Photography Equipment

Technology is constantly advancing and equipment wears out or breaks. You must upgrade and replace equipment regularly to stay competitive. At the same time, many photographers stumble by investing too much in fancy toys, too soon.

A realistic look at what you need and what that costs can help balance the competing need for the latest toy with a plan for getting it.

1. Add up the costs of equipment that will wear out or become obsolete quickly. Most digital cameras are outdated in two years or less. Figure how much replacements cost (even if you have what you need now) and how soon you'll need them, then divide by that number of years they will last to come up with an annual figure for those tools.
2. Figure all other equipment on a depreciation schedule--five years is typical (check with your accountant)--perform similar math to that above, and add this to your total from above.
3. Estimate the cost of new equipment with new capabilities (faster, longer lenses, lighting, different camera formats, etc.) you need (or want) to add over the next five years, divide by five and tack this on to the total.

Remember you need the proper tools for the job. A portrait specialist might do just fine with a prosumer camera and slower lenses, but if you work in remote or hazardous conditions, or shoot lots of action, you'll need rugged, fast professional cameras and lenses.