Community Why are video "articles" spreading?

[Lajos Hajdu]

I don't understand the benefit or point of videos instead of written articles, especially in the case of camera reviews / previews. I appreciate the work of editors, but I'm not very interested in watching their heads when I come for information about, for example, the new Fuji camera. Isn't it easier to scroll through a written article with images than spending 10 minutes watching a video, or trying to find the relevant information in it? Why is this trend? Can't people read anymore?

 

[nightowlnz]

Videos can be posted on YouTube and that equals ad revenue. Also yes, video draws more eyes than articles, on multiple platforms, has been trending that way for ages.

 

[Mathew Anderson]

I don't understand the benefit or point of videos instead of written articles, especially in the case of camera reviews / previews. I appreciate the work of editors, but I'm not very interested in watching their heads when I come for information about, for example, the new Fuji camera. Isn't it easier to scroll through a written article with images than spending 10 minutes watching a video, or trying to find the relevant information in it? Why is this trend? Can't people read anymore?

It's a perfectly fine question to ask. We try to accommodate both groups, and have increasingly been producing more videos for that side. We intend to continue our written articles though, as we completely understand their benefit.

--
DPReview Community Manager

 

[Richard Butler]

I don't understand the benefit or point of videos instead of written articles, especially in the case of camera reviews / previews. I appreciate the work of editors, but I'm not very interested in watching their heads when I come for information about, for example, the new Fuji camera. Isn't it easier to scroll through a written article with images than spending 10 minutes watching a video, or trying to find the relevant information in it? Why is this trend? Can't people read anymore?

There is a full, written article about the Fujifilm:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilm-x-t30-iii-initial-review

There's nothing in the video that isn't in the written text, other than a sense of scale of the camera and more of a sense of tone. It's not "instead of."

But there is a large audience for camera content that doesn't know about DPReview and doesn't read websites. We need to have a presence for that audience.

Richard - DPReview.com

 

[Lensmate]

Why is this trend? Can't people read anymore?

There is a full, written article about the Fujifilm:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilm-x-t30-iii-initial-review

There's nothing in the video that isn't in the written text, other than a sense of scale of the camera and more of a sense of tone. It's not "instead of."

But there is a large audience for camera content that doesn't know about DPReview and doesn't read websites. We need to have a presence for that audience.

Richard - DPReview.com

Illiteracy has increased recently. Might be a contributing factor! [along with lazyitis]

-M

 

[atom14]

I think it's the bad/boring videos that I'd rail against. Some presenters think they are actors/entertainers/smarty-pants, and I soon give them a miss. Others are informative. But I like well-written articles, too, and I'm glad DPR still does them. For badly-written ones I feel the same as for the bad videos.

atom14.

 

[Dick Dastardly]

When done right, a hands on video review is more useful than a written one. You get to see the actual proportions of the camera, the menus, how fast the AF is, etc.

More importantly, whether written or shot on video, very few reviewers do it right. My favorite no nonsense written reviews come from The Photography Blog, where I can download full sized images, and my favorite video reviewer is Gordon Laing, who actually shows you how the camera works, and that's something most written reviews don't(although they could).

However, to answer OP's question- No, people refuse to read these days. Even the user manual is too complicated to many people.

 

[Ron Poelman]

Once upon a time, the picture did the talking.
It seems even more ridiculous in the AI age.
Check out the "descriptions" in recent galleries here.
Scary L.C.D. stuff, funny up to a point, but really, why ?

 

[Richard Butler]

It seems even more ridiculous in the AI age.
Check out the "descriptions" in recent galleries here.

Which aren't produced by AI. And are to help us comply with disability and accessibility legislation. Whatever is the world coming to?

Richard - DPReview.com

 

[Ron Poelman]

Which aren't produced by AI.

I know, that's the scary thing.
We don't mean to laugh, but really.
Seriously, why can't you just handball it to the machine ?
At least you'll have a useful entity to point at when the inevitable misinterpretation occurs down the track.

And are to help us comply with disability and accessibility legislation. Whatever is the world coming to?

I don't know R., for mine, if you can't see the picture. the text isn't going to go a long way and feeding search engines is pointless unless you spend the bucks.
Still, full elephant stamps for staying legit.

 

[AstigmaticOwl]

Why take a class when you can read it in a book?

People learn in different ways. And some people read reviews and watch videos to learn about something.

 

[JohnSil]

I don't understand the benefit or point of videos instead of written articles, especially in the case of camera reviews / previews. I appreciate the work of editors, but I'm not very interested in watching their heads when I come for information about, for example, the new Fuji camera. Isn't it easier to scroll through a written article with images than spending 10 minutes watching a video, or trying to find the relevant information in it? Why is this trend? Can't people read anymore?

I have stopped reading written reviews, I only watch videos! If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth 10,000 words!!! A video can show still photos as well as videos.

I'm gonna suggest if you find the videos you watch boring, I suggest you find as better video channel.

Have you ever seen an effective still photo with a written reviewer demonstrating how sticky a focus point is and how or when it jumps from one subject to another??? Of course you haven't, because written and stills just can't do that. Seeing is believing! In other-words your just taking some guys opinion about it! Only videos for me!!!

John

 

[john isaacs]

I don't understand the benefit or point of videos instead of written articles, especially in the case of camera reviews / previews. I appreciate the work of editors, but I'm not very interested in watching their heads when I come for information about, for example, the new Fuji camera. Isn't it easier to scroll through a written article with images than spending 10 minutes watching a video, or trying to find the relevant information in it? Why is this trend? Can't people read anymore?

Would you rather take pictures or write? Same with video.

