END OF THE YEAR MESSAGE AND FUTURE OF GETDPI.COM

[olafphoto]

Last year, roughly about this time, we completed a major revamp of the entire platform. It was a huge undertaking but it all went well, despite a few minor hiccups. As some of you suggested, I decided to leave the GETDPI.com in its new skin without introducing any major changes in 2022 to see how the forum works on the new platform.

It appears that it is working fine. Most of you have got accustomed to the new way of doing things and continued the amazing GetDPI.com tradition of sharing information, knowledge, and photography. That doesn’t mean we didn’t have any technical issues. Some occasional challenges arose in confirming new emails, registrations etc., something we monitor and try to fix as we go.

After one full year of steady performance, I personally believe that it is the time to make further major changes to the forum. Almost everyone I spoke to agreed that the forum needs to be improved and transformed. Many ideas and suggestions are being made about its direction and future. I’m listening to all your voices.

I would be delighted to hear how you see the forum in five or ten years. What should its key focus be? How can we simplify it to make it attractive for a new generation of photographers? Which functions and segments should stay and which should go?

From my perspective, the forum cannot be everything for everyone. We need to choose and shape our future. Having said that, I would like to hear from you. I am not asking about minor changes or improvements but rather a bigger vision for GetDPI.com (we will discuss smaller changes later).

Should we focus on medium format only? After all, it is the most active and informative part of the forum. Should we change the name to something more descriptive? Should it remain free or should we create a special subscription with more benefits? Please feel free to share your vision and ideas. I would appreciate it if you refrained from “let’s keep it as it is” sort of comments. That way it won’t survive and I don’t think anyone wants it to stay this way.

We are counting on your feedback! I would like to thank you for your support and participation.

On behalf of the team, I wish you a wonderful holiday and a healthy and prosperous 2023.

 

[anyone]

+1 for focus on medium format and perhaps one more sub-section for all other formats. I strongly suggest to keep it free of charge (all sections) and I also like the name. It’s a bit nerdy, but so are we?

 

[MartinN]

Well, I am interested in medium format, both digital and analog, but also in large format. However, I see that there is really much going on in the brand forums and other subforums. Therefore, I think one should listen to all members opinions.

 

[stngoldberg]

Charge if necessary. I understand that you are entitled to make a profit in exchange for the fine work you are doing.
Please keep your emphasis on Medium Format, but I understand others are interested in other formats and much of their work and creativity is worthwhile to this forum.
Please eliminate ALL political discussion as there are other forums for people to pontificate
stanley

 

[pegelli]

I don't use medium/large format cameras but tremendously enjoy the photo's shown with that format. So I don't mind "focus" on that. There's not many other places on the internet where you find so much of that together in one place. On the other hand if this becomes an exclusive focus on medium and large format I think you'll lose a lot of other visitors/posters who don't shoot MF/LF.

The smaller formats generate just as many (or may be even more) photo's being posted here which are worthwhile to look at, the difference is that they are spread over several "brand" fora while the Medium Format forum and photo thread is mainly brand agnostic. So in terms of long term direction I would ask you to think about a method to also make the other format photo fora brand agnostic. I think that would make posting/commenting these threads a more enjoyable experience. Just like Hasselblad/Fuji/Leica S/Pentax live happily together in one thread the same is probably true for the other main formats.

 

[Paul Spinnler]

Thanks Olaf and Team

2 cents: I liked the luminous landscape back in the day when it had a blog with articles and videos. Maybe some editorial content similar to their concept with a cheap membership? Separate from the mag, of course.

You could also add a new key focus around analogue - it is coming back ...

I am thankful the forum exists, is not easy to find like minded people interested in the niche that is medium format photography; this said, would keep the name, although I always wondered what it stands for!

Despite medium format being the main thing, would still keep the smaller formats. I like the Leica section a lot, for example!

 

[diggles]

In my opinion, a good way to monetize the site would be to charge a Buy and Sell forum membership. Much like fredmiranda.com does.

You could have offer a monthly membership for let's say $30. This would cover people that just have one item to sell or new people that only come to the forum to sell something. You could also have a yearly membership for $100. This would cover those of us that sell through the forum frequently. Those numbers are arbitrary, but you get the idea.

Camera related Forum categories that make sense to me are:

• Small Format Digital (35mm, APS-C, Micro 4/3)
• Small Format Film
• Medium Format Digital (All medium format variations, tech cam, and slr style)
• Medium Format Film
• Large Format (4X5 and up)

It could make sense to include topics like Image Processing, Printing, Art of Seeing, etc within each category because the camera format can make significant differences to how these topics are approached.

 

[Shashin]

For me, the strength of GetDPI is its community. It is made up of those that are very dedicated to photography and the craft, regardless of the experience. However, there are some highly-skilled photographers here that does make this a great forum. Sharing work and ideas is really the appeal. I think the evidence is in the fact that you have such a strong showing in medium format and other rare areas of photography.

I think the format centered approach has been successful--the medium-format forum is very active, unlike brand specific forums. I think the more creative or philosophical forums are less successful as it is had to engage with in a natural dialogue. However, thematic photo threads seem to work, like the ones on trees, architecture, etc. They are also fun as they are format/gear agnostic.

