Ratings and Reviews do you trust them and why?

**aslyfox** · 10-14-2019, 07:53 AM

I'm not a technical savvy person

so I tend to research and read reviews and look at ratings

but how trustworthy are they?

what do you think

and why

any recommended sites, including the Pentax forums, to use

_________________

btw

the best way I have found to evaluate equipment is to rent it if possible and see what it is actually like

DrawsACircle · 10-14-2019, 08:07 AM - **5 Likes**

When I decided to invest in a DSLR, I was pretty sure that it was a choice between Canon and Nikon until I stumbled over Camera Decision - Compare Digital Cameras
I Wanted to compare a Canon and a Nikon camera. Ended up buying a K-70 based on the information (facts). Fantastic value for money.
I’ve later on tried to hold both the Nikon and Canon cameras, the K-70 is simply in a different league.

**Sir Nameless** · 10-14-2019, 08:09 AM - **4 Likes**

I like reviews by people who use the gear like I would, which is why I would much rather read reviews here than someplace like DPReveiw or whatever. Take cars for example. I buy used vehicles, so I care what they're like on my daily commute when they're five years old, not what they're like on a test track when they're brand new. So I might look at user forums, or Consumer Reports reliability data for used cars (they have an issue every year for that).

With photo gear: Who on this forum shoots what I do? How do they like actually using it in the field? What kind of results are they actually getting? Are such results sufficient for my end use? Will my results be limited by the gear, or my own skill (hint to self: usually the latter).

With professional reviewers (of anything) I've always got in the back of my mind that their goal is to generate revenue for their employer, not necessarily to help me make a good decision for myself.

**csa** · 10-14-2019, 08:09 AM - **5 Likes**

I don't trust any reviews unless they are from verified users; and that's difficult to prove also. If I see countless reviews about a problem with a product, then to be on the safe side, I probably would side step that product. Otherwise, for camera equipment, I trust the members here, as I've gotten to know which members are trustworthy in their reviews.

garywakeling · 10-14-2019, 08:29 AM - **4 Likes**

Well when it comes to Pentax,, the staff reviews on here are pretty good. The user reviews come in different styles, the worst is the " I just purchased this lens yesterday and I give it a 10", nice to read but fairly useless, through to " I have been using this for over a year, with plenty of photo examples and highlighting positives and negatives". You need to sort them out for yourself.

**aslyfox** · 10-14-2019, 08:40 AM - **2 Likes**

I think this is a great tool

Pentax K-1 II vs. Pentax KP vs. Pentax K-70 - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com

you can set it up to compare various Pentax cameras side by side

extremely detailed as well

K1N8 · 10-14-2019, 08:45 AM - **1 Like**

In general I don't trust any ratings or reviews, even less on YouTube.

With the reviews here, they are at least connected to (active) forum members, so it's possible to cross check the account.

**Rondec** · 10-14-2019, 08:48 AM - **4 Likes**

I don't use reviews for cameras at all. If I do, I don't pay attention to the conclusion and read the narrative. The problem is that camera ratings tend to incorporate a whole bunch of stuff that I probably am not interested in -- docking a camera say, for no 4K video or for slower frame rates, whereas my important thing is ultimate still image quality. That always seems to take a back seat, I guess because reviewers assume that any camera on the market can do that.

For lens reviews I like user reviews, particularly with photos in real life situations. Test charts can be interesting and certainly looking at a site like ePhotozine and seeing where a particular lens has peak sharpness (center and border) can be interesting, but since I shoot most of my lenses stopped down a bit, flare resistance, contrast, micro-contrast and colors are actually more important to me and those don't tend to be emphasized as much reviews.

DP Review is the worst because they are so unbalanced. It feels as though they decide at the outset of they like a piece of gear and then look for things to either give it accolades for or disparage it for. Not great and I only see their work because folks typically post it here ever time they release a new review a Pentax item.

You Tube is the worst because (a) I read much faster than reviewers can speak and I get bored by them and (b) it is the worst possible format for showing how good or bad a camera or lens is from a still photograph standpoint. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video of photo might be worth 10. On a good day.

