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2 VIDEOMAKER >>> NOVEMBER 2019

Buying new gear vs. used

We tend to have something of a love/

hate relationship with advances in vid-

eo production technology. We eagerly

await news releases announcing higher-

than-ever-before-possible resolutions

and the subsequent release of better-

than-ever-before-available cameras.

The most thrilling and simultaneously

discouraging thing about it is that there

will always be a next new thing to want

and, ultimately, to buy.

But all of this new gear comes with

a hefty price tag. Those who want the

latest and greatest must be willing

to pay a pretty penny to acquire the

newest whatever-it-is as soon as it

is released. However, there is another

cohort of people who would rather save

money and buy used gear from the

early adopters. With every new release,

a new generation of second-hand

equipment goes up for sale.

So which is best, buying new equip-

ment or buying used gear? I believe the

answer is — it depends.

New equipment typically comes

with a warranty, so the purchaser is

protected if something were to go

wrong. Since the equipment comes

new in the box, you will know the en-

tire history of the item’s usage. Every

scuff and scratch will be your own.

New gear also brings some down-

sides. New equipment always costs

more than used, but there can be

some not-so-easily-seen additional

costs as well. New equipment will

include only items that you purchase

intentionally. If you want additional

storage media, or an extra lens or any

other upgrade to the basic package,

you will pay for it. New gear also

brings with it the reality of deprecia-

tion. As soon as you open the box

on your new piece of equipment, its

resale value plummets.

But for many people, owning the

newest and most cutting edge technol-

ogy is not a necessity. For them, it’s

not having new gear but newer gear

that matters. And the money saved

can then buy more ancillary gear.

Buying used gear also has pros and

cons. While there is no warranty, most

of the depreciation will have already

been absorbed by the original owner,

so used equipment tends to hold its

value longer. With that comes the

reality that you will never know the

full history of the item. Every scratch

and scuff was put there by someone

else. On the upside, used equipment

often includes bonus “upgrade” items

in the mix that add a lot of extra value

without additional expense.

Ultimately, there is no right or wrong

approach to buying production equip-

ment. Whether you choose to buy

new or used equipment, you need to

do market research to know the going

rate for the items you are interested in

buying. Then, ask good questions to

clarify the condition of the items and

what is included in the package you

are purchasing. An informed buyer is

a wise one, regardless of whether the

product is new or pre-owned.

VIEWFINDER

by Matthew York

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