DSLRbodies: Do you Believe in DxOMark?

“It’s interesting to note that DxO seems to be playing a lot of angles. First, they are presenting themselves as impartial, numeric oriented testers (e.g. the scores). Second, they are presenting themselves as reviewers (e.g. “If Canon could only address performance at base and low ISO, the EOS 7D Mk II would make a thoroughly convincing all-round choice, but in this category the Sony A77 II looks to be the more compelling option.”). Third, they sell their test equipment and software test suites to camera companies (Nikon, for instance, but I don’t believe Canon is one of their clients). Fourth, they present themselves as the best demosaic option, better than the camera makers’ options (e.g., DxO Optics Pro). They have some clear conflicts of interests that are not easily resolved. So be careful of just gobbling up their “results” as absolutes. ”

Thom's cracked out another great read for the measurement-reliant gearheads that have been bashing Canon's new 7DII.

DPReview: Can't sell my X-E2- am I missing something?

DPReview forum reader, mp2011, is trying, and failing, to sell his X-E2. He purchased it for 1299$ USD in April of this year. He has been offered 350$ and 650$ by two different high-volume buy-your-gear places, and unable to attract interest at DPReview's used market.

The problem isn't that his eBay or Amazon, or DPReview records are bad. The problem isn't that the camera itself is bad. The problem is this:

1. Fujifilm's constant sales and rebates devalue their brand and products.
2. Non-luxury market mirrorless cameras and lenses cost too much.

The first is the most egregious. Fujifilm's grubbing for customers is a shyster tactic in an enthusiast market. Rebates and sales attract deal seekers, not faithful, long-term customers. People expect rebates, expect their products to lose value at a rapid pace.

Traditionally, cameras have held value well. My D200 sold a few months ago for 250$. It was nearly 8 years old and terribly abused. It was purchased by a buy-your-gear place, so I assume they felt they could squeeze a bit of profit out of it down the line. My D800, an older camera than the X-E2, sold for 90% of the price I purchased it for.

Not that it is a perfect camera, or that Nikon are a better company. But as a brand, their key products (of which the D800 is as much key to Nikon as the X-E2 is to Fujifilm) still hold value. Users such as mp2011 finding that their half-year old camera is worth half of what they paid is a problem that Fujifilm must address.