Note to UHH naysayers, financially secure individuals, and insensitive blowhards (Page 5): Well said. Even in the Gallery Section there is lots of rude, insulting, opinionated...

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Bridges wrote:

Sometimes I see a lot of meanness on this site. People without understanding the economies of other members, throw out recommendations about buying like they are the ultimate authority on a subject, or right out boast like they think others are stupid for not buying the best on the market. Some people skimp whenever they can due to their financial situation. Obviously, you can't buy a generic Nikon, Canon, Sony, or Olympus body so while someone may have funds for that, they may need to skimp elsewhere. Someone in another post actually said they would not buy a non-OEM battery because it might be made in a foreign country! Guess what -- your OEM batteries are made in a foreign country! Other answers berate members for buying 3rd party items like battery grips. Hey, maybe they don't need the grip that can fall off a 100 ft. cliff and survive, maybe they just like a grip that affords a better hold when using the camera in a vertical orientation. Someone else said they would only buy HP cartridges -- I have an answer for that -- professional equipment like printers using eight or more cartridges notwithstanding, if you own a printer that you paid a couple of hundred dollars for, you didn't buy a printer, you bought into a very expensive ink program. Those lower-priced printers are so cheap because when you buy one, HP, Canon, or any others the manufacturer has you by the balls! You will be paying through the nose for your ink. Epson, and now Canon and HP have printers that use tanks which are easy to fill and cost a fraction of what cartridges do. Another possibility is that when it comes to batteries who knows who makes them? There may only be two plants in Japan/China/Taiwan that make all of them and just put different names on them. Look at the round head flash from Neewer, Bolt, and Godox they are all the same unit, just a name change. When someone asks for advice, it would be nice to see people respond with their recommendations and not put others down for things like not using OEM equipment. I would bet 75% of people here who act like people are stupid for not spending the extra bucks for a Nikon/Canon/Sony battery, use a flash that is not OEM. I work part-time at Sam's Club and I've had people tell me they would only buy Everyready Batteries over the store brand. Guess what -- they are the same battery! They don't understand marketing -- they can't believe Everyready would sell us batteries that would undercut the name brand. I explain that most big retailers will have an inhouse brand and Eveyready knows if they don't sell us a generic, someone else would! This way they get all the business. Ever see two gas stations owned by the same company across the street from each other -- it's about limiting competition. While I understand some of the group has the money to buy top-drawer on all their equipment, I think putting others down (and that is what you are doing when you state I would only buy xxx) is insensitive and is an opinion you should keep to yourselves. When I was 15, I worked in a manufacturing jewelry shop. We sold Rolex watches both 14 kt. and gold plated. They looked identical so one day I asked Mr. Hays (the owner) why anyone would spend 1200 or more for a Rolex when they could have an identical watch in gold plate for a third of the price. I said no one would know the difference. Mr. Hays looked me in the eye and said, "Oh, but the owner would know". That has stuck with me for the last 58 years and I have tried to live life in a way so as not to flaunt what I have but to just respect my good fortune when something good comes my way. So UHHers, lighten up. Respect each other, give recommendations when asked, and don't come down on others for their choices. (If you are wondering about the cheap prices for Rolex Watches -- while I worked at the jewelry shop the US went off the gold standard. One day gold was 37.00 an ounce, the next day it was like 387.00 an ounce!)

Sometimes I see a lot of meanness on this site. P... (show quote)

