Backscatter MACRO WIDE 4300 User manual

THE ULTIMATE VIDEO LIGHT FOR MACRO AND WIDE ANGLE
Thank you for your purchase of the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video
Light. Whether you are a seasoned underwater pro or a new shooter, we
hope you enjoy your video light for years to come.
The Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light was designed by under-
water videographers with underwater videographers in mind. If at any
time you have any questions about your new light, how to shoot it, or
best shooting techniques, don’t hesitate to call us. As fellow underwater
image makers, we’re here to help you get the best shots possible.
DON’T LIKE INSTRUCTIONS? WATCH OUR VIDEO!
We understand that some people never read the instructions. However,
it’s critical that you fully understand the safety requirements for operating
the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light. Go to www.backscatter.
com/MW-4300 and download our latest instructional and technique
videos prior to use. But for now… READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS!
BATTERY SAFETY, INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE
The Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light is designed to only use
high quality lithium ion 21700 batteries. NEVER USE AN UNAPPROVED
21700 BATTERY! Please see our Battery FAQ section for full details. To
install a battery, twist off the battery cap, remove the double o-rings
and rst clean the o-rings and the grooves on the battery compartment.
Lightly grease the o-rings with the provided o-ring grease and re-install
the o-rings on the battery compartment. Install the approved 21700
batteries according to the diagram in the battery compartment. Inspect
and clean the battery cap o-ring sealing surface, then line up the notches
in the battery cap with the battery cap alignment rails in the light body
and then twist the battery cap into place. See gure below. Verify you
have fully twisted the battery compartment until it stops.There is no need
to over tighten. IF YOU SEE WATER INTRUSION OR CORROSION IN THE
BATTERY COMPARTMENT OR THE STROBE BODY, STOP USE IMMEDIATELY
AND CONTACT US.
POWER/MODE BUTTON
To power on the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light, quickly press
the POWER/MODE button 5 times within 3 seconds.To shut down the
light, press and hold the POWER/MODE button. While the off mode is
a safety feature, never travel with batteries installed in the Backscatter
Macro Wide 4300 Video Light.
MACRO, WIDE, AND RED MODES
There are 3 main modes on the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video
Light: MACRO, WIDE, and RED. To change modes, short press thePOWER/
MODE to cycle through the modes.There are 5 power levels for MACRO
and, 3 power levels each for WIDE and RED.
MACRO: A tight spot beam pattern tailored specically for macro video
shooting. The tight beam results in high exposure values to maintain
small apertures, low ISOs and knock out ambient light. Use this mode
with the Backscatter Optical Snoot to create an even tighter focused beam
to isolate critters.Also great for night diving.
WIDE: 4300 lumens of light for wide angle video. The color temperature
of the wide angle LEDs are calibrated at the factory to ensure consistent
color temperature for dual video light setups.
RED: Use this mode at night as a focusing light or to set up a video
scene while avoiding the “swarmies”. Get creative and use red mode for
backlighting!
+ / ALERT BUTTON
Short press the + button to increase the light output of the light. When
maximum output is reached the light will do a short blink to indicate it
has reached full power.
Press and hold the ALERT button to activate a high frequency ash
pattern. Release the button to return to the previously used mode. This is
useful to get a diver’s attention and even works well at long distances or
in limited visibility.
– / BEACON BUTTON
Short press the – button to decrease the light output of the light. The light
can be decreased all the way to 0% and put in SLEEP mode to save battery
power without having to shut down the main power to the light. The
battery indicator will blink once per second to indicate SLEEP mode.To
exit SLEEP mode, press the + button to increase the output of the light.
Press and hold the BEACON button to activate the light’s signaling mode.
This is useful to mark a spot where there’s a good critter to shoot, marking
an entry/exit point for a night dive, or for emergency signaling. There are
three different BEACON modes to choose from:
GLOW: Slowly ramp up and ramp down the light in a slow pulsing signal.
This is the default BEACON setting from the factory.
