These two comets are indeed tough ones at present.
C/2004 B1 (LINEAR) has not brightened (thus far) at the rate anticipated, and may struggle to surpass 11th magnitude.
C/2005 E2 (McNaught) is doing a little better, but there's only a few weeks left to see it well here. It's a pity that this comet makes it closest approach to the Sun on the far side from us - if circumstances had been otherwise, it could have been an easy binocular object.
....
