UPDATE: DPReview has confirmed that its content will be archived, and remain available, despite the site being shuttered.
"We’ve received a lot of questions about what's next for the site," reads a post from general manager, Scott Everett. "We hear your concerns about losing the content that has been carefully curated over the years, and want to assure you that the content will remain available as an archive."
"We’ve also heard that you need more time to access the site, so we’re going to keep publishing some more stories while we work on archiving. Thank you to this community and the support you’ve shown us over the years."
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ORIGINAL STORY (April 10 2023): DPReview is closing for good today, and its content lost forever. Since 1998 it has provided the photographic community with insight, advice, reviews, forums and in-depth technical camera specifications – but Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has decided to call time on the much-loved camera website, leading its founder to blast the decision, saying "what a waste".
Since 2007 DPReview has been owned by Amazon, and in a recent annual operating plan review the company made the "difficult decision" to cease its operation. Over the last 25 years more than 8,000 news articles, 1,300 reviews, 47 million forum posts plus hundreds of interviews and features have been posted on the site – none of which will be accessible after today.
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DPReview was founded a quarter of a century ago by Phil Askey, who remained with the site until 2010. Despite more than a decade away from the business, he took to LinkedIn to make his feelings clear.
"I truly hope that Andy Jassy can see what a waste tearing this team apart and burning all this content will be, and what a huge loss it would be to the photography community and the internet as a whole."
I’m obviously devastated to hear this news which has come as a complete shock. I’m a little lost for words at this point. #dpreview https://t.co/5rKjeksIJGMarch 22, 2023
In an official statement posted to DPReview, general manager Scott Everett showed appreciation to the staff, contributors and readers who kept the site going for so long.
"Everyone on our staff was a reader and fan of DPReview before working here, and we're grateful for the communities that formed around the site. Thank you for your support over the years, and we hope you’ll join us in the coming weeks as we celebrate this journey."
The decision to close the site has been met with serious backlash from photographers, many of whom have been using the site since its inception. While some disgruntled visitors have suggested a photographic retailer such as B&H Photo Video buy the site, others have been quick to point out that the site was sold to an "evil corporation" whose business model is greed.
The only saving grace is that DPReview TV, the YouTube side of the site fronted by the much-loved duo of Chris Niccols and Jordan Drake, has moved over to PetaPixel's YouTube channel, where the series will resume in May.
Today is a sad day for everyone who has dedicated their time and a place in their heart to the site. Having worked at the leading UK photographic retailer, DPReview has been a reliable, well-used resource – and those side-by-side camera comparisons have been an absolute godsend.
With no word from Amazon on exactly why the site needs to be closed and content removed, there is some room for hope that one day, in some form, DPReview may return. But for now, it's goodbye and thank you.
