#like it's fairly typical for newer units to come like this! DIYing it was so fun though!

[moe-broey]

OKAY. I. FINALLY HAVE DONE IT. IT TOOK A LOT OF TESTING AND TROUBLE SHOOTING AND FIGURING OUT BUT I THINK I HAVE IT

My Askr and Co. team!!!!!!! Sometimes I switch one of them out for story stuff (full immersion lmfao), but!!! It's them it's the OGs 🥺🥺🥺

Alfonse is still pretty much the same, but since the Dragon Flower limit was increased, I feel he no longer needs Fury! Which, removing it does synergize better with Florid Cane anyway, beyond the Canto gimmick (having an Atk/Spd bonus if kept healthy).

Biggest thing I needed to figure out though was who I was giving the special skills to (from an extra Acsended Mareeta and Felix). I WAS tempted to give them to Alfonse (head empty he means everything to me) but I came to the conclusion that Ruptured Sky works too well on him. I even think it's fun from a storytelling standpoint, where he's consistent almost to a fault -- can result in him being reliable, or juuust missing the mark (he's still adaptable as well though!). PLUS! Both are speed based skills, and even With my speedy Alfonse build, AND even with all those Dragon Flowers, Sharena outspeeds him at lower investment.

So it did come down to trying to decide which would work best between Sharena and Anna.

Sharena absolutely needed to be completely revised, since I realized I accidentally doubled up on Null Follow Up on her weapon and B slot (and her C slot was a wimpy Threaten skill lmfao). Ultimately I felt Felix's kit synergized better with Alfred's Arcane I gave to her -- espp Bulwark keeping her healthy! In this way I think I accidentally made her a tank. Especially with all the stat bonuses coming together, on top of a damage reduction special. Really my ONLY bit of grief here is she no longer has her special attack voicelines........... I'm SO sad about that 💔💔💔 (HOWEVER. IT. IS REALLY FUNNY.)

She's just standing there..... Menacingly........... (quite literally with the Menace skill too from the Summer Dimitri manual that's up for grabs. I'm not so sure if it Suits Her storytelling-wise but tbh it's funny. GO GIRL START KILLING‼️‼️‼️)

As for Anna! I actually haven't touched Anna's build in years, she's not a unit I ever use outside of the once a month free orb and sometimes for story... last I left her was with Life or Death 3, Vantage, and a Spur skill. I wanted to keep in line with this initial build though... bc I feel like it suits her.

Outside of this one time (very early on, before I really put a lot of thought into things) I Never use Life or Death (I'm too cautious HAHAH) so I was comfortable giving her a Life or Death 4 I had laying around. BEYOND THAT. IT WAS. SUCH A NIGHTMARE. To figure out What the rest of her kit should be. A Lot of trial and error, testing, troubleshooting, everything. Because the BIGGEST THING is I wanted to keep Nóatún on her. She gets INSANE movement from it, and I felt like if I could Just Get This Right, I could pull off something as gimmicky as my Hit and Run Canto Alfonse. You have to trade SO much power for that movement, and she's already made of glass and paper the way I'm building her (but I am SO committed to this idea bc it's EXACTLY how I conceptualize her character in my mind -- strong starter, hard hitter, high movement = speedy and lots of experience on the battle field!! And SOMETHING in her C and Seal slots to communicate teamwork and commanding.)

EVENTUALLY. WHAT I THINK WORKS. Spurn helps her Not Die As Much/As Quickly (thank you damage reduction), and I think the balance between Oath/Solo skills gets the idea across.

BUT ALSO. THIS. THE MOST FUCKED UP THING I DESPERATELY WANTED TO SHOW OFF IT'S SO FUCKING GOOD!!!!!!!!!

