New camera - newbie questions

[planehazza]

Hi all,
After taking some advice in another thread, I now own a (new to me) D7200 and 70-300 lens. Had a quick play and it seems canny capable!

I have some questions, if I may.

1) Storage in a bag. Good idea to keep it in the camera bag for long term storage, or are they only for carrying at shoots?

2) How snug should it be in the bag? Right now, the bags is a little oversize depth with so the camera can move fore/aft an inch or so. Should I get more padding?

3) How should I store it in the bag? Lens attached? Lens up, lens down? Doesn't matter?

4) I 'acquired' a Velbon EF-41 tripod from my last job, but it's missing the camera attachment. Are they universal? Would this fit the D7200 and said tripod?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/JeoPoom-Releas ... d_source=1

5) Cleaning the external body. It's got grim and gunk in the gaps and, being used, I'd like to clean it. Water en masse is an obvious no no. What could I use?

This is the bag with the camera inside: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YCgVYcchH1D3Tn279
Tripod: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7BZEktvJMkAcPrYe7 and https://photos.app.goo.gl/rYYDPYJuEZt9CD1g7

Thanks!

[Archer]

1) Up to you. Mine lives in the bag all year round.
2) Depends on how much you're going to throw the bag around. As long as it's resting on the padding when carried normally, you should be fine.
3) I don't know that bag... but lens down or sitting on its bottom are the common ways of storing a camera/lens. Whatever works is the best answer here as I don't think you can go wrong with this.
4) Officially you're looking for a Velbon QB-32 quick release plate. The one you linked to looks similar and fits Velbon tripods, but I don't see the EF-41 in the list... so not 100% sure. That plate will most likely fit the D7200 although I would look for one without that extra pin sticking up. I cannot tell if that is spring loaded or not (it may well be).
5) See page 320 of the manual.... A clean cloth, lightly dampened with distilled water is the official tool...

[Alan425]

Just to add to Archer's reply, to clean grime from the nooks and crannies of a camera body I use a one inch decorators paint brush! Just gentle use with the brush should shift it, but only use a new unused one.

Alan

[blacksplat]

Can anyone think of a reason why you shouldn't use a wet/alcohol wipe for cleaning?