All Forum Comments
Not sure if it's just me, but I have noticed just a hint of tension on this forum lately, so I have decided to start this thread as a place folk can come and relax a bit. Please feel free to add your own chillaxed images, fluffy kittens, laughing children, pretty flowers etc.
Comment by Jim-w posted on Chillax Thread. at 07/07/2014 - 21:23
How about the Sigma 70mm DG macro, rated very highly on review sites, scores very high for IQ. Mine seems to be permanently stuck on the front of my K5, for macro, portraits, almost anything, I even shot a wedding almost entirely with this lens. This lens on the front of your more than capable K7 would do flowers, scenery and family portraits very well indeed, and leave more than enough cash left over to buy me some new wheels for my vw camper for offering this sound advice
I better offer some negatives for this lens also, focus speed can be a bit slow, but I believe this is the norm for macro lenses, personally I don't find it a problem it has a limit switch and pre focusing manually to roughly the distance needed then switching to AF generally stops it hunting, this is of course when photographing things like kids that cant keep still for two seconds. Flowers of course are not a problem as they tend not to run around as much. The only other very minor neg is its not WR. Check out the reviews Nigel I know you love that technical stuff.
Jim.
I better offer some negatives for this lens also, focus speed can be a bit slow, but I believe this is the norm for macro lenses, personally I don't find it a problem it has a limit switch and pre focusing manually to roughly the distance needed then switching to AF generally stops it hunting, this is of course when photographing things like kids that cant keep still for two seconds. Flowers of course are not a problem as they tend not to run around as much. The only other very minor neg is its not WR. Check out the reviews Nigel I know you love that technical stuff.
Jim.
Comment by Jim-w posted on Pixels or Glass? at 31/05/2014 - 08:23
Blythman wrote:
Jim, what would make you more active on the forum?
Time. Jim, what would make you more active on the forum?
Confidence, ability, experience to give critique that doesn't fall into the "oh nice" category.
Did I mention time.
My post above put simply, how is a name change going to encourage folk to give critique?
Jim.
Comment by Jim-w posted on What has happened? at 22/05/2014 - 17:27
Not sure how changing a forum name would help anything, people can post images now and ask for C&C and still get totally ignored, a name change will do nothing to change that.
Stopping comments in the gallery will only alianate a large portion of the very few active PU members and possibly cause them to move on else where.
You seem to be trying to fix a problem that's not there, ie trying to create a place for critique a place for demonstrating new toys a place for showing of your best stuff. People can do all this now. Will having a dedicated critique forum mean all the highly regarded ( and as such the only peeps some will take notice of regarding critique anyway) come on here on a daily basis and critique everything put up? I don't think so, there is sod all stopping absolutely anyone one offering critique on any image posted, but sadly many posted images get ignored. Name changes will do sod all to change that.
Jim.
Stopping comments in the gallery will only alianate a large portion of the very few active PU members and possibly cause them to move on else where.
You seem to be trying to fix a problem that's not there, ie trying to create a place for critique a place for demonstrating new toys a place for showing of your best stuff. People can do all this now. Will having a dedicated critique forum mean all the highly regarded ( and as such the only peeps some will take notice of regarding critique anyway) come on here on a daily basis and critique everything put up? I don't think so, there is sod all stopping absolutely anyone one offering critique on any image posted, but sadly many posted images get ignored. Name changes will do sod all to change that.
Jim.
ChrisA wrote:
* rename 'Your photos' as 'Images for critique or feedback'
* remove the opportunity to leave comments in the Gallery.
Two very simple changes, with no possibility for confusion at all.
You wouldn't expect to go up to the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, and find a comments book containing things like 'nice pic, maybe touch up the smile a bit'. That's because it's a gallery. Everyone knows what a gallery is.
None of this stuff is rocket science, and it's an insult to the people here to imagine that such simple changes are beyond people's ability to understand.
It's more confusing as things are at the moment.
