Check out Ken Rockwell's update for today.

I think 'ole Ken may have indulged in some drunk posting. He launches into a rant filled with so much invective and venom directed at Nikon that I am amazed.

BTW he mentions the D700 and D700X in it, so it's germane to this forum

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

I enjoy reading Rockwell's stuff, though I probably shouldn't admit it here because he's so unpopular. Guilt by association!

But I did smile through this one. After ranting about the price of a D3x, he's saying DSLRs are now made obsolete by a $7,000 Leica, which is more expensive than every Nikon DSLR but one. I don't doubt the Leica's a nice camera for most purposes (I probably wouldn't use one for sports), but how can a camera this expensive make DSLRs obsolete? Isn't it like saying BMWs, those fine German cars, make Toyotas obsolete?

Thanks to your heads-up there will probably be lots of people like me checking out his rant, increasing traffic to his site, which is what he wants. I'm amazed too. The man is a genius!

Randy

Dale Keith
Randy, you are on the money. Why a writer has to say one camera is so much better than another is myopic. I believe the camera marketeers know the marketplace better than Ken. There are cameras for all styles and budgets from the casual shooter to the professional. My wife still uses a D100 and loves it.

Ken is more interested in attracting users to his site by controversy rather than quality content. He does not always provide all the information he is aware of but only enough to support his point of view for beginning photography. And unlike George Eastman, he has made a camera that uses his advice.

Anyone can read his post, but keep in mind he is not providing advanced photography education, just his view of how to use a camera in the most basic method.

And as he says if your looking for VP of BS he is your man, and his post fully support that approach.

George
My Nikonian Galleries

this should be made into a hitler video.

Designer and Photographer
http://fotoartbyme.blogspot.com
D7K and D700
Zeiss 100mm f2 Makro
Nikon 10.5 2.8 fisheye, 24 1.4G, 24-70 2.8, 70-200 VR II, 50 1.4G, 85 1.4G, TC20e III

>this should be made into a hitler video.

That is offensive, as are all of those types of videos.

""

One of the pieces I like best on KR's site is an essay titled something like "Your Camera Doesn't Matter." He explains that good photographs are the product of a skilled photographer, and that great photos can be made with just about any camera. (It helps keep my NAS in check.)

So now, even though your camera doesn't matter, he's telling us that a $7,000 camera will kill off DSLRs costing only 10% as much? He notes that the new metal body Leica is even lighter than a plastic D90. That's why a $7,000 camera will kill off the $900 one?

There's no reason why everything KR says on his site has to be consistent, but I'm more convinced by the "Your Camera Doesn't Matter" essay than the claim that a camera that costs as much as a car will kill off the DSLR.

Randy

Has anyone else considered that this is just a long running satire?

If not, a few notable quotes from his related M9 review:

"Weather sealing: none. If the Leica man needs photos from unpleasant locations, he has someone go there for him. "

"There is also a 12V & 24V DC yacht/aircraft/limo charger adapter included, so your help can provide you with fresh power in the field."

- -
_________________________________
Neil
Nikonians Team
My Gallery

>Has anyone else considered that this is just a long running
>satire?
>
>If not, a few notable quotes from his related M9 review:

And here are a few more I found amusing......

"I don't see any automatic optimization of highlights and shadows in the LEICA M9, unlike most modern cameras of lesser brands. The Leica photographer is always the master of his own light; he has no need for the automatic shadow-brightening (and noise-raising) tricks of lesser cameras."

"Image Stabilization: The Leica man knows how to hold his camera. He is never flustered, no matter what may be going on around him. The LEICA's image stabilization comes from the quiet, unflappable confidence inherent in every Leica photographer. There is no need for any other IS or VR system in either your M9 or your LEICA lenses. Adding them would only detract from the extraordinary image quality that is the LEICA. Why would you want your images degraded?....."

"Thank goodness, the M9 has no mode to put moving images up on the rear LCD as you shoot. This would be inconceivably stupid for the LEICA photographer, even if popular with lesser men. The LEICA photographer's attention never leaves his subject, and certainly would never be fixed on an LCD while out shooting."

