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wooster

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I really enjoy their reviews but when they take the camera out of the lab for shooting I'm often underwhelmed by the sample images they show at the end. Most of them seem to be not very helpful for assessment of the camera. I'm not saying DPreview is a bad review site, just a bit baffled by their images.

It does make me wonder how many other review sites to take with a pinch of salt.I know he has a habit of reviewing camera's without seeing them but when he actually does take a picture, at least Ken Rockwell's pictures are in focus and properly exposed and executed.
 
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Their website sucks IMO and I wouldn't trust their review scores. Their video reviews are only worth watching now because the guys from TCStv joined them, before that their video reviews sucked too.
 
Cagey75 said:
Their website sucks IMO and I wouldn't trust their review scores. Their video reviews are only worth watching now because the guys from TCStv joined them, before that their video reviews sucked too.
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Yes I do like that guy. Chris isn't it?
 
There are many kind of reviewers, there are the DXO marks of the world and there are Kai W of the world.

Looks like you prefer Dustin Abbot more than Kai W if you are after technical images.
 
It's not so much the style of review that bothers me. It's the sample images. If they are to be of any use to help us evaluate a camera they need to be properly executed. In focus. Properly exposed. No camera shake. I'm not saying they should be high art but they should get just the very basics right so we can judge how the camera performs. Many of the ones I've seen on DPR don't seem to me to see these requirements. Kai is more a mouth and a face than a review IMHO
 
wooster said:
Yes I do like that guy. Chris isn't it?
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Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake, the video guy aye. I watched them for years on TCS, was a bit odd to see them move to DPR, but they have managed to keep the exact same formula. They seem to be given free reign on their video take reviews, they just have to refer you to the DPR site now and written review within those videos. They did it for the money of course, but I wouldn't say they sold out, because they continue to be as straight up as ever. It's different guys doing the written reviews

The new TCS reviewers suck, the girl is Jordan's wife, the only reason I can think of she got the job. They are more akin to the type of reviewer you'd normally see from these photo magazines
 
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wooster said:
It's not so much the style of review that bothers me. It's the sample images. If they are to be of any use to help us evaluate a camera they need to be properly executed. In focus. Properly exposed. No camera shake. I'm not saying they should be high art but they should get just the very basics right so we can judge how the camera performs. Many of the ones I've seen on DPR don't seem to me to see these requirements. Kai is more a mouth and a face than a review IMHO
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You’d love Manny Ortiz then.
 
Cagey75 said:
The new TCS reviewers suck, the girl is Jordan's wife, the only reason I can think of she got the job. They are more akin to the type of reviewer you'd normally see from these photo magazines
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A bit wooden and scripted at present isn't it? Worth giving it time though. There's a couple of youtube channels I watch that if you go back to their first videos they were pretty awful too so it could come good. They do seem to get good early access to gear.
 
gad-westy said:
A bit wooden and scripted at present isn't it? Worth giving it time though. There's a couple of youtube channels I watch that if you go back to their first videos they were pretty awful too so it could come good. They do seem to get good early access to gear.
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They just remind me of those magazine youtube reviews from about 10 years back, nothing flashy, just straight forward [which isn't a bad thing in itself] but very boring and awkward in their presentation. I don't feel like they have any chemistry between them, but maybe they just need more time as you say. Gordain Laing's old videos were like that, I remember wondering where the heck did they find this guy? Turns out he IS Cameralabs, he owns the company :D
 
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I like to look at sample pictures but only as a guide for easily seen things such as the shape of bokeh balls, cats eyes and the like. With a lot of other stuff I'd rather read or hear what someone has to say rather than rely on pictures of people or places I've never seen and lighting conditions I can't be sure about. I do tend to download a few raws though to look at noise etc but generally I do like a good written review which includes balanced views and an opinion.
 
Cagey75 said:
Their website sucks IMO and I wouldn't trust their review scores. Their video reviews are only worth watching now because the guys from TCStv joined them, before that their video reviews sucked too.
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Do you know I have got into the habit of respecting DPR but when I consider it, you're right. I like Chris but they do seem to have also grabbed a lot of ex- mag journos who strike me as British posh lads working in photography at the moment and in a couple of years time it will be a hi-fi review site and then motoring mags.
 
Very pretty but I'm not that mad keen on watching him posing around with his camera for more than half the video before he gets to the point.
 
wooster said:
Very pretty but I'm not that mad keen on watching him posing around with his camera for more than half the video before he gets to the point.
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That's what I disliked about his videos too, I think he imagines he's a lot better than he really is, a bit like Jason Lanier.

I get what you mean about the other DPR crew, I don't like any of them outside the 2 new guys and I never really trusted their written reviews either. They'll throw a "Gold award" at some boring POS camera that's got nothing new about it, then drop scores on something that actually deserves it because it was , let's see what their usual "cons" include: too heavy, too light :rolleyes: No touchscreen, No tilting screen [these should never factor into reviews on a camera IMO, they are personal preferences and we're photographers not vloggers!] 'only' being X amount of MP [when did this really start to matter?] no WR [on budget models] confusing menus [spend more than 10 minutes with it perhaps?] doesn't do 'X' fps [who is it aimed at?] etc ... they seem to just pick and choose things to moan about and they're really inconsistent with those scores. What seems at first to be an in-depth review turns out to be a regurgitated template formula over and over.

SsSsSsSsSnake said:
Hmm thanks.out of my league unless she likes a bit of rough :ROFLMAO:
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That's all I like about her, she looks like she might, she's full of herself too
 
Hmmmm. They don't come rougher than me ;) Maybe I should have said I enjoy Thom Hogan's style of review and informed comment.

This thread has just reminded me that I dislike so many reviewers' styles it's a wonder I ever hear about anything :)

Do you know what bugs me a lot? When some guy posts a video banging on, and on, and on, and then never bothers to respond to any comments or questions people post
 
wooster said:
Hmmmm. They don't come rougher than me ;) Maybe I should have said I enjoy Thom Hogan's style of review and informed comment.

This thread has just reminded me that I dislike so many reviewers' styles it's a wonder I ever hear about anything :)

Do you know what bugs me a lot? When some guy posts a video banging on, and on, and on, and then never bothers to respond to any comments or questions people post
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I can't stand a lot of them either, so many of them come across as arrogant, like they know so much more than we do. Not all, there are the odd few exceptions that seem genuine at least. They get hold of the gear sooner because of their view count, that's why we watch because we like to see the gear in use. Not because we love their [lack of] personalities. What bugs me are the ones doing full on reviews after handling the gear for an hour
 
Rich couple, stoner, hippy, tight clothing sales person, second hand car salesman (now gone), angry nutcase... But hold that thought
....





Think I've covered them all.
 
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I'm afraid I'm struggling with "second hand car salesman' and "tight clothes salesperson". Continuing the tailoring theme, though, the term "gobs***e" fits Kai like a glove
 
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