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  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Tightening Up Forum Structure: first camera fora! Give your ideas.

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Galleries: 0 Entries ...(delete)
That will be hidden :)

Digicams and other: Has been moved ... (delete)
That is just to redirect folk. Soon it will be gone!

The Human Form as Art: 9 Entries ... (incorporate as sticky or similiar in Photography as Art)
good idea! :)

The Amazing Stories Behind Pictures: 8 Entries ... ( move to layback as sticky or similiar such as MISC)
good idea too

Risk It: 17 Entries ... (move to layback...MISC)
This new forum allows photographers to put a lot of effort into one new idea without making 5 parallel threads or others hijacking/diverting the journey the photographer is taking. Could be part each existing forum. I'll have to think more about this.

Medical Forensic: 5 Entries ... (move to layback, or delete, or MISC)
perhaps

Film, Platinum: 14 Entries ... (move to layback, or MISC)
This is to be increased! But we do need to think about threads belonging to more than one forum. I'm not sure it can be done!

Music Photography: 20 Entries ... (move to layback, or delete, or MISC)
Again, this is special. But everything has to be considered, even murdering one's on children! Meanwhile, perhaps you can make pictures to illustrate your music. I thought it might be good to have one medium stimulate another.

Thanks for the ideas. Just remember, we don't want to go in the steps of the fish salesman!

Asher
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Asher

So what do you think of making all DSLR's which can swap lenses in one large forum?

But not non-DLSR's that can swap lenses? Is it the SLR-ness that is to be the common thread, or the lens interchangeability, or what? Would it only be for cameras that could use interchangeable lenses from a family whose basic design involves suitability for use on full-frame 35-mm cameras, or would Four-Thirds system cameras, and Micro Four-Thirds system cameras, be included, and Hassy-body digital cameras?

We are after all about the intent and the delivered pictures.

Well, as a "camera engineer" and only sort-of-photographer, I am a little concerned about that outlook!
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
But not non-DLSR's that can swap lenses? Is it the SLR-ness that is to be the common thread, or the lens interchangeability, or what? Would it only be for cameras that could use interchangeable lenses from a family whose basic design involves suitability for use on full-frame 35-mm cameras, or would Four-Thirds system cameras, and Micro Four-Thirds system cameras, be included, and Hassy-body digital cameras?

Hi Doug,

There's a different experience using a rangefinder, where one sees outside the frame and a 35mm DSLR, where the milieu is much more excluded. One can see what else is happening with the former and more detail perhaps with the latter. The 35 mm excels in sports and pulling in an image rapidly from a longer distance and fast tracking while the rangefinder is at it's best in a more social situation.

To the extent that this is true, it's worthwhile separating these two categories.

Asher
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Asher,

Hi Doug,

There's a different experience using a rangefinder, . . .

Or even a rangefinder camera.

. . .where one sees outside the frame and a 35mm DSLR, where the milieu is much more excluded. One can see what else is happening with the former and more detail perhaps with the latter. The 35 mm . . .

I guess you mean "SLR" - there are dSLR's with a format size smaller than 36x24 mm. But I guess nobody here would be caught dead with one.

. . . excels in sports and pulling in an image rapidly from a longer distance and fast tracking while the rangefinder is at it's best in a more social situation.

To the extent that this is true, it's worthwhile separating these two categories.

Then of course there is the EVF genre, which I have no doubt will become of increasing importance now that we have some more "serious" ones emerging (notably, in the Micro Four-Thirds range).

Remember, more frames are taken with the EVF formulation than any other.

Best regards,

Doug
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Doug,

RF is a common usage for Rangefinder camera!

The LCD does not provide the same experience as working with RF camera. The former, like the SLR or DSLR shows the limited area to be included not what's excluded too.

Asher
 

Ben Rubinstein

pro member
There are far too many different forums and given that at present the site is still pretty slow participation wise (relatively), stretching out the participation so much IMO is a waste. The FM forums have a pretty perfect distribution of different forums, I would use it as a template. Use their distribution of subjects but with the unique blend of attitude and incredibly high name moderators to really make this forum shine.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I like this idea but think it might be best to lump all the DLSRs together. They all do roughly the same thing in similar ways. There are a few bells and whistles that are different or unique but they all take darned good photos. If I were to split then how about dSLR crop and dSLR Full Frame?

Rhys, you're new here, but sometimes a new voice is just as good as one we've heard before.
It may well sound blasphemy, but today, a DSLR is a DSLR and lenses are swopable with adapters. The Nikon D3 with its inexpensively packaged D700 twin should be an option even to Canon fans. Why shouldn't we now have one of each? I can imagine owning a Canon 1DsIII as well as a D700 with a 14-24mm and 50mm 1.2 lens for low light work.

The prices of the cameras are not prohibitive. The 50D with a 28-300mm lens could be great for runway, birding or sports for example, if the focus is as good as claimed. Would some Nikon users find this attractive. If people just read within their own current brand, then we limit opern exchange. So why nor join together the DSLRs or at least Nikon and Canon since the former lenses work well on Canon cameras with an electronic focus confirm Nikon to Canon adapter. At the least we have fused the Canon fora. Who can say that the Canon Rebel Sti is really not professional when it's the backup camera in the wedding photographer's bag? So that worked fine.

One DSLR forum, is this to hot a topic to deal with?

