Digital cameras have continued to drop in price and improve in quality since 2000 - enough time now to estimate how often photographers upgrade their equipment.
I've been a happy digital camera owner and user since 2001 - Kodak DC280 was my first, 2MP sensor size of a brick and similar weight, ate batteries about 4 AA per 200 shots - things have come a long way 😉 - I've owned 4 point and shoots since - losing 2 to theft - forcing upgrades.
I've since also been the owner of two digital SLRs - early-2004 Nikon D70 - late 2007 Nikon D300.
So it looks like I'm replacing my cameras at the current rate of;
Point and shoot every 2 years.
Digital SLR every 4 years.
Anyone else finding similar habits? - or do you think that I've got a serious tech-addiction?
Reply to this I would say that my tech movements are similar to yours Ali.
I bought my first digital in 2002 and replaced it about every 3 years. All of my point and shoots have been Canon and have been really pretty good as amateur, just for fun cameras.
I bought my first DSLR in 2006, a D80 figuring that I would upgrade as soon as I got comfortable with the format and the controls. Luckily, in 2008 Nikon did a full overhaul of their technology and, just as I was ready to upgrade, new cameras were around for me to buy.
I now own a D700 and a backup D90 which I carry everywhere.
I doubt I'll upgrade again for at least two more years. Maybe a new DSLR in 2011ish??
Mike T.
Reply to this We have had 2 digital cameras so far.
The first was one that somebody gave us because they didnt want it anymore. It did take photos, even if they were a bit fuzzy. One day after we had had it for around a year it stopped working.
I gave my boyfriend the second one, for his birthday last August. We will probably replace it when if it breaks or gets lost.
Mel
Reply to this 2005 Minolta Konica Dimage X60 - my first digital point and shoot no longer manufactured
2008 Canon EOS 400D - my first DSLR
2009 Canon G10 - not yet purchased but I'm definitely in need for a high end point and shoot
Was a real Nikon girl with film but I just love the Canon digital interface and general knob design. Not a great fan of megapixels because I think it's just a waste most of the time so I kind of resist upgrades. The 14MP of the G10 is not what's floating my boat about the camera. After the G10 I really don't see a "need" to upgrade anymore - there's enough power and versatility with the two Canons there for me. Might splurge on lenses though. But who knows what other "must have" invention lurks around the corner?
It's OK to be a tech-addict. What are you eyeing off at the moment? ;-)
Reply to this Lenses are where my money gets spent. I have a multitude of them but am eying the newer Nikon 50 f/1.4 to replace my old outdated model. Also I've been doing a lot of portrait shooting (I've gone pro and all that) so I'm eying an old 135mm F/2.0. Other than that I'm pleased with the D700 and the lenses I have. The low ISO capability of the newer Nikon and Canon FX DSLRs are incredible. I get very usable ISO 3200 pics all the time now. Its so usable I set ISO on auto and let the camera think for me which is something I never would have done with my D80. Anything on that camera above ISO 400 was completely useless!
Mike T.
Reply to this Marg and I seem to be on the same merry-go-round. My first digital camera was a Sony boasting 1.5mp, and a Carl Zeiss lense - purchased 2001 I think. Margs first was a nifty little Sony point and shoot with 5mp and 3 times zoom. Actually it was a very good camera for its time, 2007.
There was a Sony upgrade to my first one after a couple of years, and I purchased that one, my son buying my original at family rates. The second Sony was more flexible, but the lense was not all that crisp.
Then Canon brought out the Powershot SX10 bridge camera. That was a big leap forward - loved it.
The SX10 was replaced by a Powershot SX40, and then I succumbed to the SX50, and this week it was finally replaced by the newly released SX60. The SX50 had the lense mechanism fail, and the warrantee paid me out on that camera. Just to confuse, the SX50 failed while in Tasmania earlier this year, There were no SX50s, so I bought a Sony HV300. While on paper it should be a better camera than the SX50, that was not my experience. Poor view finder, images in low light were poor compared to the Canon SX40 now operated by Marg. A lot of pixilation in the images. Having said the cons, it is an easy to use bridge camera with excellent images in bright light, a very good ability to do macro, and the auto-focus was better than the Canon on our feathered friends.
The change to the SX60 (28 photos only in two days) since purchasing was beyond my expectations. Excellent auto focus, fast shooting, and the electronic view finder is brilliant.
So maybe, for the next two years that will be my camera. Just waiting for Marg to say she is due for an upgrade too!
Reply to this So Rob you're upgrading about every 2 years?
Five years since I originally posted and my SLR is starting to look dated (7 years+) - so I didn't keep to the 4 year upgrade schedule.
This time round - I'm looking at mirror-less systems - maybe I'll stretch to a Sony A7!
Reply to this I went from a Canon Powershot (bought 2003?) to a G10 in about 2007. The G10 was wasted on me for a few years as it pretty much lived on auto until I decided to get more serious about photography late 2012.
My first SLR, which was a HUGE stepup for me, (Canon 650D) came along about the end of 2012, but my main body is now a 5D MKIII. The 650D hardly sees the light of day, unless I'm needing to have two on the go together.
(I was about to sell my G10 when I read about
the Murmushi Photo Project, which is run by a Kiwi in Nigeria, so gave all my G10 gear to them.)
As I've ended up doing mostly sport and event photography I've invested in some big lenses, but I still think the one lens everyone should have in their gear bag is a 50mm prime.
Just to mix it up, a year ago I acquired my grandfather's 1953 Silette Pronto. Maybe that's where the bug came from...?
Reply to this Looks like every two years, though that wasn't a specific plan. The SX 50 would have been expected to last longer I guess, but with a 4 year full replacement warrantee I was lucky.
In the early days of digital, the changes were very dramatic every year, and while that has slowed a little in terms of image, the speed of process is quickening making the cameras today very much more user friendly. In that respect, the SX60 is way ahead of the sx50.
I am still an advocate for the bridge cameras recognising that for best image quality one needs bigger sized sensors. However, the plus for me is the huge range that can be used to capture nature, bugs and critters, birds and bees etc.
Reply to this Daniel still carries a lot of kit! The bridge camera has many compromises in lens design, yet produce very acceptable pictures with little fuss, and a fraction of the cost. Would I like a bigger aperture range and a larger physical sensor? Yes. But that comes with not only a major hike in price, but weight as well.
Reply to this If you avoid DSLRs you should probably upgrade every 18 months or so as new tech comes out e.g. the latest bridge cameras are an enormous step up in quality. Otherwise it should be years as you collect lenses.
I've just gone from a camera to a phone (more interested in video).
Bought a DSLR this time last year----> switched to RX100ii pocket camera 4 months later-----> switched to phone the other day so thats 8 months.
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