HelsinkiZim

1 minute ago, dhessel said:

It doesn't matter what you think or what any of us thinks. None of us have all the facts yet, none of use know what the IP data is like, none of use have seen all the PM's. When you start convicting people in the court of public opinion, assiging guilt and threatening people it is very dangerious. I know what your opinion about what happened is but what about the off chance you are wrong and ES is also a victim in this too. Maybe it is someone close to him that he cares about and doesn't know what to do, who knows non of us do for sure. That is the problem.

... and yes, issues of online identity and transparency are also of question here.

2 minutes ago, tweak said:

What the hell is going on here? Don't tell me some people still somehow think he's telling the truth?...

i gave a sympathy message just in case...

... but I am certain this is a purely and poorly executed scam.

Either way, I am fascinated about the questions it raises about trading expensive kit and human nature amongst 'digital communities'.

... but we seemed to have moved on from the serious crimes to Ed's demons.

Funny how stories progess:/

27 minutes ago, Grimor said:

Only need someone who translate. Maybe the script of "ES, The Movie" (a Eoshd colaboration production).

Or new Bourne coming up feature, with Matt Damon in Egipt

Ok. I sent the letter to my Arabic friend who has translated all of my work I have done on the migrant crisis and she says this looks like some rubbish written by a kid. I did not even give her context. Her message said "its something about a stolen camera, but it looks like it was written by a child".

I could ask her for a word for word translation but that would make me look stupid.

6 minutes ago, Ed_David said:

I just reviewed my private message exchange with ES.  I was being a dick.

I suck.

I'm out.

 

 

You're not being as much as a dick as you think.

You're having fun - being honest.

But unsure at who's expense.

Which is making you nervous.

It's a gamble. You've staked your claim on this being bullshit.

Relax and see how the dice fall.

7 minutes ago, Grimor said:

Only need someone who translate. Maybe the script of "ES, The Movie" (a Eoshd colaboration production).

Or new Bourne coming up feature, with Matt Damon in Egipt

I have a friend who can translate this but I didn't even want  to bother her because it looks bullshit. But I asked and I will let you know...

1 minute ago, tweak said:

Mark iii can shoot 1080. 7D gets close enough to 1080 in my opinion. If you shoot anamorphic you can also shoot above 1080 with 7D in 4:3 mode.

Are there any record limit times when filming on mark III in Raw? What is the data rate?

1 hour ago, tweak said:

Here's a great page for you - http://rbrune.github.io/mlraw/

I also still use GH4 when I need a faster turnaround or the film like quality isn't as important. I get about 30mins on a 128GB with sound, I have 2 of them (so 60mins). I also got an 500GB external SSD to edit with, so much better than regular HDDs.

ahh, so 1080 resolution is the big sacrifice. Even at mark III level.

1 minute ago, Ed_David said:

I didnt go back.

The deal we made was afterwards.Its tough to explain on this android.

I revised what i wrote to make it make more sense.

Let me know what you think.

I think you are a talisman of this community as you are a talented, working individual who understands the plight of the start up guys. Many are simply shocked to see raw emotion from from an idol, but also vindicated that you are simply human. It was an emotional roller-coaster and it was nice to ride it with you.

Don't feel bad.

42 minutes ago, HelsinkiZim said:

“I mean, do I have an ending… my thoughts about the case and about who is lying and why, have not been fixed over the course of this story. Several times I have landed on a decision and stayed there with relief, and then inevitably I learn something that I did’nt know before and I am up-ended… sometimes the reversal happens within hours. What’s astonishing to me is how the back and forth hasn’t let up after all of this time. I am learning new information all of the time…" - Serial podcast, Episode 12: What we know 3min mark

Can I get an Amen on that POV?

I'm gonna quote myself.

All of you hating on Ed READ IT!!!

3 minutes ago, dhessel said:

Any your point is what that is is our job to deliever punishment for this crime? 

Our job is to turn this into video somehow. Some, like Ed, have tried and it shows their affinity with the medium. Yje rest of us need to figure out how to make this video. That is our job. Question via moving image. All of us are happy to be niche Redditors.

1 minute ago, Matt Kieley said:

I'm not trying to hire investigators or journalists, I'm just going to stop buying stuff on forums. I just hope people learn something about the criminal mind. I'll leave it up to the victims to report it to whatever authorities (Interpol?) can handle it.

That is KEY to the real argument and the nerves being touched here is - gear is expensive and who is regulating these second hand purchases for 500  to 1 000 grand plus?

I lived in Johannesburg, and someone from a township who works way harder than you, will never earn around 250 dollars a month - with 3 hours travel to and from work. It is not outrageous that a smart group of kids learnt how to speak our language and exploited our Hail Ceasa-ri-sm for anyone with a strong and 'well informed' opinion.

