The cost of a DSLR

So I have now bought and housed my first DSLR. Used it for a couple of years. And sold it on. And I thought I would do some fun calculations to estimate how much it cost me! Which I hope are instructive.

I already owned a film SLR, lenses, ports and housing before buying the DSLR. So my initial costs were just housing and camera, given here in USD - (I have used links from Wetpixel to get USD prices which are pretty much the same as I paid in the UK in 2002):

Subal D10 housing - price at MCD = $3150

Nikon D100 camera - original price at Ritz Camera = $1999 (now $1299)

Total purchase = (3150+1999) = $5149 USD

Sold second hand for £2000 (sold in UK). Exchange rate £1 = $1.827 USD

So sold for 2000*1.827 = $3654

So cost of camera for 2 years use was (5149-3654) = $1495

Alex

p.s. this costing of course does not include any discounts I recieved when purchasing kit (I have used real prices from the web). Nor does it include income generated from the photographs I took (which exceed this cost, but should also be offset against travel and diving costs). Please also bear in mind that my camera had a couple of hard years work (see below) and while it showed no signs of corrosion there were a number of scratches and chips on the back - mainly from pulling it into the water from the ironshore in Cayman. So while others may have held out for more money - I preferred to sell it at a fair price to a friend.

Now more fun. Since 2002 I have downloaded 25889 underwater pictures from the camera to my computer! (the ones I deleted underwater are not included in this figure).

So that is a cost of (25889/36=) 5.7 Cents per image!

Looking at it another way. Had I taken those images on film (and I certainly would not have been as trigger happy on Velvia) that would be 720 rolls of film.

Film prices vary, particularly with the quality of the film. But conservatively I can buy and proccess a roll of Veliva for $10 USD.

So by not shooting all these pictures on film I saved (720*10=) $7200 USD!

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In summary, if I had stuck with my old film camera for the last two years and shot the same number of pictures (not likely unless I had made a lot more dives) it would have cost me $7000 + in film and processing. Instead, by buying a DSLR and housing for these two years it cost me $1500. Looking back an estimating my pre-digital film costs - on film the two years would have probably costs me $3000 dollars - but I would have shot far fewer pictures.

There are lots of "ifs and buts" in this fun analysis. But I am happy to conclude that buying a digital camera and housing definitely saved me money compared to staying with my existing film camera for the last couple of years. (Digital also substantially increased my photo earnings, not included here, because particularly during 2003 I sold many UW pictures specifically because they were taken on digital).

excellent analysis , i've already thaught about it without calculing it , now it's done thanks Alex

hmmm D2X now ?

Those calculations should be in the handbook for explaining to significant others why we "need" this or that DSLR, strobe, lens, port, etc. etc.

Those calculations should be in the handbook for explaining to significant others why we "need" this or that DSLR, strobe, lens, port, etc. etc.

The only problem then is that we would then have to be honest about how much it cost in the first place... :wink:

The resale value of DSLRs seems much greater than I would have expected. Does anyone else have any data for how much return they had on DSLR housings? This comes to 82% of the today-new price for the outfit. This is also 90% of the cost of a similar D70 outfit (assuming that a Subal D70 housing is the same price as a D100). Considering that you claim the system was well used, perhaps you just got a very good deal for your gear? Or perhaps DSLRs resale really do follow more closely to the pre-digital age film SLR cost model than the digital camera cost model.

This is more surprising given my suspicion that the housing had a higher resale percentage in this equation than the camera because of the SUBAL name and quality. This is surprising because from my point of view a used (and particularly well used) housing is even less valuable than the camera because of the possibility of a flood (although this is somewhat mitigated by the fact that a pro like Alex would take good care of his gear).

Maybe this is just the right time to be re-selling a DSLR outfit. Lots of people have been bitten by the budget SLR phenomenon and are starting to see a DSLR as a possibility both from a minimum capability and cost point of view. Those same people wanting to switch to a DSLR would be tempted to save a bit more money and go with a used camera/housing. If this is true, (and I suspect it is) this is not a trend that is likely to persist. As nearly everyone who is serious has converted to a DSLR It doesn't make as much sense to buy up for marginal increase in performance--so you won't pay high prices for used gear, when its time for an upgrade you would buy new to get the latest edition. Plus the market will be flooded with used gear since more of it is being produced now. So perhaps this is the magical moment, but not something we can count on.

