forum gone very quiet?

[Tullio]

You are quite right, Mike. The forums at dpreview are very active but there is a number of members with an attitude problem. The tolerance level is low and it does not take much to get offended. Here people are nicer but perhaps we need some attitude every now and then to generate discussion. If every image posted the replies are.."nice capture" or "great shot", etc., not only people get annoyed reading those comments, no one is doing any one any favor. How can anyone learn anything if the responses are always the same polite (but fake)?

[Lazy Lens]

Originally Posted by Tullio

The forums at dpreview are very active but there is a number of members with an attitude problem. The tolerance level is low and it does not take much to get offended.

Just what the hell do you mean by that?!?

oh, sorry, just getting into the spirit of the thing...

If every image posted the replies are.."nice capture" or "great shot", etc., not only people get annoyed reading those comments, no one is doing any one any favor. How can anyone learn anything if the responses are always the same polite (but fake)?

I have to ask... How do you know they're fake? Perhaps the responders really do believe what they're posting.
I'll concede that in cases of friends commenting on one anothers' images, some of these may well be white lies for the sake of tact and protecting sensibilities.
Strangers commenting on images is another matter. I see no reason why they'd bother posting disingenuous remarks, especially as there's little (nothing?) to gain by doing so.

[jussiuk]

Originally Posted by mikegg

Your pictures are beautiful! Post them over at the Panasonic forum at dpreview.com They have had 12 posts in the past one hour. It is quite active over there. I don't know what happened to these forums. They all seem quite slow.
Mike G.

Thank you everyone for the nice comments! It made me want to go out & start taking more pictures!
Maybe it is not so quiet here after all as so many replied to my post.

I have looked at dpreview forum from time to time but somehow it does not seem so friendly as this one...Here criticism is a bit more gentle I guess so people don't become nervous at showing their work.
But for techical advise and info I think dpreview is a very good site. You find out more about the new cameras there.

Thanks again everyone!

[Tullio]

Originally Posted by Lazy Lens

I have to ask... How do you know they're fake? Perhaps the responders really do believe what they're posting.
I'll concede that in cases of friends commenting on one anothers' images, some of these may well be white lies for the sake of tact and protecting sensibilities.
Strangers commenting on images is another matter. I see no reason why they'd bother posting disingenuous remarks, especially as there's little (nothing?) to gain by doing so.

Yes, I should not generalize. You are correct. In fact, I just wrote the following on another post: "what you might see as ordinary, others may find it extraordinary". So, I just contradicted myself, didn't I? OK, let me do some damage control. I believe in general people here at Steve's are extra nice compared to some other sites. As a result, the comments tend to focus on the positives rather than the negatives. Controversy generates discussion. I think what people are saying by not responding to posts is that what WE are posting is mostly ordinary, not extraordinary. When someone posts an outstanding image, we take the time to comment on it.

[Tek_Freek]

I find the forum format at dpreview to be hard to follow. The set up here is much easier when looking for response posts.

Or I'm not using dpreviw correctly.

We have (finally) decided on the ZS3 and I'm going add a lens cover per

http://www.pemaraal.com/index.php?page=TZ3ac

All I have to do is get everything ordered. The tough part now is the flash chip. I'm wavering (partly because of cost) between a 16GB class 10, 16GB class 6, and 8GB class 6. This seems to be the hardest decision after the camera itself for me.

Should be a great camera for our cruise in November.

[mikegg]

Tullio: I agree with your observations. But, I have found so much worthwhile information and discussion there that I regularly read several dpreview forums. Hopefully, things will pick up here.

Mike

[Hards80]

seems like the only thing active these days is pentax-dslr. they really have a nice following there.

wish other forums could be comparable.

[JohnG]

It really is a conundrum.
From my observations as a member here I see there are a number of new people that show up to get gear recommendations and maybe some help. They find what they're after and then disappear.

I think a number of people stick around because this plae is particularly friendly. But, at the same time I don't think the community here as as good as other sites at helping each other to be better photographers. So I believe quite a few people lose interest here because after initial advice they're not getting help or being pushed to be better.

In my experience on this site there are a tremendous amount of people that just want to share their images with online 'friends'. Our non photographer friends quickly become bored with our images so we all want to share.

But if you look throughout many threads with images, most posters do not seem to seek critique and many bristle when another suggests there is something that could be better. So I think many of the enthusiasts begin gravitating to other sites where they can get more critical help and where the 'bar is higher' for what a good image is.

For example, I'm interested a lot in sports shooting. There are a few regulars in the sports forum. But the regulars there are a critial bunch (and I don't mean that in a negative way). Anyone who has been there a year will say they're a much better shooter now because of that. Other people do not post their sports images there - they prefer a kinder/gentler audience where every shot is a good shot. So, the forum as a whole doesn't have many sports shooters posting/commenting. Now - jump over to dgrin.com or fredmiranda.com. You'll see a number of professional sports shooters and a fairly active communithy - great advice and stellar images. People interested in sports shooting go to sights like that because they can learn and be challenged. You can see the same thing in wildlife and macro shooting.

So, while I agree there is a "Jerry Springer" appeal to dpreview - I think a large part of people leaving here is the society here at Steves seems more geared towards 'friendly sharing' rather than photographic improvement past the beginner level.

One of the big things I tell new people here is to post their photos and questions in genre forums here. But look how many post wildlife shots in only the gear forum and not the wildlife forum. Why? Because there's a general fan-boy concept that any photo taken by the brand I use is a good photo. "If I'm a Canon shooter, the Nikon guys aren't my friends so they might not think my photo is good and I just want to feel good about myself". And don't get me wrong - there's nothing wrong with that. But I think a large amount of people that are wanting to move beyond the entry level look elsewhere.

I like the community here and I like helping new people out. But most of my learning and improvement takes place on other sites where the bar is a bit higher and my photos aren't perfect just because they're shot with Canon camera.

[sdromel]

I do check this site nearly every day (POTD). I also check to see if someone has posted a question that I might have experience with & which might be able to help with.

I am always looking for news/updates concerning products I might be interested in such as now FZ35/38. Would like to see more from new owners especially concerning some of the reported issues (eg, tough action on top buttons).

Probably what might be missing (lacking?) is the sense or feeling of excitement or drive from the participants (at least relatively versus some other sites). Why this might be is unknown as it is a good site & IMO just as good (accessibility, organization & layout) as any other.

[Lazy Lens]

Originally Posted by Tullio

I think what people are saying by not responding to posts is that what WE are posting is mostly ordinary, not extraordinary.

That this forum has developed [pardon pun] this reputation explains why the more advanced photographers gravitate to other sites, since the ordinary probably bores many of them and they'd rather converse with people who are at their own levels. This applies to those without instructor/teacher inclinations, of course.

I've seen numerous posts on the dpreview Panny forum from beginners seeking advice. I imagine in many cases it's the fact that dpreview has earned a reputation somewhat different than Steve's that draws them in -- i.e., people there are critical and this is exactly what the less advanced (and thicker-skinned) photogs are looking for, that they may best elevate their ordinary results to the extraordinary.

Could it be as simple as dpreview, et al, having more exposure [pardon pun again] than Steve's? More people know about it/them, ergo, more people use it/them.