Completely unbiased guide to buying a DSLR.........Not!
414 posts
Link
Posted 07/03/2014 - 21:31
Playing Devil's Advocate...he's probably right.
The majority of people do not buy anything with thought but go with what's fashionable.
History is littered with idea's and products that were better than the competition but failed due to the whims of fashion and big advertising budgets.
Personally I have given up on trying to argue with people on matters of fact. It's a waste of breath and I now accept that I am obviously a completely different breed to the other 90 percent of the population.
Thankfully this forum is full of the other 10 percent who wouldn't be seen dead paying twice as much for a product because it had a hip label
Pentax has lost on the marketing front for the moment but the good news is that if anybody in the company realises this, a clever and heavy marketing hit would turn around peoples misconceptions.
In fact they should do this quick, before any full frame product or they'll just get mocked for being late to the game.
Steve
Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes not, but I consider sarcasm an artform. Which is it today?
The majority of people do not buy anything with thought but go with what's fashionable.
History is littered with idea's and products that were better than the competition but failed due to the whims of fashion and big advertising budgets.
Personally I have given up on trying to argue with people on matters of fact. It's a waste of breath and I now accept that I am obviously a completely different breed to the other 90 percent of the population.
Thankfully this forum is full of the other 10 percent who wouldn't be seen dead paying twice as much for a product because it had a hip label
Pentax has lost on the marketing front for the moment but the good news is that if anybody in the company realises this, a clever and heavy marketing hit would turn around peoples misconceptions.
In fact they should do this quick, before any full frame product or they'll just get mocked for being late to the game.
Steve
Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes not, but I consider sarcasm an artform. Which is it today?
Link
Posted 07/03/2014 - 21:41
What a lot of baloney. Ive been shooting Pentax for 7 years and never had a problem getting signed up by photo agencies, nor have i ever been asked what I shoot with. Does that mean photographers who shoot hasselblad or phase one are not going to get a contract with an agency either???
PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography
Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography
Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
Link
Posted 07/03/2014 - 22:30
Nobody actually cares what people use as long as they can deliver the goods.
Best regards, John
Best regards, John
Link
Posted 07/03/2014 - 22:35
johnriley wrote:
Nobody actually cares what people use as long as they can deliver the goods.
Nobody actually cares what people use as long as they can deliver the goods.
I could not agree more.
Some Cameras
Link
Posted 07/03/2014 - 22:49
If you follow through to the author's web-site you find;
Sorry, the website www.nigelwattsphotographer.info cannot be found
Don't you just love the smell of irony in the morning
Sorry, the website www.nigelwattsphotographer.info cannot be found
Don't you just love the smell of irony in the morning
Last Edited by JohnX on 07/03/2014 - 22:51
Link
Posted 08/03/2014 - 06:53
johnriley wrote:
Nobody actually cares what people use as long as they can deliver the goods.
Nobody actually cares what people use as long as they can deliver the goods.
That's true. We all know that the goods speak and not the gear.
However for the noobie it's likely they might think people will care and sadly people like the idiot who said "Firstly if you want to be taken seriously the best option is to do what 90%+ of professional Photographer do, and choose either a Canon or Nikon;" are fuelling this scenario.
I've seen this in other industries. Noobies like to minimise the uncertainties and thus will gravitate towards industry standards and industry leaders.
I of course agree with John and Gary on this. I also think that paying more than a few seconds attention to some random blog on the web ( http://www.photoutopia.co.uk) is pointless.
His view is floating around in the stock pot along side all the other 7 billion different viewpoints.
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Link
Posted 08/03/2014 - 08:25
I suppose there might be than one factor in that statement. If you work on your own as a photographer it might not matter, but it might otherwise. It is like saying that it does not matter what sw you use, but if you work in a company or in an environment where you need to share information, you will probably use the "standard" software. I assume it is the same in photography.
Giorgio
Pentax Photo Gallery
Giorgio
Pentax Photo Gallery
Link
Posted 08/03/2014 - 09:44
There is indeed sometimes an "industry standard", but it's always well based in practicality.
Examples would be Photoshop in Photo Editing software, The Dentomat when dentists mixed silver amalgam, Apple when it comes to tablets (contentious?) and so on.
It's true in photo equipment also, but only in the sense that you know if you need a Hasselblad and why you need it. It's not better per se, but might be better for a specific application.
Best regards, John
Examples would be Photoshop in Photo Editing software, The Dentomat when dentists mixed silver amalgam, Apple when it comes to tablets (contentious?) and so on.
It's true in photo equipment also, but only in the sense that you know if you need a Hasselblad and why you need it. It's not better per se, but might be better for a specific application.
Best regards, John
Link
Posted 08/03/2014 - 21:41
johnriley wrote:
There is indeed sometimes an "industry standard", but it's always well based in practicality.
Examples would be Photoshop in Photo Editing software, The Dentomat when dentists mixed silver amalgam, Apple when it comes to tablets (contentious?) and so on.
It's true in photo equipment also, but only in the sense that you know if you need a Hasselblad and why you need it. It's not better per se, but might be better for a specific application.
There is indeed sometimes an "industry standard", but it's always well based in practicality.
Examples would be Photoshop in Photo Editing software, The Dentomat when dentists mixed silver amalgam, Apple when it comes to tablets (contentious?) and so on.
It's true in photo equipment also, but only in the sense that you know if you need a Hasselblad and why you need it. It's not better per se, but might be better for a specific application.
