What do we make of Ken Rockwell?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... I suspect, as with several areas I've noticed with him, he just hasn't got into that area yet.  He didn't think them important enough until he was shown they were.  RAW processing vs. Jpegs being one such area. 

I would say, Steve, that it is rather a conscious choice than lack of knowledge. As a choice, it is perfectly understandable, acceptable and valid, in both areas you mentioned.

[LesPalenik]

There are far, far more authoritative and objective sites for technical reviews.
From what you've written so far, you've probably realised a lot of what else he's written isn't worth the bandwidth.

For general advice, just ask in the beginners section here. You'll generally get great advice and/or pointed to other sites that are genuinely helpful.

Despite all the criticism, Ken is a man who can step up to the challenge and handle the tasks that even the more authoritative and objective sites have problems with.
I remember an instance about a year ago, when I was expecting here eagerly a review of Nikon D3200, but unfortunately due to battery problems the review never materialized.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=68904.0

I don't know, how Ken resolved the battery problem (maybe he just took out the battery from another of his cameras), but he delivered his own review and came through with blazing colors. And I mean, really blazing colors. Not that the review was that useful, but it shows that Ken can help out when's needed.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I don't know, how Ken resolved the battery problem (maybe he just took out the battery from another of his cameras), but he delivered his own review and came through with blazing colors. And I mean, really blazing colors. Not that the review was that useful, but it shows that Ken can help out when's needed.

Might he have simply taken the bad battery out, looked at the camera, and written a review stating what he thought such a camera should do?
Full disclosure: I haven't read the review nor do I intend to.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Might he have simply taken the bad battery out, looked at the camera, and written a review stating what he thought such a camera should do?
Full disclosure: I haven't read the review nor do I intend to.

I am sure you are fully aware of the irony, Eric

[Steve Weldon]

I would say, Steve, that it is rather a conscious choice than lack of knowledge. As a choice, it is perfectly understandable, acceptable and valid, in both areas you mentioned.

Absolutely. If you hear from hundreds if not thousands of sources that RAW files offer advantages and yet you choose to tell everyone jpegs are their equal and we're wasting our time with RAW editing/software.. FOR YEARS.. then you just don't have the knowledge about RAW files.  I won't go near the alternative.  The only thing that can match that one is if he starts supporting PC's over Mac's..    

Or maybe in the area of color.. he's letting the guy at Fotomat making his prints do his color profiling for him and he has no interest in having his Mac and workflow profiled? 

[LesPalenik]

Might he have simply taken the bad battery out, looked at the camera, and written a review stating what he thought such a camera should do?
Full disclosure: I haven't read the review nor do I intend to.

It's good to see that this thread is evolving into a serious discussion. Ken must be pleased with that.

BTW, Eric, sometimes you don't even have to read Ken's reviews, just look up the quoted Lula links.

[Alan Klein]

When someone repeatedly declares that his main source of income (90%, if I recall correctly) comes from the links to camera shops in his website, I think we must no longer consider that person a photographer, but a professional blogger; and I think that is a very important point to realize that KR is quite successful in his business, and to understand the reasons behind his articles and photographs.

I didn't realize LuLa was a charitable organization and the owners selling products here are saints rather than photographers. 

[MattNQ]

I have to admit, reading Ken's site is always amusing. Like looking for the toy in the cereal box, you never know what classic ridiculous statement will pop out & make you laugh
He is a master of publicity (good, or bad...it is all the same to him) Statements like "The Nikon D600, D800 and D4 are the same camera inside!" definitely grab one's attention & are designed to generate controversy.

As mentioned somewhere below, his site can be handy source of info on old lenses when trawling through evilbay for bargains, but I always compare his conclusions to other sources as a sanity check.

[Schewe]

I didn't realize LuLa was a charitable organization and the owners selling products here are saints rather than photographers. 

So, how much are you paying to visit LuLa? If you aren't happy here, maybe you should ask for your money back...oh, wait, you don't pay anything to visit LuLa...never mind.

[Alan Klein]

I have to admit, reading Ken's site is always amusing. Like looking for the toy in the cereal box, you never know what classic ridiculous statement will pop out & make you laugh
He is a master of publicity (good, or bad...it is all the same to him) Statements like "The Nikon D600, D800 and D4 are the same camera inside!" definitely grab one's attention & are designed to generate controversy.

As mentioned somewhere below, his site can be handy source of info on old lenses when trawling through evilbay for bargains, but I always compare his conclusions to other sources as a sanity check.

IF you read the stats KR produced in that article, you'll see there is very little difference in that Nikon line as he compared to the Canon line of similar cameras. http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d600-d800-d4-are-the-same-camera.htm

More importantly is what he said in the last paragraph of that review:

"Far more important than having a nice camera is having vision. Too many people spend all their time researching and buying cameras, instead of spending their lives learning how to take great pictures. Cameras don't take pictures, people do."

If you really want to understand KR and what he's about, and why people read him, here's his take on What is Photgraphy and follow some of his other links. http://kenrockwell.com/tech/what-is-photography.htm

[Alan Klein]

So, how much are you paying to visit LuLa? If you aren't happy here, maybe you should ask for your money back...oh, wait, you don't pay anything to visit LuLa...never mind.

