[palmor]

Hey everyone,
This is the longest a post I've started has ever gone! Thanks for all the support and feedback. I'm going to take my medicine and send an email apologizing and asking for a reinstatement. Although I post a lot more here then there I do like to participate in both forums (not everyone here is there and vice versa).

I also suggested that the action taken against palmor was directed at the wrong contributor and that his post was the result of being baited to the point of him 'losing it'!

Richard,
Thanks a lot, I appreciate the support!

This guy "philbarton" is a very interesting character.

I have to do some homework.

I want to check this dude out.

This might be fun...

Interesting individual to say the least. I sent him an e-mail:

Hello;

I would love to have a few words with you if you have a moment.
Just wish to go over a few interesting matters regarding credentials, our work as photographers and other interesting matters revolving around photography.

I am very interested by your knowledge in this metier and would love to share some pointers and particularily your technical expertise.



Best Wishes
Ben

I can't wait to hear what he says.

[palmor]

Here is the email I wrote.. lets see what happens.


Hi,
I was recently banned from the forums for (I assume) a post I made in response to a user Philbitron, linking to a website that called him an idiot. Soon after making the post I realized it was in bad taste but was too late to delete it. I lost my cool and the response to Philbitron was uncalled for and I apologize for that. If you review my posting history (almost 4 years worth) you'll see that I am NOT a habitual name caller or trouble maker in anyway. I'd like to ask for reinstatement to the the forums with the promise I'll won't make rash replies like this again.

On somewhat related note, you'll see that that user is causing a ton of trouble in the Pentax forums, I fear that it is his goal to bait people into harsh replies that will result in additional bans of some of the more respected forum members. What-ever your decision about me is I think his posting habits should be looked into.

Anyway I look forward to being a productive member of the dpreview forum community again.

Sincerely,
John

[ftpaddict]

Hello;

I would love to have a few words with you if you have a moment.
Just wish to go over a few interesting matters regarding credentials, our work as photographers and other interesting matters revolving around photography.

I am very interested by your knowledge in this metier and would love to share some pointers and particularily your technical expertise.



Best Wishes
Ben

This ought to be fun.

[straightshooter]

So Philbitron sent me over the edge one day last week and I posted a link to a site that pops up and says "you are an idiot".

What you should have done was challenge him to a battle of wits but ask him to bring all his weapons, not half of them as he normally does.

CW

[tlfaust]

Here is the email I wrote.. lets see what happens.


Hi,
...
Anyway I look forward to being a productive member of the dpreview forum community again.

Sincerely,
John

John - good luck. You're too good a photographer to loose on that forum.
Regards

[tranq78]

"philbarton" is probably a paid employee or agent of another brand required to spread FUD about Pentax. He doesn't have a Pentax DSLR but claims to have M42 lenses.

This kind of tactic is quite commonplace on large forums and is effective because it can put off newcomers to a particular brand.

Since the recent positive review of the K20D he has been extremely active. It's pretty sickening. However, I guess that anyone who believes this sort of FUD deserves to reap their own harvest!

I have to agree with you. These types of people are classic Fifth Columnists.

They don't hang out in a forum like this because the user base is sophisticated enough to not tolerate any games, plus we are unlikely to change brands anyway. But on a site like DPR, they can be active as it's easy for them to sound authoritative/rational but have a hidden agenda.

[Maxington]

In one post he stated that his specialty is shooting portraits in low light (read he takes people pictured in the dark without flash) and he was disappointed with Pentax's AF.

The Elitist - formerly known as PDL

He endlessly bitches about Pentax framerate too, because you need machine gun FPS and AF to shoot portraits... You'd think the K20D would be perfect for a portrait photographer.

I wonder what drives people like philbarton and ricehigh, except if they are paid shills.

I don't like Canon much, not because of any major disadvantages, just their ergonomics and slow, plodding, weak upgrades between bodies. (Their printers are worse, sheesh) You can just smell the marketdroid influence all over them. But I've never posted once on a Canon forum about it, why the hell would I bother?

It's a mystery to me.

