Let me start out by saying I’m not against buying used gear – I’ve done it a lot over the years, and I know photography is an expensive hobby and that not everyone is made of money. However, if everything all of us ever bought was used, we’d have nothing new. I’ve felt the same way about books and music for a long time. If I want the authors and bands to keep making the stuff I like, I need to pony up. Nobody works for free. If you like what your camera manufacturer does and you want them to keep doing it, you’re going to have to pay them to do it, not someone else. Think of it as an investment in future cameras and lenses, in image processors and sensors, in optics and cool features. You don’t have to be a mindless fan-boy or girl, but we all could show a little brand love.
Product development is a long and expensive process with no guarantee of success in the end. We all want to feel like our chosen brand has our backs in terms of bringing out new bodies and software updates so that our old lenses and accessories have long and productive lives. Buying used doesn’t help with that. Manufacturers need money in order to keep the pipeline funded and thriving. Cut off enough of that flow and product lead times become longer and gear choices fewer.
This is especially true of the smaller, more niche camera companies like say, Olympus, now called OM Systems. Recently a photographer I follow on YouTube switched systems and bought a used Olympus rig for his work and while it is older, he didn’t throw them a bone by purchasing the lens new even though it is still in production. I think he bought the flash new, but it isn’t an OM Systems unit. I’m sure the kit was a considered choice, but he does have a photography business he could write this off against so I wonder if he really did think it through.
Not trying to throw shade on him, and he has no real relationship or investment toward OM Systems at this point, so why invent a loyalty that hasn’t been created yet, but it did make me think about this as it has from time to time over the years.
Here’s a snapshot of my camera purchases –
| Olympus OMG (35mm body) | New |
| Olympus OM-1n (35mm body) | Used |
| Olympus OM-3 (35mm body) | Used |
| Olympus E-500 (DSLR body) | New |
| Olympus E-30 (DSLR body) | Used |
| Panasonic Lumix GH-3 (mirrorless body) | New |
| Panasonic Lumix G9 (mirrorless body) | New |
And here’s the current lens line-up for the Lumix cameras –
| Vario G 12-35mm f/2.8 | New |
| Vario G 35-100mm f/2.8 | New |
| Vario G 100-300mm f/4-5.6 | New |
| Leica DG Macro 45mm f/2.8 | Used |
| Leica DG 100-400mm f/4-6.3 | New |
So for the most part, I’ve put my money where my mouth is, but not foolishly to my way of thinking. First, my tiny contribution with those old workhorses the 12-35 and the 35-100 helped to fill the funding for development of the newer high-end 100-400mm lens. Ditto the GH-3 leading to the G9 in terms of technology, features and refinement. Second it helped with filling in market demand for the types of lenses I bought – their very best. Third, purchasing these at a small chain of stores in NH helped them and the brand’s place in their line up. Finally, I bought many of my new pieces when there was a sale price or a bonus bit of kit on offer. The GH-3 had a bonus battery grip and the G9 hit its first price drop and then I snagged one. The 100-400 was a store demo model marked down, but new with the ordinary warranty. So I spent, but wisely.
If saving money is still critical, maybe switch used purchases to accessory manufacturers for things like tripods and supports, flashes and lighting, backpacks and organizers, microphones and filters – stuff like that. Recently I bought a set of Freewell Variable NDs used and felt pretty darn good about it. Keep an eye out for Kickstarter or Indigogo campaigns for early savings, too, I did that with my Shimoda backpack and saved $100 while also supporting the company. A tripod I wanted for years went on sale near Christmas and I got it for more than 50% off retail price. Not bad.
I’m not trying to make anyone feel badly about not being able to afford new gear when you need it. Sometimes waiting isn’t an option, but if it is and you can still pay your bills, wait a bit, save up and buy new if you can. This supports the brand you’ve chosen, and is especially important if it isn’t one of the Big Three if you know what I mean. New developments and technology don’t come free and they won’t come at all if we don’t purchase new kit now and then. Barring a truly bad update, revision or replacement, I will continue to buy new Lumix bodies and lenses whenever it makes sense.
I’m not very worried about the manufacturers going out of business because I buy used equipment, most of the time, when I can certainly afford new gear. I support my local camera store(s) by buying stuff people trade-in that is usually less than one equipment cycle old. In other words, there are plenty of people around where I live that buy the latest and greatest as soon as it comes out, whether they need it or not (same with cars). So I keep an eye on the used market to pick up gear when it has been barely taken out of the box, often at a big discount. The camera stores love it because I think they make more money on certified used sales than new equipment sales (at least that’s what one sales person let slip during a conversation deciding between two lenses). All of which enables them to stay in business to sell more new equipment. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Having said that, there are times when I will NOT buy used gear. And in those cases I make sure I wring every last drop of functionality out of the gear before making it available on the used market again. I almost always buy new OEM glass, with rare functional exceptions. I’m always amazed that someone is willing to buy a camera body with 200,000 clicks on it, or a lens that has been rebuilt twice already. I suppose if they can get 5-10,000 more clicks they’ve gotten their moneys worth. Part of it has to do with sustainability; not using virgin materials to manufacture something else when an existing version is already here.
I’m very glad that photographers have to have the latest new gear. That means there that much more barely used equipment for me to choose from. 🙂
Everyone has to choose what’s best for themselves. Thanks for starting the conversation.
It’s a balance, that’s for sure, but I hope I wasn’t playing a violin for camera manufacturers even though we’ve seen many go under in the digital age. What I mean is that without a dedicated user base, the gear you love may disappear and if the dearth of a buying base continues long enough, the whole brand as well.
Completely agree. I think mobile phones have eaten into the camera market more than we expect. A couple of newspapersin a large Midwest city took away the staff DSLRs and asked them to use their smartphones instead. Sounds like I may need to stock up on gear while it’s still out there. 😉