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Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!

  
 
kinconorb
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p.1 #1 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


I used to love photography, both nature and surf photography, but haven't gotten out to shoot ever since graduating university and starting my career. Also while in school I had somewhat already transitioned away from sports/surf photography as a hobby to focus on my studies. During that stage I'd switched toward nature photography. I majored in geology so we would do fieldwork in very remote locations and my camera went everywhere. Plus most of my friends were into camping or hiking so I have plenty of great photos of that time in my life. The older you get life happens and it becomes harder to live that life. People get married, you get a few pets, have kids, etc... Often times using my phone is simpler/easier and less of a hassle. Of course if I went on a month long expedition someplace I would want to bring a proper camera along. The thing is all you really need honestly is a fancy point and shoot for most situations. I have a old "Nikon Coolpix A" that I would take along for lightweight trips, but something similar to that camera would suffice for my needs.

So sort of looking for advice on if I should sell or not below is a list of gear off the top of my head. I know most is outdated but wondering what its roughly worth. There's also the whole maybe its not worth selling scenario to think about. Sort of like having a winter beater of a truck that's worth $2000 on a good day but doesn't make sense to sell. Because well, having a vehicle that you don't care about damaging and simply need to run errands its worth keeping it around.

Gear list:
Nikon D2H, D2X, D3X, D800
Nikon 16mm/2.8, 14-24mm/2.8, 17-35mm/2.8, 24-70mm/2.8, 400mm/2.8

I think thats the bulk of it these are the older versions of the lenses and some like the 17-35 look like they've been to war. My estimate is around $3500-4000 in value. The D2H and D2X are essentially paperweights (except people don't really use paper anymore). Some stuff I suppose I could offload maybe keep the 17-35 and D3X that is my favorite lens of all time!!! Its just do I want to deal with the hassle of selling gear and people expecting a 10+ year old lens to look BRAND NEW you know? I do have all the original boxes for everything and paperwork but the 400/2.8 its the previous VR version that Nikon no longer supports repairs on so even if asking $2500 it would be a hard sell.



Jan 17, 2026 at 08:58 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #2 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


Sell what you can if you have no need for it for several years.
You still may be young enough to get back into photography later with completely new gear.

EBH



Jan 17, 2026 at 09:12 PM
schlotz
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p.1 #3 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


Yes, life does get in the way and has a good tendency to re-prioritize one's thinking but there is another side. Kids grow up and move on, jobs change, free time starts to become available again. So if you're on the front side then sure, sell what you can now! The urge to 'hang on' to old favorites only serves to frustrate the mind and certainly diminishes what ever monetary value that is left to obtained. As you are already aware the industry continues to move forward while old stuff just get older and more out of date. Handle what life throws at ya and when it's time, buy some new equipment to fall in love with photography all over again.


Jan 18, 2026 at 07:36 AM
Stefan Official
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p.1 #4 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


I would roughly guess from your writing style and what you wrote that you are around your mid to late forties. Of course, I could be completely wrong, but that’s the impression I get. What you’re describing sounds to me less like a photography problem and more like a particular phase of life.

When your kids are older or have moved out, and you have more free time again, the passion for photography usually comes back naturally. And later in retirement, maybe traveling with a camper or exploring the world outdoors, photography often comes alive again. With some distance, people often see past decisions differently and sometimes regret selling too quickly.

On the other hand, the gear will not get any newer. Whether you would actually use it in 10 or 20 years, or prefer something more modern by then, is hard to predict. It really depends on what you want to photograph in the future.

One option is to sell everything. Your 400 mm f/2.8 still holds good value, and with that money, you could start fresh with a small, modern setup, maybe limiting yourself to around 200 mm for a compact and lightweight kit. When more time comes in 5 or 10 years, because the kids are older or life has changed, you could gradually expand again. Or you could invest the money and use it later for new gear. Keeping old gear forever without using it would probably be wasted money.

Personally, I tend to sell almost everything I haven’t used in two years. Camera gear is usually not a financial investment you need to hold onto forever.

Many people also rediscover the joy of nature as they get older — enjoying the peace, observing the world carefully, and capturing its beauty. Having a sensible kit makes this much more enjoyable. I don’t think a tiny point-and-shoot or just a smartphone would make you truly happy. Looking at your gear, it’s clear that your photography goals and expectations are higher than those of typical smartphone users who have never really taken photography seriously.

