Thanks for the tips. I have a carry-on size (small suitcase type with wheels) photography "bag" that I'll leave at home because I have another carry-on suitcase that contains very important items. Therefore, the camera bag that I carry will be the soft type that can be carried in one hand while I'm dragging the carry-on suitcase.

Yes, unfortunately, only a day and a half THIS TIME. Will be driving from Folsom and current road closures (if not reopened in the next couple weeks) will require me to drive south to Mariposa and take route 140 to the park.

I'll be visiting Yosemite for a day and a half in the middle of May, followed by a full day at Sequoia, and would like to hear from those of you who've been there where to go, and in what sequence, for the best shots. My kit will include my D7200 (and D300S backup), along with 35, 18-200 and 70-300 lenses. I'm leaving my 200-500mm (probably a mistake) at home because I'm flying to the west coast and back and will have my camera bag and another carry-on. I'll be driving a rental car for the entire trip, which will include traveling from Sequoia to Oceanside/San Diego then on to Phoenix. Any other tips on interesting/scenic sights along the way, and links to pertinent websites, would be most appreciated.

Very resourceful, AJ. Got any photos from in-country you're willing to share?

Many thanks. The gel canister sounds like a good option for me at this point.

Thanks, Bob. I should have mentioned that, yes, mold and mildew is a common problem in this area.

Just this morning, I discovered the existence of Dry Boxes. I haven't noticed any humidity/condensation problems in any of my bodies or lenses but I'm under the impression that fungus can also be an insidious invader of photographic equipment. I live on the Maine coast very near the ocean and I store my gear on shelves in a closet. A relative newcomer to photography, all of my equipment is 8 years old or younger. What's the prevailing wisdom from those of you who've been proactive in preventing humidity problems by using a Dry Box of some sort, and from those of you who've experienced camera and/or lens humidity problems and solved them through the use of Dehumidifiers? Also, are there effective methods of humidity prevention that don't require the expenditure of several hundred dollars for a good sized cabinet?

Many thanks. I'll contact (via PM) the individuals you mentioned. For precisely the reason you site, I did have a BIT of hesitation before posting my request for RAW help, but in the end I decided to take the plunge. Thanks again.

I live near Ellsworth Maine and looking for somebody willing to tutor me in shooting RAW and processing same in Lightroom. I suspect all I need is a couple hours.

Thanks for the good advice. I've tried shooting RAW a few times but haven't been successful in managing the files during post processing. Can you recommend a website or YouTube video that will give me easy to understand step-by-step instructions? My other problem is that I've raced into Lightroom without paying attention to proper work flow. I use it for editing only and haven't yet taken advantage of its strong cataloging capability. Starting with my camera, my steps are: (1) insert card into desktop PC and upload. (2) Do preliminary PP in Picasa then if I need better editing I Import all the files that I uploaded from my card into LR. (3) In LR, I simply select the images I want to edit then Export them into a subfile in the original photo file on my PC. It's a haphazard kind of operation but it works for me - sort of.

I'm a new LR user and I always shoot jpg with my D7200. My images are all 300dpi when I import them. I just noticed that after export all my images reduce to 240dpi. The file size of each image increases though (which I discovered early on in using LR) and I've had myself convinced that means I can produce good quality larger prints. The lower dpi discovery, however, makes me wonder.

John - I was in the exact situation last year. I primarily shoot land/seascapes and was asked to do a party. I agonized over the situation for several weeks and even queried this forum. The majority of the responses recommended I purchase an external flash for my D300S and some recommended a different lens. The party ballroom was the same as you described with not-very-effective fluorescent lights. In the end, I purchased a 35mm lens but decided to stay with my built-in flash. I shot for 2 hours, using the 35mm for the first 15 minutes only. I then reverted to my walk-around lens, my trusty 18-200mm, and shot with it for the rest of the evening. The flash was effective up to about 20 feet which was fine for my circumstances. The final result was a completely satisfied customer and a pleasantly surprised photographer. Since then, I've purchased a D7200 and would expect NOT to have to use a flash in the same situation because of its excellent low light capability. Good luck.

I entered boot camp at San Diego on 22 July 1966. Retired from the Navy in July 1989.

Thnx, Bill, and everyone else who has weighed-in. I suspect I won't get very good results shooting free hand from the boat (very small ferry with limited seating and little open deck space), but as someone has suggested, maybe I'll luck out and get some interesting images. On the bright side, what's to lose? I'll learn more about my camera. Thnx again all.

Wow - what a superior image! Thanks for the tips. I will reconsider a tripod but space aboard the boat will be exceedingly tight.