"When you shoot the LEICA, you know your photos are perfect. The Leica man never wastes his shooting time looking back at what he just shot; his eyes are always looking for his next great photo. The Leica man is part of the action, not a huddled drone off in the corner."

"The Leica man doesn't care to view his images on-camera. He more often sees his images on the walls of the Guggenheim, MoMA or the Whitney."

and my all time favorite....

"Lesser men don't understand the simple brilliance of the LEICA, just as a dog doesn't understand calculus or the brilliant designs of Ive or Rams."


_______
Nathan

lets not leave out this one:

"the LEICA man doesn't fear chuck norris"

Designer and Photographer
http://fotoartbyme.blogspot.com
D7K and D700
Zeiss 100mm f2 Makro
Nikon 10.5 2.8 fisheye, 24 1.4G, 24-70 2.8, 70-200 VR II, 50 1.4G, 85 1.4G, TC20e III

These quotes actually sound like they came from a Creative Brief given to an ad agency BY Leica in order to show the agency how they want Leica to be perceived by the consumer.

Genius.

>>Has anyone else considered that this is just a long
>running
>>satire?
>>
>>If not, a few notable quotes from his related M9 review:
>
>And here are a few more I found amusing......
>
>"I don't see any automatic optimization
>of highlights and shadows in the LEICA M9, unlike most modern
>cameras of lesser brands. The Leica photographer is always the
>master of his own light; he has no need for the automatic
>shadow-brightening (and noise-raising) tricks of lesser
>cameras."
>
>"Image Stabilization: The Leica man knows how to hold
>his camera. He is never flustered, no matter what may be going
>on around him. The LEICA's image stabilization comes from the
>quiet, unflappable confidence inherent in every Leica
>photographer. There is no need for any other IS or VR system
>in either your M9 or your LEICA lenses. Adding them would only
>detract from the extraordinary image quality that is the
>LEICA. Why would you want your images degraded?....."
>
>"Thank goodness, the M9 has no mode to put moving images
>up on the rear LCD as you shoot. This would be inconceivably
>stupid for the LEICA photographer, even if popular with lesser
>men. The LEICA photographer's attention never leaves his
>subject, and certainly would never be fixed on an LCD while
>out shooting."
>
>"When you shoot the LEICA, you know your photos are
>perfect. The Leica man never wastes his shooting time looking
>back at what he just shot; his eyes are always looking for his
>next great photo. The Leica man is part of the action, not a
>huddled drone off in the corner."
>
>"The Leica man doesn't care to view his images on-camera.
>He more often sees his images on the walls of the Guggenheim,
>MoMA or the Whitney."
>
>and my all time favorite....
>
>"Lesser men don't understand the simple brilliance of the
>LEICA, just as a dog doesn't understand calculus or the
>brilliant designs of Ive or Rams."
>
>
>_______
>Nathan
>
>
>

I need one of these Leica's so I can hold my camera steady.being a nikon owner I still have to use a tripod and monopod.LOL Troy

there is no problem to big or small that can't be fixed with brute strength and ignorance visit my gallery

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

The Looney Tunes cartoons make more sense than KR!

Good Luck and Enjoy your Nikons!

Best Regards,
Marty

I went to his site a couple time but was just turned off by the constant begging for money. Who is this guy anyway? Is he noted for any good photography? What is his claim to fame?

KPL Photography
at
Capio Lumen Studios
kplphotography.com

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Engineering design. he holds a number or digital photography related patents. His site is full of tongue in cheek satire, so you have to read carefully. He often amkes sense and sometimes not, but he is entertaining.

Bob Baldassano
My Nikonians Gallery

"Nikonians membership - My most important photographic investment, after the
camera"

Retirement is a gift of time - Don't waste it!

This guy recommends consumer level gear over pro gear so that the majority of amateurs can click on his link in order to give him a kickback. I ended up turning in or trading all of my amateur gear away (all of the ones he recommended) and wished I had bought the better stuff to begin with so, I wouldn't have to re-buy or upgrade so damn often.

