I've yet to loose a penny selling camera equipment.
My first was a 300D. Payed $1000
I sold it to the insurance company for $1000 when I broke it two years later.
Then I purchased a used 300D for $400. I sold that one to the insurance company (again for $1000) a year later when my entire kit was stolen.
I was able to replace my other stolen equipment for $1000 less than the insurance payout. I then purchased a 5D for $3300. So after I subtract the $600 profit on the 300D, and the $1000 profit on the rest of my kit. The 5D only cost me $1700.
If I were to sell my 5D today it would fetch ~1500. After 3 years with a 300D and 2.5 years with a 5D, I have only lost $200 to depreciation.
But over that same time period I spent $350 on insurance. So if I were to sell my entire kit now (assuming there is no depreciation on my lenses, most of which were purchased used) I would have lost $550 over 5.5 years or about $100 a year. Not too bad.
I've only sold one body. Bought a 300D for $699 and sold it two and a half years later for $300. Not bad, given the huge leaps that were made in that time frame.
Starter with a RebelXT and Kit lens. Now I shoot with a $4000 Mkiii. I make zippy in photo income and most of my pics sit on my 1TB WD harddrive. My biggest purchase was a 400 f/2.8 IS for $6K!
I never lost more than $200 dollars on selling my bodies. The most I lost was when I sold my 5D. Purchased it for $2000 from Dell and sold it for $1800 a year later. $200 dollars well worth it!
I also have a spreadsheet tallying all my camera purchases.
So far I've spent 10x more than I intended to, but it has been
fun. I plan a sale in the near future to whittle down my gear
to the stuff I really like and use.
It's a hobby. People spend on hobbies. Keep the expense to a
reasonable and manageable level [that's different for each person]
and enjoy the learning experience.
I've already used my photos in church. I took a good portion
of the photos for our church directory. They're not studio style shots,
but they look decent.
Camera bodies depreciate faster than glass, so I've put money
into lenses with much less inhibition compared with camera bodies.
Oh, and I haven't lost anything on a camera body sale: I haven't
sold any bodies.
ocean7 wrote:
Interesting. I keep an excel file of all my purchases / sales. Kinda scary btw
The most I have lost so far is on a D60. I purchased it used for $1000. Two months after that I had Canon replace the shutter - thank you eBay - for $350 and I sold it when I got my 20D for $650. Loss = $700.
I purchased my 20D when it was in the current lineup for $1950. If I was to sell it now what would I get? $500 at most?
I have now a 1D MKII but I am keeping the 20D. Not only for backup but because its sale would considerably hurt my stats! ...Show more →
wheaton wrote:
I've yet to loose a penny selling camera equipment.
My first was a 300D. Payed $1000
I sold it to the insurance company for $1000 when I broke it two years later.
Then I purchased a used 300D for $400. I sold that one to the insurance company (again for $1000) a year later when my entire kit was stolen.
I was able to replace my other stolen equipment for $1000 less than the insurance payout. I then purchased a 5D for $3300. So after I subtract the $600 profit on the 300D, and the $1000 profit on the rest of my kit. The 5D only cost me $1700.
If I were to sell my 5D today it would fetch ~1500. After 3 years with a 300D and 2.5 years with a 5D, I have only lost $200 to depreciation.
But over that same time period I spent $350 on insurance. So if I were to sell my entire kit now (assuming there is no depreciation on my lenses, most of which were purchased used) I would have lost $550 over 5.5 years or about $100 a year. Not too bad.
wheaton wrote:
I've yet to loose a penny selling camera equipment.
My first was a 300D. Payed $1000
I sold it to the insurance company for $1000 when I broke it two years later.
Then I purchased a used 300D for $400. I sold that one to the insurance company (again for $1000) a year later when my entire kit was stolen.
I was able to replace my other stolen equipment for $1000 less than the insurance payout. I then purchased a 5D for $3300. So after I subtract the $600 profit on the 300D, and the $1000 profit on the rest of my kit. The 5D only cost me $1700.
If I were to sell my 5D today it would fetch ~1500. After 3 years with a 300D and 2.5 years with a 5D, I have only lost $200 to depreciation.
But over that same time period I spent $350 on insurance. So if I were to sell my entire kit now (assuming there is no depreciation on my lenses, most of which were purchased used) I would have lost $550 over 5.5 years or about $100 a year. Not too bad.
I lost about 300 selling my Rebel Xt to switch to a 40D. In hindsight I should have kept the Xt as a back up, but I am no professional and a spare body is almost nonsense.
Ben in Australia the Mk1 listed at about 9 grand from memory, I bought it about 12 months after they came out. $7700 is what I paid still have the receipt.
Don't get hung up on bodies. Buy to get the job done not the biggest and best. I'm still happy with a 20D and 30D as the images please clients and I'm happy with the images.
L-Lenses on the other hand don't depreciate that much. If you buy second hand you can often sell them on for the price you paid, although sometimes the price for second hand edges so close to new you may as well get the guarantee and the like.
Now that DSLRs have offered great image quality for a few years, buying bodies is a chore - it's the glass that'll really make the difference.
I dont think I will ever buy a brand new digital camera again, just like I will never buy a brand new car. Just leaving the shop the price goes down 15-30%
My 10D cost me close to $3000 with a grip and I would of made that back within a short space of time. My 20D cost me $1000 second hand and I made that back the day after I bought it.
Just got a MKII I wont be getting rid of for a few years which cost me $1700. By the time I am ready to buy again they MKIIN will be down to a reasonable price.
more than I intended to, but it has been
