{"id":47696,"date":"2021-12-16T10:47:52","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T15:47:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keh.com\/expert-advice\/?p=47696"},"modified":"2022-04-15T11:16:36","modified_gmt":"2022-04-15T15:16:36","slug":"the-keh-tilt-shift-report-our-best-selling-gear-of-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.keh.com\/expert-advice\/camera-gear\/buying-guides\/the-keh-tilt-shift-report-our-best-selling-gear-of-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Top-Selling Gear of 2021 | The KEH Tilt-Shift Report"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome back to the KEH Tilt-Shift Report<\/em>, where I share exclusive data and unique insights into the latest trends in camera gear buying, trading and selling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously, I explored whether zoom or prime lenses hold their value better<\/a><\/strong>, I compared two leading medium format mirrorless systems<\/a><\/strong>, and looked into mirrorless cameras depreciating faster than DSLRs<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time, since it’s December, let’s look back at our best-selling used gear of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tilt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Looking back to 2020’s year-end list<\/a><\/strong>, I mentioned a few trends to keep an eye on for the coming year. Mainly, I pointed out how Sony mirrorless cameras were making a charge at aging favorites like the Canon 5D Mk III<\/a> <\/strong>and the Nikon D750<\/a><\/strong> on the digital cameras<\/a><\/strong> list. Was 2021 going to be the year that saw the biggest sea change in the second-hand market?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our top-selling used camera of last year, the Sony a6000<\/a><\/strong>, showed its staying power last year, becoming the first mirrorless camera to ever top our list\u2014a full six years after its release. It was a long, tough road to the crown, but could it stay at the top?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, on our year-end list of film cameras<\/a><\/strong>, perhaps the most iron-clad and time-tested as far as the perennial top sellers, we saw a couple small shifts in 2020 with the Pentax ME<\/a><\/strong> and the Olympus OM10<\/a><\/strong> knocking the Nikon F4<\/a> <\/strong>and F5<\/a><\/strong> off the chart. With a whole new generation of photographers raised on smartphones discovering the joys of shooting film, was pro-level film gear falling out of favor and giving way to more accessible equipment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, you all bought a record amount of used gear in 2021, giving us plenty of data to sort out. The beauty of selling any gear from every year is that we get a good sense of what photographers want to shoot beyond the latest and greatest, and without a doubt, people keep proving that good gear stays good, year after year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So without further ado, now it’s time to see how 2021 panned out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shift<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Let’s start by looking at our best-selling interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera bodies<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BEST-SELLING MIRRORLESS BODIES OF 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Sony Alpha a6000<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  2. Sony Alpha a7 III<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  3. Fujifilm X-T3<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  4. Nikon Z6<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  5. Sony Alpha a7R III<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  6. Fujifilm X-T2<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  7. Sony Alpha a7R II<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  8. Canon EOS R<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  9. Sony Alpha a7R IV<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
  10. Sony Alpha a7 II<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The a6000 was an easy winner here, besting every other mirrorless camera by a comfortable margin. Sony<\/a><\/strong> dominated this category, placing six cameras in the top 10. Their grip on the mirrorless market is pretty secure given its head start on Canon<\/a><\/strong> and Nikon<\/a><\/strong>, which only showed up with one camera body each. We’ll see how they stack up against DSLRs shortly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Besides the a6000, Fujifilm<\/a><\/strong> also did well with its APS-C cameras, with both the X-T3 and its predecessor, the X-T2, holding their own against the full-frame options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now, let’s look at another interesting category\u2014interchangeable-lens DSLR bodies<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    BEST-SELLING DSLR BODIES OF 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Canon EOS 5D Mark III<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    2. Nikon D750<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    3. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    4. Canon EOS 5D Mark II<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    5. Canon EOS 7D<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    6. Canon EOS 7D Mark II<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    7. Nikon D7000<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    8. Nikon D850<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    9. Canon EOS 80D<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
    10. Nikon D810<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      No big surprises here. Canon and Nikon dominated this category so thoroughly that I had to go down 84 spots on the list before I saw the Sony a77 II<\/a><\/strong> and the Pentax K-1<\/a><\/strong> pop up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      And let’s give a big round of applause for the 5D line of cameras, who own three out of the four top spots, with the Mark III taking the crown yet again\u2014it speaks highly to the durability and dependability of those cameras that they still do so well. And of course, they’re now more affordable than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Nikon’s D750 has also proven to have a long tail of usability with pros and enthusiasts alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      So, clearly, DSLRs have staying power, but let’s now see what happens when we combine them with mirrorless cameras for the ultimate top-prize of best-selling interchangeable-lens digital camera<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      BEST-SELLING DIGITAL BODIES OF 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Canon EOS 5D Mark III<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      2. Nikon D750<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      3. Sony Alpha a6000<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      4. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      5. Canon EOS 5D Mark II<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      6. Canon EOS 7D<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      7. Canon EOS 7D Mark II<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      8. Sony Alpha a7 III<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      9. Nikon D7000<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
      10. Nikon D850<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        That’s right, only two mirrorless cameras were able to crack the top 10 when put up against DSLRs, which means the 5D Mark III reigns supreme as our top-seller for 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        It’s pretty remarkable considering it was first released in March of 2012\u2014it’s almost ten years old at this point, but photographers still turn to it to get the job done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Last year’s winner, the a6000, took the third spot behind the popular Nikon D750.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Other notable digital cameras winning out their respective categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n