Discussion: Evolutionary Changes

[CameraQuest]

NEW FORUM Changes -- edited as changes made

NEW "Photography General Interest" Forum under Rangefinder Forum
NEW "Modern 120 RF" under Bigger than 35 for post 1970 120 RF's
NEW "Camera Show" Forum under Miscellaneous Topics and more


FORUMS DELETED / Threads Moved

Archieved News Forum Deleted, its one thread moved to Off Topic
35mm Stereo Forum Deleted, Threads Moved to Other RF
35 Panoramic not Xpan Forum Deleted, Threads Moved to Xpan & Other Panoramics

120 Stereo Deleted, Threads Moved to Other RF
120 Panoramics Deleted, Threads Moved to Xpan & Other Panoramics
Mamiya 6 & Mamiya 7 Forums Deleted, Threads Moved to Modern 120 RF
Large Format Panoramics Deleted, Threads Moved to Xpan & Other Panoramics
Hand Made Cameras Deleted, Threads Moved to Large Format RF

MOVED FORUMS:

TLR Forum moved to Miscellaneous Topics and more
Scale Focus 35's moved to Miscellaneous Topics and more
Half Frame moved to Miscellaneous Topics and more

Repair Forums will be added after the format is decided upon
vote on separate thread for that.

HU: a completely new type of RFF forum which is taking shape behind the scenes.

Time will tell how these forums work out, and what adjustments are made.

Stephen




Original Thead Post:

I am looking at some forum changes, and I want to open up the possibilities for a week or so to discussion before things happen. Some of the new forums started about two months ago did not work out. Time to Adjust:

Possible Forum Changes:

In 35mm Rangefinders:

Make the Xpan/Fuji Forum once again the Xpan/Fuji forum, combining it with the "35 Panoramic not Xpan" Forum.

Delete 35mm Stereo forum and move posts to "Other"

Move Half Frames and Scale Focus Forums to Micl Topcs & More, once again limiting 35mm RF forum to only RF

In the "Bigger than 35" Forum:

Combine the Mamiya 6/7 forums under "Modern 120 RF" which would also include the Fuji's and the Bronica 645, among others.

Delete the 120 Stereo, 120 Panoramics, and Large Format Panormics forums, moving their posts into "other."

Rename Hand Made Cameras into "Hand Made Cameras / Pinholes" and move to Micl Topcs & More.

HU: As an experiment there will be a new type of forum. Should be interesting.

The idea is to try new things with the aim of making a better RFF. If some things don't work out over time, guess what? more change! The really weird part is that with a large group, some people are inevitably going to complain if 1) no change happens 2) change happens 3) it happens too slowly 4) it happens too quickly. oh well.

Stephen

[JohnM]

I would definitely contract some of the forums. There's 'forum bloat' at play on that left side menu.

My opinion - fewer is better.

As such, I would....

Combine the 120 RF, Mamiya 6, Mamiya 7, 120 RF Folders and 120 Stereo forums into one single forum.

Combine XPan and Panoramic.

Create a Classic/Fixed Lens forum and let that cover the scale focus, Yashica, Olympus, Argus, Kodak Retina, Half Frame and Fixed Lens RF forums that currently exist.

Combine the Leica Screw Mount and Screw Mount Copies Forum. Neither forum does as much traffic as they should. The Canon forum can be folded in here as well. It's all the same crowd using the same cameras, lenses, etc. Cross talk would be good there.

Leica M8 and Epson R-D1 forums can become a Digital Rangefinder forum. (Or not - I have a general sense that people would not like that idea.)

Zeiss Ikon, Bessa, Contax, Nikon and Russian Rangefinder forums are good the way they are.

Selfish wish - create TLR forum or at least give it a thumbs up as a topic for the 120 RF forum.

[Rico]

I enjoy all topics at RFF, and operate entirely though "Active Threads".

[Bryan Lee]

How about a "medium format open forum" and "large format open forum" ? Then you could just end some of the more obscure forums that are not being used.

Once you get up into medium format much is related to the negative size when it comes to images, your basic square shooters "6x6" verses the rest both larger and smaller. As far as large format you basicly have 4x5 and not much else, A large format lens forum would be cool but basicly I use other websites for that anyway.

One thing you might consider is a "Open Photography News Forum" where you could post anything newsworthy going on in the photography world. It might be a nice diversion.


Good luck anyway, I will be out of the office for a few days but I will look forward to whatever changes you make,,,,,,,,,, Bryan

[Kim Coxon]

Stephen,
I know ypu are trying to contract the forums a little bit but could we have a repair forum? I know individual repairs could go into the respective camera forum but it does make sense to keep them all in one place. Many questions/answers do go across camera brands. It would also mean that the non-tinkerers could ignore them.