**roberrl** · 10-14-2019, 08:59 AM

I'm pretty well committed to Pentax and I'm quite clear about features my current KS-2 and K5iiS are lacking so my main source of input is the PF reviews and the sections where they address these specific issues.
At the moment it's focus speed and dare I say video and the PF reviews do indeed offer sections and tests in these areas so I have no need of further input.

So that's also a big thank you to PF for providing this input, well worth the cost for that alone.

**ismaelg** · 10-14-2019, 09:13 AM - **1 Like**

I read the customer reviews and see if it resonates with what I'm looking for. But I don't pay much attention to the ratings as many factors may or may not be important to me. For example, somebody may give a telephoto lens a low rating because of size and weight, but I know a good fast telephoto lens will be big a heavy. Or sometimes people give bad ratings when try to do something it was not designed to.
Pros and cons in the review section here are a quick way to check if those are important to me.

Thanks,

**Robin** · 10-14-2019, 09:14 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by garywakeling

Well when it comes to Pentax,, the staff reviews on here are pretty good. The user reviews come in different styles, the worst is the " I just purchased this lens yesterday and I give it a 10", nice to read but fairly useless, through to " I have been using this for over a year, with plenty of photo examples and highlighting positives and negatives". You need to sort them out for yourself.

I agree with Gary. When I see a second hand lens available, I always got to the Forums reviews, just to read up a bit about it. There is always some personal bias in a review, and sometimes plain dislike! So I never stop at one, but scroll through all the write-ups. The photos attached to a review can often tell you a lot more than the text.
I have only ever posted two reviews, and those were after several years of use. You need to know a lens under all conditions, before you can comment on it. I also have my other lenses in a Word doc, and occasionally add comments and experiences, towards an ultimate review.

**Sir Nameless** · 10-14-2019, 09:22 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Robin

I also have my other lenses in a Word doc, and occasionally add comments and experiences

This is a nice idea. I have some notes on some of my lenses that I keep in OneNote (so they sync to my phone) that are more relevant to hints when shooting (e.g. at this focal length, this is the best aperture for overall sharpness). I really should pay more attention and add to those notes for advice/review purposes.

MatKus · 10-14-2019, 09:48 AM

Whenever I'm going to buy something worth more than few $, I read a lot of test and opinions. Important thing is to reach different sources. If I will stick to one, I will know only one opinion, that might be correct, but might not be. Also, I'm trying to analyse everything by myself if I can. One lens (or any other product) might be better, than another, but if it costs more, is it worth to pay so much? And it might be better in most situations, just not for me.
I know Sony has much better AF than Pentax. They also have better marketing. In many cases, they have better sensors. But when it comes to landscape photography, I've learned, that my K5 can do better, than A7R III, because it produces less noise after shooting for 1-2h and it does not eat so many batteries.

So yes, i do read reviews, but I know to filter this informations and use only what I want and not to trust it blindly no matter who writes review and how much experience he has. He might just not be like me.

The Squirrel Mafia · 10-14-2019, 09:52 AM

I usually read several review from different sites & draw up a conclusion from there. Like if the majority of the say something similar about a certain fault that the camera has, then it kind of gives me a general idea about the camera. Same with the positives. Ultimately, I'll be the one to decide whether or not the camera is great or not either by renting it, borrowing it if possible, or buying it to try it out. I'll know if its a keeper by then.

biz-engineer · 10-14-2019, 09:53 AM

I find reading a number of reviews for the same lens model can give a good idea of what the lens quality is. The situation is very different for digital cameras because the whole feature set and how the camera works and what features are possible to be combined together is way too complex to be contained in a camera reviews. So for camera models I don't find reviews useful, but I find that tutorials (on how the camera works and menues) and user manuals are rich sources of information to have a good idea of what a camera can do and can't do. Then, handling the camera in a store is pass/fail test.

