What to do with your old camera? Here are six ideas
155ShareSomehow, an old digital or film camera takes up space on a shelf in your closet or in a drawer somewhere. Or maybe a ch...
15/01/2022
155
Share
Somehow, an old digital or film camera takes up space on a shelf in your closet or in a drawer somewhere. Or maybe a loved one has passed away and their photographic equipment has been entrusted to you. Or maybe you've just decided to hang on to that early 6MP DSLR model you used 10 years ago.
People often ask me, “Todd, what can I do with old camera gear?”
Well, besides the obvious, there are some great options that can breathe new life into your camera, help others, or maybe even reinvigorate your own love for photography.
Here's a quick list, followed by a more comprehensive overview of each option:
1. Sell
2. Donate to schools
3. Donate to charities
4. Reuse
5. Save
6. Use
To sell
If you need money to buy more camera gear, you can sell your camera gear.
Locally, you can drop it off at a consignment store in hopes that a collector or buyer stumbles upon your once-loved camera and lenses and decides they can't live without it all. You can also list your gear on an auction website and see if you can start a bidding war among strangers. Additionally, you can put an ad in the section or website of local newspapers.
If you want to maximize convenience, you can easily sell your equipment to B&H and let us resell it. the
B&H Used Department
tell you exactly how much you'll get for your gear, and we'll even pay to ship the gear to our SuperStore in New York. You can get a check in the mail or store credit that you can then fuel your current camera or electronics buying habits with.
A word of warning: if you are passionate about photography, you might regret selling your very first camera is about 100%. Regardless of brand or model, you might want to keep this camera. I know many photographers who still have their first camera and I know many who regret not having that personal story anymore.
Donate to schools
An often overlooked option is to donate your equipment to a good cause.
You can probably find a local charity or thrift store that wouldn't mind getting rid of your gear, but dig a little deeper and you might find more deserving outlets. . Check with your local high school if they teach photography as part of their art program. They would probably like to be able to give or loan your camera equipment to a student who might not have the financial means to acquire their own. They could also warmly welcome your dusty darkroom equipment.
In fact, any educational institution, from elementary schools to community colleges to art schools, can accept your donated camera equipment.
Donate to charities
There are several photography-related charities that accept second-hand equipment.
the
Film Photography Project
donates film cameras to school and student programs around the world.
Recycling for Charities recycles electronics and donates the value of what you send them to a charity of your choice.
PhotoVoice
creates participatory photography and storytelling self-representation projects for socially excluded groups in the UK and overseas.
The One Shot Project
provides cameras to underprivileged young children in Iraq.
Josephine Herrick Project
(formerly Rehabilitation Through Photography) offers free photography education programs for children, teens, adults, and seniors.
NYC Salt
engages students thro ugh professionally led volunteer training in photography and digital technology.
Definitely search the internet for other charities that might want your gear. Non-profit organizations are sometimes very happy to have photographic equipment at their disposal. And your donation will most likely be tax deductible.
No matter how valuable your gear is, you can't put a price tag on donating your camera gear to a good cause. We never know; your camera could end up in the hands of the world's next great photographic artist.
Reuse
Having something newer, faster, or brighter may be just what you need to use your older camera and lenses for something fun.
Have you ever wanted to experiment with infrared photography? Or have you thought about making your own homemade lens mount to attach random old lenses to your camera? Now might be the perfect time to try something off the beaten path. How about turning your old film camera into a pinhole camera? It could be a fun thing to try.
You can get cheap imported trinkets at your local home furnishings store, or you can put your cool cameras on the living room shelf. I decorated a few cameras, but sometimes I take them out for exercise.
Backup
Of course, an older, slower digital camera can be used as a reliable backup for this new digital camera. The electronics and mechanics aren't infallible, and your trusty new steed might not be one day. Having a backup camera handy can save the day, whether it's commercial filming or a remote vacation. Or, on occasion, you might have the opportunity to do a photo shoot in which your camera might be subject to bodily harm - photographing on a boat, at the beach, against a rock face, flying in wetsuits, doing parasailing, etc. of this type might be best reserved for your older gear, rather than putting your newer, more expensive gear at risk.
Use
You may already be on your fourth or fifth generation digital camera. If that were the case, you'd be hard-pressed to find a reason to take your old digital camera out for a walk. Why would you go out to shoot a 6-megapixel Nikon D100 when your D500's battery is fully charged?
But, a film camera can be a different story. Film is film and not subject to the ridiculously short half-life of digital technology. Therefore, as long as the camera shutter and/or lens aperture diaphragm is working, you can pull out and shoot a roll of film. There's something liberating about not having to worry about histograms, batteries, checking your LCD screen after every shot, or spending hours in front of your computer downloading and processing images after a day of shooting.
Here's a bold idea: take your film camera on your next vacation and forget about your digital stuff. Do you remember those vacation photo albums you used to show off to your friends?
Cinema still has its place in the world, so just because you've been shooting digital for months or years, don't think your film camera is suddenly a doorstop or a paperweight. Go out and shoot a movie!
pass it
The last place your camera should end up is: the trash heap. Sell it, give it to someone who might really use it, experiment with it, or just keep using it. A good camera can be passed down from generation to generation.