It might sound counter-intuitive but, as much as I love my Nikon Z8, I hate buying state-of-the-art technology. Why? Because of the vicious cycle that is fast tech.
Fast tech is the moniker given to consumer technology that rapidly moves forward. This forces buyers into a seemingly never-ending spiral of purchases as they chase the latest and greatest product releases.
Think computers, phones and televisions. No sooner has the latest best-in-class behemoth been released, there’s talk of what other manufacturers can do to better it.
And if you’re anything like me, it doesn’t take long after picking up the newest tech that a kind of consumer anxiety sets in. Suddenly I’m aware that, as every day passes, the item’s resale value is plummeting.
I’m beating myself up if I’m not making the most of it while it’s still ‘new’. And I’m counting down the days until something better is released and my fast tech becomes slow tech. Outdated. Useless.
But much of this is just in my mind. As compelling as the consumer meat grinder is – something I’m all too aware I contribute to – a good portion of photographers don’t update their cameras at every available opportunity.
And while cameras are fast tech, the quality of products put out by the likes of Nikon, Canon, Sony and Fujifilm is generally so good that their devices stay relevant for years – sometimes decades – into the future.
I myself moved from a Nikon D800 to a Nikon Z8 as my main camera. Now, that’s a rather extreme example – but the fact that a 12-year-old camera is still going strong is mighty impressive. I mean, that’s the equivalent of still using an iPhone 5.
The Nikon D850 is still available for purchase, new. And while Nikon slowly discontinues its DSLR line, I can only assume that the D850 will be the last one standing. Heck, Nikon could even keep it in its range for many years to come – a little like its last film camera, the Nikon F6.
When I consider what my Z8 can do, any worry that it’s going to be completely overshadowed any time soon is ridiculous. It won’t remain a hot property forever, but its spec list far exceeds that of my D800, which is a camera I’m still very happy to use for stills photography, by the way.
Ultimately, I can’t see the Nikon Z8’s stacked 45.7MP sensor, stellar video specs and whip-fast autofocus causing me problems in the near future. If ever.
The second-hand camera market appears as strong as ever. And it’s a good job, too, what with most manufacturers struggling to meet the demand for their latest releases. I’ve often said that you can’t buy a bad camera from the big manufacturers nowadays, and the popularity of the used market is testament to that.
So, if you get a little consumer anxiety every time you spend out on a new camera, just enjoy yourself. Perhaps cameras are slower tech than you might think.
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I've got loads of thoughts on 'outdated' cameras. Here's why the Fujifilm X-T30 II would be high on my list if I started photography all over again. And find out what happened when I found a pair of Nikon D70 DSLR cameras in the cupboard. Finally, if you're into really old cameras, here are the best film cameras.
