Non-Pentax user comments rant

sandpiper6 · 12-13-2006, 01:33 PM

I do not know if this is the right section.

Today (as a mom), I took our *ist-D to school for my 5 year old's Gingerbread House creation. There was a local newspaper photographer there. I was in mom-mode today, though I do second-shoot with my husband in business. I smiled at him when we first saw each other. He had a deer in the headlights look - not sure why. I mean, wow, I was holding a DSLR and a 2 year old.

Later, at the tables, my camera was sitting by me on the table while I helped m daughter with her project. I didn't notice right away that he had come up and was checking out my camera. When I looked up, he just explained himself. When he stood up, he said he had a Pentax 40-something years ago. (Nothing wrong with that). He then added: All it did was take pictures.

WHAT???! Why would you even compare a 40-year old Pentax with a D-SLR Pentax anyway?!

Sorry. I was just put off by his comment, which evidently made him feel better about himself. Cameras are just tools in our toolbox. How you use your tools is what makes the project! Mind you some equipment does this or that better, but it all comes down to the afore mentioned.

Faith
I like our Pentax DSLRs! We have the *ist-D and traded the *ist-DL for the K100D body.

clarenceclose · 12-13-2006, 01:41 PM

Envy is a terrible thing.

What was the local newspaper photographer packing?

Did your camera just take pictures or did it also bake the components of the Gingerbread House? Have to look into that, would be great for making cakes while out backpacking.

Paul_C · 12-13-2006, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by sandpiper6

All it did was take pictures.

Should it be doing something else?

bdavis · 12-13-2006, 03:04 PM

I manhandle non-Pentax cameras all shift at work trying to sell them to folks. No matter what the newspaper guy had, I'd be willing to bet you his camera doesn't do anything but take pictures.

Some folks just have to make comments. A rather misguided buddy of mine once labeled all of the *ists as soccer mom cameras. It's gotta be some jealousy--he didn't have a DSLR at the time, and I haven't let him lay a finger on my K10 in the few weeks I've had it, and it's killing him.

Photo Tramp · 12-13-2006, 05:40 PM

Hi Faith,
when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of this hobby or profession all any camera does is take pictures. Some have more bells and whistles than others but they don't setup a shot nor do they point out the beauty you see and want to shoot they sure don't point out the outstanding shots. All it does is take pictures.
the person behind the camera is the one who does the rest. How big does a professional camera have to be? (I mean in mp) I know the guy next door to me is in the printing business and he is very impressed with my DL. He has told me time after time the RAW files and TIFF files my little 6mp camera produces are exactly the size he works with every day and will produce great mag and news paper prints and the size they use.

The newspaper guy had his head in the clouds and his ego was touched to find (God forbid) a woman could shoot and use a DSLR. Most news paper guys have the same big head.

Don't be put off by idiots they can't help what has been bread into them. Our Pentax cameras are every bit as good as C&N and it's the person using it that makes a difference. Your Photographers Eye is what counts not the tool you use to reproduce the moment.

Good Shooting.
Cheers: David

sandpiper6 · 12-13-2006, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by Photo Tramp

Hi Faith,
when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of this hobby or profession all any camera does is take pictures. Some have more bells and whistles than others but they don't setup a shot nor do they point out the beauty you see and want to shoot they sure don't point out the outstanding shots. All it does is take pictures.
the person behind the camera is the one who does the rest. How big does a professional camera have to be? (I mean in mp) I know the guy next door to me is in the printing business and he is very impressed with my DL. He has told me time after time the RAW files and TIFF files my little 6mp camera produces are exactly the size he works with every day and will produce great mag and news paper prints and the size they use.

The newspaper guy had his head in the clouds and his ego was touched to find (God forbid) a woman could shoot and use a DSLR. Most news paper guys have the same big head.

Don't be put off by idiots they can't help what has been bread into them. Our Pentax cameras are every bit as good as C&N and it's the person using it that makes a difference. Your Photographers Eye is what counts not the tool you use to reproduce the moment.

Good Shooting.
Cheers: David

Thank you for this perspective. He is much older than my I if he had a Pentax 40 years ago. I am only mid-30's. There are a lot of old school beliefs still hanging around my area. I like helping to infiltrate the newer thoughts. Because I was in "mom" mode with my young'uns, I wasn't thinking on my feet to respond to him about it. Come to think of it, he may have not even thought about the fact that it was being used in a professional business. I was in mom mode. He might have been commenting on my having a DSLR as a mom???!!! I will forgive and forget and keep on keeping on. It was his tone and look that bothered me. I will not let it bother me anymore.

Faith

jsundin · 12-13-2006, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by bdavis

I manhandle non-Pentax cameras all shift at work trying to sell them to folks. No matter what the newspaper guy had, I'd be willing to bet you his camera doesn't do anything but take pictures.

