Now that we have about 20 years of consumer-accessible interchangeable lens cameras, the options in the used and new market are numerous! And that can trigger some interesting buying trade-offs. Especially if buying on a price-point, and you are fine comparing “apples and oranges” regardless of camera size, sensor size, camera type and so on. For example, would you buy an older flagship or a newer “latest technology” model? And how far back in time would you go?

Such a question was just posed (and answered [no spoilers in the text here]) at the Hyun Ralph Jeong YouTube Channel with two actual cameras, the legendary Canon 5D Mark II versus the all new Canon M50 Mark II. That’s over a decade in age difference, and obviously they are different types of cameras, BUT for someone buying at a price-point and wanting to see what their options are, this is an interesting theoretical and/or practical exercise.

As of the time of writing, the M50 Mark II starts at $600 as body-only in new condition (eg B&H Photo, Adorama) while the Canon 5D Mark II body-only ranges from $470 to $660 at KEH Camera and (obviously) has a wider range on eBayLandia…

Needless to say, you can’t take pictures with a body only, so you’d have to figure in the price of a lens, and that opens more comparison threads, eg both with a prime lens, both with a zoom lens, each one with the best available lens money can buy at your designated price-point, and so on…

The possibilities are not infinite, but they can be headache inducing. For example, with an older camera (lots of 5D Mark II used options) you could go for a more beat-up body so you can spend more on the lens… OR you can go the way of adapters with the M50 II… A whole website could be devoted just on this type of a buying comparison (not by me though; that’s your project) 🙂