The various servicing articles that members have produced could then be "stuck" at the top of the forum and form a kind of reference manual.

Kim

[Zen-shooter]

In an effort to amalgamate some forums, this list below would be my suggestion (based on number of threads and posts)...

Under Rangefinder Forum...
- RFF News
- Members Only (probably not needed and posts moved to their new home...)
- Rangefinder General Discussion
- RFF Contest
- RFF Polls
- Archived News

Under Digital Rangefinder Cameras...
- Leica M8 / MD
- Epson R-D1
- Ricoh GR Digital (separating from Point-N-Shoot)

Under 35mm Rangefinder Cameras...
- Leica M Series
- Leica Screw Mt & LTM Copies (combine)
- Zeiss Ikon ZM
- Zeiss Contax
- Cosina Voitlander Bessa
- Nikon RF
- Canon RF
- Yashica, Olympus, Kodak Retina, Argus, Fixed Lens 35's, Scale Focus 35's, 35 Half Frames, 35 Stereo & Point-N-Shoot (combine and perhaps calling it Classic / Fixed Lens per JohnM's suggestion)
- Russian RF / FSU
- Xpan Fever & 35 Panor Not Xpan (combine and perhaps calling it Xpan, Fuji TX & 35mm Panorama)
- Other 35mm

Under Bigger than 35mm...
- 120 RF + Mamiya 6 & Mamiya 7 (combine and perhaps calling it Modern MF RF per Stephen's suggestion)
- 120 RF Folders
- 120 Panorama + Large Format Panoramic (combine)
- Large Format RF
- Other Bigger than 35mm (including 120 Stereo and Hand Made Cameras)

Under Miscellaneous Topic...
- Classified
- Digital Darkroom (Scanning & Printing) / Photoshop
- Traditional Darkroom & Film (combine)
- Regional Photo Clubs by Geographic area
- Critique & W/NW Words No Words (Combine)
- RFF Photo Projects
- Off Topic
- Provide Your Feedback

Nevertheless, navigation is one of the best features of RFF... Cheers, Akira

[ClaremontPhoto]

Yes, contract the various brand/format forums.

And, please start a 'Favorite Photographer' forum too.

[sjw617]

Please have ALL the panoramic forums together. The Medium and Large format sections can be a subsection of Xpan/TX. The non Xpan 35mm could also be a subsection. Please do not stick them in Other or they will dissapear.

Stephen J Walker

[back alley]

what about a 'photography' forum also?

[FrankS]

Forum contraction/rationalization is a great idea.

[dmr]

The various servicing articles that members have produced could then be "stuck" at the top of the forum and form a kind of reference manual.


I would like to see this too. I have a write-up that I did on recalibrating the GIII to use 1600 film which I have posted a few places, but it would be nice to have a permanent home for it.

Thanks :)

[1dave]

I like the ideas put forward here, but would like to add from Stephen's earlier note elsewhere, and quoted here, that some thought should be given to inclusion of these ideas. (I really like the seperate Repairs idea!)

"Rosane Rosanadana -- it's always something
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

some people will complain if there are no forum changes, others complain if the new forums are not to their liking. And yes, there will be overage between forums, and people posting in the wrong forum for their topic -- that is inevitable.

I like having choices, and I was surprised by some who don't want to have more choices in the forums.

but I do think I went overboard on the Bigger than 35 forums. Will take a look at their activity after this weekend, and consolidate a a bit.

what do you folks think of keeping the existing the Photoshop/Darkroom forum since it is so large, but adding as subforums

1) film
2) darkroom printing
3) photoshop / similar software
4) film scanning
5) digital printing

Stephen"

[Kim Coxon]

If you want a permanent home for it, I can host it on my website. It would site alongside the other servicing articles.

Kim

I would like to see this too. I have a write-up that I did on recalibrating the GIII to use 1600 film which I have posted a few places, but it would be nice to have a permanent home for it.

Thanks :)

[caffeineshutter]

I'm in favor of consolidating these forums. In breaking the number of forums down for more variety, I imagine it's made deciding 'where to post' a bit troublesome: One wants to make sure their post is read by the right people, and as readers we want to make sure we can find the right stuff.

Kudos on the tweaks.

PS: With regard to searching: Is is possible to make use of Boolean operators when doing a search? Thus far, I've used the standard interface, but I suspect it would be quicker to find posts on more obscure topics using Mr. Bool's structures.

Also, forgive me if this is redundant and I've missed a search FAQ somewhere on RFF.


