I like the suggestion of a6k, above, that you try getting a Metabones or other appropriate adapter and using it with your Nikon lenses. I have taken a similar approach using my assortment of Canon lenses (though I do not have twenty of 'em). That approach should at least give you a general idea of what to expect from third-party lenses at their respective focal lengths, maximum apertures, physical sizes, etc. I doubt that there is any one lens that will give you "the full potential of the a6000 above the quality attainable with the kit lenses". There are just too many variables regarding the types of photography which one may seek to perform with an a6000. Also, it seems to be fashionable to malign kit lenses, but the Sony kit lenses can turn out pretty respectable performances.

The prices of Sony native lenses have dissuaded me from purchasing any Sony lenses except the kit lenses. My experience with Canon lenses and adapters on the a6000 leads me to believe that one can approach "full potential" in image quality with third party lenses, but to achieve "full potential" of the a6000, including autofocus performance, one would have to bite the bullet and shell out the money for Sony native lenses.

I am not sure what you mean by "creep", but I have long noticed that when I am attempting to manually focus a long lens in live view, upon releasing the focusing ring the assembly seems to "sag" a little bit. For example, when focusing upon the moon in this manner, upon release of the focus ring the moon will appear to rise up in the LCD live view (or the lens "sags" downward, causing that appearance on the LCD). After much tightening of ball heads, etc., the same happens, even using a very sturdy Sirui K-40 ball head. I have concluded that, in my case at least, there is simply some slight play, which I refer to as "sag", between the mounting rings on the respective lenses and cameras that I use. It is especially pronounced when using a third-party lens attached to my Sony a6000 via an adapter, all of which provides more opportunity for play or sag between the various connecting rings. At long focal lengths and high magnifications, even slight play or sag appears very noticeable.

Also, I think that there is some possibility of some "play" at the camera tripod mounting point. The whole assembly is attached to the tripod by a single small screw which screws into the camera base for only 1/4" or so, and that only hand tightened. The torque put on this point by a long lens tending to rotate the camera forward and downward around this point has to be relatively great.

I am thinking that I need some sort of long lens support device which would provide some degree of support for the camera/lens assembly at at least two points, but have not yet tried any such device.

Best regards,

My recommendation to a newbie to flash photography having a Canon camera would be to get a Canon 430exii speedlite. It is moderate in size and has enough power for most snapshot situations. With ETTL (electronic-through-the lens) technology, it will work for you almost automatically without your having to worry about guide numbers, etc., etc. For the most part, all you have to do is mount it, turn it on, and shoot, especially if you are shooting in one of the automatic shooting modes. Retail prices for new ones are relatively steep, but you can buy them used at eBay all day long for around $65.00 + shipping. And if you want to learn the ins and outs of manual flash shooting, you can set it in M (manual) mode and knock yourself out having fun.

Best wishes,

I think the Olympus model looks promising for use on my Canon 7dii and 100-400mii lens. Does your Olympus model require the use of a tool or tools such as a screwdriver or allen wrenches to get it re-aligned each time it is mounted onto the camera? If re-alignment is required each time it is mounted, how much of a problem is it? Does it practically require mounting the camera on a tripod, or can one get it close by hand-holding and making small adjustments until it is pretty much on target?

The foregoing is pretty much my way of thinking. I have the Canon 7DMkii with Canon 100-400L + 1.4 Extender, a Canon 6Dii, an assortment of other Canon lenses, and a Nikon B700 bridge camera. The B700 is certainly not a Sony RX10IV, but is a pretty nice little camera with 60X magnification (more than the Sony RX10IV, I think). I see the bridge camera as being complementary to, not replacing, the Canons. For best image quality, I would practically always prefer the Canons in one or another of their possible configurations, but sometimes it simply does not seem convenient to "unlimber" and bring them into action.

ANSWER: Absolutely and unequivocally, YES. Do a search on this site about Abe's of Maine. You'll see that you should run, don't walk, away from them. They have the worst reputation of any camera dealer/seller known to the internet.

Oh, on a lighter note, stand by to get your knuckles rapped by the spelling police on this site regarding the spelling of "lense"....

[quote=dsmeltz]That this even appears as a topic is further proof that "Apple is intuitive" is total crap. ...

Avoid them like the plague, as dbjazz says. This question has been raised several times previously here on UHH. Do a search here on UHH to get a feel for just how disreputable they really are.

With regard to editing raw files in Lightroom, what is the effective difference between using the commands 'create virtual copy' and 'write changes to xmp'? What are the advantages/disadvantages of use of one over the other?

I live in Brownsville, TN about 50 miles NE of Memphis. I am not aware of any photogenic waterfall within 100 miles of the place. The surrounding area is highly agricultural (think cotton, though it has become somewhat diversified with soybeans and corn in the last few decades), and there is not enough elevation change across the area to give rise to dramatic waterfalls. For the same reason, there are no mountains, and few viewpoints that provide wide vistas of the type that traditionally appeal to landscape photographers. However, the land is beautiful in its own way, and especially in the fall with the whites of the cotton fields, the golden yellows and browns of the soybean and corn fields, and the abundant, many-colored hardwood trees.


