I like reading lens reviews in Clubsnap.
Garden variety questions such as "Should I buy Lens X" or "Please advise: Lens X vs Lens Y" appear with reassuring regularity within CS, and without fail would generate a healthy response.
I do have a niggling suspicion that of every 10 responses to a "Should I buy Lens A" type question: -
Five (5) falls into Group A - Never used Lens X before.
Here's a typical Group A response (letters in upper-case representative of common catch-phrases in CS): -
The remaining five (5) falls into Group B - Have some experience with Lens X.
Unfortunately the bad news does not end here.
Of the five in Group B, three (3) belongs to Group B1 - used the lens for five minutes in a shop / borrowed from a friend for a day, etc. etc. Their responses have an added stamp of authority from that five minutes of usage and often-times are quite convincing.
That leaves two, of which one (1) belongs to Group B2 - bought Lens X because they kena suckered by people from Group A. 'nuff said.
And our sole survivor in Group B3, the chap who has actually shot with Lens X to hell and back, doesn't bother responding because each response is likely to start with... "it depends..."
Garden variety questions such as "Should I buy Lens X" or "Please advise: Lens X vs Lens Y" appear with reassuring regularity within CS, and without fail would generate a healthy response.
I do have a niggling suspicion that of every 10 responses to a "Should I buy Lens A" type question: -
Five (5) falls into Group A - Never used Lens X before.
Here's a typical Group A response (letters in upper-case representative of common catch-phrases in CS): -
Example Question 1
Q: So nux, how's driving a Ferrari Enzo like?
Me: The Ferrari Enzo!?! It's a HOLY car. Yes, really HOLY. Just look at the RED ring... i mean RED paint lovingly slathered over the chasis. And about the chasis... My god... it's dripping with BUILD QUALITY. Ease yourself into the driver's seat and you'll know what i mean... and the steering... oh man... it's so DAMPED...
Q: So nux, how's driving a Ferrari Enzo like?
Me: The Ferrari Enzo!?! It's a HOLY car. Yes, really HOLY. Just look at the RED ring... i mean RED paint lovingly slathered over the chasis. And about the chasis... My god... it's dripping with BUILD QUALITY. Ease yourself into the driver's seat and you'll know what i mean... and the steering... oh man... it's so DAMPED...
The remaining five (5) falls into Group B - Have some experience with Lens X.
Unfortunately the bad news does not end here.
Of the five in Group B, three (3) belongs to Group B1 - used the lens for five minutes in a shop / borrowed from a friend for a day, etc. etc. Their responses have an added stamp of authority from that five minutes of usage and often-times are quite convincing.
That leaves two, of which one (1) belongs to Group B2 - bought Lens X because they kena suckered by people from Group A. 'nuff said.
And our sole survivor in Group B3, the chap who has actually shot with Lens X to hell and back, doesn't bother responding because each response is likely to start with... "it depends..."
Example Question 2
Can I use fisheye lens to shoot sports?
Group A: Xiao ah!
Group B1: I have used this lens before, and trust me... blah blah blah... ... ... Xiao ah! (same conclusion as Group A)
Group B2: How to advise you when you are not specific? I have this lens, you want PM me I can lend you, blah blah blah, but generally, I think you are xiao-ding-tong to shoot sports with fish eye (same conclusion as Group A)
Group B3: *about to type "it depends" because he has actually shot sports with a fish eye lens before.* *thinks about how he is going to explain the placement of the remote cameras and flash* *Scratches his head, then his balls, gives up, switches off the PC, goes off and finds something to shoot.*
Can I use fisheye lens to shoot sports?
Group A: Xiao ah!
Group B1: I have used this lens before, and trust me... blah blah blah... ... ... Xiao ah! (same conclusion as Group A)
Group B2: How to advise you when you are not specific? I have this lens, you want PM me I can lend you, blah blah blah, but generally, I think you are xiao-ding-tong to shoot sports with fish eye (same conclusion as Group A)
Group B3: *about to type "it depends" because he has actually shot sports with a fish eye lens before.* *thinks about how he is going to explain the placement of the remote cameras and flash* *Scratches his head, then his balls, gives up, switches off the PC, goes off and finds something to shoot.*