Doug wrote: >The >Nikon/Canon camp then uses their community as "proof" that Nikon and Canon >are the best for everyone, which is of course ludicrous.
I always been of the opinion the Photo.net would an excellent site for research into blatant consumerism and the concept of branding. Sites like photo.net are places were people can meet to get acknowledgement of their consumption. The participant quite literally consume themselves happy in as much as they get gratification and acknowledgements that they have bought "the best" from fellow consumers, where the best is defined by group pressure. Particularly the nature section of Photo.net show amazing conformity; the "advice" is almost always without context and based on names and brands. We are not only talking cameras here but even items like tripods, heads and quick release plates where there really is only one option if you want to be a worthy member of the club. Many of the endorsed products are just OK but the whole thing is just fashion. Much like fashion in other outdoor paraphernalia. The sporty outdoor community is perhaps the most fashion prone out there is where being seen with right brand of boots, tents and other gear is of extreme importance. On Photo.net you get the north American perspective on outdoor photography gear fashion simply because the majority of participants are from the US. It also something of a cultural shock for someone like me to read the threads and the question posted. They are alien to me and I realise that outdoor photography in the US is to a large extent a social enterprise where being seen with equipment is the norm and downright important. When photographer talk about dropping their lenses on asphalt while doing wildlife photography and that they are in a crowd with other photographers, I realise that wildlife photography means something different to them. I mean, who on earth do wildlife photography on asphalt? To me it means being out in the bush. Also, I never met another photographer, or even another person, when out in the wild shooting. Hence, no one see my photographic gear and I don't need to be embarrassed for using Pentax. P�l - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
