Underwater Lighting Revolution: Six-Month Submergence Trial of Marelux Apollo S Strobe

Underwater critter hunting is no joke; lighting could matter more than your camera itself. My dear INON D200s, well, they weren't cutting it anymore, particularly in power and precision when paired with my beloved snoots for macro shots.

Enter the Marelux Apollo S strobes. As a proud Marelux Ambassador, upgrading was a no-brainer after their release—new gear for a new world of possibilities!

The Apollo III was a bit too much firepower and bulk for my needs, so I opted for the Apollo S - driven by both logic and passion. After six months of diving with these bad boys, here's my lowdown.

Wanna get yours? Snatch your Marelux Apollo S and Lumilink 2.0 Wireless Transmitter at Bluewater Photo:

Don't forget your Recommended Batteries: Three 18650H batteries at Bluewater Photo

Check out the Marelux Apollo S Exclusive Bluewater Package – with a FREE Fiber Optic Cable and Diffusers

Unboxing & Accessories

My strobes arrived just a day before heading to Hanifaru, Maldives by the end of September (shoutout to Prestige Scuba for the lightning-fast delivery!). First impressions? Top-notch - the compact, square Marelux case is made for travel.

In the case, I found:

Two ball mounts for attaching to arms
Protective covers for the strobes and Lumilink receivers
Two silicone diffusers
Two docks for my Soft Pro snoots
A set of color filters for creative shots
Two protective sleeves
The Lumilink transmitter

Dived the very next day. Easy peasy—the strobes are intuitive despite packing a ton of features.

Design and Ergonomics

At first glance, the Apollo S's minimalist design and compact size make it easy to forget underwater. At 813g (with two 18650 batteries), it's super manageable—earning bonus points thanks to excellent buoyancy tuning: just 150g, or 50g with a float sleeve.

With the Marelux Flexibuoys, I can fine-tune buoyancy based on whether I'm using snoots or just the strobes.

Construction is bulletproof - anodized aluminum body, anti-corrosion coating, and a battery compartment sealed with double O-rings. Born to survive impacts, saltwater, and rough travel.

The two control knobs have a great grip, even with gloves. The main knob switches between five modes (Test, Manual, TTL/RC, HSS, MTL) – confirmed by a hushed beep. With some practice, you can switch modes by counting the clicks. The second knob controls power across 12 levels, and an LED indicates battery status.

Modes I Can't Live Without (And Love)

The Apollo S offers five modes for every (under)water photographer's needs:

Test

Manual - My go-to for macro. Dial in the power precisely.

TTL/RC - Auto exposure when using a compatible trigger (I use the 11080-HSS from Underwater Technics). RC is for Olympus cameras (I didn't test this).

HSS - High-speed sync up to 1/8000s. Great for freezing motion without shutter speed limitations.

MTL - Burst mode up to 10 frames per second via cable - perfect for catching the perfect shot.

MTL deserves special attention. Never used my Canon R5's superfast burst mode before - too slow for my INON strobes! But the Apollo S handles it effortlessly. In MTL mode via fiber optic cable, it supports 10 continuous flashes per second at any power level.

Wireless MTL mode works too, but at high power, you might miss a few shots.

Battery Life

Each strobe runs on two high-capacity 18650 batteries (≥20A discharge). Marelux claims they last up to 800 full-power flashes. In real use - especially macro, which rarely requires full power - I can get through two full days of diving (about six dives) before recharging. That's impressive stuff!

Marelux suggests recharging once the indicator turns purple (roughly 80% depleted), especially when using MTL.

Beam Angles

110° standard underwater beam
120° with the flat silicone diffuser
140° with the dome diffuser
85° beam when using the snoot dock - my personal favorite

Field Testing: Real Dives, Real Results

Here's where my Apollo S has taken me over the past six months:

Maldives (Sept-Oct): Used TTL mode for balanced lighting - great for large subjects like mantas and sharks.

Even at night in tough conditions.Or this guitar shark.

Tulamben (Oct-Dec): Manual mode + Soft Pro snoot - super precise lighting on ghost shrimp, trapani, and nudibranchs.

This tiny Trapani

And this fantastic purple Eubranchus.

Romblon (Nov): The super macro capital. Apollo S delivered like a boss—from hairy shrimp to snooted Cyerce Nigra.

Anilao (Jan): In competition settings, TTL and snooted manual shots held up - fast burst on a cardinalfish with eggs, backlit seahorses, and Xeno crabs.

Dauin (Feb-Apr): Color filter work - solo snooting a frogfish and goby, dual-snoot setups using the Mini-Stand.

This strobe lets me get creative without compromise.

Cordless Freedom: Lumilink

The Lumilink transmitter is Marelux's wireless signal tech. It reads the trigger signal in your housing, amplifies it, and sends an encrypted optical signal (LED) to receivers on the strobes.

