Tired of the Constant Pressure to Buy More?

As the saying goes, a fool and his funds are rapidly separated. Or something along those lines.

The camera (or smartphone) that you have in your camera bag or slung around your neck is likely sufficient for 90% of your photography needs, perhaps even more, depending on the brand, model, and genre of photography you pursue. If you merely capture snapshots, then continue taking pictures, and enjoy the experience.  

BUT this doesn’t sustain the mechanisms of capitalism and consumerism; manufacturers are continuously devising new ways to encourage you to part with your funds. Generally, these efforts are well-intentioned; new cameras generate revenue, creating jobs, which in turn allows people to meet their mortgage obligations and support their households.  

But do you ever wish you could simply be content with what you possess? This isn’t going to be straightforward, particularly if you consume any type of media or read various content forms, as advertisers are vigorously attempting to extract money from your bank account.  

If you’ve been monitoring the most recent camera releases, there are numerous new models that appear to be minor alterations to current versions. Mark II cameras typically tend to be rather uninspiring or address obvious issues that should not have arisen in the first place. (*cough* Nikon Z6 and Z7, I’m looking at you) 

Some individuals contend that these updates ought to be mere firmware revisions to existing cameras, and Pentax even provided the option of sending your camera to be updated to the new model (replacing the main circuit board in the Pentax K-1 DSLR), for a reasonable fee, of course. However, this was significantly less expensive than purchasing the new version outright, so applause goes to Pentax in this case. Indeed, it’s unfortunate that other brands don’t follow this lead, but then again, what appears more favorable to shareholders? Selling a new camera for $3000 or proposing an upgrade for $500… You already know the answer to this.  

Examining the broader perspective, the unfortunate reality of this situation is that while you often do receive a superior product if you purchase a new model, it’s exceedingly difficult to justify the costs. And does the enhancement benefit you, the user, or the company executives, who aspire to enhance their luxurious lifestyles by promoting more costly models?  

When the percentage difference is likely to peak at a mere 5% improvement in performance, is the multi-thousand-pound expenditure warranted? In many instances, there may be negligible difference in image quality output when compared side-by-side.

No, you DON’T require a new camera each year

If you still possess the box for your camera, why not pack it away, wrap it up for a couple of weeks, and unwrap it anew on Christmas day, pretending you’ve received a brand new camera at the original retail price, and discover what it can achieve for you. Likely, if you’ve acquired a decent camera within the last decade, it should yield delightful results and make for a wonderful Christmas gift. And if you do invest in a new camera, consider gifting your old camera to someone, thereby introducing them to the world of photography rather than the cycle of consumerism.

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The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have a viewpoint you’d like to express on this issue, or any other photography-related topic, please email: ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk

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