Following the closure of the DPReview website (April 2023), many regret the successive disparitions over the years of “emblematic” photographic gear review sources in consideration of the general social tendency to avoid more critical points of view and choose to be comforted in their consumers habits.

 With the departure in the recent years of many photographic gear reviewers over the media planet (Web or written ones), the question about the pertinence of all these influencing people (that was before the now anticipated coming of the Artificial Intelligence invasion) has been partially addressed. In effect, marketing advertising in its many different faces have supplanted most of the more critical and informative ressources. People are better looking for web or social media sites that will “confirm” their initial consumers choices. Tastes of the month are simply more popular than reasonable approaches (and beware for the ones who will defy these fanatic and addicted product people).

It seems also that even the old saying of “Nobody is perfect” never apply in our actual society scheme. Don’t listen to others, you are the best judge in any case to pick the right thing. But in fact it demonstrates that we are really and unquestionably under influence especially in this attitude which defend basically any self-critiques. And that under-influence is getting stronger than ever today (which may respond to a profound social insecurity) by adopting a pseudo religious state of mind that will solve all of our material life questioning. 

All camera manufacturers have correctly understood this “evolution” of our consumer habits and are now privileging a direct marketing approach by using every media strings that are including the photographic gear review sites (YouTube or not), the “good news ambassadors” that will demonstrate how to use and getting successful with their equipment, and the “ordinary” people that will reassure you and will be pleased to share their according thought. Some “personal” photographic gear review sites (or YouTube channels) are even very funny in their self-promoting behavior by looking for your (money?!) approbation and support.

Are we really helping people by not saying some of our concerns and doubts about gear or anything else? I am not sure. Are you? There are not definitive certainties in this world and to be curious might be what differentiate us from other animal forms, but is it always true today? At the end we are “under influence” more than we can suspect in those days of overwhelming media presence. 

Photo Daniel M: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III / M.Zuiko ED 14-150mm F4-5.6 II