bob_flood1

<p>I cannot hand hold a long lens any more, so I use a tripod or monopod 100% of the time. So I, too, needed a solution for shooting from my vehicle. Being on a tight budget, I chose to look elsewhere besides the devices designed for photography - the prices were just too high. I found my solution in the hunting department of a local Sportsman's Warehouse store.</p> <p>It's a beanbag support intended for use to stabilize the aim of a rifle for a long distance shot. It is designed to be placed on a tree limb, rock, fence, or other handy spot, and it has a slot in its upper side into which the barrel of the rifle can fit to provide support. It is made by a company named Caldwell and it cost me about $16.</p> <p>I simply turn it upside down - the slot fits over the partially opened window and I rest my lens on the bean bag. Works very nicely. I leave this bean bag in my car all the time.<br> <img 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<p>How do you like high ISO shots using your a7? Shooting with a long lens will require fast shutter speeds, the kind that will force you to shoot at high ISO - in the 800-3200 range. If you are satisfied with the a7's high ISO results, then stick with the camera you know. If you have learned to not shoot at high ISO because you don't like the results, then you need to consider a different camera with better high ISO performance.<br /><br />Are you familiar with Canon camera controls? If not, renting a Canon will cause much frustration and missed shots trying to change settings on the fly. If you feel the need for a different body, perhaps the a77 is the way to go. There's another incentive to get another body - changing lenses to get a shot of an animal that's close by will lead to missed shots, but changing cameras doesn't. Getting an a77 like you mentioned would allow you to take an a77 with a long lens and the a7 with a short lens - a very practical setup that doesn't require swapping lenses in the field.<br /><br />Shooting with long lenses is a skill that must be learned. Some learn it faster than others, and some (like me) never get the hang of hand-holding a long lens and getting sharp images. Whatever route you choose to go, I strongly recommend you obtain the equipment in advance and practice, practice, practice. Don't try to learn how to use a specialized device like a 600 mm lens while on the trip of a lifetime.<br /><br />Plan to use either a monopod or tripod. Even if you have a talent for shooting with long lenses, the weight will become a burden as your trip progresses. I have no safari experience, but what I read makes me think that you probably can't count on having the time or the space to set up a tripod routinely. I would plan to use a monopod.<br /><br />Vibration control technology is wonderful and very much worth having. It helps even when using a monopod, although most find it counter-productive when the rig is mounted on a tripod. But it's not mandatory - a sturdy support and high shutter speeds have been getting good shots long before vibration control technology became available.<br /><br />But be warned! Getting good shots of wildlife in the wild is addictive. I think getting a used a77 and either buying or renting the Tamron will serve you well, but you might not want to give them up after your trip.</p>

<p>Interested in wildlife? There's a salmon run in the Skagit River in December and January, and it attracts eagles. Do a web search for Skagit eagle festival and you'll find info about where (Skagit River Valley). You should expect to need at least a 300 mm lens, longer would be better. You can also expect to see eagles and large flocks of snow geese in the Skagit delta near the Puget Sound. When I was there 2 years ago, the weather was sensational.</p> <p>The ferries that move people around the greater Seattle area go to the San Juan Islands, and they can be beautiful, but be mindful of the weather. You can drive onto a ferry at Anacortes and go to San Juan Island and others. Driving around the island will present good opportunities, as well as what you'll see from the ferry (might include orcas).</p>

