A Heartfelt Farewell to DPReview
In a startling announcement, DPReview, a highly esteemed and longstanding online photography publication, will shut down operations in under a month.
That website revealed that Amazon, its parent company, decided in conjunction with a massive layoff involving thousands of employees. As a result, the site will stay operational until April 10, after which all new content will cease, and forums will be locked. The website will then enter a read-only mode for a limited time, and users can request a copy of their data until April 6.
As a loyal member of the DPReview community for over twenty years, I am deeply saddened by the recent announcement of the site's closure.
This development is highly unexpected, given that DPReview is among the most revered and longstanding photography publications online. Established in 1998, the platform has been present throughout digital photography.
Amazon acquired the site in 2007, but curiously, there needed to be more integration with its primary platform. While this allowed DPReview to maintain its comprehensive and unbiased content, it may have rendered the site less essential to its parent company's plans.
Regrettably, the impending closure means the loss of an excellent repository of data and articles accumulated over 25 years, which will soon vanish from the web, resulting in a significant loss of knowledge. Even more disheartening is the departure of the DPReview staff, among the industry's most informed, meticulous, and compassionate professionals. We sincerely hope they will all find new opportunities, as their contributions are invaluable to the field we cherish.
The disturbing aspect is what this says about the state of the internet. There are 25 years' worth of vital information on photography is being lost forever. All in the name of profit. As it's a commodity, if we can't monetize the data, it's worth something.
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UPDATE
DPReview, a renowned camera review website, has been saved from closure by Gear Patrol, a platform known for diverse product reviews and buying guides. This acquisition by Gear Patrol comes nearly three months after DPReview announced it would shut down due to Amazon's decision as part of cost-cutting measures. Under new ownership, DPReview will continue its operations as before, maintaining its core team and editorial integrity. The move promises to uphold DPReview's legacy in the photography community, ensuring its evolution based on customer feedback and industry trends.
