New Rule - No More Brand Bashing / Bragging Threads

Effective immediately: threads started with the sole purpose of telling others why you or someone else has either switched to one brand (or gotten rid of one brand) in favor of another will no longer be allowed. They inevitably end up starting a fight and they serve no real purpose. It frankly doesn't matter if you or someone else has decided to move from brand A to brand B and it is making coming to the forum an unpleasant experience for many members - myself included.

Going forward, when those kinds of threads pop up, I'm going to delete them. Anytime I see pre-existing threads that are violating this rule I will lock them.

However, this doesn't apply to asking legitimate questions about what brand is better for what activity or what people's specific experiences are with a given brand. If you have legitimate questions or observations, they are always welcome. What we're trying to avoid are threads that instigate conflict and that do not really add anything to the conversation other than to help rationalize your own purchases.

Finally, remember to keep a civil discourse when discussing various aspects of different brands and their features. Remember that this forum is intended to teach and help others with using their gear and sometimes making purchase decisions. Each photographer is different and has different needs and that idea needs to be respected with every response.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Steve

Thank you very much! Every one of us has preferences: in cameras, vehicles, dogs and wives; what's right for me might be the worst possible choice for someone else and vice versa.

Steve said:

Effective immediately: threads started with the sole purpose of telling others why you or someone else has either switched to one brand (or gotten rid of one brand) in favor of another will no longer be allowed. They inevitably end up starting a fight and they serve no real purpose. It frankly doesn't matter if you or someone else has decided to move from brand A to brand B and it is making coming to the forum an unpleasant experience for many members - myself included.

Going forward, when those kinds of threads pop up, I'm going to delete them. Anytime I see pre-existing threads that are violating this rule I will lock them.

However, this doesn't apply to asking legitimate questions about what brand is better for what activity or what people's specific experiences are with a given brand. If you have legitimate questions or observations, they are always welcome. What we're trying to avoid are threads that instigate conflict and that do not really add anything to the conversation other than to help rationalize your own purchases.

Finally, remember to keep a civil discourse when discussing various aspects of different brands and their features. Remember that this forum is intended to teach and help others with using their gear and sometimes making purchase decisions. Each photographer is different and has different needs and that idea needs to be respected with every response.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Steve

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Thanks Steve. I totally agree with everything you said.

Support

Great news!!

Thank you Steve. Personally I come here to ask questions, share experiences, and to hopefully learn something that will help make me a better photographer. It is unfortunate when it becomes necessary for you to step in when we as a forum cannot keep things civil. This will help. Thanks.

Great decision.

Thanks Steve, it’s the usual suspects with history and hopefully your Moderators will address those non conforming threads or replies in a timely manner.

Thanks Steve, good call

Absolutely great @Steve , it's a shame you have to take this step but it
seems to be necessary if we want the forum to be the nice place we like so much.

This is going to be really hard on my third cousin's second girlfriend's stepfather's best friend who just switched from a Vivitar P/S to a Polaroid P/S.
In all honesty, thank you Steve. The fact that you shoot with multiple brands and come back with amazing images should serve as a reminder that we are in an era where good gear choices are abundant and perhaps our technique is where we should be concentrating our efforts and concerns.

--Ken

I completely agree with this rule. And thank you for answering a question that leapt to my mind, regarding asking for which brand/product might be best. I started a thread asking for opinions about a purchase I had in mind. I made that purchase based on feedback from forum members, and am happy with that purchase.

Unfortunate that this was necessary, but it needed to be done!

I’ve never understood bashing other peoples choices in tools, which in the end, is what a camera/lens is for any photographer…I always get in good nature jabbing with my friends who shoot about their choices but at the end of the day we all produce the art/images that make us and our clients happy…and that’s what matters - what vehicle you use is really irrelevant in my opinion if it gets you there.

Thanks very much, Steve.

