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Sad about GetDpi (a personal lament)

jonoslack

Active member
Hi there
So sad - a few months ago GetDPI was a vibrant community covering all types of digital imaging, from the smallest sensor to the largest, with valuable contributions from interesting people in all the categories. Nowadays, apart from the sterling and fun contributions from the girls, it's only the MF section that is vibrant:
The Leica M forum has reduced to the occasional grumpy and resigned comment,
The Nikon forum (which was so good) is rather like the Mary Celeste - everyone having dumped their gear and moved up to MF.
The 4/3 forum, after a promising start has been subsumed, even the excellent small sensor forum seems to be getting quieter.

Don't get me wrong, there are interesting contributions everywhere, but vibrant? Not any more.

Of course, I could always buy into MF and join in the fun . . .

So, is it just me that feels this way? I do hope so.
 

helenhill

Senior Member
Unfortunately I do agree....somethings happened
Not sure what :confused:
& I do MISS a few people who are no longer here....:(

or is it it just like Life
the ups & downs / Ride those Bumps & Waves
H
 

Terry

New member
I think there is a seasonality. It is summertime, people are outside more, vacationing, etc. and spending less time on line. Wait till the weather turns again and I think you will feel a difference. I know it isn't summer everywhere but a big chunk of the community isn't down under.

Yes, a lot of people have jumped ship to medium format and soon once they get to know their gear we hopefully will be seeing their work.

I have faith.

and.....there will surely be some interesting debates as the next batch of camera announcements (like new Nikons) and what Leica brings to Photokina become clear.
 
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Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
And when people come back from summer vacation there will be lots of new captures to share from all over the world. I guess it takes years to build up a large forum. But soon we will all meet in the Sunset Bar and celebrate member no. 1000 :)
 

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
I see a difference as well. And, I agree that the change is at least in part, a result of the shift to MF. There's a great deal of new information for the MF acolytes to absorb and some of those threads soon leave me in the dust since I don't have the gear. And with all due respect to those lucky MF'ers (wait, that looks wrong, but you know what I mean) there aren't a lot of photos being posted from them, except the odd test series.

One thing that hasn't changed and still remains a joy however, is the overall demeanor and good nature of the members. I'm hoping it's just the summer slump too.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Well welcome to summer on the forums , it's pretty much like this everywhere and the main reason for the slow down. No question I see it too . My issue it is a 112 out and going outside is death. Part of it is some folks moved to different sections also and love for there old systems has faded a little. In the case of the M8 it is not new anymore and most comments are just whining to a certain degree, the folks on this forum do not whine much so not much to talk about. Photokinia will bring some new products and new toys to talk about. I would also encourage talking about photography and not just the gear of it.

As far as people not here , some just come and go. Myself i barely post on LUF anymore and i was very active at one time. That is just natural, also some folks may have decided that being on a civil forum is just not fun and some broke some serious rules too. Life goes on folks and this like any forum is what you make it. Honestly how much energy Jack or I can expand here is also limited by work, family and personal stuff. On another not even if some folks shift to MF you should read the post most of it is about shooting and not just gear so posts are still filled with information. I think folks fall into this trap that if it is not there model of gear than it does not mean much to them, how wrong that is . The gear is meaningless but the techniques on shooting , processing and general talk are valuable for any model. Suggestion visit all the forums and all the threads . i read everything from all the forums and it is not just about your M8 or D300 but about photography. Remember more than any forum out there this is YOUR home and the place that you want to be, you have to expand that and your energy to make it what you want it to be. The more you put out the more you gain in return. Also our workshops go on hold in the summer and we wait for fall like I am waiting for a new baby to deliver , for me i live and die for these workshops. i just love expanding my energy for them and enjoy so much the folks that come, otherwise if i am not doing them it is depressing for me and i am bored. Simple truth, work is work but workshops get my antenna up in a big way and I simply cannot wait for July 17th when in NY to meet a bunch of members and have a fun day together.

