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Strobe Review: Scubalamp D-Max and Retra Pro Flash

Scubalamp D-Max and Retra Flash Pro Strobe comparison

by Hannes Klostermann and Giacomo Rossi

Introduction

Retra Flash Pro (left) and Scubalamp D-Max (right) withstanding the harsh environment on a beach in La Paz, Mexico.

A lot has happened in the last 12 months. Thankfully, not everything has taken a turn to the worst though. While most of us have not had much opportunity to go diving, several new and exciting strobes have hit the market. In this review, we will be taking a closer look at two of these new offerings: the Retra Flash Pro and Scubalamp D-Max.

Both of these strobes feature impressive specifications on paper, but of course, these numbers cannot always be trusted entirely as manufacturers measure certain characteristics in different ways or are simply a bit too optimistic about their product’s performance.

Therefore, we will be conducting an unbiased review and discussing the real-world performance of these two new flashguns, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses.

Physical size comparison of Scubalamp D-Max (left) and Retra Flash Pro with Supercharger (right).

Hannes Klostermann

Hannes is an award-winning underwater photographer and scuba instructor with a particular passion for capturing images of sharks and other big animals, as well as actively supporting their conservation.

He began his underwater adventures in 2003 in a dark and very cold lake in Germany and since then, his travels have taken him to many of the world’s most exciting diving destinations. Hannes is currently the resident photographer at The Cortez Club in La Paz, Mexico where he offers all services related to underwater photography: workshops and private guiding, as well as photoshoots and trips to experience the amazing wildlife of the Baja California peninsula. Please check out Hannes’s stunning photography here.

Giacomo Rossi

Giacomo is an underwater photographer and dive instructor with a great passion for pelagic animals. His passion first developed in the Red Sea during his job as a dive guide on a liveaboard back in 2009. During these early stages, he focused mainly on underwater videography before eventually switching to photography.

He has been living in Mexico since 2011, first in Cozumel, and now in La Paz, Baja California Sur, where he was able to improve on his wide-angle imagery while capturing the large pelagic animals of the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez. Some trips to Indonesia, the South Pacific, and other popular dive destinations gave him further subjects to feed his passion.

The purpose of his photography is to transmit this passion for the ocean and its inhabitants and inspire people to help in its conservation. This is also the mission of his company Baja Underwater Expeditions, which offers personalized eco-tourism around the peninsula to experience all of its most exciting residents and visitors up close and personal.

Huge thanks to them both for their hard work and for sharing their results so freely. The Wetpixel community owes them a debt of gratitude.

  1. Introduction
  2. Scubalamp D-Max
  3. Retra Flash Pro
  4. Underwater review and strobe comparison
  5. Comparison and Conclusion

FTTC disclosure:

Retra Flash Pros were purchased for personal use by Hannes Klostermann. Scubalamp D-Max was purchased by Giacomo Rossi at a discounted price for evaluation of the new product and further personal use.