5daydeal worth it?

[Zeidora]

I assume many of you have received the 5daydeal e-mail. Sounds amazing, but maybe too good to be true? Have you bought it before: happy, ho-hum, waste of money?

I'm on the fence for the following reasons:
- Videos. Most videos are atrocious. I watched Mark Levoy's google lectures, and they were moderately interesting, but also too slow paced. All I have seen on youtube is pure agony and with dreadful didactics, including the various video links from CR [sorry]. I taught science classes at university, so the bar is pretty high.

- Books. I found that the few photo books worth it have been published by Focal Press. Those include Light: Science and Magic and Applied Photographic Optics. The Real World Image Sharpening book, Real World Color Management, Margulis' L*a*b book were good for digital techniques. Most other books show nice pictures, but are not addressing fundamentals. Are the 5daydeal books more like Focal Press, or more pretty pictures?

- Apps. Most pre-sets are for LR, but I have jumped the Adobe racket. HDR might be interesting, but don't see anything for Aurora.

 

[chauncey]

Let's see, $97, wow that's a lot of money to spend on education...especially when ya gotta take the time to actually learn something.
Maybe they could figure out a way to just infuse that knowledge with a jolt of electric current.

 

[JMZawodny]

I look at these things and wonder why they are offered at $0.04 on the dollar to the core customers. I guess they think a half dozen folks will buy it, tell their friends how wonderful they are, and then tell them to go buy their own.

 

[unfocused]

I've seen these deals for several years now. I'm always tempted, but have never pulled the trigger. When I read the descriptions closely, I don't actually find a lot I'm really interested in.

I would much rather buy an in-depth video from a site like Creative Live, which regularly has sales. I have a better idea of what I'm getting and can pick subjects I am actually interested in. The same with books. I'm old fashioned and I like real books. I have an extensive library of books on the topics that most interest me, rather than on topics someone else has picked.

A lot of the "value" seems to be in plug-ins or Photoshop actions. I already have OnOne and Nik plug-ins. I don't use them to their fullest, so not sure I would want more.

Basically, it's a great bargain if it contains things you actually will use and learn from. But, if you never watch the videos or have an interest in the subjects, then it's not a good deal.

Read the descriptions carefully and judge based on what you know you will use.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

A large number of people have bought the materials, they are advertised on all the major photography forums.

I think its a wonderful thing that so many expert photographers are sharing their knowledge and expertise at a low price.

Some people do not like to learn by watching videos or reading, that's a personal matter, we all learn our own way. I would not put the program down just because, for example, that type of training does not work for me, its a wonderful offer.

 

[AlanF]

It's worth it for some: 10% goes to charity, $650,000 has gone to charity, hence sales have been $6,500,000.

 

[Zeidora]

Thanks for the replies. Nobody has actually gone for it. That is interesting in itself, and not speaking in favor of it.

Nobody has addressed quality of offerings either, particularly in relation to the specific books and video examples I gave. Unfocussed comment on details of offerings are not as enticing as the titles may suggest, that is exactly my impression as well. That's why I asked the question. There are just a few items that may be appealing (e.g., HDR), but most is not up my alley (e.g., portraiture, business). Nothing on optics, nothing on macro/micro.

Re quality, as an example, most photo books will explain to increase local contrast, slide the local contrast slider to the right. What I look for is something akin to the first derivative of delta brightness over radius x is multiplied by a fixed factor, or even a curve function (S, log, gamma). Or some matrix algebra as explained by Mark Levoy in the context of jpeg encoding. THAT was interesting and provides deeper understanding.

Re charity, 10% goes to some charity. I prefer giving 100% to a charity I select.

Re volume, that is their claim. Usually high volume sales are of low quality items. The testimonials are selected by provider, so extremely skewed.