<p>The main road out of Jackson WY going north is US89, and it will be kept open all winter. US89 turns right at Moran Junction and goes east out of GTNP. The road north from Moran Junction will also be kept open but only as far as Flagg Ranch. The parking lot there is used as parking for those meeting the snow coaches that take people staying at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge in Yellowstone.</p> <p>The road that departs US89 at Moose Junction and goes along the west side of the valley is kept open only up to about Jenny Lake (but not including the Jenny Lake complex of roads and parking, in my experience). The road from US89 to Gros Ventre is kept open - that's a local road with a fair number of residences out there. If you take the road north from Moran Jct, you can turn off to get to the dam at Jackson Lake . That road will be open for some distance south of the dam, but I can't say how far.</p> <p>Winterizing - I, too, have always carried a spare battery in my shirt pocket under all the layers of clothing to keep the battery warm, and have never needed it (but I'll still carry it). I take a handful of Zip-Loc bags on my winter trips, and I put each camera body and each lens in a bag and zip each closed before going into a motel at the end of the day. A lot of motels run a humidifier in winter to help with the comfort level - humid air feels warmer than dry air at the same temperature. Taking a camera from near zero degrees outdoors into roughly 70 degree humidity is inviting condensation, and Zip-Loc bags are cheap insurance against this causing trouble. It only takes 30-45 minutes in a motel room for the camera gear to reach room temp, at which point I get everything out of the bags, collapse the bags and re-zip them for the next day.</p>

<p>You are quite right - you don't want to sleep in your car. You have 3 choices, one of which is rather expensive.</p> <p>The costly one would be to stay in the park at Old Faithful. You have to meet the snow coach outside the south gate (north of Jackson Hole) and be taken by the coach to the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. You could arrange tours by snow coach and could get around on the trails by cross country ski or snow shoes.</p> <p>The second option offers staying inside or outside the park. The hotel at Mammoth Hot Springs will be open, and the park keeps open the road entering the park at Gardiner MT and from there across the north side of the park through the Lamar Valley to Cooke City. Those are the only roads kept open in the park in winter. You can check the rates for the hotel at Mammoth and the motels in Gardiner online. I haven't done this one yet - I hope to get there this winter. There are snow coach tours available from Mammoth - check online.</p> <p>The third option I have done myself and can recommend it. West Yellowstone MT is immediately outside the west gate to the park. We stayed at the Brandin' Iron Inn and took 2 snow coach tours (that's all they offered). One goes from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful and back, and the other goes from West Yellowstone to the canyon (both upper and lower falls) and back, each being a single day round trip. The motel - spacious rooms, clean, not luxurious but plenty comfortable, and they have good rooms under $100 a night in winter. Included breakfast. The family that owns the Brandin' Iron (and other motels) also owns and operates the snow coach tours and rent snowmobiles. Very well done - we had a different driver/guide on each tour, and both were as friendly and knowledgeable as you could ask for. Each tour runs $114 per person. The vehicles are comfortable, the driver will stop if anyone on board spots an animal, and they stay abreast of where animals have been sighted in recent days.</p> <p>Also in West Yellowstone is the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, a nonprofit preserve that houses rescued animals in enclosures that allow the animals some freedom of movement. Bears only hibernate when there's no adequate food supply, not because of cold. So the bears and wolves will be active in winter. The center is well designed to offer opportunities to get photos of the animals at closer ranges than you could hope for in the wild. I recommend this.</p>

<p>Adorama has a house brand charger for the EN-EL3e battery for $9.95. It will charge the D70s EN-EL3 battery, too.</p> <p>The flash has a spring mechanism and a small catch arm that either holds the flash in the closed position or lets it pop up when the arm is retracted. If that little arm is worn or has a chip out of it on its end, that may be releasing the flash at times other than when the camera wants to release it. If this happens to be your situation, I'm afraid there's nothing to do but live with it - if Nikon could repair it, the cost wouldn't be justifiable for a $30 camera.</p> <p>But Mr. Currie is correct - the flash will be popped up if the camera decides a flash is needed when using Auto mode, but the flash won't pop up or fire in P, S, A, or M modes unless you press the button to release the flash first.</p>