PS Ideally, I'd like to be able to put links to externally hosted images in the gallery on the rare occasions I have something to show off. I don't like having to host things in more than one place, and I also don't like the fact (assuming it's still the case) that deleting an image from the gallery doesn't delete it from the server.
johnriley wrote:
my point is that if we make it more complicated it won't necessarily make it any better.
This is not a rejection of any point of view, just a thinking process about it.
Do two things:my point is that if we make it more complicated it won't necessarily make it any better.
This is not a rejection of any point of view, just a thinking process about it.
* rename 'Your photos' as 'Images for critique or feedback'
* remove the opportunity to leave comments in the Gallery.
Two very simple changes, with no possibility for confusion at all.
You wouldn't expect to go up to the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, and find a comments book containing things like 'nice pic, maybe touch up the smile a bit'. That's because it's a gallery. Everyone knows what a gallery is.
None of this stuff is rocket science, and it's an insult to the people here to imagine that such simple changes are beyond people's ability to understand.
It's more confusing as things are at the moment.
PS Ideally, I'd like to be able to put links to externally hosted images in the gallery on the rare occasions I have something to show off. I don't like having to host things in more than one place, and I also don't like the fact (assuming it's still the case) that deleting an image from the gallery doesn't delete it from the server.
Comment by Jim-w posted on What has happened? at 22/05/2014 - 17:00
Black and white dog is lovely David, a dog even hairier than my retriever, little green spider very good almost 3 dimensional and I like the last flower shot as I tend to prefer the flower to fill most of the frame.
All the best...Jim.
All the best...Jim.
Comment by Jim-w posted on First set with the 1.4 HD AW Teleconverter at 19/05/2014 - 20:17
On the positive side of things I expect the moderators are at this very moment holding an emergency meeting to discuss what can be done to change things for the better after all this valuable user feedback.
On the negative side of things I expect the moderators are at this very moment holding an emergency meeting to discuss which members to ban for daring to mention anything negative about this site.
As for those who have the nerve to mention canon or nikon you are almost certainly barred for life.
On a diferent note although in some way related, thanks to David Storm for you comments on the images I uploaded the other day, much appreciated.
Jim.
On the negative side of things I expect the moderators are at this very moment holding an emergency meeting to discuss which members to ban for daring to mention anything negative about this site.
As for those who have the nerve to mention canon or nikon you are almost certainly barred for life.
On a diferent note although in some way related, thanks to David Storm for you comments on the images I uploaded the other day, much appreciated.
Jim.
Comment by Jim-w posted on What has happened? at 19/05/2014 - 07:29
ChrisA wrote:
Anything except people being super-nice is heavily stepped on; discussion of or comparison with anything non-Pentax is prohibited, and quite a few of the best photographers have gone to other brands.
It's not a recipe for animated discussion, controversy, direct feedback, or indeed an improving quality of images to discuss.
There are very few 'characters' here any more. The Smegster is one of the few I can think of that can always be relied on to post non-timid critique, and consequently there's way too much saccharine and nowhere near enough salt-and-pepper.
Since the gallery is an exhibition area rather than a C&C area, there's a strong disincentive to post anything other than anodyne compliments, and so the dross doesn't get called out as such. So there's no likelihood of improvement there.
Sadly, I think there's no particular prospect of change without some bold changes to moderation policy at the very least, and I don't see that happening.
Well said davidstorm wrote:
Is it my imagination or have things gone downhill a bit lately? Very little quality in the Gallery, very little interaction and controversy on Forum threads. I find it harder and harder to get enthused about the site, is it just me?
Opinions please!
I think you're right, but it's not so much things going downhill IMO, it's a gradual change that's been taking place over several years.Is it my imagination or have things gone downhill a bit lately? Very little quality in the Gallery, very little interaction and controversy on Forum threads. I find it harder and harder to get enthused about the site, is it just me?
Opinions please!
Anything except people being super-nice is heavily stepped on; discussion of or comparison with anything non-Pentax is prohibited, and quite a few of the best photographers have gone to other brands.
It's not a recipe for animated discussion, controversy, direct feedback, or indeed an improving quality of images to discuss.
