So my sister is getting married in January and I've finally decided to ditch my old Rebel T6 because the autofocus is just not cutting it anymore for fast stuff. I've been looking at the Canon mirrorless R series for a few weeks now but the pricing is all over the place. I saw that B&H has this bundle for the R6 Mark II but even with the discount it's still way over 2 grand which is pushing my budget way too far. I found a deal on the Canon refurbished site for an R8 that looked amazing price-wise but then I read a few threads saying the battery life is pretty bad for long events like weddings so now I'm second guessing that whole setup.
I'm trying to stay under $1500 for the body and maybe a decent kit lens if possible. I'm based in Chicago so I have access to some big camera shops but I dont know if they do better deals in-person than what I see online. Everything I find labeled as a Black Friday deal right now looks exactly like the prices I saw in October honestly... it's kind of annoying. Do you guys think there are actually gonna be deeper cuts on the R7 or R8 closer to the actual day or is this pretty much as good as it gets? I'm worried if I wait too long the stock will just run out...
Late to the thread, but I've been really happy with how my gear handled similar events. I upgraded from a Rebel too and the 32.5MP sensor on the R7 is night and day compared to the old T6 tech.
- Canon EOS R7 Mirrorless Camera: This has dual UHS-II slots. For a wedding, thats non-negotiable for me so I dont lose files if a card fails. It features a 15fps mechanical shutter and 8-stops of IBIS which works well in low light.
- Canon EOS R10 with RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens: This fits the budget better. It shoots 15fps too but lacks dual slots and weather sealing. I'm satisfied with local Chicago shop prices since they usually match online deals anyway. If you go with the R8, just grab two Canon LP-E17 Lithium-Ion Battery spares and you wont have to worry about the wedding day... tbh the battery thing is overblown if you just keep a few charged in your pocket.
Honestly, the deals you see right now are likely what you are gonna get for the rest of the month. Canon usually sets their holiday pricing early and sticks to it, so waiting for a massive drop on the actual Friday usually just leads to disappointment or out-of-stock notices. I wouldnt bank on deeper cuts than what is already live. Regarding the battery issue on the Canon EOS R8 Mirrorless Camera Body, those threads arent lying. The LP-E17 is tiny. If you go that route for a wedding, you absolutely need to buy three or four spare batteries. It works, but it is a hassle to swap them every couple hours. Since you have a $1500 budget, you should look at the Canon EOS R7 with RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Kit. It uses the larger LP-E6NH battery which lasts way longer, and more importantly for a wedding, it has dual card slots. If one card fails during your sisters ceremony, you have a backup. To me, that's worth more than the full-frame sensor of the R8 when shooting an unrepeatable event. Keep an eye on the refurbished site tho. Sometimes they do a 10 percent off sitewide sale on top of the refurbished prices right around Thanksgiving. If you can snag a refurbished Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera Body during one of those flashes, it might just barely fit your budget and that is a much safer tool for what you need.
Just saw this thread and wanted to jump in! Like someone mentioned, those holiday prices are pretty much locked in for the month, but you can definitely make that $1500 budget work with some tactical choices. Honestly, the Canon EOS R8 Mirrorless Camera Body is a fantastic piece of tech with amazing autofocus, and you can solve that battery anxiety by just carrying three spares in your pocket. It is a beast for the price! If you want something more robust for a wedding environment, here is exactly what I would recommend looking for:
- Canon EOS R7 Mirrorless Camera Body
- This is my top pick for you. It has dual card slots which is a total lifesaver for weddings because you have an instant backup if a card fails. Plus it uses the much larger battery.
- Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R
- Do not trade in your old lenses yet! This adapter makes your Rebel glass work perfectly (sometimes even better) on the R series.
- Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM
- This is a great versatile kit lens that keeps you under budget. Quick tip: Check out Canon Price Watch (CPW) online. They track street prices from authorized dealers that often beat the big box store advertised prices by a couple hundred bucks. Also, since you are in Chicago, go talk to the folks at Central Camera downtown. They are legends and might have an open-box Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera Body or a refurbished unit that isnt listed on the main site yet. Go for it, the jump from a T6 is gonna blow your mind!
