Digital Photography FAQz

Q

How reliable are camera reviews when it comes to choosing a new camera?

A

Camera reviews are typically extremely helpful when choosing a camera or other photo gear. The major photography magazines, like Popular Photography, PC Digital, and Shutterbug, do a fine job of presenting a fair and balanced (to use a familiar media term) look at new equipment. Some photography magazines have very rigid and scientific ways of testing (and comparing) features, while others tend toward more subjective, in-the-field testing. Both methods are useful.

Having written for many such magazines over the years, I can tell you that the line of demarcation between editorial and advertising divisions is sacrosanct — the opinions of the writers are as free as possible from any advertising influence. In my three decades of writing for photography magazines (including all of those mentioned above), no manufacturer has ever tried to influence a product review.

Photo courtesy of Canon.

The reason that camera reviews are, generally, very positive is because digital cameras are almost all of extraordinarily high quality. I’ve used dozens of them and, while there have been features that I dislike, physical designs that I hated, and things that, in my opinion, could have been thought out better, overall I have never encountered a digital camera that didn’t shoot great, high-quality photos.

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