Nemrod

Dave, The Kraken 1800 WSR is a single button. It uses the single button to navigate between several modes. But in any mode, pressing the single command button twice quickly will place the light in auto-off (Burst) mode. I had previous the 1500 model and after much use it succumbed to corrosion and the lens gland leaked. My new one I shall endeavor to be more careful with it to clean it well. I have an Orca 710, it is a slightly larger light than the Kraken unit.

It requires a double push to activate the auto-off feature in any mode. LOL, I have to read the instructions every time I use the darn thing. But I like my Kraken 1800 WSR Focus Light and it works good. Or maybe it was a single quick push, darn it!

The auto off feature is important to me. Both my older Inons and my new Retra strobes have an auto off feature and my Kraken 1800 and former 1500 light that rides atop my housing also has an auto-off mode. I find it not required to hook an optical cable to the Kraken, it sees the strobes flash just fine. The purpose/use of the auto off is to prevent backscatter illumination. Most noticeable when I use the focus light mounted in the cold shoe on my Nauticam, especially at night. For integral strobe focus lights perhaps less useful since anything the focus light illuminates will be illuminated by the strobe light as well, not so with a focus light mounted over the lens port.

Sea Grape.

Like any tool or technique, it is useful when it is and not when it is not.

The ball mount does not come installed. They were in a separate bag with the grease and spares and an Allen key. My recommendation is to remove the ball mount for transport to conserve on space and to remove the ball mount after a dive trip so that trapped saltwater there will not seize the threads or cause corrosion. A little dab of silicone grease will help as an anti-seize. This is not a fault or defect nor a complaint, just normal maintenance on an expensive item you will want to enjoy for many years.

There is a single screw through the middle of the ball mount that goes into a sturdy thread in the strobe case. There is a plastic gasket to isolate (for corrosion) and an anti-rotation pin. Very solid mounting.

Thank you, excellent review. I too had the problem on my second dive that one of my strobes would not turn off, the focus light was on but the strobe would not flash. I thought it had leaked and I rushed back to the boat, pulled the batteries. No leak! Reinstalled batteries and the strobe functioned normally. Upon getting back to the resort I emailed Retra and within an hour they answered assuring me there was no problem and to reload my software to 1.0. My eyes rolled back because I am NOT and computer person and I figured this would be an ordeal! Nope! Connected to the Retra App, downloaded the software, easy! Problem solved. There is a learning curve with the Maxi due to their power and ultra wide beam especially with the diffuser. I have to put the strobes further out, turn them outward more and sweep them further back (behind the dome) to keep them and reflections out of my dome or even the more narrow FOV of the WWL. Also, unlike with previous strobes I have owned, borrowed, whatever, this is the first time I kept turning them down, down. The Maxi strobes just do not feel large in the water, I got used to them quickly and was able to remove an outer float arm and replace that float arm with a plain arm. The XStar 5000 batteries I am using just go and go and go! Pool day prep for the NA-R50 for upcoming Maldives trip.

Here is another thought, just trying to trouble shoot. If you camera requires a tray to slide in as many do, is any wiggle noticeable with the camera into place? Such that the lens zoom or focus gear could be pushing the camera aside?

Just a thought, but does your camera have IBIS or the lens have stabilization? Turn it off. Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems sometimes I see a corner in a RAW file and the jpeg is clean. I managed to trick myself into thinking my Nauticam was leaking. I was in Fort Lauderdale so dropped by Reef to have them check it over. I also mentioned I thought the camera off center. The service tech pressure checked and found no fault and said he made an adjustment and handed it back to me. Since they did not charge me anything for the checkover and adjustment I did not ask what it was he adjusted.

What if you had been asleep? That is what scares me. Everyone in their cabins asleep. They need Halon flood systems installed on these boats in the engine rooms and fuel handling areas. This cannot possibly be lithium ion batteries burning all these boats up! God bless.

Dave, do you find with the floats on the HF-1 strobes you can dispense with one of the float arms? Just curious. The HF-1 were on my short list and the Atoms until I realized that they have no TTL with Canon or Sony (or Nikon etc.). I bet UW Technics will eventually reverse engineer a program for his triggers for the Backscatter protocols. Correct me if wrong but I do not think the HSS works but with OM Systems and with their proprietary Sony trigger?

A little camera and a little housing just makes more room for what is really important, powerful strobes 🤣. The Maxi is smaller than the HF-1 with floats. And, since the Maxi is neutral, you may be able to use only a single float arm instead of dual float arms on each side. On another note, the Inon S220 strobes are essentially the same power as the older Z240. They are very close. And they are tiny, tiny.

I have my Sony set up for BBF and it locks. My Canon does not seem to have that capability but I do have BBF without focus lock. I find BBF more useful for macro than WA. But BBF can be a game changer. Just do not forget to focus!

In the beginning, God said, let there be light. And Retra complied, and there was. And it was good!