Leading camera site DPReview to shut down

DPreview, the go-to site for camera hardware news, views, and information, was unceremoniously shutdown this week by parent company Amazon after a review of operating plans put the 25-year-old site on the chopping block. The move continues an on-going trend of Big Tech companies retrenching in the face of a slowing economy, including Google abandoning Google Glass and Microsoft shuttering its VR division.

The loss of DPReview came as a shock to loyal readers around the globe, who expressed dismay the site’s unique gear-comparison tools and forum content would be lost unless someone steps in to save it.

“I was shocked and saddened to hear of DPR’s imminent closure,” said Dave Etchells, editor emeritus at rival Imaging Resource. “I’ve known many of the team who’ve worked there over the years since shortly after Phil Asked launched it, counting many of them as good friends. They’ve consistently cranked out volumes of high-quality content, and their forum system has been an invaluable asset for the entire community for decades. It’s going to take me a while to process the news, but my very best and warmest wishes go out to everyone affected. This is a sad and incalculable loss for the entire photo community.”

Below is the comment the site sent to subscribers.

 

Dear readers,

After nearly 25 years of operation, DPReview will be closing in the near future. This difficult decision is part of the annual operating plan review that our parent company shared earlier this year.

The site will remain active until April 10, and the editorial team is still working on reviews and looking forward to delivering some of our best-ever content.

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.

Sincerely,

Scott Everett
General Manager – DPReview.com