We pick the best used camera deals

There are a lot of great new cameras out there right now, but buying used gear is a great way to get a lot more value for your money, and might even save you enough that you can grab a lens too! Chris and Jordan jumped on camera dealer KEH's website to pick the best deals this holiday season.

Rental equipment provided by The Camera Store

0:00 - Intro
1:22 - Chris’ crop sensor pick
2:18 - Jordan’s crop sensor pick
3:26 - Chris’ full frame pick
4:22 - Jordan’s full frame pick
5:13 - The wrap
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[marvintpandroid]

Step 1, Get a 10 year old pro DSLR, maybe full frame, Canon 5Dmk2 or Nikon D610 and some good glass
Step 2, Learn how to use it
Step 3, If you really want to continue then sell it after a year or 2 for maybe a $100- $200 loss and upgrade to a mirrorless if you really want to or continue with DSLR

[bloomylicious]

If you want another video idea, I really think a "best used for £500 (or equivalent) and under" would be very useful, a lot of these cameras still weren't that cheap. Likewise a video about used DSLRs could be cool too, with that caveat that they're not in vogue as it were. If it is mostly just for stills there are some fantastic dslr and lens combos still out there

[aristidesphotography]

I would say the X-H1 should be on this list. Criminally underrated, ibis for under 700, weather sealing, good video, fuji handling, etc. Battery life is tough without the grip but with a few spares it's a great pick

[Rajamh]

I bought a D7000 just about a year ago and this thing is still kicking a lot! I love this thing, it's reliable and still quite quick for most things and it has a dual-SD slot. This is SO useful and I got this thing for about 200€.

[colinjudge]

For people interested in picking up used cameras for photography, don't be afraid to look back even further to previous generations. Affordable, high quality video capable cameras are another story, but for stills you can get some astoundingly good value from cameras originally released up to a decade ago. 2012 saw the release of the Canon 6D, which you could find now for less than $300 and is capable of producing beautiful images without many compromises in usability vs modern systems. Grab an EF 50mm 1.8 and an EF 85mm 1.8 (could probably get the pair used for another $200), and you've got everything you need for natural-light portraits for less than $500.

For mirrorless, you can get a Fuji X-T10 for maybe even just $200. It's slower to operate than newer cameras, and lower resolution than we have become accustomed to seeing, but the photos are still gorgeous and more than detailed enough for how most people share images online. Plus, it's just fun to use and so small and easy to carry around when paired with either Fuji's own f/2 or f/2.8 lenses, or some great 3rd party manual-focus lenses if you're looking for wider apertures.

Digital is always getting better, but it reached "good enough" a fair few years ago. Everything coming out in the newer bodies and lenses is just icing on the cake. Depending on your needs, less icing might actually suit you better. I know I've been immensely enjoying playing with an X-T10 this year, when I want to reach for something more casual than my R5.

[akgood]

I picked up an Olympus E-M5 III for ~$700 on eBay three years ago for fam/friends/travel and winter/water sports video/stills. Tried a few zooms but prefer the range of f/1.8 primes. For flexibility/backup got a second E-M5 III (~$800 refurb from Olympus). Now on a bike packing trip, for example, I'll put on a wide prime like a 24 or 35mm equiv for landscapes (lately a lot of panos with Hugin), and a f/1.8 150mm equiv for occasional wildlife that pops up. Both fit (with space for batteries, accessories, and a third lens) in a small 5L sling bag I wear on the body. Both have survived drops and crashes on a lot of adventures and captured so many priceless memories. Been on MFT for the past 7 years and love the platform. Most cameras/lenses I got were used, eBay as well as MPB/KEH. Recently wanted to test another zoom, ultimately didn't care for it and was able to return no questions asked within 14 days. MPB is great.

[tuneupguitars]

Panasonic GH5s is my pick if you’re filming in a studio. I started on a cellphone, Samsung Galaxy S10e, which was terrible. My first videos on my channel are lacking. Then I moved on to the Canon EOS m50, which was just too difficult in low light. I thought I had it figured out with the Olympus EM5 Mark III, but the file splitting was annoying. Finally, I’ve settled on two GH5s for my channel. The video quality is slowly getting better as I learn about filming, but the GH5s is just easy to use and a great used value at about half that of a new one.

