U.K. photo magazines (Page 2): Amateur Photographer may be thin but it's full of useful content. At 2.99 per weekly issue...

gmw12 Loc: Indianapolis & Windsor/UK & Montreux/Switzerl

jeryh wrote:

As a matter of interest, UK mags in general seemed... (show quote)

Amateur Photographer may be thin but it's full of useful content. At 2.99 per weekly issue...

Biogon44

I have been a subscriber to 'Amateur Photographer', a UK magazine, for many years. It is my source for up-to-date information about photographic news, new equipment, and photographic techniques and history. It is superior to American photo publications with much better writing and more complete coverage of photographic matters. U.S. magazines tend to be shallow in content and are very spotty in photographic matters; these are the reasons I no longer subscribe to any of them.

FrumCA

warrior wrote:

I subscribe to the U.K. N photo and Digital Photography magazine .

A great amount of info. I find in American Photo magazines very little info and a great amount advertisements.

What say you all?

Agree. There is much more content in the UK magazines not to mention the regular "how to" articles.

Whitbyrover Loc: Lincolnshire, UK

For outdoor, nature and landscape photography take a look at Outdoor Photography magazine.
Loads of info and interviews, oh and equipment reviews too.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

I agree, why can't the U.S. magazines copy that format. I have a hard time wanting to renew the U.S. magazines.

wegriffin8642 Loc: Houston, Tx

Yes, sir....to much advertisement...

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

warrior wrote:

I subscribe to the U.K. N photo and Digital Photography magazine .

A great amount of info. I find in American Photo magazines very little info and a great amount advertisements.

What say you all?

I have subscribed to PhotoPlus for several years. As you may know it's the Canon only stablemate of the Nikon specific N Photo published by Techrader. I agree with you 100%. Techradar produces a number of photography magazines where the emphasis is on content rather then ads. Its very refreshing. While they tend to be pricey my guess is they have at least 3 times as much actual content as American magazines which seem to contain ads on over 50% of their pages. A recent copy of PhotoPlus with a total of 132 pages had 22 full pages of ads, mostly at the very end of the magazine and on the inside covers and no partial page ads anywhere. That left me with 110 full pages of nothing but content!

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

Advertising doesn't bother me, it pays for the magazine. I don't care about other photographers and how they got in to photography or suggest on how I can div it. I want info on photography as the Brits do it. Keep it up UK

RolandDieter

British magazines generally (not always) do a better job of reviews because they are willing to give negative reviews. Policy at some domestic magazines is to print positive reviews and just not report anything when a tested item falls short. My all-time favorite British magazine review was for the Chevy Camero several years back. They had just stopped producing them (although it went back into production a few years later). Anyway, they gave it their "most improved car of the year award." The review was very short. They said the reason for the award was that Chevrolet stopped making them.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

The discontinued Popular Photography Magazine was very good. And I hated to see it go. The UK magazines have always been highly rated. But, I can get much information from websites that cost me nothing at all. I do get a monthly printed magazine from Shutterbug Magazine. Only because Popular Photography is now gone.

TonyL Loc: Coventry, UK

I acknowledge that US prices seem cheaper but UK prices include VAT (Value Added Tax) at 20%. I understand US prices quoted do not usually include local/state sales taxes so the price differential may not be quite as big as it appears.

Hyperhad Loc: Thunder Bay, Canada

MrBob wrote:

Have you not noticed that everything in this country is leaning to the frivolous and superficial; I call it the dumbing down of America. Look at the TV shows that are cancelled and those that stay; Photo Mags are just another example. Serious pursuits are just not in vogue.

The same thing is happening in Movies.

Reality shows are much cheaper to make (a few crew members, a lot of pre-mounted cameras). They are not "scripted" as such, but are heavy edited to manipulate the content. Those in front of the camera are encouraged to create drama and conflict. Some people are fascinated by them. Advertisers like them because people watch them. Producers love them because, compared to a scripted show, they are cheap to make. I find them uniformly terrible, pandering to the worst aspects of what we are as human beings.

I agree that UK photo mags. are good. I have subscribed in the past, but the costs are just too high.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

MrBob wrote:

Have you not noticed that everything in this country is leaning to the frivolous and superficial; I call it the dumbing down of America. Look at the TV shows that are cancelled and those that stay; Photo Mags are just another example. Serious pursuits are just not in vogue.

I agree!

14kphotog Loc: Marietta, Ohio

I agree with Jerry, so much more on the internet and on the hog. YEA UHH!!!!
!

repleo Loc: Boston

TonyL wrote:

I acknowledge that US prices seem cheaper but UK prices include VAT (Value Added Tax) at 20%. I understand US prices quoted do not usually include local/state sales taxes so the price differential may not be quite as big as it appears.

In the states that apply sales tax (many don't) the tax is usually in the 5% - 8% range. Prices I see advertised are typically about the same number of Pounds as Dollars but the exchange rate is approx $1.38 to 1 Pound so even net of sales tax / VAT there is a significant price difference for an item that is being imported into both countries. UK charges 10% Customs Duty and then VAT on top of that. There is no Duty on cameras coming into the US.