- CJ

[clintock]

I like the repair forum idea too.
Could we experiment with a contax sub-forum for the kyocera types? G, T?
The contax of old and the contax G are not really all that alike except for the film size and lens names, which only makes things confusing..

[dspeltz]

Pse combine all panoramic. The camera matters less than the format, technique and photograph.

[dmr]

If you want a permanent home for it, I can host it on my website. It would site alongside the other servicing articles.

Hey, that would be super, Kim. :) Thanks. :)

What format do you want it in? Would a .html file with thumbnails and full size images, loaded by clicking on the thumbnails, be ok?

[mjflory]

I'll second (third? fourth?) the repair forum idea. Kim is right, a lot of the topics cross brands, countries, decades... The handmade/pinhole forum appeals too, though I'd have a tough time making an argument for a pinhole rangefinder...

Michael

[BronicaLee]

Repair forum is a great idea! :)

[Jon Perry]

My opinion (fwiw),

First off, I admit, I'm coming from a biased point of view. I would like to have a seperate area for the Bronica RF645 medium format rangefinder camera, and I'm guessing that others will feel the same way about their chosen 'vice'.

I do realise that the search option at the top of the page can be used to 'pull out' topics appropritate to the article you are interested in. However, these forums have a very fast turn around of articles (at the moment of writting this post the time interval between first and last displayed post on the 'Active Threads From The Forums' section on the front page is only 25 minutes!) and being able to go to a particular forum to investigate an area you are interested in, or perhaps just haven't been watching for a while, is very useful. It enables me to see at a glance if anything interesting is being discussed about an area I am interested in. Otherwise I have to scan through lots of posts or hit 'search'.

One question.

Whats wrong with having seperate forums for different 'topics' (be they cameras or techniques or whatever), Is it just because people keep posting in the wrong forums?

I'm not sure which is worse, having only one or two simple forum titles that everything gets posted in and is therefore a nightmare to sort through or having too many forums.

Jon

[tomcavanaugh]

thanks for working on this for us!

yer pal in Kal,

tc

[tomcavanaugh]

and after having read some of the other posts: seems to me you

MUSSSSSSSSSSSSSST

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESIST

URRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGE

TO

OVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRORGANIZE!!!

odd thot coming from an accountant, no?

:=)

yer pal in kal,

tc

[mike goldberg]

Hi Stephen & all,
Here's my take on some improvements:

CONSOLIDATION: Yes, there are too many Forums, and some need to be combined; others sub-divided. I for one, like the Headings in the left column; and I use Leica M, Voigtlander & Russian RF a lot.

TRENDS IN PHOTOGRAPHY: Here I do NOT mean industry hype and megapixel wars... rather, let's have a Forum on Photography as an Art Form.

The Craft of or Technique of Photography can be dealt with in Film, Development, & Scanning.

REPAIR Forum: This is a great idea, and the obvious question is how to subdivide it, with a zillion RF's out there. Perhaps there is something to be learned at Russ Pinchbeck's Kiev Survival Site.

Cheers, Mike
Jerusalem

[shutterflower]

seems reasonable.

The forums only bother me when I try to post a new thread. I generally only view RFF in the "new posts" mode, and reply to threads within that space.

We have always wanted a Bronica RF forum, but if you consolidate the other medium format rangefinders into a single forum, we might as well concede that.

All sounds good to me.

[whitecat]

I like the idea of Repair Forum. Keep up the good work, Stephen. All is appreciated.

[GeneW]

A bit of housecleaning on the forums is good.

My one wish, even though this is RFF, is for a TLR forum. Many of us shoot them alongside RF's.

Gene

[whitecat]

Another vote for a TLR forum

[jan normandale]

one more TLR here please!

[MikeL]

Cough-TLR-cough.:)

[pmu]

How about making a "test forum" where post would be automatically deleted daily?
I just tried to start a poll thread in leica-m forum but didn't know how to...yes, I saw that there was some poll-options, but didn't still know how to use it. There should be a place where these things could be tested before sending the "real" post.

[maddoc]

my vote for a TLR forum !

[akptc]

As often as the subject of "the perfect camera bag" comes up, I think it deserves its own forum :) No, seriously.

[clintock]

Should there be an 'Other Digital' in the group of forums which currently is comprised of the M8 and R-D1 forums so there will be a proper place for news of the latest Ricoh (or whoever) digicam? As it is there are lots of digicam things landing in Rangefinder general..
Or maybe do some hocus-pocus and make members here automatically members of the DSLR sister site, so the digicam posts can be moved by mods to the appropriate place over there.

[CameraQuest]

hmm
looks like a separate repair forum
we will play with it for awhile,
and modify over time as needs become apparent.

Stephen

[ray_g]

A Book Forum?