A ‘By The Numbers’ Look at DPReview’s Incredible Legacy

Following the announcement on March 21 that DPReview.com will be shutting down on April 10, the website has been publishing a series of retrospective articles, including a new “DPReview by the numbers” slideshow that puts into perspective just how much amazing content its team has published over the years.

In the 8,872 days Digital Photography Review has been in publication since its launch in 1998, the team has reviewed 640 cameras. That’s a lot of cameras. These old reviews remain accessible — for now, at least — including DPReview’s first camera review, the Canon PowerShot Pro70. While DPReview’s founder Phil Askey’s review of the Canon Pro70 may look a bit different from DPReview’s modern reviews, the website’s longstanding approach to technical, in-depth stories on camera products is on display.

I’m obviously devastated to hear this news which has come as a complete shock. I’m a little lost for words at this point. #dpreview https://t.co/5rKjeksIJG

— Phil Askey (@philask) March 22, 2023

Over the past 25 years, DPReview has published content from many talented writers and photographers — the website features bylines of 101 authors. These 101 authors produced 23,887 articles, an average of 2.7 per day, every day, since 1998.

Of those 23,887 articles, roughly 17,400 were news posts, 2,500 were long-form articles, 1,300 were review content, 150 were opinion pieces, and 120 were interviews, including interviews from the recent CP+ Expo in Japan.

Amid the news of DPReview’s closure, many longtime readers wondered about the fate of the publication’s expansive camera database, which includes 2,568 cameras and 1,736 sample galleries. Archival attempts are underway, but the legality of such efforts is murky, at best.

One of the most popular parts of DPReview has long been its unique Studio Scene tests. It has undergone numerous revisions over the years, but the test scene, which DPReview calls its “signature calling card,” features test images from 494 cameras.

In the five years of “DPReview TV,” the company’s popular YouTube channel featuring Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake, there have been 440 episodes that range from video reviews to features and general education. PetaPixel is launching a new YouTube channel next month featuring Chris and Jordan, providing the duo’s beloved content a new home.

Another longtime part of DPReview’s continued appeal has been its lively readership and community. Readers have left nearly 2.7 million comments on articles and submitted more than 850,000 photos to photo challenges.

DPReview’s numbers are impressive, and the team has done amazing work over the past 25 years. While there remains hope that some of DPReview’s content will be preserved, its closure is undoubtedly a major loss to the industry. It’s worthwhile to take a moment to appreciate the content the many talented writers have produced over the years and the impact that content has had on photographers of all backgrounds and skill levels from around the world.

The publication’s full slideshow showcasing its history “by the numbers” is a worthwhile read.