In short
- A camera loses an average of 35-45% of its list price in the first 18 months, after which the curve flattens: from the fourth year onwards, the annual depreciation drops below 10%.
- The release of the next model weighs more than time: a Canon EOS R went from a 2018 list price of around 2,300 euros to today's 800 euros, with the sharpest drop occurring with the arrival of the R6.
- The shutter count shifts the price by 10-20% on the same model, but it only matters when compared with the shutter life declared by the manufacturer.
- Below 400 euros, the curves stop: the Sony A6000 at 360 euros and the Panasonic GH4 at 320 euros have reached their floor value and will not drop much further.
At the counter, the question almost always comes in the same form: "I saw one for 500 euros in an ad, do you think it's a good price?" The honest answer is that without knowing which model, what year, how many shutter count, and what warranty status, that number means nothing. The price of a used camera is not a figure you read; it is a figure you build based on three or four variables that can be verified in ten minutes.
In this article, I explain how camera depreciation actually works: how much value is lost each year, why the curve is not linear, which events cause sudden drops, and which models have stopped declining. I use real figures, taken from the prices we currently practice in our store and from the original price lists of the same camera bodies. By the end, you should be able to look at a listing and determine for yourself whether that price makes sense.
How the depreciation curve really works
Camera depreciation is not a steady decline. It is a steep drop in the first eighteen months, followed by a long plateau and a floor below which the price stops falling. Those who reason in terms of annual averages get the math wrong in both directions: they overvalue a camera body that just came out and undervalue a body from six years ago.
The first 18 months: the steepest depreciation
In this window, a camera body loses between 35% and 45% of its list price. The reason is perception, not wear: the camera is still displayed as new in the showcase, and the used camera buyer compares the two figures side by side. To convince them, a difference of at least 400-500 euros is required on a body priced at 1,500.
A unit with 3,000 shutter count and one with 300 are worth almost the same at this stage. It is not the condition that drives the price, but the availability of the new model.
From the third year onwards: the curve flattens
After the second year, the camera body moves out of direct comparison with new units and starts competing with other used models in the same price range. The annual depreciation drops below 10% and stays there for years.
| Phase | Depreciation over the period | What determines the price |
|---|---|---|
| Years 0-1.5 | 35-45% of the list price | The new retail price |
| Years 2-3 | 15-20% overall | Release of the successor model |
| Years 4-6 | 8-10% per year | Supply of used gear in the same class |
| Over 6 years | Near zero | Residual utility of the camera body |
The floor price: the limit below which we do not go
Every camera body has a threshold below which the market will not take it. That threshold does not depend on age but on two things: how much work the camera still does, and what it would cost to replace it with something equivalent. When these two factors meet, the price stops.
Two examples we have in store today:
- Sony A6000 at 360 euros: released in 2014, it features a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor and phase-detection autofocus that still holds up for portrait and street photography. It has been at this price for years and is not going down.
- Panasonic GH4 at 320 euros: it was the first mirrorless camera with internal 4K video and remains a solid video body, with clean HDMI output and flat profiles. Anyone looking for a second camera for the set buys it at this price without hesitation.
The floor price is not a symbolic value: it is the point where buying that camera costs less than any alternative that does the same job. Below 400 euros, depreciation curves effectively stop. Buyers in that range lose very little on resale, which is why we often recommend these camera bodies to those who want to try a system before investing in it seriously.
Why two cameras from the same year depreciate differently
Two camera bodies released in the same year, with nearly identical list prices, can today be worth twice as much as the other. The age explains the shape of the curve, not its depth. Three things determine how low the floor drops: the starting price, how active the mount is for mounting lenses, and how often the manufacturer refreshes that segment.
Starting list price
An entry-level body starts low and has little room to drop in percentage. A flagship starts high and burns through enormous absolute figures, even if it loses the same percentage. The Canon EOS R100 that we keep between 375 and 400 euros was launched around 670 euros: it has lost about 40%, but in absolute value that is 270 euros. The Fujifilm X-H1 at 650 euros started near 1,900: same logic, 1,250 euros evaporated.
| Model | Launch price | Current price at our store | Absolute loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EOS R100 (2023) | approx. 670 € | 375-400 € | approx. 270 € |
| Sony a6500 (2016) | approx. 1,500 € | 600 € | approx. 900 € |
| Fujifilm X-H1 (2018) | approx. 1,900 € | 650 € | approx. 1,250 € |
The mount and lens lineup
Buying used means buying a body, but really, you're buying access to a system. A live mount, where new lenses like Canon RF and Sony E are released every year, supports the price of older bodies because it remains the most affordable entry point into the system. A stagnant mount drags down everything built on top of it.
