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Who is Steven M. Scharf, and why does he hate us so much?

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Jim Cockfield said:
We're starting to see lots of new lenses designed specifically for
DSLR models with a crop factor. As their popularity increases, I'm
sure the lens choices will, too. Heck, even Nikon is shipping an
18-70mm lens with the new D70.
Click to expand...
In fact, Nikon is on record as saying they aren't interested in producing a full frame DSLR.

You get better optical quality for the same or less money with a cropper, including the WA side. Though at some point you run out of ability to go any wider (about 12mm effective vs 8mm for full frame).
 
You mean ....
Who is Steven M. Scharf, and why don't I give a flying f....?

Cheers,

Marcel
Pictures speak louder then words. Even written ones.
pvs said:
I did a bit of research today, on that SIGMASD10.COM site as well
as this new "Fair and Balanced View of the Sigma SD10", and found
that they are both the demon-spawn an individual named Steven M.
Scharf, registered as:

The Nordic Group
P.O Box 467
Cupertino, CA 95015-0467
[email protected]
(408) 202-7910

I am quite surprised, as I thought these two similar sites were
going to belong to Ken Rockwell, but unless the Scharf name is an
alias, they are different people.

Does anyone on the forum know ... What is this guy's problem? And
why is he out to spread negative (and not at all honest) publicity
regarding Sigma and Foveon? What's worse, is that he seems to have
good contacts with Google, since he gets these lying webpages to
display very high in their result listings, and that is often not
an easy thing to do, even for legitimate sites that offer TRUE
information.

He also mentions this forum in particular, stating that WE post a
lot of mis-information.

So, does anyone know what his problem is? Did he get burned by
Sigma or Foveon in the past? He claims to own stock in Foveon, but
I doubt that myself, because every time I searched that avenue,
Foveon wasn't selling stock to private entities.

I'm confused as to why anyone would take the time, trouble, or
$4.99 to attack a company and/or product with this type of
slanderous, misguided, one-sided, and repetitive drivel. What the
heck is he afraid of?

Anyone wish to take a stab at his motivation?
-pvs

--
The Mayan Calendar predicts that the world will end on December 21,
2012. Be sure to have your camera ready and your batteries charged.
Click to expand...
 
Marcel, pretty much my sentiments in a nutshell. And, you are my new role model.

dh
Marcel de Jong said:
Cheers,

Marcel
Pictures speak louder then words. Even written ones.
pvs said:
I did a bit of research today, on that SIGMASD10.COM site as well
as this new "Fair and Balanced View of the Sigma SD10", and found
that they are both the demon-spawn an individual named Steven M.
Scharf, registered as:

The Nordic Group
P.O Box 467
Cupertino, CA 95015-0467
[email protected]
(408) 202-7910

I am quite surprised, as I thought these two similar sites were
going to belong to Ken Rockwell, but unless the Scharf name is an
alias, they are different people.

Does anyone on the forum know ... What is this guy's problem? And
why is he out to spread negative (and not at all honest) publicity
regarding Sigma and Foveon? What's worse, is that he seems to have
good contacts with Google, since he gets these lying webpages to
display very high in their result listings, and that is often not
an easy thing to do, even for legitimate sites that offer TRUE
information.

He also mentions this forum in particular, stating that WE post a
lot of mis-information.

So, does anyone know what his problem is? Did he get burned by
Sigma or Foveon in the past? He claims to own stock in Foveon, but
I doubt that myself, because every time I searched that avenue,
Foveon wasn't selling stock to private entities.

I'm confused as to why anyone would take the time, trouble, or
$4.99 to attack a company and/or product with this type of
slanderous, misguided, one-sided, and repetitive drivel. What the
heck is he afraid of?

Anyone wish to take a stab at his motivation?
-pvs

--
The Mayan Calendar predicts that the world will end on December 21,
2012. Be sure to have your camera ready and your batteries charged.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
Take great shots.

Support - http://www.foveonx3.org
Digital Frame - http://www.giphantie.com
Gallery- http://david.oldcolo.com/gallery/sd9
Pbase - http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/david_hughes_sd10
 
Erik Magnuson said:
Usually, when you can point to a definitive link that contradicts
his statement, he will change it (e.g., he will likely re-word the
lens item to omit the SA vs. non-SA availability)
Click to expand...
No he does not, articles on imaging resource clearly show that his statements about shutter lag and prefocus lag are BS, but he did not change them...

By JCIA definition (as you told me) he is not using pixels and resolution in the correct context. Furthermore anybody with good eyesight could see that his claims about "resolution" are a good bit off, at least he could realize that resolution can't be counted in pixels and use lpm or something more objective instead. Will he do anything about it? I highly doubt it...

--
http://www.pbase.com/dgross (work in progress)
http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/dominic_gross_sd10

 
pvs said:
I did a bit of research today, on that SIGMASD10.COM site as well
as this new "Fair and Balanced View of the Sigma SD10", and found
that they are both the demon-spawn an individual named Steven M.
Scharf, registered as:

The Nordic Group
P.O Box 467
Cupertino, CA 95015-0467
[email protected]
(408) 202-7910

I am quite surprised, as I thought these two similar sites were
going to belong to Ken Rockwell, but unless the Scharf name is an
alias, they are different people.

