# Ken Rockwell. I should have known better. please read.



## pthrift (Aug 30, 2014)

Soooooo.....

This makes the second time I've messed myself up by putting too much trust in Ken Rockwell and his info. 

My original mistake was when I first got my DSLR, I only had it maybe a week before going on vacation. I googled as much as I could to get tips and info and such, and came across who seemed to be a wealth of great info. Mr K.R. himself. So he recommended that I should just shoot JPG since I would never be able to tell a difference between that and a raw file and I'd have a lot more room on the memory card to be able to take more shots while gone. sounded at the time like the greatest idea ever, and I was absolutely thinking this guy is a savior. 

Then I got home and started using photoshop and etc, and although it took some time, I eventually realized my mistake when it came time to edit a lot of these photos taken all in full auto. #regret. #lesson learned.


Fast foward to a month ago, I score a super deal on a Nikon d7000 (...$618 brand new at best buy. found it laying in the bottom corner of the display shelf.)

Again I google and am looking into the new menu settings and such, and I find KR.com again, and he says I can use his U1 and U2 settings by downloading the file and saving it to my camera. Now he gave the discalimer that I needed to go thru and delete his info from the copyright info in the camera and such, which I *thought* I did.   Come to find out in my noob-ness to the camera that I missed one of the locations he saved a "copyright of KR" and its embedded in some of my EXIF data. 

Is there a way to remove/replace this sort of stuff? 

I've fixed the camera from this point and am now taking my own photos but I have probably 100 or so images that appear to be taken by someone else if you check the exif data..


thanks in advance


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## snerd (Aug 30, 2014)

Google exif editor.


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## pthrift (Aug 30, 2014)

oh, well now I'm a fool x3. twice for listening to KR, and once for not having the forethought to google this myself.


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## snerd (Aug 31, 2014)

There are a few out there, but I haven't used any of them. So I can't recommend any of them.


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## pthrift (Aug 31, 2014)

Eh thats fine. I'll figure it out. I guess I had in mind to do it via photoshop or camera raw or etc 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## snerd (Aug 31, 2014)

I think I heard once that just using Windows Explorer will work on some of the basic stuff. Right-click file, Properties, Detail tab.


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## PaulWog (Aug 31, 2014)

Never listen to Ken Rockwell. Sharpness? Not important, amateur stuff! Jpeg? Yes, if you spend more than 15 seconds editing a photo you're a chump, take a look I made $5000 off of this photo and it was Jpeg, proof! Mhmm, the 24-300 is vastly superior to the 70-300 due to the convenience factor.

He has some really good points *sometimes*. If you get caught up in just one of his many misleading tidbits of misinformation, you, your bank account, and your images will suffer.


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## CameraClicker (Aug 31, 2014)

EXIFtool


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## astroNikon (Aug 31, 2014)

Does the EXIF editor fix only the photos, or does it fix the settings in the camera?

I've contemplating of downloading his stuff in the past too.  Glad I never did.


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## 480sparky (Aug 31, 2014)

KR is not 'one man who is always wrong'......

KR is one man with his own opinions.


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## CameraClicker (Aug 31, 2014)

astroNikon said:


> Does the EXIF editor fix only the photos, or does it fix the settings in the camera?
> 
> I've contemplating of downloading his stuff in the past too.  Glad I never did.



Only files on your PC.


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## pthrift (Aug 31, 2014)

astroNikon said:


> Does the EXIF editor fix only the photos, or does it fix the settings in the camera?
> 
> I've contemplating of downloading his stuff in the past too.  Glad I never did.


The camera settings are easy to fix, as is removing all his info. I just missed some of it stowed away in a comments section. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## pthrift (Aug 31, 2014)

480sparky said:


> KR is not 'one man who is always wrong'......
> 
> KR is one man with his own opinions.


This is true, and he takes a lot of heat for having his own opinions.  

