Nice lens/accessory round up from abelcine

Nice, but as always, they and anyone else will recommend what they can sell, not what is best value for the dollar.
 
Kraut69 said:
Nice, but as always, they and anyone else will recommend what they can sell, not what is best value for the dollar.
Click to expand...

Sometimes what someone can sell IS actually the best value for the dollar. It's why some companies don't just offer everything they can get their hands on.

And sometimes the magazine articles, bloggers and yes, forum posts are influenced by compensation that is not revealed, stated or known to a reader.

I regularly get hit up for free gear in exchange for favorable blog mentions from on-line bloggers and off-line magazine authors. I won't play that game, but many manufacturers do. I'm sure it's not hard for the more astute public to figure out who some of those people and companies are.

The worst example I have from personal experience, is that a certain low rent "magazine" told me they would edit out all the positive mentions of my product from an interview with a talented DP unless I "underwrite" the editorial content with a paid ad.

Doesn't that have the same effect as turning the "editorial content" into a paid ad, since I'm being asked to pay 'protection'??? I find such morally dubious business practices unconscionable and that rag is now dead to me. It also made me call into question every article I've ever read in that magazine, and the credibility of the other advertisers in that magazine. I don't know if I'm just on my moral high horse, but WTF? I'm stunned so many people are willing to go along with that, but I digress.


So knowing this, where does it leave the person deciding trying to decide where to put their money? It may be old fashioned, but I think you generally have to decide what brand of product is more trustworthy, and also factor in to the equation that you usually get what you pay for. I haven't put hands on everything, but I'd say I've examined or worked with a wider variety of motion picture camera related products than most. Clearly, there are some terrific products and some products for sale that I personally believe are worthless at any price. Caveat emptor!
 
Illya said a lot of things I sometimes can't. Dude, I hope you feel better now, 'cause I sure do seeing it posted.

At AbelCine we get tons of gear presented tous by manufacturers on a weekly basis. And there's a good deal of it that we would not feel comfortable representing, so we don't. We try to pick & choose the solutions we feel make the most sense and offer value for the money. I sleep better at night knowing that I don't push crap.
 
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Thanks Mitch.

There's a whole other rant I've been saving about the ignorance and duplicity by the players and vendors alike in this industry. But it's off-topic so I'll save it for another time.

Clearly I am not hurling more than a thimble of cold water on the (anonymous) perpetrators of these shenanigans; but if it opens eyes just a little, perhaps it was worth typing.
 
Another roundup of available glass:
http://www.photozone.de/sony-alpha-aps-c-lens-tests

Far as the other stuff, it's not up to sellers to tell you what the best value is - that's why sites like this one exist. I relentlessly research everything I can before I drop cold hard cash. However I would say this - the big name sellers didn't get that way by cheating people out of their money.

All of the big name people - both here and elsewhere - get equipment either for free, for cheap, or far sooner than you or I ever will. And of course that means bias might be an issue. It is a part of life.

So take every bit of advice with a grain of salt and let the buyer beware - simple advice for any business, video or otherwise.
 
Illya's Hot Rod mount is first class and after evaluation and talking to him on the phone, it was the ONLY mount I chose for my af100.


AF-100.jpg


I'd trust any camera accessory he makes to be top notch.
 
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