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newfoundmass

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Posts posted by newfoundmass

  1. 1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

    MANY things!

    Timecode. 

    SDI outputs.

    Reliability. 

    Internal NDs. 

    More recording options. 

    etc etc etc etc

    But for many people these extra factors don't matter to them. 

    However, for many professionals these would be deal breakers for these to be missing. 

    I was referring more to the OPs use case.

  2. 54 minutes ago, MrSMW said:

    I suspect they are simply going where there is another regular presenting income without having to really do any marketing themselves.

    Nothing wrong with that and we all have bills to pay and being a self-employed creator has as many risks as it does potential rewards.

    I get the impression they have gone from one regular paid position to another as one door closes and another opens.

     

    Yeah. If they were 20 somethings that weren't married with kids they might've gone a different direction, but they're older guys with wives and kids so they were gonna go with whatever site offered them a steady paycheck while allowing them to continue doing what they do. They can always fall back on doing their own thing eventually if they need to. 

  3. I'm curious if this is doable should the site really "die"... does anyone remember Geocities, the free web hosting company? There was an effort to basically crawl every Geocities site possible and preserve it, because of all the data that would be lost once Yahoo deleted all the sites. 

    Those sites are still available years on at https://www.oocities.org/ and https://www.geocities.ws/

    To be clear, they are incomplete archives because it relied on the same crawling tactics that Google and Yahoo use, and if a site wasn't linked elsewhere it likely would fall through the cracks.

    But with DPReview I think that would be less of an issue. The primary issue would be hosting all that data, as while it might not cost a lot for Amazon it probably would cost a bit for a normal person. There also then would be the issue of whether Amazon would object and take legal action. Perhaps reaching out to the Internet Archive to see if they could take this project on with some volunteers might be worth doing?

    Just an idea that I haven't seen discussed really yet. It would at least preserve and make all that data available.

  4. 15 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

    He backs his humour up with proper real world information that's why, he shows the differences, he uses the gear, he actually shoots even if its squirrels!

    It's not that he doesn't provide information, because I actually think the way he uses cameras is actually really informative because it gives a totally different perspective from how the "pros" use them. A lot can be learned from observing people that are also learning. But I've seen him used as a source for things that Kasey himself openly admits he doesn't know anything about.

  5. 7 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

    The more I think about all this the angrier I get at the current staff there.

    Nearly all scurrying off the deck of the ship like DPReview is nothing but fit for the bin.

    If they had stuck with the site for longer than a few months it could encourage the sale to a new owner.

    Instead they jumped like rats off the deck and have nearly all got new jobs already.

    Meanwhile we're left with an empty shell of a website pending deletion.

    It is an absolute disgrace and a total disregard of the global camera community.

    It makes me think they know something that we don't. There's a story behind all of this, there has to be. All this has occurred too rapidly for there not to be.

  6. 6 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

    https://petapixel.com/2023/03/21/chris-niccolls-and-jordan-drake-join-petapixel-to-lead-its-youtube-channel/

    Why can't they be more honest and upfront.

    DPReview TV is not closing then is it? It's getting a new logo.

    If I were them I would have gone indie. I don't know why they feel they have to be freelancers for a .com blog

    Let's face it, YouTube is bigger than Petapixel isn't it?

    I'm actually surprised that they didn't go their own way too, though they might feel more financially secure to be on the payroll somewhere. The big difference between them and the rest of the YouTubers out there is that they're older and have families, so being on payroll somewhere might be more appealing. Probably provides more stability than having to rely on YouTube ad revenue that can really fluctuate. 

  7. 2 minutes ago, Andrew Reid said:

    They won't close.

    It's a big asset and will have a lot of buyers. Current staff might go over to the new non-Amazon site or they will leave and do something else, which for me would be a good thing as they're not really up to the job.

    DPR has a ton of camera info that would be very sad to lose from the internet, the database of specs, and historic reviews are part of the camera world's culture and it would be vandalism of the highest order if some idiot decided to delete it all rather than keep it online. It costs almost nothing to keep a website online and I am surprised Amazon is making such deep cuts at all, as DPReview is hardly likely to be a huge loss making part of the company.