LOOK at this. LOOK at how STUPID this is. How by giving Alfonse Odd Tempest HE IS. SO POWERFUL. HE MAKES A KILLER OPENING (EXACTLY AS HE ALWAYS SAYS HE WILL‼️‼️‼️). Reposition into Canto into look at him fucking go. He's fucking gone. Halfway across the battlefield. AND ANNA HAS FANTASTIC SYNERGY WITH THIS!!!!! Being able to get That One Extra Space thanks to Nóatún!!!!!!!! (Unfortunately this was a terrible matchup and she died instantly, but this is more for demonstration purposes 🫡)

I am a little sad that Sharena gets left on the back lines when this works out but. I think she's still doing her part. Esp since I'm testing out Ardent Sacrifice on her, where I typically exclusively only use Reposition and always have a healer. On top of eating hits, she also covers for her allies as well! Making sure they're okay :)

Finally! Takumi! I. Have no idea how he fits in here tbh I don't even know how Pathfinder works. But I love him so much so dearly and he's here because he's a highly respected veteran member of the Order of Heroes. Also everyone say thank you Alcryst for fucking finally giving him a usable weapon and decent skills (I have gone through SO MANY ideations of base Takumi builds and they have NEVER been on the level of stronger units he was ALWAYS WOEFULLY OUTCLASSED. Which is DEVASTATING bc I really like using base forms sometimes!!!!). I'm SO happy he's finally on par w stronger units now!!!! OH. AND. THE MAJOR THING ABOUT HIM ACTUALLY. Is once he gets the ball rolling he is procing Deadeye every fucking turn. Just like in Fates... 🥺🥺🥺 (killing and maiming and violence complete with a cheeky attitude and bravado!)

[markjsaterfiel66]

Batteries? What For?

This is a guest blog post from Andrew Shepherd. Andrew has been studying electronics in earnest for over a decade and loves working with his mind and hands. He specializes in analog electronics, but his interests are eclectic and span seemingly unrelated areas.

If you need a project to be portable, here’s a small crash course on some of the batteries that are available and what situations they are good for.

Types:

There are two main types of batteries: primary and secondary – batteries that can be recharged and those that are one-use-only. Today we'll cover only the most relevant and available types for the sake of brevity, as the full catalog of battery types could fill pages. We will also only explore certain secondary batteries.

Lead-Acid - This is the oldest type of rechargeable battery. They can supply a lot of current but are also very heavy compared to newer types. They tend to be used in cars and stationary equipment, like UPSs (Uninterruptible Power Supplies), due to their durability and tolerance for low temperatures. Cell voltage is ~2.1 V each, but they typically come in 6V or 12V packs. Charging and discharging is quite simple, as long as the upper and lower voltage bounds are not grossly exceeded and the charge current is not too high. If they are abused they can outgas hydrogen and potentially explode.

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Lead Acid Battery - 12V 7.2Ah

In stock PRT-15066

This is a Panasonic Sealed Lead Acid Battery. It is a valve regulated rechargeable battery. These units are designed to provi…

$47.95

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NiMH - These are an improvement on the NiCd batteries, and are a proven and reliable battery technology. They are more power dense than lead-acids, but have a lower cell voltage of ~1.2V under load. Recharging and discharging is also fairly simple given that you don’t draw current below a certain voltage. If abused they can overheat and lose a lot of their capacity.

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2500 mAh NiMH Battery - AA

In stock PRT-00335

2500mAh 1.2V Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable 'AA' batteries. [NiMH technology](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_metal_hy…

$2.95

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LiPo/Li-Ion - The difference between LiPo and Li-Ion is subtle and the technologies are typically combined for most batteries, so they will be regarded together. These are lightweight, high power density, high cell voltage (3.7V under load). Their output current capability is consistently better than NiMH for a given size. Their disadvantage is they are less stable than other batteries and care must be taken when charging or discharging. The charging process is more complicated and requires a special process to avoid damage. For multi-cell systems, cell balancing is required for charging and discharging. If these batteries are abused, they can explode and shoot flames and fluoride gas everywhere.

Types of LiPos

These things come in all shapes and sizes and can be used for many applications due to their high power density.