PING: 2 quick ashes every 2 seconds.
SOS: International signal for SOS.
BATTERY STATUS LED
The Battery status LED will indicate the power level of the battery. Green is
100% to 50%, Yellow is 50% to 10%, Red is 10% to 1%.The light will shut
down at lower than 1% in order to prevent overly discharging the battery.
MACRO WIDE 4300
Instruction Manual
Watch our instructional video: www.backscatter.com/MW-4300
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BATTERY CAP
ALIGNMENT RAILS

MACRO STATUS LED
The MACRO status LED will indicate if the macro beam is in use. The LED
will indicate blue if the light is in MACRO mode. The indicator is very
useful when using the Backscatter OS-1 Optical Snoot as it is very difcult
to tell the difference between MACRO mode or WIDE mode with the
snoot installed. The light and snoot were designed to be used in MACRO
mode for the brightest output and most efcient battery use. Using the
snoot with WIDE mode will result in diminished light output and more
battery consumption compared to MACRO mode. For this reason always
use MACRO mode with the snoot.
CHANGE THE BEACON MODE PREFERENCE (ADVANCED SETTING)
In BEACON mode, press both + and – at the same time for 10 seconds.
The battery indicator light will slow blink red.
Enter 5 digit PIN code by pressing the + and – buttons in this order:
+ – + – –
You have 3 seconds to begin entering the PIN, and the PIN must be fully
entered within 5 seconds, otherwise the light exits the advanced setting
mode. If a wrong PIN code is entered the light exits the advanced setting
mode. When the PIN is successfully entered the battery status LED light
will change to fast blink red.
Press BEACON button to cycle through the 3 different beacon patterns:
Glow, Ping, or SOS.
Press and hold + and – buttons for 3 seconds to conrm the beacon
mode choice and exit to the last used mode.
Press power button once at any time to exit and not save changes.
IN THE BOX:
Backscatter Macro Wide Video Light
YS Style Arm Mount
Standard Ball Mount
2X 21700 Batteries
21700 Battery Storage Box
Battery Charger
2X Main Seal O-rings
3/16 in. Allen Key
Silicone O-ring Grease
Instruction Manual
Battery Warnings and Battery FAQ
See www.backscatter.com/MW-4300 for approved batteries and chargers.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES:
• Backscatter Optical Snoot OS-1
• Color Filter System for Backscatter Mini Flash, Backscatter Macro
Wide 4300 Video Light, and Backscatter Optical Snoot OS-1
• Dome Diffuser
DISTRIBUTED BY:
BACKSCATTER • [phone] • [e-mail] • www.backscatter.com
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BATTERY CAP
ALIGNMENT RAILS
1 POWER/MODE BUTTON
5 quick press to power on. Press and hold to shut down. Short press to
change mode.
2 – / BEACON BUTTON
Short press lowers light output. Long press activates BEACON mode.
3 + / ALERT BUTTON
Short press increases light output. Long press activates ALERT mode.
4 BATTERY STATUS LED
Green is 100% to 50%,Yellow is 50% to 10%, Red is 10% to 1%.
5 MACRO STATUS LED
Blue when in MACRO mode, off in all other modes.
CONTROL SET AND INDICATOR LIGHT LAYOUT YS MOUNT INSTALLATION
BALL MOUNT INSTALLATION

MACRO WIDE 4300
O-ring Maintenance Instruction Manual
Watch our instructional video: www.backscatter.com/MW-4300
3 LAYERS OF PROTECTION FOR YOUR SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE
The Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 has 3 layers of protection for the bat-
tery compartment seal: 2 main body o-rings and a sand seal gasket.
MAIN BODY O-RINGS
The 2 main body o-rings are identical so there is no worry about mixing
the o-ring up or installing in the wrong order.
To maintain the o-rings, the o-rings need to be removed and inspected
for any dirt, sand, hair, or any other debris and cleaned. Clean the o-rings
with a lint free paper towel to remove any debris and excess o-ring
grease.
