Welcome to our annual list of the Top HDSLR Websites.

In order to help you separate the clutter from the cream, we have taken the time to create this list of the most valuable industry related sites which we frequent on a daily basis.

planet5D … Any listing of the top HDSLR-related sites would be incomplete without the inclusion of planet5D. Owned and operated by St. Louis resident “planetMitch” Aunger (whose original career as a programmer was outsourced a few years back), the site is arguably the leader as a one-stop shop for all things HDSLR. Offering a veritable plethora of dynamic, constantly evolving informational categories of industry headline news, training, filmmaking samples and technical tips, Mitch has essentially cornered the market through expert utilization of social media tools … while simultaneously developing an A-list of industry “insider” contacts giving him a distinct advantage over his competitors.

cheesycam.com … A combination DIY resource expert and product reviewer, cheesycam.com has been churning out excellent content for a number of years. In addition, Emm’s opinions and commentary on HDSLR hardware are accurate, timely and highly informative. He is quite adept at putting the technology to work in ways never thought possible. He also takes the time and makes the effort to respond to questions in his comments section, a necessary evil that many other bloggers fail to invest in. This interactive feature of his site – in and of itself – gives his readers a direct conduit to information they cannot find anywhere else and makes his site a “must read”. All in all, a great resource for filmmakers at every level — from beginners to pros.

eoshd.com … A highly regarded expert of cutting edge HDSLR technology, Andrew Reid’s seemingly endless efforts at championing 4/3 technology (in the form of the Panasonic GH2 et al.) does get somewhat tedious at times. However, one must give him high marks for his constant testing of the latest gear, firmware and formats. He is a respected, highly opinionated voice within the HDSLR community and not afraid to ruffle a few feathers … as evidenced by his entertaining and perpetual feud with the folks at nofilmschool.com.

nofilmchool.com … One cannot overlook Ryan B. Koo for his compelling and informative website. Consistently producing fresh commentary (albeit with frequent guest posters) as an aggregator of industry news, he nonetheless does much more than just regurgitate hardware information and press releases. The site offers insight with regard to filmmaking content, style, and methodology. Although one must suffer through seemingly endless self-promotion as a Twitter follower of Koo (friendly note to Ryan: Yes, we all have seen your short film “AMATEUR” … but please – for the love of God – let it go for awhile … LOL), in the end, it is usually well worth it.

newsshooter.com … Another site which broadly presents information on both hardware and content, newsshooter.com brings a global perspective to the HDSLR community.  Site Editor Dan Chung and Technical Editor Matthew Allard bring fresh and unique content to their site … content which varies from international coverage of HDSLR news to stories about the practical side of covering events from around the globe. As working pros, their unique perspective and insight into the HDSLR world is highly reputable and valuable.

the-digital-picture.com … Great source for trusted camera and lens reviews. Operated by industry veteran Brian Carnathan, the site has developed a following for reliable information with regard to HDSLR hardware through his extensive testing and subsequent analyzation. He also does an excellent job at keeping his eye on camera & lens deals, promotions and discounts.

canonrumors.com … As a counterpart to Keith Cooper’s Northlight Images website, canonrumors.com keeps its nose pinned to the rumor mill for all things Canon (and sometimes non-Canon info as well). But perhaps just as important is the user forum on the site. If one can wade through the usual “interweb nay-sayers” and the pixel peeping, self-proclaimed experts, a lot of useful information is discussed and debated by legitimate forum members (side note: Sort of sad to see the +1 and -1 rating aspect of the forum go away … albeit admittedly a sophomoric way to approve / disapprove of fellow commentator’s posts and opinions). Nonetheless it is valuable resource to the HDSLR community.

learningdslrvideo.com … Boulder resident Dave Dugdale has carved out a nice little niche for himself with a folksy “come along for the ride” type of presentation. As a former professional audio “brainiac”, Dugdale has developed a sound (pun intended) reputation in the HDSLR world through his slow but steady progression from a novice camera guy to where he is today (advanced amateur?). His easy to understand videos present information that may be taken for granted by the more experienced user, but he handles reviews of gear, technique and technology accurately and thoroughly.

philipbloom.net Arguably one of the leading educators in the HDSLR world, Philip Bloom’s insight and commentary on the art and science of HDSLR filmmaking provides a treasure trove of information to our community. His work in short form filmmaking is inspiring, to say the least. In addition, his typically thoughtful remarks on gear are not driven by commercial enterprise, but rather integrity and honesty. Philip is not afraid to stir the pot, as measured by his quite public decision to return his RED EPIC to the manufacturer due to its continual malfunctioning hardware glitches. All in all, philipbloom.net is another one of those “must-read” portals.

petapixel.com … Okay, not exactly a shining example of a leading, informative industry blog, but petapixel.com deserves credit for serving as the “People Magazine” of the industry.  They somehow manage to scrape a wide variety of photography-related stories (usually on the quirky side) to keep their readers entertained throughout the day.  With a massive Twitter following, their success is not surprising due to their skill at uncovering obscure, yet at the same time entertaining content.

Well, there you have it … the top HDSLR sites of 2013. From all of us at HDSLRnow.com, we wish everyone a most peaceful and productive New Year.