All Gone?

<p>Funny I should drop in to the forum and see this thread. <br>

I haven't been to the Leica/Rangefinder forum in some time...actually, I haven't been to PNet in a while either (according to my history, the last time I posted on PNet was January 2009). I guess the reason I've been inactive here had to do with my being forced into digital photography despite my screaming and fighting against it. About three years ago I surrendered and bought a Canon DSLR although I kept shooting with my Leica M6s until some time last year. It didn't take long to realize that most of the advise offered on internet forums concerning digital photography had nothing to do with what I wanted to do with photography. Sporadically, I posted an occasional question here on PNet but never got much useful information. And, from just a cursory scan, the Leica forum had changed too. I found it disturbing that many of the guys who had been here seemingly forever had stopped posting. Going back and reading some of the threads in the archives disturbed me even more. I saw a lot of egos at play. Even Al Kaplan had been ridiculed on occasions by one of the site's more prolific posters. Al apparently was eventually banned I understand. He was a valuable resource and his loss as well as the loss of others has certainly affected the product. I kept up with Al through his website and RFF until his death several months back. <br>

All gone? I guess it's just how things evolve. Or maybe devolve?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Yeah, not too many new threads these days.<br>

I agree with the economy theory. What about "death of film" (-; ?<br>

I wouldn't want to put several hundreds of dollars into another film camera right now.<br>

Could really go for one of those shiny new M9s though; maybe if the DOW claws its way back to 14,000.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>It's not the economy, or cycles, or the cost of equipment, or anything like that.</p>

<p>The Leica forum here stopped being a community years ago.</p>

<p>It's not better or worse today. Fewer arguments (errr, discussions) about whether the M3 is better than the M2, or whether anybody really *needs* a Noctilux. It's like the neighborhood bar you stop in once and while and over time the customers change. It's just different.</p>

<p>"<em>The Leica forum here stopped being a community years ago</em>."</p>

<p>Peter N is bang on the money here.</p>

<p>John</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Communities have good and bad points. It's been a long time since I've been threatened by a Leica forum member.</p>

<p>Being a more recent member of Photo.Net I cannot comment on the community nature of this forum that may have existed in the early 2000s, but I have found a lot of good help and discussion on this forum since I joined, and have enjoyed sharing my own knowledge and interests when possible.</p>

<p>For me that is community. I also think a lot of the discussions here are serious and well intentioned and one does not find that consistently in some of the other forums, which I also find less readable than this one (in terms of physical layout and ease of back-scrolling).</p>

<p>Interest will likely pick up in September, after the vacation period.</p>

<p>The list of questions on this forum also appears shorter because of the short time (1 week) before the question is moved off to archive. Most other forums keep their questions up front for a longer time - 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks for example.<br>

I'd prefer a longer time before I have to go hunting in the archive for a recent question. At least 2 or 3 weeks. </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I'd prefer a longer time before I have to go hunting in the archive for a recent question. At least 2 or 3 weeks.</p>

</blockquote>

 

<p>I've changed it to two weeks. Let's see how that goes.</p>

<p>How do you access the archives? Where is it?</p>

<p>Vahe</p>

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<p>How do you access the archives? Where is it?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>On the forum home page.</p><div></div>

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<p>I've changed it to two weeks. Let's see how that goes.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Thank you, Jeff. Much appreciated. Looks better instantly. Positive psychological impact, too, I think.</p>

<p>"With the Leica to Canon lens mount conversion, The 5D Mark II must be an appealing device for some."<br>

Particularly for R users, since Leica has no digital R body. </p>

 

This has always been my favourite forum as people have always been very helpful and friendly. I have to admit though that it has indeed become a lot more quiet. I'm glad to know it wasn't my imagination and that others have noticed it.

