LETS TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT THIS FORUM IS ALL ABOUT!

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

I for one will try to post more photos.. it's one of my new year's resolutions. Updating the forum to include an auto resize will definitely motivate me to post photos. In fact, I will post one right now (y)

Maybe we can start a thread, where each can post 3 top photos from 2021 (I know 3 will be tough to choose).
 
Exactly why I stopped contributing to the forums (not that anybody should care lol)
Initially I left for the brutal attack by another member here, even asked Steve to remove my account, but he refused and asked me to rejoin.
I came back a month later made some posts but at the end of the day reading the forums I felt heavily annoyed so despite Steve’s efforts to restore my posts I decided to stop anyway. (I know it sounds and is ungratefull but I’m sure Steve understands)
So now and then I visit the forum, read the raves about systems dancing circles around other systems and have a good laugh.
Yup! Somehow I don’t get annoyed anymore by this fanboyism and as a result I regained a lot of fun shooting my subpar R5’s living in one of the most beautifull wildlife/bird habitats in the world nowadays.

So I wish everybody a sound, prosperous and happy 2022 with less blahblah and hyperbole and a lot of nice opportunities!
Have Fun! Stay safe! And let’s pray for that damned Covid desease to disappear!
(Despite being fully vaccinated I hardly survived a second infection)
 
Last edited:
Technical discussions are unavoidable, as blockages in resolving camera settings get frustrating and take one's concentration off the real matters when outdoors (especially with a new and unfamiliar camera). Like it or not, modern pro and prosumer cameras are complicated instruments, and the qualities of the many different lenses are bewildering (so many options including 3rd party, and we have Used options too) ...then add flashes, remotes, tripods and gimbalheads etc :oops:

I'm an unrepentant gear geek, locked into Nikon...the diagnosis being that acute nikonitis is incurable. I started out as a teenager with an inherited Leicaflex and then a Minolta SRT101, before my sister and I traded it all in for Nikon FM2... nearly 40 years ago.
About 2015 I was in the position - finally - to afford a decent DSLR system, and so began researching the options, trying out many different Nikon fit lenses (most traded Used) and iterating cameras until I could afford a D5 and D850.

Long story short, these www searches accumulated hundreds of web links and databased excerpts etc in a Word file close to 1000 pages on relevant F-mount glass mainly. Bookmarks to camera reviews works well enough via Chrome. And I also curate a new parallel file as the Z system grows to crosscheck reviews. So I'm in ty position to min these data and share links etc as needs arise...including requests here....

All this considered, Nikon is more than enough to deal with i steer trying to comment on a product I've no experience with. No more to say on the latter....as it's been dissected above, thoroughly.

The well trodden debate about Z Autofocus for wildlife provides no better example of why stating the context is essential, including: besides the camera and lens, one's subject interests, photographed subjects etc. There's solid evidence from experienced wildlife photographers that the Z6 and Z7 deliver no lack of keepers of the appropriate subjects when these oblige.... however, not tyat many of fast flying birds such as swifts and swallows.

The same applies to adapters, the FTZ in particular, where the Z9 evidence is pointing more directly at the Zed camera being the crucial factor (!) Anyways,

Images can be most useful in these threads, with due respect to context and priorities obviously..... a photo being worth more than 1000 words.

This post is long enough already, so just to endorse the shared values posted above wrt the uniqueness of this forum and due etiquette.
 
Last edited:
........it's just something I noticed more here, that discussions are often filled with photos not by the original poster that are unrelated to the question being asked or by someone changing the OP's image without being asked to show how they think it could be better. If asked, it's very generous of folks to spend their time editing someone else's work.
That reflects bad manners and is not respectful to other members. I just checked the Terms and Rules because I remember a comment there about not posting images in someone else's thread unless asked to do so. But I couldn't find such guidance......

BTW - I like gear talk, too. I got one of the first Z9's and am soaking up what others are learning and sharing! BUT - the end goal for me is creating images.......not falling in love with the tools. LOL! We agree on most of this.
 
