Pius Sullivan wrote:
I couldn't agree more with you, but I find watching Galer's reviews he's always slighting other reviewers and brands. As a professional and a Sony ambassador he should show some restraint and
avoid doing that. The other reviewers that he's slighting are free lancers they seem mostly loyal to click bait. Just my opinion!
I can only recall two videos where he pointed out that another reviewer was making mistakes. The latest was in response to TN who had made obvious mistakes in his use and setup of the camera.
I find you use of "always" a bit prejudicial. Even "often" would be too much in my opinion.
To be fair to Galer, he only just recently started participating in the YT wars. He was very impartial and just stuck to the facts about Sony and his testing. Something changed with the A1 and specifically because of the nonsense TN put out there.
I think Galer has the best videos available on YT for anyone moving to Sony. I still go back and watch them from time to time when trying to think about a new/different way of setting things up on my cameras.
I think Galer should have just ignored the other YouTubers during the A1 release. He should have stuck to the facts about the Sony and not referenced the other channels nor the R5.
Some of you probably remember my criticism of his first A1 vid where I called him out on a number of things he was wrong about when referencing the R5. I think people really need to be careful about comparing to cameras they have never held in the hand. Galer fell down a notch when resorting to calling out other reviewers and when comparing to a camera he has never held.
But regardless, his videos are the best out there for learning a Sony camera and nothing will diminish that.
Pius Sullivan wrote:
Arbitrage, don't know why you reference Mark Galer you're heads above him when it comes to knowledge about Sony's fast action camera's. Even with his access to Sony engineers he stumbles across the line. You are definitely the leader in this forum. Don't know why Sony hasn't picked you up as an Ambassador, seriously.
Sony probably knows that within a year I'd be shooting some other brand so there is no way they'd want me as an Ambassador.
Galer is definitely defending the brand, but Northrup is spewing stupidity at this point so Galer seems to be having fun calling him out on it.
Pius Sullivan wrote:
I couldn't agree more with you, but I find watching Galer's reviews he's always slighting other reviewers and brands. As a professional and a Sony ambassador he should show some restraint and
avoid doing that. The other reviewers that he's slighting are free lancers they seem mostly loyal to click bait. Just my opinion!
arbitrage wrote:
I think Galer should have just ignored the other YouTubers during the A1 release. He should have stuck to the facts about the Sony and not referenced the other channels nor the R5.
Maybe, given what mud slinging that can degenerate into. Then again ignoring bad info on the net usually leads to bad info being proliferated by all those who don't know one way or another. Seems to me the real problem are those who are vocal but prioritize their opinion / influence / self esteem / whatever over understanding the facts. They happily kill any meaningful discussion, just so they can claim some perceived "win".
Its ok, mogul.... the kicking , screaming and scratching is over now lets settle in and be nice to each other.
I might just have Sony as my back up system to Canon
arbitrage wrote:
To be fair to Galer, he only just recently started participating in the YT wars. He was very impartial and just stuck to the facts about Sony and his testing. Something changed with the A1 and specifically because of the nonsense TN put out there.
I think Galer should have just ignored the other YouTubers during the A1 release. He should have stuck to the facts about the Sony and not referenced the other channels nor the R5.
Some of you probably remember my criticism of his first A1 vid where I called him out on a number of things he was wrong about when referencing the R5. I think people really need to be careful about comparing to cameras they have never held in the hand. Galer fell down a notch when resorting to calling out other reviewers and when comparing to a camera he has never held.
I may not know photography as well as many here, like "arbitrage" for instance, but I think that I do know business. To me this is a fascinating discussion of a respected brand ambassador getting involved in a spat on social media.
Mark Galer's got involved in the YT wars only because Sony wanted him too. Sony very aggressively cultivates the social media channels and uses that a main form of marketing. It's been a key to their success. Look at how with every release, an army of YTers hits with videos praising the product. It's a thing of marketing beauty with its synchronized precision and unified messaging.
I think the A1 was different because Sony is now even more focused on their perception vis a vis Canon, and they felt a need to respond. So they get Mark Galer to do so. They can't have the perception out there that their crown jewel, the A1, may be less than the R5 (no matter how wrong or flawed the tests).
Keep in mind that brand ambassador is simply another word for salesperson, only one with the skills and credibility to be even more persuasive.
Also keep in mind that Sony knows marketing, far better than any other camera brand. They compete in the hyper competitive and high stakes worlds of video games, movies, TV shows and music. Rest assured that they know marketing and that means these days they know the importance of social media.
I don't think Galer would have cared or gotten involved without Sony marketing wanting him to do so. Most pro photographers will promote a brand, but very rarely take on a social media reviewer or a competitor product.
By the way, just to clarify, none of this is meant as a criticism of Sony or Galer. This is more of me saying, wow, Sony is really on top of things when it comes to marketing. I respect Sony tremendously for their marketing, and Galer for his photography skills. I don't think it's a bad thing for a company to market aggressively, nor for a photographer to promote a brand they use.
quantumloop wrote:
Mark Galer's got involved in the YT wars only because Sony wanted him too.
