It used to be cool when I'd see a bunch of creators drop reviews for new products all at the same time thinking I was getting different takes, but now I realize they've lowkey just become corporatized "creator commercials."
yeah man we're in such a freaking weird time with this stuff. That's why I'm leaning more on older tech and trying to work with sponsors that are completely unrelated to the products in the videos. It's a strange balancing act
Thats why I’ve never been paid or gotten any free cameras. But I’m still mostly positive. If I don’t like it, I simply don’t review it. Some of the biggest brands lent me cameras that I didn’t review, never heard from them again 😂
Honestly, gear has peaked. I don't need to watch videos about gear anymore since it's all good - but I do need to learn more about storytelling, creativity, and industry. That's been reflecting a lot in the creators that I'm watching lately.
This is true. Until we see proper innovation is small batteries we will never see a huge advantage in portable tech. There are things on the horizon but these things need to become commercially cost effective.
Do your thing man. It's clear you want to stay true to yourself and be more free spirited. The "machine" is def boring, and even if it wasn't, you can't do it long before it becomes tired. I subbed for the mindset, so if that means gear reviews, random fun, thoughtful critique, montages of amazing food or moody cityscapes, just talking movies/cinema, or just shots of your dog beef... cool. I'm in lol.
I enjoy your extremely thoughtful insights on photography and cinematography. You bring me back 50 years to when I took a class called "Film as Art" in high school. We used 8mm Nikon movie cameras and made stuff like stop motion photography... We critiqued classic films from Truffaut and Fellini. Those were MY days, and I like the way your style of teaching reminds me of the learning process. I'm sorry that the element of the product review is intruding on your style. That never happened in my high school class, that's certain. Hopefully, there's a method of brushing over brand identity in RU-vid presentations. I truly believe what you say that it isn't the brand or cost of equipment that makes videos great. It's the human artist who has the vision and is operating the machines and doing the editing. I hope that you can just do what you FEEL. If reducing commercial-like content makes RU-vid less lucrative for you, then so be it. I'm very old, and I regret NOT following my enjoyment of film making ENOUGH to make a career of it. I wound up...just an average old man who did an average job. I'd like you to NOT have regrets like mine. I'd be sad to hear you felt bad about yourself, because this or that corporate clown in suit wanted more advertising. I'll keep watching, though! I enjoy learning about the artistic process from you. Aloha!
I started my channel again a few months ago. I was doing my own content and lately I found myself in this cycle of receiving useless shit products from brands that promise payouts who end not following through, brands who try to lowball the f**k out of you. So just like you. I stopped. I stopped taking their shit. I have my working rates. It’s my channel. The content is supposed to appeal to me before it does to anyone. They’re not happy, they can go and find someone else. Great video Patrick, ive been watching this channel and your main one for a while. I like that you’re authentic. Keep up the great work. Hoping to see more video essays soon 🙏🏻
Over the last few months, I’ve bought a lot of gear. I’d wanted to have my own camera package that I can use for short films and other creative projects for years. But the way I approach each purchase is this: “Is there something I need to do that my current kit does not allow me to do?” When I need to do that thing, I buy or rent the thing that allows me to. It’s always centered around the idea.
The passion in your voice shows the authenticity. Yeah I have used cameras and then would go online and the difference between hype and reality was remarkable.
Yeah man, I realized this a few years ago and fully proved it when the Sony ZV1 came out, aimed at bloggers but angle was defo too narrow at arms length, influencers/ reviewers struggled to mention that 😐😑
Totally understand your point of view mate! Personally for example I only review stuff I either need for a project or that would complement my kit in a genuine way for my documentary work. I say no to 95% of requests I get and I always make sure to say what I like but also what I don't like and what doesn't work, regardless of the company or product. I think the main issue on YT are people reviewing gear that they actually don't need or use and basically change brands and products every week just for clicks and views. Anyeone reviewing products should have a use for it and know how to film first. But I do get your point! Great video :)
@@sloppysteaks Haha bit drastic. People still need information for decision making and innovation is still important and exciting. I just think people with reach need to be more careful and thorough and brands should pick the right people with skills and experience rather than just numbers and click-bait power.
@@OfTwoLands yeah i dont agree. your channel is a great example of a platform that doesn't need to sling gear at all, and i think it distracts from what you're actually talented at.
@@sloppysteaks Thanks for the compliment mate, really appreciate it. It's funny (and can be frustrating) but in my case the type of gear I use and review actually help in showing what I can do to more people. Catch-22.
Damn! Patrick whoopin some rear end in this video. Love the unfiltered take on everything. Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think that the audio companies I've encountered have gotten to the point laid out in this video, or maybe they just don't try with me, I'm not sure. Regardless, I love this video man, great stuff.
