Is this forum dying?

I too shoot both Pentax as well as Canon. A couple of things have sprung to mind with your post.

I like quirky. Pentax camera bodies, the K01 springs to mind. I don't own one, but at least Pentax tried something different as opposed to a rehash of the same old same old with newer technology in it. Back in the days of film, they made the 67, and the 645, as well as the little 110. All different to the normal run of the mill stuff. I like that they do lenses a little different as well. The 31, 43, and 77 come to mind. No one else does them at those focal lens. The new RF mount has some interesting new glass. Why is it interesting? Because it is different to every other manufacturer. Quirky brings change from the crowds.

I agree, they do some neat engineering. I find their cameras really easy to use. I own the gps unit which slots into the hotshoe. Not brilliant, but it's a great start for night images.

Flaky? Are you serious? There was a video going around back in the day of some bloke burying his Pentax camera in sand, and then washing it off under a tap. That was on Pentax Forums. Look on youtube, you will see videos of people giving their cameras abuse, and they still work. Yes, Pentax have had problems. SDM failures, and aperture block failures, but I am pretty sure every camera manufacturer has their same issues with their cameras and lenses. In fact, just read the post two above yours on this thread.

I do know of Pentax Forums. I am not a member, but I would hate to think the amount of times I have visited the site. Almost everyday for years. So I kind of know what the current talk is about. I have just poked my nose in their now. And the total "my Pentax camera is broken" on the first two forum pages, is a grand total of one. My camera from the mid 1980's doesn't work. Try a new battery. So I really have no idea where you are getting this "loads of talk about it".

I am also little miffed that you have come onto a forum to complain about another brand.

I also recognize your user name and avatar from Pentax Forums. If you wish to discuss what you think about Pentax products I would suggest you log on and start a new thread there.

Gary

 

Is there a little history here that new members don't know about?
I might not be the sharpest tool in the box, but I have read the "offending" post about ten times to see what I am missing, and well, it just doesn't seem that offensive to me!? Perhaps if I owned a Pentax I might understand?

 

WOW!! I am certainly happy to have stumbled upon this thread. I believe that the core reason this site is slow is that a majority of members
do not fully comprehend what this site is all about. For example, right on my 6th month anniversary as a member here, a woman sent me a Personal Message and asked me. "Why do you post so many photos?" Aaaaahhh, What? I was taken aback, I wasn't able to respond.

My personal belief is this: We need members to be motivated to commenting on each others work. It doesn't always have to be glowing,
exemplary comments, because it is possible to find the beauty in any photograph. That is photography, where through our dedication, we are telling a story. In fact, I believe that this is so crucial, that I challenge all of us (including myself) to take a more active interest in commenting on the work proffered here. This site has many very talented and gifted photographers who see their efforts being ignored and no one appreciates that type attitude. Okay, whaddayasay? I am stoked, motivated and inspired so lets get busy and view and do comment on each others photos. Even if the thumbnail doesn't inspire you to open the thread, open it anyway and you will be pleasantly surprised. Remember, a member thought enough of the subject to do everything right and honor us by sharing right here on this Forum.

I'm onboard and will begin right now. )

Thanks for your active participation. Tony

 

Thank you for your thoughts and your enthusiasm, Tony. You probably noticed that I was the originator of this thread back in 2018.
Sadly, not a lot has changed since then. With the greater market dominance of the Canon brand I expected that many more people would be involved here but that hasn't happened. Still, we have a small core of regulars and if we all embrace your objectives by posting more photos and by commenting on them this forum could be a more active and enjoyable place.

I normally only post images here taken with my Canon cameras but I might follow Tony's lead and start posting images taken with my Pentax cameras. After all, it is the photographer behind the camera who creates the image and the camera is just the tool used to record it.

I'm on board with Tony. How many others will join us?

 

Well, I am very grateful that you were the spark plug to get things (members) fired up. Thank you very much. Tony

 

I have to admit as a new member, and relatively inexperienced photographer (I have had cameras for donkeys years, but always had that many other hobbies on the go, that they were invariably carried around in a rucksack/bag and hardly ever used ) I actively looked for a forum to join and contribute to, but now find that I am a little "overawed" by everyone else' pictures!
It's not so much the quality of my images (though they do leave a bit to be desired yet) but more by the dullness of the subjects!
I still have a slight hang up about wandering around in public, snapping away at will, so generally only take my camera along on fishing/walking trips where there are limited people around. I can see by my results that I am also a long way off getting my eye in and catching my subjects at their best or from the most interesting angles etc.
I do take constructive criticism well, so I guess I will have to risk it and post a few more pictures.