Last comment : this forum is filled with adults and my bet the average age is 45 so there is not a lot of kid stuff going on. But we as adults need to have fun and it is not always easy to do that. There are hundreds of members that DO NOT post but read everything we write. I encourage them to start punching the keyboard because even though you think you have nothing to say , you do and in a big way. Even though you think what you bring to the table is not valued enough than sorry I have to say BS. Whatever you bring has value and this forum is setup so you get no crap for it either. Jack and I can't do it all we need you members as well. I need another espresso
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
And when people come back from summer vacation there will be lots of new captures to share from all over the world. I guess it takes years to build up a large forum. But soon we will all meet in the Sunset Bar and celebrate member no. 1000 :)
Steen you make a great point we are small by comparison to other sites that took years to build enough members. We only been live for 8 months or so.
 

LJL

New member
As I was reading this thread, I thought about what Jono and others have said. In another post, I had commented upon how this forum has matured on its own, and very quickly, I might add, thanks to the generous and non-hostile input from so many, both as questions and responses. The MF section has been sucking up a lot of energy, and actually, that is very good, as it also continues to draw in folks from other forums who contribute a lot. This is not unlike what the M8 section went through, which was really sort of the "birth" of this entire forum in a way.

Like many others have said or thought, the "newness" has gone from that bright and shiny look to what I like to think of as a nice gentle patina. While the fever pitch of exchanges and postings has tapered off a bit, I fully expect a resurgence once the new toys hit the market, and folks get settled into that once again. The really nice thing is that one can peruse threads every couple of days, and not miss too much, and still keep up to speed on lots of stuff from small format through printers through software....you name it.

So, not trying to sound overly defensive of Guy's comments, nor contrary to the senses that others have posited. I see this as a maturation process. Good or bad, a large part of it has been based on a gear orientation, so when there are few new toys, things will lag. However, there is also a great sharing of images from all sections, and great discussion in each, so that also indicates to me that there is a great foundation.

Well, back to work I go.....closing out the "spring season" the next week or so has kept me too busy in just one aspect of shooting, but for the next couple of months, I get to start playing with the M8 more, and I always look forward to that, even as I keep lusting and tearing my hair out over which MF camera and back to add to my own kit. If anybody that has not ventured into the MF area much, you will be amazed at the almost bewildering number of options, not just a black or silver M8, and how complicated all of it can become very quickly....not to mention really expensive also. So, that has sucked up a lot of energy for many photogs, and may have left the rest of us feeling a bit left out.....nobody really is.....it is all gear that still must abide by the laws of physics and stuff to get the images. (Trust me, even the really serious MF gearheads and working pros STILL long for a nice pocket camera to carry everywhere, and do look at the other threads to help them decide on things. I know I am at a total loss on figuring some of the smaller camera stuff out myself, since I spend more of my energy and time wrestling with the DSLRs and lusting for MF, but I love seeing the posts by so many.)

That is my take on things.....time for another espresso and then back to the printer to get some stuff out the door. Keep reading and posting everywhere, please. It is appreciated by a lot more folks than it may seem at times.

LJ
 

harmsr

Workshop Member
Jono,

You are right, but give it some time. It is summer and many are occupied outside.

The MF section is booming, because we are like kids with our new toys. Even though I sold my Nikon, I still enjoy reading the Nikon forum. My M8 is getting a new life, since Nikon has gone away (although with a reduced lens lineup as required to fund the MF gear).

One thing that has been taking a lot of my time recently is lighting. I have been revising and upgrading my lighting for the studio and for locations. However, we don't have a place to talk about that and share experiences. Does a section on lighting interest everyone? How about it Guy? I know that you, Jack, Marc, Irakly, and others could contribute a lot.

Best,

Ray
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Not a bad idea ,we did trim up the forum a little the other day just to organize it better at least as we saw it. But Jack and I will talk about a Lighting forum. It IS all about light

We do have the gear garage also
 

jlm

Workshop Member
even though my focus has shifted ( I am mostly a MF'er ;)) I read almost all of the new posts. seems like there is always a huge interest in small sensor cameras!

