I have a similar system made by Tamrack. Since they're out of business, It is good to know OPTECH seems to be filling the need. I'm using a Mind Hift Sling bag, and I'm a fan.
C

Ansel Adams shows that in his book The Camera.

I've cut out the corner of the bottle leaving one side longer, and taped it onto the pop=up flash units of my cameras. helps a little, when using that harsh little bugger of a light. For a bigger home made job, is a frame, picture to PVC pipe friction joined so you can collapse. Stretch translucent Plastic window covering over the pipes with tape. Shower curtain material hung ahead of a flash on a stand works wonders, and sometimes projects an interesting pattern onto the subject of a background. Also usable as a backlight diffuser. Hang with a friction shower curtain in small spaces.

And if the plastic shheting colored, they open many possibilities.

I'm glad you got those shots.
My experience after two sons and a grandson playing HS baseball is that most of the action shots come within 180 and 300 mm. Being at the fence, your 210 will have many good action shots in range. The point about the lower zoom FL of 70mm, is a well taken issue. I usually portion my time between on the field action shots, and the players individually and the spectators. There can be some very satisfying studies of the Mothers' vicarious emotions when their boy (ya know that 6'4" 230 pounder) gets the hit or makes the play--or doesn't. I either use my 24mm pancake or my 17-70 Zoo on my EOS 77D for those.

Notice that this 3rd base player--I'm guessing, has about as many toes on the ground as a ballet usually dancer does?

C

Wonderful work here, Mark. First of all, as a History Student, in the day, I was aware of this monument but had little understanding of its significance beyond marking the event, and teh sacrifice, easily overlooked. In a regular survey text of French History or Swiss history, this would rate about 2 lines, perhaps including 3 sentences. Your research is impressive, but not surprising, considering your career choice.

Photographing monuments/sculpture while easy since they don't move on you, is a special challenge, which you have solved very nicely. About the street scenes, I'm a B&W bigot to start with, and lean there heavily for street scenes. Switzerland, and much of Europe, and especially mountainous towns, the buildings are so faithfully painted because of the elements, that the always fresh bright colors and in Switzerland, Netherlands and Germany, scrupulously scrubbed daily. Those factors, alone, make the colors a necessary additive to any photo meant to capture the essence of place.

Thanks for the treat. I love Switzerland,
C

Yup!!! It is hard to believe so many smart and experienced guys like us, who ALL do arithmetic in our heads, can't figure out that 35 is 1/2 of 70, and there's more to it than the number.

The fact that whenever I pick up a tool, I: Hurt myself and/or destroy material and/or destroy anything I'm trying to repair. I have finally stopped trying to do what I never learned or liked.

Craig, 77.

On an APS-C body, I use a 24mm f2.8 pancake for a 40mm FF Equiv. wide-normal look. And keep my Sigma 17-70 on a lens pouch for those few images that are more demanding. I never got the practicality of those long multi zooms. For street photography, blending in is what it is about. It is harder to frame and shoot than a normal focal length.
Carrying a 8-12 inch lens make one look like a "Private Eye." That's not a desired look relating to the photog's personal safety in most places in NYC. With so many people is such confined spaces--like the sidewalk, there are a certain few, who aren't where (or with whom) they're "supposed" to be at any given moment. A photographic record being made of the occasion may not be appreciated. Your chances are much better with a small rig.

C
I'm a native who did such work as a hobbyist in the 1960's.

So, therefore, it has the effect of doubling the light in an exposure.

Somme thoughts:

The imagined process of letting light into the camera. while valid, for me distracts from the fact that a true camera with a lens, shutter and light sensitive material or device, somehow channels the light onto a focal plane---occupied by light sensitive material or device.

What I mean is that for me, thinking of a directed (focused) light beam is what we're dealing with. Most diagrams suggest that. I never could reconcile that opening the shutter was like opening a window in a room. I thought of it more like a gunsight.

The thought of all that light in a camber resolving itself into a focused gradated image on a light sensitive material or device. My intent here is to recollect one student's reaction to a common analogy, that you are using. I found it somewhat confusing, where the directed or focus "Beam" description, better described what was happening inside.

If you choose to describe it differently, or, perhaps alternatively is your choice. I just thought I'd add my student experience, a minority one, I bet, to help that poor guy like me have yu alternately 'splain it as a beam.
C

If you've reached this stage in life, then It doesn't matter i it is good or bad, it just IS or ISN'T!

I've ceased to care about stuff like that.
C

Unless your flight is in October or later, I don't think waiting will do much good. I'm in Nevada between Dixie and Caldor. I expect smoke for the rest of the month--as an optimistic hope.

Sorry, I also agree with architect, there's noting that will clear the smoke to the level here. Where you're going, Dehaze might help.

I think visiting friends and taking nice portraits to keep the photo bug at bay, might define this trip better.

C

Good attitude Rond, Critiques, from folks who know how to give one, is a great learning tool. Keep working the scenes. Perhaps better framing would be more pleasing, or Vertical, ot lower point of vies. Certaily avoinding such a large blown out area is a start.
C

Bravo! Magnificence needs all the help it can get.

#1 is great, but #2 is a delicious light study without the distractions of teh Gothic arches, vaulting etc. It's the "bones" of all those Cathedral images and the round shadows speak to me.

Triple plus on May Lake. There is also a High Sierra Camp there with Cabins and meals. Usually booked, but check if some space is available. Also transient tent sites that may be available.

Remember, Entrance is for those with reservations ONLY. The fires are quite large, and although I haven't been there lately, I'd expect the smoke to be moderate to thick.

Even the "trophy" shots can be made more unique by shooting wider or tighter. Adding a foreground that hasn't been seen before is one way, move 20 feet to the left and frame on a 1/3 line and you'll get different results. Work the scene, ALSO right now the moon is RED! and teh Sun is very filtered red-orange. all from teh smoke. If you're expecting to return with Nat'l Geographic or Postcard results, this isn't a good time. And I wouldn't expect more than a trickle of water.

Yacky,
You stumbled onto the most hackneyed discussion on this forum. Everyone's read or said just about everything that could be said on the topic. Not your fault, you just got here--and welcome to you.

BTW: Don may be direct, but his commentary is well informed and should be taken as such. His structuring the benefits as questions, I am certain, wasn't to malign you or your question. I think he just took that approach because he's considered these issues so very many times.

The genuine benefits of RAW for serious photographers make the issue seem "moot" to them. If a photographer doesn't edit their photos much, as Don said, then RAW may not be the best approach for everything. BUT, IF, somehow the ISO, White Balance or Exposure is missed, there is a lot of latitude available in a RAW file to get that exposure to a usable level. Example, with an older camera, I couldn't transfer the RAW files to the CF card fast enough when shooting sports in fast multiple exposure situations. So I just used JPEG, because I was only cropping and straightening a few of those rapid fire images. If it was dark, I'd have used a different approach and retained RAW.

Hang around, don't take replies as personal responses, but as general discussion expressions, and have some fun. I've been a photographer for going on 70 years, I've been published and have been to school a little. I still learn a lot here. Including from Don! And I maintain what I think is my unique perspective. You should be able to do so, too.
C