RangeFinderForum Under New Ownership

[kevin m]

I hope I'm not coming across as being unduly pessimistic, but it's the conflict of interest I'm calling into question and not the character of the parties involved.

Perhaps I'm a bit sensitive to this because I recently left a site where I had participated for many years because a tyrannical site owner thought he 'owned' the content that had been provided for him - gratis - by his paid site members, and that the content was his to sell to advertisers.

And it must be pointed out that Cameraquest has at times posted erroneous opinions as fact, with no recourse to editing to correct the mistake. (I'm thinking of the Hexar RF debacle.)

I hope it works out, too. But I'd rather have something to rely on than hope.

 

[Socke]

There might be one small problem, does Mango win and I can't call my Contax Gs rangefinders anymore?

 

[ruben]

BTW, there is another figure that I hope this marriage will help as much as possible and it is that innovative manufacturer, Mr Kobayashi. If he gets strenthened through Stephen's move, this also may help all of us.

Hummm, I am starting to smell a silent Bessa in the horizont and a big hole in my pocket.

 

[raid]

Jorge: Thanks for what you have done for RFF all these years. I am still waiting to hear back from you regarding my pm.

Raid

 

[flashover]

Jorge does the change of ownership also include DSLReXchange?

 

[kshapero]

I love RFF and I have nothing but praise for S. Gandy. He has helped me out and been a real resource to us. But I hope RFF will still be able to attract sponsors from the "outside". That would be great.
Steven, please get Broadband.
Ciao

 

[mike goldberg]

of RFF, Jorge, Gandy & Integrity...

of RFF, Jorge, Gandy & Integrity...

For sure many of us knew this was coming, and I anticipated the need for broadening the infrastructure of RFF. How much really, could Jorge, supported by a few Moderators handle?

Personally, I feel an enormous amount of Gratitude. My buddy Ruben here in Jerusalem invited me to join RFF in May 2006. From October, when DSLRx opened to SLR's, I became active there as well. Both Forums have helped to open me to the new, to enhance my seeing & vison, and I have made a few Online friends. Semi-retired and over age 60... who could ask for more?

Jorge has promised us in the announcement, that his guiding hand will still be with us. If Stephen Gandy has as much integrity & quality as the fine cameras he sells, then all will be well.

May 2007 be a Blessed year for RFF, it's Members, Owner, Administrator & Moderators.

B'hatzlacha! That means Success!... in Hebrew.
mike

 

[KoNickon]

Well, I guess I don't know really what it means to "own" a forum. There's been no better friend of rangefinder cameras (and their owners) than Stephen these past few years, that's for sure. But I do trust that his pecuniary interest in Cosina/Voigtlander doesn't influence the content of this forum, or prevent the current other sponsors from continuing.

But let's wait and hear from him. (In the corporate world, Jorge's announcement would have been accompanied by extensive questions and answers, that would have been thoroughly reviewed by internal committees. outside counsel and public relations consultants!)

Thanks for all you've done, Jorge. May RFF continue in the same way!

 

[Marc-A.]

I like Gandy's site for a long time: I knew it before RFF and it led me to RF camera, and then to RFF. Those who think Gandy's site is only praising Cosina gear, clearly don't know it. There are resources for Leica (very rich information on Leica), Nikon, Contax and Canon RF cameras. Stephen sells Voigtlander gear, but he appreciates all good cameras.
So for me, the deal between Jorge and Stephen is only good news. But it's not the big announcement I was expecting 😱 ... maybe will follow another announcement like the launching of a big, exciting photo contest 🙂 . We all expect it for a while (not for the prize, though it's not negligible, but for all the excitement and the challenge.
Thanks Jorge for what you did, and good luck Stephen!🙂
Marc-A.

 

[ruben]

.....The greatest mistake that could be made here would be for RFF to become the mouthpiece for Voightlander/Cosina USA!

This is an interesting commentary, because in my opinion one of the most qualified features of Stephen's site is that his site itself is not a mouthpiece for Voightlander/Cosina. Certainly this may be the first source of income and Stephen is a commercial representative of Cosina, but the remarkable thing about Mr Ghandi is the way by which he maintains himself at his site as a representative of the rangefinder world first of all.

This is what keeps me highly optimistic, and respectfull of Stephen, from whom I never have bought a single item, but had a couple of email exchanges.

Now, regarding Cosina/Voightlander Japan, Mr Kobayashi in his own peculiar way, according to his high skills, at the end of the day is one of us. No folks, these are not stupid guys looking for propaganda, but high calibre enthusiasts of our same love.

 

[c.poulton]

Well I can't think of anyone better to hand it over to. I hear nothing but good about Stephen Gandy and his commitment to rangefinders.

Hear hear!!! 🙂

 

[MinorTones]

Congrats Stephen and Jorge. I'm looking forward to good things.

 

[back alley]

Jorge does the change of ownership also include DSLReXchange?

yes.

joe

 

[Rafael]

Congratulations to both Stephen and Jorge. To Jorge, thank you for all that you have done to build RFF into what it is.

 

[David Murphy]

I met Steve Gandy at a camera fair not long ago -- a nice guy and of course a highly regarded classic camera expert.

The main thing that does worries me (and I've seen this happen before on Hobby sites when sponsors buy them out from the creators) is that there can be a direct conflict of interest between others selling items, for instance on the classified ads. This is only natural of course. I do hope Steve takes the "big tent" approach and realizes that an open and liquid market for buying and selling only helps and enlarges the classic camera/rangefinder hobby as a whole.

 

[Diomedes]

Long live the king ! 🙂

 

[Ballen Photo]

WOW!!! I've been away for a while, and come back to find this joint is under new ownwership?
OK, Now that the initial shock has come and gone, and I've had time for this to sink in, I think this is probably a very positive move on both Jorge, and Stephen's parts. Jorge can now breathe a bit easier, and knowing what Stephen has done with Camera Quest, I'm sure He has RFF's best interest at heart.
CONGRATS Guys!!!
-Bruce

 

[FrankS]

If money changed hands, how much do you think RFF is worth? (I'm certainly not expecting an answer from Jorge or Stephen, as that would be gauche to ask them.) Just wondering because it's such an ethereal thing.

 

[lZr]

Congrats to you both, Jorge and Stephen !
Yes, I want Mr. K. also in.

 

[popstar]

Well, well.... Not exactly what I was expecting either. I thought there might be a sale, but not to Gandy. Congratulations to you both. I'm glad to hear you'll still be around Jorge. I'm sure Mr. Gandy will do right by RFF and keep the general flavor the same. One only has to look at the last six months of photo.net to see how *not* to make a grand entrance.

Good luck to all involved!