MOVIE MATTERS
BUYINGUSED
W hen cameras went digital, there was a huge yearly increase in technology that made old kit look obsolete and nearly worthless almost overnight. Camcorders recording to tape may have been cutting-edge in their day, but as the DSLR craze hit – followed by large-chip camcorders thenmirrorless cameras – everything changed. Technology has now largely settled down, meaning gear that’s a few years old is no longer old hat. And that means you might be able to afford the latest bit of kit you want by searching it out on the used market – if you knowwhat you’re buying and take care to avoid obvious lemons. Cameras that were the latest technology not very long ago don’t suddenly lose the ability to create great footage. And if you buy used, then the original purchaser will have shouldered the (often pretty scary) depreciation, especially on high-end kit. That’s not to say we would recommend buying an almost decade-old Panasonic AF101 now for professional use, as some equipment has definitely stood the test of time far better than others. And in terms of lenses, glass tends to hold its value for far longer. But that means lenses do hold their money well, and therefore may not look like such a great bargain used. Look around and you will find them, though.
DREAM KIT GOING CHEAP! Can’t justify the cost of the brand-new gear you’ve always wanted? A real option for the savvy cinematographer is opting for used kit COST-CUTTING CAMERAS
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH
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PRO MOVIEMAKER AUTUMN 2019
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