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Rather than thinking, "A new camera will pay for itself in the next two jobs", think "Will a new camera make me more money in the next two jobs".

I like that you have people saying, "brand new, reliable" when "brand new" and "reliable" are opposing forces.

I shoot a lot of portraits on location, so I'm always hunting for lighter, more portable gear. The focus is usually on grip, modifiers, and bags to make transport easy and secure. Upgraded my camera recently because I accidentally shattered the screen on my old one, and the cost to replace that was within spitting distance of the new one.

Your channel truely is a breathe of fresh air in comparison to the content creators plugging the newest cameras, lenses and other accessories and telling you how much of a "game changer" these new features are.

"This jacket is made from our tablecloth!" What a fabulous line from a clearly top-of-the-line commercial photographer! Love your wise, grounded and shared thoughts... Fun, stimulating... and, as I say, with the hands-on wisdom of experience! Much thanks!

So I shot on a Canon Rebel T3i for years. At the time I didn't know the difference between APS-C sensors and full frame. In fact, I had no idea there was such a thing really until I decided to upgrade to a Canon 6D. I took it home, pulled out my 24mm lens and put it on the 6D body and was blown away because I noticed I "saw" more in the view finder. I didn't know why I felt like I did, but I did. FINALLY I decided to look up why. And when I found out that I had been shooting on a "crop sensor" camera for years (I had a XTi before the T3i) I thought to myself, "Oh, okay. I guess I can see more with my lenses now." The last camera I purchased was a Canon 1Dx MKII and the reason I chose to buy one of those bodies was because I was shooting a lot of sports and athletic competitions and performances for my daughter's drill team, that I wanted to have something that would shoot at a faster frame rate than what I was getting with the 6D. I also bought it used. So I saved several thousand dollars because I bought an older body that was previously owned. There were some scratches, dents and a few other areas where it was worn, but the camera still functioned just fine. I shoot mostly portraits, and if I needed to, I could go back to that T3i and be just fine. I still have all my old cameras. Now that I know the difference that I can get between shooting full frame and APS-C, and more importantly what my lenses will do with those two sensors, I don't think I'll ever really need to buy anything else just for the sake of having something new. Unless of course...I break something :) But, I think sometimes people do get too caught up in newer features. Even if it's not camera bodies or lenses themselves...light modifiers, or lights themselves sometimes get sucked into those types of arguments online. I remember reading someone posted once, "Nobody uses an umbrella anymore. Those things are dead." I thought to myself, "Um...I still use them? I know a number of other professional photographers use them..." I have an umbrella that I've owned for over 18 years. I still use it every now and then lol Take good care of your equipment and learn how to use them properly, and you'll probably feel the need to upgrade less. But, that's my opinion.

I love your perspective on this topic and I think more top level photographers and videographers need to speak on this subject so that people coming up won't feel they NEED the latest and greatest! My ethos is MASTER YOUR GEAR! So many people don't use or even know all the functions of their camera! Simply knowing what it can do will bring out creativity which can make your camera feel like a new camera! Thanks for posting this video and keep up the great work! I wish you NOTHING but the best! 👍🏾

Over the last few years, I have bought most of my kit secondhand off eBay. Sure, I have got my old kit from my career days, but my primary interest is now how individual sensors record light and colour using old glass. Can’t get any of this stuff new, and the new stuff is just expensive, and - well, characterless. There is something really satisfying about an old digital camera in mint condition for a tiny fraction of the price when it was new.

I just saw a link from you offering business knowledge. In the worst way possible, do not want to help promote anything or anyone. But this kind of thing is a public service in my view, which can help stave off financial problems for the reasonable man. So I will say, bravo to you for being of service.

A big thing for me is making sure my gear is light. I recently switched from the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 to the new Sony 20-70 f4 because of how much lighter it was. All day shoots with a flash were hurting my shoulder. I was scared at first for my weddings and events but the higher iso of the Sony A7III made the jump possible.

i just found your channel while looking for reviews on the 5DS/R so I can see if it's worth it to buy it used. I'm getting back into photography after several years away, and just in the videos I've watched, I've learned sooooo much (how my new website should NOT look, what equipment to invest in, how to think about my specialty/niche, etc). Thank you so much for your insights and perspective.

Here's something I've learned: NOBODY CARES AS LONG AS THE FINISH PRODUCT IS LEGIT. I got into the trap of being a gearhead and when I'd taken enough photos and people started telling me it was good, I realized a vast majority of the shots were going toe to toe with the expensive gear of others, and nobody could tell the difference.

This video needs to be viewed by _many_ more people!

I am further along in my path and at far less expenses for having caught on to you. Thank you! Thank you x 5.6!

great advice my photography teacher gave us: Don't save on tripods. He was right! I bought a decent tripod at the start of my career and I still use it and just recently bought another one because I needed it for dual camera video setups. And I extended the rule for myself to "don't save on grip and light stands".

