RETRA Strobe Thread

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Doesn't look like it has a test-fire button. Maybe Alex can let us know.

 

However, they have an off-camera trigger under development.

 

Just curious, how you sync the strobe with the camera shutter by manually pushing a on the strobe? Would you use something like a lightning trigger on the camera so the camera fires when it "sees" the flash? Or, you use a slow shutter and then fire the flash by hand?

 

I have not heard of this technique and am interested as to how it works for cave diving.

[Alison Perkins 29]

I would put the camera on a tripod, slow shutter speed and fire strobe by hand. That's how this was shot.

 

https://www.facebook.com/InspiredToDive/photos/a.1519854804900757.1073741828.1515565758662995/1768404323379136/?type=3&theater

 

I really want a test fire button! :-)

[jahjahwarrior 10]

You know, you could get a marker strobe, put it up to an optical trigger, cover it with some tape or neoprene, and use the marker strobe to trick the trigger into firing the main strobe.

 

I never thought about that before but in a low flow cave you could make that work!

[Alison Perkins 29]

What's a marker strobe?

[errbrr 73]

I don't suppose they have the ability to be fired by push button on the strobe itself, rather than optical or electrical firing? This would be a very useful function in cave diving photography.

They don't, I asked.

 

Best solution to this I have found is the triggerfish that Hedwig made me with a piezo button in them. One of them stopped working after a couple of months but the other one is still good. Very handy for increasing the creative options.

 

Shooting in the dark is more fun than wrestling with tripods underwater

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Hi I was just checking back to see if Alex had any comments to share about his time with the strobes . . .

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Yeah, I'll try and get some example images processed tomorrow. I processed the ones from the Nikon 8-15mm first.

 

Alex

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Thanks Alex and I just want to say thank you for all the time you spend sharing this information. I know it is a lot of effort and time on your part.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

A sample selection of images are processed now. I am just waiting for the OK from Retra to start sharing them.

 

Alex

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Here are some shots taken with the Retra Strobes in the Red Sea. The strobes were still preproduction versions and I didn’t get as many dives with them as I would have like. But from what I saw, I was impressed.

 

A pod of Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins swimming over a coral reef, Sha’ab El Erg, Hurghada, Egypt.

“I shot these dolphins with the standard wide angle diffuser, which did a nice job. If I had had time to change, I might have used the shark diffuser!”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikonos 13mm. Subal ND5 housing. 2 x Retra flashes. 1/250^th @ f/13, ISO 500.

 

Three British WWII Norton 16H motorbikes with school of soldierfish, inside the wreck of the Thistlegorm, sunk by a German bomber in 1941.

“I used the mini-beam restrictors to avoid spraying light around too widely in the silty Thistlegorm and produce clean results.”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikonos 13mm. Subal ND5 housing. 2 x Retra flashes. 1/6^th @ f/13, ISO 800.

 

A British WWII Albion BY5 bridging vehicle inside the hold of the Thistlegorm. This scene is too large to photograph in a single frame, so this is a mini-panorama of two frames. Thistlegorm Wreck, Sha’ab Ali, Egypt.

“The wide angle diffuser produced plenty of coverage to illuminated this large subject evenly so that two frames could be automatically joined together.”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikonos 13mm. Subal ND5 housing. 2 x Retra flashes. 0.3 sec @ f/13, ISO 800.

 

Alex

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Anthias dart out from a coral head, Yolanda Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai, Egypt.

“The wide angle diffuser produced soft, even warm illumination over this busy scene.”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikonos 13mm. Subal ND5 housing. 2 x Retra flashes. 1/125^th @ f/14, ISO 320.

 

A school of batfish swimming in open water, Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai, Egypt.

“The Shark Diffuser helps light reach more distance subjects, such as this school of batfish”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikonos 13mm. Subal ND5 housing. 2 x Retra flashes. 1/200^th @ f/13, ISO 320.

 

Anthias and soft corals on the wall of Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai, Egypt.

“The wide angle diffuser produced a pleasing quality of light on this bustling reef scene, with fish and corals.”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikonos 13mm. Subal ND5 housing. 2 x Retra flashes. 1/125^th @ f/18, ISO 320.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

A jetty over a coral reef at sunset, Ras Umm Sid, Sinai, Egypt.

“The power and coverage was impressive for shooting Sunset Split shots that are a real challenge for lighting because you must illuminated the whole underwater scene evenly and entirely otherwise it is black.”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikon 8-15mm @ 8mm. Subal ND5 housing. Zen 230 dome. 2 x Retra strobe. 1/250^th @ f/22, ISO 800.

