RETRA Strobe Thread

18 minutes ago, Sandyzoo2 said:

and set U1 to SmartSL

This is for Canon or other brand where you setup the way of using the flash?

This is for when you want manual control over a strobe when the camera is sending a TTL pre-flash.  

Check this thread of mine:

https://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?/topic/69010-practice-with-strobes/

1 hour ago, dpoursanidis said:

I didn't check that - assuming that in M mode they will work as in with my YS110a. I will check that in the menu of Canon 80D, right? Thanks Chris for the advice !

yes that's right - you can test for this if the camera allows you to set rear curtain sync.  With a slow exposure - 1/2 - 1 sec the pre-flash occurs at the start of the exposure and the main flash at the end and you can see them as two flashes as they are far enough apart.

Your alternative is to set the Retra to a mode that ignores pre-flash - I'm not familiar with the Retra details - but the manual should advise on which mode you need to have the flash ignore pre-flash if one occurs.

On 4/8/2022 at 9:56 AM, Sandyzoo2 said:

This is for when you want manual control over a strobe when the camera is sending a TTL pre-flash.  

Check this thread of mine:

https://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?/topic/69010-practice-with-strobes/

Today i test them underwater. The settings of both strobes are in SmartSL by default. I start smooth with 4-5 continuues flashes and the  bizzare behaviort appear. One stobe flash, one not, one flash, one not. Stop it for a while, the 3-4 continuues smooth flashes. Then again the same.

What am doing wrong?

Do i have to see if the batteries in the optoelectronic converter need to be replaces?

The electric cable?

Do i need to set U1 to SmartSL and make the nessesary adjustments even if it is already set?

Thanks !!!

42 minutes ago, dpoursanidis said:

Today i test them underwater. The settings of both strobes are in SmartSL by default. I start smooth with 4-5 continuues flashes and the  bizzare behaviort appear. One stobe flash, one not, one flash, one not. Stop it for a while, the 3-4 continuues smooth flashes. Then again the same.

What am doing wrong?

Do i have to see if the batteries in the optoelectronic converter need to be replaces?

The electric cable?

Do i need to set U1 to SmartSL and make the nessesary adjustments even if it is already set?

Thanks !!!

Are you shooting continuous  frames and at what power setting?  I would expect the strobes to fire for a number of frames and then miss frames as the flash catches up charging the capacitor.   Waiting for a while allows the capacitor to fully charge.  If you reduce power in manual, you should get more flashes before it stops

Am shooting at -0.5 or -1 but not continuus. Per two or three seconds let say.

1 hour ago, dpoursanidis said:

Am shooting at -0.5 or -1 but not continuus. Per two or three seconds let say.

Sounds odd. It might be worth dropping a Retra a message - they are very helpful and quick to reply. That said, Oskar from Retra is often on this forum and may well respond here.

2 hours ago, dpoursanidis said:

The settings of both strobes are in SmartSL by default.

Why are you using Smart SL to begin with? As I understand it, you have the e-Opto converter hooked up to a sync cord - unless I'm mistaken, this is a manual-only configuration, and there is no preflash for you to cancel. I suspect that the strobes are learning your first few shots as a preflash pattern (they can learn up to ten), then start ignoring it. Set them into M mode and try again. The Smart SL function is for shooting manual mode with cameras that always emit a pre-flash, such as pop-up flashes on Sony cameras.

51 minutes ago, Barmaglot said:

Why are you using Smart SL to begin with? As I understand it, you have the e-Opto converter hooked up to a sync cord - unless I'm mistaken, this is a manual-only configuration, and there is no preflash for you to cancel. I suspect that the strobes are learning your first few shots as a preflash pattern (they can learn up to ten), then start ignoring it. Set them into M mode and try again. The Smart SL function is for shooting manual mode with cameras that always emit a pre-flash, such as pop-up flashes on Sony cameras.

This sounds correct but you also have to set the flash on the camera to ensure it's not thinking there's a TTL flash attached and sending down pre-flashes - if the flash is in manual and a pre-flash is sent it will flash twice if the strobe is in manual mode unless the e-opto converter is cancelling them.  In any case I agree the flash should be on manual if the camera is on manual flash.