Well said. Even in the Gallery Section there is lots of rude, insulting, opinionated, disrespectful, making it personal language, and bullying. Some times it is hard to believe the UHH is mostly senior adults. The childish attitudes are unneeded. I am in other groups and forums related to Music, Photography, Dogs, Seashells, and Nature. I also frequent automotive and garden sites. Because of the negativity and rudeness on the Ugly Photographer Hedgehog I have not recommended our site to any of my In-Person and Web photography friends, professionals or hobbyists. They do not need the abuse. In any of the other online groups that I am a member of this does just does not go on or is not tolerated by the administrator or site owner. Those that do not follow the rules or are disrespectful to others are removed. The only place I see more rudeness is on personal Facebook pages or on The Nextdoor App. I am not saying you have to agree with everything you see and read, but keep it positive or just ignore it and move on. I like less than half the images I see in the Gallery and other general image areas on the UHH but unless the photographer asks for advice or suggestions I either post something nice or say nothing. If they want feedback or a critique I may give it. Some of the Specialty Sections have close to a 100% liking from me. Such as the True Macro Section. I guess I do find some of the conflict and arguing entertaining, which must be why I put up with and read the BS.

BebuLamar

SteveR wrote:

There's no reason good photography cannot be done on a budget. For one thing, you don't purchase full frame cameras and the attending and expensive lenses. A crop camera, a 55mm lens and a zoom lens like the good old 80-300mm would cover just about everything. Throw in a Tamron wide angle and you're set. If I were to do it again I never would have gone full frame. I bought my daughter a D7500 and it's a fantastic camera and the price on that camera is very nice right now.

Everyone has different way of doing thing. For me I never considered crop camera but I also have no problem having no camera. So it's not the budget thing. I don't have the budget for what I want I just don't have any. It's not like food that I have to eat whether it tastes good or not.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BebuLamar wrote:

Everyone has different way of doing things. For me I never considered crop camera but I also have no problem having no camera. So it's not the budget thing. I don't have the budget for what I want I just don't have any. It's not like food that I have to eat whether it tastes good or not.

I have two cameras, they have sensors, they take pictures, I'm happy!

rdemarco52 Loc: Wantagh, NY

Agree 100%. Especially when someone new to photography asks a simple question.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

rdemarco52 wrote:

Agree 100%. Especially when someone new to photography asks a simple question.

Esp. the obnoxious replies to "google it."

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

SteveR wrote:

There's no reason good photography cannot be done on a budget. For one thing, you don't purchase full frame cameras and the attending and expensive lenses. A crop camera, a 55mm lens and a zoom lens like the good old 80-300mm would cover just about everything. Throw in a Tamron wide angle and you're set. If I were to do it again I never would have gone full frame. I bought my daughter a D7500 and it's a fantastic camera and the price on that camera is very nice right now.

RoswellAlien

Thank you.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

BebuLamar wrote:

All of the batteries I found leaked were made in the USA and they are all three brands Duracell, Energizer and Rayovac.

All brands of Alkaline batteries leak if drained rapidly or completely, or stored in devices with chips they keep active. Keep them bagged separately.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

SteveR wrote:

Esp. the obnoxious replies to "google it."

As opposed to us Googling it for them and posting the information?
More expedient for them to learn to utilize Google.......

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Bridges wrote:

Sometimes I see a lot of meanness on this site. People without understanding the economies of other members, throw out recommendations about buying like they are the ultimate authority on a subject, or right out boast like they think others are stupid for not buying the best on the market. Some people skimp whenever they can due to their financial situation. Obviously, you can't buy a generic Nikon, Canon, Sony, or Olympus body so while someone may have funds for that, they may need to skimp elsewhere. Someone in another post actually said they would not buy a non-OEM battery because it might be made in a foreign country! Guess what -- your OEM batteries are made in a foreign country! Other answers berate members for buying 3rd party items like battery grips. Hey, maybe they don't need the grip that can fall off a 100 ft. cliff and survive, maybe they just like a grip that affords a better hold when using the camera in a vertical orientation. Someone else said they would only buy HP cartridges -- I have an answer for that -- professional equipment like printers using eight or more cartridges notwithstanding, if you own a printer that you paid a couple of hundred dollars for, you didn't buy a printer, you bought into a very expensive ink program. Those lower-priced printers are so cheap because when you buy one, HP, Canon, or any others the manufacturer has you by the balls! You will be paying through the nose for your ink. Epson, and now Canon and HP have printers that use tanks which are easy to fill and cost a fraction of what cartridges do. Another possibility is that when it comes to batteries who knows who makes them? There may only be two plants in Japan/China/Taiwan that make all of them and just put different names on them. Look at the round head flash from Neewer, Bolt, and Godox they are all the same unit, just a name change. When someone asks for advice, it would be nice to see people respond with their recommendations and not put others down for things like not using OEM equipment. I would bet 75% of people here who act like people are stupid for not spending the extra bucks for a Nikon/Canon/Sony battery, use a flash that is not OEM. I work part-time at Sam's Club and I've had people tell me they would only buy Everyready Batteries over the store brand. Guess what -- they are the same battery! They don't understand marketing -- they can't believe Everyready would sell us batteries that would undercut the name brand. I explain that most big retailers will have an inhouse brand and Eveyready knows if they don't sell us a generic, someone else would! This way they get all the business. Ever see two gas stations owned by the same company across the street from each other -- it's about limiting competition. While I understand some of the group has the money to buy top-drawer on all their equipment, I think putting others down (and that is what you are doing when you state I would only buy xxx) is insensitive and is an opinion you should keep to yourselves. When I was 15, I worked in a manufacturing jewelry shop. We sold Rolex watches both 14 kt. and gold plated. They looked identical so one day I asked Mr. Hays (the owner) why anyone would spend 1200 or more for a Rolex when they could have an identical watch in gold plate for a third of the price. I said no one would know the difference. Mr. Hays looked me in the eye and said, "Oh, but the owner would know". That has stuck with me for the last 58 years and I have tried to live life in a way so as not to flaunt what I have but to just respect my good fortune when something good comes my way. So UHHers, lighten up. Respect each other, give recommendations when asked, and don't come down on others for their choices. (If you are wondering about the cheap prices for Rolex Watches -- while I worked at the jewelry shop the US went off the gold standard. One day gold was 37.00 an ounce, the next day it was like 387.00 an ounce!)

Sometimes I see a lot of meanness on this site. P... (show quote)

So difficult to read your rant! Have you never attended school and learned to write in paragraphs that are coherent in thought? Ramblings such as your rarely get looked at past the third sentence.

Jwshelton Loc: Denver,CO

I am shocked.
Buying a more expensive camera will "not" make me a better photographer!

Another bubble burst!

Let me know if you ever head to Colorado.

Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2024!

nblue

I agree.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

starlifter wrote:

Touche I have 4 Tamron lens and couple on no name batteries that I use with my D850. I'm happy and that's what counts. And besides the results speak for themselves. Another point Tamrons are warranted for 6years, Nikon's 1.

When Herff Jones Photography (merged into Lifetouch in 2011) converted from film capture to digital capture of school portraits, we PURPOSELY bought Tamron zoom lenses for the six year warranty and the very reasonable price — about a third of what Canon wanted for an OEM lens of the same range and maximum aperture. We had 4-5 that ever needed repair, out of over 400 we had in the field. These lenses saw tens of thousands of exposures every year, from 2005 until Lifetouch bought us.

We were perfectly satisfied with the Tamron lenses. They worked just fine for portraiture!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Longshadow wrote:

Just ignore them. I do.

There's much more good stuff here than full of themselves people.

Yep. It takes two people for one of them to be insulted — the rude one, and the one who is sensitive to a suspected insult. Both are 100% responsible. Some folks don't even realize that their remarks could be interpreted as insulting. (I sometimes resemble that sort of character, as my wife will tell you!) Some people find an insult where none is intended. But then there are others who are deliberately insulting and demeaning.

Sadly, the Internet is full of people who would lob verbal firecrackers over the Ethernet just for the perverse fun of getting a reaction.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Longshadow wrote:

As opposed to us Googling it for them and posting the information?
More expedient for them to learn to utilize Google.......

I suppose every camera related question could be answered by searching the internet, so going by what you say, then, why not just eliminate questions altogether?