You normally post good videos but this was exceptionally good 👍... Truth being spoken 😊

Just chilling and listening to the Shadows instrumental

I'm back to being an amateur. I shot photojournalism for the U.S. Army for five years. I've always liked buying used flagship cameras. I'm still running on a Nikon D3 i bought used in 2015. I'm only considering getting a newer camera because I can't find batteries for my D3 anymore. I want the most advanced features and durability for my money. I don't need a bajillion megapixels, but I do want outstanding autofocus, the best ergonomics, and enough mass in my camera to counteract shaky hands.

I started shooting real estate gigs in 2015. For that I bought a Sony A6000 and a manual Rokinon wide angle prime. I quickly sold the camera as it wasn't weather sealed and the old and heavy SLR zoom lens I occasionally used would bend the camera chassis when the lens was connected through an adapter. I got a A6300 to replace it. Six years later the latter is still chugging along quite fine (I don't do R.E. anymore). I now have a great range of lenses so unless something breaks I really don't foresee buying any else for a while (unless I do more video). I 'm not a fanboy for any brand. If it works and I can do with it what I need to do why replace it? Some call me a cheap bugger but when you aren't rich you have to be practical and pragmatic.

I have been shooting professionally for a decade, and while I do agree with this gear is not important ethos. There is something to be said of nice, new (to me) gear. It can inspire, make shooting more fun, and though buyers and clients can tell the difference, I can. And this sense of pride in my work is satisfying. If you were racing bikes seriously, you should have a bike sponsor. 😅

Truth has been spoken.

I shoot a lot of weddings and was lucky enough to be gifted an R6 to replace my 5Diii. It has made my job a lot easier in many respects - autofocus, weight, ergonomics - although I do miss the rendering of a dslr. My ethos for buying kit is: 1. Will it make my job easier? 2. How cheap can I get it? 3. Will it show me to do something I can’t currently do? Or do it better. I buy almost everything second hand and I tend to then sell in the kit I’ve replaced. I recently invested in 2 65w LEDs because they were very cheap and they allow me to shoot multiple light set ups at weddings easier and more reliably than with flashes. They also make shooting portraits on my old 70s/90s 35mm camera a lot easier and more reliably than with flash, which makes evening sense with current film prices. I like your approach and feel mine is similar. I’m very much not a gear junkie and fully subscribe to the idea of hiring very high end kit if and when I get a budget from a client that justifies it.

I'm a hobbyist photographer right now and there's probably a lot of stuff I could buy, but I haven't found myself needing more than my camera, two quality used lenses, an indiscreet backpack, occasionally a tripod and my MacBook Air for photo processing

I do a lot of research including hands of "feel" of gear. As well as tailor the gear to the intended task. But I also collect cameras. My newest is a Zorki 4 which I'm quite enjoying.

I'm in fashion photography for more than 2 years and I began saying to myself, "great ambitions needs great investments". So I bought Prime lenses, and a profoto strobe, and accessories. And today I'm poor... I sold everything back, lost a lot of money, and I kind of regret now... But I learned a lot about money & also experiences because I've been able to practice a lot with my fancy equipment in a short period of time. I'm starting a serious behaviour to save as much as I can now.

Exactly as you say. I don't like buying new, if what I have works as it should then it doesn't need replacing.Also, if I can't afford it then I don't have it. I don't go into debt with anything. Never had a credit card.

Scott, I couldn’t agree more.. still on my Nikon D800.. I don’t see the value in changing..

Great video of sound advice as always. You could be a life coach as well as photographer, Scott. I took some of your advice from a previous video and bought second hand Canon dslr with a low shutter count. Works great, image quality is exactly what I need and I'm not too precious about not taking it out. A friend bought a new Nikon Z9......£5,300 for body only!!! 😳 I would be scared to touch that, let alone use it.

when i started skiing i had straight, flat skis, carving wasn't even invented back then, so i learned on those crappy skis (until i literally broke them when i smashed into an ice wall and fell off the cliff). when i bought new skis that had carving by then, it became so much easier to ski. then i bought modern freestyle skis and just cruise around now. point is - gear needs to fit your style and needs, and when you learn on most primitive stuff you can appreciate the evolvement, the tech progress. recently i switched to MFT camera, bought and sold a number of glass because i can't seem to find what i want, and just a few days ago i bought 2 old manual lenses for less than 50usd, went out to try them out and... i can't really express how exited that was! i shot on 500mm(!!!) on the street (people don't even see you from that distance) and that was so much fun! Very difficult catching focus (and the subject for that matter) but that's one of the challenges that made it fun. Then i looked at the results on the computer and pictures turned out far better than i expected, much room for improvement, but that's the other part of it being fun - progress in skills. And i don't use burst mode (thought tempting) - one click, if it misses it misses, but it makes you try harder not to miss)