Small Li-Ion Flat Packs - These are useful for small projects and most can interface directly with many SparkFun products. Paper-thin, flexible batteries also exist and may be best for wearables.

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Lithium Ion Battery - 850mAh

In stock PRT-13854

These are very slim, extremely light weight batteries based on Lithium Ion chemistry. Each cell outputs a nominal 3.7V at 850…

$9.95

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18650s - Shaped like a large AA battery, these are a versatile store-and-replace cell with lots of current capability and capacity. Their main advantage is they can be swapped in and out, or be bundled together into a pack.

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Lithium Ion Battery - 18650 Cell (2600mAh)

In stock PRT-12895

No, these aren't some sort of weird, AA battery, this is actually a 18650 Lithium Ion Cell. These round high capacity cells h…

$5.95

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Multicell Packs - If you need more voltage than 3.7V this is the way to go. You’ll need a charger capable of cell balancing to use them, however.

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Lithium Ion Battery - 2200mAh 7.4v

In stock PRT-11856

This high discharge LiPo is a great way to power any R/C, robotic, or portable project. This is an excellent choice for anyth…

$15.95

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USB LiPo Pack - These are useful for small Arduino projects because they provide USB power (5V at 1A) in a small, handy package.

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Lithium Ion Battery Pack - 2.5Ah (USB)

In stock PRT-14367

We've taken the classic, portable, rechargeable lithium ion battery pack and tweaked the design to make it amenable to low cu…

$8.95

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LiPo Management

USB Chargers - This USB LiPoly Charger runs from either a DC jack or a micro USB connection and charges a single cell Li-Po through a common JST connector. It also has an output port so it can be used in a project without reconnecting the battery after charging. This charger lets you adjust how much current you want to charge with a basic USB charger.

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SparkFun LiPo Charger/Booster - 5V/1A

In stock PRT-14411

The SparkFun 5V/1A LiPo Charger/Booster is a no-nonsense circuit for generating one amp from a Lithium Polymer battery at 5V.…

$15.95

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Boost Converter - This takes a single cell 3.8V LiPo and boosts the voltage up to 5V to make it usable for most microcontroller and LED circuits. It can source up to 1A of current.

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LiPower - Boost Converter

In stock PRT-10255

The LiPower board is based on the incredibly versatile TPS61200 boost converter. The board is configured to be used with a Li…

$15.95

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Multiple Cells

What if you need more voltage or current capability? The solution is to add cells in series for more voltage, and cells in parallel for increased current capability and capacity. With LiPos especially, it is critical the cells can charge and discharge correctly. You can put cells in parallel with each other, but they must be protected somehow. Otherwise, they can discharge into each other and cause damage. One way is to use a Schottky diode in series with each cell, which will allow current to pass out of each cell but prevent damage if one cell gets lower than the others.

Charging multiple cells requires cell balancing or separate chargers for each cell. The advantage of 18650s is that they can be removed and charged separately in a bay like this.

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Tenergy T4s Intelligent Universal Charger - 4-Bay

In stock TOL-14457

The 4-Bay T4s Intelligent Universal Charger from Tenergy is an automatic smart charger compatible with almost all types of re…

$29.95

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Useful Resources and Further Learning

Dave Jones of EEVBlog explains the charging process of LiPos. It lends clues as to why the charging process is more complicated than NiMH or other batteries, and discusses how you could make a charger yourself.

This website carries a lot of different types of batteries, including special ones that might be hard to find elsewhere.

DIY battery charger using the TP4056 chip.

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[sailorrrvenus]

DIY Lighting Performance Boosters

For many years, I have been modifying and adapting lighting and camera equipment to better fit my style of shooting. The process of altering lighting gear, as well as combining products that were not originally intended to work together, is of particular importance to me these days, as I constantly mix and match the best from many different brands.

I have always loved using ring flashes for close-up shooting. Earlier, high-end ring flashes from the major brands were rather heavy, and without modeling lights.

