[Ira]

Interesting observations having just come back from Key West, and not spotting a single Pentax:

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1) Was at the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon and came upon a Canonite with a lens that had to weigh 50 pounds. He was photographing dolphins which were MAYBE 5 to 10 feet away at most. My 50 (full frame) brought me in tighter than anyone would ever need to, but I guess his rationale was bigger is better.

2) Another Canonite at the same place...not a friendly guy at all...similar huge lens, monopod...and no polarizer. (I know because he left his gear leaning against the railing.)

3) Went to a restaurant that houses an old Iguana in a cage out front. Nikon user, and family yells, "Take a picture of the iguana!" To which the guy replies, "No way. That iguana is old and ugly and decrepit!" Now, to me, an iguana like that is worthy of capturing, which I did, but I guess these creative juices don't always run through Nikon users.

4) There are statues of famous Key West people in Mallory Square (Key West), and one large statue which dominates the others. It's five or six people weathering a storm or something.

Anyway, the way the light was hitting it--some elements perfectly and others in heavy shade--it would be impossible to shoot this as a complete scene. So, I frame on just one particular head there. A guy with a Nikon starts conversation, and I explain that because of the lighting conditions, I think this is the best way to approach the subject, and he says, "Well, my camera has multi-segment metering," as if he was revealing some valuable secret. And I had to explain to him that be that as it may, and that I have that too, that this doesn't really make a difference--that all his metering will do is give him an average picture with nothing perfectly exposed.

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So my judgment is despite the expensive gear, the people I encountered were mostly uninformed hobbyists.

I understand that these were just my own personal experiences over the course of a couple of days, but they're still valid experiences.

[Pablom]

I think most DSLR owners are uninformed hobbyists, whether they can afford expensive equipment or not.
I'm sure it also includes, god forbid, Pentax users

[blackcloudbrew]

My best example was last year at a hot air balloon launch. I loved to see the canikons with there really big glass trying to shoot hot air balloons on the ground. My fisheye lens was totally appropriate. I didn't use a lens over 40mm. I guess for them it's all about size...

[aleonx3]

Indeed there are many uninformed hobbyists out there but mostly in the Canikon camp, and I believe the reason is that most Pentax (or other brand) users select the brand by their own choice. Many of those were caught up with the big words like servo focus or USM etc.

One time I was attending a charity fund raise dinner party with the professional dancers performing for the night. Several of the Canikon shooters were there sitting on the chairs on the front row with a big zoom lens. One of them proudly talked to the other guy and said he can get all the shots without moving around for the entire session. I believe he had the D90 plus the popular VR 18-200mm lens. I had my Cosina 28mm f2 MF lens on my K10D and I moved around quite a bit all night and managed to get quite a few good shots.

[Ira]

One of them proudly talked to the other guy and said he can get all the shots without moving around for the entire session. I believe he had the D90 plus the popular VR 18-200mm lens. I had my Cosina 28mm f2 MF lens on my K10D and I moved around quite a bit all night and managed to get quite a few good shots.

This is a very interesting lesson:

How the hell can you get good shots without moving around for the best angles and point of/field of view?

I find myself in situations for good shots all of the time where I don't even bother because of where the light is falling for that point of view.

[aleonx3]

This is a very interesting lesson:

How the hell can you get good shots without moving around for the best angles and point of/field of view?

I find myself in situations for good shots all of the time where I don't even bother because of where the light is falling for that point of view.

Two reasons:
-most of these folks believe that's why zoom lens are created so you don't have to move around
-more interested in keeping the front row seat

[aleonx3]

Here are the two photos taken at the event which I find interesting:
I took the first one with the Cosina 28mm MF lens and the other from another photog using the D5000 and the VR 18-200mm. This is just to show some people's misunderstanding of usage of focal length in zoom lens (not to mention other techniques); or may be I did get a lucky shot

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Last edited by aleonx3; 08-21-2010 at 01:19 PM.

[Rupert]

I know a lot about photography......tons of information resides in my little brain, and I can answer more questions than most can think to ask about photography. With all that said......on the scale of things, I am totally ignorant and lacking in most every area of photographic knowledge. I am like a guy that thinks he can do brain surgery because he once got a splinter out of his sisters foot.....and he thinks he can discuss surgery with a brain surgeon and carry his weight.

There are many tens of thousands of shooters like me out there, but there are very few that realize it.
Best Regards

[mysticcowboy]

Here are the two photos taken at the event which I find interesting:
I took the first one with the Cosina 28mm MF lens and the other from another photog using the D5000 and the VR 18-200mm. This is just to show some people's misunderstanding of usage of focal length in zoom lens (not to mention other techniques); or may be I did get a lucky shot

I'm impressed. I didn't know that a D5000 would plastic coat people. I need one of those.

[0rangepeel]

Here are the two photos taken at the event which I find interesting:
I took the first one with the Cosina 28mm MF lens and the other from another photog using the D5000 and the VR 18-200mm. This is just to show some people's misunderstanding of usage of focal length in zoom lens (not to mention other techniques); or may be I did get a lucky shot

Looking at this shot, I'm quite surprised you managed to snap the picture the exact same instant the D5000 went off, because you picked up his flash (instant off camera strobe!)

[RioRico]

The dead giveway is: does the lens wear a hood? I see many people with Big Name Brand cameras with Big Lenses... and no protections. I don't care how good the coatings are on that Canikony zoom, you are going to have some sad results if you don't have a lens hood. Of the very few Pentax dSLR shooters I've seen in recent months, one (at Lake Tahoe) was instantly recognizable by a DA18-250 with its distinctive hooded profile. And a girl I talked to at Grand Canyon was shooting her father's old Minolta Maxxum film gear -- and the long AFs wore hoods.

No, not everyone out there with an unhooded lens is a duffer. But if I see a Canikony body with a big flat-faced lens being used out in sunlight, I can be pretty sure the user don't know sh!t from shinola. Oh well, it's not my problems.

[subeeds]

Indeed there are many uninformed hobbyists out there but mostly in the Canikon camp, and I believe the reason is that most Pentax (or other brand) users select the brand by their own choice. Many of those were caught up with the big words like servo focus or USM etc.

Pentax has been my brand of choice since I bought my K-1000 back in the late 70's. It is still and will continue to be my brand of choice. People see the commercials for Nikon-Canon and the others and think that's what they HAVE to have. Kudos to the people who create those ads.

Rio mentioned lens hoods. I hardly ever see anybody using one and I get odd looks because unless I am shooting around the house with my 50mm, I always have a lens hood on my lens. I've seen one other person using one and that was on the 4th and she had what appeared to be an older model Nikon. I was walking past her and we just kind of smiled at each other.

[mysticcowboy]

Why the need to put down people who own a different brand of camera? You'll see a larger number of clueless Canon and Nikon owners because there are more people who own those cameras. It's a simple numbers game.

I know a couple of people who bought the K-x because it came in white. Does that make all K-x owners clueless? Jeez...... gimme a break.

[future_retro]

lol at the multi segment metering part

[Big G]

Shock news: there are plenty of crap photographers that use Canon and Nikon equipment.