Whimberley, Jobu, Mongoose???

[MarkW]

I am not here to defend my choice of equiptment that I use but to answer a question asked....... yet you seem to want to pick fault with something that you have not even used.....

The point of this thread is somebody asking for experience with Wimberley, Jobu or Mongoose products for use with long glass - Arcatech wasn't actually mentioned. I have a wimberley side kick on a 500mm - this meets the context of the thread.

I'm not trying to pick at your gear but you chimed in and said that you use this even though it doesnt meet the context of the thread. If you don't want a suggestion critically examined then why post the details. Just because I haven't laid out the dollars to buy this product doesn't mean I can't critically assess how it will operate, FFS it a simple hinged head - it aint rocket science. I did give you the opportunity to tell me something about it which may not have been apparent - but now you state its no different to a ball head. Why get your pants in a knot.

[ricktas]

The point of this thread is somebody asking for experience with Wimberley, Jobu or Mongoose products for use with long glass - Arcatech wasn't actually mentioned. I have a wimberley side kick on a 500mm - this meets the context of the thread.

I'm not trying to pick at your gear but you chimed in and said that you use this even though it doesnt meet the context of the thread. If you don't want a suggestion critically examined then why post the details. Just because I haven't laid out the dollars to buy this product doesn't mean I can't critically assess how it will operate, FFS it a simple hinged head - it aint rocket science. I did give you the opportunity to tell me something about it which may not have been apparent - but now you state its no different to a ball head. Why get your pants in a knot.

Didn't realise it was against the site rules to offer other alternatives. The attitude coming through in some of the posts here is not all that nice.

[MarkW]

Didn't realise it was against the site rules to offer other alternatives. The attitude coming through in some of the posts here is not all that nice.

You're all for wanting us to critique photos, but hell no don't dare critique what somebody else suggests using as kit. Even if that might stop somebody making a large financial outlay to end up with a lump of very expensive alloy that doesn't do what's wanted or needed. Thats more important than saying "nice photo" or "the shadows could be lightened".

I'm a Mechanical Engineer - I critique machinery and equipment for a living and photographic gear is no different for any other machinery - this is what I do. I don't upload endless quanitities of meaningless photos waiting for somebody to tell me what I already know -to me that's pointless. These days I don't get anything out of this website other than an occassional laugh and a bit of a read, but I give back in terms of almost 40 years of engineering and photographic experience.

In saying this, I seem to be the round peg in the square hole - Rick if you don't like my attitude then say it to me, don't just make generalisations and I shall forthwith terminate my membership its no loss to me. As a public website I don't have to log on and the membership can do without whilst the benefit of looking is still there.

[CherylB]

Mark, I feel a certain obligation here to offer some independent observation on the way this thread has moved.

The original poster asked for advice on specific brands of heads, and has been duly given advice in one of the brands mentioned, as well as a couple of other suggestions that were not specifically mentioned. The fact they were not specifically mentioned could well be that mrDooba was not aware of the brands, or that he was being somewhat general and didn't feel the need to list every possible brand. In either case (or any other), it is somewhat irrelevant. There is no issue with people suggesting other brands (whether specifically asked for or not) if, in their experience, it does the same job and meets the needs of the people who use them. As mrDooba was not explicit in his requirements as to how exactly he would be using the head, there has to be a certain amount of generalisation.

You are free to discuss ("critique") the technical merits (or otherwise) based on your experience of using a particular brand of head, and in your case, your years of experience in an engineering field. It is expected however, that you do so in a civilised and respectful manner. Your manner of expressing your experience (and opinions, I might add) comes across in a very heavy-handed way. It may not be that this was your intent, but this is the result.

To all members: please consider your responses, and that not everyone will agree with your assessment of any given piece of equipment. Everyone is free to make their own decision on equipment choices without pressure.

[ricktas]

You're all for wanting us to critique photos, but hell no don't dare critique what somebody else suggests using as kit. Even if that might stop somebody making a large financial outlay to end up with a lump of very expensive alloy that doesn't do what's wanted or needed. Thats more important than saying "nice photo" or "the shadows could be lightened".

I'm a Mechanical Engineer - I critique machinery and equipment for a living and photographic gear is no different for any other machinery - this is what I do. I don't upload endless quanitities of meaningless photos waiting for somebody to tell me what I already know -to me that's pointless. These days I don't get anything out of this website other than an occassional laugh and a bit of a read, but I give back in terms of almost 40 years of engineering and photographic experience.

In saying this, I seem to be the round peg in the square hole - Rick if you don't like my attitude then say it to me, don't just make generalisations and I shall forthwith terminate my membership its no loss to me. As a public website I don't have to log on and the membership can do without whilst the benefit of looking is still there.

Mark, using the abbreviation of FFS is not offering critique of an item, it is a direct agitating reply to something another member said, it offers nothing to the thread but incite anger from the person it was directed at. If you wish to have your account removed, PM and I will do it!

[MarkW]

Mark, using the abbreviation of FFS is not offering critique of an item, it is a direct agitating reply to something another member said, it offers nothing to the thread but incite anger from the person it was directed at. If you wish to have your account removed, PM and I will do it!

Yea and thats after I've been accused of being over critical and attacking somebodies choice of gear. Maybe by that time I am getting agitated by another's accusations when in actual fact I provided an unemmotional assessment of a piece of kit. I don't care who owns it, what it costs, what brand it is etc etc. If its not the best choice I will say so.

I'm not going to change the way I write an assessment I give on mechanical bits, its unemotional, it deals in facts not fanatsy. If the gear is not up to the job or has a serious flaw to the way it is being used I will say so. We're not dealing with children here, they're adults - they should be able to accept a factual discussion on their equipment without somebody crying that I'm being too hard on an inanimate object (not them personally). If I'm wrong in an assessment, maybe because I don't know all the specifics, then I am happy to be educated and I will go and learn the new bit of info and how it makes a change. If this in turn makes it a great bit of kit then I will say so. I'm not biased, I just call a spade a spade. I don't make sugar coated statements cuase somebody might have purchsed gear thats really not up to it.

If you don't like this then you terminate my membership your call