There are very few 'characters' here any more. The Smegster is one of the few I can think of that can always be relied on to post non-timid critique, and consequently there's way too much saccharine and nowhere near enough salt-and-pepper.
Since the gallery is an exhibition area rather than a C&C area, there's a strong disincentive to post anything other than anodyne compliments, and so the dross doesn't get called out as such. So there's no likelihood of improvement there.
Sadly, I think there's no particular prospect of change without some bold changes to moderation policy at the very least, and I don't see that happening.
bettyswolloks wrote:
To me from here its about the same as its always been, the usual folk talking about the usual things, now whether that's a good thing or not is another question. As for the gallery, I use it, both for adding my own work and for looking at other peoples, and like the forum I find its got a regular crowd. I like to add images to it so I have a body of work in there, for me it adds something to the whole experience. If fred Blogs is in the forum preaching to the choir I like to have a look at their gallery to see if they have the ability to backup their words, if you see what I mean.
I see what you mean I think, although does that mean I need to have had a number one in the album charts before I can have an opinion on weather I like DJ Fat-slim-doggy-club-7's latest tune :To me from here its about the same as its always been, the usual folk talking about the usual things, now whether that's a good thing or not is another question. As for the gallery, I use it, both for adding my own work and for looking at other peoples, and like the forum I find its got a regular crowd. I like to add images to it so I have a body of work in there, for me it adds something to the whole experience. If fred Blogs is in the forum preaching to the choir I like to have a look at their gallery to see if they have the ability to backup their words, if you see what I mean.
Jim.
Comment by Jim-w posted on What has happened? at 17/05/2014 - 10:53
davidstorm wrote:
..... on the Forum and the site in general?
Is it my imagination or have things gone downhill a bit lately? Very little quality in the Gallery, very little interaction and controversy on Forum threads. I find it harder and harder to get enthused about the site, is it just me?
Opinions please!
Regards
David
To be honest David since joining this site it has always been blatantly obvious this site is made up of about three cliques, you have the folk who post and comment/critique in the Gallery, the folk who dwell in in the "Pointless Thread" and the folk who post on various forums. There of course is some crossover occasionally, although for example I don't recall the last time I saw yourself or Nigel or Smeggy on the pointless thread talking about beer, or a large section of the folk that post in the gallery posting images or leaving comment in the forums. ..... on the Forum and the site in general?
Is it my imagination or have things gone downhill a bit lately? Very little quality in the Gallery, very little interaction and controversy on Forum threads. I find it harder and harder to get enthused about the site, is it just me?
Opinions please!
Regards
David
One of the things I notice over and over again on this site is when a member posts an image for c & c or just to share and gets nothing, no response at all, or at the very least if they are very lucky and honoured get a "nice" meanwhile images posted by other members before and after are getting stacks of comment and discussion, why, well its all about being part of this "clique", and it puts people off.
Someone mentioned this site has 15000 or whatever members, would be interesting to know how many active members there are, be they folk who post an image on the gallery occasionally or contribute to forums, my guess would less than 100.
For me if it wasn't for Smeggy's and Nigel's sometimes mildly heated debates, this site wouldn't be worth visiting most of the time.
I hope I haven't offended anyone with my thoughts here, its certainly not my intention, and as for being part of a "clique", well that's just human nature I guess.
Comment by Jim-w posted on What has happened? at 17/05/2014 - 08:21
Had a trip to London at the beginning of the week and had time to have a walk through Hyde park.
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Jim.
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Jim.
Comment by Jim-w posted on Hyde Park. at 16/05/2014 - 22:22
Thanks for your comments, Nigel you are right about the highlights I should have taken more care at the time, although I quite like the effect in image 6 but that's just my personal taste, for me image 9 is spoilt the most by the blown highlight which is a shame as its probably my favourite of the bunch.
All the best...Jim.
All the best...Jim.
Comment by Jim-w posted on Gloucester Cathedral. at 06/05/2014 - 20:22