Anyway, I feel like trading my d3x for a leica m9 now, so I could take better portraits using manual focus. And a small camera, models laugh at thinking I'm some kind of amateur with a point n shoot.

Designer and Photographer
http://fotoartbyme.blogspot.com
D7K and D700
Zeiss 100mm f2 Makro
Nikon 10.5 2.8 fisheye, 24 1.4G, 24-70 2.8, 70-200 VR II, 50 1.4G, 85 1.4G, TC20e III

I think the majority of people who go to his site are people who are moving up from a P&S, so his recommendations for consumer gear are not off base. Moving from a P&S to a D700 or D3 would be daunting for these people. The initial investment for a D40 is low and has lots of help features that these people would need. Besides, until you are more experienced, you don't need a D700 or D3 to take your pictures, especially if most of what you are doing is snapshots.

Bob Baldassano
My Nikonians Gallery

"Nikonians membership - My most important photographic investment, after the
camera"

Retirement is a gift of time - Don't waste it!

Hi Bob:

I do not have a problem with peoples’ opinion if they are consistent. Ken Rockwell is not; he is all over the place. Therefore, I have absolute zero trust in what he says. This is what he said in his review of the Zeiss ZF Planar 50mm f/1.4:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/zeiss/zf50.htm

This lens is not made in Germany and it is not made in a Zeiss factory. It is made in Japan by Cosina, the same company that made the cheap FM-10 for Nikon and many other inexpensive lenses and cameras for third-party makers for many decades.”

The FM-10 is a $300 camera and the price includes the 35-70mm kit lens. What is the point? Quilt by association? Cossina makes excellent lenses including Zeiss and Voigtlander. Yes, they are made in Japan just like a lot of the pro line Nikon products. So?

Manual focus lenses went obsolete 20 years ago. This is a lens for the gear hobbyist or collector, or someone shooting manual focus 35mm film cameras. This lens can't autofocus and makes no sense to use on for any digital or AF Nikon.

How does he reconcile his stand against the manual focus ZF 50 when he embraces the “fantastic” M-Lenses and the Leica M9. The last time I checked, the M-Lenses are all manual focusing.

Filter Size: 58 mm filter. WRONG! Nikon's standard is 52 mm, so my stack of 52mm filters won't work.

This is what he said about the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G filter size:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/50mm-f14-afs.htm

Filter Thread: 58mm, does not rotate. What? Not 52mm, as it's been since 1959? Oh well, it was 43mm back in 1950.

Hektor

A Nikonian in Kemet

My Blog: Hektors Blog
My Photo Album: Hektors Photos

>This guy recommends consumer level gear over pro gear so that
>the majority of amateurs can click on his link in order to
>give him a kickback. I ended up turning in or trading all of
>my amateur gear away (all of the ones he recommended) and
>wished I had bought the better stuff to begin with so, I
>wouldn't have to re-buy or upgrade so damn often.
>
>Anyway, I feel like trading my d3x for a leica m9 now, so I
>could take better portraits using manual focus. And a small
>camera, models laugh at thinking I'm some kind of amateur with
>a point n shoot.

No, one must get the Leica S2 SLR Digital Camera Body with Dual Shutter System, 37.5 Megapixel, 3.0" LCD/OLED Display, Black

for only $25,000, that is the mark of a professional (something?)...

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Ole Ken, where did you go? I don't visit his site any more because I hear enough about what he is doing from other people. I also got tried of hearing him talk about how much "film beats digital". Makes me wonder if he is still watching movies on VHS instead of DVDs?

First of all, lets all be glad he's not on tweeter and blogging.
Second of all, the guy is jaded for not getting Nikon sponsorship a few years ago.
I'm also jealous that he doesn't have to wake up every day to drive to work.

I was wondering if Nikonians will ever have a drunk poster forum...

