So I'm in a bit of a panic because my sister asked me to take photos for her wedding which is literally in three weeks and I realized my old phone just isn't gonna cut it for a big event like that. I've been reading online and everyone says the Canon R6 Mark II is like the best one for beginners who want good photos but man it is way more expensive than I thought it would be. I'm sorry if this is a stupid thing to ask but I've never bought a real camera before and I dont know anything about lenses or what body only even means but I really need to find a deal on this thing fast.
My situation:
- Budget is $2200 max for everything if possible
- I live in Ohio so I can go to a store or buy online
- Need it by the end of the month
- I mostly just want it to take clear pictures of people dancing without it being all blurry
I've looked at Amazon and B&H but the price is the same everywhere and its like $2499 right now which is way over what I can do. Are there hidden coupons or student discounts or something I'm missing? Or maybe a specific site that has a sale going on right now? Im really stressed because I dont want to ruin her big day with bad pictures but I cant afford the full price. If there are any bundles that make it cheaper that would be cool too but I honestly dont know what I'm looking at half the time...
I was honestly so disappointed with Canons pricing lately. I had issues fitting the R6 II into a tight budget for a gig last month because decent lenses are just too expensive. Instead, you should look at this setup:
- Canon EOS R8 Body
- Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM Unfortunately, the R6 II body alone eats your entire budget, but the R8 has the exact same sensor and autofocus for way less.
Been thinking about your post for a bit. Honestly, if you only have three weeks and a hard limit of $2200, trying to buy a brand new setup is going to stretch you super thin. Once you factor in taxes, fast memory cards, and spare batteries, that budget disappears fast. When I did my first big event years ago, I panicked just like you. I didnt have the cash to buy what I needed, so I just rented. It was a total lifesaver. You can easily rent the Canon EOS R6 Mark II Body and a professional lens like the Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 L IS USM for like $200 to $250 for a full week online. That f2.8 zoom lens is exactly what you need for those dark reception dance floors to stop the motion blur, and buying that lens alone normally costs over two grand. Renting lets you use top-tier gear without the financial stress. Just make sure to schedule the delivery for 3-4 days before the wedding so you can shoot everything in your house and get used to how the autofocus works. Trying to learn the dials during the actual ceremony is not a fun time...
Late to the thread, but I have to politely disagree with the R8 recommendation. For a wedding, reliability is your top priority. The R8 lacks dual card slots and in-body image stabilization. If a single SD card corrupts, you lose all your sister's photos, and shooting dancing in low light without IBIS is gonna be tough. A better option is tracking down a refurbished Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless Camera Body. The original R6 has the dual UHS-II slots and excellent stabilization. It usually goes for under $1400 refurbished, which leaves you enough room in your budget for a lens like the Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM and some quality memory cards.
Honestly, $2500 is the standard retail price so you wont find it cheaper on Amazon or B&H right now since Canon controls those prices pretty strictly. But if you want a real deal, you gotta check the Canon USA Refurbished store. I bought my last two bodies there and they basically look and act brand new, plus you get the same one-year warranty. Sometimes the Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera Body drops to around $1800 or $1900 on there during their big sales. Since your budget is $2200 total, remember that body only means it doesnt come with a lens, and you 100% need one to actually take pictures. If you grab the body refurbished, you will have enough cash left for something like the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM which is awesome for low light, or maybe the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM if you want more zoom range for the ceremony. Just a heads up tho... shooting a wedding as your first time using a pro camera is gonna be a massive learning curve. Those dancing shots are tricky because of the movement and low light. You're gonna want to practice like crazy the next two weeks. Also, look into the Canon Loyalty Program. If you can find an old broken Canon camera at a thrift store, you can call their support line and sometimes get a stackable discount on refurbished gear. It might be the only way to get everything you need under that $2200 limit.
