Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 Underwater Snoot Review

The Marelux SOFT (Smart Optical Flash Tube) Lite 2.0 is the world's top underwater snoot. Snoots are devices that reduce the beam of light from an underwater strobe in order to isolate macro subjects. They easily produce black background images because they light the primary subject, and they do not light reflective clutter in the background. Although they are primarily known for creating a spotlight effect, they can be used for high contrast macro images as well....and even some wide-angle situations! 

The SOFT Lite 2.0 is Marelux's response to user feedback on their popular SOFT platform. With a lighter design, new button control, and a brighter, 500-lumen aiming light, the SOFT Lite 2.0 is truly the "Ferrari of snoots". It has every feature you could want, including a white and red aiming light, an adjustable aperture to change the width of the beam, and a 10 hour burn time powered by a 21700 battery. The SOFT Lite 2.0 retails for $499 which is a justifiable price point considering how easy it makes capturing black background photos. 

A stubby squid photographed with Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 and the Nikon ZR. The ZR is a cinema camera with a low flash sync speed and it requires a snoot to get a good black background. 1/60,  f/16, ISO 200

As soon as the snoot was announced, I reached out to Marelux to get myself a demo unit and they were quick to provide one! Unfortunately, poor diving conditions delayed the review, but I eventually found a window to do some winter shore diving on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula. My best results came from the calm waters around Seattle, Washington. After the review, I can confidently say that this is a snoot that I'm keeping for myself. 

Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 In The Field

Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 Specifications

• Easy to install using Marelux SOFT Dock system (dock sold separately)
• Adjustable beam width from approximately 3 mm to 50 mm via internal iris
• Built-in aiming light with red and white modes, adjustable brightness, and auto-off when the strobe fires
• Aiming light brightness: up to 500 lumens
• Beam focal length: approximately 130 mm in water
• Powered by a single 21700 lithium-ion battery
• Battery runtime up to 10 hours per charge (depending on aiming light use)
• Lightweight plastic/nylon composite construction
• Near-neutral buoyancy underwater
• Depth rated to 100 m / 330 ft
• Weight on land: approximately 600 grams
• Weight underwater: near neutral (minimal impact on rig balance)

Creative lighting in a photo of Cabezon eggs with the Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0

Understanding the Marelux SOFT Ecosystem

The Marelux Smart Optical Flash Tube ecosystem was designed to work with most modern strobes. The first component that you need is a SOFT mount for your respective strobe. You can look for your strobe's mount on our SOFT Lite 2.0 product page or by doing a quick search on our website. Each mount is slightly different and often made of a sturdy anodized aluminum. 

Many different accessories can be mounted onto the SOFT dock, not just the SOFT Lite 2.0. Marelux has flat diffusers, dome diffusers, and color filters that can add effects to your lighting. These accessories do not work with the snoot, but they do work with your strobes. So if you want to take fluorescent photos you can use the color filters on your strobe, or if you want to use your strobes for creative color lighting. The dome diffusers are great for getting a wider beam angle from your strobes. 

There are two accessories that will work with your SOFT Lite 2.0 directly - the beam extender and the beam condenser. As their names imply, the former extends the beam out farther from your SOFT and the latter makes it brighter. 

Key Features

Upgraded 500 Lumen Red/White Aiming Light

During the middle ages of snoot photography (aka the 2010s), many snoots had no way to indicate where the small beam of light would hit when your strobe fired. This made it exceptionally difficult to get a snoot photo - resulting in a 10-20% success rate.

Creative Lighting with the Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0

The Marelux SOFT introduced a red and white aiming light powered by an on-board battery that would show you exactly where the beam of light would hit the subject. However, the beam was not quite bright enough to show up on a sunny day. The SOFT lite 2.0 directly answers this criticism with a bright, 500 lumen aiming light. The light can auto shut-off when your strobe fires so that it doesn't get in the way of your shooting. But it is bright enough for most lighting conditions - even in the mid day. We had no problem finding and highlighting subjects with the aiming light in the noon sun. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the aiming light was bright enough to use it as a snoot video light during night dives. For photography, I find that the red light actually shows up a bit better than the white light - I notice it more in my camera monitor. The red light will also help you sneak onskittish critters. Most subjects underwater cannot see red light.

The aiming light now has an extra-long burn time of up to 10 hours with a single 21700 battery. I didn't run out of battery in the six dives that I shot with the SOFT Lite 2.0. 

A red aiming light helped me sneak up on this fish

An Adjustable Beam

The SOFT Lite 2.0 has an adjustable iris that is controlled by a dial on the outside of the snoot. It allows you to change the width of your strobe light from 3mm to 50mm. This is an especially useful tool when photographing supermacro critters, where a smaller beam of light can make a more dramatic image. It's like having a paint brush with finer bristles. 

A Nudibranch Photographed with a Wide Beam on the Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0

A Nudibranch Photographed with a Medium Beam on the Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0

A Nudibranch Photographed with a Small Beam on the Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0

A Neutrally Buoyant Design

The Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 has been redesigned slightly. It features a mixed polycarbonate and nylon construction that is incredibly neutral underwater! This is a serious improvement for Marelux SOFT Pro and Marelux SOFT original shooters that had snoots with anodized aluminum construction. For me - it's worth the upgrade from my SOFT Pro. 

Moreover, the button to turn on the aiming light and change between red and white has been updated. It's not a single button to change both modes and power levels. I found it to be more consistant than the SOFT Pro but a little harder to press.

A hermit crab hides amongst urchin spines photographed with the Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0

Who Is the Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 For?

The Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 is designed for avid macro shooters who want the best snoot performance available without overcomplicating their lighting setup. While it isn’t the cheapest snoot on the market, it’s far more cost-effective than investing in a dedicated macro flash plus a proprietary snoot designed specifically for that system. For photographers who already own a high-quality underwater strobe, the SOFT Lite 2.0 lets you unlock advanced snoot-style lighting without replacing gear you already trust.

One of the biggest advantages of pairing the SOFT Lite 2.0 with your existing strobe is recycle speed. Most underwater strobes recycle significantly faster than dedicated macro flashes, which means you can continue shooting quickly when working with skittish or fast-moving macro subjects. That speed matters underwater, where moments are brief and repositioning for a second attempt isn’t always possible.

By using a snoot on a full-power strobe, you get the best of both worlds: precise beam control for clean, isolated macro images, and the fast recycle times needed to keep up with real-world shooting conditions. For photographers who value flexibility, speed, and image quality, the SOFT Lite 2.0 is an easy upgrade that delivers immediate results.

The SOFT Lite 2.0 isn't just for black backgrounds. It can be used for high contrast photos like this shot of an anemone mouth

Conclusions

The Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 is a refined, purpose-built tool for underwater macro photography. It delivers precise beam control, a powerful aiming light, and excellent underwater balance in a package that feels thoughtfully designed from start to finish. Everything about the SOFT Lite 2.0 is geared toward making snoot photography more reliable and more enjoyable in real diving conditions.

After spending time shooting with it, the biggest takeaway is consistency. The adjustable beam, bright aiming light, and neutral buoyancy all work together to increase your keeper rate and reduce frustration underwater. For photographers who take macro seriously and want a polished, professional snoot solution, the Marelux SOFT Lite 2.0 delivers exactly what it promises.

A sea spider photographed with the SOFT Lite 2.0