I think the individuals that are directly involved in this Sony vs Nikon thing should take a deep breath. Mirrorless or DSLR as well. It’s getting a little ridiculous as Steve pointed out. This forum is about helping and motivating photographers to take better pictures. Most of us choose a camera based on what fits our needs and not based solely on which is better. There are always compromises. Because which is better is a personal opinion based on your needs. So, while this back and forth can be entertaining at times it’s getting a little old. When I see a thread about the Z9 photos , that’s what I want to read about. If I see a thread about the Sony A1, that’s what I expect. Not some back and forth about which is better. Come on people, your better than that. Let’s talk about thing's that improve our skills or helps to solve a problem that one of us is having. It’s not necessary to defend your position that your camera is better than theirs. There are plenty of you-tube videos for that.
Spot on Ralph wholeheartedly agree.
 
Not to give myself away, but what is UHH? Sounds like I need to know!

Ugly Hedgehog. There some good folks there. If fact that's where I found Steve although I do see him posting there much any more! It's a photo board but has a lot of subgroups. The most recent complaint was something someone thought was racist but I never saw the orginal post.

There's a large number of old guys (I one too) and they seem to have nothing better to do that nitpick. It seems to be devolving....
 
Not to give myself away, but what is UHH? Sounds like I need to know!
Ugly Hedge Hog. How or why I got started there 7 years ago is mystery. I was so intimidated by the mean and scathing comments, I didnt comment for the first 5 years. Still I learned so much and like all things, there are some really good and knowledgeable people over there along with the other.

On this forum, I am grateful for a friendly place where I can make a mistake or miss speak and not be reamed. I even posted an image in somebody's thread thinking it helped illustrate a point in the last week (my first) and didn't know better. Nobody was mean.

Thanks to the OP for bringing this up. I love learning how others think and why they make the decisions they do. It has saved me from making some costly mistakes. Surely we can all find a way to express our opinions, bias and experience while being respectful.
 
Ugly Hedgehog. There some good folks there. If fact that's where I found Steve although I do see him posting there much any more! It's a photo board but has a lot of subgroups. The most recent complaint was something someone thought was racist but I never saw the orginal post.

There's a large number of old guys (I one too) and they seem to have nothing better to do that nitpick. It seems to be devolving....
Thanks.
 
Ugly Hedge Hog. How or why I got started there 7 years ago is mystery. I was so intimidated by the mean and scathing comments, I didnt comment for the first 5 years. Still I learned so much and like all things, there are some really good and knowledgeable people over there along with the other.

On this forum, I am grateful for a friendly place where I can make a mistake or miss speak and not be reamed. I even posted an image in somebody's thread thinking it helped illustrate a point in the last week (my first) and didn't know better. Nobody was mean.

Thanks to the OP for bringing this up. I love learning how others think and why they make the decisions they do. It has saved me from making some costly mistakes. Surely we can all find a way to express our opinions, bias and experience while being respectful.
Thanks
 
@Steve.Would it be possible to add a feature to drag & drop images from the PC to the site & also resize the image automatically
It would save some time specially if we are adding five images to the post.
One of the biggest problem every one will be facing ( with higher frame rate cameras) is to process images thx to the high frame rates ( I do remember you mentioning in one of your posts that you are also way behind in your post processing work).
I do follow your advice religiously and take more shots of the same subject 😁
Hope I am not missing some thing by asking for the feature request
One tip that has worked for me is to create a folder structure for web sized images you use in various places. In my case I have a folder called Web Post, and a subfolder called Web Post 2021, Web Post 2022, etc. All of my images sized for the web and watermarked go in those folders. The files are small and I synch the master folder with my iPhone and iPad so I always have images available. I typically just size them at 800-1000 pixels on the long side and medium quality so the file sizes are modest. I've been doing this for almost 10 years and it's an easy way to have a batch of resized images ready to go for presentations, social media, etc. I'll resize 8-10 images from a trip or event anticipating I will use them later.
 
@Steve.Would it be possible to add a feature to drag & drop images from the PC to the site & also resize the image automatically
It would save some time specially if we are adding five images to the post.

You really want some unkown software to mess with your images????

In Lightroom you can create and save export parameters to suit any requirements and use them to batch export. In Photoshop it is easy to create actions to resize (or do anything else) and they can also be applied to batches.

