Sparrow
Veteran
Naa; it was a German sounding name … Hindenburg, maybe, or something like that
craygc
Well-known
I often think the two primary reasons for these types of questions are i) laziness, its just easier to type a question and wait for a flow of responses and ii) many of those asking that type of question would probably be unable to evaluate the results of a comparison in any meaningful way themselves anyways (ie beginners or never really serious types) so they just ask others, knowing that now, they are using "the best".
Additionally, another associated issue with many of the "which is better" questions is that people are assuming there just IS a best one. No one ever asks that question with a criteria against which to evaluate better...
...but, then again, thats just the Internet :bang:
Just continuing to think about this topic and realised that Im probably even guilty of doing this myself in non photographic areas. Whether its about hard drive manufacturers or home theater speaker system and for me, asking that question is (apart from I dont want to buy of of each and try it), I admit, I dont really know what response Im trying to elicit when I ask a "which is better" or "what is best" question - is it drive fail rates, customer service or importance of a feature - Im just hunting for info and to get a feeling about the product in use! For something like a home theater speaker system, Im trying to get a quick education on general opinions. I don't care too much about it - to me its just a sound system for a tv - but I do want to know something before I enter the store and get led around by a sales guy.
Additionally, another associated issue with many of the "which is better" questions is that people are assuming there just IS a best one. No one ever asks that question with a criteria against which to evaluate better...
...but, then again, thats just the Internet :bang:
Just continuing to think about this topic and realised that Im probably even guilty of doing this myself in non photographic areas. Whether its about hard drive manufacturers or home theater speaker system and for me, asking that question is (apart from I dont want to buy of of each and try it), I admit, I dont really know what response Im trying to elicit when I ask a "which is better" or "what is best" question - is it drive fail rates, customer service or importance of a feature - Im just hunting for info and to get a feeling about the product in use! For something like a home theater speaker system, Im trying to get a quick education on general opinions. I don't care too much about it - to me its just a sound system for a tv - but I do want to know something before I enter the store and get led around by a sales guy.
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I tend to experiment. Sometimes the answers to a question moves the experiment along much more quickly.
My experience with disassembling a Summarit is an example of a question posed on this forum that moved the job along much more quickly. Who would have thought that a cap had to be removed and a screwdriver jammed into the lens to allow the optics module to come out. Somebody did, and I appreciate the information.
Questions as to which camera/lens/film will I like best can be phrased in a meaningful way and answered in a fashion to move the experiment along. Asking to see examples and hear about personal experience allow a partial judgement to be formed. Questions like "Should I switch to Digital?" are sure to bring out the worst in people.
My experience with disassembling a Summarit is an example of a question posed on this forum that moved the job along much more quickly. Who would have thought that a cap had to be removed and a screwdriver jammed into the lens to allow the optics module to come out. Somebody did, and I appreciate the information.
Questions as to which camera/lens/film will I like best can be phrased in a meaningful way and answered in a fashion to move the experiment along. Asking to see examples and hear about personal experience allow a partial judgement to be formed. Questions like "Should I switch to Digital?" are sure to bring out the worst in people.
JohnTF
Veteran
Would have been in French? ;-)
back alley
IMAGES
in the real world, it's called validation or sometimes, getting a second opinion.
do you think it's easy on a photo forum dedicated to rangefinders to state that you prefer zeiss lenses to leica or that having to remove the baseplate of a cmera to change film is a throw back and should have been changed long ago?
i have come to my conclusions on my own and still am challenged by others on them. i sometimes ask what appears to be a silly question to some just to gauge responses and hopefully hear an opinion that is stated in a very different way than i might have thought about it.
and sometimes i just want reassurance that i just didn't spend 900 bucks on a lens that a $300 lens would do the same thing.
hello...human here!
joe
do you think it's easy on a photo forum dedicated to rangefinders to state that you prefer zeiss lenses to leica or that having to remove the baseplate of a cmera to change film is a throw back and should have been changed long ago?
i have come to my conclusions on my own and still am challenged by others on them. i sometimes ask what appears to be a silly question to some just to gauge responses and hopefully hear an opinion that is stated in a very different way than i might have thought about it.
and sometimes i just want reassurance that i just didn't spend 900 bucks on a lens that a $300 lens would do the same thing.
hello...human here!
joe
FrozenInTime
Well-known
Sometimes the question is too specialized to be expect an answer, so closing the loop yourself with experimentation is the only way.
Before the digital age, the Polaroid back was the quick answer provider.
I've just dug mine out and ran through a pack of expired 2002 Polapan 100 to see how a Lee RF75 graduated ND filter's calibration lines tied into real positions on the film frame with a Hassy SWC.
I also did some test shots the a Leica M and a few lenses, but the feedback will take a few days longer as I've still to develop the film.
I though about asking 'should I buy a RF75 holder and how will it perform with these lenses' before I bought it, but I did not believe there is enough of a user base out there to get a good answer.
> and sometimes i just want reassurance that i just didn't spend 900 bucks on a lens that a
> $300 lens would do the same thing.
I've done that a lot of times. Spent 5x or more the money on a lens that is almost as good as a J-3. But I did a lot of experimenting to get the J-3 to be "that good". The 1953 J-3 that I picked up for $93 is "Amazing!" But it required a substantial rebuild.
> $300 lens would do the same thing.
I've done that a lot of times. Spent 5x or more the money on a lens that is almost as good as a J-3. But I did a lot of experimenting to get the J-3 to be "that good". The 1953 J-3 that I picked up for $93 is "Amazing!" But it required a substantial rebuild.