About to take the plunge and purchase a top-of-the-line digital camera. When I buy electronics, I often reference CNET, so far without regrets. Because of the coin I’m aboot to drop, thought I’d double check with SDMB peps, are CNET reviews pretty reliable in your opinion? Do you have a better site? Thanks for the info!
OR,
Here are a couple of sites I like: Digital Photography Review (aka dpreview) and Steve’s Digicam. I’ve been using them for years. They reviews seem to agree with my actual experiences with the cameras. Steve’s also has a good set of discussion forums where you’ll find others who are more than happy to share their experiences, both good and bad. The forum saved me from buying a, ahem, “less than optimal” compact camera a month ago.
Just out of curiousity, are you leaning toward any specific cameras? Don’t worry, I’m not going to steer you into my choice; it’s an orphan (Minolta Maxxum 7d). With so many apparently similar models from the big names, the decision process people use to decide which one to buy fascinates me. And can prepare me for when I bounce the Maxxum off the sidewalk but it doesn’t spring to life afterward. I don’t look forward to that day.
PS-I can’t comment on the utility of CNET Reviews since I don’t use them.
CP mentioned the sites I was going to reference but you can also check out DCResource for a third opinion. You really can’t go wrong with any of those sites. Personally, I’d stay away from CNET when it comes to camera equipment. They just don’t do the extensive testing that’s common practice at specialized photography sites.
Also, there’s a lot of photographers here at the dope and we may be able to give you a little guidance if you let us know what you’re looking at and, most importantly, what you plan to use it for.
DC Resource! Thanks! I’d lost the link a computer or two ago. Now my life is complete. Well, it will be once I put all those ink cartridges in the new printer. Ripper, sorry for the minor hijack. I’d been wracking my brain for this site for a while, and, now, out of the blue, here it is!