Around 2002, when Broncolor launched the more advanced Ringflash C, I shot their launch campaign but decided to forgo their mounting bracket. For my own use, I built a sturdy, dual rail system that allowed for easier and more secure camera mounting.

The Broncolor ring flash is not a self-contained unit — it requires a relatively heavy power pack and has a big cable that can slow one down on fast moves — when shooting on location, for example.

I now prefer to use the Godox/Flashpoint AR400 Ring Flash, which is a very convenient, self-contained unit. Unfortunately, this product has not been updated for a few years and does not have the built-in 2.4GHz system that is part of the company’s newer flashes.

However, this ring flash delivers great performance otherwise and also has a strong LED modeling light function. I find it works best with a sync cable, which is a small compromise, given the many other advantages of this light. It also is not very heavy.

Like all the other ring flash models available on the market today, the AR400 comes standard with the typical camera mounting bracket that I personally find unusable. Therefore, I decided once again to build my own bracket from various RRS, Broncolor and Elinchrom parts.

Taking advantage of the 1/4″ stand mount on the AR400, this DYI bracket was easy to put together. It adds excellent ergonomics and one can hand hold the contraption without strain.

I also love shooting with Broncolor Paras. I worked with the Para 330 since 1999, as I also photographed the original launch campaign for the brand.

Over the years, Broncolor has updated the design of the Para many times, and it is now available in several sizes. I use the 88, 133 and 222, but I recently thought of an un-intended application that delivers great results! The Focusing Tube and Tube Mount from the Para 88 can readily be used for indirect lighting setups, with a number of other modifiers, as long as these modifiers come with a Broncolor speed ring or Broncolor mount.

The smooth and well-designed Broncolor focusing system is far superior in my opinion than other similar products out there. My two favorite modifiers to use in this rogue combination are Broncolor’s own Beauty Box 65, and Elinchrom’s Rotalux 100 Octabox.

In my opinion, both modifiers are greatly improved when used with indirect lighting, and the focusing system allows to perfectly adjust the position of the flash head into the sweet spot. I like to fill these modifiers very evenly with light, so in both cases, the flash tube pretty much lines up with the outer edges of the modifiers.

Like the ring flash, these two modifiers deliver the best result when used fairly close to the subject. At such close range, the relatively large size of the beauty dish and the octabox can get it in the way of the camera, and one normally has to rig them from above or from the side. In order to be able to position them straight on, I decided to add a double slide zipper into one the panels of each modifier, to allow shooting directly through them!

This idea is not new, and one can find a few soft boxes that come standard with a zipper. The issue is that the few available models with zippers are generally of somewhat parabolic type, and therefore quite focused in character. I prefer to use more shallow and wider angle designs.

Installing a zipper is extremely easy, any local sewing shop can do it for little cost. This is ideal for many types of close up and macro applications when one is not interested in directional lighting or lots of shadows.

Another interesting combination comes also from Flashpoint. The Magnum reflector seems intended to be used on the standard larger units, such as the 600 Pro. However, to my initial surprise, this large reflector performs superbly well with the small bare bulb of the Evolv 200 and the AD-B2 bracket.

This combo yields tremendous power and is ideal for HSS in the brightest sunlight. This creates a very spotted light, closely comparable to a fully spotted fresnel at close distance. This combination works best for shooting with a longer lens, for close- up shooting, but is still impressive when used further out.

For some reason, the small flash tube of the Evolv 200, hits the Magnum in such an optimal way, that the resulting output is nothing short of phenomenal. In addition, this is a very inexpensive setup, which makes it even harder to believe how well it works. Comparably, the same Magnum on the 600 Pro works just fine but is not as exciting and dramatic as when used with its smaller cousin.

About the author: Markus Klinko is an international fashion/celebrity photographer who has worked with many of today’s most iconic stars of film, music, and fashion. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. You can find more of Klinko’s work on his website and Instagram.

source https://petapixel.com/2018/12/10/diy-lighting-performance-boosters/