Perhaps you should not totally discount Memphis for photo opportunities. As one approaches the city from the west ( the Arkansas side) on I-40, the view of the skyline in afternoon sun is very nice. In the downtown area, there is Beale Street, the Peabody Hotel, and the waterfront area which being continuously improved for tourism and upscale residential clients. The Bass Pro Pyramid, right at the I-40 bridge, is itself a photo op, and provides nice views from its top-floor restaurant. The downtown riverfront and the Mud Island area just north of the bridge/Pyramid provide nice views of the Mighty Mississippi and its frequent barge traffic. And, if you need a big dose of kitsch to make your visit complete, there is always Graceland in South Memphis. Unfortunately, Memphis has a high rate of violent crime. In the downtown area, you should be reasonably safe in the highly frequented, well-lit, and "upscale" areas which I have described but always be alert and aware of your surroundings. I am sorry to say that areas of Memphis are essentially "third-world", dangerous to outsiders and potential victims, and should unquestionably be avoided.

Outside of Memphis, you might be iterested in traveling east on Highway 57 to La Grange and Grand Junction where a number of beautiful old homes can be found. Continuing on eastward, you can reach Shiloh National Military Park, said to be the most "pristine" of all the National Military Parks. It has many hardwood trees, and should provide fall color as the leaves turn. At the park, and nearby, you can find nice views of the Tennessee River (sans waterfalls). Also, not far from Shiloh is Pickwick Dam and Lake, and also Pickwick Lake State Park, all of which are very pleasant to the eye. Water falling through the spillways at Pickwick Dam is likely as close to waterfalls as one will find in West Tennessee.

If you happen to travel from Memphis eastward toward Nashville on I-40, you might want to make a stop at the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge near Exit 52 in Haywood County, TN. The Refuge Headquarters is about 2 mi. from Exit 52, and there is O'Neal Lake, a lovely 300 ac. impoundment with cypress trees, water lilies etc. An easy drive circles the lake, and ducks, geese, herons, and an occasional eagle or osprey may often be seen there. The Refuge also provides a nearby entrance to a 12-mile gravel drive along the Hatchie River Bottom passing through near primieval southern hardwood forests. Several times I have driven this road without seeing a single person or vehicle. The forest is so thick and close that photo ops are not all that abundant, but the drive provides a real opportunity to enjoy that "close to nature" feeling without traveling terribly long distances.

Others have mentioned Reelfoot Lake and the Pelican Fest there Oct 19th--Oct 21st. Reelfoot is definitely worth seeing, at any time, Pelican Fest or not. If there, eat at Boyette's across from the Visitor Center. The distance from Memphis to Reelfoot seems to me to be a little more than 100 mi and no interstate runs really close to it at the present time, but if you are not limiting yourself strictly to a 100 mi radius, it makes a nice daytrip. Also, if you are in the area, you might want to check out Discovery Park at Union City, TN. In addition to museum and display buildings, it has a nice collection of log cabins, etc. collected in the area and reconstructed on the site. Google it for more complete information. While it is often a destination for grade school field trips, I found it quite interesting.

Feel welcome to PM me if you have questions about specific areas or items in West Tennessee that I might beable to address.

Hope you have a great visit. Best regards,

If you do a search of UHH on your topic, you will find a wealth of information, and not a little argument, previously posted. FWIW, I have a Sirui N3205-X with K-30 ball head which I like very much for its small size, strength, portability, and relatively reasonable price. I think it would work fine for kids' sports and street scenes with an a7iii and lenses up to about 300mm. For my attempts at shooting wildlife with telephoto rig and gimbal head, I use a considerably larger, heavier, purportedly more stable but much less portable Induro carbon fiber rig.


Best regards,

Hi, Freda,

I have had an a6000 for several years, and like most who have responded to your post, I can heartily recommend it to you. Someone stated that $350 would be about the most to pay for a used a6000 with 16-50 lens, and I agree. For only $150-$200 more, it appears that one can get an entirely new kit/bundle, possibly with two lenses. You can go to eBay, do an "advanced" search, then search under "sold listings", and you can see what prior listings have sold for.

Someone has already mentioned the very large and reputable firms of B&H Photo, Adorama, and Cameta Camera as potential sources of a used camera. In addition, KEH out of Atlanta, GA (just Google "KEH") is a widely known dealer in used equipment, and seems to have a good reputation for reliability and cooperation. These sources are in the business of selling photographic equipment, they can accurately test and evaluate equipment, and you can reasonably rely upon their descriptions of the used items that they have for sale--and they are reportedly cooperative if an item needs to be returned. Other sellers may or may not come up to these standards.

Best Regards,

I have never packed a tripod in checked luggage, but several times I have packed a monopod. There have been no serious problems, but it seems like every time I did so, my bag was opened and "inspected". They usually left a notice in the bag that it had been inspected, but they always left my stuff jumbled around, mixed up, etc. with no apologies for doing so. If you have room in your carry-on to pack your tripod (I never seem to have that much room), I would pack it that way and hope to avoid an "inspection".


Best regards,