lambee01

Your UW photography journey/story looks exa ctly like mine... Noit Seacam but Subtronic, yet Seacam houses Subtronic electronic... Same long story, and still with my Subtronic MEGA, the most powerful strobes ever builts, with 2 ring etc... You all know the story guys. But one question : why would ypou abandon them just for TTL??? Such strobes are for (ultra) wide-angle. You never need such power for Macro, or even CFWA. My approach : keep what you have and invest in very smll strobes like the MF3 or the AOI for macro only. And continue to use the high output ones for WA

I fully share this view, and unfortunately it reflects a broader structural shift in underwater photography equipment and not just one brand or one product. And I understand this feeling very well. I started underwater photography when nothing was automated : Nikonos III, then V, manual exposure, manual focus, manual strobe power, no histogram, no second chance. Every frame had a cost, and every mistake taught you something. That constraint was not a limitation; it was a school. Back then, technology did not rescue you. It forced you to see: to anticipate light, to understand distance, to read water, to frame before lifting the camera. You learned patience. You learned discipline. And above all, you learned intention. Today I shoot with a Sony A1 in Nauticam. I use TTL, HSS, fiber optics, focus tracking, etc.... Of course I do. I enjoy the precision and the efficiency. I am not nostalgic for missed shots or unreliable film. But I am very aware that modern equipment has shifted the center of gravity: from photographer skill toward system intelligence. The irony is that while today’s strobes are technically extraordinary, they are often philosophically fragile. More electronics, more features, more integration, and therefore more points of failure, less repairability, and shorter lifespans. We traded mechanical robustness for digital sophistication. It was probably inevitable, but it was not free. What worries me is not that equipment breaks. Everything does. What worries me is that repair has quietly disappeared from the equation. I still have (and use) my so old SEACAM Housing for my analog Minolta Dynax 700si. Mosrtly for B&W photos.... When replacement becomes easier than understanding, fixing, or maintaining, something fundamental changes, not just economically, but culturally. Tools become consumables. Mastery becomes optional. Brands like Subtronic belonged to a different logic. Not perfect, not fast, not cheap, yes, damn so expensive, but built to be used, repaired, and kept. Today, even premium gear often follows a “sealed box” philosophy: incredible performance, zero forgiveness. When it fails, you don’t troubleshoot. You discard. And yet, despite all this, I still believe the essence of underwater photography hasn’t changed. Technology can assist, but it cannot replace vision. The best images today are still made by people who learned to see when nothing helped them. The danger is not modern gear, it is forgetting that skill came first. So yes, the market has changed. Small European manufacturers struggle. Asian brands dominate with efficiency and scale. Use-and-replace has won. That is reality. But creativity, discipline, and respect for light are not obsolete. They just require conscious effort now, instead of being imposed by limitations. We gained comfort. We lost friction. And friction, sometimes, is what makes you grow. That’s not fatalism. That’s experience speaking.

???? N5 connectors/cables are yes, bulky, very bulky. However TTL is way much reliable and acurate... And in 30 years of UW Photography, i never ever had a single problem with N5 cables or bulkhead.... which is not the case with Fiber optic cables. Yet, i am using fiber optic cable today. With th exception of my Subtronic strobes... (that i use with 14mm or Fisheye lens)... without TTL. Funny

The SB-105 that went out of the box today, was there for more than maybe 8 years if not more. Put 4 AA batteries (Eneloop Pro / rechargeable...) and the strobes fired without any problem. Condensator like day #1. I stopped after may be 30 flashes. I the measure GN with a flashmeter : ISO 100, almost f/22 , yedt in the air. More than my Retra Pro X. And Nikon TTL working perfectly. Can't belive it. They deserve a 2nd life

Using the Sigma EF 15mm with Metabone and wont' change up to the day, finallly, Sony releases Fisheye lens.... Which i wait for years.... Minolta had one, so don't understand why they did not made it to Sony

Jens Sorry for the stupid question, but are you using elctronic shutter or mechanical shutter on your camera? It could be the issue. UWT clearly states that their converter works only when mechanical shutter (unlike TRT- Turtle trigger)

Hi May I ask you which AOI Sony trigger do you use? To my knowledge the AOI STR-05 LED Optical Strobe Trigger is onyl compatible for TTL i mean, with Olympus. They do not claim Sony TTL compatibility. Or are you using Turtle TRT? Does anyone has experience with the Backscatter Sony Trigger and the AOI P1, since it sounds HF1 and AOI P1 are the same strobes, different brand.

Not selling anything here. But wanted to share some thoughts I am currently looking at all my stuff aquired over my 30 years of Underwater Photography journey, which started with Nikonos III when shooting today with Sony A1 in Nauticam USA Housing. Sold a few things already. And I found my 2 old Nikonos SB 105 flashes at the bottom of a box. They still work perfectly, and I'm actually amazed by their power and coverage for a technology that's more than 20 years old. And the simple question that comes to mind is: why aren't they used anymore, and why have we abandoned them?

