Re: RAM - without knowing the rest of your computer specs it's hard to speculate on whether 8GB will be a bottleneck. CPU type and speed and graphics card vs. motherboard graphics come into play. My 2010 HP desktop with 8GB quite nicely handles compute intensive PP tasks on large RAW files in Photoshop (with Topaz), Photomatix and several other photo processing softwares. It does however, have a Core i7 processor and a Radeon HD4650 graphics card. An 8GB computer with an i3 or i5 processor and motherboard graphics processing would undoubtedly be slower.

I wouldn't be too concerned with RAM as you start. Pick the software you want to use and get started. You can monitor your system performance in the Windows 7 Resource Monitor. You can get there through Task Manager or just press F1 on your desktop and search for Resource Monitor.

Re: software
Take a look at Searcher's lists here:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-168252-1.html
and tutorials here:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-156310-1.html

I'll second twowindsbear's recommendation of Picasa and GIMP. Picasa will take care of the basic corrections/enhancements (it's "I'm Feeling Lucky" button is great) and it's Retouch button should help with wire removal. But GIMP is certainly much more robust in capabilities. Actually, you should have both because Picasa's main forte is as a cataloger - with some good editing features thrown in. If you can't do the edits you want in Picasa just drag the photo over to GIMP.

At Amazon the Meike SB-910 Flash is $103.99. Along with a Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras at $196.95 you would be only 94 cents over budget. :thumbup:

Tripod - just use it until it gives up the ghost and then go with this rig:
http://www.instructables.com/id/String-Tripod/
How to use diagrams here:
http://lifehacker.com/257008/diy-string-tripod :lol:

Yes, but keep in mind that FastStone is an image viewer. It does allow you to view NEF and many other flavors of RAW files - even has a setting to toggle between viewing the embedded JPG or the "Actual Size" image. You can do color corrections on NEFs and save to tif, png, jpg and other formats. However, it is not a true RAW editor - you don't have the ACR or Capture NX-D sliders for exposure, WB, lens corrections, etc.

It is not a cataloger either. I've been using Picasa for going on 10 years, it correctly displays D5100 NEF files but not D5300 NEFs - they have a reddish cast - if I want to view a D5300 NEF I right-click and open it in Irfanview (but don't usually have to because I'm still shooting RAW+JPG). I use it as a cataloger and drag files into editors.

With all that in mind I would suggest you try Picasa before FastStone. It will display your D7100 and D5000 NEFs beautifully, has just as many, if not more, NON-DESTRUCTIVE editing capabilities and very good cataloging features.

Or just install them both and see which you like better.

Apparently that means replacement L-ion batteries cannot be sent USPS.(?)

Don't forget that every .NEF RAW file includes a basic sized .jpg. It's quick and easy to install Instant JPEG from RAW into Windows or Mac:
http://michaeltapesdesign.com/instant-jpeg-from-raw.html

Typical file sizes:

D5100 NEF/RAW - ~16M
fine JPG - ~5.5M
IJFR extracted from NEF - ~1.5M

D5300 NEF/RAW - ~30M
fine JPG - ~13M
IJFR extracted from NEF - ~3M

It was mentioned above that you needed an updated codec to view RAW files in Windows. See: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26829

A couple of days ago I received an Amazon Prime package that contained 2 lithium ion batteries and a charger for my cell phone - along with other items. It was shipped via OnTrac not USPS or UPS. I was a bit surprised to see the following 2 labels. The red bordered one is 5" x 5 1/2". I'm wondering if the USPS has similar labels they slap on boxes with L-ion batteries inside.

Just do a search for RAW vs. JPEG here - you will learn a lot.

Use the Search button at the top of every page or just click:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/search.jsp?q=RAW+vs.+JPEG&u=&s=0

One of the more recent informative threads is this:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-296470-1.html

I've had a D5300 for 10 months. Prior to that a D5100. I've been thinking that, in total, it is easier to find sharp, crisp photos from the D5100 than the D5300. I have not had the broken D5100 repaired yet so cannot do side-by-side test shots.

As you do any test shots you may want to keep in mind the "Shutter Shock" situation described here:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-d5500/8
Quote from that page:
"The D5500 is not the first camera we've seen with this issue, as the D5300 also shows a similar progression of critical sharpness."

I just came across this today - it hasn't been tainting my comparative perceptions. Don't know if it applies to your situation or mine, but I'm going to be looking at the D5300 EXIF data to see if the "softer" shots fall into the "Shutter Shock" range.

Wow - I just watched that video before popping over here. Kind of hard to not use checked bags when going on weeks long trips domestically or overseas.

Yeah - my REI Hiker has the little carbide spikes that I keep a rubber foot over. Since you never know what TSA agents may want to keep I always put it in a checked bag.

Great photo! I appreciate the explanation of your thinking as you composed the shot. Like many, I love old wood too and your photo reminded me of a 2007 shot I took with my Canon S3. I decided to see how it would look with a sprinkling of bokeh (yeah, I know Dave doesn't think PP is covered in the definition :lol: ) And if anyone wants to claim it is just blur - I'm not going to argue!

Consider Wikipedia entry for Aroma of Wine - Aroma vs. Bouquet:

"In professional wine tasting, there is generally a distinction made between "aromas" and a wine's "bouquet" while in casual wine tasting these two terms are used interchangeably. An aroma refers to the smells unique to the grape variety and are most readily demonstrated in a varietal wine—such as lychees with Gewürztraminer or black currant with Cabernet Sauvignon. These are smells that are commonly associated with a young wine. As a wine ages, chemical reactions among acids, sugars, alcohols and phenolic compounds create new smells that are known as a wine's bouquet."

Now consider some of the key phrases in the definitions Dave delineated back on page 4:

"by playing with focus and lens, photographers can create some stunning images."

"...Simply put, bokeh is the pleasing or aesthetic quality of out-of-focus blur in a photograph."

"...REALLY nice, drool-worthy bokeh is from prime lenses with large apertures..."

Just as there is a pleasing "something" that elevates a wines aroma to bouquet, there is a parallel concept for "something" that elevates OOF backgrounds into bokeh. It's kinda like porn and the Supreme court - you know it when you see it. All bokeh is blur, but not all blur is bokeh.

If the blur is a pleasing compositional element it becomes bokeh. Of course, what pleases me may not please you. :lol:

I was quite pleased with the blurry background (dare I call it bokeh?) of this:

I have an REI Hiker monopod/walking stick that I always travel with. (Collapsed and with ball head and cork removed, it will fit diagonally in a 25" suitcase.) I put a SLIK ball head on it. However, it has a cork ball - as often as not I will just stabilize my D5X00 on the cork and shoot.

I find that when walking in a target rich environment with the camera mounted, I don't like using it as a stick because I'm worried about those jarring vibrations. I just keep the length at chin-high where it is at a useful (for walking) staff-like height, angle the whole stick to adjust for shooting height, stabilize and shoot.

You can see it here http://www.rei.com/product/847813/rei-hiker-shocklight-staff - it is discontinued, but there are links to current similar models - some at discontinued sale prices.

Also, you can see from my photo below I have some velcro tape (one strip is out of frame). I have Matin drawstring lens pouches that have belt loop/straps. When I want to travel without bags, backpacks, etc. I use the velcro to attach an extra lens to the monopod. This makes it easier to get around in crowded tourist places.
http://www.amazon.com/Matin-camera-Drawstring-Neoprene-Pouch/dp/B008POSVG8

Just came across this article with the above title:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/nikon-warns-of-more-fake-dslr-cameras-doing-the-rounds/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=DT%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=DT%20Newsletter%202015-04-15