Beginners

wjt · 04-10-2010, 08:19 PM

This is an idea i had for the beginners q+a section for a sub forum with some guides written by some of the talented people here, might make it a little easier for new people who may not be as internet savvy as others (sometimes the search engines can be elusive). Especially with the ever growing amount of posts and threads, through my reading here i have found some very good posts with excellent advice (I am saving their links to make a thread one day to hopefully be stickied), just finding them can be a little troublesome.
Could also stop a lot of the same questions being asked over and over as thread titles can be wrongly worded sometimes.

Adam · 04-10-2010, 08:43 PM

Pentax Articles - PentaxForums.com

Mike Cash · 04-11-2010, 05:57 AM

Originally posted by mibane

Could also stop a lot of the same questions being asked over and over as thread titles can be wrongly worded sometimes.

There is nothing on earth that can stop the same questions being asked over and over again. If you think about it (and Adam's "brevity is the soul of wit" reply), your post sort of goes to prove the point. But I admire your optimism.

**Lowell Goudge** · 04-12-2010, 06:17 AM

At the end of the day. The articles forum could be replaced by a book.

This is a book not yet written, where a group of people sit down collectively edit the posts, and information collected here and write the definitive Pentax DSLR manual.

There is a lot of great resourse data here, which is not found in any book on a DSLR, from real examples of the range of adjustments and their impact on images, to metering performance, to real descriptions of how all the auto modes interact etc.

I have been toying with this idea for some time, and have posted the concept before.

Adam · 04-12-2010, 11:37 AM

That is actually not a bad idea and I'd gladly be of help to make some sort of collection. On the flip side, I suppose this could be said of all forums, and due to their nature alone making a book might be defeating the purpose.

**Lowell Goudge** · 04-12-2010, 03:23 PM

Originally posted by Adam

That is actually not a bad idea and I'd gladly be of help to make some sort of collection. On the flip side, I suppose this could be said of all forums, and due to their nature alone making a book might be defeating the purpose.

given that stickies don't stop people from asking why my camera makes noise when I shake it, I doubt it

I am looking at this more from the long term of having a useful resourse, but it can only be compiled and checked (functionally for bodies I don't own) by other forum members.

Adam · 04-12-2010, 05:03 PM

The similar threads feature within the beginner's forum should reduce the number of trivial questions, but there's nothing wrong with the same issue coming up from time to time as long as it's not every other day-- it is a forum, after all.

We could perhaps make a compilation on basic photography, camera tech specs, and lens specs- those would be quite useful.

Adam
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**Lowell Goudge** · 04-13-2010, 11:10 AM

Originally posted by Adam

We could perhaps make a compilation on basic photography, camera tech specs, and lens specs- those would be quite useful.

This is kind of my idea, breif technical descriptions of how the functions work, either derrived from what is available in the manual, or determined imperically by testing the functions out on the camera. Ideally and I am sure it exists within pentax, there is a Functional Requirement Specification for the software, that would give us all this data. the software does not happen by chance, someone specifies how they want each function to work, with curves, equations, limits, exclusions etc. that would be the ideal

For tech spec's on lenses, I thnk the database is pretty good already, we have in most cases the main spec's plus when people take the time, some pretty good reviews. Optical formulas would be nice, but I am not sure where to get them.

04-10-2010, 08:19 PM	#1
wjt Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Perth Photos: Albums Posts: 371	Beginners This is an idea i had for the beginners q+a section for a sub forum with some guides written by some of the talented people here, might make it a little easier for new people who may not be as internet savvy as others (sometimes the search engines can be elusive). Especially with the ever growing amount of posts and threads, through my reading here i have found some very good posts with excellent advice (I am saving their links to make a thread one day to hopefully be stickied), just finding them can be a little troublesome. Could also stop a lot of the same questions being asked over and over as thread titles can be wrongly worded sometimes.

04-10-2010, 08:43 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	Pentax Articles - PentaxForums.com Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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04-11-2010, 05:57 AM	#3
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Originally posted by mibane Could also stop a lot of the same questions being asked over and over as thread titles can be wrongly worded sometimes. There is nothing on earth that can stop the same questions being asked over and over again. If you think about it (and Adam's "brevity is the soul of wit" reply), your post sort of goes to prove the point. But I admire your optimism.

04-12-2010, 06:17 AM	#4
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,887	At the end of the day. The articles forum could be replaced by a book. This is a book not yet written, where a group of people sit down collectively edit the posts, and information collected here and write the definitive Pentax DSLR manual. There is a lot of great resourse data here, which is not found in any book on a DSLR, from real examples of the range of adjustments and their impact on images, to metering performance, to real descriptions of how all the auto modes interact etc. I have been toying with this idea for some time, and have posted the concept before.

04-12-2010, 11:37 AM	#5
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	That is actually not a bad idea and I'd gladly be of help to make some sort of collection. On the flip side, I suppose this could be said of all forums, and due to their nature alone making a book might be defeating the purpose.

04-12-2010, 03:23 PM	#6
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,887	Originally posted by Adam That is actually not a bad idea and I'd gladly be of help to make some sort of collection. On the flip side, I suppose this could be said of all forums, and due to their nature alone making a book might be defeating the purpose. given that stickies don't stop people from asking why my camera makes noise when I shake it, I doubt it I am looking at this more from the long term of having a useful resourse, but it can only be compiled and checked (functionally for bodies I don't own) by other forum members.

04-12-2010, 05:03 PM	#7
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	The similar threads feature within the beginner's forum should reduce the number of trivial questions, but there's nothing wrong with the same issue coming up from time to time as long as it's not every other day-- it is a forum, after all. We could perhaps make a compilation on basic photography, camera tech specs, and lens specs- those would be quite useful. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

04-13-2010, 11:10 AM	#8
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,887	Originally posted by Adam We could perhaps make a compilation on basic photography, camera tech specs, and lens specs- those would be quite useful. This is kind of my idea, breif technical descriptions of how the functions work, either derrived from what is available in the manual, or determined imperically by testing the functions out on the camera. Ideally and I am sure it exists within pentax, there is a Functional Requirement Specification for the software, that would give us all this data. the software does not happen by chance, someone specifies how they want each function to work, with curves, equations, limits, exclusions etc. that would be the ideal For tech spec's on lenses, I thnk the database is pretty good already, we have in most cases the main spec's plus when people take the time, some pretty good reviews. Optical formulas would be nice, but I am not sure where to get them.