Dave
My Nikonians Gallery

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

As someone who owns both Nikon gear (D300, F100, and I once owned a D40, a D70s, and a D200) and Leica gear (M8, D-Lux 4), I've read Ken Rockwell's latest (p)review of the M9 and I just took it as a big satire piece. He is funny at times and he helped me make a decision on buying my 17-55mm lens, so he's not all bad.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

>Ken is more interested in attracting users to his site by
>controversy rather than quality content. He does not always
>provide all the information he is aware of but only enough to
>support his point of view for beginning photography. And
>unlike George Eastman, he has made a camera that uses his
>advice.
>
>Anyone can read his post, but keep in mind he is not providing
>advanced photography education, just his view of how to use a
>camera in the most basic method.
>
>And as he says if your looking for VP of BS he is your man,
>and his post fully support that approach.


This is exactly to the point. And it worked once again! If KR had just posted a normal, boring review of the M9, there would not be a thread about it here. I often enjoy reading KR. I'd miss it if he were gone. Just keep in mind that this is essentially a giant photo gear store front which attracts visitors anyway possible and gets commission when people buy via the posted links. Nothing wrong with it, as it's all in the open. And quite impressive for a one man operation. If anybody still takes KR's writing seriously, please read his own About page:

If you lack a good BS detector, please treat this entire site as a work of fiction.

Tom
Bay Area Nikonian

http://www.tkphoto.me/

He's either a genius, or has the innate ability to rattle lots of people's cages!! Check out this huge thread.....talk about creating more hits....

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1021&message=33034336&changemode=1

Seems like the very people who don't like him are always checking out his site, and then ranting such that even more people who don't like him go and see what he has written now, thus adding to the value of the site, and making him even more money...and many of the posts elseware aren't even talking about camera related comments, as one can see above.....

_______
Nathan

I check Ken almost daily to see what he's all about that day. He is what he is. He writes a very successful and interesting blog and provides useful information on a wide variety of subjects. I most like his lens reviews which I consult always before I plunk down a bunch of money for glass. They are usually to the point and brutally honest.

If I were a pro I would probably take much of what he says with a grain of salt. But I am far from it and when taken in context he is uncanny in his insite. For the regular Joe who is trying to take nice pictures of whatever for fun, he is probably one of the better sources for information. Let's face it. There are probably a lot of guys running around with a D700 aound their neck (or even a D3x) who would be just as well off with a D40 for what they are doing. But they can afford the NAS so they feed the monster.

Someone asked if he was accomplished. He is an extremely well respected landscape photographer. Someone earlier said he wouldn't use a Leica for sports. Ken say that right up front in almost all of his reviews. The Leica is a very specific camera for a very specific purpose. The overriding reason he likes Leica is that he can mount Leica lenses on it. He, and many wonderful professional photographers, consider Leica lenses to be the very finest available.

His blog is phenominally successful because it serves the purpose well. If people didn't like him, they wouldn't hit his site and he would be out of business in no time. Making a living blogging on the internet is the ultimate exercise in capitalism. If the hits come you win...if they don't you lose.

Ken Rockwell is entertaining! I love his lense reviews, but everything else is full of contradictions. Hell, he even says that D40 is the best camera ever and then goes on to write his 'Leica man' article... utter hilarity.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Ken doesn't say the D40 "is the best camera ever." He says it's the best camera available for the market it is intended to serve. He appears to me to be truly helpful in trying to get people to realize what the really want and need. If you're driving back and forth to work every day and that's all, you don't NEED a Ferrari. If you WANT and can AFFORD one, here's what it will do for you.

Rockwell is a superb marketer of Rockwell. Still, he's right much of the time. Take Leica lenses for example. When he's wrong - it's by design.

He reminds me of a guy who promoted the best Ozark tourist cave on old Route 66. Many Friday evenings his guides would show up in St. Louis bars. They staged brawls that made the news. The cave owner’s response - "all publicity is good publicity."

Topnotch cabaret Mr. Rockwell - well within the scope of your mission. Bash & blog - ride ‘em Kenny!

wrdpico

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Rockwell states repeatedly - endlessly - throughout his blog that it's in fact his personal blog. He's not a journalist or reporter and is not bound by rules of objectivity. He makes that abundantly and regularly clear. He can and does express whatever urge or opinion is at the top of his mind.

