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Why does photography equipment not come down in price?

  • 21-04-2015 4:41pm
    #1
    Mister Vain
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,172 ✭✭✭


    Some of the top Canon lenses are nearly 10 years old and are still roughly the same price. I bought a canon flashgun 2 years ago for 300 euro. The same flashgun today costs 320 euro. It has actually gone up in price which is astounding considering a couple of newer models have been released since then.

    I know the technology in photography doesn't change as quickly as other electronic equipment, but I would have thought some of the gear would have come down in price by now.


Comments

  • #2
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 50,876 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    lenses are not something which benefit from improved manufacturing processes or moore's law; they still have to be ground in the same way. also, if you're talking same nominal price for the same lens ten years apart, that's a roughly 20% drop in price in real terms.
    your flashgun has probably stayed the same price, if you take inflation into account.

    speaking of which, check out how much an SLR would have cost in 1990 with the cost of a DSLR now, and then consider the fact that every single shot costs money (still does for anyone using film).


  • #3
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 50,876 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    an example - a nikon F4, body only, would cost around $5000 now, inflation adjusted.
    sources here:
    http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-09-23/entertainment/8802010989_1_camera-exposure-lens
    http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=2500&year1=1988&year2=2015

    the nikon D4s is €6000 in the states now; consider the amount of technology which separates the two.


  • #4
    CabanSail
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 9,047 CMod ✭✭✭✭CabanSail


    Mister Vain wrote: »
    Some of the top Canon lenses are nearly 10 years old and are still roughly the same price. I bought a canon flashgun 2 years ago for 300 euro. The same flashgun today costs 320 euro. It has actually gone up in price which is astounding considering a couple of newer models have been released since then.


    If the lenses are still the same price as they were ten years ago then they have come down in price. Lenses, especially quality ones, also keep their value very well. Some of the lenses I shoot with were made in the late 80's and I am sure I could sell them for more than the original ticket price now.
    Flashgun have not had many significant changes in that time either and they still do what's on the tin. To compare prices you would have to factor in the price today with a €(2005) reference.

    A case in point. The first time I flew from Australia to Ireland the fare was around AU$1200 return for an economy ticket. Today the fares vary a lot more but I can make the trip now for A$1200 to A$1800 for an economy fare. So one could say that prices have stayed the same, however my first trip was back in 1989. If the prices had stayed the same then the fare now should be AU$6000, which is about the cost of a Business fare now. Back then I bought my first new SLR, the Nikon F801 and it was about the same ticket price as entry level DSLR's today. So much cheaper now.


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