I was thinking that after Christmas prices should go down but i checked and many things are out of stock.

The best time to buy is when you need it, and I mean NEED it, and it can earn back its money.

It is a business decision. So you buy new gear when the old cannot compete anymore.
That if of course unless you are a collector, collectors always buys stuff because they think they need it.

The best moment is always the moment when you need it.
Never wait for the next better model� or you will wait all your life.

Is camera sensor deteriorating over time? I remember that on some rental site they claim that they hold equipment for only two years for maximum performance.

Not that I'm aware of. My main camera is now 5 years old with about 250k shutter operations. I hope I get another 5 years work out of it. Of course rental gear can get seriously abused and resale value drops off severely (because of newer models) after a couple of years. The 'maximum performance' that they are referring to is probably their profitability.

As others have said, spend money on a new camera only when you need to and when doing so will make you more money than not doing so.

Every one is a good answer, which is why it's an interesting question.

If the question is about PRICE and nothing else, then -

If you can wait and are ok with being one generation behind, the best time to buy a camera is when the newest upgrade has just been released but before the old stock is gone. When I was tracking prices I didn't see any obvious benefit to waiting until after Christmas, although there were some pretty good last minute deals this year.

Watch for new models to be coming out, often there's nothing but the cycle, for example, pretty much every other Canon ##-D is an improved version of the one before. 10-D to 20-D before a sensor change 30-D to 40-D electronics and focusing... That kind of change. I don't know if Nikon runs the same, but I know the two year cycle is pretty universal.

The other part of what Tom wrote is, you can get perfectly good, new cameras, on close-out as the dealers want to bring in the new at List Price. I got the EOS-M with the 22mm for $299 and that sale was about two days, BH and Amazon both, and gone. I'd guess Adorama had the same.

Then a week later they dropped the same camera with the 18-55 lens down to $349 range.

Just an example, but for some reason, Canon was closing out that one, only a year into the new release.

Here's another way to look at it. Almost anytime is a good time to buy a new camera. What you might consider is the worst time is when it's new and just released and everything is list price. Avoid that and you're on the right path.

But everyone else was right too. Just so many ways to look at a good time, seasonal sales, after the Holidays, close-out (my favorite), and manufacturers rebate sales which come and go.

Buy from a reputable dealer, not the "lowest price on the internet" That would be B&H, Adorama, Amazon and there are some other national dealers, KH? Just watch out for the bait and switch shops that are slippery cons.

I think the best time to buy - after the release of a newer model, then the previous models will be cheaper. Now I also want to buy a new camera, so tell me, when is the best time this year?

This is a 4 years old thread.
But in my opinion the best time is when you need it.
You can need it because you have broken the one you use, or it has been stolen.
You also can need it if the progress of the technology really gives you something more and give you the possibility to produce very better images in an easier way.

around april of every year is around when most new cameras hit the market, after the consumer electronic show. so if you want a new model, wait until april.