I like good quality that cab last longer. Not into buying things that needs replacing after shot periods. Rather things that just needs updating. 😊

I am new to photography and opposite to you I tend to buy new, that might be because of the bad experiences I have had when buying used. However, like you I stick to my purchases for ever unless they break and become unusable. When purchasing I consider multiple things, how I am going to use it, is it good enough to what my current skills are? and some others that I might not remember specifically now. I currently own a Canon 90D with 18-135, 100 macro and a 70-200 the rationale was based on wanted to do landscape and macro but, the more I read, learn and study the more I want to get into commercial, who knows where this journey is taking me. As a person with background in information technology and software application design I am drawn to new technology, that includes bikes and photographic equipment, so I have to exercise self restriction on both!😏 I also share the passion for bikes like you, I became a bike mechanic so I build my own bikes from a selected frame and yes, all brand new frame, parts etc. Though I tend to keep everything until it dies, I had sold in the last year 3 bikes that I had own for at least 10 years, mostly because I wanted to pay for the frame and parts of the new one. I appreciate your commentary and advice, specially the down to reality nature of it 👍

Great video. My friend wraps his gear up in cotton wool. I have gear that has scuffs and scratches and bits falling off but It's well used and takes great photographs. Yes I could take better care of it but I care more about the photos it takes. There's always someone who will sell there well looked after 2nd hand gear to me when I want a new one.

as an amateur Photographer, and aspiring artist, I also have ASD; I get digital because the format changes (memory cards, what the computers can take), aka if the Sd card cant cut it, and CF is not as prevalent ( Nikon D700, aka 1998 vintage) I went to the CF xpress /XQD with Nikon z6, the z7 was out, but I didn't need the high res (as a second hand Hasselblad 500c\m is my thing, and this 120 film has enough res for me); also ergonomics, in physical and software (menu structure) what feels right, and I know that is not frustrating for me; Also I take my time, slow and steady, so fast frame rates don't rate highly; the Z6 was also a 'future proofing' for my kit, to make sure the cards are available, and firmware updates for the bodies.

As a ful-time carer with not a lot of cash to spare mine is quite simply to get the best quality for the budget I have at the time. My first camera is a Nex 3 I bought from eBay for £45 that needed the screen protector replaced. My first two lenses Meike brand, cost £50 & £69 on Amazon. I then took six weeks to decide between the Sigma 56mm and the Sony 50mm OSS f1.8 for my next purchase. I went for the Sony because it gave more bang for the buck. Plus I'm a tight Scot. 😂😮

I'm right there with you, you can't tell which camera or lens was used from looking at a picture. Hopefully you want to look at my pictures, but in another life I frequently bought computers and software to decrease the level of effort and to enhance results of my engineering business, the time = money.

Thanks for your great infos, always helpful. I reduced my gear, feeling lighter and more focussed on creating images and solving problems. Using gear and products as long as possible is a way of being thankful

I also love the 5DS and I see no compelling reason to 'upgrade' to something new and costly. It is possible that the right combination of features and price could lure me, but I would rent first to see if reality meets expectation. Sometimes I buy new, sometimes used, but I also buy thrift shop stuff and repair it. I think your approach is the most logical that I have ever heard.

I wasted loads of cash on cameras that I thought would improve my photography.... In reality I was just rubbish at taking photos because I had no actual knowledge. Now I shoot with a Lumix G9, yeeees m43 I'm one of those people. But my photos have improved in learning how to use it properly. I realise now its not the camera but photographer that makes the image good. My wife is pleased I now realise this fact too 😂

Great video! I would say buy once cry once CAN be a good rule to follow. $50 Amazon special for lights or other versions of potentially more expensive kit is fine...until it breaks. I won't buy a $20 toilet brush but I also won't buy a $20 lens. There are certain category of studio or photography kit that you will be happy to buy once for more expensive than buying to replace it over and over again. C Stands for one was a bit daunting at first but now I have multiple and will continue to buy more slowly as they will outlast me 😂

I have you beat Scott. My fave camera bag is a Tamrac 612 that I bought in 1992 😀

I agree with what you say. But sometimes, our buying options are limited not just by budget. In the early 80s, I wanted to buy a Nikon f2. It had just been discon so the shop talked me into a canon a1. I used it as sideline for easily 10 years. Until canon went into EF mount (from FD) so I changed to the Nikon FM. I stuck with the f mount lens until auto focus came. I stuck by Nikon but found the af lenses slower than the canons. But I stuck with Nikon until videos came & I had to switch because canon did better video at first.

I bought a Leica S2 when I sold my house cause I found one with a 70mm S lens on Ffordes at for 4K in 2016 an amazing bargain. I got an M10M brand new with 18 months warranty for 5K from a friend who makes straps. I could sell it for that now. if I am offered a nice Leica lens at a good price, I will buy it because they keep their value or even go up. The digital bodies of course depreciate, but I will probably use the M10M for another ten years. It's a game changing camera, if you are a street photographer.