Syncs up to 1/200s
Range: 2m at the surface in sunlight, 10m+ in deeper water
Encrypted and resistant to interference
Only downside: Wireless MTL might drop a few flashes at high power

Accessories That Make a Big Difference

Soft diffusers and domes - for soft or wide light
Color filters for Marelux SOFT - for in-camera creative effects
Marelux SOFT Lite - my favorite light-shaping tool
Mini-Stand - enables creative dual-snoot setups

Smooth, controllable power, even with snoots
Soft, natural light output
Reliable wireless triggering with Lumilink
Versatile shooting modes
MTL = secret weapon for peak moments
Tough, lightweight, and travel-friendly build

Bottom line: The Apollo S isn't just a strobe—it's an integral part of my creative underwater workflow.

Marelux Apollo S Specifications

Maximum Guide Number 36 (on land)
0.9 second recycle time at full power
Beam angle of 110 degrees (120 degrees with normal diffusers, and 140 degrees with dome diffusers)
Support for TTL, RC, HSS, MTL, wireless triggering (The TTL, HSS, and RC modes require compatible flash triggers)
Strobe has 2 fisheye wireless signal sensor units - sensor coverage is 160 °
Full power flash: around 800 times
Wireless trigger supports M, MTL, HSS. (TTL, RC needs fiber)
Temp 6200k
With dome diffuser, scattering angle 120-140 °, Temp 5500k
Fiber optic trigger port
Batteries: 2x 18650H batteries
Max diameter 70mm, length of main body 140mm, full length including knobs 160mm
Weight on land: 720 grams (without battery, with ball mount), 813 grams with 2x18650 batteries (with ball mount)
Weight in water: 150 grams (including 2x18650 batteries, including ball mount). The weight after putting on the buoyancy suit is 50 grams
Waterproof Depth : 100m
US MSRP: $849

Enrichment Data:

The Marelux Apollo S strobe offers several key features and benefits tailored specifically for underwater macro and super macro photography:

Compact and Powerful Output: The Apollo S is designed to deliver strong, consistent lighting necessary for detailed close-up shots of small marine life, enhancing sharpness and color accuracy in macro images underwater.
Fast Recycling Time: This strobe features rapid recycling times, which allows photographers to capture multiple shots in quick succession without waiting for the flash to recharge. This is particularly beneficial in macro photography where subjects may move quickly.
Compatible with Various Systems: Marelux's background in software development enables seamless integration of their strobes with other components, potentially offering smart features like digital displays for depth and water temperature in future upgrades, enhancing control and situational awareness underwater.
User-Friendly Design: The Apollo S includes design elements such as brightly colored green o-rings for easy maintenance and sealing checks, ensuring reliability and reducing the risk of water damage during dives.
Value for Money: The Marelux Apollo S, as part of the Marelux system, provides excellent functionality and performance at a more affordable price point compared to many other strobes with similar features, making it accessible for underwater photographers focusing on macro work.
Optimized Lighting for Macro Photography: The strobe's lighting characteristics, such as preventing backscatter and hot spots through effective positioning and output control, help in achieving clean, high-contrast images of tiny subjects underwater.

These features collectively make the Marelux Apollo S strobe a strong choice for underwater photographers looking to excel in macro and super macro photography, offering powerful illumination, fast operation, and reliable, integrated system compatibility[2][3][5][1].

The Apollo S, with its compact, square case, is ideal for travel due to its top-notch construction and manageable weight of 813g.
In the Marelux case, you'll find accessories like two ball mounts, protective covers, silicone diffusers, Soft Pro snoot docks, a set of color filters, two protective sleeves, and the Lumilink transmitter.
The Apollo S's control knobs have a great grip, making it easy to switch between five modes (Test, Manual, TTL/RC, HSS, MTL) with just a few clicks.
With its minimalist design and excellent buoyancy tuning, the Apollo S is perfect for underwater photography, especially macro shots, giving you superb control over the lighting.
The Apollo S offers 12 levels of power and an LED indicator for battery status, making it convenient to adjust the settings underwater.
In challenging macro conditions, the Apollo S proves indispensable, allowing you to capture intricate details, like that of the Trapani and Eubranchus, with precision.
The Apollo S's High-Speed Sync (HSS) mode lets you freeze motion without shutter speed limitations, making it ideal for fast-moving subjects like sharks.
Marelux's Lumilink transmitter ensures reliable wireless triggering and supports syncing up to 1/200s, with a range of 2m at the surface and 10m+ in deeper water.
Accessories like soft diffusers, color filters, the Marelux SOFT Lite, and the Mini-Stand can significantly enhance your underwater photography experience with the Apollo S.
With its smooth power control, soft, natural light output, user-friendly design, versatile shooting modes, and wireless MTL mode, the Marelux Apollo S has become an essential component of my underwater workflow.

Underwater Lighting Revolution: Six-Month Submergence Trial of Marelux Apollo S Strobe