Photographic equipment priced at $20 in 1997 $5.62 in 2024

Photographic Equipment Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Photographic Equipment, 1997-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for photographic equipment are 71.91% lower in 2024 versus 1997 (a $14.38 difference in value).

Between 1997 and 2024: Photographic equipment experienced an average inflation rate of -4.59% per year. This rate of change indicates significant deflation. In other words, photographic equipment costing $20 in the year 1997 would cost $5.62 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.46% during this same period, inflation for photographic equipment was significantly lower.

Price Inflation for Photographic equipment since 1997

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2007 (-18.84%), 2006 (-12.67%), and 2008 (-11.85%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1997

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Photographic equipment, over time, for $20 beginning in 1997. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1997$20.00-
1998$19.52-2.38%
1999$18.96-2.91%
2000$18.45-2.69%
2001$17.39-5.71%
2002$16.26-6.52%
2003$15.02-7.64%
2004$13.28-11.59%
2005$11.73-11.68%
2006$10.24-12.67%
2007$8.31-18.84%
2008$7.33-11.85%
2009$6.95-5.16%
2010$6.43-7.52%
2011$6.00-6.62%
2012$5.65-5.85%
2013$5.25-7.01%
2014$4.94-6.04%
2015$4.54-8.10%
2016$4.40-2.95%
2017$4.584.07%
2018$4.46-2.70%
2019$4.490.67%
2020$4.694.56%
2021$4.904.48%
2022$5.083.72%
2023$5.273.56%
2024$5.626.70%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Photographic equipment:

Year1997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI100.00097.61594.77792.23186.96281.29275.08566.38558.63151.20041.55236.62634.73632.12529.99828.24326.26224.67622.67822.00822.90522.28722.43723.45924.51125.42326.32928.092

Adjust photographic equipment prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1997 * 1997 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Photographic equipment was 100.000 in the year 1997 and 28.092 in 2024:

28.092 / 100.000 * $20 = $5.62

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1997 has the same "purchasing power" as $5.62 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Photographic equipment).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Photographic equipment in 1997. In addition to photographic equipment, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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