<blockquote>

<p><em>Particularly for R users, since Leica has no digital R body.</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>A little birdie has told me to watch for photokina this September.</p>

<p>Martin, I agree. I only have M lenses, but my feeling is that even if Leica comes out with a digital R, it is not likely to be as inexpensive as the 5D Mark II, and may be lacking in the sensor strength or camera software of the Canon. The German company is in an odd situation, not having brought out any new R lenses in some time and having put its eggs in the medium format digital basket, one wonders if a new R digital would not hamper S2 sales, although it might be a totally fair gest towards the R camera users. Leica once had a strategic alliance with Minolta - why not Canon?</p>

<p>I saw another thread not to long ago asking pretty much the same thing. They blamed the rise of digital but that wasnt the reason at all. I remember when there was something like 30 new threads a day here it was amazing. But simply the forum was allowed a free hand when it came from Greenspun but over time they slowly cuts its head off to make it assimilate to Photonet. They took away equipment for sale ads which would often promote a discussion about certain things and then they did the same to the words/no words. It became a target for much trolling from other photonet camera forums perceiving an elitism from Leica users, I remember Brian the head of photonet often stirring the pot here. People left, most went to the Rangefinder forum and other Leica Dedicated forums. The rangefinder forum just grows and grows, you cant blame the rise in digital and economic down turn when they seem to be growing.</p>

<p>I know why I quit coming here - the constant rudeness, nastiness and bickering. In my opinion it finally drove everyone away.</p>

<p>Haven't visited for ages, just dropped in, thought I'd post this. Met a great Leica friend through this site, shared many thoughtful posts since Greenspun days, learnt a lot, laughed a lot. Sniping comments are alway out there and always reflect more on the snipers than the snipee. A forum, or any community, is only as good as its members. </p>

<p>Other sites are also suffering. Ironically, from success. The Leica/rangefinder evangelism that attracted a fair bit of backbiting actually broke down the mystique and got many more people discussing rangefinders (and maybe even using them).<br /> However I don't think a load of posts proves anything.<br /> The Leica User Forum has seen a dramatic expansion in members and posts - but at the cost of endless repetition as successive waves of new visitors ask the same questions.<br /> By contrast, Photo.net had a relatively small but energetic cast of characters - who really made the community in the early days and can do so again.<br /> The site owners can do something. In addition to the suggestions above, perhaps the more interesting, lively threads can get nine lives - compared to more run of the mill threads.<br /> I spent a lot of time on Photo.net from 1999 onwards and found it a great place to brush up on photographic knowhow, research equipment and, above all, to share images and stories with other photographers.</p>

<p>I too have not posted in a long time...apropos that this thread was here today.<br>

In years past I used to post daily. There were times when it was such a treat to log on, as many posts would be filled with photos and general chit-chat. Then some got ticked with the critiques...things changed and it seemed to become more of a place for people needing advice. As has been mentioned it seemed to lose its sense of 'community'.<br>

But I wonder if it isn't because the way the 'net is used has changed. The sense of community once found at places like this are now fulfilled by Facebook, Twitter, etc. I think many now use those places for their online socializing and places like photo.net have become places people come to get information, but not chat.<br>

I have a number of interests that vie with photography for my time. Target shooting and expensive espresso machines being the prime time taker uppers. What's telling is that I'm also a member of a number of forums dealing with these interests, and over the last 6 months they've all had posts like this one...asking what has happened and is the forum dying.<br>

I don't think places like this are dying...but they're definitely evolving.</p>

 

<p>I find that almost any question I could possibly have about early Leica cameras can be easy answered by using the search function. Also, I've moved onto Nikon rangefinder, which are almost as interesting, albeit prehaps not as historically significant.</p>

<p>Some of the things I really like about the Classic Forum, is that it's full of friendly conversational enthusiasts, and nobody ever replies <em>"use the search feature"</em>.</p>

<p>I'm sure every question that could be asked about an Argus camera has been answered, but as a group of enthusiasts, when one guy posts new pictures from an old new camera, or the same question asked years ago, the group responds with enthusiasm. Happy to relate their experiences and encourage the user.</p>

<p>As long term members (or lurkers) of the forum, it's really up to us what we want this forum to be.</p>