5 hours ago, Barmaglot said:

Why are you using Smart SL to begin with? As I understand it, you have the e-Opto converter hooked up to a sync cord - unless I'm mistaken, this is a manual-only configuration, and there is no preflash for you to cancel. I suspect that the strobes are learning your first few shots as a preflash pattern (they can learn up to ten), then start ignoring it. Set them into M mode and try again. The Smart SL function is for shooting manual mode with cameras that always emit a pre-flash, such as pop-up flashes on Sony cameras.

The settings in the flash are Smart SL and the dial in M Mode.

The setting in Canon 80D for the flash control are "Flash firing = Enable, E-TTL II meter = Average, Built-in flash settings = MANUAL mode"

Should i change the settings in the flash to Disable and the dial in M Mode?

5 hours ago, ChrisRoss said:

This sounds correct but you also have to set the flash on the camera to ensure it's not thinking there's a TTL flash attached and sending down pre-flashes - if the flash is in manual and a pre-flash is sent it will flash twice if the strobe is in manual mode unless the e-opto converter is cancelling them.  In any case I agree the flash should be on manual if the camera is on manual flash.

by attaching the circuit cable on the hot shoe of Canon 80D, do i need to change what in the settings? I write above the current settings. Manual flash option is availabe only for the built-in flash.

I'm not familiar with Canon settings; I've only ever shot Sony, but this:

51 minutes ago, dpoursanidis said:

The settings in the flash are Smart SL and the dial in M Mode.

...doesn't really make sense. Smart SL is a setting that you load into either U1 or U2 bank using the Retra phone app, then you turn the knob into either U1 or U2 position to activate it. If the knob is in the M position then it makes absolutely no difference what settings you had loaded into the U1/U2 banks.

If you observe the e-Opto converter without an attached fiber optic cable, do you see it firing once or twice when you press the shutter? Is it firing reliably?

6 minutes ago, Barmaglot said:

I'm not familiar with Canon settings; I've only ever shot Sony, but this:

...doesn't really make sense. Smart SL is a setting that you load into either U1 or U2 bank using the Retra phone app, then you turn the knob into either U1 or U2 position to activate it. If the knob is in the M position then it makes absolutely no difference what settings you had loaded into the U1/U2 banks.

If you observe the e-Opto converter without an attached fiber optic cable, do you see it firing once or twice when you press the shutter? Is it firing reliably?

i don't use fiber optic cable but the Sea & Sea 5 Pin Dual Sync Cord and the e-Opto is directly attached to the strobe

4 hours ago, dpoursanidis said:

i don't use fiber optic cable but the Sea & Sea 5 Pin Dual Sync Cord and the e-Opto is directly attached to the strobe

This is quite difficult to trouble shoot remotely as we don't have the camera in hand and the manuals are not always that helpful.  We really need to know the full setup and all of the settings to help.  so we need to know:

• Is the electrical sync cord connected directly from the bulkhead to the camera hot shoe or does it go through a TTL board?
• Do you get any sort of flash ready signal from the camera?
• Can you bring up in the menu while connected in housing : Shooting 1 -> Flash Control -> External flash function settings ? 
• If this setting is available the flash mode should be Manual. 
• If it is not available (greyed out) then the system is not detecting a flash and is only capable on manual firing.

On the e-opto question, the cable coming out of that attached to the strobe is a fibre optic cable.  You should check that is firing reliably, you should be able to see the end of the cable light up each time the converter activates.

7 hours ago, dpoursanidis said:

i don't use fiber optic cable but the Sea & Sea 5 Pin Dual Sync Cord and the e-Opto is directly attached to the strobe

Ah, I see. In that case, detach it from the strobe and observe it flashing - does it flash twice when you press the shutter, or only once?

How to check if your camera is emitting a TTL signal instead of a single pulse for manual mode? 

