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Do you trust Amazon reviews?
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Sep 13, 2018 19:27:55   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and wanted one large enough for video. Currently, I have a 32 GB Lexar SD II U3 150MB/s. I was considering another Lexar card, but twice the size. EVERY review on EVERY card has a reviewer that says something like, "Don't buy this card" or "It's a fake" or " the card failed in the middle of a shoot". etc. Also, hardly any of them show the back of the card, except for the Transcend card (TS64GSD2U3). Both cards are on the Sony recommended list. What say you?

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Sep 13, 2018 19:37:51   #
BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA
 
Unless the reviewer is identified sufficiently for me to make personal contact and discuss the review with the actual reviewer, I don't trust any reviews at all, period!!!

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Sep 13, 2018 19:39:04   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
GrandmaG wrote:
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and wanted one large enough for video. Currently, I have a 32 GB Lexar SD II U3 150MB/s. I was considering another Lexar card, but twice the size. EVERY review on EVERY card has a reviewer that says something like, "Don't buy this card" or "It's a fake" or " the card failed in the middle of a shoot". etc. Also, hardly any of them show the back of the card, except for the Transcend card (TS64GSD2U3). Both cards are on the Sony recommended list. What say you?
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and w... (show quote)


Keep in mind you have only ONE UHS-II compatible slot on that camera, the other slot is only UHS-I compatible. You will not record at the same speed to both slots.
Amazon reviews can be all over the map, if a card works for you, just get the same card.

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Sep 13, 2018 19:40:01   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
BHC wrote:
Unless the reviewer is identified sufficiently for me to make personal contact and discuss the review with the actual reviewer, I don't trust any reviews at all, period!!!


Good to know. Some get free product to give a review on and those have to be biased!

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Sep 13, 2018 19:41:33   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
I get mine from B&H, Staples, Best Buy(in store), Walmart(in store), Target(in store), or Office Depot.

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Sep 13, 2018 19:45:16   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
MT Shooter wrote:
Keep in mind you have only ONE UHS-II compatible slot on that camera, the other slot is only UHS-I compatible. You will not record at the same speed to both slots.
Amazon reviews can be all over the map, if a card works for you, just get the same card.


That is true. I also read, that if you have the camera set to backup and one card gets full, it will just stop recording to any card! I only have ONE SDII U3 card and that makes me a little uncomfortable. That's why I wanted a spare. I have a 16GB card in the other slot, but, of course, no video will record to that slot. I think I'll try some video with my current card and see how it performs. Thank you for your response.

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Sep 13, 2018 19:47:15   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
GrandmaG wrote:
That is true. I also read, that if you have the camera set to backup and one card gets full, it will just stop recording to any card! I only have ONE SDII U3 card and that makes me a little uncomfortable. That's why I wanted a spare. I have a 16GB card in the other slot, but, of course, no video will record to that slot. I think I'll try some video with my current card and see how it performs. Thank you for your response.


Glad you are aware of this issue, many users are not and the cards slot differences can come as a big surprise.
Good luck.

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Sep 13, 2018 19:47:27   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
Longshadow wrote:
I get mine from B&H, Staples, Best Buy(in store), Walmart(in store), Target(in store), or Office Depot.


Maybe I should just get one at the Store!! Now I just have to figure out which one.

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Sep 13, 2018 19:48:35   #
GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI
 
MT Shooter wrote:
Glad you are aware of this issue, many users are not and the cards slot differences can come as a big surprise.
Good luck.


It was also a surprise that Slot 1 is the BOTTOM slot!

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Sep 13, 2018 20:37:19   #
ecar Loc: Oregon, USA
 
GrandmaG wrote:
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and wanted one large enough for video. Currently, I have a 32 GB Lexar SD II U3 150MB/s. I was considering another Lexar card, but twice the size. EVERY review on EVERY card has a reviewer that says something like, "Don't buy this card" or "It's a fake" or " the card failed in the middle of a shoot". etc. Also, hardly any of them show the back of the card, except for the Transcend card (TS64GSD2U3). Both cards are on the Sony recommended list. What say you?
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and w... (show quote)


Your right about one thing, AND I don't care what it is, there is always at least ONE person who trashes the product. You have to read all of the reviews, and if your still not satisfied, do some more asking elsewhere. Call B&H & ask someone there. Call whatever camera store you like and ask them.

Remember, people don't always buy the correct product for what they need, so keep this in mind too.

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Sep 13, 2018 21:28:46   #
pentaxion Loc: Daytona Beach
 
GrandmaG wrote:
It was also a surprise that Slot 1 is the BOTTOM slot!


Not if you turn it over.