<p>This is a reply from an American who has only rented for use in the USA.</p> <p>We have our personal cars insured by State Farm (this is not an endorsement - I just can't say I know how this works for all insurance companies). Our coverage extends to any passenger vehicle we drive, regardless of whether we own the vehicle, including rental cars. The only thing that State Farm does NOT cover for a rental car is "loss of use." The rental car company can charge the renter who returns a damaged vehicle the daily rental rate for the time from when the car is returned and the date when the car can return to service after repairs, or until the car is sold. There are limitations on this - for each day the company wants to charge you, the rental car site has to be out of vehicles in order to say they don't have a car to rent because the only one they own are in a repair shop because of your accident. </p> <p>But there is a solution for this. VISA credit cards provide insurance for a rental car if you pay for the rental using your VISA card. Their insurance includes loss of use. So I just make sure I always use a VISA card. It is my understanding that MasterCard offers this coverage only for its higher end cards, and that Discover doesn't offer it at all, but that information may be out of date - you should check with the credit card company to be certain. If you have a Bank of Nowhere MasterCard, don't ask the Bank of Nowhere what the coverage is - they probably don't know, and may give you erroneous info. Check with the credit card company instead to get the correct info.</p> <p>As a matter of routine, I use my cell phone to photograph every car I rent when I get the car, and send them to someone before leaving the rental car facility - that establishes the condition of the car and sending the images establishes the date and time as the time of rental. I photograph the car the same way when I return it, too. I have read of cases of some renters being notified of damage days to weeks after returning the car and being charged repair costs, although that has all been hearsay - I don't know anyone who has personally experienced this. But cell phone photos are so easy, I take the pictures just in case.</p> <p>My wife and I also experienced an attempted scam for the first time a few weeks ago. We travelled to Atlanta for some Grandma/Grandpa time, and the employee at the rental car counter told us that in the state of Georgia no one's personal car insurance covers a rental car, so declining the offered coverage means driving with no insurance at all. Taking advantage of the convenience of cell phones, I called our agent back in Las Vegas while standing at the counter and was assured we had coverage everywhere, and the rental agent probably earns a commission on every insurance purchase he gets. In my almost 70 years, this is the one and only time I have ever encountered such an overt scam, so I certainly don't think it is prevalent. I did explain to the agent where he could park his rental car before we walked away.</p>

<p>A note about Nikon trivia that has a small potential to confuse a buyer - Nikon made and sold a group of lenses called "Series E" around 1980, and these lenses should not be confused with the current E types with electronic aperture controls. The old Series E lenses don't have the well known meter coupling, so I presume one could be visually mistaken for a modern E lens. I see this as a potential problem mainly if the owner of an older body that isn't modern-E compatible finds an old Series E lens that might be a candidate for purchase, but chooses not to, thinking the lens is a newer electronic aperture lens. Like I said, this doesn't look like a significant issue - more a bit of Nikon trivia.</p>

<p>I suggest you look into Fall Creek Falls State Park. It's up on the Cumberland escarpment above Dayton TN and offers a lot of access to the falls and creeks around the falls. The easy view of the falls is from above. The hike to the bottom is strenuous, so this disabled retiree hasn't made that journey. But the park will have excellent fall color and a very nice waterfall. For this and for Cades Cove, I heartily recommend avoiding weekends because of the crowds.</p> <p>West of Chattanooga is a section of the Tennessee River that folks there like to call the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee - I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's a undeveloped stretch of the river through a steep gorge that is quite scenic, and shows a lot of color in the fall. There are few roads (undeveloped area), but roads are there that don't require 4WD or high clearance. The view of the gorge from the top of Lookout Mountain is good if the haze is below normal.</p>

<p>The problem of spots on the sensor, stemming (I think) from some issues with the shutter mechanism, appeared in the D600. Nikon addressed the problem by upgrading shutter mechanisms in customers' D600s and replacing the D600 in their product line with the D610, which has a different shutter from the D600. I am unaware of any consistent problems in the D610.</p> <p>That was a major factor in my decision to buy one. I've had mine for less than a year so far and have not had any problems at all. I, too, purchased the body based on already having older film-era lenses. In my case, my telephoto lenses are all FX compatible, but I use my 30-40 year old manual focus AI lenses for wide angle and normal focal lengths. They work beautifully, and the manual focus doesn't bother me because 1) I have lots of experience using them, and 2) the subjects I shoot with those focal lengths are stationary - easy to get the focus right.</p> <p>I have Nikon DX bodies that have worked very well, but I have to say that the D610's image quality, especially at higher ISOs, is sensational.</p>