Appreciate the honesty. Someone commented saying we don't need gear reviews because we are in a time where most of it is good. That's probably true. I just like watching your short films for the composition and editing. Keep that up!
I appreciate this a lot! I’m not in the camera space but more recently started doing videos on synths. Really just trying to focus on smaller setups and embracing the experience of what you have. Modular does have an aspect of trying to figure out what modules would work for you so it is a puzzle of sorts. In the process, I try to ground in the idea of growing slow and that giant cases that we see online don’t necessarily make the most music. I’m hoping that through showing mostly the same modules most videos will give people some encouragement to just make sound critical decisions about what they do decide to purchase instead of just buying the new module. There is new stuff I’m very excited about but usually because of what it offers for real. Haven’t shown anything I wasn’t legitimately excited about and I think that’s the key. I’d need to step up and return something that wasn’t awesome if I wasn’t gonna say it was great as otherwise it just leads people astray from doing what they want, the creation of music. I’m also in a unique position where I’m not needing to bring in income from videos and that’s not the same for everyone. Cheers to the future ahead of this weird time though!
I’ve been unfriended by quite a few companies over the years. I got uninvited from many trips and taken off many gear mailing lists. One thing that’s really different in 2024 compared to 2018 or 19 is how much viewers don’t want to hear negative stuff about gear. Maybe it’s a holdover effect from the pandemic but these days most seem to want you to justify their purchase for them. And tech isn’t interesting now. I built my channel wanting to have a conversation and these days people don’t want that. The companies don’t want that. And what you’re saying here is a lot of what I’ve been feeling myself. I don’t want to be a part of the conspicuous consumption machine. And that’s kinda all it is now. So like you, I’m gonna start teaching.
Chasing any version of yourself that isn't YOU will ultimately descend you to madness. What a truly remarkable and fantastic time to be alive that the best shot you have at "making it on social media" these days is by being yourself rather than trying so hard to be someone you aren't. Magical magical magical.
With all that’s currently going on in the camera space - I came here to say you’ve been my favourite “reviewer” for a long time, especially when you made the switch to this second channel and just started using the gear to make short films or random day in the life. It’s been more helpful and pleasant to watch than any video “showing what the camera is capable of” and no shade toward those videos, I’ve just found your channel to be a perfect blend of real time use and philosophy. You are the blueprint of “camera reviews” for the next 2-5 years. And Cam Mackey. We don’t forget Cam Mackey haha.
Nailed it. Nice. A lot of this can be said about so many spaces. Retail, in general, is about the selling of Brand X widget, and however Brand X can get their widget in front of an many eyes as possible is what's going to "work" in their minds because it's a numbers game: More eyes increases the likelihood of more "add to cart" clicks. Missing is the *why* behind the brand and the voice, and without that they, their widget, and the people who push it run the risk of being entirely replaceable.
I didn't even get to go to Japan. How many cameras do I have to sell? ;-) - Loved this video, and the raw and honest thoughts, had me chuckling at all the F___ing.
Louder for the people in the back! I'm grateful I reaillzed at some point in my youtube/internet journey that I was chasing just being an extension of like you said a marketing company or even worse a remote employee for google, spending my days locked in my house create revenue for a bunch of tech people who don't give a shit about the physical real community I live in. I'm still pursuing internet dollars and having a voice on the internet but I'll never stop trying to enhance and enrich the community I live in. Anyway, I had no idea you had this second channel and what a hell of a video for me to be introudced to it with.
this is exactly how I felt about the new Sony 16-25, like why is everyone hyping up a lens with a 9mm zoom range? Gear reviews probably won’t die out anytime soon but maybe less of them wouldn’t be a bad thing
Being a small creator myself and using YT as my creative outlet I have to say, you are spot on! I personally did dream of getting free stuff and working with companies when I started. But during this journey (and no company has send or offered me anything yet, since I'm still small) I realise the most important aspect of all of this, at least for me personally, is the community and connecting with like minded. I had the gut feeling, that making gear reviews about stuff I like to buy and enjoy might be the right way to start this and I guess I will keep at it for now. This gives me the ability, as you said, to talk about stuff, which are going wrong without being tied to a company - like my latest Leica Q3 video where I talk very long, why this camera is lacking in several ways. Thank you very much Patrick for your true words. Much appreciated!
Thank you for making this video. It has been more and more apparent to me that influencers have becore salesmen and marketing extensions. And it's way cheaper for them to market their products. I have noticed a big jump in that gear acquisition syndrome in about every industry out there. Cameras, computers, bikes, whatever. We're back to square one.