I always create resized images for web use after editing. Takes notime at all.
 
I can't tell you the number of people I've seen over the years with the "best" possible gear available at time who were, quite frankly, awful. …..

Gear helps, but it's always been WAY more about the skillset of the person behind the lens than the equipment.

Many years ago, in the pre digital era, my buddy and I ran into a guy shooting some street candids with a Leica M3 and a bag ful of Leica glass. My buddy complimented the fellow on his gear and in a surprising moment of candor, the guy replied, “Truth is, I have more money than talent.” I laughed out loud and to this day, that guy was the most “honest” photographer that I have ever met. (Sheepishly, myself included)
 
Thank you Ralph! I appreciate you starting this thread. I’m a Nikon DSLR user, who may transition to Nikon mirrorless down the road. I enjoy reading threads associated with the latest Sony, Canon, and Nikon mirrorless. While the tech side may not directly apply to my kit, I find little nuggets here and there that cause me to rethink how I’m approaching my AF and exposure settings. I’ve learned so much from @Steve as well as others on this forum that are more experienced and better than I am at wildlife photography, primarily BIF.

I’ve also learned through my career in the nuclear industry that it’s very easy to fall into the trap of “siloism”, “group think” and ”I don’t need to listen to others….we’re all good.” So while I shoot Nikon DSLR, I value the input from Sony, Canon, etc., because there might be something there that helps me. It may not, but to disregard others just because I shoot another brand, is pretty short sided.

The thing I like the most about this forum, is the DIVERSITY here. We have professionals, rank amateurs, experienced, no experience, as well as very different brands. And for the most part, we can communicate, agree on things, and agree to disagree. Sometimes it crosses a line. I’m hoping that those instances stay to a minimum.

Again….my humble opinion. This is the best forum I’ve been involved with, and I hope we as the members can maintain that standard.
 
Thank you Ralph! I appreciate you starting this thread. I’m a Nikon DSLR user, who may transition to Nikon mirrorless down the road. I enjoy reading threads associated with the latest Sony, Canon, and Nikon mirrorless. While the tech side may not directly apply to my kit, I find little nuggets here and there that cause me to rethink how I’m approaching my AF and exposure settings. I’ve learned so much from @Steve as well as others on this forum that are more experienced and better than I am at wildlife photography, primarily BIF.

I’ve also learned through my career in the nuclear industry that it’s very easy to fall into the trap of “siloism”, “group think” and ”I don’t need to listen to others….we’re all good.” So while I shoot Nikon DSLR, I value the input from Sony, Canon, etc., because there might be something there that helps me. It may not, but to disregard others just because I shoot another brand, is pretty short sided.

The thing I like the most about this forum, is the DIVERSITY here. We have professionals, rank amateurs, experienced, no experience, as well as very different brands. And for the most part, we can communicate, agree on things, and agree to disagree. Sometimes it crosses a line. I’m hoping that those instances stay to a minimum.

Again….my humble opinion. This is the best forum I’ve been involved with, and I hope we as the members can maintain that standard.
Totally agree👍👍
 
I think the individuals that are directly involved in this Sony vs Nikon thing should take a deep breath. Mirrorless or DSLR as well. It’s getting a little ridiculous as Steve pointed out. This forum is about helping and motivating photographers to take better pictures. Most of us choose a camera based on what fits our needs and not based solely on which is better. There are always compromises. Because which is better is a personal opinion based on your needs. So, while this back and forth can be entertaining at times it’s getting a little old. When I see a thread about the Z9 photos , that’s what I want to read about. If I see a thread about the Sony A1, that’s what I expect. Not some back and forth about which is better. Come on people, your better than that. Let’s talk about thing's that improve our skills or helps to solve a problem that one of us is having. It’s not necessary to defend your position that your camera is better than theirs. There are plenty of you-tube videos for that.
I have seen some awesome pictures that were shot with i-phones. Many travel photographer / Journalist types that, is all they use. Photography is about the guy behind the camera and the 1/1000 of a second slice of the world.
 