- Growing mounts (Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z): the entry-level body holds up, as it serves those who want to enter the market spending little.
- Mid-tier cases (Micro 4/3, Fujifilm X): extensive and mature lens parks, but with fewer novelties. Bodies depreciate faster, while lenses hold their value.
- Closed mounts (Sony A-mount, Canon EF-M): the body follows the fate of the system, regardless of how good the sensor still is.
Manufacturer update frequency
Brands that refresh a lineup every two years see faster depreciation than those that wait four or five years. The Sony A6xxx series is the textbook example: between 2016 and 2023, the a6300, a6500, a6400, a6600, a6100, and a6700 overlapped, often with minimal real differences. The result is that the Sony a6500, the 2016 APS-C flagship with in-body stabilization, is now priced at 600 euros: not because it has aged poorly, but because five other camera bodies from the same series have joined it over seven years. If you are evaluating a specific camera body, these factors intersect with those we outlined in our guide to the 7 evaluation parameters.
The successor effect: when the new model is released
The day Canon announces a new full-frame mirrorless, the used price of the previous model doesn't budge by a single euro. It moves three or four months later, when the first owners sell to fund the upgrade and the market fills up with identical camera bodies. It's the sharpest step in the entire depreciation curve, and knowing when it drops changes the cost significantly.
The typical step: how much and how long
The order of magnitude is a 15-25% price drop in the six months following the release of the successor. It is not an immediate collapse because the used market has inertia: the stock in circulation does not renew on the day of the announcement, but when deliveries of the new model become regular. It generally takes 4-8 months.
| Phase | Impact on used price |
|---|---|
| Successor announcement | Stable. No one is selling yet |
| First 3 months of deliveries | -5/-10%, first trade-ins arrive |
| Months 4-8 | Major price drop, abundant supply |
| Months 9-18 | Stabilization, price decline slows down |
The best buying window is therefore between 6 and 12 months after the successor's release. Buying on the day of the announcement means still paying old prices.
The Canon EOS R case: from €2,300 to €800
The EOS R was released in 2018 with a list price of approximately 2,300 euros. Until 2020, the price decreased gradually, but then the R6 arrived, and within a year, the used market price collapsed. Today, the Canon EOS R we have in stock is priced at 800 euros: a 30-megapixel full-frame camera with an RF mount, meaning access to the same lens lineup as 3,000-euro bodies. The drop from 2,300 to 800 is not technical degradation; it is a repricing of Canon's list prices.
When the successor does NOT crash the price
The price gap narrows when the new model removes features, or when it is positioned at a significantly higher price point. This happens more often than one might think: ergonomics revised for the worse, a different battery that forces you to buy new accessories, or a degraded menu system. The Sony A7 Mark III is the clearest example: despite the A7 IV being on the market for years, the III remains at 800 euros because its autofocus and file formats are still fully usable, and the successor's price is on a completely different level. The same applies to previous generations, which we compared in our analysis on how much really changes between the A7 and A7 II.
Practical rule at the counter: if the successor adds features without removing any, wait for the 6-12 month window. If it removes something, buy the older model without regrets.
How much do the shutter count really affect the price
At the counter, the shutter count is the first thing asked about in nine cases out of ten. It is a legitimate question, but overrated: on the same model, in comparable condition, the shutter count shifts the price by 10-20%. The model, the year, and the release of the successor weigh much more. A unit with 8,000 shutter count is not worth twice as much as one with 60,000, despite what common perception suggests.
