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Poll : are you using brand new gear or used gear?

Poll : are you using brand new gear or used gear?

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Due to my experience on how a camera can look like perfect outside but has content in deep trouble, I always buy new as returned to seller is not generally avaliable to me in my region, or returned would be a troublesome process.

Pay a little more for a new gear can be more assurance and avoid a lot of after sales problem. Buying from reliable gray market source could cost not much more than buying used.

However buying new =/= buying the latest released product. Because latest release product = cost more, and I might become one of the tester without paid. Except one time, I always buy something which was released at least few months ago. I could also read user's comment from the general community (not from paid brand embassadors) for my purchase decision.

One of my latest purchase was a new camera, which was indeed a 6~7 years old model, saved me >30% cost vs it's successor (also is a 3 years old model) for only minor improvement. 😂

Having said that, my latest purchase is an used camera, to upgrade an older model of my wife, because of its interesting look and at an attractive price. It was our first time buying used. Touch wood, it has not failed us yet in last 7 months!
 
**** Dastardly said:
The fun in using old and worthless cameras is that you know nothing is going to happen if you abuse them, no loss. It's a totally carefree experience.
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Not here.
I feel a certain affection for the old cams and regularly take them out for a spin.
I'd miss mine if one of them deceased.
A waste of valuable shooting time, agreed, as I should be using the best gear with the time I have left; but, the different experience is fun, no question.

--
Ron.
Volunteer, what could possibly go wrong ?
 
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I last bought a new camera in 2014, a mark 1 RX100 that I no longer have. Since then I just can't make myself cough up the cash for new gear. Being retired has something to do with that, though having discovered MPB also contributed.
 
Ron Poelman said:
quite a few here have multiple bodies, bought used and new.
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Absolutely agree. In fact I could check off ALL FOUR options, only we are not allowed multiple choices.
 
Like many mixed bag here, but with a trend. Been all digital since late 1990's. I have bought numerous new digital cameras in the years since, but they were all relatively cheap point and shoots. But only ever bought one new interchangeable lens digital and that was a Nikon D40 which I still have. I do have several newer digital ILC's but never new, and never high end. That is all way too much money to spend on a toy in my book. I have never spent over $750 (only once) and $500 for the rest on any single piece of photography gear and don't see any reason to ever spend more than that on any single piece of gear. And I am perfectly happy with the gear I have and the results it provides.
 
Ron Poelman said:
I feel a certain affection for the old cams and regularly take them out for a spin.
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This is also what drives me keep using old, outdated, forgotten mirrorless. Some of them, especially those in late 2000s' has some interesting colour science in them, my E-PL1, Sony A550 all has interesting vibe SOOC. Although for more serious shooting, I tend to use Fujifilm X-H1 instead.
Ron Poelman said:
I'd miss mine if one of them deceased.
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It is becoming difficuly to get a fully functional 2000s' camera these days, my E-PL1 despite widely available used in-town, hardly any copy has a functional IBIS. If mine died, there is no hope of getting another fully functional copy these days.
Ron Poelman said:
A waste of valuable shooting time, agreed, as I should be using the best gear with the time I have left; but, the different experience is fun, no question.
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FUN, is the new trend of post-smartphone era, a niche for hipster / hippies who decided mainstream social media are oversaturated with sensational contents. The slower process of digital camera photography (but faster than film) feels organic and genuine. The dials and buttons offers tactile experience of exposure controls. Those perfectly exposed shots are gems to my eye.
 
Bob A L said:
Like many mixed bag here, but with a trend. Been all digital since late 1990's. I have bought numerous new digital cameras in the years since, but they were all relatively cheap point and shoots. But only ever bought one new interchangeable lens digital and that was a Nikon D40 which I still have. I do have several newer digital ILC's but never new, and never high end. That is all way too much money to spend on a toy in my book. I have never spent over $750 (only once) and $500 for the rest on any single piece of photography gear and don't see any reason to ever spend more than that on any single piece of gear. And I am perfectly happy with the gear I have and the results it provides.
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👍🏻😎🍷
 
MJ_Photo38 said:
In the light of a recent thread on this very forum, I'm curious what's the proportion of people that use brand new equipment vs used one.

I guess I'm also curious, for the people that bought their gear brand new, if they have upgraded recently, or if they still use the camera they bought a while ago.
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My current main camera is an Olympus E-450 DSLR with 14-42mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 lens that I bought as a refurbished kit from Cameta Camera in 2009.

