Dean- Just goes to show how people have to find what works for them. Even with all the 8' tubes (dozens of them in a ~40'x40' shop, including on the walls), the only way I can spot light marring is to turn off all my other lights and use high-wattage incandescent/tungsten lights. When I turn on the fluorescents all the fine imperfections disappear.
I used to detail in a *very* brightly illuminated showroom, again, with fluorescents. I'd get the cars perfect and then drive home, only to see all sorts of flaws under other lighting
Interesting about the metal halides, I've heard the same thing from some other people. My electrical contractor said they were the only way to upgrade from what I have now and I wasn't confident enough in them to spend the money.
What are the lights commonly used at gas stations and in outdoor parking lots...sodium vapor? I don't think that's right as my old neighborhood had sodium lights and they didn't show much.
The lights at one of our local stations bring out *all* the flaws quite vividly, but I don't know what they are.
Bill- Yeah, I almost mentioned the white paint thing
as it's now another thing on the never ending list. 
It remenids of the time that I looked at my paint under 1000 watt halogens and a jeweler's loop. 
Linear Mode