But apparently they work for him, as he (appears) to be very successful at what he does

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## Derrel (Aug 31, 2014)

Ken's opinions are his own....and he "owns" them!!! His stuff is a mix of sincere, good, solid advice, at one end, and deliberately controversial, and even idiotic snark, on the other end. His pieve on "the Leica man" was absolutely HILARIOUS!!!! He nailed the smugger-than-thou, price-is-not-a-concern, I must always have the best nature of the Leicaphile in that one...oh my, what a doozy! The early digital era Ken Rockwell was sooooooooo full of chit it was...ridiculous! he failed to switch to digital for several years, when the entire world was moving to it, and his advice from that era was utterly idiotic when it related to how to make digital pictures. Eventually, he dropped his obsession with film and his loathing of digital, and went ALL-digital, but has since gone back to film, and he dropped his Nikon-only prejudices and is multi-brand now (Canon, Fuji,Leica,Nikon, iPhone). He's a fun read for me, because I can separate the wheat from the chaff on my own, but for beginners and intermediate shooters, following his advice without doing research is I think, very dicey.I find his writings to be entertaining and amusing much of the time.


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## pthrift (Aug 31, 2014)

Derrel said:


> Ken's opinions are his own....and he "owns" them!!! His stuff is a mix of sincere, good, solid advice, at one end, and deliberately controversial, and even idiotic snark, on the other end. His pieve on "the Leica man" was absolutely HILARIOUS!!!! He nailed the smugger-than-thou, price-is-not-a-concern, I must always have the best nature of the Leicaphile in that one...oh my, what a doozy! The early digital era Ken Rockwell was sooooooooo full of chit it was...ridiculous! he failed to switch to digital for several years, when the entire world was moving to it, and his advice from that era was utterly idiotic when it related to how to make digital pictures. Eventually, he dropped his obsession with film and his loathing of digital, and went ALL-digital, but has since gone back to film, and he dropped his Nikon-only prejudices and is multi-brand now (Canon, Fuji,Leica,Nikon, iPhone). He's a fun read for me, because I can separate the wheat from the chaff on my own, but for beginners and intermediate shooters, following his advice without doing research is I think, very dicey.I find his writings to be entertaining and amusing much of the time.


I've noticed that he seems to have gotten away from nikon only, I was looking into a sigma lens and happened to see he had a review.  My memory said he hated all non - nikon lenses so I was thinking I was in for some good bashing;  but I was surprised to see he seemed to think it was a good value priced lens; so long as you understood the inherent limits (I was looking into the sigma 150-500)


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## 480sparky (Aug 31, 2014)

Derrel said:


> ........ and deliberately controversial, and even idiotic snark, on the other end..........



Like this *NSFW* page!!!!


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## pthrift (Aug 31, 2014)

480sparky said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > ........ and deliberately controversial, and even idiotic snark, on the other end..........
> ...


Lmao

Oh my! So THAT'S where they come from. I didn't realize.  



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## Derrel (Aug 31, 2014)

480sparky said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > ........ and deliberately controversial, and even idiotic snark, on the other end..........
> ...



Yes, a PERFECT example of one of the many Ken Rockwell idiotic, snark-filled, B.S. "*articles*" I was thinking about. That one is a classic!


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## Overread (Aug 31, 2014)

Ahh Ken - a master at self promotion and at realising that the best way to get attention on the net is to be nuts not sane .

Also a fantastic example of why "Googling it" doesn't work - and can backfire! 


Ken is like Digital Rev - except that you can't always tell when' he's serious from when he's joking to when he's just being opinionated.


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## pthrift (Aug 31, 2014)

Overread said:


> Ahh Ken -
> ....a fantastic example of why "Googling it" doesn't work - and can backfire!
> 
> ...you can't always tell when' he's serious from when he's joking to when he's just being opinionated.



This! Definitely.  

My biggest trouble is always that I'm not sure of his tone in his posts- they all read the same. 

(except the one that's nsfw from earlier)





Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## 480sparky (Aug 31, 2014)

pthrift said:


> This! Definitely.
> 
> My biggest trouble is always that I'm not sure of his tone in his posts- they all read the same.
> 
> ...




Take his opinion the same as you would anyone's here.... it's *just one person's opinion*.

KR is *not* _The Authority_ on the craft any more than anyone here is.





Sent from MyOuthouse using ToiletPaper 2.31


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## pthrift (Aug 31, 2014)

That's a good point, but again- I can usually read better into someone being snarky or amusing or serious here than I can with his website.  A lot of that has to do with the actual personal interactions we have here.


Side note: I can appreciate your posting locality

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## robbins.photo (Aug 31, 2014)

480sparky said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > ........ and deliberately controversial, and even idiotic snark, on the other end..........
> ...



