This isn’t a new year resolution as such
It’s something I’ve been pondering for a while
I’m usually on 3 forums at any one time… if one is quiet I’ll pop over to another. So usually there’s enough banter to keep me amused for hours. Plus YouTube too.
But with the explosion of AI on YouTube and the daily heavily edited pictures uploaded onto various forums… I no longer know what is real anymore. It seems everything is faked.
After the last UK election where the BBC were shockingly bias I decided to delete the BBC app off my phone, also I flatly refuse to watch the News (not read the papers for years) I am blissfully ignorant on current affairs.
Next to get the chop was the Amazon app. The constant talk of my phone eavesdropping saw me sign out and delete the app. I still have prime, but have to physically type and log in for purchases.
Last week I finally cleared my eBay watchlist, sign out and delete the eBay app off my phone - full cold turkey!!
After the new year I intend to also sign out of the forums I frequent. I’ve said for a long time that I consider modern forums just marketing tools to push new products and make us all think we need better, plus as mentioned above the photos that are uploaded are so heavily edited these days it’s almost a joke to call it a photography forum - I think Digital Imaging would be far more honest.
So, for me 2026 will undoubtedly be tough going until the light evenings arrive. I’m pretty confident I can make it to March. Hopefully by then I will have gotten the reliance on my phone (everything is done by phone) out of my system.
chez wrote:
Does that mean we’ll not see you in January.
lol
I’m not popular I know 🤣
But the constant push to go big or go home is relentless across all forums… not just photography
No matter what topic is posed… it always ALWAYs settles down to the kit used and then the dreary debate of old vs new is brought up again.
Like I say… forums are just marketing tools.
I’ve tried in the past to start different debates, some join in and then it dies and the next thread is the R6iii or R5ii or 45/1.2 … it is so predictable it’s as stale as last months bread.
If I came back in Jan 2027 you just know the top threads will be the New R5iii or R6iv… it’s that predictable.
But the constant push to go big or go home is relentless across all forums… not just photography
No matter what topic is posed… it always ALWAYs settles down to the kit used and then the dreary debate of old vs new is brought up again.
Like I say… forums are just marketing tools.
I’ve tried in the past to start different debates, some join in and then it dies and the next thread is the R6iii or R5ii or 45/1.2 … it is so predictable it’s as stale as last months bread.
If I came back in Jan 2027 you just know the top threads will be the New R5iii or R6iv… it’s that predictable.
Talking about old gear is boring…it’s all been done already. I bet if you go onto a home improvement forum there won’t be much talk about pink bathtubs and fluorescent sunshine ceilings.
I got a question for you…why are you so obsessed with old cameras…you have dozens. Don’t understand why you need so many and your need to talk about them.
chez wrote:
Talking about old gear is boring…it’s all been done already. I bet if you go onto a home improvement forum there won’t be much talk about pink bathtubs and fluorescent sunshine ceilings.
I got a question for you…why are you so obsessed with old cameras…you have dozens. Don’t understand why you need so many and your need to talk about them.
To answer your 2nd paragraph
I guess it’s because I know deep down they do still deliver. The cost of these old cameras is practically cents/pennies compared to the cost of their modern counterparts….and yet for most situations the older cameras (we are talking DSLR’s not Box Brownies) still deliver.
Another thing is I don’t like the herd mentality… being a sheep is pretty insulting. Yet forums are absolutely geared to funnel you ultimately towards the top tier and like sheep they all follow suit… regardless of the hobby.
Here in the UK most cars are pretty modern, that’s partly advertising, partly scrappage incentives years ago and partly fines if you drive into certain cities n an older car.
My older car is 25years old
No AC, wind down windows, cassette player
Visibility is amazing
When I use it people look, stop at the lights people look, in a car park people look, in a gas/petrol station people look.
Most comment they had the same, a few ask if it’s for sale. To me, I just see this car as a cheap form of transport to get from A-B. Yes the resale will generate more than I paid, yes changing a bulb is £2-3 and takes 2mins.
I see no need to pay out huge sums to give the impression to others I’ve made it 🤣 isnt that just utterly stupid! To spend £30-60K on a car so others will think you’re minted, yet you just blew your savings on something that’s depreciating plus costs a fortune to change a bulb… or worse … you didn’t actually have the £30-60K to buy the car…. So borrowed it, are now paying interest on something that’s depreciating and worse costing you money every day … just to give the impression to others you have money…. 🫣
There’s a certain kind of stupid at play here.
Likewise we see rich boomers on these forums buying latest R5, R3, R1 with the obligatory red ring L optic or Z9,Z8 or Leica … then off they go take pics of Ben the dog or Tiddles the cat… upload seeking validation !!!
Yes, sheep is probably the correct term.
Do I really want to hang out with boring sheep??
To sum up forums are not like the readers letter pages we found in old hobby magazines, they are extremely powerful marketing tools, also a place to boast or brag, a place to stand on a soap box (yes I see the irony)
🤣
I think I’m done with it, that’s all…. Plus all the pics are fake !
Somehow I think it’s BS. You need a platform to tell everyone how miserable life is. I remember reading your posts of not wanting to go out because the world has gone to hell. You need FM.
I only have three trips planned for 2026, but two are new types/locations. 10,000km away from home is nice, but even 3,000km is good.
Visit a new country or region every year. Try another camera (e.g., a7V and R6 III are new) or new lens.
I avoid the masses of sociali medias. It is possible to turn a smartphone off.
FM is a rather tame and safe place.
Been pondering ways to fill the time I’ll have in 2026
I’ve decided it’s going to be spent creating themed photo books.
In the meantime I’ll concentrate on a December - Winter - Christmas theme. (Probably just using my phone too for convenience)
But for the start of 2026 it’s going to be….F8 mono
I won’t limit my focal length as I’m not entirely sure where this theme will go and it will all be JPEG only for ease.
I’m actually now getting excited
I won’t be guilt tripped in needing to carry heavy fast glass, or to fret I should have used FF
It could a real eye opener or downright frustrating.
But the thing is it will hopefully get me out shooting.
Edit :-
Intending to keep this as simple as possible…
Just found my old canon M10 (eBay £60) and fitted a TTartisan 25/2 (eBay £30)
Taped the focus to 1.5m this reads on the lens DoF scale that from 0.8m to Infinity should be within DoF @F8
So just taped up F8 on the aperture ring too.
Peaking is pointless, just turned the whole rear screen yellow - so switched peaking off
JPEG L > Mono > sharpness +2 > Contrast +2 > Ratio 1:1 > Burst mode > Touch to Fire ON > Grid Line ON > auto iso > Tv 1/125th
All I need to do is slide the ex/comp slider on rear screen and tap to fire
Basically a aps-c Fixed focus P&S for just under £90 quid
The actual prints in the proposed book will be no bigger than 150x150
