tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Really? You gotta' be kidding! I see this same post over and over again in this section. I don't get it. You mean to tell me that these clowns who ask these questions have all these lenses for their nice cameras and either don't know what they have or what they are suited for? C'mon! These have to be the same sort of people who buy D850's and shoot in auto only.

I have a plethora of lenses and I know which each and every one of them does and what they are best used for. If one is going to spend good money on a product, don't you think one would know what they are buying?

Normally, I only take one lens with me an 18-250mm telephoto). This is usually all I need. However, this time, I am taking two lenses with me since some of my shooting will include an indoor venue of which I have no idea what the lighting conditions will be. This would be a Zeiss 16-50mm F2.8 lens. That ought to do it. Plus the fact that I have a camera that does really well in low light conditions.

You see, when I buy a lens, I buy it for a purpose in mind and then I put it through the ringer. Isn't this what one is supposed to do?

The way I figure it, if some one has to go on to a photographic forum and has quality lenses but has to ask which lens to take or use on a trip/cruise, then I would think they would be better off with a point & shoot and be done with it. They would also save a ton of money buy not buying all of that expensive equipment which they have no idea how to use it..

I am done with my rant.

Thank you.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Maybe they are just looking for a reason to start a conversation. Maybe they have more dollars that sense. Maybe they have never been to wherever and hope those that have will share their knowledge.
I feel your pain. I've commented on the exact same topic more than once.
I may not have a plethora of lenses but I do have a good selection of quality lenses to choose from and I always try to choose the right lens for the situation. My utility lens is a Canon EF 28-300L 3.5-5.6 IS.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Rough winter, indoors too much, cranky!

I do agree to a large extent.

However I believe a high % of those asking really need advice. Either not owning many lenses and not wanting to miss chances at great shots because they have the wrong lens or they bought gear/lenses because they were told the gear would make them great photographers and now they find they don't know how or what to use each for. For many the problem is they store the gear in the closet and only take the camera and lenses out for occasions and do not really study photography in general or their gear in specific. They have been led to believe that gear makes photographers, not that photographers learn and then get the most out of their gear.

repleo Loc: Boston

I am sure there is a lot of truth in what you said. However, I have always assumed that they were really asking about what they are likely to encounter that would be worth photographing.

BB4A

I can hear that hammer hitting the nail, square on the head, even though I’m nowhere near CA. 😉👍

It appears we might live in a society where everyone can become great at anything (even photography?), just by spending a lot of money. No learning required. Not even familiarization with the equipment. And god forbid that anyone would actually read the manual and try a few test shots.

By the way, that viewpoint isn’t restricted to photography. I see a lot of people fishing, with no freaking clue what they are doing... but they have all the latest gear and enough lures, swimbaits, plugs, jigs, and spoons, that if they slipped and fell in them, they’d bleed to death before they ever got to an emergency room. Great gear is important, but it’s knowing how to get the best out of everything that you own that is the essential factor.

For this forum, I’m starting to restrict myself to just one piece of advice.

“Shoot 50 experimental pics a day, to keep that gear-buying madness away”. 😀

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

So what’s the point of your post, just to demonstrate you have little tolorance, to brag about how much you know, or maybe you just wanted wanted to vent your arrogance and elitism?
Help when you can and shut up if you don’t have anything positive to say.
It’s not what you say but how you say it!!!
Thank you
SS

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Oh, I know it applies to lots of other things. Buy a powerful car and you are an instant race driver. Own a mean dog and it proves how macho you are. But for the most part they are just fools, not dangerous fools.
The ones that really get to me are those that think they are born an instant expert on guns, a world class shot and the guy who taught Wyatt Earp everything he knew. And of course they have watched movies and TV shows from which they learned gun handling that scared the hell out of everyone around.

I am a life member of the NRA, from a family where everyone hunted, fished or both, Vietnam Vet, worked armed alarm response security and for about 10 years helped weekends and summers at a Police Gear and Gun Store a friend owned.

Some of the people who came in, passed the back ground checks and bought guns were enough to make me want to duck and cover while calling for backup. I don't know how many times I had a fool point a gun at me or someone else after I gave a lesson on the correct way to handle it before letting him touch it. A few times we even told people to leave and would not sell them a gun. We wouldn't even let the local gang bangers in the door. But we always wondered if they would be back with a lawyer claiming discrimination and talking law suit. And as much as I hate to say it some of those who worried us were police officers or cadets at the nearby academy. "The Range Master at the academy said I should buy a Smith and Western."
Three times one or more of us even drew and held the fool at gun point because of what he had done. All the other part timers were cops of some kind and they told me I was too trusting since only once did I draw along with them. - Two guys lifted their coats and reached for a gun in their waistband - turned out both brought them in for our gunsmith to work on and the third guy came into the store with a sawed off shotgun in his hands (finger on the trigger). After we took it from him the off duty deputy I was working with gave him the choice of just leaving it with us for destruction or pay us to put a new barrel on it. But he wasn't getting it back the way it was and if he argued he was going to be arrested for having an illegal weapon. He paid for a new barrel and then asked us what he came in for. "What kind of 'bullets' did it use?" The guy he bought it from didn't tell him.

splatbass Loc: Honolulu

Good for you, you want a prize or something?

My question is why do people have to start threads bragging about how much smarter/better/etc. they are?

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

They are not clowns, only insecure novices. No one is born with photography skills... we all started as beginners.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Yep. I must be an elitist. Or, perhaps I may have read one of those that finally blew my mind. Remember, I said it was a rant. In other words, tongue-in-cheek. Think about it. It is kind of funny that there are so many posts from people asking that exact same thing. In a lot of these posts, the OP usually lists a few lenses that they may have while asking this question. Even kit lenses cost more than just a few dollars. One would think that a person that owns a camera with interchangeable lenses would figure out either from reading or usage, what a particular lens will do and what that lens is capable of. Just common sense. No arrogance involved with that.

And nope, I don't know that much either. Just today, I read through my owners manual and a book dedicated toward my particular model of camera for a particular subject but to no avail. I even Googled the subject. Still no luck. Therefore, I will have to recreate my problem and figure out a solution on my own. Kind of like putting a certain lens on my camera to see what it can, and can not do.

I was simply writing down my thoughts about what I have been reading and injected an opinion. I never said I was right. Again, it was just a rant. I wasn't being negative. Being negative would be for me to answer on a direct thread about which lens to use with a snide remark, which, as you know, goes on here on a daily basis.

Now then, I can understand if some one (such as a beginner) who had just purchased a camera with a few lenses and was asking the "which lens" question, but I have a funny feeling that most of these folks asking have had their equipment for awhile. Perhaps I am wrong. Who knows? Who cares?

What I find real funny is that you jumped all over me for something I wrote in jest. That's tolerance for ya! I also find it humorous that I was put on a guys ignore list when I haven't even posted a response on any of his threads. Now that is funny!

Oh, and why should I shut up because I voice an opinion that goes against yours" That is un-American.

Remember, tolerance.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Perhaps you are right. I can understand your point of view. Just don't take me too seriously.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Sorry about that, Just my vernacular. I am still a beginner. I have been into photography for many, many years and good composition still evades me.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

I agree completely.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

People like to feel good about the trips they will be taking, and the gear they own; even in the "Advice from the Pros" section.
No problem with that.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

You're right. No problem with that.