Thanks for the quick reply. I was considering it for the eclipse so you exposure and focusing should be relatively easy.

I have a Nikon M2 extension tube dating back to the 1970s. Can it be used on my D3400 and with the kit lenses which came with it without damaging anything?

I am not sure what "TSA Prescreen" is compared to "Global Entry," but the latter is good for 5 years! Our boarding passes are usually coded TSA Prescreen because of our travel status and age, not a fee paid.

I have been to Italy, Sicily as well. In those tight places, particularly if you are shooting architecture, using a wide lens will really result in some strange distortions. That can be fun, if it doesn't bother you.

I am a retired physician, was a medical toxicologist, hence my user name.

I spent a lot of my 75 years shooting photos. My background in photography included first my Brownie Hawkie, then went to using my Dad's Rolleiflex for many years. I used a Speed Graphic while in high school and college then discovered 35 mm. I was once a runner up in a nationwide high school photo contest. I worked my way up to Nikons, first a Nikkormat then Nikon F2, used to carry several lenses from 28 mm to 300 mm, then discovered the advantages, and yes the disadvantages, of the zoom. I had my own darkroom, even did color negatives. When I really wanted mountable photos, I used Modernage in NYC, still have several prints that look as clean and crisp as when they were shot/printed 50 years ago. I changed over to point and shoot type digital for travel. When on an Alaskan trip I realized how that was restricting my ability to shoot things I was interested in.

I traded in my film equipment, still have a Nikon whose mirror doesn't flip back and the Rollei which needs some work, also still have most of the darkroom in boxes, for a Nikon D3400 kit and love it. I used to believe that I needed a nice heavy metal camera, now that I am 75 years young, the idea of the lightness of the new camera and lenses is wonderful. I recently added a 50mm 1.8 primary lens to give me the additional flexibility I wanted. I am having a ball. I am learning about the advantages of the digital world, the flexibility of the new camera is amazing. Once I push the envelop as far as I can with shooting, I guess the next step is to get back into the darkroom, people suggest Lightroom.

I look forward to learning from others here.

I just moved from film to digital. Rather than starting out with a big investment, I managed to buy a Nikon D3400 kit which came with 2 zoom lenses. I was amazed at how compact and light the outfit was/is. I am very impressed that the quality was so good. I did miss the ability to photograph with some available light situations and control the aperture better, for example to be able to limit the area of focus. I used to carry a 50mm 1.4 with my Nikon F2, and was considering the 35mm version of a primary lens for the D3400 but realized that I used to use an 85 mm for photographing people and objects. The 50mm 1.4 was so much more expensive than the 1.8, that I just couldn't bring myself to purchase it. I have had the 1.8 for a few weeks now, I won't look back, it is an amazing purchase. It seems to be an ideal focal length for me, I don't worry about foreshortening and the 1.8 allows me the full range of depth of field. I use ISO 100 or 400 almost all of the time, so far great results.

I hope I don't sound condescending, but, the lens is not really the "problem." The wider the lens, the wider the field of vision the camera will have, you can step back and include more in the picture. The problem with the wider lens is the distortion that you may cause by the angle of the vertical lines, and the foreshortening. You might like that effect artistically, but it could also be disturbing. I always travel with 2 zooms and a primary lens. The modern cameras and lenses are so light that it really is not a burden. In the film days my Nikon cameras and lenses could really weigh me down.