[GoldenWreckedAngle]

Where did that one come from?

Ok troll, I will bite:

• What does the decision to make a living doing photography have to do with the ability to think?
• What does the museum closure have to do with anything?
• Give me the address of the Nikon, Canon, or other company-sponsored camera museum...
• What does the ability to manually focus have to do with nostalgia?
• What does age have to do with the ability to manually focus a lens? (Are those reading glasses on your avatar?)

Steve

(I get paid in part for my thinking ability and would am smart enough to know that I prefer to avoid "going pro", thank you.)

That's the first time I've been called a troll. I added a wink... the comments were not intended to be taken quite so seriously, but since they were, and since they clearly offended you I apologize. Let me take a little more clear run at it:

1) The OP implied that Pentax is the thinking man's camera as if the less intelligent shooters all go with Canon or Nikon. Every pro I know is a deep thinker, especially when it comes to the equipment they hang their livelyhood on. If there gear does not perform it's not just their art that suffers, it's their family that suffers. I was just pointing out that few of them choose Pentax. Wonder why?

2) The museum closure... The OP asserted that accurate focus died with the onset of auto focus and implied that the good old days were better. I was ribbing him, in good fun, i.e. those ideas are popular with museum goers but the market for nostalgia is drying up and the world is moving on. The comment was not intended to offend or rile, but again, it did, and again, I'm sorry.

... but age does affect one's ability to manually focus... and mentally focus for that matter, so all the thinking men will probably be switching brands in a few years anyway.

[Ratmagiclady]

1) The OP implied that Pentax is the thinking man's camera as if the less intelligent shooters all go with Canon or Nikon. Every pro I know is a deep thinker, especially when it comes to the equipment they hang their livelyhood on. If there gear does not perform it's not just their art that suffers, it's their family that suffers. I was just pointing out that few of them choose Pentax. Wonder why?

Well, I think that's fairly obvious, in terms of who's been making (and, really, 'defining' ) 'pro' equipment all this time. Though really mostly just for purposes of *certain* job descriptions. In fact, a lot of people who have to use Canon or Nikon *for* those job descriptions prefer Pentax for other things. I think the common assumption is that a serious photographer using Pentax didn't do so just cause they took a whimsy.

2) The museum closure... The OP asserted that accurate focus died with the onset of auto focus and implied that the good old days were better. I was ribbing him, in good fun, i.e. those ideas are popular with museum goers but the market for nostalgia is drying up and the world is moving on. The comment was not intended to offend or rile, but again, it did, and again, I'm sorry.

... but age does affect one's ability to manually focus... and mentally focus for that matter, so all the thinking men will probably be switching brands in a few years anyway.

Well, I do think it's a real hoot that people think you couldn't shoot quickly with manual focus, I jibe, "We used to call it a *skill,*

In a few years, speed of AF is likely to be further along in the diminishing returns department. If every brand, say, halves the time it takes their gear to focus every couple of years, say, the closer together they'll all be getting.

I've *already* slowed down enough that the AF on my k20d isn't generally the potentially- weak link in the equation most of the time.

Might be a different equation if I was boppin around the globe maybe needing to rent a 600 in LA one week and lighting in Miami the next or whatever.

But let's not forget the *future,* here: For me, any pro work is more about professional rehab than keeping the household alive: This little guy here in my bag next to the F-1 came for like six hundred dollars, ...with eight, I had that and a fast 50 and all of a sudden I'm not limping along with a Rebel XTi or something.

I think this is really good stuff: and people who are starting out now, or have started out recently, well, they might be the ones shooting Pentax professionally, if the brand keeps making stuff useful to that and with its own way of doing it.

You know, it's what a company can put in your *hands* that counts. Three thousand dollar cameras rarely get anyone started.

[stevebrot]

... but age does affect one's ability to manually focus... and mentally focus for that matter, so all the thinking men will probably be switching brands in a few years anyway.

Winks accepted. I guess I was in a bit of a mood, though I must admit that I interpreted your comments 180 degrees from your intent. Guess that might come with advancing age as well.

Here is what we definitely agree on:

• Pros know how to think and do exercise that skill
• Both pros and non-thinking people buy both Pentax and non-Pentax cameras

Steve

[melon]

Winks accepted. I guess I was in a bit of a mood, though I must admit that I interpreted your comments 180 degrees from your intent. Guess that might come with advancing age as well.

Here is what we definitely agree on:

• Pros know how to think and do exercise that skill
• Both pros and non-thinking people buy both Pentax and non-Pentax cameras

Steve

That's well said

[GoldenWreckedAngle]

Winks accepted. I guess I was in a bit of a mood, though I must admit that I interpreted your comments 180 degrees from your intent. Guess that might come with advancing age as well.

Here is what we definitely agree on:

• Pros know how to think and do exercise that skill
• Both pros and non-thinking people buy both Pentax and non-Pentax cameras

Steve

I guess I was in a bit of a mood yesterday too. As I said, it was the first time in my life I've ever been called a troll and it happened twice in one day ('nother thread) so my usual good nature was obviously not coming across. I guess that's what I get for advocating for the devil... I've been at this keyboard too long. I really need to go make some pictures.

[GoldenWreckedAngle]

... You know, it's what a company can put in your *hands* that counts. Three thousand dollar cameras rarely get anyone started.

That's a fact, and if it took a three thousand dollar camera to get in this game I probably would have never made it on board. I got started on a donated Canon AE-1 and moved into digital through a series of Nikon and Fuji point and shoots then into DSLR's with the K100D then on to glass, flash, a K10D with grip, now meters and radio triggers and rented monolights... well you get the idea.

I've made money with all of them but when I hit that point where it was sure enough time to kick it up a notch I really had a tough time making the call to step up to the K10D because I know good and well by now that it's not the last notch I'm going to kick. I'm hitting the point where the full system, and industry support for it, are starting to come into play and I can see where I am going to need a lot more than Pentax will be offering in the foreseeable future.

So there is where I hesitate recommending Pentax, even for beginners. If I had moved into DSLR's with the Nikon D60 or the refurbed D80 instead of the K100D then I wouldn't still be standing at this crossroad hoping the Pentax train to the future will eventually show up. Not just the engine mind you, the whole train.

But maybe I'm thinking about it too much. The mono lights I'm shopping for right now are not proprietary. The trigger system I need to settle on before I commit however... Ahggg! Where's that train?!

[Ratmagiclady]

I'm really just not going to panic, here, (maybe all this meme is about is inducing panic, anyway) ... There's only so much planning ahead you can do, and, when it comes down to it, if you can make photos, you can make photos.

[Ron Redwood]

Most of my best shots were with good old M42 gear. Manual focus? Hell I wasn't using a zoom until the last few years. I did a lot of macro,a lot of Live Concert/available light,a lot of landscape/seascape. I found the simplicity a plus, Now I have quite a few cameras about..including Auto Everything stuff,and for most things I still favor manual focus and a manual camera with spot metering.

I regret Kodachrome is gone.

If I was doing lots of sports..I'd probably favor AF. As is....I sold my 70-200 AF because I prefer a few non AF's that cover that range. I do have a "modern" 35 mm with lots of "auto" but I shoot better with the more basic gear where things are intuitive and seamless.

It's really not the hardware...it's the light.

[Cosmo]

I respectfully disagree. I think it depends upon what it is you are photographing. Try taking decent sports photos with that Holga and I think you'll see what I mean.

A holga would be fine for shooting sports photography, it would not produce the normal images that you would think of for sports photography, but with the right eye, you could make amazing images.

I'd love to actually try it, I've shot sport on film with a 28mm, it was great fun.