DPReview is Closing
Mar. 29th, 2023 04:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerThe website Digital Photography Review, aka DPReivew.com, is closing after nearly 25 years on the web. This loss hits me personally as I'm a fan of digital photography, and the site has been my mainstay for news & reviews about digital photography for more than 20 years.
DPReview was founded in 1999 by Phil Askey. Amazon purchased it in 2007. In January this year Amazon decided to shutter it as part of its workforce realignment. The news was shared publicly earlier this month.
I discovered DPReview in 2000, not long after Phil Askey created it. Back then digital photography was just entering the mainstream. I'd had access to digital imaging equipment for several years before that— first as a grad student researcher in digital imaging and then as an engineer at computer hardware companies. Our lab equipment wasn't consumer grade. It definitely wasn't consumer price. In the year 2000 that started to change: digital cameras entered the realm of consumer affordability. And what you could buy for, say, $800, could produce compelling images as opposed to just being a nifty (but pricey) toy.
What's the point of all that? It's two points, actually. One, DPReview was in the right place at the right time— there for the meteoric rise of digital photography. Two, Askey, the site's founder, made choices early on that distinguished his site in a crowded field. His site grew bigger and bigger, which attracted more ad revenue, which allowed him to hire staff to help the site grow even bigger, etc. Take the fact that Amazon bought him out— and kept DPReview running basically as what it was— as the mark of his success.
RIP, DPReview.
DPReview was founded in 1999 by Phil Askey. Amazon purchased it in 2007. In January this year Amazon decided to shutter it as part of its workforce realignment. The news was shared publicly earlier this month.
I discovered DPReview in 2000, not long after Phil Askey created it. Back then digital photography was just entering the mainstream. I'd had access to digital imaging equipment for several years before that— first as a grad student researcher in digital imaging and then as an engineer at computer hardware companies. Our lab equipment wasn't consumer grade. It definitely wasn't consumer price. In the year 2000 that started to change: digital cameras entered the realm of consumer affordability. And what you could buy for, say, $800, could produce compelling images as opposed to just being a nifty (but pricey) toy.
🎵 Catch a Wave and You're Sitting on Top of the World 🏄♂️ 🎵
I was part of that early wave of consumers who said, "I want to buy a digital camera!" The question was, which one? The industry was moving so fast that traditional media struggled to keep up. In its place appeared a slew of digital photography websites created by Internet-savvy enthusiasts. I remember having 4 or 5 of them bookmarked and checking them all at least once a week. Among them, DPReview pulled out to an early lead. Founder Phil Askey was earnest about staying on top of things and improving his own skill as a critical reviewer. In addition, his inclusion of discussion forums on the site made it a real standout versus the rest that were strictly one-way publishing sites.What's the point of all that? It's two points, actually. One, DPReview was in the right place at the right time— there for the meteoric rise of digital photography. Two, Askey, the site's founder, made choices early on that distinguished his site in a crowded field. His site grew bigger and bigger, which attracted more ad revenue, which allowed him to hire staff to help the site grow even bigger, etc. Take the fact that Amazon bought him out— and kept DPReview running basically as what it was— as the mark of his success.
What Fills the Void?
I remarked above that the closure of DPReview is a personal loss. It's not just a matter of nostalgia. Twenty-three years DPReview remains my primary source of information about photography. In that time I've purchased 7 generations of digital cameras. All were with extensive research on that website. I've been researching my next purchase, too. It might be later this year. But now I'll have to figure out where else to go for information that is as comprehensive, as up-to-date, and as professional.RIP, DPReview.