My wife and I stopped buying photo cameras, or looking at buying photo cameras, after we got our 5D Mk4. We got it to upgrade our 5D2. The 5D2 sometimes caused issues and time lags that the 5D4 fully solves. But now? There are no more problems. It was, in fact, a meaningful upgrade, simply because it has much better touch-screen auto-focus (we do a lot of fashion, on the street, with strobes mixed with natural light), meaningfully better ISO performance (finally an acceptably clean 3200, and perfect ISO 1600 if you denoise, and sometimes even if you don't) and most importantly you can wirelessly hook it up to an iPad, so a second person can control focus, and which is faster and more practical as a means of seeing larger image display than dangling a wired tether around the sidewalk. It has helped us cut down costs (faster on set work, more tolerant of slight lighting errors in post, better ability to re-crop if needed) and as such, has in fact paid for itself (would have cost more to rent since we bought, we still own it now, and it saves model pay and "client fatigue" ). But all this to say, each type of work has its own cut-off for saying "we don't need better tech anymore". Ours was the 5D4. Yours seems to be the R5. Same goes for lights. We are perfectly happy with our Godox Pro set of 4 lights. There is never time to set up more than the 4 we have in our type of work. They are exactly the right combination of power capacity we need. They work well. We're happy. This is our situation. But it's important to be honest about what you really need for your specific kind of work. Each type is different.

Exactly the same as you. I shoot theatre. I'm retired and it's just a hobby. I've recently purchased a Sony A7iii. Second hand. Less than a grand. I use it to shoot production images for performing arts academy's. I like that camera for that task. I shoot headshots on my old 5D Mk2. I have 2 lenses. A 24-70 f2.8 Tamron for Canon which I use for production images/rehearsals. (I sold my Canon 24-70 because I like the Tamron better), I use it on my Sony with a Sigma MC11 adapter. Works great, & a Canon 70-200 f2.8 which I use on my 5D mk2 for headshots. I've had these lenses for ten years and have absolutely no need for any others for what I do. Same as you If I destroy the 5d 2, I can buy another for £300. If I destroy the Tamron I can get another for around £400 maybe? If I destroyed my 70-200, I would cry but, even that is around £800. Destroy the Sony and again £900. I can still make a few bob with this kit. I shoot actors so I don't need models and lighting is via the theatres. I tell the lighting tech bloke " I don't care what you do, just make it bright". I do shoot some video but in a strictly amateur way. For this I use 2 canon Legria hg 25's I think they're called. I press the button and they work. That's all I need to know. Your vids are great. I have small Socials. IG is instagram.com/davidstheatrephotographer/ and FB is facebook.com/groups/288176200037096........ Oh, I forgot. I also use a Sony RX100 Mk vii point n shoot which I use for fun stuff.

If you become professional (and as you get older) you view cameras differently.Cameras come and go but at the end of the day, you cannot tell the difference (a lot of the time). That is one of the critical differences between professionals and amateurs. Amateurs buy something because the want to and have the option to do so. If a professional buys it, it is (or should be) because they need it. The whole thing of buying a new (or new second hand) camera takes on a whole different light when the thing has just wiped out your funds saved for a holiday or pension, and you had to buy it in order to remain in business (ie no option, had to do it).

Buy secondhand, it's a no-brainer. Recently picked up a 5D mk3 for £340 - it looks so new I think it has been unsold stock or only ever handled with cotton gloves. Came with a still sealed in box LPE6NH battery too. It's a great upgrade from my 7D (mk1), especially the af. But I find myself using that 7D every day, the 5 stays in my bag at home and has only been used for 'special' events. The 7 can nearly do everything I need, so I've found myself wondering about selling the 5D (luckily it's that good I should get my money back...).

I'm with you regarding old gear lasting forever! I still have and use the first cheap studio flash units I bought. Still have and use my old Manfrotto camera bag purchased 20 years ago. The last camera I bought was the Canon 5D/4 for location work and high ISO (800 and above) while the 5DsR is my studio workhorse. I can't see any benefit in spending on new mirrorless kits that won't give me a better final image than what I have now, at least for what I do.

wise words wise man

I don’t feel so bad now! I haven’t bought brand new anything for over, ever! Maybe once when I started.

So I am still fairly new to the photography world. My family didn’t have much growing up. I always liked photography just couldn’t afford it. I got my first camera that wasn’t in a phone in 2017. My ethos has always been go as big as you can without braking the bank. I own everything and most of it is film gear from the late 1800s to early 1900s and then some lens from the 80s. Turns out that large format glass is in my opinion sharper then canon L glass. I own a pair of second hand canon 5D Mkii and two large format film cameras. I 3D printed adapters for my LF lenses to work on my canon cameras. If I feel like I want to put some extra work in I’ll grab my 1902 Century view camera and gear. I use a darkroom at home but I also use a computer. I am a hobbyist not really a professional. I have sold some prints but not near enough to afford a 5DS R. Maybe one day.

