Rockwell on DSLR vs. P&S

On 2007-10-05 04:28:23 -0700, floyd.RemoveThis@apaflo.com (Floyd L. Davidson) said:

>
> Pick what works for *you* and stop worrying about what
> works for anyone else.

This is good advice for the real world, but of limited value in the
virtual one. Why? Because if this were a social gathering IRL,
antisocial behavior would be tolerated only briefly, or not at all.

For some folks the typed equivalent of verbal assault is the reason for
going online. Trying to reason with them is a well-intentioned path to
frustration.

I had a friend who was congenial enough face-to-face but his written
remarks always seemed deliberately rude. We had such different views
it's a wonder we got along, but we did. In matters photographic, He was
so sold on Leica lenses and rangefinder cameras, he wouldn't even try
my SLRs (I was using a Nikon F and a Bronica S, with Nikon glass all
the way through to my enlarging lens). IMHO there wasn't a nickel's
worth of difference between our prints that could be attributed to
equipment. One week I'd have one or two shots that captured some peak
of action, or evoked a strong emotion, and the next week it would be
Ray who "nailed it." The fact that Ray had five times as much capital
investment for just about the same amount of gear made no difference.

The point is, we could go out for beers and discuss or divergent POV on
women, politics, religion, photography or even (*gasp*) gardening and
even if the talk got heated there was no real rancor. To this day if I
make it to his corner of the country the status quo is the same.

In email it's a different story; there have been several
misunderstandings which required one or both of us to apologize. We
were in a politics newsgroup about ten years ago and couldn't stand
each other online. I wouldn't say he's a troll, but he loves to get
people "wound up," and winning an argument is like beating an opponent
on the tennis court, in his mind.

Ray just got a digital rangefinder--a Leica M8--and paid over five
grand for just a body. The lens he wants is several thousand more. I
have two D80 bodies and six lenses, for a total investment of less than
his 35mm film body and the new M8, w/o lenses.

We still disagree on the best way to prune an apple tree.
--
Cease then to grieve for your private afflictions, and address
yourselves instead to the safety of the republic

SMS wrote:
[]
> In any case, I'd be very careful about using anything Ken Rockwell
> says to support a position I agree with. I generally view his
> statements like I view many political endorsements...if so and so
> endorses a candidate, I must be against that candidate. Remember Sigma
> digital
> SLRs? They had a fan base as strange and misinformed as the current
> group of anti-digital SLR trolls. I have a whole list of people
> similar to Ken Rockwell, who's statements on any subject now are
> suspect.

I know what you mean - we had a classical music critic, and if he said he
enjoyed a concert, I know that I wouldn't have liked it! However, I do
find it interesting that some people do not allow a reviewer or other
expert to change their opinion in the light of experience. They can't
seem accept that someone gives their best opinion at the time, but might
revise that opinion later on. I find the ability to change opinion (and
give reasons why) a good trait showing honesty.

As far as possible, I try to form my own opinions from my own tests, but I
recognise that there are areas of expertise I don't have, and therefore
need to rely on others. Anyone reading the statements of the anti-DSLR
people will have no problems in forming their own judgements as to their
reliability.

Cheers,
David