has anyone seen

[ksmattfish]

It's been the common camera advertising theme since at least 1888.

"You push the button - we do the rest." -George Eastman

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/kodakHistory/1878_1929.shtml

 

[Don Simon]

So now lets all tell idiocy stories.

I have a great idiocy story for you. I'm such an idiot, I didn't buy a Nikon dSLR. If I had, I could take great photos too!

 

[mysteryscribe]

That was my point all along. They are out to sell mass numbers of cameras as they should be I guess, but to feed that myth is to dummy down the craft of photography.

Quality photography is under assult now, not buy the kodak or polaroid point and shoots, but by the high end companies as well. Wonder what they will say when people realize that a high end camera in the hands of a really non caring photographer is no better than a fifty dollar point and shoot. All the resolution in the world won't improve bad lighting and composition.

Now we are going to have these crap picture out there with the note underneath... Taken with a nikon not sure what the fstop or shutter speed was i only use it on full auto. Don't know why there is a shadow across lois's face, but hell I used a nikon so it has to be perfect right? How in hell does that help the brand image. used to be companies tried to protect their brand image now they seem to be whoring them out left and right.

 

[ksmattfish]

I guess I'm just jaded from my experience selling film cameras in the 1990s. As far as I could tell then Nikon, Canon, Kodak, and anyone who wanted to compete with them had whored themselves out long before. If there really ever were good old days when cameras companies were truely interested in photography, they were pretty much over by the 1970s it seems to me.

Canon introduced the plastic lens mount on SLRs in the early 90s. What did that save them? A nickle per camera? Nikon sold (sells?) 35mm SLRs that didn't have the ability to use a cable release. The company reps I met were snake oil salesmen, not photographers. What about the Nikon Pronea APS SLR? I don't know how they can sleep at night after that one.

 

[mysteryscribe]

good point all. Just seems like this is a new low.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

I just looked through the "picturetown gallery" and all the shots were totally mediocre.

Did very much the same myself and wholeheartedly agree. One or two rise above the rest, but mean distribution should take care of that anyway.

 

[DSLR noob]

Plus one for Canon shooters.

I like how all the people who shoot with the camera say "It's so easy to take professional quality photos, just set the camera to auto and it does it all for you."

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Plus one for Canon shooters.

I like how all the people who shoot with the camera say "It's so easy to take professional quality photos, just set the camera to auto and it does it all for you."

What do you think the whole idea behind the Rebel is?

nonetheless, I'd go nuts if I was there and Nikon gave me a camera. Did anyone see what the townspeople creaction was when they went into the room full of prints?

 

[DSLR noob]

What do you think the whole idea behind the Rebel is?

nonetheless, I'd go nuts if I was there and Nikon gave me a camera. Did anyone see what the townspeople creaction was when they went into the room full of prints?

I know the bele is an entry level with a Mom as the ad picture, but at least it doesn't say. "With the Rebel, you too can take amazing photos." Implying the camera does it all. Or "Now anyone can be a great photographer." Which that ad specifically says a few times. Well to be an exact quoter. "Nikon set out to prove that with the D40, anybody can take great photos."

 

[Don Simon]

I'm not sure which adverts annoy me more - the ones with shiny people which imply that if you buy the product then you too can be glamorous and have lots of sex... or the ones with 'real people' where you're supposed to trust them because they're 'real people' and not just helping some nice advertising executives sell you more crap... You know the ones. Some 'normal' woman in her 'normal' house talking about how great the toothpaste is. Because obviously we all get so excited about our toothpaste that we feel the need to give interviews on the subject...

Maybe this is different, maybe they really are 'real' people and not desperate extras... either way they're incredibly annoying. OK the images aren't that terrible... but "extraordinary"? What the hell? Who decided it was time to totally devalue the English language? Yes some extraordinary photos, no doubt taken with a magnificent camera and an awe-inspiring lens produced by the legendary Nikon - an almost biblical story.

"I was like wow, It takes beautiful pictures". If I get started on that I don't think I'll be able to stop, so I'll let it speak for itself.