[matthewclapperton]

I know you skipped DSLR's, but if you're just shooting stills, the Nikon F mount catalog, and a used D850 provide incredible value. By the time you have exhausted that camera, the E, R, and Z mounts will have a lot more affordable used options.

[mikelobdell]

When the Olympus em1iii had been out for only a few months a local photographer decieded to sell his olympus gear and move to Fuji medium format. He sold me the em1iii for 1100 dollars canadian (just over 800 US) and the 12-40 f2.8 for 400 dollars canadian (around 300 US)
I never expect to get that good of deal again. It has been great fun getting to use this higher end gear.

[matthieuzglurg]

I recently got myself a D700 to complement my X-T2 kit, and I've really been loving that camera to bits and is, in my opinion one of the best used deals that you can get right now (as it is very cheap, and you get access to a TON of lenses)

I was not expecting you to mention it in the video but you already did and I'm not even 1min in! Whatever happens next : I'm alreaddy happy

Okay so after watching the whole video, I think there is still a place for DSLR cameras today. Maybe not in 5/10yrs, but right now, there is still DSLR cameras being made, and even last year NIkon was still releasing F mount lenses so they're still really worth considering in my opinion.

You mentionned it, but the Nikon D700, D800 are phenomenal value, but also older pro bodies like the D3 or D3X are very affordable, and rugged pro cameras that can still output pro level pictures. Same thing on the Canon side, with the 1DX and other cameras like the 5Dmk III and mk IV, 6D mk II, those kind of camera bodies are still VERY capable, and people are throwing them away on ebay to switch to mirrorless so you get them at discounted prices even more than before

[brunoberger]

I recently just upgraded from my beloved Fuji X-T1 to the X-T2. 😊 The body is in excellent condition and it has all I need. It just makes so much fun to shoot with and in case I need fast autofocus I take my Sony A7IV. Fun fact: I once had the X-T4 but it was to bulky and not comfortable to hold, that most of the time I went outside with my old X-T1. 😂

[martin_the_artist_]

No G9?? Still one of the best deals in photography right now, better than the other crop choices they gave

[hakeem-ji]

Totally agree with Jordan on both E-M1-ii/iii and Lumix S1. I actually have the S1, bought it when it was new .. on backorder and still loving it! IQ both in still and video is phenomenal

[shekharswarnakar]

The best part about this channel is that it gives equal importance to both videography and photography as well unlike others who give more importance to videography only which is very bad.

[pfmusic]

I bought an M6 mkii recently from Canon refurbished. $675, and there are a number of 1.4 primes available. Too bad canon isn’t bringing third party lenses to the RF system anytime soon so this seemed like a steal and much more attractive after owning full frame and only having budget consumer grade lenses. Thanks sigma for giving me more lowlight options.

[jayforcinema]

Thanks guys! I own a S1 and got a used X-T3 at 500 USD. Both are a crazy amount of bang-for-buck, although the Lumix S line doesn't have much used glass, so the cost increases investing into the system. I would say one of the most underrated cameras available used at the moment is the Panasonic Lumix S5. It's an absolutely incredible camera going for somewhere close to 600-700 USD, and has beautiful video functionality and quite good stills capabilities too

[jamescraig]

My two x-t3 bodies are warhorses – best camera I ever owned. And since all four lenses I have for them have built in stabilization, the no ibis factor is hardly an issue. My second one was one heck of a bargain used.

[vaughntoller]

Love my S1Rs for wedding photography. Got them for cheap and found great deals on Sigma glass!

[stephankaser]

Just bought a D810 for a steal at KEH. Only 3900 actuations. Literally a new camera.

[hieuhughesle-au]

still rocking a D800e with my og Z6; part of me misses when I sold all my m43 gear when i downsized. The em1 mark ii was bar none that camera I wasn't afraid to shoot in the jungles of Vietnam to the snowy mountainsides of the rockys