I also spend way too much time on this forum, hardly any on the others (LUF, LL, FM)
 
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LJL

New member
I agree with Ray about considering a lighting section. I know there is one on DPReview, and probably in others as well, but the general toxic nature of some make them unattractive to participate in.

There appears to be a lot of talent depth here in that area, but it only seeps out occasionally when folks are looking at images for something else. While many smaller format folks or M8 folks may not think about studio lighting very much, nor even fill flash for some things, there is still so much that could be shared and of benefit to all kinds of shooting.

Ray, you comment about it being summer, and more folks being outside. Well, some of us live in very inhospitable summer climates.....ask Guy about 110-115 heat, or folks like me that live where the temp and humidity are about 95 most of the summer. Not a lot of outdoor shooting except very early morning at best, so doing portraits, products and other stuff INDOORS always sounds more attractive. AND, those same techniques can be carried outdoors for those that have more pleasant weather.

Yes, there is a lighting workshop coming in September, and yes, it was sort of brought about from the MF crowd as their rigs love having more light for images, but how we use light, natural or added, can make a huge difference in our final shots. Lighting is not terribly exciting to talk about, but there are so many new products and things in that area now also to help the photog. Just a year or so ago there were maybe one or two options for "portable" studio lighting. Now every line has something. Lots to learn about there too.

(And yes, folks like Marc can make you very envious with his studio shots....MF or other gear.....great product shots for sure.)

LJ
 

jonoslack

Active member
Hi Everyone
Well, at least this discussion reminds us about what is SO GOOD about GetDPI - i.e. civilised discussion without any backbiting.
Maybe the summer has something to do with it, but I suspect that the mass move to MF has more bearing. Still, that's MY problem, and not anyone else's.
Great responses all around.:clap:
 
A

asabet

Guest
I think the Small Sensor forum really took off initially because of several factors:
1) Mitch led an exodus from the DPReview Ricoh forum, and a number of us were looking for a place to discuss compacts without brand segregation. Now the newness of finding that place is wearing off a bit.
2) The GRD II was new and there was little attention to the GX100 in mainstream sites. Now the GX100 is towards the end of the cycle, and the GRD II is approaching mid-cycle (educated guess). Less to talk about them.
3) Other favorites such as D-LUX, LX, and G9 also nearing replacement. While the M8 isn't likely near replacement, it has been out long enough that it too is less exciting to discuss.

Overall, I think Photokina and the new gear it brings will bring another wave of increased discussion. In the meanwhile, I'm betting that Jono is going to buy some medium format gear and join in that fun. Any takers :D?
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Jono really simple bud buy a MF back. LOL

Honestly and i am dead serious for as much as you enjoy shooting, you should consider it . No 24 MPX Nikon or Canon will match a MF system with DR, Resolution and all the extra benefits of MF. If i was in your shoes . M8 and MF and call it a day. The only thing a D3 buys you is high ISO speed and if you had a P30 Plus extremely good even at ISO 1600 and it is not any bigger than your D3 kit, Trust me i had them side by side. Just something to think about , I would not even mention it if i thought it was not for someone like you and it is cheaper than you think.
 

harmsr

Workshop Member
LJ - I live in that same heat with Guy here in Phoenix. About summer, so many people are out doing other things than photography is what I actually meant. (vacations or at the beach/lake, etc... - believe it or not we actually have lakes in AZ also :) )

I think a lighting subforum would be really great to not only talk about gear, but to review shots and how they were lit. I would be very interested in seeing photos and then discussing how they were lit or could be lit differently. Some behind the scenes shots showing different lighting concepts would be really great also.

Relative to other forums, I have a tendency to stay away from many of them even if they have some good information just due to the attitudes that are present. That is one of the reasons why I like it here. 99% of the time we all can talk and learn in a professional manner, without any of the petty stuff that goes on elsewhere.