Disclaimer: I'm not claiming to be any better than the good people of Picturetown. Honestly, if any company wants to give me a free dSLR, to keep, I will happily whore myself on your advert. I will say it takes great pictures, and I don't even have to touch it, it takes great pictures even when it's turned off.

Having said that: I know it's a fairly cliched and obvious quote, but it's also the most appropriate... in the words of Bill Hicks, "Anyone here in advertising? .... kill yourself."

P.s. if anyone here is actually in advertising, I apologise; I'm sure you're one of the few in that business not dedicated to filling the world with mediocrity and despair.


Ahhhh... it's been a while since I had a really good rant :mrgreen:

 

[DSLR noob]

Honestly, if any company wants to give me a free dSLR, to keep, I will happily whore myself on your advert. I will say it takes great pictures, and I don't even have to touch it, it takes great pictures even when it's turned off.

Lol. I can see it now.

"It made me breakfast in bed, cleaned my car, and got me laid by 3 undiseased porn stars. It's a great Camera!"

-ZaphodB

 

[Garbz]

This of course is complete and total BS. VR will not stop motion. ...
They're feeding off of the general photographic community's ignorance which seems to be a more common business practice. I think I'll start selling UV coatings for my photos to brides at $20 a print... You have to protect them or global warming will destroy them!!!

Unfortunately knowing how company policy works (I studied this for a while) this may be more a legitimate error than a deliberate deception. We know full well that marketing people never even see engineers let alone speak to them on the phone. I would bet money on the marketing department from Nikon not having the slightest clue about photography. They most probably get a brief product description from the head of the engineering department and work with that. The paper says vibration reduction? Says it helps stop blurring? This must be how it works!

I just looked through the "picturetown gallery" and all the shots were totally mediocre.

Mediocre? Coming from you that's a very positive critique

 

[AKA:Dick]

WOW, I'm new here. I couldn't even get through all of the negativity going on in this thread. Not only am I new to this forum, I consider myself a new "photographer." I use the "" because I don't have years of photographic experience, although I do have years of interest, if that counts.

I just bought a new Sony A-100. I'm guessing that all of you "pros" out there would agree that my "fully auto" camera was a poor choice. For me it made sense, as I wanted a camera that I could quickly enjoy, and it appears to be one that I can learn the manual features to create better composition.

I think what I'm trying to say boils down to this: let everyone enjoy the art / hobby / profession at there own level.

Honestly, I find this thread is discouraging.

 

[ShutteredEye]

WOW, I'm new here. I couldn't even get through all of the negativity going on in this thread. Not only am I new to this forum, I consider myself a new "photographer." I use the "" because I don't have years of photographic experience, although I do have years of interest, if that counts.

I just bought a new Sony A-100. I'm guessing that all of you "pros" out there would agree that my "fully auto" camera was a poor choice. For me it made sense, as I wanted a camera that I could quickly enjoy, and it appears to be one that I can learn the manual features to create better composition.

I think what I'm trying to say boils down to this: let everyone enjoy the art / hobby / profession at there own level.

Honestly, I find this thread is discouraging.

And then we call hold hands and sing Kum-Ba-Yah.

If your development as a photographer is at a Sony A-100 level, then it's the perfect camera for you. Everyone here hopes to grow and progress as a photographer. I would suspect it won't be terribly long before you find yourself limited by your Sony and will move up to a camera that at least has a fully manual function. It is inevitable as you grow as an artist.

So don't be discouraged by this thread, or presume to know from where most of these photographers are making their point. Especially if you readily admit you have neither the experience nor the understanding. You're being just as negative by trying to squash these photographers opinions as any of the other posters in this thread. IMO. Not to mention that if you let one thread on a silly internet forum discourage you and your development, you're not going to grow very quickly....

 

[AKA:Dick]

My apology for coming across with a negative attitude. I know everyone is entitled to their opinion, as am I. I wouldn't want anyone putting me down for mine.

I've already noticed the limited full manual ability of this camera, which adds to my frustration. I've "played" with it a bit and can tell it's going to be difficult at best going manual.

I plan on staying around and listening more, talking less.

Thanks for the insight!