We spend a lot of time talking about the best time to buy new equipment. But it can also be difficult to know when is the right time to let go of old equipment.
I didn’t make it to the store yesterday. I was planning to go. I was about to go. But a pervasive sense of uncertainty kept me dazed on the couch just long enough for the opportunity to pass. To be fair, it’s an opportunity that will come again. Actually, it’s something I could do at any time, even do it right now instead of writing this. It’s just that doing it yesterday is a bit more convenient in my schedule.
The event in question is one of KEH’s regular purchasing events. In the past, I have sold some cameras to them after the camera expired. Usually this is as simple as packing things up and getting them down to the UPS. Then wait to see if the actual quote matches the estimated price I calculated online. To make this process easier, KEH will run the road show from time to time. A representative will visit the local camera store to pick up the equipment on-site. No trips to UPS. And, if you accept the deal, pay on the spot.
There was one such event in Los Angeles over the weekend. I put it on my calendar, just as a reference point, before there’s anything specific I want to sell. After battling device buyback syndrome for years, there’s always something around my house that goes unused. But the trade-offs aren’t always worth digging into, so these trade-offs often come and go that I don’t really take advantage of.
What interests me this time is what happened the night before. I wrote last week about using Nikon Z 30 to (re)start my YouTube channel, Canvas can move. I had to send the unit back on loan, so for the episode I’m filming this week, I thought I’d try one of my other cameras to shoot the episode. This particular quest has been moved to Canon EOS R5. If you think the camera is a bit overkill for capturing live-address YouTube videos, chances are you’re right. I definitely don’t buy it for that purpose. I bought it almost two years ago as my primary hybrid camera for professional work. At the time, I was taking most of my stills with GOAT, Nikon D850, but that camera lacked many of the video features I needed, so as my work became more and more focused on video, the R5 started taking more and more snapshots. I’ve shot a number of advertising campaigns, editorials and personal projects with the R5 and it produces some of my favorite images. As a lifelong Nikon-ian, I’m really entertained by the idea that this Canon R5 could be the go-to machine in the future.
Afterward Z 9 was released. I quickly realized that the Z 9 was the absolute perfect camera for my particular needs. It feels right in my hand. It is built to work quickly and efficiently. Effectively my middle name. And, as a lifelong Nikon-ian, that simply feels right. There are no reviews for other brands. However, for me, the Z 9 turned out to be exactly what I was looking for. When I was able to use my second Z 9 as a backup for the first, I suddenly found that I already had all of my camera needs for the foreseeable future.
That’s not to say R5 still doesn’t serve a purpose. With the Z 9’s built-in grip, there’s an advantage to having a smaller body like the R5 when you need to move into certain less camera-friendly shooting environments. The smaller body is also beneficial in some gimbal shooting situations (though the Z 9 also works well on gimbal). And, even though it uses a different log/raw format, having a third camera that’s also capable of 8K shooting isn’t a bad choice to get.
However, the question is how often can I actually use that option. Because the Z 9 has already established itself as the camera of choice, whatever point in the game the R5 will get at this point will be a C camera. And while it does have the size advantage. smaller than the Z 9, it doesn’t look like there’s anything it can do that the Z 9 can’t. Except, of course, that it has a screen that flips around. And this is why I thought I might try it as my YouTube channel camera.
Doing so reminds me of two things. One, the picture quality of the video is amazing. And, two, things are still way too hot. This has improved with recent firmware updates, but, depending on a combination of your settings, the flashing red overheating light remains a persistent threat. I was reminded of this when, in the middle of recording an episode, I received an overheat warning and was forced to shut down my recording for about half an hour before I could go ahead and finish what I was doing. . It was not particularly hot in the room. I don’t shoot 8K. There doesn’t seem to be any reason I can’t do it via a simple address directly in front of the camera, except for my tendency to stumble. In practice, however, the camera overheated, reminding me of one of the key benefits of using the Z 9’s large body in the first place. That thing can shoot 8K, 4K, or whatever K for days on end with no limit. Hence, one of the main reasons why it occupies the starting position.
I don’t mean this article is to compare the Z 9 with the R5. Both cameras have served me amazingly as a professional photographer and filmmaker. But I wanted to give some context to why I found myself yesterday morning trying to decide if I should finally pack up the R5 and drive out to the store to take a look at its sales. Because it’s still a great camera, the R5 should still be available for a reasonable price on the used market. And it is unlikely that the value will increase over time. So trading it now while the value is still relatively high makes a lot of financial sense. It’s only my intrinsic oscillation that makes me wonder what possible scenarios I would wish I still had in my toolkit. No doubt there will come a time when, if I trade it off, I wish I’d kept it. Trading it also means that all the cameras I have now will be a built-in grip (except for compact cameras) Nikon Z fc). It’s odd that there isn’t a medium-sized body somewhere in the collection. But, again, is that really a reason not to cash out now, when the value is still high?
With this column, I often have the opportunity to talk about a lot of detailed reasons why you should or shouldn’t buy a certain kit. But I find deciding when to forego existing kits to be a much bigger challenge. What’s the best way to decide when it’s time to ditch an old camera? And where is the line between its value as a fallback option and its monetary value as a transaction? With R5, it’s worth it. But what if the camera you’re considering trading for is worth so little compared to what you paid for it making the question more difficult?
I once dated a woman who had her own philosophy about clothes. To be able to manage her wardrobe, she will donate a piece of clothing to Goodwill for every new piece of clothing she buys. As a natural hoarder, I have always envied her with this discipline. I had a similar approach with the camera. I usually sell the old ones to pay for the new ones. However, while I have many cameras these days, they all serve slightly different purposes and have slightly different form factors, which makes it a bit more difficult to decide. .
I’ve heard of some photographers scheduling their deals. Every three years, they exchange old cameras and upgrade them. I think this approach has a lot of selling points. First, it takes guesswork to know when to upgrade. We love debating which camera is perfect for us and how one brand is better than another. But, truth be told, it’s very rare for most of us to actually need an upgrade. We want. However, there’s a good chance that any camera you’ve purchased within the last three years is likely to get the job done perfectly. So if you could just set a calendar date to update your device and could stick to it, that would allow you to escape the tech race where every time you buy something new, it will be obsolete within six months.
Another advantage of doing it this way is that it forces you to sell when the resale value is relatively high. Once the new model is announced, the price of the old model will inevitably drop. If you set a regular schedule to sell your old ones, that can help you get the most value out of your deal.
Of course, these are just my working theories. But I want to know how you decide when to let go of your old device. Do you have an appointment? Do you continuously upgrade every six months to stay on top of technology? Do you keep the cameras until they disintegrate on the shelf? I’m really curious to see how well others have managed the downtime of the cameras and equipment that have served us well over the years. In the meantime, I’ll keep twirling my fingers as I look at my R5. The final answer will definitely come to me.
