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| Category: | Industry News |
Photography Is The Most Expensive Hobby - A study by PriceRunner reveals that photography is the most expensive hobby
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A new study by PriceRunner.co.uk, the independent shopping comparison website, reveals that photography is the most expensive hobby to maintain, if you want to become a pro. A list of the most pricey and cheapest hobbies compiled by the site reveals that snap happy photographers might faced with a bill of over £4,500 a year* on buying the most sophisticated equipment, if they are keen to get to the top of their game.
However, if you want to get cosy with woolly jumpers this winter, knitting proved the cheapest hobby costing less than £180 a year or 48p a day. Rollerblading and stamp collecting also came within the top ten cheapest costing less than a £1 per day.
The research reveals that those who want to tackle extreme sports such as scuba diving, rock climbing and skiing can be faced with some of the highest costs of over £10 a day or a total of nearly £4,000 a year. For those looking for a more pocket friendly hobby, traditional sports such as cricket, ballet, rugby and tennis proved some of the cheapest costing less than £2 a day.
Following your love of the arts also proved one of the more expensive hobbies with budding piano, cello and clarinet musicians all making the top ten most expensive hobbies with the latest equipment ranging from £3,500 to £2,500 a year.
Andrew Walker, UK country manager at PriceRunner said: “It’s not surprising that photography is one of the most expensive hobbies with state of the art cameras and lenses costing hundreds of pounds. However with a bit of searching around for the best deals you can make sure you get the best prices on equipment or find cheaper alternatives for your favourite hobby without breaking the bank.”
| Top ten most expensive hobbies | ||
| Hobby | Average cost per year | Average cost per day |
| Photography | £4,596.16 | £12.59 |
| Scuba diving | £3,925.54 | £10.75 |
| Rock climbing | £3,714.10 | £10.18 |
| Skiing | £3,660.90 | £10.03 |
| Piano | £3,529.61 | £9.67 |
| Cello | £3,006.92 | £8.24 |
| Djing/mixing | £2,914.68 | £7.99 |
| Martial arts | £2,911.30 | £7.98 |
| Clarinet | £2,460.80 | £6.74 |
| Horseriding | £2,433.70 | £6.67 |
| Top ten cheapest hobbies | ||
| Hobby | Average cost per year | Average cost per day |
| Knitting | £176.45 | £0.48 |
| Rollerblading | £218.88 | £0.60 |
| Stamp collecting | £270.38 | £0.74 |
| Surfing | £447.60 | £1.23 |
| Cricket | £471.29 | £1.29 |
| Ballet | £601.57 | £1.65 |
| Rugby | £628.67 | £1.72 |
| Tennis | £715.61 | £1.96 |
| Tap | £727.69 | £1.99 |
| Gaming | £793.21 | £2.17 |
*Costs were calculated by taking the average yearly cost for each hobby, divided by 365 days to find the daily cost.
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Comments
A pretty questionable study (guess they need to earn money somehow), as the hobby is only as expensive as you wish and does mention "if you want to become a pro" ... Which is not what hobbies are about really. I would guess training in your hobby to become a professional 3 day eventer or professional motor racer of some kind would prove pretty pricey in comparison.
Quote: "if you want to become a pro" ... Which is not what hobbies are about really.
I agree strongly with the above statement. A large number of us have made a few bob by charging for our services at one time or another. That does not make us a "pro" or even a "semi pro" by any stretch of the imagination. A "pro" in my mind, is a good photographer who supports himself and possibly his family, longterm, with no other means of support. Also, a large amount of the amateur work I have seen on this site, far outranks most press photography seen in the newspapers and a lot of the magazines, (without wishing to be topical).
So all those aspiring to be "Pros", be careful what you wish for. You just might stop being a photographer and just become another shutter hack.
Aye never lose the fun aspect of any hobby ! I used to play golf and serious golfers of all abilities had one thing in common they didn't enjoy their round of golf!! No matter how bad i played there was always something to take be it one good shot, the weather or having a laugh
I didn't see Clay Shooting mentioned [was that a PC decission], I had to give up my beloved trap shooting as it was beginning to cost over £100 a day although you could regulate the frequancy you shoot, it always was a case, of I'll do just one more 25 bird round, after your 3rd extra 25 bird rounds still looking for that medal you go home broke.
So the two highest participant sports in the country, shooting and fishing don't get mentioned.
May be it was because they are classed as sports rather than hobbies.
I must be insane as I love my underwater photography!!!
Yes my hobby costs me a fair amount of money and time but not as much as the survey mentions.
As many of you commented, hobbies are as cheap/expensive you wish to make them. If you are training to become a Pro then it is not a hobby!
Cheers.
I would say that golf costs MUCH more. Some golf memberships cost over 100,000 per year. I don't think this study could possibly have included many of the "hobbies" that really cost a lot of money, such as deep sea fishing, ballooning, skydiving, etc. I am including these "sports" because they are talking about the cost of Surfing, Tennis, etc.
Quote: money and light being literally sucked into the black hole of the camera bodies
and in the case of mirrorless bodies, you get no return.
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