Or you could simply plan one or two small photography trips per year with like-minded people, without the family. Just for the hobby, for fun, to get some distance, and to get out of the daily routine. It doesn’t have to happen often, but you will never forget those experiences. That’s another way to keep your photography alive.



Jan 18, 2026 at 09:07 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #5 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


kinconorb wrote:
I used to love photography, both nature and surf photography, but haven't gotten out to shoot ever since graduating university and starting my career. Also while in school I had somewhat already transitioned away from sports/surf photography as a hobby to focus on my studies. During that stage I'd switched toward nature photography. I majored in geology so we would do fieldwork in very remote locations and my camera went everywhere. Plus most of my friends were into camping or hiking so I have plenty of great photos of that time in my life. The older you get life happens
...Show more

It is not unusual to have feelings about photography (or other endeavors) like those you describe. In my experience, no one prescription is necessarily the right one, and they vary from “maybe it is time for a change” to “keep on working at it until something comes.” In the end, there’s no requirement that you be a “serious photographer,” and you can reasonably end up going in various directions.

I had an experience similar to yours some time ago. Let me tell you about it — maybe something will resonate.

I started photography at a very young age, learning to make prints by the time I was a middle schooler. For years I carried cameras everywhere, especially into the Sierra Nevada, and I also photographed a lot of other California subjects. During those years I became a passionate backpacker, a climber, a cross-country skier, a serious cyclist… and I had a college teaching gig and was raising a family!

Eventually, I could not be as good as I wanted to be at all of those things, and my passion for photography diminished. I never quite stopped making photographs, but it got to the point that I merely carried a little 35mm high-end point and shoot camera. Photographically I didn’t accomplish much at all for perhaps a decade.

then various things changed in my life — normal stuff, family, changing interests, a different point in my career, etc — and the digital camera revolution arrived. Almost by accident I ended up reacquainting myself with photography, gradually at first, but before long the old interest was rekindled and even grew beyond what it had been, and for the past two+ decades I have again become quite serious about it.

The point, if there is one, is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to know what the right step forward is for you. But there’s nothing wrong with stepping back a a bit and seeing where it leads you.

Good luck.



Jan 18, 2026 at 10:53 AM
CharleyL
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p.1 #6 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


My 60 mp cell phone is my only P&S Camera. It takes great pictures, if that's the kind of pictures that you want. Why buy something else if you already have a cell phone? My studio and kit cameras give me control of the shots, and I can take photos that are impossible to get with any cell phone or P&S camera.

I just think it's a waste to get rid of your better cameras. At 83 with a small studio in my home (former bedroom), I experiment with light and getting shots that are impossible with any cell phone. I've been a photographer since 1952. It has been a serious hobby for part of my life, but I have also worked on a special camera design for NASA. and been a Pro photographer once owning a photo retouch and restoration studio and doing work for other Pro Photographers for several years. It's back to serious hobby level now, but it keeps me busy and happy in my advanced years.

I could never be completely happy with just a cell phone or P&S camera, but having it in my pocket has given me the chance to catch some very interesting shots when I could never be prepared to catch them with one of my better cameras, even the one hanging around my nect. Maybe you should learn to make better use of your better cameras? You bought them for a reason. Do you really know how to use them? It just seems a waste to me.

Charley



Jan 18, 2026 at 11:52 AM
jeffbuzz
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p.1 #7 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


If you don't use gear for whatever reason, keeping it makes little sense. It isn't likely to appreciate in value the longer you hold on to it. Your bodies and f/2.8 zooms are were quite large and heavy even by DSLR standards. Compared to modern mirrorless systems, they're huge. If the physical size is what's discouraging you from using it, simply going to a mirrorless system might be the answer. Using small primes or variable aperture zooms will make a much smaller total package.

I vote for selling it all and starting over with a small MILC body and compact zoom. See if that is more suitable to carry around.

Here's a size comparison of what you've got versus an APS-C mirrorless setup with a similar FoV.





https://pxlmag.com/db/camera-size-comparison/4a57ccbb_20c56a15-b8e2a0a2_358bafd3-t50




Jan 18, 2026 at 02:42 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #8 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


One reason to keep the gear you don't use is that you may change your mind, and when/if you do it is much easier to take that stored gear out than it is to first buy all new stuff.