[Kguru]

I wonder what drives people like philbarton

Following suggestions him being a paid agent, having hidden agenda ... I'd like to throw in another: He is an insecure person who paid substantial money for a Canik*n system then realized a Pentax costing much less can do almost the same. He's feeling sore about his squandered $$; needs to talk down Pentax to ease that sore

Believe me, not a few people suffer this buyer remorse syndrome.

[jsherman999]

Or disgruntled ex-employees.

[fearview]

Welcome to a long list of those banned from DP'revues'...

Welcome to the Club. It is an honour to have you onboard!

Ben

i dont get it..

you got banned too..?

-- why is so easy people to get banned there?--

[ryan s]

Should have Rick Roll'd him as well

[benjikan]

His response to my e-mail was rather friendly. He had some health issues and was compelled to quit doing what he loved most portrait and model portfolio photography.

I think it comes down to what I would suspect is some bitterness in not being able to do what he really wants to do.

Bitterness can have some very negative after effects.

Ben

PS...As a caveat. He may understand my MO, thus his caution in replying to me.

Here is his e-mail:

Bonjour, Ben,

I am happy to converse with you, of course - I am aware of your credentials and have seen some of your work.

Just for background's sake -

For years I had a busy practice doing head-shots for models and actors, as well as portfolios for models, and such. When I moved years ago I was forced by illness to leave that work behind, as well as the many friends I had made while doing that kind of work. It's a very personal type of shooting, one on one, as I was always looking for the personality to emerge (it's in the eyes, and only is there for moments - hence my insistence on a very fast AF system, since shooting manually as I do with M42's is not optimal with a DSLR).

I got back into it a few years ago for friends, and found that I still had the knack. I had an exceptionally good studio deal back then, and today it would require an expensive day-rental - so I'm more interested in working outside with a Quantum pack and good fill-flash and the Micro Apollo modifier - but of course the very fast AF, and a very good focusing screen, are required here.

I will be around this evening, so feel free to e-mail. I realize there's a great time-zone difference (it's about 6:35 PST now)

Regards,

PB

[benjikan]

i dont get it..

you got banned too..?

-- why is so easy people to get banned there?--

Sure did...

[Pentaxke]

His response to my e-mail was rather friendly. He had some health issues and was compelled to quit doing what he loved most portrait and model portfolio photography.

I think it comes down to what I would suspect is some bitterness in not being able to do what he really wants to do.

Bitterness can have some very negative after effects.

Ben

PS...As a caveat. He may understand my MO, thus his caution in replying to me.

Here is his e-mail:

Bonjour, Ben,

I am happy to converse with you, of course - I am aware of your credentials and have seen some of your work.

Just for background's sake -

For years I had a busy practice doing head-shots for models and actors, as well as portfolios for models, and such. When I moved years ago I was forced by illness to leave that work behind, as well as the many friends I had made while doing that kind of work. It's a very personal type of shooting, one on one, as I was always looking for the personality to emerge (it's in the eyes, and only is there for moments - hence my insistence on a very fast AF system, since shooting manually as I do with M42's is not optimal with a DSLR).

I got back into it a few years ago for friends, and found that I still had the knack. I had an exceptionally good studio deal back then, and today it would require an expensive day-rental - so I'm more interested in working outside with a Quantum pack and good fill-flash and the Micro Apollo modifier - but of course the very fast AF, and a very good focusing screen, are required here.

I will be around this evening, so feel free to e-mail. I realize there's a great time-zone difference (it's about 6:35 PST now)

Regards,

PB

If I read correctly, then I would say that he is doing what he is doing on dpr because of some lost opportunities in life. Actually, I feel some compassion for him...

I'm not here to defend people like RH or PB, but I do find that some of the people here and on dpr are bashing them too fast.

Just my 5 cents.

[Lance B]

John,

Welcome to the list of those of us who have been banned from DP Review.

I was banned about 3 years ago, but it was only temporary and I am sure yours will be too. Just write an apologetic email to the powers that be and ask for reinstatement and I am sure that you will be readmitted. I would hate to think that a valuable member of DPReview, like you, should be banned along with an idiot like Phil Barton.

I would like to congratulate you on saying something and doing something about this idiot, Phil Barton. The closest I came to actually saying something was to call him the village *****, but never put the word "idiot" in. Thank you for having the b*lls and actually doing it.

Anyway, I am sure we will se you back soon.