Never use petroleum based cleaners, lubricants (such as WD-40), or
chemicals to clean the light or the o-rings as this can damage the light
and o-rings and destroy the water sealing capability of the o-rings.
After the o-rings are cleaned and inspected for any damage, lightly
grease the o-rings with the provided o-ring grease. Do not over grease
the o-rings as excess grease will attract debris to the o-ring. Use just
enough grease to provide lubrication so that the o-ring slides through
your ngers easily. Do not use other types of o-ring grease as other types
of grease may be incompatible with the o-rings and destroy the water
sealing capability of the o-rings, leading to damage of the light.
SAND SEAL
The sand seal is a gasket that will help prevent sand and other debris
from the ocean environment from reaching the o-rings. This helps keep
the o-rings clean and reduces the amount of o-ring maintenance that
needs to be done. The sand seal is not a water tight seal, and is not
designed to keep water out of the light. Never add any o-ring grease to
the sand seal as this will attract sand and debris to the sand seal. To clean,
simply wipe it with your nger or a lint free paper towel.
DISTRIBUTED BY:
BACKSCATTER • [phone] • [e-mail] • www.backscatter.com
Main Body O-rings
Sand Seal

Battery FAQ For Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) Batteries to use with the
Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light
A catastrophic battery accident can result in re, explosion, injury, and death, even
when allprecautions have been taken. Please read the following FAQ about battery
usage and safetyprecautions to minimize that risk.
What battery should I use for the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video
Light?
We recommend the Nitecore NL2150HP Li-Ion 15A 21700 batteryfor use with
the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light. It is the battery we developed the
Macro Wide 4300 around and the only one we officially recommend for safety and
proper performance of the Macro Wide 4300. The Macro Wide 4300 comes with 2
Nitecore NL2150HP Li-Ion 21700 batteries and a charger.
What happens if I use a different battery that doesn’t conform to the same
specs as the Nitecore NL2150HP Li-Ion 15A 21700 battery?
Due to the high demands of power from the light, anything less than a battery rated
at 15A continuous current would result in performance issues, including shutting
down of the battery.The Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light is designed with
safety mechanisms to prevent over discharge of the battery and will shut down if it
detects a battery that can’t keep up with performance.
I see other 21700 batteries all over the internet selling for super cheap,
why can’t I use those? Are you guys trying to rip me off?
Those cheap batteries are unprotected and not designed for end use by consum-
ers and do not have important safety protections built in.They can sometimes be
identied by having no branding on the label, or by a plain single color battery jacket
with dot matrix printing. Unprotected batteries without safety protections are much
cheaper to produce than batteries with protection circuitry.
What is the difference between a “protected” battery and an “unprotect-
ed” battery, and why should I always use a protected battery?
Protected Lithium-Ion batteries have an electronic circuit built into the battery cell
packaging.This circuit protects the battery against overcharge, over discharge, short
circuit, over current, and temperature.Protected batteries are safer to use than
unprotected batteries that do not have these safety features built in.
Unprotected batteries have no built in safety protections forovercharge, over dis-
charge, short circuit, over current, or temperature which can result in re, explosion,
injury, or death in the case of failure even when every precaution has been taken.
Unprotected 21700 batteries are not designed for consumer use, so do not use it.
Only use protected batteries designed for consumer use.
Why are unprotected batteries sold if there are greater safety risks versus
a protected battery?
21700 batteries are a very common and popular Li-Ion battery not only made for
end use consumers but also used by manufacturers to combine multiple units into
a larger battery pack for anything from ashlights to electric cars. Did you know Tesla
electric cars are running on battery packs made up of thousands of 21700 batteries?
It is up to those manufacturers to build in their own safety precautions for their
custom designed battery packs.
I’m confused by all this battery geek terminology and I am still unsure of
what battery to get.
Simple! Just use the battery we recommend, the Nitecore NL2150HP Li-Ion 15A
21700 battery available at Backscatter and other retailers worldwide.