    What are the REAL reasons the site is closing? It surely can't be due to money. Perhaps a big fall out at the top between the DPReview management and Amazon?

    If Amazon really are looking to save a few thousand dollars running DPReview which drives a ton of traffic to Amazon for camera purchases, then how bad must it be at Amazon?!

    They were hiring like crazy during covid, big profit boom, then suddenly they can't afford to run a camera blog?

    Even I can afford to run a fucking camera blog.

    I smell something fishy.

    Either the news is fake and they already have a buyer lined up. Chris and Jordan seemed really chirpy in their jokey closing video.

    Or they are all hired already by a new site and will simply rebrand the existing one.

    There is simply no way they will delete it.

    The SEO and Google links alone are worth redirecting to a new site domain.

    Why bin it?

    They're not telling the truth.

    I suspect a new site will open, but I do have to wonder if all the content will be carried over. It will be a damn shame if it isn't, and there will be only one party to blame for that: Amazon.

     

    I think Chris and Jordan are probably in a more advantageous position than most of the DPReview staff. Most of the stuff they tested came from The Camera Store anyway, so I doubt little will change for them in that regard when they start their own channel. Plus I imagine they'd probably be welcomed back to The Camera Store in general.

  8. 4 minutes ago, markr041 said:

    The problem was the site had no revenue source. There are essentially no ads, no paid subscriptions. Yet they archived all those uploaded photos for free, provided equipment reviews for free, provided moderators for free. All that costs money, but they had nothing to financially support the activities, relying on Amazon's subsidies. The "terrible" move was Amazon subsidizing the site and tolerating a leadership that made no effort to cover costs.

    This was a charity. But even charities need donors. The leadership failed to look for revenue sources. Winning an Emmy does not qualify you for running anything that requires resources (look at the bio of the Manager of the site).

    I do not understand how this site survives either. It seems to rely on the good graces of one man, which is not sustainable either.

    If you think that those running DPReview had that much control to do any of those things without Amazon's approval you don't understand how corporations work. That isn't to absolve the people at DPReview of all responsibility, but when you sell your company to a corporation you cease to have that kind of control.

  9. 3 hours ago, SRV1981 said:

    Internal ND, audio upgrades etc. 

     

    do you think an fx3/30 is a better middle ground?

    Internal ND is nice, but is it worth paying 2 or 3 times as much? Audio is less of a problem these days, since you can buy the hot shoe audio adapters that are available and can grow with you.

    If you are going the Sony route I think the FX30 is an excellent option and competitively priced. I think if you wanted full frame the A7IV would be a better deal than the FX3. For me, it's better to spend less on the camera body because that's what loses value quickest. The second you open that box for the first time your camera is worth less than it was when it was closed. And with every day the value goes down more and more. That's part of the reason I have trouble recommending people drop serious coin on a camera, because unless they are going to be generating a lot of income because of it, it's just not a great long term investment. 

    Like I could afford to buy the Lumix S5ii right now but I'm not going to because in a year or two it will be significantly cheaper on the used market, meaning I keep more money in my pocket even when using it to generate income. 🙂

  10. What does the C70 or FX6 give you that a mirrorless camera half the price doesn't? If you have the money to spend then I guess I'd say go for it, but honestly there's not a ton of good reasons to purchase a cine camera unless you're a full time DP who can benefit from being an owner/operator, and thus get more work and charge more since it eliminates the need of renting a camera.

    For most of us it just isn't a good investment.

  11. 41 minutes ago, HockeyFan12 said:

    Fair point about the price. I paid $20 or something for mine. That said, I adore it and prefer it over any shoulder rig I've seen for smaller cameras. (Nothing against a weighted shoulder rig, but building something that large out seems to defeat the purpose of a small camera to me.) But YMMV.

    Lenses with IS and/or a loupe are good options too.