Asher
 
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
There are far too many different forums and given that at present the site is still pretty slow participation wise (relatively), stretching out the participation so much IMO is a waste. The FM forums have a pretty perfect distribution of different forums, I would use it as a template. Use their distribution of subjects but with the unique blend of attitude and incredibly high name moderators to really make this forum shine.

Hi Ben,

Your comments are even more pointed made me look again at FM. There is, BTW, no place there for MF or LF, since they don't, AFAIK, cover these cameras. They also have no forum for Sony, Olympus or other fine DSLR's outside of Nikon and Canon! Still, the tightness of the FM choices is exemplary.

We have different emphasis. FM is set up to sell the Photoshop actions designed by Fred and the folk there are pretty lens collection and nature-landscape orientated. For finding data on adapters of foreign lenses to Canon cameras, FM is a great resource.

OPF, by contrast is richer in the creative transfer of ideas to delivered image (using probably a broader variety of cameras. Our community, it seems is valued as a nurturing place for people who don't hide behind aliases and are particularly well mannered. People seem to like the fact that we are not censored, are pretty patient and don't have gurus. We really try to give daring and useful feedback. We even extend to discussing social issues which other places, having no coherent filtration system, are able to encourage. Above all we are about the delivered work even though the technical resources here are way above many other fora.

So we need to focus on our strengths. We are about individual creativity! There are uniquely OPF creative areas we need to foster:

Still Photo: where the background ideas to fine photography are approached. This is the forum to go to in planning a new camera for a special purpose or approaching an artistic challenge, especially in relation to the masters. This is the loosest serious forum on photography in OPF and something of an incubator. Threads from here may be moved if there's a better fit.

Riskit!: The unique forum hosts a photographer's individual journey, almost a blog, on a new idea being worked out, with all of our community already to give continuous feedback. This prevents the photographer having to keep making closely similar new threads where we get lost, not knowing whether or not we have dealt with a point previously. Having everything related to one topic in the same thread allows us to follow the photographer's personal path and reactions to our well-intended contributions. If the photographer is indeed creative and passionate, we all get something out of this.

Human form and nudes: We want to encourage studies using the human form as the center of our art. This is moderated but not censored and some threads may end up in Glamor or in controversial Images.

Photography as Art: Here we discuss the best works as candidates for "fine art". So post here, but the thread may or may not be used as a basis for discussion. The idea is to collect a body of work that is valuable for those making fine art for exhibition and sale. The work must go beyond being a record or a family memory, although these are not excluded. The do however need to have enough uniqueness and stimulus to reaction and thought to merit discussion in this particular forum.

In order to make these fora grow, we need to consolidate others. "Riskit!" should help. Moderators will to be on the lookout for sibling threads on the same general idea that can overwhelm other topics in "Recent Posts". Now we need to look at 2 areas for further consolidations. We should consider 2 super fora:

1. Digital Darkroom and Printing: Everything needed to go from the latent image to the digital print.


2. The Gear: All equipment from CF cards, hard drives, Mac and PC computers, digital storage devices and software for them. Lighting is covered in studio as lighting requires technique related to studio work.

These two super-fora would replace 4 separate fora each and would cut down 8 fora to 2! By adding key words, searching will also be easier.

If there's enough interest, we'll eventually have a place for Wet film processing.

So let's have feedback, and no one think this is the end of the world, 'cause it isn't! We all want a more coherent organization, so we are going to have to make hard decisions. Still we'd like your feedback and support.

Asher
 

Kathy Rappaport

pro member
Keeping it simple.

Asher,

I do like keeping it simple. When there are too many topics, it's hard to find the right one to post in and then they often get overlooked. When OPF grows to 1000's of members that have such varied interests, we can divide it all up again. But for now, small and cozy will give us the best opportunities to share, grow and network.
 

Ben Rubinstein

pro member
Asher, I'm not denying that the emphasis here is different or that you have specific forums dealing with stuff not dealt with there, however as a template for general setup it is extremely easy to navigate.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Ben and Everyone,

You input here is helpful and I acknowledge feedback from others via PMs and emails. Thanks!

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Guys,

Once again we're considering ways to enhance user experience. So post suggestions! We are actively trying new ideas right now.

Asher
 

F.P. Harrell

New member
This smacks of gearheadism. Crush the infamous thing, I say.
Perhaps if you leave things as they are, the forum will fail to attract participants
who are hell bent on discussing mtf charts and such. That sort of thing, unfortunately,
can be found anywhere...
After all, if the forum is really about the image, who cares about the specific gear?
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
This smacks of gearheadism. Crush the infamous thing, I say.
Perhaps if you leave things as they are, the forum will fail to attract participants
who are hell bent on discussing mtf charts and such. That sort of thing, unfortunately,
can be found anywhere...
After all, if the forum is really about the image, who cares about the specific gear?
We've been progressively collapsing headings and categories for the very reasons you give. However, part of the work photographers do depends on specific characteristics of gear. For example, the special nature of the new tilt/shift lenses by Canon have a huge impact on the architectural work of a number of us.

Apart from such specifics, we need to continue to throw away distinctions. Today, the superb Nikon 14-24 wide angle lens is the favorite for many photographers of landscape and interiors, irrespective of owning Nikon or Canon bodies.

However, we have to gradually persuade holdouts!

Asher
 
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