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The 2024 resolution you will want to keep is trading up to a camera with more megapixels. Specialist platform MPB has you covered New year, used gear!
I f your New Year’s Resolution is to up your filmmaking game with a better camera, MPB is the right place to go. An upgraded camera can bring a whole new level of quality to your movies and help you realise your creative vision. Often, the only downside is the credit card bill that lands heavily on your desk. But stay smart and you can save a significant amount of money. It’s about deciding what camera your business needs and sourcing it used to guarantee a worry- free working life. You can still buy the latest and greatest while saving a chunk of change if you buy used. But if you really don’t need the very latest model, a used version of a previous- generation camera is where vast savings can be made. The high-tech cameras of recent years do not lose the ability to create top-quality films.
own design that gives stunning results, especially when downscaled or recorded in 4K. It’s a camera that’s in demand but MPB often has stock on the shelf. The 8K question Of course, 8K is still a massive amount of resolution, and there is plenty of room to crop down to a 4K timeline. There is also a choice of cameras from mirrorless to full- blown cinema cameras. While 8K mirrorless bodies are much newer and therefore in shorter supply, there is still a choice of cinema cameras. Even from a boutique brand like Red, one of the most lusted-after names on Earth. At the time of press, there were 42 used Red cameras for sale on the UK MPB site. All come as kits complete with expensive accessories, offering a serious saving over new. This includes 8K cameras like the full-frame Ranger Monstro for £12,799, plus a choice of the Epic-W Helium or Weapon Helium for as low as £2899. If you want a mirrorless camera capable of the magic 8K then Sony has the A1 and A7R V, Fujifilm the X-H2, Nikon the Z 9 and Z 8, while Canon has its EOS R5 – and MPB has a staggering 33 of them in stock all at prices from £2349. And for serious filmmaking, the EOS R5 C has the same sensor as the R5 but with cooling and more specs for moviemaking. Currently, there’s a pair in stock at £3500. Both of the Canons shoot Raw Light, too, for ultimate flexibility in post. Nikon has upped its video game with the full-frame Z 9 and Z 8 cameras that shoot internal Raw. Both have a stacked sensor for speed – the high-res Canons don’t. The Z 9 has a deep, pro DSLR-style body and you can snap a used one up for £4100, while the Z 8 has a more conventional mirrorless form factor so is better for filmmaking. There are currently two in stock, even though the camera is so new, priced from £3750. Sony’s flagship A1 is also in plentiful supply. It doesn’t shoot Raw internally, but has a wide range of codecs and frame rates. MPB currently has 11 in stock from £3999. And the newer A7R V can shoot 8K, costing from £3349 at MPB which has five in stock. For fans of cropped sensors, the Fujifilm X-H2 is also 8K capable. It’s also a bargain bought used, with eight in stock starting at £1499. It’s a cost-effective way to go large!
Matching a camera to your needs saves serious money compared to buying the latest kit brand new, and is a far more sustainable option to keep cameras working for longer. But what should you buy if it’s time to play the resolution game? We take a look at what’s available on the used market – and what’s worth your money right now. The 12K option If you absolutely must have the highest- resolution machine on the market, there is only one option – the Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 12K. The Aussie firm makes cameras that always offer amazing performance and a rugged build at shockingly affordable prices. So with MPB offering a range at a large discount, it’s the cheapest way to get your hands on a fully featured cine camera for not a lot of cash. The 12K version has a Super 35 of Blackmagic’s
8K CAPABLE The X-H2 may only have a cropped sensor, but its high resolution offers detailed video and stills
BUYING AND TRADING WITH MPB STRESS-FREE Buying a used camera, or selling old kit, has always been a stressful and risky business. So it makes sense to go with a platform that specialises in used gear and has a team of experts to make the process as easy as it can. With bases in the UK and US, the clear
MPB has one of the biggest inventories of used equipment, so it’s worry-free. Specialists check kit based on 40 criteria to make sure it’s in reliable and working condition, and has the latest firmware. Gear comes with a six-month guarantee, and is usually around 30% cheaper than new. And there are photos of the actual kit for sale, with a detailed and honest description of condition and what is included.
leader is MPB. Its easy-to-use website not only offers a range of tested and guaranteed kit, but also sells old equipment to help fund the new.
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