10-14-2019, 07:53 AM	#1
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	Ratings and Reviews do you trust them and why? I'm not a technical savvy person so I tend to research and read reviews and look at ratings but how trustworthy are they? what do you think and why any recommended sites, including the Pentax forums, to use _________________ btw the best way I have found to evaluate equipment is to rent it if possible and see what it is actually like

10-14-2019, 08:48 AM - 4 Likes	#8
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	I don't use reviews for cameras at all. If I do, I don't pay attention to the conclusion and read the narrative. The problem is that camera ratings tend to incorporate a whole bunch of stuff that I probably am not interested in -- docking a camera say, for no 4K video or for slower frame rates, whereas my important thing is ultimate still image quality. That always seems to take a back seat, I guess because reviewers assume that any camera on the market can do that. For lens reviews I like user reviews, particularly with photos in real life situations. Test charts can be interesting and certainly looking at a site like ePhotozine and seeing where a particular lens has peak sharpness (center and border) can be interesting, but since I shoot most of my lenses stopped down a bit, flare resistance, contrast, micro-contrast and colors are actually more important to me and those don't tend to be emphasized as much reviews. DP Review is the worst because they are so unbalanced. It feels as though they decide at the outset of they like a piece of gear and then look for things to either give it accolades for or disparage it for. Not great and I only see their work because folks typically post it here ever time they release a new review a Pentax item. You Tube is the worst because (a) I read much faster than reviewers can speak and I get bored by them and (b) it is the worst possible format for showing how good or bad a camera or lens is from a still photograph standpoint. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video of photo might be worth 10. On a good day. Last edited by Rondec; 10-14-2019 at 06:06 PM.

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10-14-2019, 08:07 AM - 5 Likes	#2
DrawsACircle Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Ulfborg, Denmark Photos: Albums Posts: 434	When I decided to invest in a DSLR, I was pretty sure that it was a choice between Canon and Nikon until I stumbled over Camera Decision - Compare Digital Cameras I Wanted to compare a Canon and a Nikon camera. Ended up buying a K-70 based on the information (facts). Fantastic value for money. I’ve later on tried to hold both the Nikon and Canon cameras, the K-70 is simply in a different league.

10-14-2019, 08:09 AM - 4 Likes	#3
Sir Nameless Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mass a chew sits Photos: Gallery Posts: 574	I like reviews by people who use the gear like I would, which is why I would much rather read reviews here than someplace like DPReveiw or whatever. Take cars for example. I buy used vehicles, so I care what they're like on my daily commute when they're five years old, not what they're like on a test track when they're brand new. So I might look at user forums, or Consumer Reports reliability data for used cars (they have an issue every year for that). With photo gear: Who on this forum shoots what I do? How do they like actually using it in the field? What kind of results are they actually getting? Are such results sufficient for my end use? Will my results be limited by the gear, or my own skill (hint to self: usually the latter). With professional reviewers (of anything) I've always got in the back of my mind that their goal is to generate revenue for their employer, not necessarily to help me make a good decision for myself.

10-14-2019, 08:09 AM - 5 Likes	#4
csa Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Montana mountains Posts: 10,133	I don't trust any reviews unless they are from verified users; and that's difficult to prove also. If I see countless reviews about a problem with a product, then to be on the safe side, I probably would side step that product. Otherwise, for camera equipment, I trust the members here, as I've gotten to know which members are trustworthy in their reviews.

10-14-2019, 08:29 AM - 4 Likes	#5
garywakeling Moderator Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,759	Well when it comes to Pentax,, the staff reviews on here are pretty good. The user reviews come in different styles, the worst is the " I just purchased this lens yesterday and I give it a 10", nice to read but fairly useless, through to " I have been using this for over a year, with plenty of photo examples and highlighting positives and negatives". You need to sort them out for yourself.

10-14-2019, 08:40 AM - 2 Likes	#6
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581 Original Poster	I think this is a great tool Pentax K-1 II vs. Pentax KP vs. Pentax K-70 - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com you can set it up to compare various Pentax cameras side by side extremely detailed as well

10-14-2019, 08:45 AM - 1 Like	#7
K1N8 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 242	In general I don't trust any ratings or reviews, even less on YouTube. With the reviews here, they are at least connected to (active) forum members, so it's possible to cross check the account.