Ok, granted it's been a while since health class but I'm pretty sure that's not how it works.  That's not how any of that stuff works.. lol


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## pthrift (Aug 31, 2014)

robbins.photo said:


> 480sparky said:
> 
> 
> > Derrel said:
> ...


I would like to read the unknowing 6th graders report from this well done research however

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## 480sparky (Aug 31, 2014)

robbins.photo said:


> Ok, granted it's been a while since health class but I'm pretty sure that's not how it works.  That's not how any of that stuff works.. lol


You mean the story about the stork is *TRUE*?


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## robbins.photo (Aug 31, 2014)

480sparky said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, granted it's been a while since health class but I'm pretty sure that's not how it works.  That's not how any of that stuff works.. lol
> ...



Well no, I wouldn't go that route.. but I'm pretty sure mommy is not ending up in the family way in the manner described - since it describes two entry pathways that could not result in such a thing at all.  Also I'm pretty sure the theory of Preformationism hasn't actually been taken seriously since somewhere back in the mid 1600's.

Lol


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## 480sparky (Aug 31, 2014)

robbins.photo said:


> Well no, I wouldn't go that route.. but I'm pretty sure mommy is not ending up in the family way in the manner described - since it describes two entry pathways that could not result in such a thing at all.  Also I'm pretty sure the theory of Preformationism hasn't actually been taken seriously since somewhere back in the mid 1600's.
> 
> Lol



I dunno. He describes _one_ method that I'm sure caused the creation of a few people I know.  Let's just say they are referred to by a name that is also a method he describes.


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## astroNikon (Aug 31, 2014)

I like watching DigitalRev.  At least they show you what they are talking about and you understand when they are joking, hopefully.


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## minicoop1985 (Aug 31, 2014)

I did exactly this, but not because I listened to Ken Rockwell...  I had no idea my 7D had this feature. At least I was only taking shots for my eBay stuff... 

So... who else uses auto everything? Everyone? All the professionals ever? I'm sure Ansel Adams was an avid Auto mode fan, since the almighty Ken Rockwell is too. I mean look at the man's photos. LOOK AT THEM. THEY'RE... PHOTOS. YEAH. AND STUFF. LOUD NOISES.


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## JimMcClain (Aug 31, 2014)

pthrift said:


> Soooooo.....
> 
> This makes the second time I've messed myself up by putting too much trust in Ken Rockwell and his info.
> 
> My original mistake was when I first got my DSLR, I only had it maybe a week before going on vacation. I googled as much as I could to get tips and info and such, and came across who seemed to be a wealth of great info. Mr K.R. himself. So he recommended that I should just shoot JPG since I would never be able to tell a difference between that and a raw file and I'd have a lot more room on the memory card to be able to take more shots while gone. sounded at the time like the greatest idea ever, and I was absolutely thinking this guy is a savior.


After got my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200, I realized my long dormant hobby was going to come to life big-time. I was doing research to figure out what camera I was going to move up to when I started looking at Nikons and Canons. My research led me to Rockwell - he had some "manual" on the D5xxx, or something and several other sources recommended him. At the time, I knew just enough about photography to get me in trouble. But one of the first things I read of his writings was what you mentioned above. I am amateur enough to know I need help, but experienced enough to know I need to stay away from his site. Too much BS for a guy who wants to believe some pros also make good teachers. Maybe he's okay for those who know what wheat is and what chaff is in regards to photography. A lot of us don't. I'm not much of a gambler.

Jim


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## robbins.photo (Aug 31, 2014)

minicoop1985 said:


> I did exactly this, but not because I listened to Ken Rockwell...  I had no idea my 7D had this feature. At least I was only taking shots for my eBay stuff...
> 
> So... who else uses auto everything? Everyone? All the professionals ever? I'm sure Ansel Adams was an avid Auto mode fan, since the almighty Ken Rockwell is too. I mean look at the man's photos. LOOK AT THEM. THEY'RE... PHOTOS. YEAH. AND STUFF. LOUD NOISES.



I think some additional fanfare is needed here... give me a second and I'll see about whipping up some confetti and maybe a few explosives.. lol


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## SCraig (Sep 1, 2014)

Anyone reading his web site should also take note of his "About" page wherein he clearly states that the information on the site is a work of fiction and only his opinion.  Unfortunately the content on his site does come across as being factual and inexperienced people tend to believe some of the nonsense.


