The camera gear industry is a powerful beast and it tries to convince us that this piece of kit, that is conveniently in stock, will help you become that photographer that you are destined to be.  Be that in magazines, be that in youtube influencer videos that “try out the camera” that the manufacturer has just lent us to show you what it’s like.  I’ve watched loads of these videos especially when thinking about the kit I wanted to buy.  Come on in and I’ll make sure you have the best camera possible, and the best possible lens.  What’s your budget?  OK, I’m sure we can work something out.  What kind of photography do you want to do?  Well, you’ll need this, and this, and this, etc.

That nice man in the shop will be more than happy to take your money and sell a high end camera that will be a thing of beauty.  But look at the title again.  “I want it, but do I really need it?”  You have fallen into their trap.  I’m not trying to put down these sales people, and their wealth of knowledge, but know that there are other options out there.

I’m going to dare say it.  You don’t need the latest and greatest equipment to take great photos.  Instead prioritise value, and mindful shooting, over gear acquisition.  Think about boys and toys.  I get exactly the same feeling as you when I enter a camera store.  I want it all.  Of course I do.  Who doesn’t?  But,what would my wife say?  What would my bank manager say?  What would reason tell me instead of letting my emotions get the better of me?  Can I really justify this acquisition?  Do I really need it, or is there a less onerous solution?  I know.  I’ve just pissed on your bonfire, but it’s time for a reality check here…

So what can I do about that?  You can realise that there is a huge market of second hand gear out there.  I have taken this route in the past and have no regrets.  Yes, I did it my way…

Where do you go to discover all these hidden gems?  There is of course E-Bay, that huge online auction site which I used to acquire the majority of my film cameras.  When I was a customer of the site the film cameras were fairly cheap, since those pesky hipsters hadn’t cottoned on to the fact that film photography is cool.  So yes, each purchase was a gamble, but I had less money to lose, and the return would be greater.  The old cameras were simpler, the lenses were great, and there are still lots of examples of reasonable cameras out there.  Would I use it for digital?  Probably not.  I’m not really a gambling man, and don’t have a huge wad of cash that I am willing to possibly waste.

But E-Bay is not the only option.  There are various online sites such as mpb.com that have a very good reputation, and have tested each piece of equipment that they sell.  They give you an honest appraisal of the piece of kit and are honest about the state of said piece of kit.  They guarantee each purchase, and have a generous returns policy.  I might consider using it if I were interested in buying some new kit.  But at the moment I’m not.  There are also second hand areas of our beloved camera shops that will have used gear.  

When buying second hand, you will generally be spending less money, or at worst, getting more kit for your hard earned cash.  Older models of camera might not be as super duper as the latest models that look so sexy in that shop window, but for what most us mere mortals need, they are more than adequate.   You really have to look at which features are most important to you.  Thanks to you, there will be one less camera going to landfill.

Talking of features, let’s talk about the 80/20 rule.  For 80% of your photographs, you will use about 20% of your gear, and features on your camera. I urge you to identify the essential features for your type of photography (e.g., autofocus, image stabilisation, dynamic range), and maybe avoid spending money on features or lenses that you won’t use frequently.  Shutter speed when doing sports photography, or high dynamic range for landscape photography.  Is an F1.2 lens really what you need, or will F2.0 pr F2.8 still get the effect you want?

I’m going to talk about the X100F (again!) and compare it to the latest version from Fujifilm, the X100V and the X100VI

Feature	Fujifilm X100F	Fujifilm X100V	Fujifilm X100VI
Sensor	24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III	26.1MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4	40.2MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR Sensor
Lens	23mm f/2 (35mm equivalent)	23mm f/2 (35mm equivalent) with improved optics	23mm f/2 (35mm equivalent) with further improved optics
Autofocus	91-point hybrid autofocus	425-point hybrid autofocus with improved face/eye detection	425-point hybrid autofocus with further improved face/eye detection and subject tracking
Viewfinder	Hybrid viewfinder (optical/electronic)	Hybrid viewfinder (optical/electronic) with improved EVF	Hybrid viewfinder (optical/electronic) with a larger and higher resolution EVF
Screen	3-inch fixed LCD	3-inch tilting touchscreen	3-inch tilting touchscreen
Image Stabilisation	N/A	N/A	6-Stop In-Body Image Stabilization
Video	1080p up to 60fps	4K up to 30fps	6.2K (cropped) and 4K up to 30fps
Weather Sealing	No	Yes	Yes
Price (approx.)	€800-€1000 (used)	€1300-€1500 (used)	€1700-€1800 (new)

The X100VI wins on paper everywhere it matters: more resolution, a proper autofocus system, a bigger viewfinder, real video, weather sealing. The X100V sits in between on all of it, and costs less. The X100F is the oldest and least capable by the spec sheet, and it’s also the cheapest by a wide margin secondhand.

So which one do you actually need? If you’re shooting video seriously or need every autofocus point you can get, fine, go newer. But if you’re mostly doing what I do with mine — street shots, travel, the odd portrait — the X100F still does the job, and does it for a fraction of the price. I bought mine used and it’s more camera than I’ve ever needed. Sometimes the “worse” spec sheet is the right answer.

If you are a professional, then I think the same logic will apply.  Even though a nice kit is an investment you need to consider the returns on your investment?  Is the purchase justified and will it bring more work for you?  Will it expand my offer enough?  If you are an amateur, then you can spend any amount of money you want, but if you could do more, with less, wouldn’t that be an appealing option? Have I not managed to convince you yet? Look at the film archives… And look at the pictures from the X100F…