What I Get from Roaming the Forum - Thank You POTN !

As is the deal with some guys around here, I am part photographer, part pixel-peeper, and part gearhead. This leads me to always wonder 'What's the best for ME?'
Don't mean to sound all selfish, but what I learned is to find what works for me, horses for courses, and all that.

More specifically, I have made a few bold decisions (for me) based on what I learned here.
1. I sold my much loved 17-40L and get the Tamron 17-50. I have things to complain, but the image quality and the extra $300 in my pocket is not all bad!
Special thanks to the following POTN member: watt100, LightRules, and Silverfox1.
2. I decided to remove protective filters off my lenses. I did some tests and I am led to believe that in MY case, the use of UV filter does degrade image quality to a noticeable level.

In conclusion: Know first what do YOU need and what do YOU want, you can ask specific questions, but remember to take everyone's post with a grain of salt. I hope this forum brings joy to all of you as much as it has brought me.

Thank you and respect to all of you.

jwicaksana wrote in post #12619120
Know first what do YOU need and what do YOU want, you can ask specific questions, but remember to take everyone's post with a grain of salt.

Best sentence I've read here in quite a while

"horses for courses"...I like that.

Hi Jonathan! Glad that you found this thread useful.
You should get the canon one! :LOL:

Sirrith wrote in post #12619127
Best sentence I've read here in quite a while

Thank you, Sir! Reading your posts have helped me made up my mind too.
Now I better steer clear off your way, because if I don't, I'd end up buying the Sigma 17-50 OS in no time hahaha.

KY707 wrote in post #12619646
Hi Jonathan! Glad that you found this thread useful.
You should get the canon one! :LOL:

Hahaha..I will, once you give me some $$..

This forum has also helped me big time. I was considering a 1D mark II to replace my 40D and the consensus is I just suck at taking pictures and I'm better off getting a lens to suit my needs. worked out well for me cuz I have more money in my pocket.

Only thing this forum has done for me was to make me throw down thousands of dollars into a never ending money pit. Before I found this place I thought I would never buy anything more than my t2i and kit lens but now I'm about to buy a 5D2 and more lenses...thanks a lot everyone.

^^^ +1...I hate you all!!!

nikesupremedunk wrote in post #12620734
Only thing this forum has done for me was to make me throw down thousands of dollars into a never ending money pit. Before I found this place I thought I would never buy anything more than my t2i and kit lens but now I'm about to buy a 5D2 and more lenses...thanks a lot everyone.

ahh yeah mate join the club. when i bought my 1000d with it's twin lens kit, the foolish part of me said that was all i'd ever need. enter PONT, exit cheap hobby. i am now up to abou $7000 aussie in reciepts for camera gear and the mad thing is i am buying the mid to lower end stuff

nikesupremedunk wrote in post #12620734
Only thing this forum has done for me was to make me throw down thousands of dollars into a never ending money pit. Before I found this place I thought I would never buy anything more than my t2i and kit lens but now I'm about to buy a 5D2 and more lenses...thanks a lot everyone.

LOL....I'm sure this holds true for many here. In fact I'm positive because I read about it every time I log onto POTN.

I guess it's good for Canon stockholders, and it's always fun to buy stuff - especially exotic toys. But maybe it's because I'm now just an old and crotchety and cynical old man that spent most of a lifetime studying photography and worked in the field since long before most here were born, but there's really something sad (as I see it) about the "gear lust" that seems so prevalent.

Put the T2i and the a kit lens in the hands of a highly talented photographer and put a 1DMK4 and every "L" lens that Canon makes in the hands of someone who has never used a manual camera before and the results will be very much the same as putting a $50 beat up Korean guitar in Eric Clapton's hands and a $20,000 hand made guitar in the hands of a 15 year old who took his first lessen this afternoon.

Great equipment doesn't create great photographs -

Great photographers not only do, but they can and have time and again done it with pinhole cameras made with shoe boxes and no lenses at all.

The difference between my guitar example and most camera owners is that the kid with a new guitar may never become a great guitarist, but if he has the desire, he'll become at least very competent even with a lack of talent if he continues to take lessons - for some reason, musicians, dancers, vocalists; all performing artists seem to realize that they need coaching as long as they perform - and they need to have specific exercises and assignments to work on and practice. Same with the top athletes in the world. Yet for some reason, camera owners seem (for the most part) to believe that all they need to do is ask questions on web sites and get "better" equipment and that things will fall into place -

Talent - even competency, need to be developed, not bought.


Just yesterday a guy wrote a post here asking (among other things) how to tell what size filter would fit his lens.

He also was asking what equipment he could add to his brand new T3i - he said he had $1000 to spend. I suggested a photo course or a workshop. One person agree that something like that might help, but the majority told him what lenses and accessories to spend money on. Equpment is great to have, but there's a time for everything.

Gotta, go - just got a call-back on a mint 1200mm Canon lens I saw on Craigslist. (I hope it's compatible with my 1.4x extender).




Peace,
D.

Delija wrote in post #12621752
LOL....I'm sure this holds true for many here. In fact I'm positive because I read about it every time I log onto POTN.

