I guess I'm in the minority, but I love the old Domke bags. Minimal padding, but super capacity and access. I use them more as working bags than travel bags. Like most, I have more bags than I should, but that allows me to adapt to each situation (and most of them actually get used on a fairly regular basis). My advice is find what works for you and and build around that.

For what it's worth, I've used Canon 4 times to repair various cameras and have been exceeding pleased every time. The process is seamless, great communication, easy to talk to real people who gave real answers, and very fast turnaround. Repairs were always top notch. Hope that helps.

I've been using their gear for over 5 years. love it. Built in receivers make it a breeze both in the studio and on-site. Also amazing range for the transmitters (I've triggered units well over 200' with no misfires). I mostly use the the 622 remote and 685 speedlites. The price allows me to shoot with multiple units which has helped me learn a lot more about lighting. From my experience it's a great choice. (but keep in mind I'm no pro... if this is your livelihood, Canon gear probably makes much more sense... especially considering the body you're shooting with)

Best post of the year. It's easy for others to say "just don't be so sensitive," but for most us who are still learning, that's exactly what we are. We're looking for advice, support, mentoring... evan a place where we can ask those dumb questions that we've all had at some point. Constructive criticism is absolutely critical, but what's the value in crushing someone's spirit? Thanks for the post and Happy Holidays!!!

Selens is a knockoff of the MagMod at a much more reasonable price. Their snoot, gels, and grids are especially useful (and can be stacked just like MagMod). Their diffusers are fine (comparable to the GF), but as others have pointed out, small and requires more power. A full kit runs ~$90. Offers a lot of creative flexibility if using speedlights, but a bounce card is definitely the most cost effective option for a simple diffuser (a set of 3 different size Peter Gregg's ABBC flash cards runs ~$30). Here's a link to a Selens kit: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Selens-6-in-1-Magnetic-Flash-Honeycomb-Grid-Sphere-Bounce-Snoot-Diffuser-Filter/222311391650?hash=item33c2caa1a2:g:Ag0AAOSwa3BZ7ajE and a link to flashcards: http://www.abetterbouncecard.com/abetterbouncecardversion2.html. And don't forget about using a collapsible reflector or even a piece of foam core board... it's cheap, versatile, provides a large light source, and can give amazing results.

Here's another vote for the YN685's. 5 units with a 622 controller and it continues to be rock solid both in and out of the studio (under medium amateur use). But I'd consider how you plan to use and control your flashes first. If you prefer ETTL and in-camera control through the menu system (or on the flash unit as a master), the Yongnuo YN600EX-RT II would be a good choice. Personally, I prefer the 622 radio controller over the canon menu system and the 685's have built in receivers (as well as incredible range). ETTL will definitely work with the 80D. I still have my old Canon 580EX II as my "reliable back up," but honestly haven't used it in over 2 years. And if you do go Yongnuo, be sure to get the canon version (silver print on the unit) and not the Nikon version (gold print on the unit). But as others have said, if this is your livelihood and you need ultimate reliability, Canon is probably worth with the money.

I've had the same lens for years. Absolutely love it. I'm surprised you had to resist it... very fair price. Best of luck

I just picked up a Pluto and so far it's worked well. The lightening trigger works exceptionally well as does long exposure (my two primary uses so far). It's relatively quick and easy to set up, but do keep in mind that it's controlled by your smartphone/app. So, if you set it up as a lightening trigger (or other smart-sensor setting) and walk away (with your phone in your pocket), it'll stop firing as soon as you're out of range (it's a bluetooth connection so the effective range is around 30 feet). Also, the main unit has an internal battery, so you'll have to remember to charge it before going out (HINT: if you carry a small external phone battery, you can always plug the Pluto into it if the battery runs low or if you're shooting a very long time-lapse... the unit does continue to operate while charging unlike some of the other triggers on the market). Battery life seems good... as long as you remember to charge it before leaving for a shoot. The unit also comes with a laser trigger which is an additional accessory for other similar triggers. I'm really looking forward to using the Pluto in other trigger modes... I think it offers more options than just about anything else out there. It also seems to have very solid build quality and the free app is actually quite easy to navigate. I would recommend the Pluto without hesitation (BTW - I'm a recreational shooter with absolutely no connection to Pluto). Best of luck!

I'm not sure if this is the same manual that you have, but I know this one has helped me a lot. Once you figure out the basics and know what to look for, it's really not too difficult. I switch settings frequently and no longer refer to the manual. Usually, if I run into problems (especially with the remote functions), it's almost always my fault in overlooking something simple. If you can get through the learning curve, these are really sweet units. I've worked mine hard and they've never let me down. Good luck!

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The battery door is definitely the weakest part of these units, but is easily replaced. They're less than $5 including shipping on Ebay. I don't think they're any more problematic than the Cannon doors. I work my flashes pretty hard and have had only one battery door break in the past 10 years (and even that was only lose, not fully broken).

I'd recommend the Yongnuo 685. Has everything you need, allows you to grow into it, and runs right at $90-100 on eBay. I have 4 that have served me well for several years. Tough and reliable (at least from my experience). Built in radio transmitters allow you to use a controller for off-camera work which for me is really important. ETTL works great, but if you move off-camera, the controller is a breeze to use for manual control. I went the route of starting with lesser models to save money (like the 560's) which are great, but much more limited. My advice is to spend just a bit more and start with the 685's. Hope that helps.

Hey Bob, the email I've used in the past was Tim Payne who I think handles Yongnuo USA at:

tpaynephotography@att.net

He got back to me fairly quickly. Hope it helps.

Bob, are your 685's for canon (silver print on the flash) or nikon (gold print on the flash)? I shoot canon with the exact same setup and have had absolutely no issues... even right out of the box (although the manual really does suck). However, about a year ago I found a great deal on a nikon version of the 685 and figured since I always shoot off camera, it would be a great deal. WRONG! I tried everything and couldn't get the dang thing to pair with the rest of my system. Finally sold it. But I agree with you, it's probably a simple setting or some type of compatibility issue... but once you figure it out, you'll love the system. Hope this helps. (I'd drop an email to the company... they've actually answered a number of my questions over the years)

We do corporate team building and leadership training. When we have large groups (100+ people) involved in outdoor activities for an entire day (broken into small teams of 12-15 people), we may have 5-6 staff shooting photos. None of these are photographers so quality and quantity vary greatly, but 200-300 shots per person is about average. The images are intended to help participants remember the day, see how other groups approached similar challenges, and reinforce the concepts discussed. We almost always get some great shots, but also a lot of junk. LR helps us sort through these quickly, ID photos that may be useful for other purposes, and produce client accessible web albums. I'm sure LR has it's limitations and shortcomings, but for our needs, it's almost overkill. Thanks for asking.

Thanks everybody, these are great ideas. I did, however, just find out about a great aspect of using keyword sets. If you press the Option key, numbers are displayed alongside each word in your set. So hitting Option/Number inserts that keyword. This should do the trick. I am continually amazed at how much functionality is built into LightRoom... the only challenge is finding it. Thank goodness for all the great people who participate in forums! Thanks everyone!!!