Hello,
I'm new here and saw this seemed like a very active community. I will be going on a Celebrity Cruise in May and I'm trying to figure out which gear to take with me for photographing on the cruise/excursions.

Currently I own a Nikon D7100, Nikon 18-200mm VR, Nikon f/1.8 50mm, Nikon f/1.8 35mm, Tamron f/2.8 28-75mm. I was thinking of adding an ultra zoom to my collection for this and some other trips we have planned. Currently I'm leaning toward the Tamron 150-600mm G2 with the improved VC and weather sealing, but figured I'd see what others suggested. Other gear I have that will likely stay behind Tripod, SB-800 flash and might take my monopod.

This thread reminds me of past threads about getting it right in the camera so that no post processing was needed. That idea died out and I haven't seen it resurrected. Now there's talk of being a better photographer if you don't review your shots in camera (chimping). Another rediculous notion as far as I am concerned. I'm sure all the high priced studio photographers review their shots, if not after each one, then at least after a bunch of shots were taken, to see if they got what they wanted. And I'm sure they also do a few test shots at the start of the session (chimping). In fact I've seen videos of studio shoots of celebrities, etc., where a group of people participate in the chimping, with several people reviewing the shots in camera, or on dedicated external monitors. Even people at the DMV might ask you if you like your license shot and if not, do you want anther one taken. My Kodak DSC Pro 14N was the second FF digital camera released. It was stricly a pro camera and cost about $4500 back in 2003. It didn't have live view, but had an lcd screen to review shots. Why do you suppose they did that?

Other than cost, size & weight . . . is there any downside to buying FX lenses for my Nikon DX camera?

I was thinking that maybe I should buy an FX lens for my next lens purchase in case I ever decide to get a FX body.

I was looking at the Tamron 150-600 and I see that there is one listed for about $899 and another for about $1399 . . . I guess the pricer one may be FX and the less expensive one DX . . . is that correct? or is there another reason for the price difference?

I recently upgraded from my D3300 to D5500 which I really like a lot more due to the built-in wifi and vari-angle touch screen display.

Thanks for your help . . .

I will make this as short as possible. On December 23 at about 4:30 P.M. CST, I had the urge to order about $4000 in camera stuff from 42nd Street Photo. I did this through Ralph by telephone. About forty minutes later, after having a changed of mind, I called and left a message that I wanted to cancel. Apparently 42nd Street had closed.

I normally order from Adorama or B & H, but both were closed for religious observances on Friday, December 23. Time was a factor, because of a European trip scheduled for early January, so I resorted to 42nd Street.

On Saturday, December 24, I called 42nd Street in the morning and told Walter that I had left a message the day before that I wanted to cancel. He told me the order had already gone out, so I just needed to receive the shipment and then call back for instructions on how to cancel, and there would be no problem. I told Walter I would do that.

This shipment arrived today at about noon, Mississippi time. I promptly called 42nd Street and spoke to Walter about returning the merchandise. He told me that there would be a 20% restocking charge. Based on the order, that would be about $800. I told told him that I had barely touched the merchandise, but he insisted that the charge would apply.

I told Walter I was unaware of the 20% restocking charge. He specifically told me that, "We never tell our customers about the restocking charge." I asked Walter why customers were never told this. Walter said, "Because it is on or website." I told sweet Walter that I ordered by telephone, not by website. Walter said that there was nothing he could do about this.

To his credit, however, Walter put me on hold and came back to tell me that he had authority to reduce the re-stocking fee to 15% (or about $600).

Ok, I am familiar with the narrow profit margins for sellers of cameras. If I keep the merchandise, there is a modest profit for the seller. If I return the merchandise, there is a 15% payment for "restocking" but the seller still has possession of the merchandise. Basically, 42nd would receive a $600 payment for receiving a package, the contents of which have not been disturbed. Nice profit for no sale.

I have chosen to keep the merchandise. Fortunately, I can afford to pay. But that is not the point.

As a lawyer, I know that a deal is a deal, and I ordered the merchandise. The seller has no obligation to take it back. That is all well and good. But my problem is with Walter's saying that his company never tells the customer about the 20 percent restocking fee. They really don't have too, but I can assure those reading this that I will never--I mean never--order again form 42nd Street. You guys can do what you want. Just beware.

We live and learn. I will stick with B&H and Adorama in the future. The "boys" at 42nd Street can do whatever the heck they want. I will rejoice knowing that I never have to deal with Walter, Ralph or any of those 42nd Street guys again for the rest of my life. I hope they have a conscience, but I really don't know, especially after Walter saw fit to interrogate me about why I wanted to cancel my order. I don't cuss, but if I did, I would know exactly what to say to this guy.

Ok, it is bedtime in Mississippi. Good night to all of you Hogs reading this.