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## sonicbuffalo (Sep 1, 2014)

I think you must al realize something.  KR gets a commision for every time someone 'clicks' from his site directly to one of his stores, and buys that item.  Why would he want to bad mouth anyone, anymore?  I think he'll tell you anything for a buck.


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## Braineack (Sep 1, 2014)

He's actually really smart:  his website is crap, doesn't give you any real info, has incredible page rankings, and makes a bucket ton of money for basically free.


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## pthrift (Sep 1, 2014)

Braineack said:


> He's actually really smart:  his website is crap, doesn't give you any real info, has incredible page rankings, and makes a bucket ton of money for basically free.


Agreed.  You google most anything nikon related and he shows up on the first page

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4; probably while slacking off at work


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## tecboy (Sep 1, 2014)

Looks like Ken Rockwell is making a lot of money.  Buyer Beware: Ken Rockwell


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## timor (Sep 1, 2014)

There is a saying: "fool me once and it's your fault, fool me twice and is my". 
But KR is clear about his actions, he just rides the wave he didn't created, wanna be photographers did. Most sales people in camera stores will tell even more amazing stories and pass them as a truth just to sell *the gear*. The one, which will make from anyone top photographer.
And this applies to many, many more products of our industry.


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## SpikeyJohnson (Sep 1, 2014)

I learned quickly that Ken wasn't very spot on in all of the information he gives out.  I love the rant Jared Polin went on about KR.  If he is doing what he is doing and making money good for him.  Sadly I don't think he should be doing any education of new photographers.  I'm glad that I found good photographers to learn from via the internet (good ol' TPF, AdoramaTV, BHPhoto Youtube, Matt Granger, and a few others).


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## tecboy (Sep 1, 2014)

I'm confused,  he said he is a one man opinion and his website is fictional, and his is giving back to the community and asking for donation.  What sort of evidences is he giving back to community?


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## AlanKlein (Sep 1, 2014)

If you read his stuff on how to create better photos and be a better photographer, you'll find he's pretty much right on. 
How to Take Better Pictures


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## tecboy (Sep 1, 2014)

Yep, he is pretty right on about jpeg, but I still shoot RAW regardless what he said.


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## runnah (Sep 1, 2014)

The sooner you stop listening to people like this the better.

Once you get the technical aspects down it's all on you to be creative. Reading blogs is a huge waste of time.


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## tecboy (Sep 1, 2014)

His quote makes me laugh.  "Tell them I sent you."


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## minicoop1985 (Sep 2, 2014)

tecboy said:


> His quote makes me laugh.  "Tell them I sent you."



Technically, it worked, didn't it? We're talking about him, aren't we?


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## Derrel (Sep 2, 2014)

tecboy said:


> Looks like Ken Rockwell is making a lot of money.  Buyer Beware: Ken Rockwell



OMFG, now THAT was a hilarious article!!! I laughed my ass off! That guy has some serious issues. I bet he has a running prescription for anti-anxiety meds, most likely Pfizer's *antipantybunchupamathorphine*, 20 mg. tabs.. It helps, when one tries to take down one of _the giants of the internet_, to have antipantybunchupamathorphine running through one's veins.


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## timor (Sep 2, 2014)

For more entertainment: 
KEN Rockwell is Dangerous to Photography: FroKnowsPhoto RAWtalk #082 | Fro Knows Photo
Two yoyos who can't concentrate on any topic they start have a "discussion" (I am old generation, is *that* supposed to be funny ?).


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## Derrel (Sep 2, 2014)

Yeah, Fro's videos are difficult to watch...too much self-absobed rambling, chitty scripts (if they even have scripts), and endless yammering, and half-baked guests. Wayyyyyyy too much tangential B.S. to make it worth the time to sit through to, maybe, gain something of value. I watched about 20 minutes of that video a few weeks back, then turned it off in disgust, upset that I had wasted so much time listening to those two guys blather on about the $5,000 ergonomic/hipster office chairs they managed to finagle out of a chair manufacturer in exchange for a bunch of fawning and raving about the chairs in a broadcast episode. Yeah...Rockwell...he's out there. He is what he is. Getting bent about it like Fro does is comical.


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## timor (Sep 2, 2014)

^^^ 
So, there is Ken Rockwell doing his thing and there are guys ranting about him. All works well for photo industry. . And that's the point, cash flow. Not the pictures. .


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