My other cameras are a Ricoh CX3 pocket camera purchased new in 2011, a Sigma DP2s compact purchased refurbished from Sigma USA in 2015, and a Panasonic FZ300 weather resistant superzoom bought new in 2018.
 
tbcass said:
MJ_Photo38 said:
Ron Poelman said:
quite a few here have multiple bodies, bought used and new.
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I do too.

The poll is for what you consider to be your main shooter.

You can see in my gear list I have quite a few cameras, but my main one is my Nikon Z6.
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I don't have a main shooter. I have 3 all bought new, 2 more than 5 years ago and one 4 years ago. They are 3 totally different cameras that are used for different circumstances. That said I chose new more than 5 years ago because 2 out of 3 fit that choice.
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I have 4 camera bodies, all bought new. Each one fits a specific shooting venue. Sure, there can be some overlap in capabilities, but rarely, if ever, do I use them “cross-purpose”.
 
I've bought at least 8 digital cameras new and sold 7 of them. The exception is the first one I bought new in 2005 which I still have, and it is still working. Canon repaired it in 2011.

My newest camera I bought used. It was released just over 5 years ago, so I choose option 4. It replaced a camera I had bought new, used for one year, and sold.
 
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I have four cameras, two bought new, two bought used, so what category to I tick off?
 
rsn said:
I have four cameras, two bought new, two bought used, so what category to I tick off?
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That's the way it is with many of these surveys. They don't cover all the possibilities. I think more often than not the one that fits me isn't one of the choices.
 
rsn said:
I have four cameras, two bought new, two bought used, so what category to I tick off?
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In what camera does the camera you use the most, or consider your "main shooter" fall into?
 
MJ_Photo38 said:
rsn said:
I have four cameras, two bought new, two bought used, so what category to I tick off?
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In what camera does the camera you use the most, or consider your "main shooter" fall into?
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I'd have to call it 'almost new' on my Nikon Zf, which arrived with just 40 clicks on its shutter from Map Camera Japan. They sold it as 'Used' but it clearly wasn't, really.
 
MJ_Photo38 said:
MJ_Photo38 said:
In what camera does the camera you use the most, or consider your "main shooter" fall into?
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I'm not trying to be difficult, with my four cameras it really is subject driven. Recently I was out with my Canon 7D mk2 shooting jumping seals after chum salmon. Before that I was shooting fall images taken in a BC coastal forest with old growth trees, for that I used my 5K mk4. My Fuji XT1 was used recently as I travelled across Canada to attend my son's wedding in Halifax, I didn't want to carry heavy equipment around. And coming up when I visit Victoria for Xmas at my son's house, I'll take the Fuji X100F. With the X100F I will be shooting night street photography.

Each camera has a job and being an amateur I'm not tied into one type of photography as a professional is.
 
I only buy new. The only time I tried to buy used, MPB sent me a camera with a very badly damaged sensor. I've also had bad luck with used lenses - decentering, damage in transit, grinding aperture or focus rings... I am cursed, so I only feel that I can buy new. If I buy used, it'll be someone else's damaged cast-off, guaranteed.

I know it sounds like I'm buying from places of ill repute, but no - MPB, KEH, well-rated Etsy vintage camera gear sellers... All have had issues.

I will say, KEH has been much better than MPB. My issue with them wasn't their fault; the FedEx guy evidently dropkicked my package. MPB has been a scam for me though. "Like New" lens that doesn't focus and body with severe sensor damage. I let them burn me twice and said never again.

I buy used guitars, pedals, and synthesizers all the time without issues, but nearly every used piece of camera gear I've bought I've come to regret. All the new stuff has functioned flawlessly.
 
Mr Bolton said:
MJ_Photo38 said:
rsn said:
I have four cameras, two bought new, two bought used, so what category to I tick off?
Click to expand...
In what camera does the camera you use the most, or consider your "main shooter" fall into?
Click to expand...
I'd have to call it 'almost new' on my Nikon Zf, which arrived with just 40 clicks on its shutter from Map Camera Japan. They sold it as 'Used' but it clearly wasn't, really.
Click to expand...
Sounds like someone bought it and couldn't hang with how heavy and unwieldy it was so they returned it and you got the open box deal.

I say that as a Zf shooter. Great camera, lovely images, but the ergos are a compromise for sure.
 
In my film days I bought a mix of new and used, but the new was usually grey market. It was well worth the risk and I never had a single problem. Never paid that much for anything. Now I'm older and figure I want the latest and greatest for the time I have left. Thus, most everything is new, save for my vintage film cameras and medium/large format stuff. My investment in current digital is vastly more than I ever spent on film equipment over many decades!
 
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