3 minutes ago, Matt Kieley said:

Nothing...except that devious facebook message. And the crime itself. But no, you're right, there's nothing at all to indicate that. Con artists/sociopaths commit their crimes for the thrill, not money. And compulsive liars, con artists, sociopaths, serial killers will say/do anything to remove suspicion from themselves. You know what one of the Hillside Stranglers did when his wife got suspicious of him? He pretended to have cancer. He didn't just say he had cancer, he would have his wife drop him off at the hospital, go in without her, wander around for 8 hours, steal medications and medical forms and forge documents. He did this for over a year. The guy the movie "I Love You Philip Morris" is based on successfully faked dying of AIDS to escape from prison. You guys can believe and trust Ebrahim, or whoever is posing as him if you want, but I don't. 

I kind of agree that a simple video message shot on a phone would shut everyone up. But then we get into demanding proof, which is not our job, it would just satisfy our curiosity- and then it gets into a weird space for the person as they are facially recognizable. Its just weird all around.

3 minutes ago, mercer said:

So wait, you were badgering him on Instagram and that's what led to his confession today? But even though he said he would confess, he still held strong to the story that he didn't do it but agreed to do it because you were extorting him? Do you know what you just admitted to? 

Ed got deep with this yo. But so did we all.

“I mean, do I have an ending… my thoughts about the case and about who is lying and why, have not been fixed over the course of this story. Several times I have landed on a decision and stayed there with relief, and then inevitably I learn something that I did’nt know before and I am up-ended… sometimes the reversal happens within hours. What’s astonishing to me is how the back and forth hasn’t let up after all of this time. I am learning new information all of the time…" - Serial podcast, Episode 12: What we know 3min mark

Can I get an Amen on that POV?

I am going to do something unprecedented.

I am going to include you all on my 'shopping list' for a new company I am setting up.

I have spent many months (and months) narrowing down what I am going to buy for my new company and basically here it is.

I cam to the conclusion that I will invest next to nothing in the company camera. I will rent per project.

Some decisions sound silly to some, but tell me why. I am starting from scratch. I am filming corporate promos, have already done some work in this city but will be expanding.

My priority is movement of the camera, and then image quality.

XLR inputs and ND filters do not justify spending 2 grand more - but they are covered.

It is Europe orientated. Please acknowledge my vulnerability in posting such an acute detailed analysis of my thoughts and don't simply dismiss my thoughts altogether as I would like to know why you think I have over budgeted for one things and not others.

Anyways, have a look... or not...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ggvEMr4NXU0uprcwR2h9J99xBbfRf7l3Yu4tSACriIc/edit?usp=sharing

37 minutes ago, tweak said:

Well you mean 7D or 7DMK2? Because as far as I'm aware MK2 doesn't shoot Raw video and the regular video it shoots is pretty crappy in comparison to a MCC.

I've just started shooting 7D MLraw coming from a GH4 and I'm really happy with it. I don't seem to have many problems with it other than you need a lot of space, I just got some 128GB Lexars now and I'm sorted, really happy to shoot and learn more from this camera.

I am moving from a GH4 myself, well not moving, just looking for a raw b-cam. So how many minutes do you get on 128GB?

And so again I go full circle. But not malicious, just retrospective.

I had a simple idea, so many people talk about the contributions made by this individual and the stark contrast that is to the recent admission by a teenager.

I just wanted to satisfy my own mind about these contributions so I did a quick search for duplicate content on the web. The first thing I learnt about digital marketing was that duplicate content is very bad. It is bad because it is unnatural to the search engines and this will be penalised in the serps, and thus, your website will not rank well.

So I looked at old comments made by the user and, going back as far as 2015, many of the 'enlightening' post are in fact duplicated on multiple blogs and forums. Every opinion seems to be copied and pasted onto about 3 - 5 websites. Once the original post is made, it is repeated on other sites over the next few days.

It is not a bot, but it is an individual who is not acting naturally,  but unnaturally.

Oh well, I guess we will never know for sure, but you have to be careful because this could be the tip of an iceberg of a community of forum users that build up reps to scam as a full time job. For Christs sake there are bitcoin mining factories in China, why the hell would it be less difficult to have a forum posting factory that snipes off people with a Red or lens here and there and then dumps the account. Isn't it weird that opinions given were almost like a school lecture, I mean, that is stuff you can easily write up from specs and watching reviews.

Am I alone in thinking, if this is not the case, then the future is not looking good for forum scams? Dont we need to have a talk about this?

I would like to know what you would decide to purchase if you wanted a camera strictly for its DR purposes and usability.

It is not for documentary or anything run and gun, but controlled set ups. They are paid set ups, so reliability is important.

I like the idea of the 7D because it can be used for other purposes, but the Micro CC is strictly a video only machine.

What things are deal breakers for most of you that use or have used Magic Lantern RAW in the real world?

Ebrahim, if you are thinking of suicide, don't because that is silly and this is not that big a deal to anyone in this community.

But you and your family need to sit down and have a talk, because our support does not matter. What matters is that your elders need to find you some kind of legal representation to guide you through paying the money back and to also find you counseling, like, tomorrow.

Coming forward was the first step, but as an adult that is not enough. You need to follow through and make sure things do not get worse for you from a legal and mental perspective.

Other than that, I wouldn't beat yourself up, we have all been there. I apologise if I was was unsympathetic to you, but I have lived in Africa for most of my life and WAAAY too much personal information has been revealed in this thread, so you guys have to be careful now. Even the authorities are not really the authorities, and I know you know what I mean by that.

