Originally Posted by
Anthony Lewis
Those who come to great defense of View Camera should realize that those who criticize it are not doing it lightly. There are very genuine criticisms of this magazine and you hear exactly the same stories from different people all over the world.
I subscribed about five years ago from Australia. I also subscribe to B&W, Black and White, Silverprint, and now Color. All come from overseas and I have no problems with delivery whatsoever. Every one is delivered on time. They are all very professional in their layout and each gives me a different perspective of photography.
I subscribed to View Camera about five years ago. I paid for a 2-year subscription. Their freight was very expensive to Australia - as much as the magazine itself. View Camera assured me that I was getting "first class" freight and so it would be delivered very quickly. Well you can all guess the story. Not one single issue ever arrived - not one. In every case I waited 3 to 4 months after publication date to enquire where my issue was. In many cases my emails were never answered. In one case I got an email from a lady in the office who asked me "who do you think you are" and accused me of being "rude". All I was doing was asking for my rightful copy. So much for their first class freight.
After this episode, I still wanted to support the LF magazine community; I continued my subscription through an Australian dealer. After another two years, I constantly found the layout childlike and amateurish - it never improved. Also all the articles where very basic, very short and remiss on any sort of detail. Eventually I ended my relationship with VC.
I subscribe to many international publications; have bought Focus off the newsstands (have seriously considered subscribing and may yet). I have never known another magazine to have such terrible delivery problems, and have a layout similar to what a kindergarten kid would do. Are the font sizes still changing erratically? Does anyone do a spell check?
I believe the criticisms are well founded and in many cases and valid.
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