----- Original Message ----- From: "Godfrey DiGiorgi" Subject: Re: Pentax SMC 15mm f/3.5 on digital
> I review specs, test reports, and ask/read people's opinions before I > buy things too. I don't judge the items in question until I've > actually used them. This is the conundrum of the modern photographer. Back when people were willing to support their local camera store, it was easy. You decided what you wanted, you went in to buy it. If they had to special order it, then there was a delay, but ultimately, you got to handle and try out the actual item you were going to purchase. Now, no one wants to buy from a local shop, since they have the temerity to charge a premium price for the pleasure of serving their customers. So, we are stuck with online reviews of questionable merit, and buy products based on the opinions of people who may or may not be photographers, and who may, or may not (mostly not from the web reviews I have seen), have a clue about how to run an equipment test. And, we are increasingly being stuck with having to buy equipment sight unseen from faceless big box vendors who don't care if we are happy with what they are flogging or not, since there are a thousand other suckers that day trying to buy other pieces of sight unseen junk based on reviews of questionable merit. William Robb -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