<p>I concur with Shun and Wouter - my 16-85 is relatively slow compared to other lenses.<br> However, I suggest you try to put your 16-85 on a different body to see if it focuses faster on that other camera. Any Nikon DSLR will do - DX or FX. If your 50 focuses faster than your 16-85 (and it should), I also suggest trying it on the other body, too, to see if the focus speeds of both lenses seem to behave like what you see with your D7200.<br> I hope you find that there's no problem. The statement that the 16-85 focuses accurately but is not an action lens is a very good description.</p>

<p>My only experience with this is out of date, but who knows - it might be useful.</p> <p>I had a card full of Nikon D70 files corrupted while in Alaska, and Windows couldn't do anything to help. One of my Sandisk cards (don't recall which or when this was) came with a small CD with Sandisk's RescuePro software on it. I ran that program and it recovered all but 2 NEFs out of more than 100. This was in 2008, which means in computer years that was in the Jurassic Period. Nevertheless, RescuePro is available as a free download in its basic form, and it's hard to pass on something that might work and won't cost anything. Sandisk used to have an advanced version that wasn't free, but I don't know if they still offer that or what additional capability it might have.</p>

<p>There are two HUGE precautions to using isopropyl alcohol.</p> <p>First, do not use the common Walmart-grade of iso - it's only about 70% alcohol and the rest is water of uncertain origin and will likely leave a haze behind on the otherwise clean glass. Go to a stand-alone pharmacy and get pharmaceutical grade isopropyl - you may have to ask for it at the prescription counter, and be specific about pharmaceutical grade. An equal alternative would be to get reagent grade iso at a chemical supply company, but it's likely to come in a larger size at a larger price than you'd want.</p> <p>Second, NEVER pour or drop any form of alcohol onto the lens surface. It is so much thinner than water that it will flow to the edges of the element and then BEHIND and into the lens' interior. Then there's no telling how bad the effects can be. Dampen a suitable lintless cloth with the alcohol and use it to gently wipe the surface of the lens. At this point in the cleaning process, you are not cleaning off the orignal stuff - you are just loosening and removing any residual cleaning materials, so no rubbing is needed or advisable. A simple soft wipe is sufficient. (And "dampen" means using a little alcohol - having enough in the cloth that some liquid squeezes out during use can have the same adverse effects as pouring alcohol on the lens.)</p> <p>Before I retired, I ran a laboratory that used optical couplings for instruments that used things like light pipes and photomultiplier tubes, and in the American tradition of learning the hard way, I found the difference between cheap and pharmceutical isopropyl for cleaning optical surfaces.</p>

<p>I'd like to add to Randy's post. I agree that avoiding weekends is very much worthwhile. Addtionally, if you still want to be there on a weekend, use Google/Bing/whatever to look at the University of Tennessee fooball schedule and take care to avoid a weekend when UT is playing a home game in Knoxville. A lot of the folks who travel to see the game like to stay near the fall foliage, and so the rooms in Gatlinburg and areas around Cade's Cove fill up, and roads that were never built for lots of traffic have to cope with lots of traffic. The Mon-Thu advice is very sound. The only break one gets on a football weekend is gametime - you can have Cade's Cove almost to yourself for the hours the game is going on plus about 2 hours added before and after the game. The rest of the weekend you can get to Cade's Cove faster by walking than driving.</p>

<p>As has been said before, the best camera is the one that you use. Ask your friend to visit local stores that sell cameras that are candidates, and handle them - he should get a feel for the size, weight, location of controls, etc. Chances are he'll find one that seems to appeal to him more than the others - that's the one.<br> Everything available today has enough pixels - it's no longer a consideration. The difference between a camera with a viewfinder and one that has to be held out to use the LCD are huge factors and he should try both ( if the LCD is uncomfortable to use in general, it gets really bad when zooming out to the telephoto range). The electric zoom control of a P&S versus a hand-controlled zoom on a DSLR can be another huge factor. The viewfinder and zoom control were reasons for 2 friends of mine to replace P&S cameras with DSLRs - again, the best camera is the one you actually use.<br> For the antiques to a certain degree, and moreso for the flowers, a movable LCD screen that can be used to compose closer-to-ground shots can be very helpful, too.</p>

