Picture this.....Have you been here?

kryten61 wrote:

You are shooting a small indie film with you student crew, with a 5DIII in your bag and the new GH3 in your hand, you have a selection of legacy lenses, tripods, dolly's and a crane.

A figure approaches you with inquisitive intent, you think, but in reality he starts to berate you, your choice of camera and over this strange attack you are told by this person why he thinks you have made this mistake. He harks back to old film camera's. leica's, minolta's and the like. You continue to try to shoot, you film around this persistent attack. You wonder if its worth engaging this person? Is it worth trying to explain your choice and why his argument is obviously irrelevant or slightly insane? Instead you smile and try to work around the constant noise hoping he will grow tired..........He doesn't, its seems his need to have to impart this information is nearly as key to his need to breath.

You are at a sporting event watching your child playing netball. You are using your new 35-100 f2.8 OIS AF lens on a new GH3, switching to take a few movie clips at 60P, your plan is to make a small collage of stills and slow mo video for the teams end of year get together. You switch seamlessly from Video to still with everyone around you assuming you are shooting stills only.

But then a person approaches, is he another parent? You smile, Hello you say, is your child out there? No comes the reply, I just wanted to ask you why you have such a "bloated" camera as your choice? You are taken back, but smile and continue to record your images. Again this person continues to impart their wisdom of what constitutes an acceptable camera choice. You try to ignore, but it continues. By the end you move away from the ensuing comments of "pinnacle of camera design" and "nothing else is worthy"..........You have escaped, but then you see him move onto his next victim.... you ponder his motivation but then you question your own trying to make sense of nonsense...

You are on Holidays, you have your GH3 with you, you use it for many things, you shot a friends wedding on it, shot your Indie film, photographed your child sport. You are happy with it. You may consider a OMD or EP? when you save some $, but for now it your only camera body. You consider how, in your very small bag with a selection of two primes and a small 2.8 zoom, how light it is, but how powerful a system it has been. You never hesitated like you did previously, to consider taking your everyday, everything shooter with you on this trip. Weight, never crossed your mind. You used to have a Canon 7d and with two primes and a 2.8 Zoom your bag was large and your shoulder got tired. You cursed when you carried that gear and would not take a shot.

Then, as you stand at a famous land mark, setting up your camera for a shot, you see a figure approaching you..... he has a small mirrorless camera around his neck, it may be an old film camera, you can't quite make it out, you see an intent in his eye.... A cold shiver goes up your spine, You know this man, you know his intent, you have met him HERE, You place your camera in your small bag with its lenses and you walk briskly into the crowd.....

Who is this person? What is his need and motivation? Have you met this person in the real world? Does forum behaviour mimic real life? I would say yes, but here it is done with anonymity and so it is more attacking and persistent, even personal.