Yep…input from other brand users is always welcome….but the basic reason for this thread comes down to “your Nikon sucks” and “the Z9 barely catches up to what Sony jphas done for years” comments. There are a lot of reasons to choose a brand and to stick with it or switch…but who is ahead is cyclic, most of us can’t really afford to switch over and over, or we could afford it but will it really make us better, and Steve’s 80/4 rule as well. Saying something like your Sony has good bird eye focus isn’t the same as saying basically you’re a loser if you use Nikon and don’t switch to the obviously clearly superior Sony…or Canon.
 
Yep…input from other brand users is always welcome….but the basic reason for this thread comes down to “your Nikon sucks” and “the Z9 barely catches up to what Sony jphas done for years” comments. There are a lot of reasons to choose a brand and to stick with it or switch…but who is ahead is cyclic, most of us can’t really afford to switch over and over, or we could afford it but will it really make us better, and Steve’s 80/4 rule as well. Saying something like your Sony has good bird eye focus isn’t the same as saying basically you’re a loser if you use Nikon and don’t switch to the obviously clearly superior Sony…or Canon.

Projecting much? Nobody’s ever made those statements here.
 
I agree - I wish people would post in the presentation forums more often. I feel like so many members have so many incredible images to show and really, that's the bottom line at the end of the day. Tech talk can turn into a black hole where no photo survives LOL!


I’d love to post some stuff and get critique. I’m a bit nervous to do so because i’ve more or less reached a point of conscious incompetence. I also tend to pursue largely inconsequential gear comparisons, likely because I like it, but because it also allows me some escapism from the reality of what is actually required for improvement.

The area 120mm behind the camera.

I’m probably missing an opportunity, because I have amazing gear, and i know people get more out of it. A better camera probably just means more expensive pictures that im not yet satisfied with.
 
Hey Steve, I’m a Nikon shooter and have been for 50-years. I’m locked in; I’m not changing to Sony, Minolta, Canon, or any other brand. Personally, I have learned so much from you and other members on this forum. Your online books and videos have taught me more and improved my photography of wildlife by leaps and bounds.

I don’t care what the next guy shoots. Heck, my own daughter loves Canon and she takes fantastic shots. If someone posts something on this forum about a brand I don’t use, I’ll sometimes skim through it to see if there’s something there that will help my technique. If it’s something totally unrelated to me, then I move on. But I also realize that the information in that post is probably helping someone. It doesn’t have to be about ”me” or what I use all the time! However, as we all know, there will always be one of those in the mix.

In closing, I appreciate what you do, and the fact that you do it pretty much for free. I also appreciate the input and expertise of many of the members of the forum. I understand that this juvenile schoolyard bickering sometimes gets under the skin, but I sincerely hope you and other members dont allow it to lead to the closing of this forum.
 
Hey Steve, I’m a Nikon shooter and have been for 50-years. I’m locked in; I’m not changing to Sony, Minolta, Canon, or any other brand. Personally, I have learned so much from you and other members on this forum. Your online books and videos have taught me more and improved my photography of wildlife by leaps and bounds.

I don’t care what the next guy shoots. Heck, my own daughter loves Canon and she takes fantastic shots. If someone posts something on this forum about a brand I don’t use, I’ll sometimes skim through it to see if there’s something there that will help my technique. If it’s something totally unrelated to me, then I move on. But I also realize that the information in that post is probably helping someone. It doesn’t have to be about ”me” or what I use all the time! However, as we all know, there will always be one of those in the mix.

In closing, I appreciate what you do, and the fact that you do it pretty much for free. I also appreciate the input and expertise of many of the members of the forum. I understand that this juvenile schoolyard bickering sometimes gets under the skin, but I sincerely hope you and other members dont allow it to lead to the closing of this forum.
Couldn’t have said it any better! 👍😇🇺🇸
 
Great post and like that people want to keep this site as 'gear religion' free and respectful as possible. It is natural to get excited about new products and the results we are able to achieve.
As I'm a newbie and still learning, I visit this site to learn and be inspired by photos and how they were captured. I'm not interested in gear comparison, so I ignore those discussions/comments.
Maybe we need to check our own responses to what we may perceive as gear religion / passion and let it go. I've worked in IT for too many years and have lived with the same there as well 🙂
 
Back
Top