He's also a satirist of sorts - amateur no doubt - and his "Leica Man" article was very funny, as it was meant to be. Anybody who took the Leica Man article seriously simply missed the point. Rockwell is an amateur writer and can be forgiven when he makes his points (and his satires) poorly.

He does all the work on the blog himself (witness the typos and grammatical errors in almost every article and review). There are multiple B&H and Adorama affiliate links throughout every page on his site. He earns part of his living from the site, a fact which should be abundantly clear to anyone who lands on any of his pages.

Anybody who takes the personal opinions of a blogger like Rockwell to heart and makes buying decisions thereon, needs to give his head a shake. Of course Rockwell provides good advice quite often too, but his camera and lens recommendations have to be viewed in the right light - when he's positive about something, he's over-the-top about it in order to encourage purchases. He can contradict himself whenever he wants - he's not a journalist, he's a blogger.

Rockwell has been in the business for decades and has been using and reviewing gear for almost as long, an effort which gives him experience and a perspective that most of the rest of us don't have. He uses a standardized review format, and a standardized testing format, so his review content is organized almost identically from item to item (with the exception of his older reviews which only follow the general outline of his current format and don't contain as much technical detail).

Opinion is opinion. Many of us here have seen vitriolic rants in other forums directed against Rockwell, pointlessly, as though somehow the authors of those rants had some vested interest in whatever Rockwell had criticized or reviewed. So much sound & fury signifying nothing.

Personally I think Rockwell is one of a pantheon of photography characters around the world who continue to pursue their interests to the benefit of us all.

My Nikonians Gallery

Howard Carson, Managing Editor
Kickstartnews Inc. - http://www.kickstartnews.com

1st post so hello everyone and excuse me if I stuff up! Ken is a legend in his own underpants. I've always loved photography but could never justify the expense of a pro camera to the wife. Thanks to his "how to afford anything" rant I have a D700 and some proper glass at last. (still married too!)

His guide on the D700 has been invaluable and I am getting superb results after just a few hours practice. (in M mode as well) I've got loads to learn hence joining this forum, but I love the camera and 14-24mm so much they are sitting next to me on the sofa :)

As I'm in the UK I can't buy through Ken's links and actually feel guilty about how much I have learned for nothing. His site is free. Maybe he upsets a lot of highly paid "pro's" as he reveals the tricks of the trade. I'm happy and will donate out of my first paid job (tomorrow!).

"The Lecia man ....". "Lecia men..."
So Ken is saying that women are not allowed to use the new Leica (or any Leica)?
From the rocking of the cradle to the rolling of the hearse, the going up was worth the coming down

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

>"The Lecia man ....". "Lecia men..."
>So Ken is saying that women are not allowed to use the new
>Leica (or any Leica)?

Yes - with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

The article, as Ken laboriously explained, was a satirical essay about people who (in keeping with Ken's mantra "It's the photographer not the camera!") walk around with $13K worth of Leica gear slung on their necks merely for the alleged prestige of being able to display the Leica badge.

Ken is not much of a writer on his own. He is in serious need of a copy editor IMO. Ken's attempts at humor fall flat way too often, his satirical stuff is often written poorly enough to really miss the mark, and there have been several instances over the years in which his occasionally sloppy grammar resulted in misunderstood instructions and reviews.

It's his personal blog. He can do what he wants.

My Nikonians Gallery

Howard Carson, Managing Editor
Kickstartnews Inc. - http://www.kickstartnews.com

I have stopped looking for Ken Rockwell's blog and pages a long time ago and I suggest that you do the same..

Nikonian in Athens, Greece

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

>I have stopped looking for Ken Rockwell's blog and pages a
>long time ago and I suggest that you do the same..

And you would suggest that because.......

He changes his opinion about digital vs film as often as he changes his cloths.

He only tells readers how to convert a Nikon professional level camera into a P&S. George Eastman already figured this out and build the Kodak Brownie around this concept.

There are far better blogers and sites to learn about photography.

