Hi All,

I have just received my new Retra Max Pro strobes. Hats of to Retra for the ultra fast shipping and delivery.

My question is, are the diffusers necessary and if so, which ones do people have or recommend?

Also, I would like some protectors for the front of the strobes as I do not want to scratch them during transport. Can anyone suggest something or knows of a 3d printed alternative?

Many thanks

John

Hey John

I do think the front and rear bumpers are worth buying. And, unusually for me, the neoprene sleeves too. They really keep the Retras in great cosmetic shape.

On the diffusers, I have a set but have almost never felt the need to use them. The output without them is excellent.

6 minutes ago, TimG said:

Hey John

I do think the front and rear bumpers are worth buying. And, unusually for me, the neoprene sleeves too. They really keep the Retras in great cosmetic shape.

On the diffusers, I have a set but have almost never felt the need to use them. The output without them is excellent.

Thanks Tim,

I think I will get the bumpers then and the sleeves as I'm deconstructed going to scratch them lol

I had heard that the diffusers weren't necessary and nice for you to confirm 😊

Thanks again

John

I ordered a pair of white diffusers with my Retra Pros, but ended up using them only as protective covers in transport - I find that bare strobes already have a wide enough beam, even when used with a fisheye, and I prefer to have the extra reserve power for larger scenes. It is, however, a matter of personal preference - I know other Retra users who do shoot with the diffusers on.

What I do find very useful are the reflectors - I put them on every macro or blackwater dive. They turn a diffuse beam into a very sharply defined one, allowing fish portrait shots from up to several meters away without much in the way of backscatter.

I also have an LSD, but I don't use it as often as I probably should, as taking off the reflector, putting on the LSD, repositioning the strobe above the camera, aiming the snoot, taking the shot, then doing the whole thing in reverse is usually too much of a hassle. Perhaps I should sell it and get a miniflash with snoot to run alongside the Retras.

23 minutes ago, Barmaglot said:

What I do find very useful are the reflectors - I put them on every macro or blackwater dive. They turn a diffuse beam into a very sharply defined one, allowing fish portrait shots from up to several meters away without much in the way of backscatter.

Exactly the same for me

I do use the diffusers, the green water here is full of sediment, I use the white diffusers here. When i go to tropical diving, I plan to get the wide angle diffusers, for the little color shift.

I also use reduction rings, that also stay on when transporting the strobes. I dont use bumpers / neoprene covers.

Didnt try the reflectors myself, might look into that at some point 😁

Hey Robin

I use the reflector and really like it for turbid water with suspended sediment.

In addition to bumpers and sleeves already mentioned I do use reduction and macro rings, I find them very convenient when shooting super macro subjects.

55 minutes ago, Barmaglot said:

I ordered a pair of white diffusers with my Retra Pros, but ended up using them only as protective covers in transport - I find that bare strobes already have a wide enough beam, even when used with a fisheye, and I prefer to have the extra reserve power for larger scenes. It is, however, a matter of personal preference - I know other Retra users who do shoot with the diffusers on.

What I do find very useful are the reflectors - I put them on every macro or blackwater dive. They turn a diffuse beam into a very sharply defined one, allowing fish portrait shots from up to several meters away without much in the way of backscatter.

I also have an LSD, but I don't use it as often as I probably should, as taking off the reflector, putting on the LSD, repositioning the strobe above the camera, aiming the snoot, taking the shot, then doing the whole thing in reverse is usually too much of a hassle. Perhaps I should sell it and get a miniflash with snoot to run alongside the Retras.

Thank you for the advise. I do want something to protect them in travel, I was thinking a neoprene cover but I cannot find one.

I bought the LSD with the strobes but also have the backscatter MF-2 with Snoot as well. I think I will be selling the MF-2 shortly as I cannot take out use everything and I didn't really get on with it the 1 time I used it.

I might buy the reflectors but will have to sell a few things 1st lol

Going to be expensive with all these accessories lol

1 hour ago, Johno1530 said:

Thank you for the advise. I do want something to protect them in travel, I was thinking a neoprene cover but I cannot find one.

Weird, they seem to be gone from the main Retra store. DiverVision lists them in stock - https://www.divervision.com/products/retra-neoprene-for-bumpers

You will also need the bumpers - https://www.divervision.com/products/retra-bumpers

It's possible (and cheaper) to make your own jackets out of some old discarded wetsuit, but without bumpers, they will slide around. I have the original, pre-bumper jackets, and they're a bit annoying that way, although tightening them down with zipties has resolved that issue.

I made a sleeve for the Retra LSD from the arm of an old wetsuit.

If you buy strobe sleeves from Retra just make sure you get the right ones for the right strobes - same with bumpers. The Retra Max ones are a slightly different shape/size.