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Originally Posted by Stephen Fox
More about hoarding, is there any merit?
Do you think an early digital SLR camera would be worth something in twenty or thirty years?
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20 to 30 years time? I think not. 50 or 60 years time then maybe. These items are being produced in massive quantities, far more so that the production volumes seen with the equivalent models of 50 years ago. Because of this, the rarity of dSLRs will not be very great until a much longer period has elapsed. Add in to this, the 'antiques roadshow' effect, where people realise the potential value of 'old junk', and it will take a long time before the availability of old dSLRs becomes sufficiently rare to warrant any monetary value. There will be particular models, landmarks in the development of dSLRs that will attain classic status. These will become valuable items when the nostalgia factor becomes greater than the supply available.
I've kept the last film SLR I used in anger (Pentax z-50P) because, as Andy has said, it's not worth any money at all, nor is it ever likely to be. It's worth more to me than anybody else, not for any sentimental reason, but purely as a tool should I need to use it.
I have my 68 year old Rolleiflex, bought for £60 at a camera fair about 10 or 11 years ago. This was bought as a nice piece of engineering, not as an investment. Likewise, my K1000 was bought 2nd hand for £42 (the only item I've even won on an ebay auction), because it's a beautiful piece of engineering. Due to their simplicty by today's standards, both of these items still work, and work well. I don't think my z-50P will work so well in 50 years time. I don't think by *ist DS will work at all in 50 years time, and even if it does, there probably won't be a compatible infrastructure (computer, software, memory card, etc) around to support it. I've got more chance than most of being able to get batteries for it though.
Duncan.