The number alone tells you nothing
A shutter count only makes sense when divided by the manufacturer's declared service life. 50,000 shutter count on a body rated for 200,000 cycles means 25% of its life has been used. The same 50,000 on an entry-level body rated for 100,000 cycles is 50%. Same number, opposite verdict.
| Shutter count | 100,000-cycle body | 200,000-cycle body |
|---|---|---|
| 15,000 | 15% — like new | 7.5% — negligible |
| 50,000 | 50% — half life | 25% — normal use |
| 120,000 | exceeds rated life | 60% — still plenty of life left |
Here is the practical rule: below 30% of the useful life, the shutter count should not affect the price. Between 30% and 60%, it justifies a 10% discount. Above 60%, the discount reaches 15-20%, no more, because a shutter can be replaced and the cost of the intervention is known. For a specific camera body, the reasoning becomes much more concrete: in the dedicated analysis of the used Nikon D850, we applied the same calculation to a body reported to have 200,000 shutter count.
How much it actually affects the price
Take the Canon EOS RP, of which we have eight units in stock ranging from 520 to 600 euros. That 80-euro spread — 14% — does not depend solely on the shutter count: it also includes the accessories, aesthetic condition, and the presence of the original box. The difference in shutter count alone, with everything else being equal, is worth less than one might imagine. The RP remains an excellent entry point into the Canon RF full frame system precisely because its price has already dropped to a level where the shutter count matters little.
Mirrorless and electronic shutters change the math
On a mirrorless camera, the mechanical counter may underestimate actual usage. Those shooting in silent mode, burst, or time-lapse accumulate thousands of exposures that do not move the number. A body with 12,000 shutter count may have worked three times as much.
In our lab, we go beyond the count: we inspect the wear on the mount, the condition of the control rubber, the level of dust on the sensor, and the consistency between the production date and the recorded cycles. A 2019 camera body with 4,000 shutter count and shiny controls tells a story that the counter alone does not reveal.
Models that hold their value better than expected
There are camera bodies that ignore the curve. Not because they are absolutely better, but because they offer something no successor has replicated at the same price. When a feature disappears from the new lineup, the used units that possess it stop depreciating. It is the only case where the used market behaves like a market for rare spare parts, not consumer electronics.
Sensors that hold up after ten years
The Sony A7r Mark II is from 2015 and we keep it at 800 euros. Eleven years after its release, its 42-megapixel full-frame sensor has no affordable substitute: to get that resolution on a new camera body, you still need over 2,000 euros. The price has been stable for a long time, with fluctuations of only a few tens of euros, not hundreds.
The reason is simple. Those looking for it don't buy it for the autofocus or the video, but for the file to be printed in large format. That specific requirement has not been made more accessible by any subsequent release. If you are interested in the complete reasoning on what to expect from this camera body today, we have written in detail in the guide on the used A7r II.
Bodies with unmatched features
The Fujifilm X-H1 at 650 euros is another classic example. It was the first Fuji APS-C with in-body image stabilization, featuring a thicker, weather-sealed body compared to the rest of the X series. It holds its value better than later Fuji camera bodies because it combines two features that remain difficult to find together in this price range on the used market.
The criterion for recognizing these cases is always the same: look at what the next model loses, not what it gains.
- Unique non-inherited feature — the successor removed something (port, weather sealing, ergonomics, optical viewfinder) instead of adding it.
- Performance still out of class — to match it on a new model requires a price category jump, not just an update.
- Compatibility with a living lens park — the mount is still produced and supported, so the body is not a dead end.
- Stable price for at least 12 months — if it hasn't dropped in a year, it's unlikely to drop in the next one.
The risk of the other side: paying for nostalgia
Honesty is required here, as two distinct phenomena coexist on the same shelf. A camera body may hold its price for a verifiable technical reason, or because it has become a cult object on forums. The latter is a trend, and trends deflate without warning.
The test is simple: try to describe the reason for the purchase without naming the model. If a sensible sentence remains — "I want a 42-megapixel full-frame camera under €1,000" — you are buying a function. If only the name remains, you are buying a label, and at resale that label is worth only what it is in fashion that month. We see this often at the counter: those who arrive with a function in mind resell well, while those who arrive with a name resell at a loss.
How to estimate the right price yourself in five minutes
The method I use at the counter is the same one you can replicate from home with a browser open. Four steps, no paid tools, no esoteric formulas. The result is not a single figure but a range: if the listing you are looking at falls within that range, the price is fair. If it is below, there is something they have not told you.
Step 1: Retrieve the launch price list and year
You need the list price on the day of the announcement, not the last price seen before it disappeared from the shelves. Reliable sources are the manufacturer's press release and reviews published in the month of release, which always report the recommended price. The Canon EOS RP was released at €1,549 in 2019: that is your starting point.
