Our Methodology

🔍 Product catalogue

GearFrame maintains a curated catalogue of camera bodies, lenses, and accessories sold in the UK. Products are imported from UK retailer feeds, then every specification is checked against the manufacturer's own data before the product goes live — nothing is published straight from a feed without review.

Specification data — sensor size, resolution, autofocus systems, video capabilities, mount type, and physical dimensions — is sourced from manufacturer press releases and official data sheets, then cross-referenced against published specifications before being added to the catalogue. I don't publish specifications I can't verify from a primary source.

Products are selected based on UK availability and relevance to the photography community. I prioritise cameras and lenses that are actively sold new or widely available on the used market at reputable UK retailers.

📈 Price data

GearFrame currently links to four UK retailers: Amazon UK, eBay, Wex Photo Video, and Clifton Cameras. These were selected based on breadth of product coverage and affiliate programme availability. I plan to expand to additional specialist UK camera retailers — such as Jessops and Park Cameras — as the catalogue and retailer integrations grow.

📝 GearScore™ editorial assessments

Each camera and lens on GearFrame carries a GearScore™ — a proprietary editorial assessment comprising a score out of 10, a one-line verdict, pros and cons, suitability scores by photography genre, and a "who it's for" summary. GearScore™ is the core of GearFrame's editorial value beyond price comparison.

GearScore™ assessments are research-based, not hands-on tested. This is a legitimate and widely-used methodology: I synthesise manufacturer specifications, published professional reviews, known owner feedback patterns, market positioning, and value-for-money analysis to produce each assessment. Many respected publications — from buying guides to specification databases — use the same approach.

Genre suitability scores work differently. They are calculated from each camera's verified specifications, weighted by what matters for each type of photography. Where a spec sheet misses something — a manual-focus rangefinder for street, for example — a documented editorial adjustment is applied. Suitability scores are not based on customer reviews.

GearScore™ ratings are on a scale of 1–10. A score of 7.0 represents a competent, capable camera with clear trade-offs. Scores of 8.5 and above are reserved for cameras that meaningfully excel in their category. No product receives a score above 9.5 — perfection doesn't exist in camera design.

⚖️ Editorial independence

GearFrame may earn revenue through affiliate commission — when you click through to a retailer and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is how I keep the service free.

Affiliate relationships do not influence editorial scores, verdicts, product rankings, or the order in which retailers are listed. A retailer paying a higher commission rate does not receive preferential placement — retailers are displayed in price order, lowest first.

GearFrame doesn't accept paid product placements, manufacturer-funded score adjustments, or sponsored editorial content. If this ever changes, it will be clearly disclosed on the relevant page.

🕐 Update schedule

A summary of how often different data types on GearFrame are reviewed and updated:

This methodology page is reviewed and updated whenever our underlying processes change.