When I’m on the edge, I jump, so when I finally got to edge of buying a professional level camera, I leaped into a world of corporate subterfuge, a land with answers as elusive as the always elusive tiger. The world of online reviews is as scandalous and artificial as the World Bank assisting developing nations. Press releases proclaiming the arrival of perfection are out of place and inappropriate for a critical product review, but everyone knows that. Harder to discern are the numerous corporate agents muscling their way on to message boards, posing as unbiased users. When reading online reviews you have to be exceedingly critical of everything you read. Beyond CIA-like corporate bloggers, reviews often lack new information on new technology. Reading out dated product reviews is like gathering information on the year 2000 by watching “The Jetsons” -silly and oddly similar to “The Flinstones”.
As a camera buyer, I need to review test footage as available on Youtube and Vimeo but I also need detailed explanations on the circumstances of the footage. In short, I can surely benefit from sitting down with a user and going over their footage. Understanding that buyers’ needs were not being met by the current informational hubs out there, I took the initiative in utilizing Watchitoo’s live content collaboration by creating the public show “Pro it! Con it!” I uploaded helpful videos from Youtube including my very own test footage. By watching the footage live with a community interested in the same camera, I was able to instant message and video conference about what we were seeing, methods used, etc. For those still in the market I was able to provide first hand product information, they could speak with people experienced with the product. For those in the know they could offer support or rebuttals. However anyone can also create their own show, and set it to public or private settings, for any product they’re researching. I even invited my filmmaker friends to upload footage from their own cameras and to review them. Now my show was becoming an honest and current source of reviews. Watchitoo’s focus on community and live content sharing really lends itself to an honest, friendly, and ever-growing bank of advice. It wasn’t around when I initially leaped into the buyers market, but I now know where to start my next public or private research forum.
Think you bought a stud or a dud? Load up your content on my show “Pro it! Con it!” and we’ll open the doors to a worthwhile discussion!
~Sam
Cool blog, enjoy following it greatly!