waso

Didn't you make A/B comparison yet (just topside shots)? My commlite is on it's way...

It's ritten in the article and your have to scroll down more than half the page. Tonight I can make a screenshot.

If you follow my link above, you'll find the sentence: 'This lens is not compatible with Canon extenders.'

I better ask Pavel - maybe there was some progress in the meantime. But I would prefer a housing-inside-system anyway.

Yes, the Nikon flash protocol seems to be much easier for reverse engineering compared to Canon. As a Canon user that was quite confusing to me. Yes, that was the latest info I received from him as well. Version 3 is now being sold: Trt-Electronicse-TURTLE 3 SMART TTL trigger for Canon MILC systems.e-TURTLE 3 SMART TTL trigger for Canon MILC systems.

But it doesn't seem to be compatible with Backscatter. And there's only the Retra Pro MAX /II listet.

I've been reading a lot lately, and it's becoming clear that I'll most likely go with the Backscatter HF-1 (as Architeuthis already mentioned) – or perhaps the Retra Maxi. However, I much prefer the overall package of the HF-1 (with the variable snoot and filters). One important issue is TTL, and I'd like to know if there are any other options besides the E-TURTLE 3 SMART TTL TRIGGER for the Canon R5/HF-1 combination. If I'm not mistaken, Underwater Technics also offers a version for Canon, but I don't find an external model very practical. Does anyone have experience with how well TTL works with these converters and Canon mirrorless cameras with HF-1? Is there perhaps a third solution? Does anyone have practical experience with Canon mirrorless and Retra regarding TTL reliability?

The 7-14 Fisheye is unfortunately NOT compatible with RF Extenders: https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-RF-7-14mm-F2-8-3-5-L-Fisheye-STM-Lens.aspx

Ohh, interesting...

Which dome port did you use for this comparison?

Hi Wolfgang, unfortunately I can only compare it underwater and above water, but there it's clear. I've never used a macro lens behind a dome port – even though its use seems plausible in many cases. But since I lose the option of using close-up lenses, I would only do it in special situations – and whether the investment would be worthwhile is another question.

With a 100mm lens (Canon) I can see a significant decrease in image quality due to CA and some softness in the corners.

I don't know him, but he definitely has a Dutch accent.

A future RF fisheye lens will certainly not be compatible with Canon RF converters. The rubber lip takes up far too much space, and RF is generally more compact than EF. It would still be interesting...

Thank you for the test update, @Dave_Hicks! Since the high brightness apparently led to non-linear saturation effects, and since in reality (in warmer water) a warming diffuser is used in more than 90% of cases anyway, I would be very interested in a test at 4500K (as I mentioned earlier), as this would be much more practical (at least for me). The difference between max and boost would probably then be more clearly visible.

I'm using Helicon Focus since a few years, but Zerene Stacker is supposed to produce even better results.

Thanks so far, Dave! I'm quite curious for your boost mode update. Do you know what happens to the Retra after 5 flashes at absolut max power? For how long after that can it not be used at max power?

First of all: thank you so much for the comparison test! 👍 Since I'm currently searching for the perfect strobe for my needs, I really appreciate tests like this and follow them with great interest. I have to agree with Adventurer: a comparison of the absolute(!) maximum brightness, with and without a diffuser (4500K), would be a top priority for me as well. The Retra Maxi seems to only allow 5 flashes at maximum power. How long does it have to pause before it can fire again? Furthermore, the falloff quality at maximum brightness and warm light, as well as the evenness of the illumination, are very important to me. A fast recycle time is important for other subjects, but in my case, at least for now, it's only a secondary consideration. I would also find good usability, even with cold-water gloves, very important. Anyway: thanks again for your work!

