Peter,
I've had this situation a couple of time before - read the ebay FAQs and you'll see that you, as a buyer, can request the seller information. I've done this then telephoned them until I got the goods
Not all ebay sellers are like that though! I'm definitely speedy on delivery and payment!
Matt

Hi all,
Just a "heads-up" - have just posted a few items on ebay, if anyone's interested.
I also have a superb condition SMC-A 50mm/f1.4 and an SMC-FA 28-70/f4 that need a new homes PM me if you're interested, otherwise I'll shove 'em up next week.

Just look for "puzzle_box" on ebay
http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZpuzzle_boxQQhtZ-1

Matt

Very nice Liam!

Here's a link to an autumnal scene I took yesterday:
http://www.pbase.com/mattmatic/image/70112787

Matt

Yup, I'd say one of the SMC 50mm/f1.4 for sure (FA, F, A)
Low light, indoors, outdoors, portraits etc - a real gem of a lens. Absolutely lovely!

Much more available than the 31mm. Also has the advantage if you shoot at f2 to f2.4 and focus carefully on the eyes that everything goes lovely and smooth - she may well thank you for that

...mind you I'm probably only saying that because I haven't got a 31mm LOL!

Matt

LOL! It's Chris back with tempting offers that drain the credit card again

...and even harder to get spare parts if you go and drop the FA24-90

Not sure how SP does its skin tone balance, but I've found that clicking on a few areas of skin will eventually get a good WB.
They probably do it with some kind of statistical analysis - even manual skin tone corrections can be almost worked out by number (see Katrin Eismann's book "Photoshop Restoration and Retouching".

Pringles changed their lid to transparent, at least in the UK. But the Lee filter caps are only a few pounds for three caps

Matt

Golfdiesel,

I have the 67mm Expodisc. It's been great... but

Remember the Expodisc was created for getting incident light readings, and the white balance was a side-effect/logical-consequence of the design. As an incident light meter it works a treat. As a white balance product it works a dream, however, you have to use it in the way it's designed, and that's not always 100% practical.

With the *ist-D manual WB reading is a complete breeze. All the others are a real pain because you have to do so many button presses, or capture a RAW frame (wasting space) and process later

If you have the Lee filter system, they do a set of 3 caps that goes over the end of the filter adapter which are pretty good for white balance setting.

In addition, I also have the QPcard - and that has its place. I find it easier to use the QPcard for product photography under complex/mixed lighting as it gives a full set of colours to match to as well.

Now that Silkypix has skin-whitebalance selection there are other ways to get WB. That and experience too

But the Expodisc still has a place, and the results I've got with it have been superb

Hope that helps!
Matt

Paranoid for good reason From what I've heard and read, identity theft is a thriving business these days.
Matt

I've used both the Eclipse/PecPad method and SensorSwabs (sp?) both dry and wet.

But, in the end, dust will always get in there - even with rigorous cleaning - so Photoshop's clone & healing brush is extremely useful.

(If you've been on ePhotozine at all and seen any of Keith Henson's work, and tried the RAW challenge he submitted from his Canon 1DsMkII you'll see just how much gunk there is even on a professional's CCD Having seen that I don't worry overly now!)

Matt