high end camcoders at DVinfo.net

Hugh Dorigo · January 28th, 2006, 11:53 PM

With all the trade offs in HD prosumer cameras, I was wondering if anyone knows of a resourse where price trends ( depreciation) can be obtained for high end equiptment. It seems to me that the cost is only one variable, and if you are looking for superior quality in all areas buying a high end camera may be the way to go if the value holds. Prosumer cameras tend to loose value quite fast when the latest model is released. Thanks for the input.

Chris Hurd · January 29th, 2006, 12:22 AM

Interesting post, Hugh. I think the question is really, "how long will value hold." In my opinion, this gear should be paying for itself within 60 to 90 days. It should pay for itself twice over within a year at the very most.

Hugh Dorigo · January 29th, 2006, 12:27 AM

good point. I wonder if anyone has an idea or feeling of what the rental market is like. The rental price/ cost of equiptment is quite high. With steady demand a camera really can pay for itself and then some.

Ken Hodson · January 29th, 2006, 12:31 AM

My opinion is that ProSummer gear holds its value quite well. Sure value drops, but qality cams hold a decent price. Compared to PC components cams seems to be very valuable where as a PC free falls from the second it is bought.

Glenn Chan · January 29th, 2006, 01:02 AM

Wild guess: Any video camera equipment halves in value about every decade?

If you look at professional video equipment several years ago, it would be betaSP cameras at about $60k each (at least). Now you can get an equivalent camera (i.e. DVCPRO25, pro-style DV like Sony DSR-series) for a much lower cost.

And if the RED camera is what it claims it is, you'll get $50-$500k quality at however much they price it at. So you might see the price on owning a highend camera really drop in a few years. It also looks like prices will continue to drop on the highend HD cameras available... F900 (will be discontinued), varicam, XDCAM (if you consider it highend), etc.

On the prosumer side, the DVX100 debuted at $4,000? in 2002. It has since been replaced twice, but the newest model runs about $3,400 new. That's about half value every 12 years.

2- I think it's starting to get to the point where talent and experience are the main determining factors, not equipment. Money still plays a big role though... i.e. it can pay for talent and experience in other roles. And because there's a division of labour in video, it works out that commercial productions usually just end up looking a lot better. Among the many people who work on a shoot, there is a large pool of talent and experience that's hard for just a few people to have.

Evan C. King · January 29th, 2006, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

Interesting post, Hugh. I think the question is really, "how long will value hold." In my opinion, this gear should be paying for itself within 60 to 90 days. It should pay for itself twice over within a year at the very most.

If it paid for itself within max 3 months wouldn't it pay for itself more than twice easily in a year? (I'm just asking, I'm a student this isn't my livelyhood...yet)

Bob Grant · January 29th, 2006, 07:00 AM

Hugh, I work for a hire company and you're right, high end gear certainly holds its value more so than the consummer or prosummer gear. Firstly it stays in vogue longer and it's built to take serious use. VCRs hold their value better than cameras, a used digibeta decks value is basically determined by head hours and the same goes for 2/3" cameras.
The things that really hold their value though aren't cameras. Good tripods are a very good investment as are dollies, jibs and cranes. Cameras come and go but what we put them on remains the same. Good lenses also hold their value and lighting kit does well too, matte boxes and glass filters are another good investment.

January 28th, 2006, 11:53 PM	#1
Hugh Dorigo New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: phoenix az Posts: 20	high end camcoders With all the trade offs in HD prosumer cameras, I was wondering if anyone knows of a resourse where price trends ( depreciation) can be obtained for high end equiptment. It seems to me that the cost is only one variable, and if you are looking for superior quality in all areas buying a high end camera may be the way to go if the value holds. Prosumer cameras tend to loose value quite fast when the latest model is released. Thanks for the input.

January 29th, 2006, 12:22 AM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Interesting post, Hugh. I think the question is really, "how long will value hold." In my opinion, this gear should be paying for itself within 60 to 90 days. It should pay for itself twice over within a year at the very most. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 29th, 2006, 12:31 AM	#4
Ken Hodson Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Vancouver BC Canada Posts: 1,315	My opinion is that ProSummer gear holds its value quite well. Sure value drops, but qality cams hold a decent price. Compared to PC components cams seems to be very valuable where as a PC free falls from the second it is bought. __________________ Damnit Jim, I'm a film maker not a sysytems tech.

January 29th, 2006, 12:27 AM	#3
Hugh Dorigo New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: phoenix az Posts: 20	good point. I wonder if anyone has an idea or feeling of what the rental market is like. The rental price/ cost of equiptment is quite high. With steady demand a camera really can pay for itself and then some.

January 29th, 2006, 01:02 AM	#5
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Wild guess: Any video camera equipment halves in value about every decade? If you look at professional video equipment several years ago, it would be betaSP cameras at about $60k each (at least). Now you can get an equivalent camera (i.e. DVCPRO25, pro-style DV like Sony DSR-series) for a much lower cost. And if the RED camera is what it claims it is, you'll get $50-$500k quality at however much they price it at. So you might see the price on owning a highend camera really drop in a few years. It also looks like prices will continue to drop on the highend HD cameras available... F900 (will be discontinued), varicam, XDCAM (if you consider it highend), etc. On the prosumer side, the DVX100 debuted at $4,000? in 2002. It has since been replaced twice, but the newest model runs about $3,400 new. That's about half value every 12 years. 2- I think it's starting to get to the point where talent and experience are the main determining factors, not equipment. Money still plays a big role though... i.e. it can pay for talent and experience in other roles. And because there's a division of labour in video, it works out that commercial productions usually just end up looking a lot better. Among the many people who work on a shoot, there is a large pool of talent and experience that's hard for just a few people to have.

January 29th, 2006, 07:00 AM	#7
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Hugh, I work for a hire company and you're right, high end gear certainly holds its value more so than the consummer or prosummer gear. Firstly it stays in vogue longer and it's built to take serious use. VCRs hold their value better than cameras, a used digibeta decks value is basically determined by head hours and the same goes for 2/3" cameras. The things that really hold their value though aren't cameras. Good tripods are a very good investment as are dollies, jibs and cranes. Cameras come and go but what we put them on remains the same. Good lenses also hold their value and lighting kit does well too, matte boxes and glass filters are another good investment.