Subtronic introduces strobe-arm battery 
External battery allows users to disconnect for travel and change batteries between dives
Categories: News [home]Author: Julian Scheunemann
Subtronic strobes have non user interchangeable built-in batteries so far. Now, Subtronic introduces a new battery design, allowing the user to disconnect the battery for travel and to exchange batteries between dives. The concept is different from common strobe designs as the battery will come in shape of a strobe arm segment. A new S4 type plug system connects battery and strobe head. This plug system is pretty similar to the already known S6 system, except it features only 4 pins. Those pins have been designed to support higher current strength which is required to supply the strobe with electrical power from the battery.
The battery-arm-segment weight is around 300 grams and capacity is targeted around 1600mAh. Battery charging time is around 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The new battery system will be compatible with Subtronic Mini, Midi and Maxi strobes. Existing strobes can be retrofitted with S4 connection to enable usage of the new battery. A fully charged battery will allow the Maxi strobe to dump ca. 180 full loads. There will be an optional M8 connection accessory to allow the battery-arm-segment to be used with foreign strobe arm systems.
This new battery design intends to make airplane travel with Subtronic strobes easier as batteries can be fully disconnected from strobe heads. Furthermore, batteries can be changed between dives.
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Comment(s):Very interesting. Does anyone know the price?
Posted by Pedda on 01/23 at 12:46 AMInformation from BOOT (Düsseldorf/Germany) last
sunday :price of the battery-arm-segment : 150 euro
price of the battery-arm-segment with the other
flash-arms (whole system) : 248 euro.So you can buy a second battery-arm-segment…
One problem : using the point-shooting-grip of Subtronic (or Seacam) is not possible… The subtronic-guys told me that it was possible (on request) to build the battery in the strobe (the old-fashioned-way) or to put the point-shooting-grip on top of the strobe…
I saw a working prototype of the digital Nova. Shipping departing march 2006… It’s possible to work on I-TTL E-TTL with two strobes (wiring the master-strobe to the second !!!)
The digital Subtronic Nova was a beauty but the Seacam Seaflash 250 was a dream (digital / also possible to use two strobes together on I-TTL E-TTL / and wiring the master-strobe to the second is NOT necessary). (I ordered two from Harald Hordosch)
The Seaflash mentions the power output, so it’s very easy to switch to manual. With this, I’m sure going to work 90% of the time on manual!
Posted by BART HEINES on 01/23 at 01:05 PMWhat happens if you want to shoot with short flash arms? Does it mean less battery life! :P This is a good bit of lateral thinking - and I am looking forward to seeing them in the flesh.
AlexPosted by Dr. Alex Mustard on 01/24 at 02:13 AM
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