The PHOTO app in Windows 10 is a royal PITA. However, despite what the techs at Microsoft told you it can be uninstalled. Here is a link to the instructions on how to uninstall it.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-security/how-to-uninstall-photo-app-in-windows-10/1b11de85-271d-48c5-884c-64da277c3151

When sending a file from Lightroom Classic into Photoshop, you are presented with 3 choices: “Edit a Copy with Lightroom Adjustments”; “Edit a Copy”; “Edit Original”. For the first two Lightroom creates a PSD file (or tiff depending on your settings) and sends that file to Photoshop for editing. It also registers that file and adds it to the top of the stack, over your original image. When you select edit original, Lightroom passes the original file to Photoshop and assumes that any edits will be saved in the same file. When you saved your changes in Photoshop, a new PSD file was created by Photoshop, that Lightroom was not expecting. This is not new behavior, as Lightroom has worked this same way as long as I have used it (Lightroom 5.0).

The only time you should select edit original, is when you are doing additional edits on a PSD file, and do not want an additional version. In a scanning workflow, use edit a copy to send your file to Photoshop and this will preserve your original scan in Lightroom.

Lightroom CC is not compatible with any external editor, including DeNoise. To use it you need to export a Tiff or Jpeg from Lightroom CC, open the file in DeNoise, then when done, save the file and import that saved file back into Lightroom CC. Lightroom Classic handles this function automatically.

When using Epson Scan software especially when scanning negatives use Professional Mode. Home mode sets too many parameters automatically, that you can change in Professional mode. Also scan negatives at 4000 dpi or higher for 35mm and at least 1200 dpi for medium format. Professional mode also gives you control of Digital ICE, which reduces the amount of dust spots that you need to attack in post processing.

The 35 mm film holder which came with your scanner, should have places for two strips of 6 negatives, or 4 slides in standard mounts. When scanning slides the tab C on the film holder should be in the notch on your scanner. See page #30 of the users guide.

Please check out FindaGrave at www.findagrave.com. There are many memorials posted there that need tombstone photos, and you can create and post a memorial for anyone who does not already have one.

The Genealogical community will be most appreciative of your photographic efforts.

I have used a 199A with my Canon T3i. Both Manual mode and Flash Auto Mode work. Use manual mode on your camera, making sure the ISO setting on the flash, matches the ISO you set your camera to. Set the aperture on your camera to the aperture setting on the flash calculator. For shutter speed it will sync at 1/200 or below. Take test shots and adjust your aperture setting from there, mine tends to slightly over exposed at the calculated setting.

Before trying this follow the other posters recommendations on testing the trigger voltage on your flash. On a 199A it should be 5-6v. If it is higher you have a malfunctioning flash.

It's my understanding that Adobe lens profiles are camera specific. Example a Nikon D5300 will have different profiles than a Nikon D7100, with many not all lenses supported on both cameras. Although your Tokina is supported on some cameras, it's not supported in a profile for your camera. When you go to the Profile Corrections Tab, and select Tokina, you are telling Lightroom to ignore the camera specific profiles and just use one for that lens. My understanding to get it to auto select you either need to create, or find a lens profile for that lens on your camera. To create a profile, you can download the Adobe Lens Profile Creator here: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/digital-negative.html#Adobe_Lens_Profile_Creator

Hi Marg,

I think I understand where you are having issues with your current kit of lenses, as I shoot with the same kit on a t3i. Your 18-55 is not wide enough for architectural landscapes. You have no close focusing capability to capture flowers, and 300 mm is not long enough to capture small birds. One Canon L lens will not solve all your problems. Here are some lens ideas for you.

For landscapes the EF-s 10-18 would be an excellent choice for wide angle. It is a great value lens designed for just that purpose. Alternately you may consider the 10-24mm’s from Tamron and Sigma. New the 10-18 is cheaper. Used the Tamron and Sigma lens are cheaper than the Canon.

For grandkids the 50mm 1.8 should be your workhorse lens for shooting inside. Outside the 18-55 will work. If you need to shoot events or groups inside frequently, consider the 17-55mm F2.8, or the 17-50mm F2.8 lenses from Tamron and Sigma. Outside a 5.6 lens is fine. When shooting indoors you need faster lenses preferably with image stabilization, unless you plan on using flash.

For flowers, the Canon EF-s 60mm macro. It does what the 100mm macro does on a full frame but is optimized for Canon’s APS-c cameras like your t4i. Alternately you can get extension tubes to use with your existing lenses. I have found they work great with both the 50mm 1.8 and the 75-300mm., for close-up work. Work from a tripod and use a remote switch such as the RS-60.

For birds this is where you may want to get an L lens. The 100-400mm, with its extra reach will help you put more pixels on the bird. Its close focusing ability would help with flowers, and it can pair with an extension tube for even closer. It would also work for grandkids outdoor sports. Alternately, the 150-600mm zooms from Tamron and Sigma would work. They don’t have the close focus ability of the Canon and may be too long for some outdoor sport events.

To address a few lenses suggested by others, the 24-70mm f2.8 is an excellent lens for a full frame camera. It is the main working lens for most working pros. I would not use it on an APS-c camera. It will make incredibly sharp photos on any camera it is used on, that’s not the issue. It is not wide enough on the low end for APS-c to be useful as a wide angle, and not long enough for telephoto. It’s cost in both extra weight and extra money, make it a bad choice for APS-c. Instead consider the 17-55mm f2.8 which adds image stabilization.

The 70-300mm zoom, both L and non-L versions are great general-purpose wildlife and outdoor sports lenses. They are sharper and have less optical aberrancies then your 75-300mm, but they don’t bring any thing new to the table. They are still too short for small birds.

Another lens mentioned is the 70-200 f2.8. Again, this lens is in just about every working pro’s bag, whether they shoot full frame or APS-c. It is an extremely versatile and sharp telephoto zoom. As it’s a fast lens it is very useful for indoor events and sports. At 200 mm it’s not long enough for small birds, but can be extended using a 2x extender, to 400 mm f5.6. I would consider this combination if the grandkids were into interior activities such as sports, school plays, dance recitals, etc. The 100-400mm will still work better for small birds at lower $$. Since this lens is so common, it is easy to rent one, if an event pops up, where you need to shoot in low light from a distance.

Speaking of renting, before you spend several hundred to a couple of thousand dollars on a new lens, pick one and rent it for a few days. Take it out and shoot what you want to shoot with it and see if it works for you

To clean mold, use a solution of 98% Isopropyl Alcohol, on a photo chamois. Store the slides in a cool dry place, and digitize as soon as possible. In this case it's probably a good idea to remove the slide from the mount, as the cardboard of the mount may contain the mold after cleaning. If you wish you may remount in new mounts.

Putting your Lightroom catalog file on an external drive, defeats the speed enhancements in Lightroom Classic CC. A work-around I found is this. Put your Lightroom Catalog file in a synced folder on your hard drive. It can be synced with Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive, or where it was recommended to put it was your Creative Cloud Folder. Lightroom will also keep your preview files there. Your actual master Raw/Jpeg files go to your hard drive, or better yet to an external hard-drive. Since Lightroom keeps your Metadata information in the catalog, using a synced copy of the catalog will allow you to edit keywords, and other metadata. See Windows example below. Just make sure that you allow your computer to sync the folder before opening or after closing Lightroom.