DPReview, the renowned digital camera review website, is being shut down by Amazon after 25 years of providing detailed and objective reviews of cameras and accessories. The website was founded in 1998 in England and was bought by Amazon in 2010, which relocated the team to Seattle. Despite being owned by Amazon, the website remained largely untouched and continued to provide unbiased reviews of cameras and accessories.
The team at DPReview was known for their extensive knowledge and objective testing, which contributed to reviews that were famously detailed and thorough. Even minor models were given the same treatment as flagship models, ensuring that readers received a fair and accurate assessment of each camera. The website’s back catalog of camera reviews and specs is an incredible resource that has been consulted by many photographers over the years.
DPReview’s consistency and dedication drew a large and dedicated community of readers who engaged in lively discussions on the website’s comment threads. While standalone digital cameras have lost popularity to smartphones in recent years, the enthusiast and professional market remains strong, and the cameras themselves have improved significantly. DPReview remained a valuable resource for photographers looking to buy a camera.
Despite owning one of the world’s leading expert voices on cameras, Amazon never found a way to capitalize on DPReview’s unique asset. The website remained largely separate from Amazon’s other properties, and it seems that the company forgot they even owned it. The team was laid off as part of Amazon’s latest round of cuts, which has been attributed to macroeconomic headwinds.
DPReview is one of the oldest and most unique media properties to be shut down during these turbulent times. The talented and knowledgeable team behind the website will hopefully land on their feet, and Amazon may come to regret its decision to shut down such a valuable resource for photographers.