Does anyone on the forum know ... What is this guy's problem? And
why is he out to spread negative (and not at all honest) publicity
regarding Sigma and Foveon? What's worse, is that he seems to have
good contacts with Google, since he gets these lying webpages to
display very high in their result listings, and that is often not
an easy thing to do, even for legitimate sites that offer TRUE
information.

He also mentions this forum in particular, stating that WE post a
lot of mis-information.

So, does anyone know what his problem is? Did he get burned by
Sigma or Foveon in the past? He claims to own stock in Foveon, but
I doubt that myself, because every time I searched that avenue,
Foveon wasn't selling stock to private entities.

I'm confused as to why anyone would take the time, trouble, or
$4.99 to attack a company and/or product with this type of
slanderous, misguided, one-sided, and repetitive drivel. What the
heck is he afraid of?

Anyone wish to take a stab at his motivation?
-pvs

--
The Mayan Calendar predicts that the world will end on December 21,
2012. Be sure to have your camera ready and your batteries charged.
Click to expand...
--
Thanks,

Wes.

http://www.pbase.com/wes_armour/favoritesd9
http://www.pbase.com/wes_armour/sd9_images
 
Steven,

This bit of pseudo-wisdom is nonsense.

The full-frame sensor presents problems that we far less apparent in same-size film. The angle of the light reaching the edges from current lenses presents some optical surface reactions that current engineering has not solved.

It is for this reason that a lot of pros only use the center 80% of their full-frame image (through cropping) when using wide-angle lenses. I know a couple of pros personally that have to do this with their Kodaks and I have heard of 1Ds users. With longer lenses, the problem is less apparent.

It is also for this reason that Nikon, for one, has clearly stated that they will not make ff cameras for the time being as mentioned elsewhere here. The new 16 MP Nikon was once rumored to be coming with ff, but in the meantime, it looks like it will have a 1.5 FLM.

The economics of the large sensor are not only related to sensor size. The cost of producing an outstanding 18 mm lens with the abilities required for FF are enormous. I do not think many could afford let alone justify such a lens. In the days of film, such lenses cost between $5,000 and $10,000.

For all your hot air about this is what the pros want, a casual look through the Pbase 1Ds gallery will yield very, very few images taken with anything beyond 24 mm (I found one of those, although there are certainly more).

BTW, since you are part of that "Sigma produces lousy color" crowd, a quick review of the same site will yield some astounding color renditions with the "faultless color producing Canon" process. But, of course, those are all under the heading "operator error" with the Canon.

I am still waiting for an absolute disclaimer from you, btw. Should I stop by your offices? Maybe Kendall will have located them by then.
scharfstevenm said:
But most people are more concerned about wide-angle capability, and
this is where the small sensor sizes cause a problem. Let's face
reality here, if full frame sensors could me manufactured
economically then everyone would use them, but the cost of larger
sensors is not linear due to yield issues. Only Canon has a decent
full-frame sensor at this juncture, and it's only in a $7200
camera. The Fill-Factory's full frame sensor isn't very good which
is why the Kodak D-SLRs haven't been successful.
Click to expand...
--
Laurence

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

http://www.pbase.com/lmatson/root
http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/root
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd10
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd9
http://www.beachbriss.com (eternal test site)
 
Laurence Matson said:
Steven,

This bit of pseudo-wisdom is nonsense.
Click to expand...
Laurence, I still claim if you know anything about bicycles and read what he has to say about them you will get madder about his bike pseudo-wisdom than his camera pseudo-wisdom. I currently have eight bikes verses only three digicams and one DSLR. I can state without reservation what he says about bikes upsets me more than what he says about my beloved SD10.
 
Tom,

I have not dared venture into his bike nonsense. These Mercutios (Ken Rockwell, who together with Steven forms a mutual admiration society) are bandwidth wasters. I guess I should talk, since I once tried to deal with this gang of thugs in that miasma called net.rec.digital or whatever.

IMHO, Sigma should sue him as Dominic suggested. Of course, that won't improve the approval rating.

BTW, I do know something about bikes, but not enough to want to read about them. I still plug along on my two Cannondales .
Tom Rowland said:
Laurence Matson said:
Steven,

This bit of pseudo-wisdom is nonsense.
Click to expand...
Laurence, I still claim if you know anything about bicycles and
read what he has to say about them you will get madder about his
bike pseudo-wisdom than his camera pseudo-wisdom. I currently have
eight bikes verses only three digicams and one DSLR. I can state
without reservation what he says about bikes upsets me more than
what he says about my beloved SD10.
Click to expand...
--
Laurence

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

http://www.pbase.com/lmatson/root
http://www.pbase.com/sigmasd9/root
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd10
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd9
http://www.beachbriss.com (eternal test site)
 
Hi Steve,

Well, I haven't added anything to this thread for several days now (other obligations in life don't permit me to visit everyday). But as I was the one who started this topic, and as some major discussions have since ensued, I thought I'd Follow-Up with my own new 2¢ (US) here.

