UPS truck is on way :)

Toshido

Just checked the tracking number supplied from B&H. Brown truck is in town and on the way

Two brand new Vivitar 285HVs will be here today to play with. Umbrellas, umbrella holders, a light stand, they are all still on the way though.

Today is a good day

Toshido

Just got the umbrellas!

46" umbrellas are BIG. Maybe need to get some 33" umbrellas for ease of use. I am a happy happy man :ivar

ziggy53

Congratulations on the new stuff.

mr peas

I love new toys!

kdog

How are you planning on connecting your Ebay wireless triggers to the Vivitars?

Toshido

kdog wrote:

How are you planning on connecting your Ebay wireless triggers to the Vivitars?

Hotshoe..

I admit the vivitars are my second choice. First choice would have been sigme EF 530 supers. But at more than twice the price plus some ridiculous shipping to Canada I decided to go the cheaper route. This allowed me to also get the other accessories now and use the flashes to full potential.
Just means I hold onto my 430 EX for awhile longer to keep E-TTL capability.

kdog

Toshido wrote:

Hotshoe..

Doh, of course. That works. Yeah, I didn't want to spring for the Sigma's either. Manual control is better in the studio anyway. However, the ETTL remote control of manual settings would be nice.

cbbr

Watch that truck. Someone cleans out my wallet everytime it shows up.

Toshido

That truck is a blessing and a curse. Last delivery was $30 worth of toys (my new models see cool shots forum) and it cost $20 in brokerage fees.

I am scared of the 2.8 pound box and approximately $200 box arriving tomorrow. They did come today but I was picking up my kid from school (he had to pee or I would have been back in time), and wife was napping with our little one.

So tomorrow...

leaforte

Love to see the truck....and the big b&h box. They are pretty clean shippers.

CyberSteak

Toshido wrote:

That truck is a blessing and a curse. Last delivery was $30 worth of toys (my new models see cool shots forum) and it cost $20 in brokerage fees.

As soon as I seen brokerage fees I said..."Oh...fellow Canadian". Call them up. Bitch them out. Ask that they refund the brokerage fees. Don't take no for an answer. And if need be, remind them of the civil suit that was filed against them for these phantom charges they come up with.

<----Hates UPS with a passion.

Jane B.

Toshido wrote:

That truck is a blessing and a curse. Last delivery was $30 worth of toys (my new models see cool shots forum) and it cost $20 in brokerage fees.

I am scared of the 2.8 pound box and approximately $200 box arriving tomorrow. They did come today but I was picking up my kid from school (he had to pee or I would have been back in time), and wife was napping with our little one.

So tomorrow...

I am NOT Canadian but have read many posts that the trick for avoiding UPS brokerage fees is to NOT use GROUND. The higher shipping charges of the next tier do NOT have brokerage fees and that more than offsets the higher shipping charge!

Good Luck
Jane B.

Toshido

UPS offers a worldwide saver package now that has no brokerage fees. There is a problem though. I was looking at a full lighting set that would have been ~$70 UPS ground. UPS worldwide saver was ~$350....

Basically UPS is sticking it to residential users that do not have their own customs brokers. I actually got a recorded phone call from UPS yesterday about brokerage fees. Basically saying if I wanted to use my own broker I could call them and then they would not charge their brokerage fees. But how many people have their own custom brokers, or even know how to begin looking for one?

Jane B.

Toshido wrote:

UPS offers a worldwide saver package now that has no brokerage fees. There is a problem though. I was looking at a full lighting set that would have been ~$70 UPS ground. UPS worldwide saver was ~$350....

Basically UPS is sticking it to residential users that do not have their own customs brokers. I actually got a recorded phone call from UPS yesterday about brokerage fees. Basically saying if I wanted to use my own broker I could call them and then they would not charge their brokerage fees. But how many people have their own custom brokers, or even know how to begin looking for one?

You might want to PM Ann McRae as I have seen her posting about this over the years. I can't remember the exact choice she recommends but many seem to have found it worthwhile. I do remember part of it was a recommendation of what shipping to choose when ordering from B&H.
Jane B.

Toshido

Will look into that before my next purchase from them.

JohnBiggs

I'd look at this http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,4643.html

43" double fold umbrella folds smaller than a 33".

Toshido

JohnBiggs wrote:

I'd look at this http://www.mpex.com/browse.cfm/4,4643.html

43" double fold umbrella folds smaller than a 33".

By big i was referring to the open size. I am only using speedlights to light them for the forseeable future.

Toshido

I am shocked!!!!


The package arrived today with no brokerage fees!

Interesting that I got a commercial invoice and the flashes were billed to TAG-Photos. I am happy.

The vivitars are physically quite a bit larger then my 430 EX, but lighter. These are in no way replacements for my 430 EX as an on camera flash, but I did not buy these for that purpose either.
A lot of the controls seem foreign and strange, but easy to get to and use. Just need to read the book to figure out howto use them.

Now I am just waiting on a lightstand and umbrella holders. Gonna be having lots of fun int he near future. Glad I have lots of rechargeable AA batteries

Toshido

After playing a little with the vivitars I change my mind about the weight. They are about equal weight when loaded with batteries. the balance is a lot different thought.