Photography enthusiasts and professionals are always searching for the best camera and gear deals. Trying a new piece of equipment can be a lot of fun, often bringing up a flow of fresh inspiration mixed with pent-up ideas of where, when and how it can be used to produce the best work possible. However, both cameras and the gear that go with it can set you back a pretty penny, as there aren’t that many good deals available for the higher-quality pieces.

Not only that, but getting caught in the cycle of constantly purchasing new gear can leave you with empty pockets and send your business down the drain. This is especially important when it comes to gear, as it is oftentimes very sensitive and prone to breakage if not handled the right way, leading to even greater expenses. Fortunately, there are more than a few sound advice you can follow in order to get your hands on that gear you wanted, without having to put your house on a mortgage.

Try buying used equipment

Most photographers shudder at the thought of buying used gear. You can never know if what you buy will be in a good physical state or that you will actually get what you bought. There are numerous stories circulating the Internet where someone ordered a piece of used gear only to receive something completely different. That’s why it’s best to get some info on the seller and always chose those with a ton of positive reviews. There are retailers who specialize in selling used equipment, so make sure to check those out before wasting all your hard-earned money.

Be patient

As new pieces of equipment get released, there will always be those who will purchase it the moment it hits the store. This means that they will be left with some old gear that won’t be used anymore and will probably get sold in the near future. Look out for gear release dates and simply wait a couple of days until someone decides to sell the stuff they don’t need. Not only have that, but retailers regularly lower the prices on older gear as soon as new ones hit the shelves.

Buy Online

We have all heard about the crazy deals companies offer on Black Friday. And the first Monday that comes after it is called Cyber Monday, a day where most tech can be purchased with amazing discounts.  Expensive items which normally cost thousands of dollars can be bought for just a few hundred bucks. Couple that with Amazon’s Prime Membership and you can get some unbelievable deals for the fraction of the cost, delivered directly to your house.

Sell what you don’t use

Whether you’ve bought that sweet new lens you’ve had your eyes on for a while or that old camera case needs to be replaced with a new one, that fact is that you’ll get left with some old gear you probably won’t use. Instead of letting it collect dust stuffed in some box in the garage, you can simply bring that gear to a retailer to get appraised and sell it online, for a fixed price or to the highest bidder. Doing this, you can at least get back some of the money you spent and invest into something new and interesting.

Get only what you need

You know that old saying, “if it works, don’t change it”? Well, people get often carried away when a new piece of equipment gets announced and end up running to the nearest shop and buying it immediately due to the enormous hype surrounding it and end up getting something that can do the same exact thing their old gear can do. This can make a sizable hole in your pocket, as you will ultimately get bored of the new toy. If the job can be done properly with the existing equipment, then you really don’t need to invest in getting a new one. That said, if you need something new, you can always check out your local Camera Shop for any new additions.

Knowing when to make a purchase and when to walk away from a deal is vital to ensuring you don’t end up spending your entire pay on something that you either don’t need or is not worth the money. Never go for the first deal that gets offered to you. Try to be reasonable and, more importantly, patient enough until you find the best deal available.