The name is more complex. I am not attached to it, but it does now have an identity. The obvious choice for you would be to brand base on your periodicals and be the forum for those. Since you have a user base, rebranding should not be difficult. The question is what brand would help you go in the direction you want?

I guess the question is how do you innovate in the forum design? That is really about ease of use and natural discourse. But it successful when there are buckets that a large number of people interact, like the medium-format forum. Also, there is enough of an environment where people can interact in new ways--the thematic photography threads happened very organically.

This is a difficult question to answer because the direction you would like to take the forum has not been articulated. You have a plan, otherwise you would not be making this thread. Perhaps you can articulate the issues you see that need to be addressed and the vision you have?

 

[JeffK]

I have a prepress background so the name makes a lot of sense to me.

Rangefinderforum charges a small fee to post an ad in their classifieds. That and more sponsorships can contribute to monetizing the platform.

 

[Smoothjazz]

I know this is a terribly silly question, but I have never know what Get DPI stood for- what does it mean? I have always assumed Digital Photography......something.

 

[diggles]

DPI = Dots Per Inch, a measure of the resolution of a printed document or digital scan.

 

[JeffK]

Pixels per inch = PPI, referring to the digital file resolution.

Dots per inch refers to physical printing. Based on the number of dots in a line in one inch of length.

examples: imagesetters print at 3600 dpi with 175 lpi lines per inch. So lots of dots. More dots on a line, more gradations of tone.

by the way, there’s also stochastic printing, that introduces a new measurement based around patterns of the dots rather than the size of them.

 

[olafphoto]

Thank you so much for your articulate and thoughtful notes. I am reading them all and writing down some ideas. Of course, I am looking forward to more comments. Please keep them coming.

 

[f6cvalkyrie]

Thank you, Olaf and team, for keeping this place running, expanding, I'm enjoying it more than any other place on the Internet.
I shoot in many different formats, from IPhone to 4x5, digital only nowadays, but I'm old enough to enjoy also what's shared on analog photography.

Most interesting for me : the enormous amount of technical knowledge that is available here ... you name it and there is someone here who is experienced with it ... never a question unanswered, in a quiet and polite way ...
I also much appreciate the images shared by everybody ... both the brand specific and the thematics ...

That's how it is in my opinion and I would like it to stay this way ...

I wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !!!!
Rafael

 

[spb]

Charge if necessary. I understand that you are entitled to make a profit in exchange for the fine work you are doing.
Please keep your emphasis on Medium Format, but I understand others are interested in other formats and much of their work and creativity is worthwhile to this forum.
Please eliminate ALL political discussion as there are other forums for people to pontificate
stanley

Definitely agree with this: "Please eliminate ALL political discussion".

 

[spb]

Camera related Forum categories that make sense to me are:

• Medium Format Digital (All medium format variations, tech cam, and slr style)
• Medium Format Film
• Large Format (4X5 and up)
• Drone photography/video

These are the categories I would choose to have. I am using MF, but I have seen some quite incredible drone images and video.

One thing I don't want to change is the friendliness and great advice that one gets on this community forums!

If there was a yearly charge, like with the Leica forum, I guess I could accept that.

 

[UlbabrabB]

I don’t dislike the current format but I generally pay more attention to MF/LF stuff. Actually the only “minor format” thread I follow is the one with Leica Monochrom images, because I’m lusting for one

I’d be happy to pay a reasonable yearlysubscription.

 

[Godfrey]

Being an old curmudgeon, I kinda like things the way they are and am reluctant to promote changes. I do like Pegelli's notion to "de-compartmentalize" the smaller formats.

I am concentrating more on more on photography with the Leica M in digital cameras, with some dalliances using my long-obsolete Light L16 and my recently obsoleted Leica CL digital. I've decided that MF digital and FourThirds digital are no longer really that appealing to me for various reasons I'm not going to belabor here. I also shoot film, in formats ranging from Minox submini to 6x6 cm, plus instant film (mostly SX-70 format). It is desirable to me to share my photography with the community of people here whom I have grown accustomed to, and respect for all their superb work and sharp insights both in equipment and in photography. If the forum were to concentrate only on MF digital, that would effectively bar me from participating in my true joy—which is the photographs, the people, and the stories, not the cameras.

I hope to continue moving forward with GetDPI into the unknowable future, and enjoying how it grows and develops. Peace to you all, and a happy holiday season for all!

G

"Equipment is transitory. Photographs endure."

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

Couple of thoughts. You might get more members by relating the name to the magazines, (Medium Format and Elements) rather than the present name which I never have understood. I only found the site by accident whereas a more "photographic" name might bring in more enthusiasts.

I'd also group brand names by format. Just as the MF forum includes multiple brands, have a Full Frame section and a Smaller Format section - both brand agnostic.

A small fee would be OK - maybe free to subscribers of the magazines. Likewise a small commission on successful sales - an honor system. ("If your item sells through the Forum, please consider a 1% donation to the site". eBay is much more expensive tho' admittedly has a much larger audience.)

Given current inflation, I'll call this my 2.1 cents worth.

Merry Xmas to all my virtual friends on this site! Your input and talent is stimulating.

Bill

 

[olafphoto]

Definitely agree with this: "Please eliminate ALL political discussion".

We will definitely eliminate ALL political/social discussions. This is a pure photography forum.