Classic pub landord till at 110 what a guy

Great channel , love the no nonsense approach, keep it up. Personally I never buy kit new, but my eye out for second hand bargains, some great ones now as some swap to mirror less and sell the ‘old’ eg have just picked up a almost brand new canon 70-200 l and hardly used 100mm l macro , both latest editions for 1/4 of retail price.

You had brought this topic up in several other videos a good while ago while I was looking for a full frame camera. I had a good chunk of expendable income set aside and bought an r6 since it covered the vast majority of boxes I needed. I learned the ins and outs of it so I can buy them used later on

Mine is pretty simple, if what I have won't do the job and technique can't compensate for it, then and only then do I buy new kit. And even then I will buy second hand first. I still buy pro gear, for the durability and specific feature set - but just because it's second hand doesn't mean it isn't any good anymore. My current gear is Micro Four Thirds as I do travel photography and appreciate the weight savings more than anything else. My last purchase is the first time since I changed to M43 that I even bought anything new - and that was for an ultrawide prime lens that I couldn't locate second hand - and to be honest there was a sale on and it dropped to such an affordable price that I just hit Buy

i bought new camera just because it had better color bit depth for video. it costed a lot to rig out. felt broke again. Didn't get more money, but my work looks incredible and has more possibilities color grading. Feels like i was playing with the 8 crayon pack, and now i have the 125 color pack.

When I was younger I bought the latest and greatest I could afford, I wasted stupid money thinking the latest gear would get me to the next level. Now, I try not to buy gear and when I do I buy the cheapest equipment possible and mostly second-hand too. I like that winning feeling of being a cheapskate, I wish I could tell my younger self this.

This is the way.

i am a big believer that whenever recommending gear or also buying for yourself it is important to know what EXACTLY you want to shoot with it and for what purpose. I got into mirrorless because it makes the workflow a lot easier and more enjoyable - great accurate af over the whole image and instant preview to check how subject and background look in real time. Also use it quite a bit for travel and it is pretty nice to have instant exposure preview and very good ISO performance for indoor pictures of dark buildings like churches and such. The philosphy for buying is always "as good as necessary and as cheap as possible", so i got a Z5 with adapter, not used because the new price was identical with the used price. Was a great decision, but after all, most of my favorite shots are still made with a stone age D700 If i would do almost just Studio work, landscape or product photography there isn't really any benefit justifying it. For flash photography it doesnt matter at all neither, would kind of prefer dslr for that specific case. Your reasoning makes a lot of sense for me

Many, mainly younger photographers, think by internet influencers' brains and believe new gear revolutionize photography and rely on new technology to make life easier, but its quit the oposite. Tech is less reliable than a human brain and most of the time make things even harder. I made this mistake myself buying an r5 for my documentary and fashion work, looking after eye detect. I ended up not using it and found that many of my colleagues and former teachers did the same. In fact, aside from small travel gear, Im leaving mirrorless

Can't fault any of your arguments there... 🥰

Probably your best KZfaq video by far! Love your style, and love how you emphasise it works for “you”! Personally, I only contemplate the next camera if the new one has a minimum of three features that will improve my photography journey; that’s why I’m still on mg 2015 model I guess 🤷🏻‍♂️!

LOVE your ethos! I have purchased the last camera model I will ever buy, Nikon D850. It leaves me wanting nothing and I still use my D3s and D300 from 2009. My lighting is all as old as yours, Bowens Estime and Quad packs, even busted out a pair of Monolight 800E's the other day made in the 80's, these are L mount modifiers, not the S everyone knows today. I am very sentimental with the gear that has been with me for decades and some of it even has a nickname. As with you, I want my gear to last forever and do all I can to make that happen, if a modeling lamp is getting hard to find, buy a case of them, flash tubes the same. In the last decade or so there has been a shift by camera and flash companies, they dangle out the shiny trinkets or worse, they create brand snobbery, use your imagination as to which light brand I may be referring to here. But, none of this stuff makes the image, we make the image and a good photographer SHOULD be able to walk up to any kit of any era and make a compelling frame. With the way of the new world evolving, if we all made the shift from loving new trinkets to loving our well worn equipment, we would not only keep more money in our pockets but would also make us potentially better photographers because we would spend more time thinking about the frame rather than the gear used to make it.

My rule is to only buy it with cash. I bought a 5DMKII when it was new and way over my budget. My life fiscally fell apart shortly after that and I regret that decision. The camera is still with me and works, but ever time I look at it, it is a physical reminder of my fascial foolery and what it nearly cost me. It wasn't wort it. As an amateur my other rule is that the equipment must serve a very real, specific purpose, otherwise it can just stay on a wish list.