Best,

Ray
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I think the Small Sensor forum really took off initially because of several factors:
1) Mitch led an exodus from the DPReview Ricoh forum, and a number of us were looking for a place to discuss compacts without brand segregation. Now the newness of finding that place is wearing off a bit.
2) The GRD II was new and there was little attention to the GX100 in mainstream sites. Now the GX100 is towards the end of the cycle, and the GRD II is approaching mid-cycle (educated guess). Less to talk about them.
3) Other favorites such as D-LUX, LX, and G9 also nearing replacement. While the M8 isn't likely near replacement, it has been out long enough that it too is less exciting to discuss.

Overall, I think Photokina and the new gear it brings will bring another wave of increased discussion. In the meanwhile, I'm betting that Jono is going to buy some medium format gear and join in that fun. Any takers :D?

Amin you hit the nail on the head there simple is end of life cycle product at the moment. Just look at the M8 over a 1.5 since it came out and not much to talk about that has not already been said a thousand times. For me it is just repeating the same old stuff. Same with the small sensor stuff although new to some folks just nothing really new and exciting yet until Photokinia. The MF section has been here since the beginning but there is new stuff and new people getting involved so that is the hot spot right now. It will move again to another spot when new stuff comes or more rumors which honestly we really don't engage to much in rumor again my point about our average age comes to play here we are adults and rumors are meaningless until we see something. If you guys think there is something we could do please tell us but i think we are doing better than a lot of very popular sites. We always have at least 25 members on all the time and more than 50 guests . I look around and not many sites are doing as nearly as well as us in that dept. and we are a LOT smaller in numbers. Frankly what most don't realize is how good we actually are in this regard. We are kicking the crap out of a very popular site with regard to number of members and guests and there membership is extremely high. We are growing trust me and we are far from being dead. i feel i talk too much and maybe i do but i will NOT let this forum down. That you can count on and Jack feels the same.

BTW I am glad this came about and not at all upset by any of the comments. I think this is good to talk about even though I feel a little hurt by it. This is our baby and we take a lot of pride in this place and we want it perfect but we also know nothing is perfect and we can't please everyone. Some have left and a few thrown out on there ear because it was warranted but we won't talk about that and just take it in the shorts as we are the bad guys, far from the truth but we accept it as being the owners.
 

LJL

New member
LJ - I live in that same heat with Guy here in Phoenix. About summer, so many people are out doing other things than photography is what I actually meant. (vacations or at the beach/lake, etc... - believe it or not we actually have lakes in AZ also :) )

I think a lighting subforum would be really great to not only talk about gear, but to review shots and how they were lit. I would be very interested in seeing photos and then discussing how they were lit or could be lit differently. Some behind the scenes shots showing different lighting concepts would be really great also.

Relative to other forums, I have a tendency to stay away from many of them even if they have some good information just due to the attitudes that are present. That is one of the reasons why I like it here. 99% of the time we all can talk and learn in a professional manner, without any of the petty stuff that goes on elsewhere.

Best,

Ray
Ray,
Got it.....I completely missed the concept of doing something other than photography in your post :confused: That being said, those kinds of outings are great places for folks to shoot and test things in a more casual way. (I never leave the house without at least the M8, and I suspect a lot of folks are the same way. It just gets down to doing something with that eclectic collection of shots.)

On the lighting thing, I agree with you. Does not have to be formal or anything like that, but more focussed on the issues, gear, challenges and outcomes, more from a lighting perspective, and not so much about which camera may be used. (I recently added a lot more to my lighting kit myself, and know it was a lot of work thinking about the parts, their uses, etc.) Knowing how some effects can be achieved with a few simple tools, or very complex set-ups is very helpful. Something as simple as a small reflector that I unfold for some shots has made a world of difference in the final image.

So, stay out of the too much heat in AZ right now :thumbup: I still have to shoot some stuff over the next couple of weeks in our heat and humugity down here in Houston. Nothing more unpleasant than dripping sweat all over your gear when you are not even moving :angry:

LJ
 
A

asabet

Guest
If only all of us could have new digital medium format bodies, backs, and lenses...

"Imagine all the people, shooting H 3 Ds.
You-hoo you may say I'm a dreamer,
But I'm not the only one.
I hope someday I'll join you..."

Okay back to work Amin :rolleyes:.
 
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