RETRA Strobe Thread

Hi

Some of you were asking about the progress on the new strobe and we have some news: https://www.retra-uwt.com/blogs/news

This caught my eye:

“two exciting new features exclusively for the new Retra Flash”. I guess you will tell us in November.

Alex

I hope that TTL improvements will be compatible with the Nauticam TTL converter !

Can't wait to have the full specs in november

Having recently read Retra’s post on a “new” Retra Flash coming in 2019, and that it will be “accompanied by a new battery compartment door, designed to improve the handling and reduce the chance of flooding the battery compartment.” Having previously owned a pair of Retra, to which one of them suffered water intrusion in the battery compartment during the second week the strobe had ever been in use I would be most interested to see what exactly this redesign will feature.

I believe TRT Electronics' TURTLE triggers support TTL over fiber optics.s

Hi There.

If we get a pair of Retra we implement the Turtle just in few days.

Balazs (TRT-Electronics)

Once the firmware update for the current Retra Flash is available (expected at the end of the year) TTL converters will likely work with existing settings for currently supported strobes.

Until then we do not recommend making any changes.

Hi There.

If we get a pair of Retra we implement the Turtle just in few days.

 

Balazs (TRT-Electronics)

Will existing units be able to be flashed with an update?

Will existing units be able to be flashed with an update?

Yes , please write me for details to info@trt-electronics.com.

Thank you.

Balazs.

Hi,

I just had a look at the specs. of the future flashes: https://www.retra-uwt.com/pages/retra-flash

One spec. I find very interesting: It is stated that they will be HSS ready (=faster shutter than sync. speed is possible).I do not own HSS flash, so aplogize for my ignorance, but how will the HSS mode be triggered (from normal on-camera flash (e.g.: OMD cameras)?

Wolfgang

Interested in the above question as well.

Also, are you coming out with a remote trigger for the strobes?

Finally, what firmware update will be coming for the existing strobes?

Thanks!

Hi

The HSS function is dependent on the camera and housing electronics. If those two can sync correctly to produce a trigger in HSS then the new Retra Flash will work in HSS mode - it is HSS ready.

Please check a few posts (or maybe pages) back to see what is expected in the firmware upgrade and when.

Thank you

The OM-D EM1II is HSS ready. So will HSS work with mini-flash on the hotshoe for triggering optically the new retra flash (i.e. same optical triggering as usual, when in "normal" mode)?

Or is a special trigger device required (I asume still to be built)?

Wolfgang

If the built-in flash emits a HSS signal which is transmitted to the new Retra Flash via optical fibre, it will work.

If the built-in flash emits a HSS signal which is transmitted to the new Retra Flash via optical fibre, it will work.

Hi Oskar,

I asked at Olympus (for EM1MII and the small camera attached flash). They say they do not know the Retra flash and the company (you) should provide a list of compatible cameras - so HSS ends in nowhere land

Wolfgang

HSS function is a feature of the camera which needs to be firstly supported by the external trigger. If the external trigger, an onboard flash or third-party LED trigger used in most UW housings, is able to work together with the camera to emit light in HSS mode, then the condition exists for the external strobe to detect this light and synchronise correctly.

Right, but are there any triggers (or, for that matter, cameras with a built-in flash) currently on the market that are capable of this? Will your new E-Opto converter include this capability?

There are currently no mainstream underwater strobes offering HSS and that's why no manufacturer of underwater housing or electronics has offered this option yet. On the strobe side the challenge of offering HSS capability is mainly with hardware, a special lamp and electronic is needed. The new Retra Flash has the necessary hardware and firmware to emit HSS flashes, it is HSS ready. We are currently working with one manufacturer who is able to offer HSS compatibility on his triggers. More on this will be known in the coming 6-7 months.

The E-Opto converter is connected to the end of the electrical cable which means you need HSS compatible electronics inside the housing for it to synchronise for HSS mode. If the internal housing electronics are able to transmit the correctly timed signal for HSS mode it will work.

Right, but are there any triggers (or, for that matter, cameras with a built-in flash) currently on the market that are capable of this?

I can confirm, UWTechnics company is ready to open HSS option in TTL-Converters firmware. It will be done the same time when Retra HSS strobe appears on the market.

UWTechnics TTL-Converters load full data of Shutter Synchronization (including HSS parameters) to camera brains and graphic menu. For Canon cameras it looks like this:

Just a factual correction, Seacam has HSS on their Seaflash 60D...

It is currently in production, and It works too!

All the best

Adam

Hi Oskar,

I'm considering ordering two Pro before the end of the lauch prices but does the new strobes will support the latest Nauticam TTL converter ?

Thanks in advance !