Reviewing the reviewers

Here's a quick guide to getting information about any camera you're considering:
  • If you understand f-stops, apertures, and aspect ratios, websites such as dpreview.com, CNET.com and dcresource.com are good online resources. Between the writers' in-depth reviews and the opinions you'll find in the online forums, you'll trip over more details than you need. Do note that dpreview.com has lately acquired a certain ambivalence in its professional reviews, and rarely comes out to say it dislikes a camera. Maybe this has something to do with most digital cameras sharing the same lenses and sensors, to some degree.

  • I also recommend Steve's Digicams and imaging-resource.com, although both tend to get wrapped up in techno-speak. If I want to watch Star Trek, I'll watch Star Trek.

  • If all those tech terms frustrate you, head on over to amazon.com. Almost every camera has user reviews to read. These are real-world people, for the mostpart, who don't dwell on pixel depth or the deep details of lens coatings. However, take what you read with a grain of salt, as many of these writers are less experienced and objective about their cameras (as indicated by reviews that say, "this is my first digital camera").

  • You can occasionally find a good camera review on YouTube, but I generally don't trust them. Many reviews are simply demos of camera features put up by online retailers, and TigerDirect.com isn't going to tell you it's selling a lame product. Worse are the "unboxing" videos, where someone's recorded how he or she removed the camera and accessories from the box in which they arrived. Who cares, really?

  • If you go to a physical store, you can ask the sales clerk. Generally, the larger the store, the less insightful the information you'll get. Independent or chain camera specialty stores are fewer in number, but that's where you'll find the most expertise. The sales people in Walmart and Kmart sometimes have a little pocket script to help them wade through the techno-speak, but it's very easy to stump them.
I don't recommend Consumer Reports' camera reviews, much the same way I eschew their car reviews. These evaluators are lab-coat experts, and likely don't have much opportunity to use these products for extended periods in real-world situations.

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