is paid membership worth it?

[bigtwinky]

i was looking over what you get as a paid member and the only mildly enticing thing is the member only area. However, I'd like to know if that member area gets any traffic?

Maybe that is the solution to avoiding all the same old questions over and over and actually have photography discussions instead of just "what lens should I get" style discussions

 

[kundalini]

I've let my subscription slide. The only benefit I saw was more space in the In Box numbers. Of course, you can get to the "subscribers Only" type forums, but they are essentially HELLO, Hello, hello...... ghost towns. Not like back in the day.

 

[Chiller]

I didnt renew my subscription either. Not worth one penny really. I took my money elsewhere.

 

[jbylake]

i was looking over what you get as a paid member and the only mildly enticing thing is the member only area. However, I'd like to know if that member area gets any traffic?

Maybe that is the solution to avoiding all the same old questions over and over and actually have photography discussions instead of just "what lens should I get" style discussions

The members only area is DEAD....I posted there a couple of months ago, and then again today. The only posts in that amount of time.
But I contribute a little for a different reason. I glean ALOT of info from this site. I can get just about any answer to any question about any camera, or composure, or....well you get it. I don't do a lot of C&C, unsless it's composure or something of the sort, and because I shoot strictly film, my input for digital questions are almost non-existant, unless it's a "cross over" question.

So by contributing, it's my way of giving back a little, and not just taking.

But as far as "extra's and goodies" ....well there's not much there.

Don't know if this helps....

J.:mrgreen:

 

[Dmitri]

i was looking over what you get as a paid member and the only mildly enticing thing is the member only area. However, I'd like to know if that member area gets any traffic?

Maybe that is the solution to avoiding all the same old questions over and over and actually have photography discussions instead of just "what lens should I get" style discussions

The members only area is DEAD....I posted there a couple of months ago, and then again today. The only posts in that amount of time.
But I contribute a little for a different reason. I glean ALOT of info from this site. I can get just about any answer to any question about any camera, or composure, or....well you get it. I don't do a lot of C&C, unsless it's composure or something of the sort, and because I shoot strictly film, my input for digital questions are almost non-existant, unless it's a "cross over" question.

So by contributing, it's my way of giving back a little, and not just taking.

But as far as "extra's and goodies" ....well there's not much there.

Don't know if this helps....

Not to be a cold log in winter, but the people you are giving your money to have nothing to do with what you like about the site. They know absolutely nothing about photography (and have openly admitted it). They just bought the forum from the guy who started it hoping to make an easy dollar and, as you can see by others posts, have done more to hurt the forum that help it.

In my opinion.

 

[jbylake]

i was looking over what you get as a paid member and the only mildly enticing thing is the member only area. However, I'd like to know if that member area gets any traffic?

Maybe that is the solution to avoiding all the same old questions over and over and actually have photography discussions instead of just "what lens should I get" style discussions

The members only area is DEAD....I posted there a couple of months ago, and then again today. The only posts in that amount of time.
But I contribute a little for a different reason. I glean ALOT of info from this site. I can get just about any answer to any question about any camera, or composure, or....well you get it. I don't do a lot of C&C, unsless it's composure or something of the sort, and because I shoot strictly film, my input for digital questions are almost non-existant, unless it's a "cross over" question.

So by contributing, it's my way of giving back a little, and not just taking.

But as far as "extra's and goodies" ....well there's not much there.

Don't know if this helps....

Not to be a cold log in winter, but the people you are giving your money to have nothing to do with what you like about the site. They know absolutely nothing about photography (and have openly admitted it). They just bought the forum from the guy who started it hoping to make an easy dollar and, as you can see by others posts, have done more to hurt the forum that help it.

In my opinion.

I see your point Dmitri, but without sponsorship, or funding the site could just go away, thereby eliminating everything we all like about the site.

I lease servers and have maintenance costs for my own (for profit) business site(s). A large part of my ROI, is consumed by administration costs. It's not cheap, like hosting a personal web page. So, if the folks that run this site's only motive is to make a buck, well, at least this site keeps going.

J.:mrgreen:

 

[sinjans]

Well to be honest i did it just to be supportive. I creeped on this site for about 6 months and then threw a few bucks its way one night with a glass of dark rum. do i miss the money? no. will i support again? probably not.

 

[usayit]

I do it just to be supportive as well.. it doesn't cost that much and I do have a good understanding of the costs involved keeping and maintaining a site.

It also lets me attach images directly without having to upload to another host. Just a tiny little bit more convenient.

 

[lostprophet]

is paid membership worth it?

here is a thread I made way way way way back in march http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/feedback-suggestions/160934-new-tpf-owners.html note the thread title and note all the replies from the owners :er:

but on the plus side there is #shock horror# a reply from a Mod, if you can really call that a reply

 

[Corry]

No.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

I've let my subscription go as well.
I didn't mind paying when Chase was the owner because it was fun and we all spent a lot of time on here. But now?
The subscribers forum was never very busy at the best of times and as for all the advertising...
The only advantage to subscription is to be able to upload pictures here, but as there are so many free sites for that now it's not much of an advantage.
And there are other sites that have specific crit forums with terrific mods and feedback :mrgreen:



What's this in my hands? A trumpet? And it's mine? Well, I never! :lmao:

 

[mishele]

Waste of money!!! I will not renew. And for those of you that think that you are being nice by supporting the forum.......look around they have advertisements everywhere.......save your money!! I looks like they are making plenty.

 

[CW Jones]

I was thinking about it... but reading over this thread has really made me think otherwise now....

 

[Overread]

I'm still waiting for those new ideas/upgrades to the subscribers perks


its along wait

 

[Hooker771]

I did it because I thought I was supporting a member on here with associated fees and I felt bad b/c I thought I was only taking from the site being a noob with nothing really to contribute. It was my way of saying thanks. After reading this, ill find other ways to say thanks in the future