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Sep 13, 2018 22:18:14   #
wrangler5 Loc: Missouri
 
ecar wrote:
Your right about one thing, AND I don't care what it is, there is always at least ONE person who trashes the product. You have to read all of the reviews, and if your still not satisfied, do some more asking elsewhere. Call B&H & ask someone there. Call whatever camera store you like and ask them.

Remember, people don't always buy the correct product for what they need, so keep this in mind too.


Apart from the Amazon reviewers who answer a listed question "I don't know", the most irritating reviews are those that give 1 star because the product doesn't do something that the description explicitly says it won't do. (Or even implicitly says it won't do - like complaining that the Canon-compatible remote trigger you ordered doesn't work on your Nikon.) You also have to be careful reading any of them, as sometimes the reviews cover a multitude of similar products and it's not always clear which one a particular reviewer is rating.

But as to the original question - yes, I do trust Amazon answers, IF there are enough of them, and IF the 4 and 5 star ratings include some that are from customers who have used the product for more than a day or two, and IF the 1 and 2 star ratings are a small percentage of the total, and IF the lowest ratings are something more than "it was the wrong color" or give enough specifics beyond "it didn't work" to give a feel for how or why it didn't work. In other words, if read and analyzed carefully, I think the reviews can be trusted.

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Sep 14, 2018 00:37:21   #
IDguy Loc: Idaho
 
GrandmaG wrote:
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and wanted one large enough for video. Currently, I have a 32 GB Lexar SD II U3 150MB/s. I was considering another Lexar card, but twice the size. EVERY review on EVERY card has a reviewer that says something like, "Don't buy this card" or "It's a fake" or " the card failed in the middle of a shoot". etc. Also, hardly any of them show the back of the card, except for the Transcend card (TS64GSD2U3). Both cards are on the Sony recommended list. What say you?
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and w... (show quote)


If the negative ā€œ1ā€ reviews are 5% or less Iā€™m convinced it is very good product. There are always about that percent that are disgruntled over something. Usually their fault.

If over 10% I look elsewhere.

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Sep 14, 2018 01:52:01   #
zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas
 
I think that Amazon reviews are helpful if you learn how to read them. There are several ways you can make them work for you.

First, the numbers game. If there are fewer than ten reviews, the average rating means little. If you have 100+ reviews there are enough reviews to neutralize the paid enthusiasts and professional trolls. (Perhaps this is an oxymoron?) Also look at the distribution. If there is a broad consensus with just a few outliers ignore those. (I hate sliced bread.)

Look out for folks who don't get the full picture and go off on a tangent. There are lots of folks who give one star to outstanding products just because they are really unhappy with one minor aspect. For instance, there are folks who gave the Sony A7 III a one-star rating because it does not come with an external battery charger. Okay, it annoyed me too, but it is minor nuisance rather than a major product flaw.

Then there are the short, non-specific reviews. "This lens sucks." "The box arrived damaged." "Don't buy this card." "Awesome product." Unless a justification is offered just ignore. There is a good chance that these reviewers are posting for reasons other than providing a service to potential future users--you.

Then there are folks who give overly enthusiastic reviews. People buy a camera and then become unable so see its shortcomings, as if this would be an admission of a clouded judgement or of a bad investment (which sometimes this is). So they write enthusiastic reviews because they want to emotionally protect their investment. We see a version of this on UHH from the mirrorless haters. They declare mirrorless a passing fad while holding on to their DSLR tanks as if it was a sinking ship. (Well, it is. I just had to say this to make my point.)

So what should you read? Look for reviews that offer specific details for why or why not they like a product. Look for differentiated arguments--folks who talk about the good and the bad. Look for reviews who address the core functioning of a product, not just the color of the box. Look for people who take time to explain things in language you can understand.

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Sep 14, 2018 06:14:51   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
GrandmaG wrote:
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and wanted one large enough for video. Currently, I have a 32 GB Lexar SD II U3 150MB/s. I was considering another Lexar card, but twice the size. EVERY review on EVERY card has a reviewer that says something like, "Don't buy this card" or "It's a fake" or " the card failed in the middle of a shoot". etc. Also, hardly any of them show the back of the card, except for the Transcend card (TS64GSD2U3). Both cards are on the Sony recommended list. What say you?
I need a spare memory card for my Sony a7iii and w... (show quote)


It is not just Amazon reviews, it is also the reviews on B&H and Adorama, or any site. I take many of the high and low scores and throw them out.
I know Nikon shooters who bash Canon without even owning the equipment, and Canon shooters who bash Nikon without even owning the equipment. So, I read all the reviews and come to a general consensus. But my best source are my fellow shooters, I am fortunate to live in an area of Florida in the winter that supports hundreds of nature photographers. I value their opinion because they are actually shooting the equipment I have questions about.

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