Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

Murph · **Ken Rockwell, Opinions? -** 05-12-2006, 07:27 AM

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech.htm

I will admit it, I took him for a guru at first on camera and lens issues dealing with Nikon, now I have graduated to Thom Hogan, and Bjorn. But I still like his site, and his lens reviews. Opinions?

johnastovall · 05-12-2006, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murph

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech.htm

I will admit it, I took him for a guru at first on camera and lens issues dealing with Nikon, now I have graduated to Thom Hogan, and Bjorn. But I still like his site, and his lens reviews. Opinions?

The first time when you are starting he sounds good but as time goes by he is found lacking and that's not just on Nikon but anything photographic.

srwatters · 05-12-2006, 08:21 AM

You should ask Ken directly. He seems to have a healthy opinion of himself

I don't know. I take him with a grain of rock salt. Reviewing lenses that he's admittingly never used? Seems a bit pompous to me. But then again I'm a bit pompous myself

Fred Clingerman · 05-12-2006, 09:05 AM

Like most I take his site with a grain of salt, having said that I think his "Seven Levels of Photographers" is hilarious

evil4blue · 05-12-2006, 09:08 AM

Ken is hit or miss. He posts a lot of good info, but his review are awful and opinionated. Just used him as an additional source, but definitely not your only source.

anorcross · 05-12-2006, 10:39 AM

He's certainly amusing. But after I read him declaring that a high flash sync speed is the most important feature on a camera, because fill flash is essential for landscapes, I knew not to take him seriously.

boxofrocks · 05-12-2006, 10:43 AM

Can of worms=Open.

Everyone has an opinion on Ken. I think he gives pretty good advice (most of the time) to the open minded novice to serious amateur, but don't take everything he says as gospel.

His advice is free, and worth exactly what you pay for it.

Gordon · 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anorcross

He's certainly amusing. But after I read him declaring that a high flash sync speed is the most important feature on a camera, because fill flash is essential for landscapes, I knew not to take him seriously.

I use fill flash all the time for my landscape photography - nothing wrong with that! I use reflectors too, FWIW. Tell me it isn't worthwhile

anorcross · 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon

I use fill flash all the time for my landscape photography - nothing wrong with that! I use reflectors too, FWIW. Tell me it isn't worthwhile

Nice photo. I use it too sometimes. As your example illustrates, it's useful when there's an important foreground element. In such cases, however, I will typically be using a wide angle lens with a relatively small aperture at a low ISO (in fact, the camera he preferred had a lowest ISO of 200, whereas the other had a lowest ISO of 100, so the sync speed advantage cancelled out). I have never come across such a case in which I needed to use a shutter speed faster than 1/250. Even if I did, my flash will work in high-speed sync mode, and even if it didn't, I could use a ND or polarizing filter to bring the shutter speed down. Therefore, the idea of basing one's choice of camera solely on the fact that one has a regular sync speed of 1/500 whereas the other has a regular sync speed of only 1/250 seems a little crazy to me.

Gordon · 05-12-2006, 03:06 PM

I know several landscape pros who like to shoot handheld at sunset/sunrise, where shutter speed matters.

Just saying, it isn't a totally crazy notion.

Clint_Smith · 05-12-2006, 03:51 PM

KR.....is he related to Gary Fong?

boxofrocks · 05-12-2006, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint_Smith

KR.....is he related to Gary Fong?

Have you ever noticed they never appear in the same place at the same time?

bburton · **Worthwhile Advice -** 05-12-2006, 04:40 PM

Ken saved me a bunch of time and money on hardware choices before I knew what I was doing. I'm grateful.

Just my 2 cents -- and worth every penny of it.