Set the flashgun to manual mode (position M or ON) and set power on the flashgun to maximum 100%. Point the flashgun at a subject near the camera lens, close the ISO and aperture (ISO100, f22 or more) and trigger it once. 

If the image is dark it means there was a pre-flash, TTL signal is emitted by the camera. Check the user manual for the camera and the trigger board inside your housing to set it correctly for a single flash in manual mode.

How to check if there is a problem with the flashgun or my camera / trigger system?

Set the flashgun to BATT/TEST and set the power to the desired level. Trigger the flashgun by pressing the pilot/test button. In this specific case you can set the power to -1 and press the button every 2 seconds.

If the flashgun is triggering and recycling normally when used in BATT/TEST mode, the issue is with the triggering system, check the camera settings and trigger board inside the housing.

If the flashgun is not performing as expected when triggering in BATT/TEST mode please write to us for assistance: info@retra-uwt.com

On 4/14/2022 at 5:46 AM, Barmaglot said:

Ah, I see. In that case, detach it from the strobe and observe it flashing - does it flash twice when you press the shutter, or only once?

only once

see the video here > https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YulvK1GohXmNFhxPn4B-5pc4AzqC1uYf/view?usp=sharing

also the board in Aquatica housing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YuX9Q_USjaN2Ozo1em61qWUXWfhV2Uno/view?usp=sharing (is for 70D and works flawless with the 110a S&S).

On 4/14/2022 at 2:46 PM, Oskar@RetraUWT said:

How to check if your camera is emitting a TTL signal instead of a single pulse for manual mode? 

Set the flashgun to manual mode (position M or ON) and set power on the flashgun to maximum 100%. Point the flashgun at a subject near the camera lens, close the ISO and aperture (ISO100, f22 or more) and trigger it once. 

If the image is dark it means there was a pre-flash, TTL signal is emitted by the camera. Check the user manual for the camera and the trigger board inside your housing to set it correctly for a single flash in manual mode.

How to check if there is a problem with the flashgun or my camera / trigger system?

Set the flashgun to BATT/TEST and set the power to the desired level. Trigger the flashgun by pressing the pilot/test button. In this specific case you can set the power to -1 and press the button every 2 seconds.

If the flashgun is triggering and recycling normally when used in BATT/TEST mode, the issue is with the triggering system, check the camera settings and trigger board inside the housing.

If the flashgun is not performing as expected when triggering in BATT/TEST mode please write to us for assistance: info@retra-uwt.com

Step 1 for TTL checked. When i use the system, the first 3-4 triggers works perfect (the quality of the light is amazing! bravo !!).

Step 2 for BATT/TEST checked. No problem.

In regards to teh trigger board, here is a photo of it https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YqzJmbStbtPCd7lN79UAMn8f6fGcalGT/view?usp=sharing. Reading the field manual of AQUATICA (https://www.aquatica.ca/en/charts/bulkhead_web_field_guide.pdf) i couldn't find out what the change of the position of the switcher will do. Seems that i have that system (https://aquatica.ca/product/18912/) but is unclear if is direct iTTL or Manual only or the white switchers and the position of them change that. 

If you can help out on that, this will be wonderful (i send now mail to Aquatica as well).

Thanks for the support and the amazing lights

10 minutes ago, dpoursanidis said:

only once

In that case you need to place the strobes in M mode. Smart SL is for a different use-case. You can load 'Low power SL' into U1 or U2 bank; that is useful if you want to shoot shallow DoF macro, but Smart SL and HSS modes are useless for you.

12 minutes ago, Barmaglot said:

In that case you need to place the strobes in M mode. Smart SL is for a different use-case. You can load 'Low power SL' into U1 or U2 bank; that is useful if you want to shoot shallow DoF macro, but Smart SL and HSS modes are useless for you.

I run the strobes in M mode only.

They begin with 3-4 times to flash simultaneous, then once the one and once the other, then for the capacitors, no light, then both and again once the one and once the other.

Am wondering if the trigger board in the housing with the switchers have role in that behavior but i couldn't find out any manual from Aquatica for that - i just write them and email on that.