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How long do you normally use a camera before upgrading?


3 years 4 months ago #705106 by Ruby Grace
Boy this question should win me 'most random question of 2020'! :rofl:

Seriously though, a friend and I were jibber jabbering yesterday about how often people upgrade their cameras.  It seems (by our discussion) that people upgrade more these days then back in the film era.  But then my friend thought upgrading has slowed during the later part of mirrorless.  

Is there any data that supports any of this?
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 17-40mmL, 24-105mmL, 100-400mmL, 300mm f/4L IS, Sigma 12-24mm, 430EX, Extension tubes
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3 years 4 months ago #705127 by Nikon Shooter
From the F1 to F4, Nikon issued a new body every ten years or so.
With digital bodies it is different. Competition among all brands,
fast pace technology evolution, etc push all makers to outperform
— or try to — all others and that makes newer models coming ever
faster on the marketplace.
Light is free… capturing it is not!
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3 years 4 months ago #705128 by fmw
I use it until it longer meets my needs.  My last change occurred about 5 years ago when I sold my big heavy Nikon gear and bought the small light Fuji gear.  It had nothing to do with sensors.  It was about size and weight which is problem for me in my old age.
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3 years 4 months ago #705138 by Ozzie_Traveller
G'day Ruby

I have always used the criteria "always buy the best that you can afford and use it until it wears out". ie- not necessarily the best on the market, but the best that I can afford ~ which is very different!

This has worked well for me with cars, clothes work tools and cameras

Thus to answer your Q - in my case, it's about 5 - 8 years between updates for equipment

Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/
Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/
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3 years 4 months ago #705143 by db3348
Along similar lines to  fmw and ozzie ,  I   keep  a camera  until  it  no longer performs  the tasks  for which I  bought  it  or  no longer suits  the type of photography  I  choose  to do .  
Unlike some camera buyers ,  I  don't buy  just because  the latest trendy model with all the fancy gadget and gismo features  appears  on the market . 
My present digital I've had for some 6 years ,  and  not looking  to replace  it  any time soon .  And I'll keep  my 1970 vintage film cameras  until they literally fall apart and can not be fixed . 
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3 years 4 months ago #705230 by Eric A
Oh, good question.  No set frequency.  I have never had a camera that just died, so all my upgrades were just 'that time'.  I guess all things including budget, need (or want) and timing aligned for me to buy a new camera.   LOL best I can mustard up!  
My Camera Bag:

Canon 7D | 50mm f/1.2 | 17-40mm f/4 | 70-200mm f/2.8 | 320EX | 580EXII
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3 years 4 months ago #705549 by Gammill
Oh dang, no set timing either.   Just when I'm needing (or sometimes REALLY want) and budget and everything else is aligned just right.  lol
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3 years 2 months ago #708639 by TCav
There are those that simply need to have the latest and greatest of everything, so they upgrade whenever an upgrade is available. This is the 'Camera as Bling' group.

There are those that experience critical shortcomings in the gear they've got, and upgrade when they see something that eliminates those shortcomings. Those are the 'Camera as Tool' group.

Me? I used my Minolta SRT-102 until I couldn't find a local place to develop film.
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3 years 2 months ago #708671 by Nikon Shooter

TCav wrote: I used my Minolta SRT-102 until I couldn't find a local place to develop film.


Why not DIY?
Light is free… capturing it is not!
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3 years 2 months ago #708679 by Ozzie_Traveller
G'day TCav

I remember the SRT-101 very clearly ... an excellent camera with a wonderful bevy of lenses -but- not the 102. What was the difference? or was it just a 101 rejigged for the US marketplace?

Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/
Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/
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3 years 2 months ago #708699 by Baydream
i only had 3 film cmeras over many years, I now have 3 digitals. I bought a 70d even though I had a 60D for the touch screen and others features. I still have the 60D as a backup (only issue is that pop  up flash does not pop up), Then I added a 5DmkIII to go full frame. I use the 70D and 5D about the same. I have thought about the 5DmkIV but not jumped on iit. As for mirrorless, I am slightly interested but do not want to have to replace the army of EF lenses I have. If one of them quits, I will see what is out there at the time. 
Shoot, learn and share. It will make you a better photographer.
fineartamerica.com/profiles/john-g-schickler.html?tab=artwork
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3 years 2 months ago #708702 by TCav

Nikon Shooter wrote:

TCav wrote: I used my Minolta SRT-102 until I couldn't find a local place to develop film.


Why not DIY?


I DIYed in high school (late '60s) but had misplace all my tanks and gear. In high school, I lived in a house with a basement where I could DIY (I used to tell my parents that I was going downstairs to develop. They got a kick out of that.) but haven't had an appropriate place to do it since.
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3 years 2 months ago #708704 by selena18
When the Canon AE - 1 Program came out, I bought my first SLR, a good 35 mm camera that I still use it. Then I bought myself the digitals that came out in the late ’90s,my first one was a Kodak point and shoot that cost 800.00. I can't believe that price to this day for a megapixel. Then I upgraded to the Fuji S2 when it came out and since it used Nikon lenses, I bought the D2X because I wanted more mp than the Fuji offered but I still have the S2 and plan on keeping it. I still love using it.
I didn't upgrade to the D3 but I definitely want the D3S sometime in the early part of next year. I want the high ISO it offers and other features it has too.
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3 years 2 months ago - 3 years 2 months ago #708705 by TCav

Ozzie_Traveller wrote: I remember the SRT-101 very clearly ... an excellent camera with a wonderful bevy of lenses -but- not the 102. What was the difference?


What I remember is that the 101 displayed the shutter speed in the viewfinder, while the 102 displayed the aperture also. There were a few other differences, but I can't recall them off hand.

I had the 101, but left it on the roof of my car as I sped off into traffic. It had all the corners rounded off but worked fine, and if I could have closed the back, I 'd have kept using it. I sent it off to get fixed, and before I got it back, the 102 came out, so I sold the 101 and bought the 102.

I think outside the US, the 102 was called the 303.
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3 years 2 months ago #708771 by Prago
Pretty much when ever my budget says its OK and there is a camera body that looks good.
SWM into chainsaws and hockey masks seeks like-minded SWF. No weirdos, please
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