I really appreciate you taking this action to improve this Forum as a valuable resource for learning and getting useful tips about photographic gear and techniques.

If I were a rich man... (From Fidler on the Roof). I would buy at least one camera from all the best brands and play to my heart's content.

I am a comfortable man, but in no way can I "brand jump" as I cannot get the lenses to go with my new brand. I will stay where I am and enjoy reading about all of the brands. One thing I got from one of Steve's blog posts that I really liked was that any of today's cameras can take great photos.

I got some good photos with my old Miranda that I got at the PX when I was stationed in Rio de Janeiro. I was at the, a camera is a camera stage and at $300 per month from Uncle Sam, I did not want to spend the extra for the Nikon brand. Before that I got some pretty good photos with my point and shoot camera that I used in Vietnam, right up to the time it got drowned in a flood at monsoon time. After I started using cameras at work I used a couple of brands with kit lenses and when digital became "good enough" to print good to great photos I finally started to use the brand I use today. A friend had dropped my Cannon into a mountain lake and ruined the camera and the lens, so I splurged on a Nikon D300 and a nice 105mm prime lens. My accountant had told me I had two days left to purchase a camera to qualify for a tax credit and the Nikon was the cats meow at the time. It was the best camera in my price range at the local camera store that I used for many years. I still use the 105mm lens for my jewelry photos.

I am glad that I will be able to read about all of the brands here, and will confess to wishing I could play with all of the better brands. This place really rocks!

Steve said:

Effective immediately: threads started with the sole purpose of telling others why you or someone else has either switched to one brand (or gotten rid of one brand) in favor of another will no longer be allowed. They inevitably end up starting a fight and they serve no real purpose. It frankly doesn't matter if you or someone else has decided to move from brand A to brand B and it is making coming to the forum an unpleasant experience for many members - myself included.

Going forward, when those kinds of threads pop up, I'm going to delete them. Anytime I see pre-existing threads that are violating this rule I will lock them.

However, this doesn't apply to asking legitimate questions about what brand is better for what activity or what people's specific experiences are with a given brand. If you have legitimate questions or observations, they are always welcome. What we're trying to avoid are threads that instigate conflict and that do not really add anything to the conversation other than to help rationalize your own purchases.

Finally, remember to keep a civil discourse when discussing various aspects of different brands and their features. Remember that this forum is intended to teach and help others with using their gear and sometimes making purchase decisions. Each photographer is different and has different needs and that idea needs to be respected with every response.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Steve

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Now wait a minute! You mean I can't even rag on the Polaroid Snap?!

Brilliant it was getting quite a bore!!

Thanks Steve....we are at our best when we stick to photography - sharing photos, helping others, and receiving assistance in return.

Thank you, Steve. Your steady hand keeps this forum enjoyable. Much appreciated!

Thank you @Steve! I come to this forum to learn to improve my photography and gain inspiration from all of the other great photographers here. I also contribute where I can to help someone else solve a problem or improve there's.

Thank you, Steve.

Abinoone said:

Now wait a minute! You mean I can't even rag on the Polaroid Snap?!

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Did you mean to say "brag"?

--Ken

I agree, it is sad that you had to do this. Sometimes it is good to hear opinions about which camera has the features best suited to X or Y. Unfortunately, those discussions far too frequently devolve into brand bashing and even worse, bashing of individuals. I find the latter (people bashing) to be the worst of the behaviors.

Glad you're doing this and wish it could have been avoided.

jeffnles1 said:

I agree, it is sad that you had to do this. Sometimes it is good to hear opinions about which camera has the features best suited to X or Y. Unfortunately, those discussions far too frequently devolve into brand bashing and even worse, bashing of individuals. I find the latter (people bashing) to be the worst of the behaviors.

Glad you're doing this and wish it could have been avoided.

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Yeah that’s the part for me. I’ve seen very little actual brand bashing here. Like almost none. But there does seem to be a bit of an upsurge in people bashing.