Comparative review feedback wanted

[Jeff Keller]

This is the first of at least two comparative reviews on this site:

2009 Super Zoom Shootout (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/2009-super-zoom-shootout)

I'd like to know what you thought about the format, what was covered, what wasn't. If you prefer separate reviews, I want to know that too!

Thanks,
Jeff

[faisal]

Looking really good....I like it, makes comparison very easy, much better than other sites as it's the usual dcresource short and to the point reviews with the ability to compare.....two thumbs up from me!!! :D

Just one thing, under 'what I like/what I didn't like'...would prefer bullet points instead of the paragraph...

Would love to see a Canon and Sony in there as well to make it complete....would be then the perfect ultra zoom comparison...

[rainer.de]

Hello - from germany ...

I do like the Comparative review form but I'm missing the
"printer friendly" layout in this review.

Rainer

[Phill D]

Jeff
This looks like an ambitious review that you've pulled off very well, overall it makes a good read but I too missed the printer friendly version. In my opinion it would have been better if you had included the two class leaders from Cannon & Panasonic as a benchmark even though they are not new in 2009. Maybe a section at the end, another table maybe?, where you rate each cameras atributes and include the class leaders for comparison.

[Jeff Keller]

The printer friendly pages don't play well with the tabs, which is why it's disabled. I didn't have the Canon or Panasonic so I couldn't add them into the review -- I used what I had on-hand.

[Paradox]

Just one thing, under 'what I like/what I didn't like'...would prefer bullet points instead of the paragraph...

I second that opinion. Other than that looks good. :)

[Rhys]

Memory card type would be an excellent addition. That Kodak looks darned tasty!

I was very happy with my S1 IS with its 28-300 lens. That 600 must be great for moon shots.

[Screenclutter]

Certainly it will make information about multiple cameras come out faster.

The only thing I could suggest is to plan out the structure of the webpage such that you can easily add additional superzooms as they come out, and remove superzooms when they are no longer widely available for sale as a new product.

[jekostas]

That was a very interesting review to read, especially regarding the lenses being identical on the Kodak, Pentax and Nikon cameras.
I agree with Rhys - the Kodak looks interesting as long as you keep it in RAW mode.

[marcon88]

I like it very much. As long as they don't supplant your exhaustive traditional one's, for when you really are choosing a new baby to buy, I even prefer this format. Especially the side-by-side comparisons of the test shots is great.

I would be great to see more of these side-by-side test shots, even for standard reviews. I don't know how much work it would be to create such a page, e.g. for all the cameras in your "Some other similar cameras to consider..." that you have previously reviewed. Perfect, if probably too much work, would be the ability to create such side-by-side comparisons from your review database, e.g. to easily compare your old camera's quality with a potential new candidate.

But then, what could we do, but demand the world of our favourite camera reviewer? ;-)

[cattails]

Jeff, I'm sorry, but I do not like the format. I prefer your all-on-one-page format. I did not read the entire review, once I saw what the cameras were, but if I want to labor through a series of pages, I'll go to DPreview.

I also do not like the cameras you chose to include in the review. Three with the same lens--why? NONE of them with image stabilization fully available in movie mode--with a superzoom lens! Madness.

[Jeff Keller]

Jeff, I'm sorry, but I do not like the format. I prefer your all-on-one-page format. I did not read the entire review, once I saw what the cameras were, but if I want to labor through a series of pages, I'll go to DPreview.

I also do not like the cameras you chose to include in the review. Three with the same lens--why? NONE of them with image stabilization fully available in movie mode--with a superzoom lens! Madness.

Sorry you didn't like the cameras I chose. I had four super zoom cameras and it made sense to combine them into a single article. The printer friendly version is not available because it does not play well with the tabs in the article. Unless somebody has a suggestion about making a printer friendly version for these tabbed pages, it's not going to happen.

[John_Reed]

Nice job, Jeff! Really living up to the "Resource" mantra here. The only thing I missed was some kind of quantitative rating system, you know, like when they rate Ferraris vs. Porsches in Road & Track, they wind up with an overall winner, on points?

[anothersmurf]

Would you please create a "printable" (single page) version of the review?

[K1W1]

I like the format I think the tabbed comparison shots are a great idea, not printer friendly of course but I doubt whether many would or even should print these reviews.

I also would like to see the "What I like" and "What I don't like" in a form that makes comparisons easier. Bullet points would be a start but I suspect a table set up may be the best way.

I think for products that are so similar the comparison review will be a real boon to potential buyers.

[Jeff Keller]

I also would like to see the "What I like" and "What I don't like" in a form that makes comparisons easier. Bullet points would be a start but I suspect a table set up may be the best way.

I can switch from commas to bullet points, though the page will get longer. Any ideas on other ways to present it?

[K1W1]

A table similar to the specs on the first page.

A column for each camera with a "What I like" row (bullet points) and a "What I don't like" row (Bullet points again).

Can we have a similar comparison for the new batch of ruggedised cameras soon?

[jekostas]

Nice job, Jeff! Really living up to the "Resource" mantra here. The only thing I missed was some kind of quantitative rating system, you know, like when they rate Ferraris vs. Porsches in Road & Track, they wind up with an overall winner, on points?

I'm actually pretty steadfastedly against this. Complex opinion reviews rarely distill well down to simple numbers, and Jeff made it pretty clear in his conclusions which cameras he liked best and for what reasons.

If each camera were a tree, what kind of tree would it be?

[John_Reed]

They do it all the time in Road & Track, with a lot more viewers than this site enjoys. If you've ever looked at one of their summaries, they provide a chart of different criteria by which various machines are graded, so that the reader may discern for themselves which points are most important to them as individuals. So it isn't just a single number, that's it, but it gives a quick way of summarizing findings about various strengths and limitations of each car (or camera, as would be the case here). It would serve as a quick reference, but by no means the only information provided.

[Jeff Keller]

Can we have a similar comparison for the new batch of ruggedised cameras soon?

This is definitely happening.

[mgrosser]

Hi Jeff,

I really like the multi-camera comparison article. You handled the type of comparison that each one of us goes through when we are looking to purchase a new camera. For me, the timing of this article couldn't be any better, as I will be purchasing a new superzoom camera within a month.

In terms of the format, I agree with some of the earlier comments that a tabular layout "What I like" and "What I don't like" would make comparisons easier.

In terms of the content, the only aspect that I would have liked to see explored more is a comparison of sports/ action shots, but that may just be my preference, as that will be my main use for the camera. As we all know, we can get an idea of what the performance should be based upon the numbers, but as you noted with the Kodak Z980, what looks good on paper doesn't always translate into real life.

Thanks for the article. You did a great job.

Melanie