The most common mistake is using the end-of-cycle price. In the final year of a camera body's commercial life, it is pushed with aggressive cashback and bundles, often ending up at half the list price. If you start from that figure, you skew the entire curve downward and end up considering a bargain something that is simply in line with the market.
Step 2: apply the curve and correct for events
On a consumer or entry-level camera body, the practical rule is this:
- First 18 months: deduct 35-45% from the list price
- Years 2-3: deduct a further 15-20% overall from the residual value
- From the fourth year: less than 10% per year
- Release of the successor model: one-off drop of 15-25%
The math checks out on the EOS RP: 1,549 euros minus 40% brings it to 930, and after two years of depreciation and the step up to the R8, the theoretical range lands around 500-620 euros. Our current catalog lists 8 Canon EOS RP between 520 and 600 euros. The calculated range and the actual market align.
Step 3: Compare with at least five real listings
Theory must be validated. Search for the same model on at least five listings, sort the prices, and discard the highest and the lowest. The average of the three middle values is the true market price. The lowest price almost always hides something: missing accessories, a defect in the camera body, or the listing is outdated and the camera has already been sold.
This step is essential for niche models, where volumes are low and the theoretical curve skews. The Sony ZV-1F at 400 euros is a prime example: it is a compact designed for spoken video, featuring a fixed 20mm equivalent wide-angle lens. Its price is driven by creator demand, not age.
Step 4: subtract what is missing
The final step is the most overlooked. Every missing item has a precise replacement cost:
| What's missing | Price reduction |
|---|---|
| Original battery | 50-80 euros |
| Kit charger | 30-50 euros |
| Box and complete accessories | 20-40 euros |
| Warranty and service | 100-150 euros |
A bare camera body, without battery and without cover, is worth 200 euros less than a complete, warranted unit. When comparing two listings, compare equivalent configurations: otherwise you are measuring two different things.
Why store-used gear costs more than a private listing
The typical difference between the price of a camera body in our store and the same body on a private listing is 15-25%. This is not an arbitrary markup: it is the cost of transferring the risk from you to us. With a private seller, if the sensor has a spot or the autofocus struggles in low light, the problem remains yours. With a refurbished camera, the problem is ours for two years.
What we do in our workshop
Every camera body that comes in goes through the same process before being listed in our catalog. This is not a mere formality: approximately one in five cameras we evaluate fails the tests and is not put up for sale.
- Shutter count reading from the system file, not from the seller's declaration. This is the data that ends up in the product sheet.
- Shutter test in burst mode at all shutter speeds, looking for exposure irregularities between frames.
- Autofocus check on targets at different distances, to detect front and back focus.
- Sensor cleaning and inspection at full stop on a uniform background, where spots become visible.
- Accessory check: original battery, remaining capacity, battery charger, caps, strap.
We reject bodies with oxidation on the contacts, those with traces of moisture in the battery compartment, and those where the certified shutter count is not readable. We do not sell a body that we cannot certify: it would fall under warranty and cause harm to both parties.
The price differential in numbers
A Canon EOS R100 from us starts at 375 euros, with nine units available and an average price of 392 euros. On the private market, the same camera body can be found for around 300-320 euros. The Canon EOS R50 V is priced at 550 euros, compared to approximately 450 euros in a private listing.
| What you pay extra | What you get |
|---|---|
| 15-25% over the private sale price | 2-year warranty on the camera body |
| Certified shutter count on the card | |
| 14-day right of withdrawal | |
| Camera body already serviced, no need to test |
On an R100, the absolute difference is around 70 euros. It is the cost of a shutter repair divided by the probability that it is actually needed.
When buying from a private seller makes sense
There are three cases where the differential is not worth it.
- You know how to test a camera. If you read the shutter count, check the sensor at f/16 against a white sky, and recognize back focus, you're already doing our job.
- The body costs little. Under 300 euros, 20% is 60 euros: roughly the price of an original replacement battery. The financial risk is contained.
- You can try it in person. A local seller, with the camera in hand and your own SD card, eliminates much of the uncertainty.
If you buy remotely, you have no way to test the camera body, and if it costs more than 500 euros, that 20% is the most affordable coverage you will find.
