i've just read Michael's amazon report and was sorry that they didn't get to use the better beamers (although i've been told not to expect too much wildlife on an Amazon cruise) as i'd like to know more about what works with flash in the rain (i'm going to Borneo this fall)

how do you protect camera and flash with a better beamer?

high voltage power supplies? i like to use a quantum turbo mounted to the bottom of my 20D (my 100-400 is happier with the 20D than 5D)

Flash in the rain looks awful. The raindrops reflect the flash and create an unusual, but likely undesirable effect.

Just put your camera in a Kata rain cover when it's raining and then attach remove it and attach the flash when it's not.

Michael

how about humidity and connections/circuitry even when it's not raining?

Flash duration is ususally very short, so flash tends to stop motion. In rain, the near drops will be bright and "frozen." The resulting effect isn't rain, but "What are those bright spots?"

With fill, the at subject effect isn't as pronounced but still ugly. Spot with a tail or just a spot.

The effect of flash in the rain is similar to using it underwater - backscatter! This ranges from sharp bright highlights of any droplests in focus, to soft lightish blotches of closer well illuminated but out of focus raindrops. Rarely are such images pleasant (although as with everything else there are exceptions). Incidently, getting a flash gun very wet can be spectacular. I remember one of mine going off with a rather terminal bang many years ago. Its surprising just how loud this can be.....

what recommendationds to avoid that bang?