I'm ready to resume traveling to wherever for vacation. Really enjoy Western US, red rock areas and NW Pacific Coast. Hopefully return to Zion and Grand Canyon soon. Alaska is probably my all time favorite. Loved it so much I made it my home over 35 years ago and still haven't see it all.

Desiccant packs are super cheap and available in endless sizes and shapes. You can reactivate them in the sun. You can get plastic refillable containers and bake the color changing desiccant in the oven to restore it. I like the bead type, if container opens its easy the put back in. They're available and inexpensive on line from endless sources and shapes.

It depends on what you do with your photos but if you really want to go light you can try a new cellphone camera with a Moment case and lens combo. They take incredibly good pictures for something that fits in your pocket. Each time a new one is released they get better. And you can edit and share directly from the device. Super easy and you can capture images good enough to share.

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Hi Sandy,

I have a gaming laptop, I7, 16 gb ram with 8 gb video, dual drives, SSD and HDD. I'd recommend something along those capabilities if you're going to buy a laptop. It's capable of running anything I've tried on it. Gaming laptops don't have any extra features like extra ports, fingerprint readers, etc. So if you like convenience features look for a laptop with them.

Personally I'm trying to move completely away from a laptop or home computer. They're bulky, can be fragile and are difficult to travel with especially if you're already carrying photo gear. I also use my Samsung Note 20 Ultra and find it works great for editing with the Samsung Dex dock and 32 in monitor. Or any monitor or TV. I recently bought a Samsung Tab S7+ and it's very nice for travel editing. It also works with Dex on the monitor. Both devices seem to run all the Creative Cloud products just fine. So far I haven't encountered any problems. I like that both of my Samsung devices link seamlessly to my Canon R5 making it so easy to transfer photos and control my camera. I haven't tried editing RAW images from R5 yet but the largest JPEG images open and save as fast as on my laptop.

If you want to run windows only based software you'll need a different device. A good tablet option for windows is the MS Surface Pro. The I7 with 16 gb ram is about $1300. It also has a docking station available for home use. Several of my coworkers use them for travel, gaming photo editing and have no complaints. It's much lighter and more durable than almost any laptop.

Good luck with your search.

Didn't qualify for intell.

My guess is still shipping but lots of demand. I got mine on Wednesday.

I found the color and flow of clouds and river ice unique. Taken in Tututuliak Alaska along the Tagayarak River.

I just spent a few weeks with an R5 rental while waiting for mine to arrive. It's very comfortable to hold and fits in the same sleeve as my 80D. The feel and size is very similar and it's easy to carry in one hand. I bought the RF 24-240 lens and EF-RF adapter. Also rented the RF 800. The RF lenses work very well and are not heavy. All of my Canon EF, EF-S , Tamron and Sigma lenses worked great. The only lens I couldn't get to work was Rokinon 14mm. My recommendation is to try a rental and see how it works for you. If you use your existing glass you might save enough to offset the price of the camera. And you won't be trying to learn a new camera system.

Old boats and the sea

I couldn't help drifting off topic a bit as well. I do like where most of the comments on the post went. It's great that you're encouraging your granddaughter with her photography. I've tried to encourage my kids and grandkids over the years but most of have switched to phone camera technology and skip the computer interface altogether. I have to admit photography and how we use it is changing drastically everyday. Several of my kids have taken photography classes recently in high school and used DLSR cameras. Currently my youngest son is working on his yearbook and takes my DLSR all the time if I'm not using it. Recently he asked if he could just keep it and I could get something else. He definitely understands the value in that and helping convince mom why a new camera might be needed.

So I'm exploring options and shopping for something new as well. Are you still going to use your new camera for hunting and fishing? I find myself wanting lighter and more portability in my travels especially if photography is secondary. Mirrorless generally fits that requirement and might be worth exploring, all depends on the budget. I'm also exploring drone technology so I can try a different perspective when fishing. New camera might be a few more months, ordered the drone last night. Good luck and have fun researching your new purchase.

Wow, nailed that. Very nice.

An afternoon stop for a stroll to the river. Just a bit too icy.

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Very nice set. Definitely agree on liking #2.

I made the same switch and absolutely no regrets. I carry my 80D everyday, meets my needs just fine. It's a great price point. Allowed me enough to add some lens with it. Definitely a good upgrade. Have fun shooting.

You could try renting each lens to make sure which works best. I ended up purchasing the Tamron 150-600 G2 after trying it on a week long trip with the rental cost being subtracted from the purchase. Great way to make sure it's what you want. I carry my Tamron all the time and use it mostly free hand or with a monopod for birds and wildlife. It takes incredible pictures of eagles. I really like it and would definitely buy it again, it's my favorite lens. I've looked at the teleconverter for it but it really has good range so haven't tried that. Good luck and Merry Christmas.