About Kraken Sports
Kraken Sports underwater strobes, the compact KR-S40 and the KR-S80 with a built-in video light, and the NR-1800L dive light with a green laser pointer. Kraken says it was started in 2015 by Doug Taleski out of his family's dive shop in Canada, and it makes video lights, strobes, camera housings and imaging accessories. Order online from Scuba Evolution in Johannesburg, delivered anywhere in South Africa.
Kraken Sports in South Africa
Kraken Sports is based in London, Ontario, in Canada. Its founder, Doug Taleski, grew up in his family's dive shop and started Kraken in 2015 to build equipment of his own, and in 2020 the company opened its own factory in Foshan, China. Kraken makes underwater video lights, strobes, camera housings and imaging accessories, and says its gear is designed by and for professional divers and photographers. We carry two strobes and a dive light.
Choosing a strobe
A camera's built-in flash lights every particle between the lens and the subject. A strobe on an arm moves the light off to the side, which cuts backscatter and brings back colour. Both Kraken strobes are manual, trigger optically by fibre optic cable in S1, S2 or Multi slave mode, run on USB-C rechargeable 21700 batteries, and don't do TTL.
The KR-S40 Underwater Strobe is the small one: 40 watt-seconds in five steps, about 500 flashes per charge, a 300 lumen focus light and 200 g in water. It's the pick for a compact camera, macro and travel. The KR-S80 Underwater Strobe doubles the power to 80 watt-seconds through a round flash tube for even wide-angle coverage, gives about 800 flashes, and adds a 3000 lumen, 100 degree video light. Choose it for wide-angle, wrecks or mixing stills and video on one dive. See other options in flash and lighting accessories.
Dive light with a laser
The NR-1800L Dive Light with Green Laser pairs an 1800 lumen, 6 degree spot with a 5 mW green laser that switches separately. A dive guide can point out a small creature on a wall, and a photographer can flag a subject to a buddy. Never point the laser at anyone's eyes. See more in torches and dive lights.
Questions we get asked
Do Kraken strobes work with TTL?
No. The KR-S40 and KR-S80 are manual strobes that fire optically in S1, S2 or Multi slave mode. You set the power yourself.
Should I choose the KR-S40 or KR-S80?
The KR-S40 is smaller and lighter, which suits compact cameras, macro and travel. The KR-S80 has twice the power, wider coverage and a 3000 lumen video light, which suits wide-angle and video.
What batteries do Kraken strobes use?
Both use USB-C rechargeable 21700 batteries: one in the KR-S40 and two in the KR-S80.
Is the green laser on the NR-1800L safe?
It's a 5 mW pointer for showing a buddy where to look. Never shine it at anyone's eyes, above or below the water.