kshearon

There is another possibility since budget IS a consideration. This of course is going to

require scrounging and some experimentation (can be fun). Look for an uninterruptible

power supply (UPS) that is no longer being used. Sometimes these units get thrown out

because the battery died or the charger isn't working and not because the inverter is dead.

All you need is a working sinewave inverter and whatever battery you can scrounge to go

with it.

I would suggest you look for small UPSs made by Exide Electronics or Powerware. Many of

these are true sinewaves or trapezoidal very near sinewaves. Small ferro-resonant unts

are a possibility, but they are usually heavy and not two mobile.

Since for the monolight your are charging a large capacitor this is going to look like a

strange (very leading power factor) load to a lot of inverters, and unless you can get an

inveter with sinewave of near-sinewave the capacitor in the monolight likely will not

charge fully and you will get inadequate or inconsistant results.

I have had this lens since last fall. Its better built than I expected. The lens is handy, not too heavy, has a pretty good hood and reasonable color rendition.

It is my "normal" lens for paddock, podium, sports portraits. It is not quite as sharp as I'd like, but it doesn't seem to be a big problem in prints.

Regarding the opening of containers by Chinese customs, they have been known to

take more stringent precautions to prevent the spread of SARS. They may ask you to

consume or dispense with almost any liquid.

Don't think they would expect you to drink D-76 though.

True sinewave inverters are generally VERY expensive compared to the inexpensive models available for powering computers, which today are pretty tolerant of poor wafeforms.

The stepped AC waveforms can be run through a 1:1 transformer to give some additional smoothing effect. Usually there are a lot of low order odd harmonics inherent in stepped waveforms like the 3rd (180Hz), 5th (300Hz), then maybe more at the 9th and 11th harmonic. A filter on the secondary of the transformer could be smaller and may shift some of the harmonics upward.

Usually the charging capacitors in flash heads need the peaks in the AC sinewave to fully recharge after a flash pulse. Since the peaks are shaved off the output wave in cheap inverters they usually play games with the waveshape to achieve an RMS voltage value that will be acceptable to a PC. This doesn't help flash heads recharge.

Buff solved the problem by building system ideally suited to their lights, found here... http://alienbees.com/vagabond.htm

They have a diclaimer that indicates they may not be correct for other systems. You might call them. I have found their engineers easy to get a hold of, and helpful.

What are you looking at? Literally.

I enjoy looking at some things, so I receive a reward when I view them, to enjoy is motivation enough. I am curious about what I see in others, so I may stare to determine the meaning it has for me; my reward is reaching a conclusion to the thought prevoked.

In other images I have little or no interest, no reward or motivation, no voyeuristic drive to see.

So it depends on what I am looking at, and to some degree my personality.

I have been using the 540ez and 550ex on eos5, elanii e, d30 and 1d for about five years and I have only had consistently had good exposures from the meetering when the flash is powerful enough to light the whole area and ceiling is low enough to bounce. The result is very beautiful natural lighting.

Take any of this equipment to an event and shooting people moving through a large area with high ceilings where you have to shoot straight on and I have yet to find the metering pattern that allows E-TTL to give consistent results.

Most consistent straight-on results have come using the flashes in manual whcih I think really sucks when you consider the price and the brain power that went into the design.

I tried this lens for a few days on a D30, 1D, Elan IIe, and EOS 5.

The AF snapped right in locking on out of focus every time. I sent it back. I suggest you shoot a test chart or some pattern that can show high definition and check for the detail. Then check AF and manual focus accuracy. Hope you got a better one than I got.

For those who might still consider this, I'll add my two cents. I bought the IIe for backup when my EOS5's command dial broke. I was shooting mostly motorsports at the time, but transitioning to wedding work.

I prefer the 5 for outdoor sports where I have had very good luck with ECF (eye controlled focus). It seems fast and accurate in most cases where contrasty subjects give it a chance.

However, when I started using the Elan IIe in dark wedding chapels I had more "in focus" shots in low light situations. It seems the IIe works better in low light.

I had to switch the a 550EX flash whose E-TTL beats the living daylights out of anything the 540EZ and EOS5 ever did. But to get good results you must bounce the flash off the ceiling.

Mine broke after two years of use. Not in warranty. Local shop fixed in less than two weeks by replacing entire top cover. The dial does not feel the same as before, but all else seems normal (except there was actually some casting flash on the plastic cover).

Price to repair was $175. Repairman claimed it was supposed to be a sturdier piece, but I have no evidence.

For cleaning aluminum there are two products used by motorcyclists everywhere. They are Never Dull, an impregnated cotton product that uses a brasso type solution. And Mother's aluminum polish.

I used Never Dull in the military polishing everything metal that didn't move and I prefer it. It does wonders and can remove some oxidation, but if the pitting is deep enough, nothing except extreme polishing will work. For the extreme I suggest Mother's on a rotary pad attached to a drill.

I don't think either will cause a problem with the leatherette if you tape off the leatherette before you begin and clean up promptly.