I love my Contax

I upgraded my camera a few years ago; image quality as base ISO is the same as the 12 year old camera it replaced. I use mine to document artworks, but I focus on lower end, a step up from what they can do themselves, not museum capture stuff. Going mirrorless opened up some new lenses that let me buy a stellar quality 50mm for the same price I paid for a week's rental on the old system. It also has IBIS, which lets me do some of the work without a tripod, so I get done way faster than before. of course, the *real* reason for the upgrade was because the new one is just more fun to play with...

First of all: my cameras have to please me haptically, have to fit perfectly in my hand and really do what I want them to do for a period of 5 to 10 years: take photos. Even my computer (which will really be replaced this year) has been working for 12 years now. But at some point, new stuff is fun too, and that's also part of photography. Just like a good old film camera, purely mechanical.

I think the only reason I would change my canon 6d mark 2, is eye-auto-focus. But then again, as a photographer, I've to manage to get a sharp picture regardless the camera. It's all about to know how to take a picture. It's the man/woman behind the camara, to learn and control it. And what if the image is not perfectly sharp, if you did not capture the special moment, it would be a shame. So, I believe, learn to use your camera as much as you can do and it will last forever :)

im using my 5d mk2 till that day, because i dont see any need to change. Of course in fast paced situations I will use onother camera, but for stills like studio etc not needed. T his is the point where we as photographers stuck, we all are told that you need better, you need more, you need to be faster. And all those wannabes who simply work as SONY/CANON amabsadors (like for example manny ortiz and others) are telling us, that yea, he/she made this cool shot thanks to the newer camera. Which brings us to the point - NEWER THE BETTER

Not a pro by any means, but I def work from a yearly budget to keep the FOMO at bay. There's usually a list to work from starting with software licenses, then consumables, then refresh/repairs... and only after all of that can we talk about NEW gear. I've become exceptionally picky about adding new stuff too, since there's a "more gear more problems" level between hauling or maintaining everything

Five years ago, I started an event photography business (with a smattering of food photography) with a refurbished Canon T6i. Two years ago I added a Canon 90D to my kit. I use both cameras for my event work (with Sigma lenses) and see no reason to upgrade.

Bought the 5D MKII the day it came out. Still using it, love it, it misses half the shots these days but I shoot enough to make it work. Yes I would like to buy another camera, but the 5D is a part of me, getting used to another camera would be very strange.

Similar philosophy really. Like the ... be your own insurer when you can , I do the same. I buy new gear but purchase mid range cameras, sometimes even less as they work just fine. For street I use a really cheap compact travel camera that would shock most. For lights and lighting gear I have a different strategy, I buy cheaper brands.

I'm only a hobby photographer but I have a similar mindset when it comes to most things. I only buy things with money I have. I got a 21 year old car that still works fine and a small apartment that's enough for me. My trusty old LCD TV from 2007 works like a charm, first one I found for under £500. I try to avoid services and software for monthly fees, the only exception being Photoshop. I don't have a single loan. If I stopped working today I could live for more than 10 years without reducing my spending. Camera equipment I buy what I have use for most of the times but sometimes only because it's fun and I want to have that specific camera or lens. But like I said I'm just a hobbyist and this is the only thing I really spend money on.

agreed, i will buy used when i can and keep it forever. Like you when i was young i had to budget for everything; heck i still haven't bought a new car. Here is the kicker i found out with used camera gear, it's not a great buy. The used cost (what i have been looing for) is not priced much less than new gear. Example: if a new lens is $1k the used price is $925-$850. 30 years ago i would have bought the used gear but now i would prefer to buy new with the full warranty. Now like you i pay cash, financially I'm in a different place in my 50's than my 20's. I do know if i would have bought all of my gear used the savings would have added up to about $3k.

My personal rule is "buy the cheapest thing that solves the actual problem." Two important caveats: if it's so cheap it doesn't actually work, then it isn't actually solving the problem (i.e. the actual problem isn't that you don't have a tripod, it's that you don't have a *trustworthy* tripod) and if you can't articulate that problem clearly, you're clearly not having an articulatable problem. "My low light lens isn't wide enough for some of the shots I need" is a solvable problem, "think what I could do with a 28mm 1.2!" is just envy.

Good advice for a business, but I also assume that when you do rent gear, your rental bill is higher than most people’s full set of gear.

Mine is "will it make my work better or easier". My 30+ year old studio lighting kit, for example, while reliable and functional, pales in comparison to the capabilities of the newer kit, especially in ease of setting light output--a feature that's extremely important to me. I didn't have a problem picking up cheap new lights where I could just push a few buttons on a remote control rather than plug/unplug lights from different sockets.. My 2016 dSLR *at base ISO* is, at best, a very tiny bit better than my 2002 dSLR, and the latest kit is no better than either for image quality. Since I only shoot in studio, with controlled lighting, the newer advantages, while very nice-to-have aren't really functionally advantageous. Do I WANT the latest and greatest? Sure. But I know I don't need it, and I have far better uses for the money.

