Dpreview.com, long considered to be the web destination for impartial digital camera reviews, has been acquired by Amazon.com. What does this mean for the future of this invaluable resource site?

Personally, I have used dpreview as a source for all of my camera purchases in recent years, so I have something of a vested interest in the outcome. After mulling over the possible consequences of the acquisition, I’ve come up with several possiblities.

The Good: The acquisition could free up resources. Freed from the need to attend directly to the business side of the equation, the dpreview staff could have the opportunity to review more new cameras earlier, or to enhance the site to provide even more information.

The Bad: Amazon could possibly abuse dpreview. This option is the least pleasant, and naturally one of the first to come to mind. Amazon could possibly subvert the impartiality of dpreview to push customers toward cameras that Amazon favors, or only allow reviews of cameras sold by Amazon. One feature of dpreview that will almost certainly vanish is the real-time pricing provided by partners such as CNET. It’s almost a no-brainer that Amazon will be the only “partner site” with price and purchase links being provided in the future.

The Ugly: In an effort to focus on the core competencies of the dpreview, Amazon could take control of the technological direction of the site, diluting the well-known dpreview image into a data-gathering cookie monster like the Amazon site.

I’m hoping for the “good” option, without any of the bad or the ugly. Only time will tell! One positive sign is that the press release from dpreview mentions continuation as “a stand-alone operation” which leads me to believe that only the business operations will be taken over.

Check out dpreview’s press release for more information.