Subtronic nightmare continues...

Back in March on the Wetpixel shark trip one of my Subtronic strobes stopped working properly and would only fire on full power. This was the second time in a few months I had experienced this problem. I had the same problem a few months early in Bali.

After the problem in Bali my dealer sent the offending strobe back to Subtronic and it came back working. Then I had the same problem a few months later. I still don't know if it was the same strobe with a reoccurring problem or the other one developing the same problem - as they still haven't fixed it.

To some extent I forgive the strobes for breaking. I dive a lot, I ask a lot out of them, and so it is understandable that they might go wrong occasionally.

Now I try not to go on about this too much, but what really annoys me is that despite sending my strobe off in March I still haven't got it back. Which had meant that I have been using borrowed strobes for my trips to Sipadan and the Red Sea - which is not ideal.

They have had it for 3-4 months now. And the only reply I have had from them is this:

"we received strobes from Ocean Optics, I assume one of them is yours,

but we didn´t repair it up to now, so we cannot say what´s wrong."

Which I got back in May. Now it is mid-July.

Any ideas of what to do? It makes it even worse hearing how great Ikelite service is, here on Wetpixel each week!

A very unhappy - Alex

I sure hope I did not make a mistake buying Subtronic Midis. Have you actually spoken to them or is this just a written response. Sounds like you should bring to their attention the fact that you can significantly affect their PR through Wetpixel etc. Maybe get a little nasty. I think you need my wife to call. (Ve haf vays und means....)

Sorry to hear that . Maybe you should try to call them to express first handly your feelings... And, by he way, ask them to write down an English translation of their website!. I´ve been trying to get information on their strobes (specially on the battery arms etc...) and I haven´t been able to. Their distributor in Spain does not answer e-mails either and, right now, I don´t even know where to buy 2xNovas or 2XMaxis and that doesn´t say much about their service either. I guess that they sell more strobes than they can actually build...

Hello,

Subtronic has a new owner (since end 2005 or so). Maybe that could be a reason for your troubles???? Not that this would be an excuse ....

Regards,

Jock

I'm shocked to hear the trouble you're having, Alex

maybe the new owners do have something to do with this.

In the past I have found Subtronic great on the service front - twice they've done full services on strobes and turned them round in a week because I was desperate - but that was a few years ago.

I suggest you write them a long letter and explain the situation - they should respond faster to professional photographers when there is a need

If they really are that snowed under, any decent company would have just sent you a new unit free of charge

Steve

Their distributor in Spain does not answer e-mails either and, right now, I don´t even know where to buy 2xNovas or 2XMaxis and that doesn´t say much about their service either.

try Ocean Optics in London, maybe they can help:

http://www.oceanoptics.co.uk

steve

Alex, sorry to hear you have been having such a bad time.

At the risk of making you feel worse, maybe you should just get some Ike's? The new NiMH packs on the DS125 will give you a similar number of flashes per charge to the Subtronics and the recycle time is quicker (1 sec vs 2.5).

Good luck with getting your Alphas fixed either way. It really sounds like they have dropped the ball on this one.

I think Steve's advice is best ( although probally the most frustrating for you ).

Channel the enquiry through your local dealer ( Ocean Optics ) - this should have the best response and will ensure that all the parties concerned are in the loop.

Your experience certainly doesn't instill a lot of confidence in the support ( at any level ) that is available for this brand.

Hi Alex,

Sorry to hear your tale of woe...I sent my minis back directly to Subtronic at the end of last year. I dealt with Tamara mostly by telephone and a little by e-mail - she was very helpful and the guns were turned around within three weeks. Maybe your gun and the reason for return/failure got separated on the way. I would give them a call and explain the problem.

Best of luck.

Mark Webster

www.photec.co.uk

You did seem to be sizing up my DS125's on the Red Sea workshop and now that Ike has put decent batteries in them there is no excuse.

Paul C

Hi Alex

I tried a DS125 a few weeks ago - its light output (and 'quality') was not dis-similar to Subtonic's Mini and power not too different either. Might be worth seeing if you can play with the DS200s and see what you think of them as a solution. I'm waiting for new units myself....

I dealt with Tamara mostly by telephone and a little by e-mail - she was very helpful and the guns were turned around within three weeks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think I also dealt with Tamara before now and she was quick to respond.

Alex - You can email her directly via the www.subtronic.de website, under the "Das Team" link - her email address is there

Steve

"Which had meant that I have been using borrowed strobes for my trips to Sipadan and the Red Sea - which is not ideal."

 

Maybe I misundertstand, are your backup strobes also in the shop?

Dump the subtronics. You are not the only one who is having problems with these things; as you propably know.

I am using two Seacam 250TTL digital strobes. I was one of the first ones with them in the field. Yes I have had some minor problems; solved in days. I sent my strobes to Seacam last week for a software upgrade. I will get them back in two days.

Seacam is not cheap; but the service is fantastic.

Thanks for all the advice. I am away for a couple of days working on the new Magic products.

I wil try contact them directly when I am home. Hopefully I can finally sort this out - in time for my annual trip to Bali (which coincidenty is when this problem first arose 12 months ago).

I think that the Seacam strobes look excellent. But are a bit out of my price range. Although I always hear good reports on their service (both direct and through their dealers).

Alex

I finally contacted the Spain´s distributor and told me 8 weeks for delivery....not being able to answer any questions about iTTL, battery arms etc..."the tech guy was not in the house"....

Subtronic.de gave 10 weeks to a friend of mine...

UnterwasserKamera.at answered: "please for international or not EU order visit www.subtronic.de"

A nice and fast response from oceanoptics.co.uk said that at the moment they were not really dealing with Subtronic. They had a couple of concerns with back up and are trying to resolve these....(I guess that´s you, Alex?

So ¿has it always been so hard to buy Subtronics?

Alex, talk to Ryan about the new Ikes....

So ¿has it always been so hard to buy Subtronics?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd be inclined to look at Seacam's offering, as suggested above, if your budget will stretch. You'll always get good support from them, and Seacam now use their own electronics in the Seaflash.

Alternatively it may be worth looking at Hartenberger - http://www.hartenberger.de/

expensive, but they are top end products much like the Seacam strobes (and have removable batteries as standard).

Steve

Steve steve steve steve steve...

and to think you used to have a proper dive bum type job... now its all Seacam, D2X, Hartenberger talk....

I guess there is hope for me yet...

don't do it Mike!!

I'd happily switch back to my Olympus OM10 to live in Yap