 

Paul , you are on the right site to improve, you already enjoy your photography and take a lot of snap shots, this is two steps ahead of a lot of people.
To improve post some photos, doesn't matter what they are but take in what people say about them, then retake the shots and with what has been said, see if there is improvement. My suggestion is slow down when you compose, remember that the first place you go is not always the best one so have a look around and see what presents itself. Good photography takes time.

 

Yeah, I totally agree with Craig. I will toss in my two cents and say that, when I first started in Digital Photography, just about all of my images were posted in the Critique Section. That really is an invaluable tool to assist an individual's journey to learn and improve their skills.
As Craig mentioned, everything takes time. Hope this helps. Cheers. Tony

 

So long as your enjoying yourself, that's the main thing. Forums should not be competitive places. But if you look around the net there are forums where it can be pretty aggressive when you get a handful of people arguing about what they think is right.

You kind of need to find a forum that you are comfortable with and you like the feeling of. I like this place, yes I wish that there were more people around. For yourself, please by all means post some images. You have nothing to risk or lose if you are asking for feedback. As getting out and finding more interesting places, I think that we all suffer with that. I look at it as if and when I go out to take pictures, if I find something, excellent, and if I don't it doesn't bother me. I will keep an eye open to see if a place is worth returning to. We all have things to learn, and places like this can be a good place with like minded people with a common interest.

Gary

 

Ray, a modern camera and lens is just a bit of plastic some metal, glass and electronics. A brand name is stamped on it. It is only a tool that allow us to produce either a electronic copy or a image captured on film.
The camera is merely a tool to obtain and record the image, the real fun in photography is the going to get the photo, manipulating, change and displaying the image.
A group of like minded people that display, help and encourage each other that's what makes a forum, the only time a brand matters is that is the forum's competition the rest of the time it should not matter.
The last two cameras I purchased were not Canon as they don't make medium format or large format (please correct me if I am wrong).
They were a Toyoview 4*5 large format camera ( the picture of it is on this month comp and yes taken with Canon gear) and a Mamaya 645 camera and lenses. The 28mm lens when fitted to this camera is brilliant, super wide and sharp as a tack.
I fitted a adapter for it and used it on my 1D mark 3 and it was no better than my other 28mm lenses but on the camera it was designed for there vast improvement.
Ray , it is the photos and your input that counts not a electronic box of plastic and glass.

 

True, but as it is called Canon forums, is it not meant to lean more towards Canon gear and images taken with this gear.

Gary

 

Hi Paul,
I know exactly how you feel because that is how I felt when I started out in photography many years ago.
Think of photography as a journey. Some of us are just starting out on the journey and others are at various points along that journey. As you learn how to get the best out of your equipment and how to create better images and how to process them you will progress along on that journey.
For me, the journey never ends. I am still learning, still looking at other people's images and wishing that I could take images like them. So, please don't be overawed by what you see here. Post your images here and ask for advice or comments as that is one of the ways that you will progress on your journey.
I hope that helps and I look forward to seeing your work.

 

Yes, that is true, Gary, but in the interests of increasing forum activity and involvement I think that we could allow images taken with other than Canon equipment providing the forum moderators have no objections. On pentaxforums there are often images taken with other brands, even mobile phone images (but I'm not sure we should go that far! ).

 

Gary, I think if you look at the posts on this site, the majority are about Canon cameras and lenses, as we buy gear it is to suit our needs not because of it's brand, though it does help matching components up such as lenses to camera etc.
Now let's look at why we join in on a forum, I think personally it is to talk to like minded people with a interest in photography those who have been interested for some time will have other brands, surely a persons knowledge and experience are more important than the brand they use or in my case and many others, multiple brands.

 

Okay sports fans, I have another idea. (one in a row . I would like to institute a zero tolerance program. That program would be: Zero, zero replies on posted images. In other words, no matter how many views the image may have received, it still deserves at least one comment. Anything positive (and there is always something positive to say) could and should be acknowledged by an up beat comment.

Whaddyasay? Thanks for your considerations. Tony

 

I’ve just joined...
Canon Ps and one VI

 

Welcome aboard and thanks for joining. Looking forward to viewing your work. Cheers, Tony

 

As have I. Mine is a good old 35mm Rebel EOS500. I'm glad I found you all!