<p>I recall reading about the tripod issue at MP. If taking a tripod is going to be a problem, check on taking a hiking pole. You get an adjustable-height hiking pole (I got mine at Sportsman's Warehouse) that has an end cap that can be unscrewed and removed to reveal a 1/4-20 thread to which you can attach a camera. I found that the steadiness I gained by simply resting the camera on the top of the pole (without removing the end cap) was sufficient such that I rarely used the threaded end. I have been allowed to bring the pole into several facilities that prohibit tripods and have never been questioned about it. A pole like this might help cope with the low ISO film you want to use combined with filters and changing weather.</p>

I had to post again to endorse Mr Lewis' statements about water - I should have included the same in my first post. It's a desert all year round out here and the need to stay hydrated never goes away. Even though it may be cool at some location, the dry air will still dry you out. Mr. Henderson's statement about random exploration is also praiseworthy - there's so much to see that unplanned, random exploration (great term for it!) will waste a lot of your time. Good planning will get much, much more from your vacation time. Lodging - if you are budget conscious, you will find most of the lodging in Springdale immediately outside Zion Canyon to be rather expensive (although there may be some seasonal reductions). I usually stay in Hurricane, a town about 20 miles west of Zion Canyon. There are national chain motels there at lower prices. Likewise, at Bryce, the legendary place to stay (for longer than the park has been a park) is Ruby's, which is immediately outside the park entrance. It's a Best Western, but be advised that there are 2 Best Westerns there, Ruby's and a brand new one across the road. The rooms at Ruby's are large enough and clean, quite satisfactory every time I've stayed there, and generally run under $100 per night. The new Best Western across the road runs considerably higher. Ruby's has a nice general store that is stocked for campers, too, plus a slightly high priced but otherwise good restaurant.

Going in Sep means you'll miss the fall foliage, but everything else will be just fine. The north rim is better than the south rim for crowds - 90% of all visitors to the park go to the south side. The north rim closes in mid-late Oct - the date will be scheduled and announced in advance as the parks closes all the facilities and de-staffs, but the roads may remain open until the snow flies IF the park service has rangers that can patrol the north side. Be prepared for cool weather on the north rim. It's at 8,000 ft and temps will be 25-30 degrees cooler than Las Vegas just due to elevation difference. Lows around freezing are a realistic possibility, and highs in the 70s would be unusually hot. You'll experience large temperature changes within a single day at all the parks, so clothing needs to be adaptable. There's only one lodge in the park on the north side, and lodging outside the park is rather distant (1-1.5 hours drive from the rim, less if you don't get caught). So I recommend staying in the park and you should make reservations ASAP, and it may already be too late. In my experience, the lodging at Jacob Lake and Fredonia isn't awful but isn't great either, and the lodging in Kanab UT is better but father away. Plan for a 5.5 hour drive from Las Vegas to the north rim. The drive up to Zion is only a couple of hours, and less than that from Zion to Bryce. The valley you'll drive thru between Zion and Bryce is full of farms and rather attractive - it may slow you a bit for photos on the way. You could easily spend your entire week in any one of the parks you plan to visit, so you'll need to do some planning to limit your time in each. Doing any serious hiking in any of the parks will require time, and I suggest you limit how much hiking you want to try to just a couple of the parks and skip it in others. If you can skip hiking down among the hoodoos in Bryce, that park can be done in a single day (be sure to be at Sunset Point at sunset - the hoodoos fairly glow in the nearly horizontal light at the end of the day). There are so many great hikes in Zion and the GC that you need to do some homework on what you'd like to see. Capital Reef is a tougher call - so much of the park cannot be reached by road that some hiking will be mandatory. And BTW, the drive on UT12 from Bryce to Capital Reef is spectacular. The road runs along the edge of the Escalante Grand Staircase NM, and follows the knife-edge top of some ridges. Looking down can be a challenge for people with issues about heights, and the 2 lane road has no shoulder and only several feet of space on either side in a few spots. But there are views to photograph that are amazing. Expect this drive to take a lot more time than the distance would suggest.