Thanks some for your videos! Wondering what model light you have there? I need something affordable with a ton of light to freeze action I’m wondering if those would fit the bill. Can’t find anything on eBay that matches that cost and size.

I think I got it wrong when it came to buying gear! I got my first camera in 2018: it was a Nikon D60, with a 70-300mm lens meant for a full frame! I had no idea what I was doing! Then I smashed that on some cliffs in Malta. Got a Nikon D3500 with a kit lens and that old 70-300. At this point I kinda got the hang of it. Got a 35mm 1.8! Things were going great. Then I got my first "paying" job. Realised I need better gear(lenses), so I got a 17-50 1.8. All was well! And then, out of nowhere, a friend of mine asked me if I wanted a D800(for free - true story), and of course I said yes! But now I only had one proper full frame lens, that old 70-300. So I had to buy more gear: 50mm 1.8(to replace that 35mm crop), an 18-35, a 24-85. And everything was good. Inwas shoothing theatre, portrait and hotels. It felt good! But then came Black Friday, and they had a gigantic sale for a Z5 with a 24-120 f4. So here I am: with a Z5, a 24-120, an old 70-300 with an FTZ adapter, a D800 with an 18-35. But life is good! 🫣

My lenses tell me what camera I should own/keep/use. When I started shooting houses I looked at Sony. The prices of the bodies was good but the price of glass was stratospheric. I bought a used Nikon D810, a used Sigma 12-24mm ultra wide and a used 24-120mm. Later I bought a used Sigma 100-300mm that turned out to have a fungus so it is a leper living in its own case. Then I bought a 28-300mm which I love for its versatility. I bought my wife a used D750 and a used nifty 50. After that I bought a new D850 knowing this is a dream camera and Nikon will probably no longer make the camera. Someone gave me his Olympus OM-D EM1 because I already owned lenses from my OM-1 days. I then bought another D850 as a not often used backup. I have no plans to convert to mirrorless because I have good glass that is dependable. I also picked up a Sigma 105mm Macro along the way. Used is great.

My gear purchase philosophy firstly comprises always making a cash purchase. Second, is the underlying technology. My professional career has been in the fields of Electronic Engineering and Semiconductor Engineering, so I understand what takes place in the silicon. I started photography way back in the 1970's where I shot and processed both B&W and color negative and positive films. My second camera was given to me by a neighbor which was a Yashica EM, so I am not new to Medium Format. Always being an extreme techie, I also learned the structure of film, the nature of the spectrum, both visible, 450 to 700 nm, and invisible plus the properties of polarized propagation of light. This is why I describe Photography as Applied Quantum Electrodynamics. My foray into digital photography started with a Sony FD88 which I used for snaps. I still have this camera and it still works as if it was new. To step beyond into a SLR forced me to wait as I do not consider Bayer masked sensors acceptable. Why base an image on a technology that can't determine the full spectrum at every site of the sensor, as film does ? I made my move to a dSLR when Sigma released their SD14 with a layered Foveon sensor. I have made only two subsequent camera purchases, an older Sigma SA-9, which amounts to a film version of the SD, and a Mamiya RB67 Pro SD to properly get back into medium format. The closest step for me to any other technology was when I found a US Patent issued to Nikon for a sensor technology which employed on chip dichroic mirrors to split the spectrum into red, green, and blue channels allowing a full spectrum sensor. I contacted Nikon asking what cameras utilized this technology and was promptly given sales spew that all Nikon cameras are the best. This so turned me off Nikon that I'll never purchase anything with their name on it.

i am a hobby sports photgrapher and a electrician i buy my tools to last i have some tools that i have since my apprenticeship my tool bag is ten years old and will last another ten good stuff lasts . i have only had two cameras from new and only one new lens all others are second hand. the latest is not always the greatest

I don't have a rule on buying gear, perhaps I should, but I'm pretty brutal on moving on anything that isn't being used. Unnecessary clutter isn't conducive to creativity.

Easier and faster to work with from shoot to post, cameras lenses lights computer… Yeah, new cameras can be troublesome as they need to be updated continuously for two years than they are functional so I buy cameras 1-2 years after release. I buy a new camera when I can easier secure good shots at the spot and save time in post as DR gets better and files are more flexible- canon experience. I need high DR I’m on location photographer.

I would asume you have another Cambo and another lens as backup. The body you can replace easily, but the cambo might be not on stock nor the lens be offered. Or ?

Only question -will the new piece of gear (kit) allow me to do something I cannot already do. If no-then what's point.

