My old 5D Mark IV is finally giving up on me, the autofocus is just hunting way too much during my wedding shoots lately and im honestly just tired of missing shots. So I was thinking maybe its time to go mirrorless and my logic was that the R5 is the only real choice for the resolution I need but I cant believe the price is still so high after all this time.
I looked at used ones on MPB but the prices are basically the same as new. I need to get this sorted for under $2900 before a big gig in New York next month. Is there some hidden promo or refurbished drop I dont know about? Finding a decent deal feels impossible...
You should definitely check the Canon USA refurbished site. I bought my Canon EOS R5 45MP Mirrorless Body through their direct store and the condition was basically brand new. I have been super satisfied with it. They frequently run sales that drop the price to around $2599, which fits your budget. It works well for my professional gigs and I dont have any complaints about the performance.
I agree that the refurbished store is usually the best path, but unfortunately, the stock is just never there when you actually need it. It is honestly disappointing that the Canon EOS R5 45.0MP Mirrorless Camera Body price stays so high. If youre on a budget, maybe look at the Canon EOS R6 Mark II 24.2MP Mirrorless Body? Its cheaper and honestly feels more reliable for professional work.
I totally get where you are coming from... my old gear started hunting for focus during a ceremony once and it was pure panic. Switching to mirrorless basically saved my sanity, but you really might want to consider the reliability of where you are buying from. If the gear fails during that New York gig, you are gonna be in a world of hurt. Honestly, just go with any high-end mirrorless from Canon. You cant go wrong since you already know the system and the colors, so you wont have to relearn everything while you are on the clock. Just be careful with a few things:
- make sure the seller actually offers a legit warranty
- avoid those sketchy private listings that seem too good to be true
- double check the battery health if you buy used I eventually just bit the bullet and went with a brand new body from a local shop because I couldnt risk a used unit acting up during a job. It is more money, but the peace of mind for professional work is everything... hope the NY gig goes well!
Building on the earlier suggestion, refurb is definitely the safest path for a pro.
- I think loyalty programs offer extra discounts
- Not sure, but iirc you can verify shutter counts before buying