 

[cutterpup]

I personally will not watch a video unless it is for a very specific purpose and done well. An example would be learning a new crochet stitch and the video shows the instructor's hands clearly and close up as they demonstrate the stitch slowly.

I am not going watch a video on how to set my camera to any specific setting unless the video has both subtitles and a time index so I can fast forward to that section and not have to listen to the presenter.

I would much rather read, and if need be ask questions (such as in these forums to clarify) rather than sit through videos. Everyone has different learning styles, and I wonder if they correlate to their own preferences for relaxation. By example, my husband watches videos, both for entertainment and learning, where I read instead. If the TV is on, most times he is watching, while I am next to him but tuning out the TV and reading.

 

[J A C S]

I don't understand the benefit or point of videos instead of written articles, especially in the case of camera reviews / previews. I appreciate the work of editors, but I'm not very interested in watching their heads when I come for information about, for example, the new Fuji camera. Isn't it easier to scroll through a written article with images than spending 10 minutes watching a video, or trying to find the relevant information in it? Why is this trend? Can't people read anymore?

Maybe people cannot write anymore...

I do not watch videos about photography. I can watch a video how to change the cabin air filter in my car however.

Aside for the fact that I am presented with an 1D timeline instead of a 2D page, I find it funny that someone could make a video about still images (I know, it could be about a camera or a lens, but there would be images eventually). The imbedded images are low quality, worse than my phone produces, and if I want to pause to look at them closely, YouTube covers them with adds, so I cannot really see them.

 

[Hans Z]

I like having the option of both video and a written text. Earlier in time we did not have the option of having cheap equipment to record high quality video and to distribute it to our audience in an easy, fast and cheap way. I am 60+ years old that like reading, listening to audiobooks and to learn through YouTube videos. I think we live in the best of times where we do have the option of having many different ways of gathering information. We should not overestimate the value of the written word, compared to audio and video.
That being said, I also read books and articles every day.
For videos I like having chapters to go to as it makes it easier to skip the parts I'm less interested in.

 

[cutterpup]

I like having the option of both video and a written text. Earlier in time we did not have the option of having cheap equipment to record high quality video and to distribute it to our audience in an easy, fast and cheap way. I am 60+ years old that like reading, listening to audiobooks and to learn through YouTube videos. I think we live in the best of times where we do have the option of having many different ways of gathering information. We should not overestimate the value of the written word, compared to audio and video.

You make a good point about the quality now vs even ten years ago for videos. It is much easier for people with a real interest in video, as opposed to me videoing my cats, to produce a good product.

I personally do not like audio books. When I had a long commute for one job my brother suggested playing CDs (remember those?) to learn a new language. I was close. Being an avid birder, I listened to CDs of bird calls to expand my knowledge. But except for specific times, I prefer to read.

That being said, I also read books and articles every day.
For videos I like having chapters to go to as it makes it easier to skip the parts I'm less interested in.

 

[Hans Z]

I like having the option of both video and a written text. Earlier in time we did not have the option of having cheap equipment to record high quality video and to distribute it to our audience in an easy, fast and cheap way. I am 60+ years old that like reading, listening to audiobooks and to learn through YouTube videos. I think we live in the best of times where we do have the option of having many different ways of gathering information. We should not overestimate the value of the written word, compared to audio and video.

You make a good point about the quality now vs even ten years ago for videos. It is much easier for people with a real interest in video, as opposed to me videoing my cats, to produce a good product.

I personally do not like audio books. When I had a long commute for one job my brother suggested playing CDs (remember those?) to learn a new language. I was close. Being an avid birder, I listened to CDs of bird calls to expand my knowledge. But except for specific times, I prefer to read.

That being said, I also read books and articles every day.
For videos I like having chapters to go to as it makes it easier to skip the parts I'm less interested in.

With age and working daily with computers, and have come to appreciate audiobooks to allow my eyes to rest. Although I often listen to audiobooks while I am being active outdoor, like walking far when touristing and of course while commuting. I even use audiobooks as a way to facilitate falling asleep, needs to be a good calm narrator though. But reading does add another dimension though.

Funny about what you said about a CD for bird calls, I also had one of those for Swedish birds.

I started to listen to audiobooks many years ago, in the days where libraries were almost the only place you could get them from, and you actually needed to have documented deprived eye sight to get ahead in the queue. At one time I suggested that my father-in-law would start listening to audiobooks as his eyesight had worsened and he got very mad at me for suggesting indirectly that he was handicapped. How things have changed now with audiobooks being more sold than paper books.

 

[SmilerGrogan]

Body language, nuance and intonation, the ability to see exactly what the Vlogger is talking about the same time he speaks; you can pack a lot more of a certain type of information into a video than you can into a written text.
Conversely, video isn’t very good at conveying facts, charts, things like signal to noise ratio or color Delta so I guess we’re stuck with having to use both sources to get our information.

 

[realspeed]

oh dear oh dear. For me I make videos as a reminder of where I have been and what I saw.. by posting on YT anyone else considering doing the same has a far better idea than one gets writing it down. I am not denying stills don't have their place,of course they do. What I am finding is there are those diehard photographes that are unable to expand there photographic abilities to venture into videos. Unfortunately they are missing out on so much, but there you are they won't alter their ideas.

OK as I said I make videos for my pleasure to look back on as they convey so much more then written text. I would love to see anyone describing a video of zooming into a scene such as this.

Taken with a Panasonic HC-X1500 camcorder (hand held)

It would take a book to describe everything let alone a short written description. Even then how who one get an idea of the forces or sound of the water on this river? you just can't.
I do maintain that cameras are ideal for stills ,but a proper half decent camcorder is the only way to make videos. You can't do a steady smooth zoom with a camera hand held