Ikelite DS230 Strobe Features // The Perfect Wide Angle Strobe? [VIDEO]

The DS230 is the ultimate choice for industry leading quality of light and speed. It offers the most power and widest angle of coverage in our strobe line. In fact, the DS230 is one of the most powerful and warmest underwater strobes available today, packed into the smallest and lightest package among strobes in its class. Only Ikelite strobes are made in the USA and backed by over 45 years of strobe innovation with a team of experts to support your needs.

Color Temperature

Did you know that professional underwater photographers consistently rank color temperature as more important than a strobe’s power? A warm strobe with a daylight balanced color temperature around 5000º Kelvin is the ideal color temperature for shooting wide angle photography. Warm strobes make coral reefs more vibrant and are essential to getting a natural glow when shooting models underwater.

Your backgrounds will have a rich, deep blue tone directly out of the camera. The DS230 is special because its warm color temperature is inherent to the flash itself. It doesn't require you to add a warming filter or diffuser. The beam is designed to be wide and spread evenly across the frame with or without an optional domed diffuser.

Our DS230 strobes are some of the very few on the market that can actually shoot at a rate of 10 frames per second. Image © Ken Kiefer

Built-in Modeling Light

The DS230 features a bright LED modeling light for focus assist, the modeling light automatically turns off and back on when you take a photo to avoid hot spots.

Optional Built-in Video Light

This flash is alternatively available as a hybrid strobe with a bright LED video light built in. Check out our DS232 Strobe if you're shooting both stills and video underwater.

Comparing to Ikelite DS160 Mark II

The DS230 is 33% brighter than our renowned DS160 series strobes with a 20% wider angle of coverage. The DS230 can be effectively combined with any other Ikelite DS strobe.

Recycle Time & Burst Shooting

Ikelite pioneered fast recycle times and our strobes consistently perform best in class for high speed shooting. That's partially because we've engineered a battery pack specifically for high intensity strobe discharge. Professionals have come to rely on our rechargeable battery pack because it provides consistently fast performance shot after shot and year after year.

Battery Pack

Our unique toggle lock mechanism is the fastest and most confident way to install a strobe battery, meaning less time managing gear in between dives. The DS230 is capable of delivering over a thousand flashes per charge depending on power setting, and the average shooter rarely needs to change batteries during a day of diving.

Controls

The mode and power knobs are conveniently located on the side of the strobe. Hard click detents let you feel when you switch between power settings and the knobs’ unique shape lets you know where it's pointed without looking. The large knobs are easy to grip with a glove and feature a sliding lock to prevent the strobe from accidentally turning on when not in use.

The DS230 is designed to be ergonomic and tactilely intuitive so you can focus on your composition without needing to look at your strobes.  

ICS-5 Bulkhead & Triggering Options

The DS230 power is extended through the unique ICS-5 bulkhead. Only Ikelite DS strobes are capable of powering external accessories through the electrical bulkhead. This reduces maintenance and eliminates missed opportunities due to low batteries. It also opens up a whole world of creative potential. Thanks to the ICS-5 bulkhead the DS230 is compatible with a wide variety of triggering options, including TTL converters for every major camera system, extension cords for unique strobe positioning, high sensitivity remote triggers, and a full range of fiber optic options.

Build Quality, Warranty, & What's in the Box

The DS230 is a powerful professional grade strobe that delivers when performance is critical. Ikelite products are made in the USA by a team of divers and photographers. Our strobes are depth rated to 300 feet  (91.4 meters) and warranted for two years. The DS230 ships with a universal 1-inch ball mount attachment. The strobe does not require a diffuser to achieve wide smooth coverage, an optional dome diffuser is available for purchase separately.

If you have questions about the DS230 strobes or any of our products, email us today!

Additional Viewing

Strobe Recycle Time // Underwater Photography in Under 60 Seconds

BURST shooting // Using Drive Mode to your advantage underwater [VIDEO]

The Secret to Aiming Your Strobes // Underwater Photography in Under 60 Seconds

Shark Photography with the Canon R5 and DS230 Strobes

Sea Turtle Portraits with DS230 Strobes

Shooting Underwater with a Single Strobe Flash

Jean Rydberg is the President & CEO of Ikelite. She has lived her whole life in landlocked Indianapolis, Indiana, but is no stranger to the water as a daughter of Ikelite’s founder Ike Brigham. She has traveled around the world shooting and testing gear and enjoys new challenges in both photography and diving. Jean loves to learn about the creative ways photographers achieve their visions. More than anything she wants to show aspiring underwater photographers that excellence is attainable with any system. When she's not working she's spending time with her husband and two daughters.