Retra Light Shaping Device

I'm mulling over "investing" in the Retra "Ultimate Light Shaping Device" for another foray into snooting. Last time I made my own snoot with a bunch of plumbing piping - with decidedly mixed results (a subtle way of saying they were rubbish).

The online reviews I've read of the Retra LSD are all pretty good. But I'd welcome any views from the WP cognoscente.

Anyone got one they'd be interested in selling?

Thanks!

Tim

Contact "Snoot Master" Mike Bartick

mike Bartick <saltwaterphoto@live.com>

Contact "Snoot Master" Mike Bartick

mike Bartick <saltwaterphoto@live.com>

Thanks!

I bought an LSD with my retra strobes. Have tested it at home and am very impressed. Easy to aim, no loss of light intensity. Also, it can project a bright spot of light quite a distance, which I can see as useful to light up distant critters in a scene (or maybe a face). It will be very fun to experiment, as soon as vis improves enough for me to get out on a macro dive . . . .

I bought an LSD with my retra strobes. Have tested it at home and am very impressed. Easy to aim, no loss of light intensity. Also, it can project a bright spot of light quite a distance, which I can see as useful to light up distant critters in a scene (or maybe a face). It will be very fun to experiment, as soon as vis improves enough for me to get out on a macro dive . . . .

Thanks, Guy. That's helpful. It sure does sound a fun bit of equipment to experiment with.

Like yourself, I first thought that using a DIY snoot using plumbing apparatus would do the work fine, then I dived a couple of years ago with Ajiex Dharma in Bali (he's probably the best guide for Tulamben) who's eagerly using this stuff. He lent me his Retra LSD ...

At the end of the holiday I sent a mail to Retra to purchase my own.

There are lots of supermacro/creative images that I wouldn't be able to create without it : very easy to use, makes it easier to focus, no loss of light, you can add plastic filters in it (you know those thin floppy &square enlarger filters nobody uses anymore since film died)

.

Maybe the only drawback is that it lacks a "wider angle" limiter that would help lighting up a coral head without spreading the light everywhere, I found sometimes the widest hole without any shape was sometimes too narrow.

For the record, I am NOT selling (and do not consider it in the future) my Retra LSD.

Thanks Luko!

You guys have sold me on it.

Another fine investment......

Tim, did you manage to find one? I'm considering buying one myself now...

Tim, did you manage to find one? I'm considering buying one myself now...

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62595&hl=

I bought one and really like it - although I found it a steep and, at times, frustrating learning curve. I did a write up - see the link.

 

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62595&hl=

Awesome, I've been using the 10bar (without laser) and found it REALLY easy to use on with my RX100ii setup.

When I upgraded to the D500 however, it was a complete pain, cause... DSLR. You can't view the image at the same time you adjust the snoot, and that makes it horrendously difficult.

Which strobe were you using it with, as during ambient light (basically non night dives) I found the focus light of my YS-D1 strobe utterly useless with my normal snoot. Also the dive guides missed plenty of good snooting opportunities because of that (light assistants, we all need them).

My understanding is that part of the problem is that although snoots in general try to funnel or even shape light, it does come out somewhat off centre with regards to the position of the focus light on most strobes (z330 may be a slight exception).

I had an idea for my current snoot and DSLR setup however, and that was to use a physical guide, as my focus light is crap.

If you have a poke-stick which you point out from below your DSLR, with another 90 degree stick going straight up, in to the snoot hole (or wherever the light comes out from), then you know that if you set the snoot there, and you're always at that distance, you're in the ballpark. I may try this out at home with some chopsticks and bluetack...

Awesome, I've been using the 10bar (without laser) and found it REALLY easy to use on with my RX100ii setup.

 

 

My understanding is that part of the problem is that although snoots in general try to funnel or even shape light, it does come out somewhat off centre with regards to the position of the focus light on most strobes (z330 may be a slight exception).

 

 

snoot idea.png

Interesting, I’d not heard this before. Any thoughts, Oskar?

We have experimented with markers and focus sticks but found it's faster and less cumbersome to make use of the technique described here: http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62595&hl=

You can always mount a stick with a rubber band to your snoot and mark the focus point. Maybe it can work for you.

The YS-D1 has a relatively weak pilot light, not only for snooting, which is why they powered it up with the YS-D2.

Hi Oscar,

Thanks, that makes sense - but requires more practice! Does the Retra strobe (or the one that will be available for pre-orders) have the focus light in the middle? And is it generally strong enough to be able to identify the focus light on a day dive? Also if it is in the middle, i presume the guidelight effectively will ensure that wherever it points, that's where the strobe/LSD will fire?

The pilot light and flash tube on the Retra Flash are centrally positioned.