Hands-On Help Offered

Daniel Bridge · 2008-05-30T14:00:54+0100

This forum is obviously a great place to get answers to questions about all sorts of equipment and techniques, but occasionally there are times when we struggle to get a definitive answer from online help alone. You may have a lens that you don't think is working correctly, and the best way to test it is on another camera. Perhaps something odd is happening with your new DSLR, and you want someone else to have a look to make sure it's not 'just you'. Or you have a hankering for a particular lens, but the nearest shop with stock is 600 miles away and you'd rather try one out before spending your hard-earned. There are plenty of us here with either the knowledge or the equipment to help in these situations, and it might be helpful to be able to ask those that are happy to be asked, if perhaps you could meet up and get the help you need. I know this goes on anyway, but I'm suggesting that if you're happy to be contacted with a view to a meeting, then pop your name down here and say whereabouts you are. Someone with a problem that hasn't already been sorted online, could then send you a PM and ask if you're available to meet up. If you're not, then that's that, no questions asked. The onus of travelling would be on the person with the problem. I think we should be clear that we're talking about a brief meeting, it's not fair to expect hours of time to be devoted, unless the contactee is happy with that. Twenty minutes is often more than enough. If you are contacting someone, please state the problem in as much detail as possible, and the times when you would be available to meet. If the person you contact says "Sorry, I can't help you with this", then please respect this. There are many reasons why they might say it, and it's not for them to justify their decision. Do not take it personally. They might be about to go on holiday, have no experience of your problem, or may have alreasy met up with ten people in the last week and be wanting some peace! Hopefully, we might end up with a network of people covering much of the country, who can offer assistance when all other options have been exhausted. So to start the ball rolling... I'm based in Brentwood, Essex, and would be happy to meet up to help if I can. :wink: I have done this a few times already, and have found it's often a week or so before a meeting can be arranged, so don't neccessarily expect to see me the next day. Hope this helps those who need it. Dan

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Clarky Clarky

3125 posts
19 years
Sydney Australia

Posted 30/05/2008 - 23:40 Link

Great concept Dan
I will do what i can from down under.

pentaxian450 pentaxian450

1603 posts
18 years
North of Montreal,Quebec,
Canada

Posted 31/05/2008 - 18:32 Link

Quote:

pentaxian450 wrote:
Je peux aussi aider ceux d'origine francophone qui ont certaines difficultées avec la langue anglaise.

Et aussi ceux d'origine anglophone qui ont certaines difficultées avec la langue française?

You're damn right.

Mongoose Mongoose

2891 posts
19 years
Wiltshire,
England

Posted 31/05/2008 - 19:03 Link

I'm based just outside Swindon, Wiltshire. I'm quite often busy, but I rarely pass up an excuse to talk about cameras over a pint

you don't have to be mad to post here

but it does help

Sitav Sitav

47 posts
18 years

Posted 04/06/2008 - 22:35 Link

I'm also happy to help out if possible, I'm in North Essex / Suffolk. I've got first hand experience of how useful this can be as Dan agreed to meet and test a teleconverter with me (which incidentally is still with Sigma due to be returned this week!) without his help I'd have been struggling with returning it to New York where I bought it from. Poor fool, there doesn't seem to be any worthwhile saving from buying abroad via the internet!

Simon

K10D
www.photonetics.co.uk

Daniel Bridge Daniel Bridge

3458 posts
20 years
Billericay,
Essex

Posted 04/06/2008 - 22:38 Link

Perhaps I should start sorting out a list of who to contact in what region...

Dan

K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...

missmarple missmarple

192 posts
18 years
South London

Posted 05/07/2008 - 18:43 Link

To add a slight selfish twist to this idea.How about a respected member of the forum takes a novices kit away for a few days and comes back with a few tips on what the cam likes and where the lenses are most suited.I have a feeling this could be deduced by an experienced photographer fairly quickly.It may well take a novice a lot of time to find out that a certain lens, at a certain aperture, at a certain length, does or does not work with a certain camera and so on.

So who in SE England wants my GX20(sort of a Pentax) kit 18-55 and Pentax 55-300.

Obviously I would want some collateral,deeds to house,marraige license,first born e.t.c.

Darkmunk Darkmunk

1753 posts
18 years
Plymouth,
UK

Posted 18/07/2008 - 11:45 Link

Happy to help in Plymouth.
And happy to go out taking photos ( any excuse )

Facebook Page
Plymouth Photographer

Prieni Prieni

1469 posts
22 years
Rostock,
Germany

Posted 23/07/2008 - 08:52 Link

If anyone is needing some assistance in 'ye goode olde Germany' I'm happy to help.
As with Peter's offer in Spain you can at the same time visit the wonderful Baltic beach resort of Warnemuende. I don't have to rent out rooms or cars, though.

How inappropriate to call this planet earth when it is quite clearly Ocean. - Arthur C. Clarke
Prieni's PPG page

Gastao Gastao

12 posts
18 years

Posted 16/09/2008 - 23:56 Link

Hello!

I´m from Brasil and have a little difficult to get magazine from PENTAX.
I really would like to get some olds editions from it. Someone here could give me a idea, even sell me some of that?

Peter Bargh Peter Bargh

175 posts
23 years
Shireoaks,
Nottinghamshire England

Posted 17/09/2008 - 10:29 Link

You can buy any of the mags issued from 2001 from this web site. The are all listed here: Pentax User Back Issues
Try placing a wanted add in classifieds for older ones

Edited by Peter Bargh: 17/09/2008 - 10:29

Gastao Gastao

12 posts
18 years

Posted 29/09/2008 - 15:55 Link

Thanks a lot!!!!