Of course that's not the spin I will be presenting to my wife.

On another note, my tally was significantly higher despite the fact that I went with a cheaper housing and camera since I did not already own any Nikon lenses. So the expectation of cost for a new SLR shooter should be set in advance.

Nikon D70 kit $1300

Ikelite housing $1200

3 Ports $400

Sync Cord $100

Strobe Arms $250

Additional DS125 $650

Manual controler $150

60 mm Macro $350

12-24mm $1100

15 mm FE $450

Memory card 1GB 40x $250 (May 2004)

Memory Card 1GB 40x $57 (October 2004)

Diopters/uv filters $200

Spare Batteries x2 $100

Lowepro bag for all UW stuff $300

_________________________________

Total: $6,857.00

Topside gear

50 mm 1.8 $100

70-300 mm $350

SB800 Flash $350

Polarizer $150

Photoshop CS $150

Nikon Capture $100

Lowepro bag topside $150

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Total: $1,350

I just insured the whole thing for $8,000 which is short. When you lust after the control and flexibility of a DSLR you should know what you are getting into. I don't regret it, but I didn't realize what it meant to spend (just a few hundred more than a coolpix) at the outset either.

Now, as a Chartered Accountant, this is a thread I can relate to.

Now, as a Chartered Accountant, this is a thread I can relate to.

Canon is having a hugh sale. I posted a quick price check on another thread:

http://wetpixel.com/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-6664.phtml

Bottom line: DRebel + 100mm macro + 15mm FE for around $1400.

Todd can you calculate your depreciation rate?

I knew this was a bad investment.

I am helped by several things.

First. The USD is weaker now than when I bought. So my £2000 resale is a very good price in the USD at the moment.

Second. Yes, Subal is a good housing, people know they are strong and don't think twice about getting a second hand one. Subal is a very popular brand in the UK - so there are lots of potential buyers with the ports already.

I had planned to sell the camera at the Visions Conference (which was on Saturday) - where 150 people would have just seen my talk illustrated with images taken entirely with it. But I thought I would mention it was for sale at a BSoUP meeting on Wednesday (where people have seen my images many times). I was offered my asking price before I finished the announcement. I know the buyer and they know I look after my kit and that the scratches are purely cosmetic damage. Respected brands that are popular in your area help resale.

Third. I have a Nikon. And Nikon don't replace their cameras as regularly as Canon. When I bought my D100 the Canon competitor was the D60, which was then replaced by the 10D and now 20D. The D100 has not yet been replaced by Nikon and one reason for selling now (rather than waiting until I have a replacement in my hands) is that the D100 is still a current Nikon DSLR. So buy as soon as a camera comes out and sell before it is replaced. I don't imagine I could have sold a D60 as easily.

Forth. I got into this system as soon it came out. I had the first (or at least one of the first few) Subal D100 housings (in 2002). Therefore getting the maximum life out of it and being able to re-sell while it is still current. Although as Herb points out above cameras often get price slashed after the first few months.

Fifth. Since I stuck with the same brands I already owned - Nikon and Subal - and all my accessories strobes/cables/arms/ports/lenses could be used on the camera. My outlay was reduced. Plus the one DX lens I bought for the D100 will carry over to my intended next DSLR - the D2X.

I also think that my next camera will not have as good a trade in price (both because less people will be still wanting to get into DSLRs and also because it is not an entry level model). But I also intend to use it for longer than 2 years - and actually will probably keep it long term.

Alex

Now, as a Chartered Accountant, this is a thread I can relate to.

 

Canon is having a hugh sale. I posted a quick price check on another thread:

 

http://wetpixel.com/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-6664.phtml

 

Bottom line: DRebel + 100mm macro + 15mm FE for around $1400.

 

Todd can you calculate your depreciation rate?

 

I knew this was a bad investment.

Herb, you have not lost or gained anything till you actually sell. It is still the same depreciable book value purchased for. That and a back-up land body is looking to be in the cards very soon.