Love this and support you bro! Some people are gonna be mad about this but it’s something I’ve felt and honestly wasn’t sure if it was okay go in a different direction on my channel but this gave me some confidence 🤙🏼
This is the reason I'm trying to phase out of gear reviews that involve a gifted piece of gear. Although I typically know the product is good before I get it, I'll always have a slight positive bias whether I realize it or not. I agree, the game sucks.
I felt more and more liberated to say the truth about products when it became abundantly clear that no product or company deserves 30-70 hrs of my unpaid time making a video. Though, truthfully for probably the first 4 products i thought it was the coolest thing ever to have stuff sent to me
Might be specific to your niche. In the EDC space I roast companies and they make changes and still send stuff. But cameras and tech are a different beast
damn straight. most of those "reviews" are just commercials at this point and it's getting tiring. i'm "challenging" myself by only using my IP13 Pro and Sony ZV1 OG (that i almost sold off because of GAS lmao), both cinerigged for my silly vlogs, small gig+street+documentary photogs, etc. even though i have enough cash for a "proper camera".
Spitting facts and nothing else. Respect. I don't talk much about gear on my channel but I think this applies to a lot of other things as well, being yourself and being self aware is more important.
Good job. We've been talking on camera into a microphone here on the Tube about underlying creative philosophies and other contentious subjects and barely anyone watches. If we instead only talked about the specs of the camera or microphone themselves it would have 100x to 1000x more views. So you gotta do what's your own true North. Even though it will be more obscure.
bro yes!! have had the same mindset over the years and set realistic expectations with the Brands I do work with for what it is I will say and won't do. We as a community need to get together and put our foot down. It's the only way we'll make some progress
You are a rare man Patrick. The kind of man the likes of which we don’t often come across today. Thank you for standing out and being this honest. God bless you.
so glad to hear someone feels the same way about the review landscape at the moment. As someone who has to work in marketing day in and day out to get their bread and hates it I don't want to come to youtube to be bullshitted. Just want to be inspired, learn and to see people with unique styles/ personalities or approaches to their craft
I think BM needed to release the PYXIS with an additional $500 top screen accessory to make it easier for run and gun creators. As it is, it appears to be aimed just at indie film creators with small crews. Respect your opinion to not do reviews, offer filmmaking essays and opinion. It's true, I'm here because I enjoy your opinion, you could talk about sandwich fillings and it would still be cool with me. I've never had a sponsor on my channel and that's probably because I've mostly sought to convey some sage filmmaking tips, rather than review stuff. I have reviewed a few cameras, but mostly just my own that I've had experience with. Anyhoots, thanks for taking the time to shoot and share, its always fun to check out
This is exactly what has killed my desire to make videos on RU-vid. Everything has sorta become about the next hype piece of tech or gear. That train is exhausting to chase. My worst performing video ever on my channel is a video I made during the release of the x100vi essentially saying that having that camera doesn’t matter, enjoy taking photos with what you have…totally bombed because people just want to hear confirmation that they should spend $2500 on FB marketplace for the latest and greatest.
I don’t know if it’s your camera or your color grading, but your setup is beautiful. I’m starting my channel and would love to make my videos look like this, do you have your gear list anywhere?
Dude..I feel you man! Thinking an doing the same thing ..just hit 1K subs after years(took years!), because I don’t make those fancy trendy videos and boosting brands and gear which aren’t good. The reviews of the new BM indeed a rubbish! Only by seeing the thumbs I already skip them. Yes I’m an LUMIX trainer/ambassador but was a user for years before that and when they approached me I was very clear how I work; honest opinion about their gear, very honest feedback, and of course I’ll be preferring other brands gear when it’s more suitable for me. And for that works and gives me that freedom. But I’ve seen them up close, those who are selling their soul and constantly approaching brands for sponsoring (and some do even succeed in that, whatever).
Because of the fact u don't give a shit for the gear reviews out there, you earned a sub from me. I think this video didn't hurt the channel. It made people like me actually embrace it. Much respect to you !
such maturity i admire. one of the reason i love markus pix and nigel barros...and now you..looking forward with your idea.. but i still love your opinion especially about Fx30 video in shooting in lowlight..
Amazing take. I’m new at this RU-vid thing. Got my first brand to reach out for a sponsorship. I don’t have a lot of videos and sure a sponsorship would be nice, it makes no sense at the current moment. So I met them in the middle and said “send the product, I’ll do a completely unbiased review and if you want it back you can have it back”. They offered I keep it anyway (it’s a lower-cost product) So I get to start work on that today. I seriously do not want to be a shill, and I don’t ever want to be painted as one. I just want to make good, eye popping and trustworthy content. Hopefully I get success from that.
