I have the R7, with the Canon adapter & the Tamron 18-400 lens. I had to get the firmware updated for the Tamron lens to work correctly. I did have an odd situation with the lens not focusing all the time, but it turned out to be the Canon battery. I changed the battery with a Powerextra version of the battery, and all is fine. I remember reading under another post where another user had a odd problem tied to the battery. I had to purchase the Powerextra battery because the Canon battery is unavailable. If you are going to use a third party lens, make sure it is compatible and updated as necessary.

I do not have the Viltrox adapter, but both Canon adapters. I had an issue where the control ring and focus would not work with the Tamron 18-400 lens. The Tamron lens was upgraded to the latest firmware. After experimenting I found out the culprit was the Canon LP-E6NH battery supplied with the R7 camera. It seems if the charge goes down to about 60%, it won't work correctly with either of the adapters. I ordered and switched to Powerextra batteries, since Canon batteries are on back order, and both work great. My suggestion is to first try a fully charged battery and see if it has any impact on it.

Same here. Ordered it in the beginning of July and received it in August. I ordered mine with the kit lens. It seems if you just ordered the camera body alone, it was delayed further.

My 90d was acting up after I damaged it, do I opted to upgrade

I have the r7, and use the Tamron 18-400 with the canon adapter on it. It works very well, although the weight is a little on the heavy side. IQ is very good. The question is "Why do you feel you have to upgrade?"

Sorry for typos on my original reply JohnB

Instead of an external drive, dry a 512gb micro SD card. You can plug it in on bottom of unit It makes it very convenient. That is what I do and it works ver well. As stated, make sure you get the 16gb. I have the Surface Pro 7 with an external mouse and do all my editing on it. JohnB

I have a stubborn smear of dirt or grime on my lense. What is the recommendation to clean it? JohnB

I have
The Canon 90d with the Tamron 18-400 lens and it works perfect for me. Also I am currently on a river cruise with it. Johneb2

While I don't have a Nikon camera, I can tell you as a Canon user I found having a polarizer & ND filter a blessing. For game drives, make sure you book a before sunrise, and near sunset tours / dark. It is during those times we found the most activity happening. Although I brought a tripod, I never used it, but keep in mind you do not want to use flash photography on game drives as it can spook the wildlife. The main lens I used was a Tamron 16-400 lens. I did bring two other Canon lenses, but just never had occasion to use them. Remember the clothing code also, do not wear bright contrasting colors, try to stick to solids as they will tell you most animals have adjusted to that. Also keep in mind, in the pre-dawn, and after dusk hours, it does get chilly, so a light windbreaker is recommended. Other than that the usual extra batteries, memory, and rain cover for your camera. I found my trip excellent and wish the same for you. JohnEB

I have been using ON1 as one of my programs, and find it is very good. It does have a considerable learning curve if you are first starting. As others have mentioned, each release has added significant improvements. There is a major update that is scheduled to be released this month. Aside from numerous added features, it will now work as a plugin to many other editor programs. JohnEB

I use Affinity Photo with my Canon 90D. It is a one time payment program. A lot of different opinions will likely follow from other people. Other options include ON1 2020 raw, again that is a one time payment. Both have trial versions, so I would suggest trying them out first. Johneb2

Believe it or not, when we had all the seminars on the auroras, we were told that there are always auroras. But you are correct in that the degree / intensity they appear is relative to the sunspot activity. That intensity is what translates into the colors you might see. Light intensity would generally mean a light green etc. Also, when looking for them, remember to look directly overhead, as they can appear anywhere in the sky. We had a number of people who would look only at the horizon area. Again, you need patience though.

I was in Norway on the Viking Cruise last March in Search of Northern Lights. It was the cruise we had to be evacuated from due to a loss of power in a storm near the end of the cruise. We did get to see the northern lights of which I got some pictures of. I used a Canon 70d2, with a Tamron 16-300, and a Canon 10-24 lenses. I had no problems with condensation, but I made sure I packed everything in the camera bag outside before returning inside. I took still pictures, no video. To my knowledge nobody took video on the trip, mainly because the auroras were not "dancing" while we were there. A tripod is mandatory. As for clothing, I used my skiing clothes so I had no problem. Other people dressed in numerous layers. The main thing is HAVE PATIENCE! You can be waiting for quite a while before Auroras appears, and even then it might be for a short time, or if you are lucking a "considerable" time. Good luck....Johneb

I also live on Long Island and have visited their store numerous times. That is an adventure in itself. Nobody comes close to their selections, and inventory of photography material. If you plan on visiting the store, remember they are closed on Saturdays, and Jewish holidays. You will not be disappointed though it is a great experience. Their pricing is reasonable, and their customer service is excellent. I have purchased many items from them over the years, both in person and via mail order, and have never had any problems. They are my go to place for photography equipment. As far as the sales tax, they have a promotion where they will reimburse you the sales tax if you use their special card. You need to setup an account with them. I am not affiliated with them, but am a satisfied customer with them for over 15 years.