BUYING SMART
OUR FAVOURITE USED BUYS
SONY FX3 Since its 2020 launch, this workhorse still offers lasting value. Filmmakers love its form factor, including five 1/4in threaded mount holes so you can fix accessories straight to it without a cage. It has a built-in cooling fan, a zoom rocker switch and is great in low light thanks to its 12-megapixel sensor that shoots in up to 4K 10-bit 4:2:2.
ZEISS CP.3 PRIMES Zeiss’s compact CP.3 cine prime range offers high contrast, rich blacks and saturated colours without nasty glares or flares with their advanced coatings, painted lens rims and light traps in the barrel. The available lens range spans 15-135mm. All have a T2.1 maximum aperture, except the widest three that are T.2.9. They have interchangeable lens mounts in PL, Canon EF, Nikon F, Micro Four Thirds and Sony E fits.
F or all the excitement that surrounds a new product reach its full potential straight out of the box. Firmware evolves to sort out early-adopter niggles. Accessories finally appear at a range of prices. And some time after the hype of release day, many bits of kit enter what seasoned filmmakers quietly recognise as the performance sweet spot. The gear is better understood, more reliable and far better value than when brand new. It is the secret advantage of the second-hand market. Buying used isn’t just about saving money, it’s about stepping into a system that has already been tested in the field launch, the truth is that most filmmaking equipment doesn’t
by thousands of real shooters. By the time a camera or lens has been in circulation for a year or two, its quirks are known, its limitations are mapped and its strengths are proven across everything from high-pressure commercial work to harsh documentary environments. Firmware updates have stabilised early bugs. Colour science is well documented. Workflow guides, LUTs and accessories are plentiful. In other words: you’re no longer guessing but buying something with a proven track record. For filmmakers who care more about reliability and predictability than spec-sheet bragging, this sweet spot can be the most powerful argument for choosing used gear.
NIKON Z 8 The Nikon Z 8 has the flagship Z 9’s sensor but is lighter, smaller and has no integrated vertical grip, so it ably balances on any rig and most gimbals. The 45.7-megapixel full-frame sensor gives an 8.3K native video resolution and can record in-camera 12-bit Raw video up to 8.3K/60p or 4.1K/120p. It also does 10-bit HLG video for HDR or 8K/60p internally for up to 90 minutes.
DELAYED REWARD Be patient and the very latest tech will turn into cheaper and more reliable investments
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