Industry standards develop and persist out of confidence too. use an industry standard and it can instil confidence in a client. Emerging professionals are drawn towards them for the same reason and also being skilled in the industry standard allows a wider scope for employment.
Industry standards are not necessarily better in terms of the results they produce. Pentax cams and lenses for example can often equal and sometimes better that from Canon and Nikon
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Link
Posted 09/03/2014 - 17:11
Software is always interesting, when I worked in various press tents there always seemed to be a cross mixture of Photoshop, lightroom, aperture & capture one users. Guess everyone has different workflow methods which one likes but another prefers another route...
PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography
Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography
Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
Link
Posted 09/03/2014 - 18:01
Personally I think wafting a Pentax around makes you stand out from the crowd. The Canikon CROWD. Inverse snobbery is a great thing
Link
Posted 09/03/2014 - 18:16
Quote:
Firstly if you want to be taken seriously the best option is to do what 90%+ of professional Photographer do, and choose either a Canon or Nikon;
Firstly if you want to be taken seriously the best option is to do what 90%+ of professional Photographer do, and choose either a Canon or Nikon;
I'm sorry but what a load of rubbish! Okay so they are brand names but some of the best photograph's in history have been taken and these were not the mentioned here.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1342305/The-Blitzs-iconic-image-On-70th-...
Not a Nikon or cannon in sight, also.
http://pindelski.org/Photography/2012/01/28/david-baileys-pentax/
Always be kind to people
link
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Photographs-by-an-angel/262352847143059
link
Link
Posted 09/03/2014 - 18:49
A Ford Escort used to be the Industry Standard 
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Link
Posted 09/03/2014 - 21:07
I was in this situation recently (friends daughter starting school photography class) and was asked to recommend a camera etc. In this instance I didn't actually have a problem recommending Canon for two reasons:
1) The teacher had this brand, and I think when you're starting out you want to keep up with the class and not be the odd one out with regards to settings etc. And you want the teacher to be able to help you quickly also.
and 2) The 2nd hand market is flooded with cheap older Canon products due to the sheer numbers of them. So for these guys starting out, that provided a cheap way to get their feet wet.
This is purely from a new student entering a course run by others scenario.
I then expect to catch them again at a later date when they've progressed a bit more and have found that stumbling block that they want to progress past, as in go beyond the limitations of their entry level Canikon. That's where I see Pentax starting to enter the game.
Financially I don't see Pentax as being big enough to support a loss leader like the entry level Canikons can. Pentax's attempt with the K-500 has been almost universally disregarded because of the decision to not include the visual focus points in the viewfinder.
Where Pentax starts to enter the game is at a comparative cost to the Canikon higher enthusiast models, such as the D3300 head to head The K-30 is still competing with their latest releases, although we're falling behind now on the likes of wifi and GPS being built in on the D5300 etc. To me Pentax has always offered more features and a more rugged product for a lower price at the prosumer/enthusiast product point. I looked around when replacing my K100D and Pentax still offered the best bang for the buck for me with the K-30, so I'm still here, and quite legitimately too.
This is the ground I think Pentax (DSLR's) competes in well, that area above the meh entry level offerings (Pentax doesn't actually do entry level in my opinion
certainly nothing as basic or handicapped as the competition) and below the full frame world. Technically that's a competitive area there, but it's also quite small compared to the whole spectrum out there.
1) The teacher had this brand, and I think when you're starting out you want to keep up with the class and not be the odd one out with regards to settings etc. And you want the teacher to be able to help you quickly also.
and 2) The 2nd hand market is flooded with cheap older Canon products due to the sheer numbers of them. So for these guys starting out, that provided a cheap way to get their feet wet.
This is purely from a new student entering a course run by others scenario.
I then expect to catch them again at a later date when they've progressed a bit more and have found that stumbling block that they want to progress past, as in go beyond the limitations of their entry level Canikon. That's where I see Pentax starting to enter the game.
Financially I don't see Pentax as being big enough to support a loss leader like the entry level Canikons can. Pentax's attempt with the K-500 has been almost universally disregarded because of the decision to not include the visual focus points in the viewfinder.
Where Pentax starts to enter the game is at a comparative cost to the Canikon higher enthusiast models, such as the D3300 head to head The K-30 is still competing with their latest releases, although we're falling behind now on the likes of wifi and GPS being built in on the D5300 etc. To me Pentax has always offered more features and a more rugged product for a lower price at the prosumer/enthusiast product point. I looked around when replacing my K100D and Pentax still offered the best bang for the buck for me with the K-30, so I'm still here, and quite legitimately too.
This is the ground I think Pentax (DSLR's) competes in well, that area above the meh entry level offerings (Pentax doesn't actually do entry level in my opinion
certainly nothing as basic or handicapped as the competition) and below the full frame world. Technically that's a competitive area there, but it's also quite small compared to the whole spectrum out there.
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RalphHardwick
Member
Norfolk, UK
Hi,
I am a photography lecturer teaching A level, and students are always asking me which DSLR to buy, so to save myself time I created an advice page: www.photoutopia.co.uk/page8/page32/page32.html
Thought others might find it useful, I update it every time a major manufacturer brings out a new model.
Hope you find it useful.
It starts with:
Brand:
Firstly if you want to be taken seriously the best option is to do what 90%+ of professional Photographer do, and choose either a Canon or Nikon; if you are a trustafarian and want to look retro flash then buy a Leica, but thats getting ahead of ourselves.
The only saving grace is that he last updated it in December 2010. However if that's the advice given to A Level students its no wonder Canikon have a monopoly
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