Buying to resell: how to limit the loss
Those who change camera bodies every two or three years are not buying a camera: they are renting it from the used market. The cost is the difference between the purchase price and the resale value. There is plenty of room to optimize this figure, without compromising on performance.
Annual cost of ownership, not the purchase price
The price on the receipt tells you little. What matters is what you have left in hand when you resell. A camera body bought used for 600 euros and resold for 450 after two years cost you 150 euros in total, i.e., 75 euros per year. A new camera body for 1,800 euros resold for 1,000 after the same period costs 400 euros per year.
| Scenario | Purchase | Resale after 2 years | Cost/year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mature used | 600 € | 450 € | 75 € |
| New, just released | 1.800 € | 1.000 € | 400 € |
Five times as much, for two years of use that, in daily practice, look very similar. If you shoot weddings and need the best possible file, the €400 per year is a production cost. If you do street, travel, and portraits, it's money burned.
The most efficient range: 3-5 years from launch
This is the point where the curve is already flat, but performance remains current. The Canon EOS RP starts at 520 euros in our catalog: full frame RF, extremely lightweight, it has already lost almost all of its value. The Sony a6500 at 600 euros retains in-body stabilization and still-fast AF, features you pay double for on recent APS-C models. The Sony A7 at 400 euros is now at rock-bottom value: in two years, it will be worth almost the same.
How to avoid unnecessary loss of value
- Original box and accessories: charger, strap, cables. They add 5-10% to the resale value and cost nothing to keep.
- Shutter count below the psychological threshold: moving from 48,000 to 52,000 shutter count shifts the price more than the actual wear does. If you are close to a round number, sell before.
- Warranty documents and invoices: they prove provenance and close negotiations faster.
- Documented interventions: a shutter replacement with a receipt adds value; the same thing without paperwork takes it away.
At the counter, we see the difference every week: two identical camera bodies, same shutter count, one complete and one bare. The valuation difference between the two is 60-80 euros.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a camera lose in value in the first year?
Between 25% and 30% of the launch list price, with peaks exceeding that on flagship bodies starting from high figures. This is the worst phase of the curve: those who buy new and resell after twelve months pay the most expensive part of the depreciation.
Is it worth waiting for the next model to buy used?
Yes, but not on the day of the announcement. The used market reacts with a four-to-eight-month delay, because the stock in circulation renews slowly. The best window is between six and twelve months after the successor's release.
Does a high shutter count justify a significant discount?
Less than you might think. The reasonable price difference between a low-shutter-count example and a heavily used one of the same model is 10-20%. What matters is the ratio to the declared useful life: 60,000 shutter counts on a body rated for 200,000 cycles are not a problem.
Why do two listings for the same model have such different prices?
Aesthetic condition, included accessories, remaining warranty, shutter count, and above all the seller's urgency vary. Before considering a reliable price, look at at least five listings, discard the highest and the lowest, and average the three that remain.
Does a camera that is ten years old still have value?
Yes, as long as the mount is still intact and the sensor holds up. A 2014 Sony A6000 is priced at 360 euros and no longer drops, because it remains usable with all current E-mount lenses. A camera body on an abandoned mount, however, slides toward collector's value.
How much more does a store-used camera cost compared to a private seller?
Typically between 15% and 25%. The difference covers laboratory inspection, certified shutter count, 2-year warranty, and the right of withdrawal. On camera bodies under 300 euros, the differential is negligible; on camera bodies of 800 euros and above, it is the part that avoids unpleasant surprises.
How do I find the original list price of a model released years ago?
The manufacturer's press releases at the time of launch report the recommended retail price, which is the correct reference. Be careful not to use end-of-cycle promotional prices: they are already discounted and distort the entire residual value calculation.
Do you want a real assessment of the camera body you are looking at?
If you have questions about a purchase or need advice for your specific case, contact us. We offer free advice because we are photographers first and sellers second, and because a customer who makes a poor purchase will not return to photography.
Three ways to get in touch:
- Contact form — response within 24 business hours
- WhatsApp at 342 362 3454 (messages only)
- Phone: 071 291 6347 (Mon-Fri 9-13/15-18, Sat 9-13)
And if you want to see what we have in stock right now, explore the available used gear today: every camera is certified, comes with a 2-year warranty, and ships within 24-48 hours.
Article written by Matteo for the ReflexMania Team. Last updated: August 2026. Prices and availability refer to the time of publication.