Unbiased reviews – our principles

It is a deeply ingrained principle of our site’s ethics: we are unbiased. 
No manufacturer from the industry, large or small, can buy our opinions. Neither do we ever accept payments for certain opinions. What we state on here is what we truly think.

How is this possible?

We are immensely thankful to have partnered with leading camera equipment stores from three large regions. They are our valued sponsors, and since they do not act as any manufacturer’s specific advocate, we can stay completely independent. When you click on any affiliate link on our site, you get to their store, and we get the same small amount of commission for all the clicks to any camera brand, should you decide to order something – at no extra cost for you. 

B&H covers the sponsorship for the entire US and “rest of the world” region. CVP is our sponsor for all things UK and Europe. And Fujiya Camera backs us in Japan. Through these partners, which are long-standing, trusted relationships that developed over many years, we can remain independent and unbiased. 

We do run banner advertising and sponsorship for our gear news videos on the site from various kinds of companies from our industry, but not a single one of these advertising deals is tied to a “positive review”. We don’t ever sell positive reviews! Unfortunately we know that it has become hard to trust some channels in other places, but we can guarantee you: Our advertising spaces are booked well nonetheless. Most manufacturers are very respectful of our ethics, they have come to respect it.

Why is this important?

Publishing content to a large, trusting audience, sharing reviews, how-to’s and tips would not be anywhere near genuine or helpful, when influenced “from above”. We care about being honest and transparent, and we want you, our audience, to benefit from what we share. Therefore, we will always say what we think. This does not only serve you in building your own opinions and making choices, it can also act as feedback to our industry’s manufacturers. Quite often, pre-production models of cameras reach our office – and only honesty would make an impact, right?  

We are never out to get anyone, petty remarks or irrelevant mentions are certainly not what we stand for. The honest feedback we share actually serves the manufacturers in question as well as the filmmakers using the gear in the long run. 

Why us?

Each member of the growing CineD editorial team has professional real-life experience. In fact, each member of the team is working with real clients while keeping this site informative. Being part of the freelance working camera operator’s world is essential to understand what kind of gear makes sense and what doesn’t. Our insights and independent opinions stem from hands-on experience, oftentimes a review will be part of a real-life project. This gives us the possibility to report from the field, not only in theory. Factors like time pressure and restraints, environmental influences and weather conditions, limits in baggage size/weight, etc. all get taken into account, when reviewing gear this way. 

Our big goal is to be a trustworthy source of knowledge for you. And we are convinced that this can only be achieved when being and staying unbiased, and constantly re-checking that status.