SOLD....

I am selling a complete high-end underwater strobe kit, in like-new condition, to clear space in my equipment room. Everything is fully functional, carefully maintained, and ready to dive. 🔦 What’s included (sold as a kit only): 2 × Retra Flash Pro X UW Strobes (150 Ws) Purchased new directly from Retra – October 2022 (invoice available) Approx. 5,000 flashes per strobe (see photo) Excellent condition, no issues, no flooding history 2 × Retra Supercharger X (battery boosters) Faster recycle time Up to >800 full-power flashes per charge 2 × White Retra diffusers 2 × Fiber optic cables (Retra – Nauticam compatible) 🎁 Included for FREE: 16 × Panasonic Eneloop PRO AA batteries + 2 dedicated chargers (Approx. value: €100) TRT Electronics s-TURTLE 2 SMART+ TTL trigger – Sony system (Approx. value: €300 new) ✅ Condition: Everything works perfectly Like new Always handled with care by a professional underwater photographer 📸 Photos: Additional photos available on request 🚚 Shipping: Worldwide shipping Shipping costs shared 50/50 💰 Price: €1,400 / USD 1,600 Sold as a complete kit only (no splitting) This kit is priced to reflect the exceptional condition, very low flash count (~5,000 per strobe), and the extensive set of premium accessories included (Supercharger X boosters, diffusers, fiber-optic cables, Eneloop batteries with chargers, and a s-TURTLE 2 SMART+ TTL trigger). This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a top-tier Retra lighting setup at a very attractive price. Serious inquiries welcome in the chat or PM at eric(at)colorsoftheblue.com

Warm welcome to the community. Never forget : underwater photography is a highly addicting hobbyy.... Once you start, you'll never stop

This is exactly the kind of commnts i was looking for. Really helpful. Thnaks eric

At the age of 60 (turned 60 few months ago), the sea still feels like home for me. I first went beneath the surface at 12, following my father into a world of silence and light. And, really, I never truly came back. More than 3,5000 dives later, I still find the same thrill in each descent, even though i am 50+: the calm before immersion, the dance of color and motion (not only in Asia, but even in lakes in Switzerland), the quiet connection to something vast and eternal. What keeps me diving being 50+ is not only the beauty I find down there, but the humility it teaches. The reminder that life is fragile, magnificent, and fleeting. As long as I can breath, I will keep returning to the water. 60+, 70+, 80+.... It’s where I feel most alive, and where, one day, I hope to rest for the last time. I mean, my ashes.

It is a lovey discussion. 30fps, 5 fps.... I am shooting at may be 2 to 3 shopot per minute. 😂 Remains my question : is the HF-1 usable for Macro, or too bulky vs the Retra minimum output is still too strong Thanks for your feedback

Thanks so much. Looking forward to sharing experiences and images

Really Helpful. Thanks How is the HF-1 delivering in Macro? Not too powerful? Can it deliver low nlight/output? Interesting, your comment on Sony... Can you develop here?

dear fellows I am just back from a short trip to Lembeh (8th time in 27 years) where I took only 2 lenses this time : 90 mm Macro and 20mm Macro1:2 (on a Sony A1 in a Nauticam Housing) To pair with it I have only taken my Retra Pro X (2nd Generation) and the Backscatter MF-2 for Snooting as I wanted to travel light for just 5 days of diving. I left home my beloved SUBTRONIC Pro 270 that I usually use for (Ultra)Wide-Angle and Fisheye shots. Very happy with all my Macro lighting with my set-up even for CFWA/Macro 1:2 (x0.5) with the Tamron lens as you can see below. However, I realize I was missing power with the Retra Pro X for wide angle (20mm, no macro/distance shot) that iu usually get with my SUBTRONBIC powerful strobes. Hence I am thinking of rationalizing my set-up and consider selling the Retra Pro X, rertirte the SUBTRONIC Pro 270 and buy either Backscatter HF-1 Retra Pro Max II (last generation) The price point of the Retra Pro Max II is really a barrier in comparison with the Backscatter HF-1. However, if I can travel lighter, that will be great given my age Will appreciate all of your thoughts on my consideration.

I come from a country without seas, Switzerland, but had the chance to start diving when he was 12, in Mediterrannée. And fascinated by the underwater wonders, I never stopped diving with more than 3,500 dives today from all over the seas. Longtime underwater photographer, I have been published in different print magazines: “Capturing images and sharing them is essential for non-divers to appreciate the Colors of the Blue”. I wants to make sure that through my underwater pictures, «we realize that there are so many things we can do to save the Oceans, Earth is so connected to the Oceans and its inhabitants».