George
My Nikonian Galleries

If I only consulted one source for information I wouldn't be here. Sure, there are plenty of good blogs on photography and everybody has their own opinion about things. As with movie reviews, it's best to look at a divergence of opinions. Ken writes about a lot of stuff and is very available to search for things.

I like to read as much as I can about everything before spending the kind of money you can spend on this endeavor. Nothing wrong with that.

He does change his mind often. How many cameras have Nikon and Canon announced in the last five years? Things change quickly in digital. But he is just one more source.

prometheas said (above)....
>I have stopped looking for Ken Rockwell's blog and pages a
>long time ago and I suggest that you do the same..

I would like to know why, as well...........

_________
Nathan

"I like photographers — you don't ask questions." Ronald Reagan. (To White House News Photographers Assn 18 May 83)

"The best indices of a person's character are (a) how they treat people who can't do them any good, and (b) how they treat people who can't fight back"

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

>prometheas said (above)....
>>I have stopped looking for Ken Rockwell's blog and pages a
>>long time ago and I suggest that you do the same..
>
>I would like to know why, as well...........
Ditto.

I say take knowledge from wherever one can get it. Ken is outspoken, opinionated, energetic, even a bit childish and prankish. He even admits it. He speaks in superlatives, oversimplifications, exaggerations, and with a total focus on whatever point he is driving at in any given piece. He must be taken with a fair measure of salt.

IMO, the seasoned imagemaker can follow his logic most of the time, and can see through to the point he is wanting to make. The beginner, OTOH, may be at greater risk of misunderstanding his blog entries.

I like Ken. I just love how he causes some people to get their undershorts in a wad. He probably enjoys that too.

Henry Fisher

A Certified Dinosaur
Nikons F, F2, D700, L35AF, Leica M3, & Kiev 4a

I like Ken, too....he is a neighbor, and friend/acquaintance. We belong to the same photo club. His humorous, playful side considered, I certainly don't think he ever purposefully misdirects people, and as has been exhaustively said in the past, he merely states his own opinions. I know, from knowing him, that he does not, nor needs to, present ANY opinions that are paid for, and/or not his own personal ones.

In todays information age, I would be quite surprised to find that there are still people out there, who have the expertise and access to check out the internet, who would not check multiple sources, when researching something (I know I do, often times too exhaustively).....and then they (and we) are left to come to our own conclusions, as they relate to us and our specific needs (which might often be at odds with those who chastise him for what they say are his less than technically appropriate reviews/recommendations.

I have read many a review/opinion, before making a purchase, and when I have relied on one, or another, to make that decision, I never get angry at the one I relied on, should the decision turn out to be wrong for me.....I take personal responsibilituy, learn and move forward. And, sometimes, when a particular reviewer "steered me wrong" one time, he "steers me right" the next....

Just my opinion.........

_________
Nathan

"I like photographers — you don't ask questions." Ronald Reagan. (To White House News Photographers Assn 18 May 83)

"The best indices of a person's character are (a) how they treat people who can't do them any good, and (b) how they treat people who can't fight back"

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

until Ken learns how to change settings from their default when comparing cameras...... well, you get the idea.

Here I am, buying into what I think Ken likes. Lots of attention about his web site.

I presume that he gets paid somehow by the advertisers based on the number of hits to his site. And references plus or negative about him probably attracts more hits.

His comments do strike controversy in many. I disagree with more that he says than I agree with; but, in between the rants is occasionally some good advice.

Of course, for Ken, the best camera in the world is the last one he purchased and is using. Maybe the praise gets a little carried away!!

I have traveled on two weekend workshops where he as gone as an adjuct to the tour leader. In this venue he really is helpful to the participants. I do enjoy his photography. He has a great eye for graphic and abstract compositions and very effectively uses highly saturated color. For his perspective on his art alone, a visit to his site is informative and inspiring to me.

I'll continue to hit on his site also for the same reasons that I watch a certain conservative cable news channel (in the US). They both amuse me, and on very rare occasion among the enertainment, I might learn something.