[A Modest Mouse]

Ok - here is a suggestion that I've been pondering for the last year or so. One of the most important aspects of your site here is Pentax gear/lens reviews - they clearly draw alot of traffic and the girth of reviews isn't equaled anywhere else. Love contributing to them and giving pertinent shot examples where I can.

The problem? The lens reviews are being swamped with posts containing 'dead' links to pictures, non-working links, errors by reviewers (such as reviewing the FA50 in the DA*55 section), and even 'reviews' by folks who don't own the lens. Take a look at the DA*55 review section - you'll find examples of each of these issues ... including the most recent review - where the reviewer doesn't own the lens but is merely considering a purchase.

Solution? Get a decent mod to go in and start cleaning house with dead links, dead photo links, reviews that don't apply, and reviews from folks who haven't used the lens. (Yes, I would gladly accept the task and believe I could clean things up in a hurry).

Prevention? Do not reward folks for reviews ... it simply leads to abuse and 'filler' reviews. The credibility/reliability of reviews would benefit tremendously with some careful attention to that forum.

Thanks

[dadipentak]

That would be great MM! I wonder whether, while you're at it, you might put the the 3rd party entries in FL order---maybe even sort AF/MF?

[Adam]

Solution? Get a decent mod to go in and start cleaning house with dead links, dead photo links, reviews that don't apply, and reviews from folks who haven't used the lens.

So you're volunteering yourself?

[A Modest Mouse]

Another fine suggestion - and easily accomplished. I, like many others, really do believe the heart of this site is in the details that other sites don't have; and I can tell you from what I've seen from my photo stats - the reviews get major hits each day. The Forum Marketplace is another unique feature of this site (mainly Pentax gear and a trustworthy contingent of buyers/sellers) - and it's clearly well maintained and moderated.

I think with some minimal effort, work can be done to improve the clarity, accuracy, and actual utility of the lens reviews.

That would be great MM! I wonder whether, while you're at it, you might put the the 3rd party entries in FL order---maybe even sort AF/MF?

[A Modest Mouse]

Absolutely - I'd certainly be willing to take on the task and keep an eye on incoming reviews and clean up the things I've mentioned. The lens review section is probably my favorite part of the site and no doubt it helps sell Pentax glass both used and new.

So you're volunteering yourself?

[dadipentak]

Absolutely - I'd certainly be willing to take on the task and keep an eye on incoming reviews and clean up the things I've mentioned. The lens review section is probably my favorite part of the site and no doubt it helps sell Pentax glass both used and new.

And I offer my wholehearted moral support.

I do agree about the value of the review section. Sure some are more authoritative than others (the ones I've contributed falling in the latter category) but I find them informative and in any case it's fun reading.

[Mateo]

What I would like to see in the lens review section is a corresponding link to PBase.com gallery. It would be nice to see examples of the lens being reviewed. I would be more than happy to add a link to each review but not sure if you want traffic diverted from your website.
Let me know!!!

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Last edited by Mateo; 12-29-2010 at 10:51 PM. Reason: grammer

[SteveM]

What I would like to see in the lens review section is a corresponding line to PBase.com gallery. I would be nice to see examples of the lens being reviewed. I would be more than happy to add a link to each review but not sure if you want traffic diverted from the your website.
Let me know!!!

Great idea, but I think the reviewer should be forced to show their own examples, rather than showing others pictures.

[Adam]

Thanks guys! While I can't give you direct access to edit the reviews for security reasons, please post links directly to any review that needs editing, and I or one of the moderators will take care of it!

[A Modest Mouse]

As i mentioned - I think assigning a mod to do a few days work over in that forum would probably be the most effective solution (simply put, there are enough errors that a quick peruse would make the majority of them obvious). The issues I pointed out can be found in nearly every review:

1. Dead links (particularly to Flickr).

2. Reviews not in the correct section (for example, FA50 reviews in the DA*55 section).

3. Reviews in the form of "Should I buy this lens?!?!" questions - again, the last review in the DA*55 section is a prime example.

4. Dead links - I see a couple of DPR links within some reviews ... clearly those aren't very useful given the linking situation.

5. Organization of things like 3rd party or vintage lenses (tough to find what you are looking for).

If current mods don't have time, perhaps find a trusted member (I've volunteered but I'm not saying that needs to be me) - give them mod functions to the lens reviews, and let them get to work. Your members are a valuable resource, but nobody has the time to formulate a message about every error they find - especially given the girth of issues.

Thanks guys! While I can't give you direct access to edit the reviews for security reasons, please post links directly to any review that needs editing, and I or one of the moderators will take care of it!

[RayGunn]

One of the most important aspects of your site here is Pentax gear/lens reviews - they clearly draw alot of traffic and the girth of reviews isn't equaled anywhere else.

Lens reviews are what originally brought me to Pentax Forums.
Surely I am not alone in this respect, don't you think?

The problem? The lens reviews are being swamped with posts containing 'dead' links to pictures, non-working links, errors by reviewers (such as reviewing the FA50 in the DA*55 section), and even 'reviews' by folks who don't own the lens. Take a look at the DA*55 review section - you'll find examples of each of these issues ... including the most recent review - where the reviewer doesn't own the lens but is merely considering a purchase.

I bolded a portion of the above because that collection of lens reviews detracts from this website's goals, in my opinion.

Solution? Get a decent mod to go in and start cleaning house with dead links, dead photo links, reviews that don't apply, and reviews from folks who haven't used the lens.

Although it's a personal thing, I emphasized decent because I believe it is, in fact, really important.

Prevention? Do not reward folks for reviews ... it simply leads to abuse and 'filler' reviews. The credibility/reliability of reviews would benefit tremendously with some careful attention to that forum.

Based on some of the lens reviews I have read, this is a suggestion to consider very carefully.

RayGunn

[RayGunn]

Thanks guys! While I can't give you direct access to edit the reviews for security reasons, please post links directly to any review that needs editing, and I or one of the moderators will take care of it!

OK, I need some assistance, here:
How, or to where, would one "post links directly to any review"?

I suggest a possible solution for the above:
Set up a particular thread in which review changes would be posted. After a particular posted change is completed, or deemed unnecessary, delete that post.
That way, no one would have to read through a whole bunch of already completed posts in order to get to those posts still needing review.

Being an avid reader, and re-reader of the lens reviews, I hope my suggestion might help the final outcome of how to make the lens reviews much more valuable to the members of this forum.

RayGunn

[sewebster]

In the DA*55 reviews:

-review by 3party appears to be about some other lens, probably the FA50.
-review by Daan contains broken links to flickr pics
-review by ledohung55 isn't a review at all, it is a post asking for advice about whether to buy the lens

[Ole]

In the DA*55 reviews:

-review by 3party appears to be about some other lens, probably the FA50.
-review by Daan contains broken links to flickr pics
-review by ledohung55 isn't a review at all, it is a post asking for advice about whether to buy the lens

Fixed!

[Ole]

OK, I need some assistance, here:
How, or to where, would one "post links directly to any review"?

I suggest a possible solution for the above:
Set up a particular thread in which review changes would be posted. After a particular posted change is completed, or deemed unnecessary, delete that post.
That way, no one would have to read through a whole bunch of already completed posts in order to get to those posts still needing review.

Being an avid reader, and re-reader of the lens reviews, I hope my suggestion might help the final outcome of how to make the lens reviews much more valuable to the members of this forum.

RayGunn

If you create a response in this thread identifying the lens and the user who posted an erroneous review (like sewebster did above) I will clean it up.