I guess it's good for Canon stockholders, and it's always fun to buy stuff - especially exotic toys. But maybe it's because I'm now just an old and crotchety and cynical old man that spent most of a lifetime studying photography and worked in the field since long before most here were born, but there's really something sad (as I see it) about the "gear lust" that seems so prevalent.

Put the T2i and the a kit lens in the hands of a highly talented photographer and put a 1DMK4 and every "L" lens that Canon makes in the hands of someone who has never used a manual camera before and the results will be very much the same as putting a $50 beat up Korean guitar in Eric Clapton's hands and a $20,000 hand made guitar in the hands of a 15 year old who took his first lessen this afternoon.

Great equipment doesn't create great photographs -

Great photographers not only do, but they can and have time and again done it with pinhole cameras made with shoe boxes and no lenses at all.

The difference between my guitar example and most camera owners is that the kid with a new guitar may never become a great guitarist, but if he has the desire, he'll become at least very competent even with a lack of talent if he continues to take lessons - for some reason, musicians, dancers, vocalists; all performing artists seem to realize that they need coaching as long as they perform - and they need to have specific exercises and assignments to work on and practice. Same with the top athletes in the world. Yet for some reason, camera owners seem (for the most part) to believe that all they need to do is ask questions on web sites and get "better" equipment and that things will fall into place -

Talent - even competency, need to be developed, not bought.


Just yesterday a guy wrote a post here asking (among other things) how to tell what size filter would fit his lens.

He also was asking what equipment he could add to his brand new T3i - he said he had $1000 to spend. I suggested a photo course or a workshop. One person agree that something like that might help, but the majority told him what lenses and accessories to spend money on. Equpment is great to have, but there's a time for everything.

Gotta, go - just got a call-back on a mint 1200mm Canon lens I saw on Craigslist. (I hope it's compatible with my 1.4x extender).




Peace,
D.

+1
However, give a talented photographer an extremely user-friendly camera that never gets in the way of taking photos, he or she will probably do far more with it, than with say a pinhole.
And yes, the best camera in the world is one that doesn't get in the way, not the one with the most megapixels or the one that can go relatively noise-free at extremely high ISOs.

As for lenses, you only need a couple really. A shorter prime, a longer prime, a tele zoom/prime, and if you're into interior shots, an UWA. Or alternatively, a normal zoom, a tele zoom, and maybe a normal range prime for low light shots.
Exotic lenses are great, but generally not necessary. Still, sometimes you have to spoil yourself even if just for the hell of it.

Good post, OP! You are right in that this forum is a huge wealth of knowledge that you'd usually only find in countless books or instructor led courses. Photography is very overwhelming when you first jump into it, and it may take a long time before people figure out exactly what it is they want to do, but only after they might have spent tons of money pursuing the wrong path.

For me, I think the biggest lesson from this place came when I made the switch to the 50L, and discovered the mantra that "sharpness isn't everything". It's easier to get caught up in the pixel-peeping and tech specs of the gear, and mostly ignore what matters most: making a truly engaging, well composed shot.

And the other thing POTN has done:

nikesupremedunk wrote in post #12620734
Only thing this forum has done for me was to make me throw down thousands of dollars into a never ending money pit. Before I found this place I thought I would never buy anything more than my t2i and kit lens but now I'm about to buy a 5D2 and more lenses...thanks a lot everyone.

I had a 40D and 28-135mm starting out. Then I wanted a prime, almost got the 50 f/1.4, but instead walked out with the 24-70 And the rest is history... 85L, 35L, 70-200, and on and on. But I think I've found my happy place with my current lineup. Famous last words haha

The Devil wrote in post #12621765
+1
However, give a talented photographer an extremely user-friendly camera that never gets in the way of taking photos, he or she will probably do far more with it, than with say a pinhole.
And yes, the best camera in the world is one that doesn't get in the way, not the one with the most megapixels or the one that can go relatively noise-free at extremely high ISOs.

As for lenses, you only need a couple really. A shorter prime, a longer prime, a tele zoom/prime, and if you're into interior shots, an UWA. Or alternatively, a normal zoom, a tele zoom, and maybe a normal range prime for low light shots.
Exotic lenses are great, but generally not necessary. Still, sometimes you have to spoil yourself even if just for the hell of it.

Agree with every word - but as I said, there's a time for everything.

I'm the first to admit that I like owning the best I can afford and often not really afford if I used common sense.

But at least I know how to use the stuff - do I need it? No. Do I like owning it? Yes. Did I "lust" for it? Again, yes - but as Mr. Spock said, "sometimes wanting is better than having" (or something like that).

Ah...good old Google...What he said was "Having is not so pleasing as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true. ..."


The problem I see is that the "wanting" can be so overwhelming that it can and has (if what we read is true) ruin lives. Not to say that there's nothing I have ever wanted badly enough that I wouldn't risk ruining my life over - even when I was old enough to know better.. (and in fact I've gotten some of it, but only came close to ruining my life) - but certainly nothing made of metal and glass and plastic -- (well, maybe a tiny bit of metal in dental fillings)

LOL



Peace,
D.

jwicaksana wrote in post #12619958
Thank you, Sir! Reading your posts have helped me made up my mind too.
Now I better steer clear off your way, because if I don't, I'd end up buying the Sigma 17-50 OS in no time hahaha.

You know you want it

salt this: stop pixel peeping and start printing