(Also, I hung on to some older gear and my "kids" ended up being very happy to get it.)

Of course, if you are short on cash and need to sell for that reason or if you are utterly certain that you will never need it again...



Jan 18, 2026 at 03:12 PM
johnvanr
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p.1 #9 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


I went from pondering to become a photo journalist to not shooting for years, interestingly enough beginning when I move to NYC. I had a cheap Pentax and a point-and-shoot to take snaps, but didn’t see photography as a hobby at all. Then one day, I’m taking casual portraits of my son and the bug struck again and hasn’t waned. He was three then and is now 28. You can never tell…

As for gear, all my old gear was very old by that time and eBay was getting popular (and was still a good place), so I experimented with used gear for quite a while. I still have some of my old stuff, but never used it after initially losing interest.



Jan 18, 2026 at 04:53 PM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #10 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


"nice point and shoots" don't really exist anymore outside of the Ricohs, which are now VERY expensive and continue to have quality control issues (dust ingress, button durability, etc).


Jan 18, 2026 at 04:54 PM
 


Search in Used Dept. 

johnvanr
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p.1 #11 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


RoamingScott wrote:
"nice point and shoots" don't really exist anymore outside of the Ricohs, which are now VERY expensive and continue to have quality control issues (dust ingress, button durability, etc).


I like my Leica d lux8, but that too has become ludicrously expensive.



Jan 19, 2026 at 01:48 AM
snegron7
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p.1 #12 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


I've had an "on and off relationship" with photography since the late 1970's.

My regrets regarding gear:

1. Buying so many cameras and lenses in the past 4+ decades. Many have collected dust, become deteriorated, or (in the case of some film cameras) become inoperable due to lack of use.

2. Selling off all my Sony gear on a whim because I wanted to stick with Canon. I ended up re-purchasing some of the same gear I sold, and now I'm kicking myself because I really miss some of those lenses I can't afford to buy today.

3. Thinking that photography gear holds its value. None of the Nikon, Canon, or Sony gear I've purchased then sold brought in even half of the retail prices I paid for them new.

4. Purchasing a Ricoh GRIII Street Edition. I too wanted that elusive perfect, compact point and shoot for travel. It was an expensive mistake. No weather sealing, AF was not good, images were overall lackluster. The happiest day I ever had with the GRIII was the day I sold it. Never will I ever buy a Ricoh point and shoot again.

As others have pointed out, life has a way of changing. Revisiting old files with travel pics I've taken inspires me to want to visit more places. I also have more time on my hands, so I've rekindled my love for painting. I like to look at my old pics for ideas for painting. The more detailed the images are, the better I can use them or portions of them for painting.




Jan 19, 2026 at 08:02 PM
GroovyGeek
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p.1 #13 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


You can benchmark almost everything by checking completed transactions on eBay and current used listings at KEH,B&H, etc. The 400/2.8 is $3k. The various 2.8 lenses and the D800 are a few hundred bucks each. The older bodies are probably nearly worthless.


Jan 19, 2026 at 09:37 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #14 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


snegron7 wrote:
I've had an "on and off relationship" with photography since the late 1970's.

My regrets regarding gear:

1. Buying so many cameras and lenses in the past 4+ decades. Many have collected dust, become deteriorated, or (in the case of some film cameras) become inoperable due to lack of use.

2. Selling off all my Sony gear on a whim because I wanted to stick with Canon. I ended up re-purchasing some of the same gear I sold, and now I'm kicking myself because I really miss some of those lenses I can't afford to buy today.

3. Thinking that photography
...Show more

I’m shocked (and pleased) to see quite a few posts here and in other forums in the past few days counseling against the irrational gear fetishes that have been so popular.

Is there something in the water? The air?