    The main reason I suggest a weighted shoulder rig is that it will help stabilize the Pocket 6K better while keeping the handheld look they're going for.

  12. I've found Panasonic's colors SOOC to be very good since the S5. I used to really love Canon's color science, but I've come to dislike how unnatural they can be. These days I prefer accurate colors more than anything. I'll be labeled a fanboy, but I prefer Panny colors to Canon at this point because I know that when I take a picture (or video) the colors are going to look closer to what I saw with my eyes than what Canon will give me. Everyone is really catching up to Canon, and in some ways surpassing them. Even Sony, which is still my least favorite, has improved dramatically.

  13. 3 hours ago, Beritar said:

    I don't think the issue is Phase Detect because V-Log on the S5II (while sharper than before) has not the insane sharpening and chroma noise reduction that the standard profiles have.
    Moreover, nor my A7III and IV smooth details like this at low ISO and yet they use Phase detect.
    There are just bad processing going on internaly on the standard profiles with the S5II.

    Yeah, if it was because of phase detect you'd think it would impact every picture profile. I can't imagine it won't be fixed in a firmware so that the standard profiles at least get the same performance as V-Log. If it isn't something they can fix then shame on Panasonic.

  14. 1 hour ago, Django said:

    No what I said was concerning the camera manufacturers. Content is created by creators. There is a big nuance there to understand. I stand by my words that Sony/Panny aren't photography/lens companies at heart. And it still shows. Go look at a big Panasonic trade show event .. 98% will be about home entertainment. Lumix cameras are a fraction of their core business..

    You're entitled your opinion but I find Lumix is among the worst. GH series was way too over-sharp with fake V-Log L up to GH5. Now we're seeing way too much reds on S5ii that give nasty blotchy skin tones and you've got heavy NR issues too.

    You really didn't differentiate, you heavily implied that Panasonic and Sony are in the "video" category while the others are in the "cinema" category. You then mentioned things related to the image they produce, such as color science, to explain why. Honestly the entire statement didn't make sense, and you seemed to be lumping the criticism people level at Sony in with Panasonic. What about Pannyboy's philosophy of adding advanced cinema/video features to even their entry level cameras makes them inferior, our soulless, to those other companies? And what DCI options is Pannyboy missing compared to them? Didn't Pannyboy literally introduce DCI to the mirrorless world?

    What does Sony and Panasonic being diversified businesses have to do with being "soulless?" The diversity, and the extra income streams, is what has made their imaging divisions possible. 

    Re: Panasonic's image. As I said, "I think Panasonic has had the most filmic image out of the major camera manufacturers since the S series was released." The issues with the S5ii, which will eventually get fixed with a firmware update, don't detract from the near universal praise the S series cameras have gotten for the images they produce. You mention the GH5, which is a six-year-old camera: what relevance is that to what I said? And what were any of those companies producing six years ago that came anywhere close to offering the value and image of the GH5 when it came to video? 

    Almost every other company has caught up to Canon when it comes to colors, and most produce overall a better or just as good image (and have for years.) The days of Canon eating everyone's lunch when it comes to color are over.

     

  15. 12 minutes ago, Django said:

    Also just to be clear, I am not claiming that Sony/Panny cameras = soulless images.

    You kinda did... 😉

    8 hours ago, Django said:

    There is something a little soulless about Sony, Panasonic & Samsung (RIP) in my opinion. They focus hardcore on specs but not so much the art form. That is what separates "video" from "cinema" I guess. I'm talking in terms of design, philosophy, color science, DCI options etc. 

    I've been labeled a Panasonic fanboy on here recently, so this will probably come as no shock, but I think Panasonic has had the most filmic image out of the major camera manufacturers since the S series was released. Even in the color department, where I always preferred Canon, I think they've surpassed them in a lot of ways. Everyone else has moved toward more pleasing colors while retaining color accuracy, while Canon still have nice colors that aren't very accurate. That was okay when everyone lagged behind overall, but not so much anymore.

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