Kai Wong is no longer a part of DigitalRev TV.

So in case you didn't already know, the face of DigitalRev TV and man who coined the phrase bokelicious, Kaiman Wong, has separated from the company that made him famous to photographers for his hilarious, yet somewhat uninformative gear reviews. It has not been made official yet why the separation occurred, but based on a video he released on his personal page 5 days ago, it does not sound like he quit on his own terms. Video can be found here: https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=xfBsu3shLOU&​t=3s The last video he made with DRTV was an unfavorable review for the Canon 5D Mark IV in which he ended the video saying (while referring to how the 5D series used to be the gold standard of DSLR), "The definitive DSLR that can do more, is no more." You can view that video here: https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=idm61JtsYJc&​t=20s

If you want to watch more "DRTV-like" videos, check out Kaiman Wong's personal channel on Youtube. It's actually pretty good and if you liked DRTV you will like this as well.

Thanks for the link. Kai is a funny guy. You are right, his videos are entertaining if not informative.

yeah, first thing i saw on it a while back was digitalrev posting on their FB page...wasn't much but a small message...to me it seems like a mutual parting of ways...sounds like he wants to go back to doing his own thing...also read something that he moved back to the UK, which would make filming difficult

either way watched his M5 video, and felt like it was digitalrev...so i think for viewers it won't matter much

DreDaze wrote in post #18198468
yeah, first thing i saw on it a while back was digitalrev posting on their FB page...wasn't much but a small message...to me it seems like a mutual parting of ways...sounds like he wants to go back to doing his own thing...also read something that he moved back to the UK, which would make filming difficult

either way watched his M5 video, and felt like it was digitalrev...so i think for viewers it won't matter much

I agree that watching his videos remind me of DigitalRev, but have you seen DigitalRev's videos since he left? They're absolute crap. At least the Olympus E-M1 II OM-D one was.

I'd guess DRTV is dead now, but it's been dying for some time. When it was Kai, Lok, and Alamby, they had a great team. While definitely the lead, Kai was interesting, entertaining, and bloody crude. Burning and throwing cameras and lenses isn't exactly worth my time to watch. On more than one occasion, I felt bad for Alamby from the way Kai was acting to her. When she left, it was no surprise to me. DRTV went downhill quickly from there. Lok is a good guy, but definitely the straight man to Kai.

One thing I did think was brilliant was the "Pro Photographer, Cheap Camera" series. Sure, you can take a decent photo with an expensive camera (though I know people who can't), but can you take a great photo with a piece of junk? It was always great seeing what the pros would do to quickly learn the camera and still make a great shot.

On closing, I did like many of their reviews. They weren't the heavy technical reviews, but they did show how the equipment worked in the field. You got a 5 to 10 minute video that would fill in that one little piece of real world info you wouldn't find in the dry reviews elsewhere.

mathogre wrote in post #18198541
I'd guess DRTV is dead now, but it's been dying for some time. When it was Kai, Lok, and Alamby, they had a great team. While definitely the lead, Kai was interesting, entertaining, and bloody crude. Burning and throwing cameras and lenses isn't exactly worth my time to watch. On more than one occasion, I felt bad for Alamby from the way Kai was acting to her. When she left, it was no surprise to me. DRTV went downhill quickly from there. Lok is a good guy, but definitely the straight man to Kai.

One thing I did think was brilliant was the "Pro Photographer, Cheap Camera" series. Sure, you can take a decent photo with an expensive camera (though I know people who can't), but can you take a great photo with a piece of junk? It was always great seeing what the pros would do to quickly learn the camera and still make a great shot.

On closing, I did like many of their reviews. They weren't the heavy technical reviews, but they did show how the equipment worked in the field. You got a 5 to 10 minute video that would fill in that one little piece of real world info you wouldn't find in the dry reviews elsewhere.

I agree with everything you said. Their reviews were not overly technical, but they were entertaining. Boring reviews are everywhere with camera equipment, and their reviews were definitely not that.

I also agree that Kai leaving DRTV may have been the final nail in their coffin, especially with the videos they've produced since he left. Channels like TheCameraStoreTV that combine humor with good technical reviews were taking over at least my viewership in place of DRTV.

The Pro Tog Cheap Camera challenge was pretty amazing. I love watching those.

Alamby was pretty good too, although she barely ever said anything haha. The 3 of them were quite the team back in the day for sure.