 

Mae Dorricott dives down beneath the afternoon sun near the Temple, Sharm El Sheikh, Sinai, Egypt.

“The warm, soft light from the standard wide angle diffuser brings out pleasing skin tones on people.”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikon 8-15mm @ 8mm. Subal ND5 housing. Zen 230 dome. 2 x Retra flashes. 1/125^th @ f/14, ISO 800.

 

Anthias team over a coral head, Yolanda Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai, Egypt.

“The wide angle diffuser produced soft, even warm illumination over reef scenes.”

Shot with Nikon D5 and Nikonos 13mm. Subal ND5 housing. 2 x Retra flashes. 1/200^th @ f/14, ISO 500.

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Looks like beautiful light from these.

 

Retra just posted a beam shot comparison between these, the YS-D2 and the Inon 240. All without diffusers or modifiers. It is quite an amazing comparison. Check it out.

[E_viking 30]

Judging the Beam comparison at Retra's site they look good.

The Picture from Alex Looks really interesting ( , but they always do).

 

I am looking Forward to test them in a few weeks.

Contemplating the extra Battery Compartements as well.

 

Just hoping that the Quality will be as high as they are aiming for.

 

/Erik

 

 

 

 

.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Having used the extra battery compartment - it is super secure. It doesn't look like it in pictures - but in reality it is very, very strong.

 

Alex

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Just added the shark diffusers, the beam narrowers, and the protective rings (for general diving/transport). I hope they will announce their off-camera trigger soon.

 

Alex, wanted to ask, are the strobes you used the "final" model with the higher power output, or the ones you originally tested months ago?

 

In the beam comparison, although the center-spot GN was slightly lower than the YS D2, the overall light output across the circle seemed noticeably brighter. To get the same wide, even, diffused beam I would have to use the "strong" diffuser and lose 1.5 stops on the YS-D2. In fact, it looks like these do not really need a diffuser at all unless you are shooting fisheye.

 

Hope they get here by August, as that is our peak diving season here in S. Fla. for everything from nudis to Goliaths and look forward to deploying these!

[Alex_Mustard 0]

The ones I shot in Egypt were pre-production, but I think operating on full power. Although I never had a need to turn them up over 50% during my shoot.

 

Alex

[JustinBeevor 8]

Two ordered, with battery packs and shark diffusers. Shipping predicted for mid August, in plenty of time for my Socorro trip in November. Really looking forward to the much more user-friendly controls over the Inons.

Edited July 15, 2017 by JustinBeevor

[Stefan Ekman 6]

Anybody else got the pre-shipping info from Retra today?

 

Thank you for supporting the new Retra Flash. Your feedback gave us the power to create a new underwater strobe which you will soon be able to hold in your hands and enjoy.

We are in the final stages of our production plan and we have already received the majority of components for the new Retra Flash. They are all produced in Europe in our home country Slovenia and in Germany.

The time has come for inspection, assembly, testing and packaging. As this will be our first time with a new product we want to make sure all the work will be done at 100% focus and without flaws.

To achieve our goals we will start shipping on 21st August. By doing so we will have enough time to finish the production of your pre-orders and send them by the end of the month. You will receive the tracking information to your emails once the packages are ready to go.

We want to deliver you the best possible product!

[Luko 29]

yeah... just received the mail too.

A pity I won't be able to use them for my next trip in august, I was hoping so much.

I'll now have to wait 9 more months before I can start playing with them.

[guyharrisonphoto 21]

Oh, well. It's a new venture, for a very expensive niche product, and I am fine that they want to keep their quality control strict as opposed to rushing them out. I'll just soldier on with my YS D1 for another month . . .

 

Upside, maybe there is stiil time to order a second LSD at the discount price!

[JustinBeevor 8]

Hi Oskar - is there any update on shipping please? Will you meet today's target?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Oskar@RetraUWT 54]

Hi

 

We are doing our 100% to start shipping the Retra Flash as soon as possible. First shipments should start this month and we are expecting it will take 4-5 weeks before all pre-orders are sent.

 

When your order is ready for shipping you will be notified via email with tracking information. Most deliveries will take place in the first half of September.

 

Thank you for your patience and support.

[JustinBeevor 8]

Thanks Oskar - fingers crossed!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Alex_Mustard 0]

I was able to get the test pair of Retra's that I had with me in Cayman and Cuba into the hand of lots of photographers this month. So hopefully you will start to hear some of their opinions soon and also see their photos. Alex