DP Review Shutting Down - Alternatives

 

Everybody was shocked by the decision of the owner of DP Review, Amazon, to shut the site down completely. They did not even try to find another owner to continue the service, make it a subscription, or give it to the public domain. All that will be left is a read-only version "for a limited time" and then maybe the internet archive. The wealth of reviews, the huge forum content, as well as their nice camera comparison will be essentially lost.

The value of the site with all those registered members is certainly not neglectable. But it seems it is not enough to justify the continuation. I see that as one of those decisions made by a blind management solely based on revenue numbers and cost considerations. Probably, the links to Amazon were too weak to generate customers. We don't know the actual reasons. 

We know, however, that the photography community has lost a unique place to exchange opinions and to get valuable and neutral information on gear. Their YouTube channel was slowly growing too, and the videos were as entertaining as informative. The forums were one level above the usual chaotic discussions, too often about gear, but often some gems could be found. There is no equivalent replacement at this time.

My problem with all this is that it becomes obvious how easy big companies can do whatever they like. It is not solely about selling a gadget at any time they like. They can also kill it whenever they want. Imagine YouTube shutting down, or, for a smaller example, the blogger service that drives the site you are currently reading. How about a shutdown of Gmail? Not possible? It is possible! Actually, it is guaranteed to happen sooner or later.

The way out, not certain but safer, are foundations like Wikipedia, Source Forge or Stack Overflow. Mail, I think, should be a public service under public surveillance and following national safety laws. The private sector is good for making money, but not for driving essential IT infrastructure. 

What to do now? Here are two alternatives I tested so far.

• DPRevived: If you liked the folks you met at DPR, you will probably want to go here. It is the busiest alternative at this time. Currently, it has not copied all the features from the original, but they are on their way. I am afraid, the site will also copy the moderator behavior that some did not like. I had never an issue with that, however.
• PhotographyLife: I liked this site because of their lens reviews and featured articles. They have also opened a forum now. It is brand new and a virgin place. I posted the first thread there. They implemented a two-factor authentication which might keep some people away. Actually, it is not that complicated to handle.
• OpenPhotographyForums: Another attempt to attract from DPR. Currently, this is a one man show. Maybe it gets busier over time. Real names are required. I have mixed feelings about this attitude. The internet is way too public by now. 
• CameraDiscussions: Still another one. They restrict to camera gear, it seems. There are only very few postings.
• FotoCommunity: That's a German one, founded many years ago. There are thousands of users from various levels of photography. The free version is limited in uploads and nude content will be blurry. I do not like the site because it is a typical buddy-to-buddy praising community. I like your image, so you should like mine. There is a forum for critique, but it is filled with unreasonable comments. 

In short, there is no forum I can really recommend at this time. DPR had its shortcomings like everything in the net, but it was the best in the last years.

If you want to discuss your images, I have no solution for you. If you find open-minded buddies who know about photography, call yourself fortunate.