Maybe that's what happened. Maybe it isn't. While you make a good point, you don't know for sure one way or the other, do you? After all, MG isn't paid by Sony and quite possibly capable of making up his own mind.
Daran wrote:
Maybe that's what happened. Maybe it isn't. While you make a good point, you don't know for sure one way or the other, do you? After all, MG isn't paid by Sony and quite possibly capable of making up his own mind.
Of course I don't know. And lest anyone have any misconception, I did not write that about Sony as any sort of criticism. I admire Sony tremendously for their marketing skill.
I don't know how Mark is or is not compensated by Sony, but rest assured, he benefits from his relationship with them and his title of Ambassador. Look at how many people know of him and his work due to his association with Sony. To me he is "paid" one way or the other. And once again, to me that is not something bad. I respect him for his achievements and I do not begrudge anyone for signing on to promote a product or brand, ultimately to promote their own product or brand.
MG seems to me to be like the other pro's out there: he wants to talk photography, maybe gear nerd stuff about his brand, but he's not into controversy or down talking the competition.
So to me this is a rather fascinating case study and we are all just giving our opinions.
@quantumloop sound logic It only took me one view of TN's YT review to realize who he is and what he's not. MG is pretty much the opposite and like @arbitrage I too on occasion go back to MG's reviews to ponder alternate ways to setup my equipment. They're very informative.
1bwana1 wrote:
I can only recall two videos where he pointed out that another reviewer was making mistakes. The latest was in response to TN who had made obvious mistakes in his use and setup of the camera.
I find you use of "always" a bit prejudicial. Even "often" would be too much in my opinion.
That must have been the 2 videos I watched, I'll spend sometime watching more if need be I will retract my statement but for now it stands.
You watched 2 videos out of 300 (that's less than 1%) that Mark Galer has on his channel. Don't you think you need a bigger sample set to attack someone's credibility? And then you wonder why people are upset with your comments.
I don't have either A1 or R5, I have a Pentax. But since actual camera usage apparently doesn't count, I also have a claim to make - my Pentax can match R5 and A1. I have seen enough on the YT videos to make that claim.. .
Poseidon50 wrote:
You watched 2 videos out of 300 (that's less than 1%) that Mark Galer has on his channel. Don't you think you need a bigger sample set to attack someone's credibility? And then you wonder why people are upset with your comments.
I don't have either A1 or R5, I have a Pentax. But since actual camera usage apparently doesn't count, I also have a claim to make - my Pentax can match R5 and A1. I have seen enough on the YT videos to make that claim.. .
You have to stop sitting on that burr from several days ago and move on... or this computer world will eat you up from the inside out....
Poseidon50 wrote:
You watched 2 videos out of 300 (that's less than 1%) that Mark Galer has on his channel. Don't you think you need a bigger sample set to attack someone's credibility? And then you wonder why people are upset with your comments.
I don't have either A1 or R5, I have a Pentax. But since actual camera usage apparently doesn't count, I also have a claim to make - my Pentax can match R5 and A1. I have seen enough on the YT videos to make that claim.. .
I have watched enough of MG video's now to know he's a very methodical and careful speaker and knowledgeable on the subjects he talks about. Judging from the videos I watch and that's all I have to go on, it seems out of character for him. So Something really touch a nerve with him. I'm quite sure it wasn't TN, or any other click bait reviewer, they're not the same level he's at. I didn't do him any dis-service by pointing out the mistake he made. He's a big boy...
What he says about articulating screens not being professional is not mindful of actual professional camera products from Canon and Nikon. And his rationalizations against a fully articulating screen betray shortcomings in his understanding of their usefulness.
Also he advises that if you don’t have “top-of-the-line” GM lenses from Sony, then you are better off buying a cheaper camera. Uninformed/small-minded. I’m confident that a cheap not-top-of-the-line FE 85 1.8 will perform quite well on an a1, to cite an example.
All-in-all this seems to be a particularly lazy effort of a review. Although it’s an unimpressive overview of the camera I nonetheless somehow enjoyed viewing it.
On whole I agree with you. That said, I usually agree that the better glass beats better body. EXCEPT, if you are shooting action and don't have an action oriented camera.
Specifically to your comment about the 85 1.8..... IMO thats one of the best non-GM sony lenses out there, next to the 90 macro :-)
darbo wrote:
What he says about articulating screens not being professional is not mindful of actual professional camera products from Canon and Nikon. And his rationalizations against a fully articulating screen betray shortcomings in his understanding of their usefulness.
Also he advises that if you don’t have “top-of-the-line” GM lenses from Sony, then you are better off buying a cheaper camera. Uninformed/small-minded. I’m confident that a cheap not-top-of-the-line FE 85 1.8 will perform quite well on an a1, to cite an example.
All-in-all this seems to be a particularly lazy effort of a review. Although it’s an unimpressive overview of the camera I nonetheless somehow enjoyed viewing it....Show more →