This is pretty long. I started photography about 2 1/2 years ago on a Nikon D3300. In Live view, I couldn't go below 1/30th of a second. At the time, since landscape photography had my heart (and still does but is nowhere near peactical for my life), that was beyond frustrating for me. In order to see if my photos were sharp, I would have needed to exit live view, change my aperture and go back into live view every time. (This was before I knew about hyperfocal distance and zone focusing). I also wanted to get into video, but the autofocus on that camera was abysmal. Later, the idea of wildlife photography took my interest. I started hearing that I **had** to have a camera with a high burst rate and that anything below 8 fps (purely from a professional's standpoint) wasn't good enough. If not said directly, it was certainly implied. After doing quite a big of research on high megapixels, burst rate, price, autofocus and lenses, The Canon EOS R7 is what I bought and figured would suit me well. Had I possessed the knowledge I have now just one year ago, I would have gone with a used Sony full-frame body and lens combination off of mpb. Somehow though, APS-C has still kept me humble lol

Can you point me in the direction of a Cambo Actus for a grand please? Whilst a lot of bodies and lenses are cheap secondhand, an Actus is like hens teeth. One supplier quoted me over £3K with my mount, although it did come with a lens too. It’s the reason I bodged together a 4x5 Cambo SC for £200… well out my budget.

It really depends and I'd agree with Scotty that this is a largely irrelevant thing to say in this day. But i once met an old Frenchy photographer who shot lahdida weddings back in the 70's and he argued that his clients wanted the photos on a Hasselblad 500c or..erm nothing. Pure snobbery but he maintained his stance - they didn't want anything outside of the so-called Swedish Rolls Royce..

I buy mostly used. I pay cash. And I only buy something for the business if the kit I have can't do something I NEED to do. Anyone who has run a business knows that cash is king and you only spend what you absolutely have to.

gear a lovely topic that I love so much, I personaly do not mind which ever gear I am using, testing wise I have run 80 plus cameras over the last 3 years, absolute waist of time since you cannot tell the difference between them all, I did recently pick up a brand new 5ds R with a zeiss 85mm lens and loving the quality that I am getting, though personally converting to black and white using the 5ds R files is a bit of a mess around , need a bit more time with it to get use to the files, in the mean time I also have a sony sitting around that I am busy comparing to the canon, I love gear and love messing around with gear, think I will never be able to settle on a camera system due to the love of exploring different cameras so much PS. can see why you use the 5ds R so much the quality on the files are amazing, sharper compared to the new canon R5 even which was funny as hell to see

Curious to know from where you purchase the bronco kit for 200 pounds? Ebay or local dealer? Thanks

I buy things as I really need them, and try to find them cheaper.

My ethos is pretty much the same as yours. The gear still makes great images, so why upgrade.

I just love your videos, I'm completely new to photography and just bought an EOS 1300D from cash converters for £140. I've bought a couple of good Canon ultrasonic lenses from eBay and sold the kit lens that came with the 1300D and bought a vintage Canon 50mm prime lens that was £19.00 from ebay and a ring adaptor. When I get better, which I will do 🤔😄 all I plan on doing is upgrading to a Canon 6D mark II. Your video (Is this all DSLRs Achieved in 23 years?) just highlights that very little has changed in all that time, yes we now have mirrorless cameras. Looking at other professional photographers I follow on KZfaq is also showing me that one did a comparison of his 5D mark III to the 5R and there is really no difference apart from a mind-blowing price. A wise man once told me "You can only piss with the dick you've got" so why be a dick and fork out loads of money that you don't need to. Just saying 🤨🤔

I dont buy every used , I buy Camera body and lenses I bought use my studio flashes I new brought new ones because I knew I would be using them for a long time. If that makes sense.

Is old BUT... they are full of happy moments, you where with the car in that place and shoot with MY camera that commercial and so on!!!you get attached to those small objects and they become your universe :) I've got all what I need at the moment ... all I need are more and more photos, good photos. if you have the knowledge you can make a good photo with a full mechanical film camera from the '40 or older :) shoot ... fail... shoot .. fail and so on!!!

Cash on everything, you should never have to borrow money for equipment. I buy almost everything 2nd hand, that's a big rule for me to keep costs down. That said, last year I changed out my whole F-mount system to go whole hog on Z. That was expensive, but going from two 10-year old D800's to a Z9 and Z6 + modern Z lenses has changed a lot of how I can work with clients and the quality of work I've made because of the reduced friction to get from point A to point B is so significant. It's so much easier to operate a Z9 on location, with mixed lighting than it was the D800, my level of efficiency has probably doubled, meaning me and the client can spend more of our energy on the creative, and I spend less brain power on "how can I do this". Lighting gear? Oh god it's all older than dirt and I'd be a pig in shit if my Acute packs are still running when I retire.. But the new Profoto Soft Zoom Reflectors do look pretty pretty sweet.......

I only buy refurbished camera kit!!