ocean Optics has a strict policy that if you choose an INON arm from us, use it underwater and find it isn't the right combination of lengths, we'll exchange sections for you without charge. The best place to evaluate a new arm is on the Ocean Optics Underwater Photography Stage.

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