Alamby didn't need to say anything. She talked with her eyes.

Cute looking fella, but every video I watched with him (just a few) was terrifying in gear handling aspect. Just like teenager having gear for free on parents money and giving no crap about it.
Perhaps, they let him go because they run out of people and companies willing to give him their gear.

kf095 wrote in post #18198771
Cute looking fella, but every video I watched with him (just a few) was terrifying in gear handling aspect. Just like teenager having gear for free on parents money and giving no crap about it.
Perhaps, they let him go because they run out of people and companies willing to give him their gear.

Doubtful since the first review he did on his personal channel was a $56,000 Alpa Phase One camera. And he gave it a poor grade lol.

I have no info on it, but if I were to make a guess at why he and DRTV parted ways was either 1) He didn't like the direction DRTV was going (it has been going downhill for awhile) and they mutually parted ways. 2) He made a personal channel and started reviewing gear which would've competed with DRTV and they didn't like that. or 3) (and this is the least likely) but Canon wasn't the least bit thrilled with his rather scathing review of the 5DIV and threatened to stop sending gear to DRTV unless a change was made. He said in a video that the 5DIV review was the last video he ever made for DRTV.

kf095 wrote in post #18198771
Cute looking fella, but every video I watched with him (just a few) was terrifying in gear handling aspect. Just like teenager having gear for free on parents money and giving no crap about it.
Perhaps, they let him go because they run out of people and companies willing to give him their gear.

His crazy handling of cameras was my favorite part...how many reviewers are going to set a 7D on fire?

DreDaze wrote in post #18198834
His crazy handling of cameras was my favorite part...how many reviewers are going to set a 7D on fire?

I enjoyed it as well. Entertainment is usually non existent in camera reviews. DRTV used to do it well. TheCameraStoreTV usually does ok, but kind of blandly. Tony & Chelsea Northrup are a snore fest. Matt Granger sometimes has beautiful women to stare at but besides that boring. Jared Polin rarely does real reviews and he's always yelling for some reason. Kai was a bright spot in photography reviews, and that's why I hope he keeps up the good work on his personal Youtube account.

Jarvis Creative Studios wrote in post #18199771
I enjoyed it as well. Entertainment is usually non existent in camera reviews. DRTV used to do it well. TheCameraStoreTV usually does ok, but kind of blandly. Tony & Chelsea Northrup are a snore fest. Matt Granger sometimes has beautiful women to stare at but besides that boring. Jared Polin rarely does real reviews and he's always yelling for some reason. Kai was a bright spot in photography reviews, and that's why I hope he keeps up the good work on his personal Youtube account.

Wow... have you considered starting a YouTube channel based on your reviews of camera gear reviewers and their reviews?

nqjudo wrote in post #18199778
Wow... have you considered starting a YouTube channel based on your reviews of camera gear reviewers and their reviews?

haha no never considered it. Unfortunately most of my reviews of the reviewers would not be good. I'll leave that to Jared Polin. He publicly shames people who he doesn't agree with in the photography community. If you don't believe me look up Jared Polin vs. Ken Rockwell on Google. Granted Ken Rockwell is the worst, and steers new photographers who don't know better in terrible directions, but still..... They're both big players in the photography community so that should be left alone IMHO.

Jarvis Creative Studios wrote in post #18199789
haha no never considered it. Unfortunately most of my reviews of the reviewers would not be good. I'll leave that to Jared Polin. He publicly shames people who he doesn't agree with in the photography community. If you don't believe me look up Jared Polin vs. Ken Rockwell on Google. Granted Ken Rockwell is the worst, and steers new photographers who don't know better in terrible directions, but still..... They're both big players in the photography community so that should be left alone IMHO.

Yeah. I'm familiar with both of those guys but I kind of gave up on the reviews a while back. Maybe because of those two actually!

nqjudo wrote in post #18199846
Yeah. I'm familiar with both of those guys but I kind of gave up on the reviews a while back. Maybe because of those two actually!

Ken Rockwell has one of the best reviews online however. His review for the Canon EF 80-200 f2.8L (magic drainpipe) is the best one I've ever found. Definitely his best review ever IMO. It's what prompted me to buy my first magic drainpipe, and first L lens ever. You can check it out here: http://kenrockwell.com​/canon/lenses/80-200mm-f28.htm