Some folks just have to make comments. A rather misguided buddy of mine once labeled all of the *ists as soccer mom cameras. It's gotta be some jealousy--he didn't have a DSLR at the time, and I haven't let him lay a finger on my K10 in the few weeks I've had it, and it's killing him.

Funny. I read a quote in the Nikon forum on dpreview talking about the new D40. It said that *it* was designed for soccer moms and the Pentax K100D was for hobby-ists. I know that most guys like to admire other peoples equipment (tools, cars, stereos, cameras, etc) and guys tend to blurt out things that don't make sense (especially to women) in an effort to sound knowledgeable.

I don't think the guy was meaning anything bad by his remark.

But, if you can get your camera to help build that gingerbread house, let me know because I have looked all through the custom menus and cannot find that option.

Jeff

**roentarre** · 12-13-2006, 11:12 PM

Hi Faith

That scenario happened a lot. I was only at a reserve 2 days ago. I was concentrating on taking photographs of the wattlebird - trying to feed themselves with honey from the flowers.

There were this group of canon users coming along, frightening off the birds with their loud chitchat. They threw a few casual comments like - dud, what are you doing with your pentax gear? You need some help? etc

I love pentax because I had found the difference in photograph quality. While these people are making a fool of themselves revealing how shallow they are, I just leave the scene. Big deal if they wanted to be lowest of low on earth. His own problems.

My interns at work saw my shots taken during afternoon comparing to my photographs taken in canon format as well (Actually all my canon gear are much more expensive than pentax counterparts). My interns all preferred the shots taken by my pentax baby lenses !!

I read in a review article in popular photography magazine (from local library). It seems that most people in public rate how good a photographer is by the "size" and "appearance" of the camera gear. The larger of the cam, the better the photographer. That was what the survey thinks.

There was even this independent test of having a "pro" using P&S and a "beginner" using canon 1ds mark II. The shots taken by the pro were obviously better but the public opinions tend to regard the 1ds mark II producing better shots as people match the photographs to the camera gear...

JJJPhoto · 12-14-2006, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Paul_C

Should it be doing something else?

Don't get me started. The simple fact that ANY photographer is ignorant enough to say a camera "takes pictures" amazes me.

I would be likewise amazed if I heard a doctor say, "Wow! This scalpel performs excellent surgery," or if a novelist said, "The latest version of Microsoft Word writes great stories."

I know photographers wouldn't be photographers without cameras ... but surgeons couldn't perform surgery without instruments and writers couldn't write without tools to write words.

Photographers who buy into the idea that "cameras take pictures" have fallen for effective marketing from camera manufacturers. Camera companies want people to believe that in order to be a better photographer you need better equipment. That's how camera companies stay in business.

Sure, a doctor with new technology is going to be better equipped to care for patients than a doctor using tools from the 1970s, but a kid fresh out of medical school armed with the latest technology isn't going to be a better doctor than a physician who has years of experience and hasn't bought the newest diagnostic equipment.

The photographer is more important than the camera. That's one of the reasons I started my blog.

jfdavis58 · 12-14-2006, 11:09 AM

Somebody here once suggested "Read the manual"; I guess you missed that special section in the back.

My camera cooks dinner, does the dishes, changes linen and bedding, washes the car, shops for groceriers, does the laundry, feeds the dog and walks her. And it does windows to boot. The first firmware upgrades promise that it will also know how to drive the car and run errands.

All while waiting for the batteries to recharge.

It's a wondeful device.

clarenceclose · 12-14-2006, 11:49 AM

What is the model number on that one???

Forget taking pictures!! Can it also do foot massage?

doggydude · 12-14-2006, 01:58 PM

I've found my K10D is excellent as a weapon - I use it each evening while I sideline as a local superhero - it's great!

It also brought me coffee the other day.

Perhaps, Faith, you should work on teaching the camera some ninja moves (store them in a custom setting), so when next you meet the "pro" from the paper, you can say, "Hey, look what ELSE my Pentax can do now!"...and unleash the fury of excellent engineering on his butt...

jfdavis58 · 12-14-2006, 02:21 PM

Stole this link from another forum; Perfect 'come back'WTD 95: "Mind Over Matter"

jbarnhart · 12-15-2006, 08:26 PM

All it does is take pictures? I think this is a compliment! How true it is -- no drama, no problems, no issues with badly placed controls.

All it does it take pictures. The purest compliment you could ever pay a camera.

sandpiper6 · 12-20-2006, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by jfdavis58

Stole this link from another forum; Perfect 'come back'WTD 95: "Mind Over Matter"

I'm totally loving that comeback. I'm not great at comebacks in the moment. Bummer.

Faith