When I travel in the US, I often have two large bags that between them can have in excess of $35K in gear. However, due to their size, I can't just keep them with me all the time. So, I have two choices - lock them in the car or the hotel. Which I pick depends on where I'm going and how risky I think one is over the other.

In some cases, for example if I'm going shopping for something in a "shady" area, I tend to favor leaving my gear in the hotel room. Especially if it's later in the day and the cleaning staff has packed it in for the day. I also try to stay in nicer hotels. While nothing is ever for sure, I have found that most hotel staff really isn't trying to find ways to steal you stuff - they just want to get their job done and get home.

On the other hand, if I'm going someplace where I'm not as worried about theft (like to a restaurant where I can see the car from the window after a shoot), I'll leave it in the car. If I do happen to be in a not-so-nice hotel in a not-so-nice area, I will often keep the cameras locked in the car when I'm out rather than back in the room.

It really comes to down to which location I think presents the least risk.

I also make an effort to not make it obvious that I have camera gear - I only take it out when I'm on location and always put it away before I return to the hotel. The fewer eyes that see it, the better.

That, and I have good insurance :)

Still, in all the years I've traveled, I've been very fortunate and never had a single item stolen. (For perspective, I'm on the road for over half the year this year).

Wasn't me - the Nikon TC won't work and 3rd party TCs may result in sketchy AF.

They don't make one bit of difference in my experience. I use them to keep the lens from getting too beat up - I'm often in rough vehicles on rough roads and the gear gets banged around - this keeps the lenses looking better when it's time to sell. Although MT Shooter may have me re-thinking it after that paint peel story - but maybe it's a more of a Canon problem than a Nikon problem <runs away>.

My D7500 review does some comparisons you may find useful.

https://backcountrygallery.com/nikon-d7500-review-d500-d7200-comparison/

I did a quick post about it on my site, as well as a how-to video:

https://backcountrygallery.com/nikon-z-series-firmware-update-recall/

I agree - it's probably a focus priority setting - for proper BBAF use, the camera should be set to AF-C and release priority for AF-C should be set to "release" in the custom settings menu. I have a free guide that can help:

https://backcountrygallery.com/free-back-button-af-guide-for-nikon/

First, it takes a TON of practice - can't get around it. Like others have said, if you're hand-holding, stare at the subject and, without moving your head / eye, bring the camera to your eye 95 times out of 100, you'll see the animal in the frame. There are a lot of things that can help (as mentioned) like sites, putting the screw/ tab at the top of the lens and that sort of thing. But the truth is, the best thing you can do is practice and get to the point you don't need the training wheels - the extra step they take is often too slow in a fast paced situation. (like a bird wizzing by)

Also, make sure you are focused at a distance that's approximately the same as the subject - if you're lens if focused really close and the subject is distant, it will be so out of focus that you won't see it.

I have a 4K TV - absolutely love it and can easily see the difference between it and a 1080 display (especially with larger TVs). As for broadcast TV, who watches that anymore ? :) I stream pretty much everything now and most of it comes in 4K.

I use and love the Nikon 105 AF-S VR. Don't go with the "D" version as it's not compatible with your camera (the D5300 doesn't have a built-in "screw drive" for AF). Plus, VR is nice sometimes - we use it in Costa Rica for our more active subjects that don't hold still long enough for a tripod. Plus, if you upgrade to a camera that can do focus shift shooting (focus stacking) in the future, the newest 105 is compatible.

(The following is assuming you want to do slower speed panning, where the subject is sharp and the background is blurry.)

For VR, leave it on - VR will compensate for the motion opposite of the pan. So, if you're panning horizontally (99% of the cases), it will help keep things steady on the vertical plane.

As for settings, it's incredibly variable. You want a shutter speed much slower than you would typically use for the subject to get the full effect of motion in the background. However, your ability to pan, motion of the subject, speed, distance, all come into play. Experimentation is the key - try a shutter speed maybe 4 stops slower than your typical speed, practice and see if you like the effect. If there's not enough blur, drop even slower.

Finally, practice a LOT - it's not easy!

My greatest critic is my wife as well! I can have a finished image that I'm really happy with, show it to her, and it's greeted with, "Hmm, it's OK, I guess."

Ouch...

Thanks for the kind words everyone - glad you liked the article :)

Thanks - depends on the situation. If 1/3200th is the ONLY way to get a sharp image, I'll have to let Iso climb higher than I may want. On the other hand, if ISO is getting up there (say 3200+) and I know I can still get a good percentage of sharp images at a slower speed, I'll go to 1/2000 or 1/1600th - heck, sometimes even slower.

Check out my newest article, 7 Tips For Wildlife Photographers:

https://backcountrygallery.com/7-quick-tips-for-wildlife-photographers/

Enjoy :)

Steve

By the way, you can do a similar thing in Lightroom using the white balance eye dropper and clicking the rim of the white plate if it's more your style than PS.