<p>The Twilight movies were filmed in and around Forks, and the local folks lean heavily on that credential. We even saw a road-side stand selling Twilight firewood for campers.</p> <p>As already advertised, the beaches offer the best (and truly classic) shooting opportunities at low tide, but good coastal scenery shots can be had from the bluffs above the beaches when the tide is in. The difficulty with this is that find vantage points for such shots along wooded bluffs is quite timeconsuming, a significant problem for those us who are just visitors and do not have the time for this that locals have.</p>

<p>Your plan will have you doing a fair amount of driving to get around to the various entrances to the park, but that's kind of inevitable given the locations of lodging and area covered. When my wife and I visited there a couple of years ago, we spent several nights in Port Angeles (excellent accommodations and restaurants) and a few nights in Forks (disappointing lodging and restaurants). The Port Angeles base of operation was well suited to getting into the park on its north side, although we couldn't get but a short distance into the Elwa entrance because an old hydro-electric dam was being torn down causing closure of that area. That project must be completed by now. Staying in Forks, of course, gave use better access to the park's west side and to the coast. I suggest you consider splitting your stay between La Push and Port Angeles - it would be a bit easier on your driving.</p> <p>My experiences with Seattle visits in summer have excellent - what my Dad used to call "Chamber of Commerce weather" every time. So my guess is that you'll have sunshine most (and maybe all) of the time. That's not always a good thing - fog on the coast can make for good shooting, and sunshine coming through the canopy of the rainforest makes contrast a real problem trying to shoot on the forest floor.</p> <p>For the west side, I found it convenient to get into one of the park entrances first thing in the morning, and get over to one of the beaches on the coast in the second half of the afternoon (I like the light conditions). Bear in mind that I had no ambitions to hike - I'm disabled and getting to some of the beaches was a challenge, and walking much distance just wasn't in the cards. You will probably allocate the days' hours differently.</p> <p>I found Hurricane Ridge to be a place I'd spend either a half day or a week, and since I didn't have a week, we went up early in the morning and were back down to sea level for lunch. Watch for deer up there, and lots of lupine. We spent the afternoon of that day in the Sequim area - lavender was fully in bloom and there were eagles along the beaches.</p> <p>On your last day I think you'll have time for the Skagit Valley OR Seattle, but not both. The Skagit should be in bloom and have some amazing shots to offer. In Seattle, Pike Place Market is the major attraction, and there are some very nice restaurants along the waterfront. But other than that, I can't offer much info about what else is available.</p>

<p>I have good friends who have taken more than a dozen European river cruises, and their experience makes me think you will have the trip of a lifetime.</p> <p>The river cruises stop in very good places to explore, and usually have some sort of included tours in some of those places, but there is an enormous amount of interesting scenic and historic landscape you'll only see from the boat. While a lot of people would ordinarily not take a 100-400 on such a vacation trip, I think you'll find it useful for shots from the boat - some of those castles are far enough from the river to require a decent lens. I also find the combination of cameras and lenses you described to be quite adequate. It's good to have 2 cameras along in case of a malfunction - you don't want to spend the trip of a lifetime taking no shots because the one and only camera you brought stopped working on day 2 of 15. Your stated lens choices give each of you good wide angle to modest telephoto capability and the 100-400 will provide added reach when circumstances warrant it.</p> <p>A word about the tripod: river cruises may be different, but my experience on the big ocean-going cruise ships is that space enough to set up a tripod will be hard to come by while on board. When the boat is passing good scenery and the weather cooperates, everyone will be on deck, and the space a tripod uses can make you very unpopular in a hurry. Also, and maybe more important, to maintain positive control of the boat, the crew never shuts off the engines, which means there's a fine vibration 100% of the time, and the 3 legs of the tripod will transmit those vibrations from the deck into your camera. The alternative I used was to extend only one leg and use the tripod on board as a monopod. That way I took up no extra room, and by resting that one leg on the top of my foot, I insulated the monopod/camera from the vibrations. If you have a balcony in your room, you'll have space for the tripod without bothering other passengers, but with a view only on your side of the boat, and the vibration issue will still be a problem.</p> <p>I strongly suggest taking a polarizing filter, too. You'll undoubtedly have lots of images that include the river, and the filter can help you cope with glare on the water. Many centuries-old buildings are decorated with colorful tile trim and mosaics, and a polarizer will help minimize reflected light and let the colors show through. I wouldn't try to take one to fit the 100-400, but one large enough to fit the largest diameter of the other lenses plus step up rings to adapt the filter to be useful on all the other lenses would minimize the gear to carry. If you do this, make sure you have a lens hood that will fit on the filter so you can use a hood on all lenses. I use a rubber hood that vignettes at wide angle (hard to find a screw-in lens hood that covers wider than 35 mm field of view on a film camera). I can fold the rubber back to get a wider view to a useful degree, but if I want to use the widest field of view, I can take the hood off, collapse it, and stash it temporarily in my pocket.</p>