I hope you and your family recover from this horrible ordeal.

Just now, Ed_David said:

Have some respect, man.  He's a  kid who made a really stupid mistake.

I would maybe have done the same if my sister needed an operation and in my culture asking for money is equivalent to begging and maybe he didn't want his family to know about it all.

It was a stupid idea, but we've all been there when we have been desperate.

Show some empathy, man!

I didn't mean I hope they do that, I said I hope they DON'T do that. I am just pointing out a fact here. 

But no, I DO NOT wish anyone gets in big trouble, I just hope they know the levity of what they did.

2 minutes ago, Ebrahim Saadawi said:

This is Ebrahim Ebrahim Saadawi junior. The 19 year-old one. 

I'll do the right thing and end this investigation and reputation travesty.

I lied. I scammed these three people out of the lens payment money. around 600$ 300$ each as you can see in their posts. 

I was desperate. I actually needed the cash to pay for my sister's pregnancy operation and hospital fees and just found no other way to do it other than let her face death at home. 

I lied. And I am sorry to all of those involved. I am a kid and I do stupid things. 

But let's end this please as it's giving me severe depression and now understand how teenagers could take their lives about cyber bullying but now I totally understand. It's unexplainably hurtful to be in a spot of shame and mockery. 

I love this place and spend some of my funnest time here and I made a lot of friends, learnt and contributed to thousands of people with love and passion. 

Now I lost all of it for a stupid childish mistake. 

I think confessing is the right thing to do. 

I will make this right. I will send the lens to Tomas and Tim for now. The two agreed to have it and sell it and split the cash and let it be. 

And I really, really, promise I will refund the rest through every penny I make. In small amounts of in large. As much as I can. I like to think you know me enough to trust me,

I am deeply sorry. 

I am sorry to everyone. If I have one request, just for the sake of our long friendship and my contributions here with Andrew over three years, is that I really really want this thread to get deleted as I just can't take this anymore. it's destroying me. 

This is the whole simple truth for everyone who's been searching for it in these 250 posts. You now have it. So please, I urge you to stop. 

This is my confession, so that I can finally be able to sleep at night with a clear conscious. 

I can't type any more in this state of tears and tremors and will fall asleep now knowing that I did and will do the right thing no matter what the consequences might be.

But I sincerely hope that I wake up in the morning and find this topic non existent. And let me deal with those involved privately in PM. Please. I beg you, Andrew. 

I will make this right and return anything I've taken to those who were hurt. I am sorry.


*This has nothing to do with my grandfather Ebrahim Saadawi Sr and any guilt is completely upon me. 

 

O M G

So, I was right. It was someone in the Saawadi Building. That's international wire fraud my friend. Hope these guys don't put the feds on you.

3 minutes ago, mercer said:

You know this isn't a horrible idea. Whoever is behind this scam is a lowlife piece of shit. I don't like the idea of low life pieces of shit bringing me down, so why not turn this whole thing into something positive? If not, a group project... Maybe a micro short contest? This site should have contests anyway. 

Of course the way this is turning out Ebrahim would probably end up winning...

Alright, Ill start looking into it...

The key is just to do an honest account of what has happened and ask a few questions about internet fraud, online identity, the consumer camera revolution/ obsession and what could possibly be the solution for all of this. It shouldn't be exploitative, and it should aim to actually vindicate the accusedl.

So who is making the short true crime spoof video of the thread?

Should it be a group effort, a EOSHD collaboration?

I dibs being producer! I organise everything if others want to do something...

Think about it, we have all backstory - the forum posts, pictures - it could be 90% screen grabs.

Someone could write the script, I could give it a try and someone more experienced could re-write it. I am thinking really short, like 5 to 10 mins.

It doesn't even need to be a spoof, it could be a real attempt at doing something interesting here.

DSLR scandal of the decade!

I hate even being involved in this, because its not going to end well and its the worst side of human behavior.

He said he will refund the money, apparently he makes that amount in 3 days, so all folks can do is wait and see if he immediately contacts these victims and arranges some kind of solution.

If he doesn't then, I think you should be talking to someone else in the Saawadi Building who is obviously pissed off at the account holder.

I'll drop it now. I feel dirty.

I hope everyone finds a happy solution... but my god its like a true crime story unfolding.

14 minutes ago, mercer said:

Let us know what he says. 

Guys, someone has committed a FEDERAL CRIME! It is international wire fraud. Doesn't matter how much the amount was, in fact it is about a months wages for someone with an decent job. We forget that when we throw big money at all this equipment. Get back into reality.

Give the details to the victims, who should go to the authorities. This is a big and dangerous world we are in these days.

Please don't take it further.

It's all so random, so cold, so quiet, so perfect...

You just don't get the impression that it is a real person managing all of these social media portals:

http://ebrahimsaadawi.blogspot.fi/

https://plus.google.com/+EbrahimSaadawi/posts

https://www.instagram.com/ebrahimsaadawi/

The only thing organic about his social media presence are his forum posts.