:-)



Jan 19, 2026 at 11:42 PM
AmbientMike
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p.1 #15 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!




kinconorb wrote:
I used to love photography, both nature and surf photography, but haven't gotten out to shoot ever since graduating university and starting my career. Also while in school I had somewhat already transitioned away from sports/surf photography as a hobby to focus on my studies. During that stage I'd switched toward nature photography. I majored in geology so we would do fieldwork in very remote locations and my camera went everywhere. Plus most of my friends were into camping or hiking so I have plenty of great photos of that time in my life. The older you get life happens
...Show more

Your gear is not obsolete imo. 36mp ff isnt obsolete neither is 24mp ff. 36mp even has modern DR, if you use that.

As good a lens as 14-24 is supposed to be, it should be at least good enough, today, probably still excellent. How many poor 400 2.8 have they made, ever. Do you have any problems with your lenses or do you just think since they're old they must not be good?

You've got some excellent gear imo go use it if you want. You'd have to explain to me how it's no good looks pretty good to me



Jan 20, 2026 at 02:14 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #16 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


Tell us you missed the point of the post without telling us that you missed the point of the post.


Jan 20, 2026 at 10:47 AM
AmbientMike
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p.1 #17 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


gdanmitchell wrote:
Tell us you missed the point of the post without telling us that you missed the point of the post.


I guess he could sell his gear, and buy R6III, a7V, having slightly less pixels than d800. D800 has 50% more pixels and about a stop more DR than Z6III, on Bill Claff's tests.

I can't figure out why he'd sell it, vs taking photos. Does op realize sensor iq advances have stalled over the last decade or more. Is it really that heavy?

Assuming your comment is directed at me, (and i apologizeif it isn't) thanks for the ignorant, insulting comment. Definitely not the first time you've been a problem on here



Jan 20, 2026 at 12:32 PM
huddy
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p.1 #18 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


@kinconorb, unsure of how old you are, but sounds like you're just a couple of years further along than me in your life/career. Like many others, I've gone through seasons where what/how much I shoot has ebbed and flowed, especially with family life.

There's nothing wrong with holding onto some/all of your current gear depending upon what you enjoy shooting. There's also nothing wrong with just getting a quote from somewhere like MPB (they have been very reputable) on what they'd offer for some (thinking the 400/2.8 primarily) and go from there. Worst case they give you an offer and you say no. For bodies like the D2 series, you can always sell them functional, as is for a low price if you are upfront.

A small portable enough camera (GRIII, Fuji X100, or even something like a basic APS-C sized mirrorless body with a modestly sized prime lens) may prove sufficient to scratch the itch of having a camera more than a phone but something that isn't obtrusive.

I personally carry a Z8 (which is bigger), but when I really want to enjoy photography and not have it take up much time/energy, I just put a single prime (f/1.8 S-line sized, or a small MF lens) and don't worry about if I miss shots. I just have a good time. I used to do similar with a D700 or an FE2/F3 and any of my small stable of old AI-S manual Nikkors.

Really when it gets down to it, let some of the financial decisions help guide you. If it's too expensive to sell some things and later buy something slightly newer and smaller, some of the suggestions about a few dedicated photo trips (even local) are a really good way to keep the creative juices flowing. I personally go hawk spotting and will occasionally shoot some astro or other landscape at the state parks or just along the highways near where I live, or a bit of architecture when I travel (and typically won't change lenses).



Jan 21, 2026 at 02:14 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #19 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


huddy wrote:
@kinconorb@, unsure of how old you are, but sounds like you're just a couple of years further along than me in your life/career. Like many others, I've gone through seasons where what/how much I shoot has ebbed and flowed, especially with family life.

There's nothing wrong with holding onto some/all of your current gear depending upon what you enjoy shooting. There's also nothing wrong with just getting a quote from somewhere like MPB (they have been very reputable) on what they'd offer for some (thinking the 400/2.8 primarily) and go from there. Worst case they give you an offer and you
...Show more

I’m with you in that there’s no single obvious answer for our OP and his loss of interest in using his current gear for photography. I do think that, whether he sells the current gear or not (and there are arguments both ways) that getting something smaller and simpler and seeing how that goes is a fine idea.



Jan 22, 2026 at 12:07 PM
bwcolor
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p.1 #20 · Thinking about selling all my photo gear and buying a nice point and shoot!


Selling your gear makes sense..especially if it makes sense to you.
The Fujifilm GFX100RF is one impressive camera that can be used point and shoot, but a top smartphone would be less money.



Jan 22, 2026 at 12:16 PM
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