First, you've really surprised me in that you actually DID make some changes to your site. I personally thank you for agreeing to change the name, and for adding contact info. I realize the site represents your own overall opinion, and to this, you are within your rights ... I will not argue that. I am somewhat dismayed that you choose the standing that you do, but be that as it may, you are certainly entitled to your opinions.

But a couple of things I would still request that you consider working into your text are as follows:

1) The thing that I found most useful in my ultimate decision on this camera purchase was repeated advice to look at the pictures and judge for myself. I have seen many others in the dpReview Forum who have found this to be excellent advice, since the pictures are what you're buying the camera for. In my opinion, this concept could be a very useful thing to add to your own site. I think it would be easy to add links to several camera databases such as pbase.com, photosig.com, etc. And allow the user to make a judgement for him/herself ... without any further editorializing near those links.

2) You MIGHT additionally wish to add links specifically to Jarvic's pbase galleries that demonstrate the weaknesses of the Sigma's. Even though I seldom agree with the way Jarvic represents his views in these galleries, they do work to demonstrate the issues that still need development as of the second-generation of the Foveon chip. Like the 8088 and 8086 Intel Chips were, the Foveon X3 Sensor is still in its infancy, and Jarvic is typically the DPReview forum-er who keeps these limitations in the forefront.

3) As you've noted in your new text near the top of your site, this DPReview forum is very abundant in GOOD, LEGITIMATE, DOCUMENTED material. I do wish you'd consider removing the warning at the bottom of your site. I personally find the DPReview forum to be the BEST source of information and education regarding this camera, and digital photography in general. Yes, there are a few here who offer one-sided views of the cameras, but they come from both sides of the camp, both for and against. I've found the information shared here to be the most helpful, honest and sincere (and balanced), out of anyplace else on the web. I have even seen people advised to buy other brands when they post their reasons for needing a digicam, but those reasons lead them into the Sigma's limitations.

I'm gonna leave it at that. Again, I recognize that this site is your own work, and expresses your own opinions. I also thank you for agreeing to make the changes you already have. This DOES show some effort on your part to be a bit more objective.

Sincerely,
-pvs

--

The Mayan Calendar predicts that the world will end on December 21, 2012. Be sure to have your camera ready and your batteries charged.
 
How can your site harp on the issue of resolution when informed opinion states that the sensor on the SD10 has resolving power not matched by many other sensors? Norman Koren was of the view that the SD9/10 was approximately the equivalent of the 6mp sensors, albeit his views were somewhat intuitive. Freelance Photographer's review was similarly glowing. The sensor does have issues, but resolution is simply not one of them. Time and again reviews show the excellent resolution and ability to capture detail. Even the review on this site demonstrated this in its samples. Likewise, the manner in which your site links many so criticisms to "image quality" is misleading and creates the impression that the camera has image quiality problems. Really, you can say that every weakness in a camera in the end might translate into lesser image quality. People buy the Sigma SD10 BECAUSE OF THE IMAGE QUALITY (sorry for shouting). That is the camera's raison d'etre. Do you really think that these buyers would put up with image quality that is so demonstrably inferior? While people will defend their purchases and are loathe to admit making mistakes, many on this site have used many digital cameras, and are sticking with the SD10 precisely because it does things others cannot do. Likewise, many of them (and I include myself) have the wherewithal to switch cameras if they decide they aren't getting the goods. I WENT BACK to the SD10 after I used many different cameras, finally deciding that the camera's special qualities filled a niche for me. (As noted in an earlier comment, I also used a 1D - Mark I). The people on this forum are avid SD10 enthusiasts, but you have seen that many are very realistic, and quite informed, and they are prepared to admit the camera's weaknesses (as we want these eliminated) but in return ask that its strengths be noted. Your site is so negative, and at times in error, that the forum members feel that you are presenting the farthest thing from a balanced view.
scharfstevenm said:
Jim Cockfield said:
I have no interest in the Sigma SD9/SD10, but since this thread
made the "Top Discussions" list yesterday, I took a look at it last
night.
Click to expand...
scharfstevenm said:
I want to comment on the table he had on the Sigma site, comparing
resolution, sensor size, focal length multipliers, etc., too. Even
a dummy like me can see some benefits of a smaller sensor size.

For one thing, your lens cost, size, and weight goes down. You can
use a shorter "actual focal length" lens, to get a longer "35mm
equivalent focal length". Those long f/2.8 lenses are pretty
pricey!
Click to expand...
But most people are more concerned about wide-angle capability, and
this is where the small sensor sizes cause a problem. Let's face
reality here, if full frame sensors could me manufactured
economically then everyone would use them, but the cost of larger
sensors is not linear due to yield issues. Only Canon has a decent
full-frame sensor at this juncture, and it's only in a $7200
camera. The Fill-Factory's full frame sensor isn't very good which
is why the Kodak D-SLRs haven't been successful.
Click to expand...
 
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