Ive been staring at my browser tabs for like three days straight trying to pull the trigger on a Canon R5 but the pricing is just all over the place right now. I have this big wedding gig coming up in mid-July and I really need that high resolution for the prints the couple wants so Im pretty set on the R5 over the R6II even though the R6 is obviously cheaper and newer. My budget is strictly under 3k for the body because I still need to grab a spare battery and maybe another CFexpress card and man those things are so pricey.

So I was thinking about just going new from BH because they have that EDU discount sometimes or just the standard sale price which seems to hover around 2999 lately but then I saw the Canon refurbished site has them for way less. My logic was that a refurbished unit directly from Canon is basically new with a warranty but they go out of stock so fast and I havent seen them hit that 2400 mark in a few weeks. Then there is MPB or KEH where I can get one used for like 2600. Im torn because if I go used I might get one with a high shutter count or some sensor dust I dont want to deal with but if I wait for a refurbished restock I might miss my deadline for the wedding and I really want to have a week or two to practice with the menu system before the big day.

Is there some secret promo code or a specific day of the week Canon usually drops their refurbished stock? I feel like Im playing whack-a-mole with these prices. I checked Adorama too and they have a bundle but it includes stuff I dont actually need like a cheap tripod and a bag. If I can find it for 2800 new that would be the dream but maybe thats not realistic right now since the R5II rumors are everywhere but nothing has actually launched to drop the price of the original R5 significantly. Should I just bite the bullet on a used one now or is there a better deal I am missing somewhere...