10-14-2019, 08:59 AM	#9
roberrl Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Oxford, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 345	I'm pretty well committed to Pentax and I'm quite clear about features my current KS-2 and K5iiS are lacking so my main source of input is the PF reviews and the sections where they address these specific issues. At the moment it's focus speed and dare I say video and the PF reviews do indeed offer sections and tests in these areas so I have no need of further input. So that's also a big thank you to PF for providing this input, well worth the cost for that alone.

10-14-2019, 09:13 AM - 1 Like	#10
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681	I read the customer reviews and see if it resonates with what I'm looking for. But I don't pay much attention to the ratings as many factors may or may not be important to me. For example, somebody may give a telephoto lens a low rating because of size and weight, but I know a good fast telephoto lens will be big a heavy. Or sometimes people give bad ratings when try to do something it was not designed to. Pros and cons in the review section here are a quick way to check if those are important to me. Thanks,

10-14-2019, 09:14 AM - 2 Likes	#11
Robin Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Pietermaritzburg Photos: Gallery Posts: 432	Originally posted by garywakeling Well when it comes to Pentax,, the staff reviews on here are pretty good. The user reviews come in different styles, the worst is the " I just purchased this lens yesterday and I give it a 10", nice to read but fairly useless, through to " I have been using this for over a year, with plenty of photo examples and highlighting positives and negatives". You need to sort them out for yourself. I agree with Gary. When I see a second hand lens available, I always got to the Forums reviews, just to read up a bit about it. There is always some personal bias in a review, and sometimes plain dislike! So I never stop at one, but scroll through all the write-ups. The photos attached to a review can often tell you a lot more than the text. I have only ever posted two reviews, and those were after several years of use. You need to know a lens under all conditions, before you can comment on it. I also have my other lenses in a Word doc, and occasionally add comments and experiences, towards an ultimate review.

10-14-2019, 09:22 AM - 1 Like	#12
Sir Nameless Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mass a chew sits Photos: Gallery Posts: 574	Originally posted by Robin I also have my other lenses in a Word doc, and occasionally add comments and experiences This is a nice idea. I have some notes on some of my lenses that I keep in OneNote (so they sync to my phone) that are more relevant to hints when shooting (e.g. at this focal length, this is the best aperture for overall sharpness). I really should pay more attention and add to those notes for advice/review purposes.

10-14-2019, 09:48 AM	#13
MatKus Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 155	Whenever I'm going to buy something worth more than few $, I read a lot of test and opinions. Important thing is to reach different sources. If I will stick to one, I will know only one opinion, that might be correct, but might not be. Also, I'm trying to analyse everything by myself if I can. One lens (or any other product) might be better, than another, but if it costs more, is it worth to pay so much? And it might be better in most situations, just not for me. I know Sony has much better AF than Pentax. They also have better marketing. In many cases, they have better sensors. But when it comes to landscape photography, I've learned, that my K5 can do better, than A7R III, because it produces less noise after shooting for 1-2h and it does not eat so many batteries. So yes, i do read reviews, but I know to filter this informations and use only what I want and not to trust it blindly no matter who writes review and how much experience he has. He might just not be like me.

10-14-2019, 09:52 AM	#14
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,054	I usually read several review from different sites & draw up a conclusion from there. Like if the majority of the say something similar about a certain fault that the camera has, then it kind of gives me a general idea about the camera. Same with the positives. Ultimately, I'll be the one to decide whether or not the camera is great or not either by renting it, borrowing it if possible, or buying it to try it out. I'll know if its a keeper by then.

10-14-2019, 09:53 AM	#15
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232	I find reading a number of reviews for the same lens model can give a good idea of what the lens quality is. The situation is very different for digital cameras because the whole feature set and how the camera works and what features are possible to be combined together is way too complex to be contained in a camera reviews. So for camera models I don't find reviews useful, but I find that tutorials (on how the camera works and menues) and user manuals are rich sources of information to have a good idea of what a camera can do and can't do. Then, handling the camera in a store is pass/fail test.