Is it impossible to get valuable critique on such a forum?

Thanks, Mako. I've always, firmly, believed that photos were beneficial to any photographic forum. It's the really good photos that show the fallacy of some of the popular myths, such as you need a certain camera to take "serious" photos and be "serious" about your photography.

Yes, the gear can be important, without doubt, but there is no doubt in my mind that extraordinary work can be accomplished with any of the gear offered by Nikon or Canon today.  Carlos' photo could have been taken with a d3200, d5100, d7k, d300, d700, d800, d3s or d4 and there wouldn't be a dime's worth of difference.

If you can't take good photos with any of the cameras listed in this forum header, changing to a "better" camera such as the d600 or d800, isn't going to make any difference, (except to your wallet) in spite of the propaganda to the contrary.

I'm not saying that as a supposition. I'm saying that as an owner/user of the d5100, d7k, d300, d700, d800 and d3s.  The "magic" of any good photo comes from the photographer, not the camera. The differences are in features, no magic involved in the hardware.

Kerry

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my gallery of so-so photos
http://www.pbase.com/kerrypierce/root