Why should I always charge the battery in a common area when people
are around?
Although battery failures are rare, it can be catastrophic.The charging process is a crit-
ical operation. Most Li-Ion battery failures that occur happen during charging.Never
charge in sleeping quarters, below boat decks, or in other unmonitored, or unoccu-
pied areas. In case of emergency, you want someone around to be able to take action.
While it is rare for a battery to fail when all proper safety precautions have been
taken, the consequences are too great toignore.
How do I store batteries when not in use?
Batteries should be stored in a battery storage box designed specically for 21700
batteries.A proper box will provide impact protection and keep batteries isolated so
the battery contacts cannot be bridged and cause a short.
What do I do if the battery has physical damage or water damage?
Immediately stop using the battery, as it is now a safety hazard. Immediate action
needs to be taken to safely dispose of the battery. If at home take it immediately to an
authorized battery recycling center or hazardous materials disposal site. If at a resort
or a live aboard boat, notify resort management or boat captain immediately so that
they may safely dispose of the battery. If on land and unable to take to anauthorized
battery recycling center, place it in a reproof box and store outside in an open area
away from any sources of fuel or ignition until a time when the damaged battery can
be taken to an authorized battery recycling center. Never dispose of batteries in the
garbage or trash. Never ship damaged batteries.
I suspect water has intruded the battery compartment and/or light head.
What should I do?
Immediately discontinue use of the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light and
remove the battery as soon as practically possible. Even though the Backscatter Macro
Wide 4300 Video Light has a one way over pressure relief valve in case of overpres-
sure, take extra precaution when opening as the battery compartment may be over
pressurized. Use a damp towel to cover the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light
before opening to protect yourself and others.
If I have water intrusion into the battery compartment can I dry it out and
use a new battery?
Maybe. The battery compartment is sealed from the rest of the light for safety.After
water intrusion rinse the battery cap and battery compartment of the Backscatter
Macro Wide 4300 Video Light with fresh water. When the battery cap and contacts are
completely dried and cleaned free of corrosion then a new battery may be installed
and the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light tested for operation. However, if
there is any unusual operation of the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light with
the new battery, immediately discontinue use, remove the battery, and contact the
Backscatter service department or your local Backscatter dealer.
Can I leave the battery installed in the Macro Wide 4300 for travel?
NEVER travel with batteries installed in the Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Video Light.
Can I travel with the batteries in my checked luggage?
Absolutely not. It is illegal to travel with Li-Ion batteries in the cargo hold on pas-
senger aircraft.All Li-Ion batteries must be carried on aircraft in cabin luggage in an
appropriate battery box that does not allow the battery contacts to be bridged.
Never y with damaged batteries. Damaged batteries are banned from ALL
aircraft by law for good reason.Do not take chances.Your life and the lives
of others are not worth a cheap battery!! Dispose of damagedbatteries
immediately!!
All this battery safety talk has me concerned.
You should be. Following these procedures and precautions can help minimize risk
greatly, but not completely eliminate it. While battery failures that cause catastrophic
damage, injury, and death are very rare, it is your responsibility to use the best care
possible to minimize that risk to yourself and others.
Safety precautions need to be taken with Li-Ion batteries.
Never do the following:
Never charge batteries in unattended areas.
Never charge while sleeping.
Never charge below decks of a boat.
Never store batteries below decks of a boat.
Never store batteries in the light below decks of a boat.
Never use batteries without protection circuitry.
Never dispose of batteries in the garbage or trash.
Never put batteries in checked baggage when traveling.
Never walk around with bare batteries in your pocket, especially with other metal
objects than can easily bridge battery contacts.
Always do the following:
Only chargebatteries in common areas where and when others are around.
Always remove the battery from the Macro Wide 4300 light when not in use.
Only use batteries designed for end use by consumers with safety protection circuitry.
Only store batteries in a battery box designed for 21700 batteries.
Always travel with batteries in cabin baggage.
ALWAYS OBEY ALL INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE BATTERY MANUFACTURER