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Thread: Are LF suppliers lazy or stupid?

  1. #41
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Are LF suppliers lazy or stupid?

    Hi Spencer,

    I was tarred and feathered for this thread, particularly my 'Headline/Title' which I 'designed' to get attention. not for me, but for us all. To get us talking.

    It's true that our sources of info are fast drying up. Magazines fold. Other's, that support LF threaten to add digital tiny format cameras.

    I see Ries has vastly upgraded their website. Fantastic! It also has all data needed.

    However, I also see 'Modern' websites from LF builders contain way less, some won't show the whole camera. Like the back...

    Other older and more established suppliers have decades old websites, how do we even know if they are still in business?

    One of the major new LF camera suppliers has very little data on their website. Like what size are the lens boards!!!

    Full disclosure.

    Despite these difficulties, I bought 2 new LF/ULF cameras this year. One is late. The one that was delivered on time is very nice, but I bought it blindly, without enough data, no regret, from a foolish website.

    The only supplier I feel free to name is Ries Tripods and we will be doing business this year.

    I could go on, but I won't.

    I feel it is now time for all LF/ULF users, suppliers, manufacturers and factories to get out of their depression and work together. That includes the big 3, Kodak, Ilford and Fuji.

    I see there are 416 online right now. Pretty low number today.

    Now kill the messenger.

  2. #42

    Join Date
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    Re: Are LF suppliers lazy or stupid?

    "Get out of their depression; Work together"... how? Partnerships? Alliances? Join this forum? What are you suggesting???

  3. #43
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    Re: Are LF suppliers lazy or stupid?

    Yes, it's a fine line, but examining one's motives will help keep it clear. Is the objective of a post to participate in the conversation as a person, or to promote a product as a company? The latter is for the Announcements section, where we do allow Announcements of new products, or significant changes to service models, with prior approval.

    If anyone wants an example of how a vendor can participate as a person, just search on Bob Saloman's posts. He hit the mark well for years, driven by his own love for LF, including the stuff he sold. But occasionally he went too far and the mods trimmed him back. But here's what made Bob a positive force: when the mods did ask him to back down or deleted a post that was too promotional, he accepted it with good humor. I suspect he balanced those rare events against all his thousands of posts as an enthusiast, and didn't let it bother him. When a vendor only wants to discuss their own products for current sale, they won't have the body of participation, integration with the other members, and underlying friendships those things establish, to provide perspective.

    I have said in the past that I do not participate in forums in my professional field. Partly it is because I don't want to be quoted (which these days could have other implications), and partly because I don't want to argue on something that could affect my meal ticket. And I have strong opinions on those topics, informed by deep study and decades of experience. There is no doubt that I would end up in a scrape with someone. But by email or in person? Freely. I'm also reminded of a musician friend who is a world-renowned performer in a major symphony orchestra. He stopped participating in forums because he was spending his professional time arguing with amateurs instead of practicing long tones and scales--the very things that had made him world-class in the first place. He gets paid for the lessons he gives, after all.

    So, the main thing we value from vendor participants is their own love of large-format photography, which we all share. The more that drives their participation, the less their posts will seem like promotion. But it's neither laziness nor stupidity if they choose not to.

    Rick "providing a formula for the balance Oren described" Denney

  4. #44

    Join Date
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    Re: Are LF suppliers lazy or stupid?

    ... and Simon. Let's not forget the good example he also set!

  5. #45

    Join Date
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    Loganville , GA
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    Re: Are LF suppliers lazy or stupid?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ries Tripod View Post
    All in LF,

    We do not exist without your support. Soon after posting our warranty under the new products section we received the following email which I have cut and pasted below.

    "Hi Spencer,

    First, thanks for joining us. It will be nice to have a Ries representative to respond to questions about Ries tripods and heads.

    Please note, however, that the forum is staunchly non-commercial. As a "vendor" you'll need to be particularly cautious about staying within the guidelines, and avoid making posts that are promotional in nature.

    Your post in the New Products section is OK, but should have been approved by the moderators prior to posting.

    Regards,
    XXXXX"

    Anything we say will be promotional in nature. So which way is it? We are the only LF tripod company in the world and here is a community of LF. Your magazines are all failing or have already failed. Most of the other equipment suppliers are gone. There has to be a balance. We are a very small company and cannot afford the $$$$ that our competitors spend each year to only reach this small market. The remaining photography magazines that are still out there are a lot like the new CBS comedy "The Great Indoors", and charge $3,800 a month for a small add in the back of the magazine.

    We are not trying to take over your forum. We just want to hold your camera.

    Spencer Hughes
    Ries Tripod
    I welcome Ries here but they should be completely honest. Ries is certainly not the " only LF tripod manufacturer in the world" while they may be the only one left in the USA there are other quality suppliers of LF and ULF tripod manufacturers still manufacturing tripods. Berlebach makes their UNI series, Linhof makes both the Heavy Duty zero and the Profi III series. Gitzo makes their large series, Novoflex makes their Quadropod series. And there are others out there.

  6. #46

    Join Date
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    Re: Are LF suppliers lazy or stupid?

    Quote Originally Posted by BrianShaw View Post
    ... and Simon. Let's not forget the good example he also set!
    At APUG, not here. Nonetheless, worth Spencer's time to research 'Simon Galley' there. Sadly, when HARMAN was sold, that company's participation fell off a cliff.

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