You might want to look at several ThinkTank products as well. I use one to carry a 200-500 with a D7000 attached along with a 70-200 and a flash. Plenty of room, easy top access and great protection.
You've gotten some great advice in the posts above! My own 2 cents follows: Your budget may not allow it, but I use two D7000's - I bought one brand new and the other was bought new after the release of the D7500 for a considerable discount. I keep the 18-200 on one body and the 200-500 on the other (I do disagree with those who say the 200-500 isn't a good choice; most of my better shots were taken with that lens and I've never had any problem with pitching speed and capturing the ball even though a good HS softball pitcher can hit speeds over 70 mph). I keep the body with the shorter zoom on a neck strap or on a peak design belt clip, and the other on a Manfrotto monopod. Here in Iowa about half of the HS softball fences are at about 5ft. That's perfect for the 200-500. The rest of the fences can be pretty damned tough to work with as they range as high as 8 - 10 ft. Many fields have outfield platforms that you can ask to use. I found a 4 step foldable ladder with rails and large steps from Tri-Arc and now haul that to games where the fences are tall and there are no platforms. I ALWAYS ask permission to shoot, especially if I plan to use a ladder/platform in the outfield or on a side fence. Some coaches feel cameras peering over the fence are a distraction, and that can limit what you do. Yeah, that's getting to be a lot of gear, but it certainly makes for some fantastic shots.
Here is a perspective from my late uncle who was a combat photographer in WWII and again briefly during the Korean Conflict. Before he passed over 20 years ago, my uncle predicted that eventually Combat Photography would be diminished or eliminated because the military did not want photos of the brutality and loss of US lives to be made so public, visceral, and immediate. He believed the military felt that photographic coverage during the Vietnam War fueled the protests back home and made it more difficult to get public support behind war efforts. I should add that he felt it was important for civilians to actually see what war was like, and he hoped that his work would help keep the public connected with the reality of War. I make no judgments here, just a statement of his oft spoken thoughts about the role of photography during conflict.
Two places; Molokai, Hawaii and Iowa. Two extremely different places but very similar people, and both places have breathtaking scenery...each in their own way.
Been there, done that. Took my Canon A-1 on a canoe trip down the Iowa River. Made it the whole way until it was time to get outta the river. Dumped it in when I braced the canoe for my cohort. Love that camera; she was a good ol' girl. Sorry for your loss.
[quote=bsprague]IMHO, it is more important to pick one and learn it well than it is to try and find the "best".
Well said. After struggling for years with and paying monthly for PS/LR, I switched to Luminar. It may not have some of the "best" features of both, but it was easy for me to learn and use. Im extremely happy with the results and have no trouble recommending it to anyone. I'm not as familiar with the other two; I'd say go with your instinct after a few trials. I should add that I'm NOT a professional.
Kamalo, Molokai. Taken from Kamalo Wharf. February 2017
Nikon D7000 w/ AF-S Nikkor 18-200 ISO 100 F/8 at 22mm
Only second week using Luminar, but I'm sold. It's easy to use, just a VERY few glitches using on Mac, and wonderful support from Skylum. Please note I'm not a pro, had a not so good experience trying to learn LR/PS, and that is why I switched. The Tutorials from Luminar are good as are the Tutorials from Anthony Morganti. I'd check out Morganti's tutorials on his website before you buy. They were quite helpful in my decision making process.
Purchased Luminar 2018 last week and also received the update yesterday. I bought it because I was having so much difficulty with LR and PS learning curve. After only a week I can say that I'm quite happy with the switch. Still a lot to learn, but it seems more intuitive to me that LR. I don't have any experience with Affinity so I can't speak to the difference, but right now I'n definitely enamored with Luminar.
Purchased Luminar last evening using your info, so thanks again Ronchias. It was a great bargain with 4 add ons at a pretty nice discount. Was gonna spend an hour just browsing but got so caught up 3 hours disappeared! I have to say that Luminar 2018 appears to be just what I'm looking for. Their tutorials are excellent as are the ones from Morganti. I should have a lot of material after Thanksgiving to play around with and am looking forward to it! I'll let you all know what I think in a week or so!
Thanks again, all, for your responses, questions, and answers. It was very helpful.
Dngallagher wrote:
I figure, IF I run out of money in another 5-10 years, I will just stand outside and scream at the sky... that works right?
Yeah, I'm sure that'll work!
"Alms for the poor! Canons for the poor, Nikons for the poor!"
lwerthe1mer wrote:
I apologize if my comment was insensitive.
Not at all! Some of us have different financial parameters and in our household dealing with a fixed income without any chance of increase is daunting. My wife and I are 70 and 68 respectively (seems like more than a few Uglyhedgehoggers may be in the same age group...or close) and have what we think is enough in savings and investments to make it, but we really have no idea how to plan for a future that could last another 10 to 20 years - or heaven forbid - more. Hence, we watch our monthly expenditures very carefully.
lwerthe1mer wrote:
Many are concerned about the price differential of $10/month vs. $50-100 to buy an editing program (and buying updates when necessary). Comparing those small dollars against the dollars all of us spend on equipment, this price differential seems very insignificant.
Not if you are on a fixed budget and have already made what is perhaps your last purchase of hardware...
:0)
Thanks all! I will be further exploring various videos and online tutorials and promise I will check the other suggestions made here even though I am leaning towards Luminar at this point. You've been very helpful!
Robeng wrote:
I'm curious, what's a rank amateur. Also if you're thinking about purchasing the Macphun products (I am) wait till their Black Friday sale.
Hopelessly and maybe helplessly amateur, with no desire to be a professional or in this case to produce anything other than photos that are pleasing to me and perhaps the subjects of said photographs.
Also, I'm an old guy who occasionally smells funny...
Oh, and thanks to "ronichas" I do intend to wait until the 21st if I decide to purchase Luminar 2018.