Jeff:   I don't pay Google either.  And yet every hit they or you get brings in more money from their and your advertisers and sells your other products.  If everyone who didn't pay a fee left LuLa, your income would drop considerably.  This is the business model you settled on.  If you wanted you could charge everyone who visited your site.  But you make more money by not doing that.  Frankly, I can't believe you knock your customers with a post like that.   Have a nice day.

[Schewe]

If everyone who didn't pay a fee left LuLa, your income would drop considerably.  This is the business model you settled on.  If you wanted you could charge everyone who visited your site.  But you make more money by not doing that.  Frankly, I can't believe you knock your customers with a post like that.   Have a nice day.

Hum...you apparently think I have something to do with the running of LuLa? Nope...LuLa is Mike's baby...as for my "costumers" who do you think that might be? Have you bought anything of mine? Maybe you should ask for your money back...

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I am sure you are fully aware of the irony, Eric

Of course. I'm just trying to think in something of a KR mode.

I have to admit, reading Ken's site is always amusing.

Based on the admittedly small sampling of Ken's blog posts that I have read, I have found the amusing bits few and far between, which is why I count on LuLa to provide me with all the truly amusing bits.

I agree with EduPerez that Ken should be referred to as a professional blogger and not as a professional photographer.

Cheers,

Eric M.

[MattNQ]

More importantly is what he said in the last paragraph of that review:

"Far more important than having a nice camera is having vision. Too many people spend all their time researching and buying cameras, instead of spending their lives learning how to take great pictures. Cameras don't take pictures, people do."

I'm not debating that part of his message at all.  
But you have to admit anything of substance he does come up with gets lost lost when he comes out with pointless comments like this...

"You can buy a pair and a spare of D600s for the same price as the D4, giving you 72 MP (24 MP x 3) instead of 16 and 16.5 FPS (5.5 FPS x 3) instead of 10. "  

[LesPalenik]

I'm not debating that part of his message at all.  
But you have to admit anything of substance he does come up with gets lost lost when he comes out with pointless comments like this...

"You can buy a pair and a spare of D600s for the same price as the D4, giving you 72 MP (24 MP x 3) instead of 16 and 16.5 FPS (5.5 FPS x 3) instead of 10. "  

Actually, it is quite refreshing to see someone to come up with a different take on established standards. About as profound, as figuring out that "P" on the Mode selection means Professional.
I'm sure, that for many readers this makes a perfect sense.

[Rob C]

I'm not debating that part of his message at all.  
But you have to admit anything of substance he does come up with gets lost lost when he comes out with pointless comments like this...

"You can buy a pair and a spare of D600s for the same price as the D4, giving you 72 MP (24 MP x 3) instead of 16 and 16.5 FPS (5.5 FPS x 3) instead of 10. "  

I don't read the site, but taking this quotation, I think the man's playing funny word-games, which assumes a higher intelligence in his readership than is being credited for in the comments here about him and his site. Absurdity demands an intelligent audience in order that it be appreciated as such.

If you watched any UK tv humor classics (the Monty Python stuff, for example), there is that element of craziness abroad, and most of it came from Oxbridge graduates who created their still-thriving niche in the industry. There is mad and there is mad, as in crazy like a fox.

Hey, you csn vote with your feet - or you can, in this case, let your fingers do the walking.

Rob C

[Steve Weldon]

I don't read the site, but taking this quotation, I think the man's playing funny word-games, which assumes a higher intelligence in his readership than is being credited for in the comments here about him and his site. Absurdity demands an intelligent audience in order that it be appreciated as such.

If you watched any UK tv humor classics (the Monty Python stuff, for example), there is that element of craziness abroad, and most of it came from Oxbridge graduates who created their still-thriving niche in the industry. There is mad and there is mad, as in crazy like a fox.

Hey, you csn vote with your feet - or you can, in this case, let your fingers do the walking.

Rob C

Yes, without question.  Often, and it appears to be targeted, he makes a statement that can be interpreted several ways.  You can dismiss it as nonsense (which shows you didn't get it), or you do get the underlying message which usually requires a higher understanding of the subject matter.  Or perhaps the ability to put several pieces of information together on your own for the bigger picture.  Or whatever else he dreams up.  You have to think a bit to understand what the message.   To me it's a lot more fun and interesting than just another blog..   They say most of what we read, text books, newspapers, novels, etc.. are written on a 6th grade level.   KR's site is not.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... If you watched any UK tv humor classics (the Monty Python stuff, for example), there is that element of craziness abroad...

Ah, Rob, would that explain the British sense of superiority: that whatever is abroad (i.e., outside of UK) must be crazy?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... Absurdity demands an intelligent audience in order that it be appreciated as such...

Or, as a minimum, with a sense of humor that ventures beyond the "why did the chicken cross the road..." or "your momma is..." type of humor?

[LesPalenik]

Ah, Rob, would that explain the British sense of superiority: that whatever is abroad (i.e., outside of UK) must be crazy?

Speaking about superiority,
alexa.com shows for last two days a superior increase in Estimated percentage (30% jump) of global internet users who visit kenrockwell.com
His overall rank of 9,133 compares favorably with 22,996 for OttawaCitizen.com or 31,614 for Sfweekly.com