Letter to Mr Rockwell in regards to his 5Dmkiii review

[V8Beast]

Here is a link to the comparison chart in his d800 review that I reference....

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d800.htm

I stopped reading at the first sample pic. Is it just me, or does using the world's best DSLR to take overly saturated images of a picnic table seem like a waste? Ken likey the saturation! I am impressed by how someone who harps on every last tech spec can take such mediocre images.

[wickidwombat]

mediocre images.

again far too generous

[D_Rochat]

[sarcasm]Please let us know if the esteemed Mr. Rockwell replies back and which words of wisdom he chose to bless you with.[/sarcasm]

[Daniel Flather]

Here is a link to the comparison chart in his d800 review that I reference....

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d800.htm

I stopped reading at the first sample pic. Is it just me, or does using the world's best DSLR to take overly saturated images of a picnic table seem like a waste? Ken likey the saturation! I am impressed by how someone who harps on every last tech spec can take such mediocre images.

The uninformed camera buying public loves over saturated and over sharpened photos, and that who's reading his website. 

I think the majority of d800 and 5D3 cameras are bought by people who'll never take it out of green mode.  They buy it because moar expensive is better, and they've read reviews that it's a great camera, I mean, just look at those colorful photos!

[rolsskk]

No one is going to ask him about the new Nikon feature of "Auto Distrion Correction"? I got a good laugh out of that.

[3kramd5]

Here is a link to the comparison chart in his d800 review that I reference....

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d800.htm

I stopped reading at the first sample pic. Is it just me, or does using the world's best DSLR to take overly saturated images of a picnic table seem like a waste? Ken likey the saturation! I am impressed by how someone who harps on every last tech spec can take such mediocre images.

I still laugh whenever I see a camera review anywhere that includes a picture of the box the camera came in.

[pdirestajr]

I have my 7D's DOF button programmed to AF mode adjust too! Ken is years behind.

[dr croubie]

The uninformed camera buying public loves over saturated and over sharpened photos, and that who's reading his website.
I think the majority of d800 and 5D3 cameras are bought by people who'll never take it out of green mode.  They buy it because moar expensive is better, and they've read reviews that it's a great camera, I mean, just look at those colorful photos!

Why does that answer remind me of this?

[D_Rochat]

The uninformed camera buying public loves over saturated and over sharpened photos, and that who's reading his website.
I think the majority of d800 and 5D3 cameras are bought by people who'll never take it out of green mode.  They buy it because moar expensive is better, and they've read reviews that it's a great camera, I mean, just look at those colorful photos!

Why does that answer remind me of this?

That was a pretty funny read. I wasn't familiar with the term bogan, so I looked it up and there's an equally funny definition on Urban Dictionary. Thanks for the link

[wickidwombat]

translation for americans Bogan = Redneck

[@!ex]

Here is a link to the comparison chart in his d800 review that I reference....

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d800.htm

I stopped reading at the first sample pic. Is it just me, or does using the world's best DSLR to take overly saturated images of a picnic table seem like a waste? Ken likey the saturation! I am impressed by how someone who harps on every last tech spec can take such mediocre images.

I wish all reviewers were required to show their best pics upfront, because I wouldn't take spelling advice from someone  who couldn't spell...

[@!ex]

One last mini rant, KR has a whole page dedicated to the "real raw" which he claims is film, and which he also claims is more of a true RAW than digital RAWs.  This is the most asinine thing I can imagine.  Each film type has a color space imbedded in it, is made of tiny silver crystals that are different "pixel sizes" depending on ISO, and are more similar to a jpeg than a raw because the film chemistry imparts image qualities on the final product much like a JPEG's settings.  In fact I would argue that film is much more like JPEG than RAW if anything.  Dude makes no sense and his condescending conversational writing style seems like it might appeal to the same type of person that finds Sarah Palin to be an ideal presidential candidate. 

(as an aside I mostly shoot JPEG, but use RAW when I know I'm going to need a few critical PP adjustments or DR that JPEG can't handle)

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/real-raw.htm

[kdsand]

Heinlein summed it up: "Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig."

Ahh Heinlein :-)

Never pass up a meal!

Lets just go with an apple in his mouth and a nice roast.

[Hillsilly]

Quick, bring back the negative karma....I'm about to support Ken Rockwell.

His site is entertaining.  If he can manage to support himself from it, good on him.  I don't think he's ever tried to portray himself as a professional photographer.  He has his biases, likes and dislikes and he doesn't try to hide them.  Sometimes its interesting to read his personal opinion, rather than a (supposedly) objective review.

He's been at it so long, that his site is very comprehensive.   There are some interesting, funny, and perceptive pages.  He might get some of the finer details wrong (such as his regular assertion that Nikon DSLRs are better than Canon's), but its rare for him to be totally off track.

RealRaw!  I love how he's coined the term and claiming that he's trademarked it.  You've got to admit - it's funny. 

Sadly, I don't know if he's lost interest in his site.  A couple of years ago, he was belting out some good content.  Now it seems solely like a money making exercise.  It's as though he's sold the site and someone new is just capitalising from the page visits.

Why do I like Ken Rockwell?  It's because I'm a bogan.  And I briefly lived in Logan, Queensland (the bogan capital of Australia).  I was a proud "Logan Bogan".

[BillyBean]

I think you all need to take a chill pill.

Mr Rockwell lives on controversy - literally. This post, and others like it, provoke people to visit his site, and he gets more advertising revenue.

He likes to be controversial and extreme - it provokes debate, gets more hits.

The guy isn't stupid, and he doesn't pretend to be unbiased or accurate. His motivations are simple: generate traffic.

Once you realise that, comments like 'I never use a DSLR for anything now, I use a Leica M9' or some other daft thing become more understandable: he is all things to all men, and has an opinion on everything - even if its a stupid one.

Sending him letters is great, if it makes you happy. But don't expect him to change.

Cameras are just tools. Some are good for some things, some for others. There is no perfect camera, and there never will be - the laws of physics make that a certainty. Ken just plays that diversity to his advantage. You think this is any more ruthless than Apple, Google, Microsoft or Canon ? I think not.