Interesting - I hadn't heard of the e-Turtle Smart TTL 3 Trigger before. Actually, shooting more than 3fps with a strobe for me would be a 'nice to have' but not a 'must have'. Other features (for me!) are much more important (light qualitiy, fall of, temperature, angle). What I would have been much more interested in is how much light output it costs to use the diffusers. So, a comparison with the same warm light temperature and maximum power. That's why in the future I would prefer to control the strobes optically only. I already sold my big Seacam strobes (reasons read above) and the 150Ds are not satisfying at all. Honestly, they haven't even been strong enough to shoot macro with a retra snoot (ISO 100, F16).

Did you read this comparison test: https://blog.kiliii.com/underwater-strobe-shootout-marelux-apollo-iii-2-0-retra-maxi-seacam-160d-retra-pro-ii/ The Apollo doesn't seem like a very good alternative in comparison.

Thanks so far, Wolfgang! I just noticed, though, that the HF-1 with TTL only supports Sony and OM systems, and a Nauticam TTL converter doesn't work with backscatter strobes. I have no idea if there are any good third-party converters available – I haven't had to look into that before. I'd have the same TTL problem with the Backscatter Mini, of course. Regarding the Retra Maxi, I've read that it has plenty of power but very cold light (6000K). There's a diffuser available, of course, but how bright is it then?

Warning, long text! I know, it's probably the hundredth strobe question on this forum... A brief history of my strobe equipment: From 2005: 1x Sea&Sea YS-60 From 2009: 2x Inon Z-220 From 2011: 3x Sea&Sea YS-110a From 2014: 2x Seacam 250D From 2022: 2x Seacam 150D The Seacam 250D strobes were by far the best I've ever owned. Two flash tubes - one very large with very warm, soft light for wide-angle photography (even without a diffuser) and a significantly smaller one with cooler light for macro and snoot photography - perfect! Add to that a TTL that worked almost flawlessly with the Canon 5D Mark III and 5D Mark IV, and lots of power. However, the strobes also had two major drawbacks: they were, of course, large and heavy (due to their 250Ws output) and even more problematic: the battery wasn't user-replaceable. Anyway, I switched to the Seacam 150D, not least because of the carry-on weight restrictions on airplanes, and was considerably less satisfied overall - apart from the size and weight. Since I've just switched my entire system from Seacam to Nauticam, and I was never truly happy with the 150D's TTL performance on the R5 anyway, I'm selling these strobes. Now I'm faced with the question of how best to replace it. Since I often take backlit shots with the fisheye lens, the 150Ws of the 150D was often insufficient for me – I was spoiled by my old 250D. Unfortunately, there aren't many current alternatives that offer warm light, a wide beam angle, and high flash output. I had actually already decided on the Ikelite DS230/232, as these, together with the Ikelite TTL converter, supposedly provide very reliable TTL and have decent power. Although I've always used manual flash for wide-angle shots, I often use TTL for macro photography. I'm also a bit skeptical about flash output in Ws - that's surely only half the story. I don't know of any website that shows comprehensive A/B comparisons of the flash output of current strobes, although I have seen the comparisons by DreiFish and Kiliii Yuan. Since 2010, I've frequently used snoots for macro photography, so at some point I bought the Retra LSD with the corresponding mounting adapter for my Sea&Sea 110a and all my other strobes. I actually wanted to continue using the Retra LSD, but there's no longer a mounting adapter available for Ikelite. The Ikelite DS230/232 strobes have another disadvantage: I can only control them electrically, not optically. I'm now mentally preparing to buy two Backscatter Mini strobes for macro photography. They seem to have enough power for that and I can use a snoot and color filters. In that case, however, I would still need two more strobes for wide-angle. Now my question to you: What would you do in my situation? Is there a strobe on the market that has more power, a warmer color temperature, and at least as wide a beam angle as the Seacam 150D, and can also be used for macro photography (with a snoot!)? Or will I have to buy four strobes after all, and even then I still wouldn't know which ones would be best for wide-angle? All hints and advices are welcome!

Hi and thanks for the welcome, @humu9679 !!!

Hi Michael, Thanx!!! Mehr und mehr ex-uwpixler... 😁 Hi @Landvogt1893 !