<p>Grab-and-run theft was something of a problem before 9/11, but the controls instituted for security have had the beneficial side effect of making theft too difficult to get away with. The grab-and-run thief can't get to the inner end of the x-ray system without a valid ticket and matching ID, which pretty much excludes petty types. If the thief has someone on the inside at the airport to get them access to that area, the thieves learned a while back that after grabbing someone's stuff, they have to be able to run to the parking deck because the accomplice in the car won't be allowed to sit at the curb, and airport security can close the exits to the parking deck very quickly. Further, everything in US airports is under video surveillance these days, making it much easier to identify the thief and so hard to get away with the crime that the thieves have moved on.</p> <p>That doesn't rule out the possibility of someone inadvertently picking up a briefcase because it looks like his, but actually it's yours. That situation is usually confined to briefcases (much less diversity among briefcases than among backpacks), and gets resolved when the person with the wrong bag returns to security looking for his own.</p>

<p>I have nothing to offer regarding Michigan, but the upper peninsula has a reputation for being scenic vacation territory. It's worth exploring farther.</p> <p>I agree with Stephen about Washington - you'd have no trouble filling a week shooting there. Redmond is across Lake Washington from Seattle, and the area is quite beautiful in summer (the overcast that Seattle is famous for parts in the summer). Do a bit of online research about the Olympic National Park and the Olympic Peninsula - massive photo opportunities there including the Pacific coast. Check a map to see if the driving distance is to your liking. You'll find lodges inside the park, and plenty more lodging and restaurants in Port Angeles on the peninsula. Also research the Cascade Range - mountains like Baker, Ranier, St. Helens, and others also have lots of hiking and photo opportunities (might be more driving than you'd like). Another favorite is the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound. There's a system of ferries that travel among the islands that you can ride alone or you can bring your car - Stephen's photo shows one of the ferries. There are places to stay on some of the islands, too - more online research needed here.</p> <p>One more - an hour or so north of Seattle is the Skagit Valley (pronounced skaj-it), which is full of farms devoted to flowers - a major part of the flowers sold in florist shops around the country come from here. Consequently, the valley has unique photo opportunities.</p>

<p>Both of my kids played soccer (a lot!) and if yours stays with it, you'll want to shoot night and indoor games. f2.8 is all-important for those venues.<br> If the Nikon 70-200 2.8 is in your price range, I heartily recommend it, along with a Nikon 1.4X TC (a used one for KEH would save some $$ and still have a warranty). Outdoors, the 70-200 range would be limiting, but the 1.4X will help. And when even that's not enough, your D810 in crop mode will still yield a 16 MP image and f2.8, and that's plenty. Night games outdoors probably will rule out using the 1.4X, but the crop mode still gives you f2.8.<br> Indoors, 70-200 will probably be adequate, with crop mode to help out.<br> Wish I'd had such a lens setup when my kids were playing. Maybe I'll get to shoot my grandkids with hardware like that!</p>