PCPhoto

I'd recommend this for someone new to the field who is looking at making decisions on hardware and software to purchase and for someone who is looking to upgrade from their existing gear to something new. It is probably not as valuable to those who have more experience.


Pleasantly surprised   January 3, 2005
lb311 (Bartlett, IL United States)
28 out of 29 found this review helpful

I got a subscription to this magazine as a gift and at first glance, thought it was going to be nothing but lightweight glossy fluff mainly meant to push new products. To be fair, there are plenty of lightweight reviews of new products in each issue, but there are also a surprising number of very useful, practical how-to articles-- mainly geared to novice or intermediate digital photographers (like me!). Yes, I've purchased big thick books on Photoshop before, but somehow, I never gotten to far in actually reading those books (maybe too much info for a hobbiest who doesn't need/won't use 1/2 the features in the product?). I recently switched from using Photoshop to using Photoshop Elements, and this magazine seems to be a nice compliment to that software package. In recent issues, I've learned when and how to effectively use RAW vs JPG, how to take better advantage of graduated ND filters, how to use Levels correctly, etc. The contributing editors are all top-rate as are the photographs and examples. I highly recommend anyone with a new digital SLR and/or new PC image software such as PS Elements, to get this magazine. It's well worth the subscription!


Decent for rank beginners and reading ads, not much else   September 5, 2003
22 out of 25 found this review helpful

This is a great magazine for two groups of people, absolute beginners and people that like to read advertisements from photo shops.

It's not that it's really a bad magazine. The one or two actual articles in each issue are usually pretty good. They are usually written in a style aimed squarely at absolute beginners in most cases. The two or three monthly columns are usually somewhat interesting as well.

However, the "reviews" of cameras and other photo equipment in each issue can hardly be classified as reviews. They are basically expanded versions of the press release given by the company. I can't recall one "review" they have printed that ever said anything remotely negative about a camera in the magazine, which is rather suspicious.

And, as with most other Photo magazines, about 1/2 of each issue is devoted to advertisements from Photo equipment retailers, more than a few of which are of dubious reputation.

That being said, I do enjoy the magazine at times. It's good for about a 15-20 minute read each month at most. The only reason I did not give the magazine a lower score is due to the fact that I receive the magazine at a greatly reduced price. If I had to pay the actual subscription price listed here, I would probably award it 2 stars if not 1.


Beginning Digital Photography   April 13, 2003
audrey72 (Boulder, CO USA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

This magazine is great for beginning to intermediate digital camera users. I think that it is especially great for beginners. There are articles about how to choose the right camera for your purpose and about what all the specifications mean. There are question and answer sections that answer a broad range of questions including how to avoid common computer errors and how to format different digital devices. I like the photo editing tips, which explain some of the more elusive aspects of most digital photo editing programs and how to use them. The photo-editing program described most often is adobe photoshop and photoshop elements; however, quick advice is also give about how to apply these tips to other programs. For more advanced film camera users, there are tips for how to make the same quality image with a digital camera and stories of professional photographers who have switched to digital. However, most professional photographers will use macs to edit their photos rather than PCs and more advanced photo editing software. Mostly this magazine caters to amateur photographers and the lower end photo-editing programs that are most often used. There are also reviews of new gadgets, which are often fun to read, and plenty of market place like advertising in the back. This magazine is what it advertises and nothing more.