So I am honestly just so done with my Sony A7 III. It has glitched out on me twice this month during couple shoots, just completely freezing up and forcing me to pull the battery out mid-session. I cant deal with the anxiety of it failing on me during a real gig anymore, it is driving me crazy and I am ready to throw it out a window at this point. I need to switch brands before my next big portrait shoot in Chicago next month.
I have been doing a ton of research and I am actually super excited to jump over to the Nikon Z system. My logic was to get the Z6 II because I absolutely need those dual card slots for backup, which rules out the original Z6. I did look at the Zf too because the autofocus is supposedly amazing, but the ergonomics just look like a nightmare for holding all day long without a massive grip. So the Z6 II seems like the absolute sweet spot for what I need.
Only problem is my budget is super tight right now, looking to spend around 1200 max. I have been refreshing the official Nikon USA refurbished store page daily but it is constantly out of stock. I checked MPB, KEH, and Adorama too but their used prices are still hovering around 1400 or 1500 for anything in decent condition, which is just stretching me too thin.
Are there any reputable sites I am missing that currently have refurbished Z6 II deals? Or maybe some hidden educational discounts or coupon codes for the major used retailers? I am ready to pull the trigger immediately if I can find a solid deal under my budget...
> I have been refreshing the official Nikon USA refurbished store page daily but it is constantly out of stock. I spent three weeks doing that same dance every single morning before coffee. Honestly it was super disappointing and a total waste of time. Nikons refurbished stock is basically a ghost town lately for anything that isnt a Z5 or a crop sensor. I was in your shoes last month trying to find a Nikon Z6 II Mirrorless Camera for under 1200 to use for a travel project, and everything listed as excellent on the big sites was way out of my range. The problem is everyone is holding onto their Z6 IIs as backup bodies because the price of the new Nikon Z6 III Body is so steep. It kinda feels like the price floor for a decent II is stuck at 1350 right now, which is frustrating when youre trying to escape a glitchy setup. I had issues with an old camera doing the same freeze-up thing and I know that panic well... it really sucks when the market just wont budge for you. You might have to check some less obvious spots:
- Local camera club classifieds
- Fred Miranda forums (usually better prices than retailers)
- Used sections of smaller regional shops But yeah, finding one for 1200 in mint condition is gonna be a struggle right now.
Adding my two cents here since I went through a similar brand switch for reliability reasons. Im really happy with how the Z system handles now, it just works well and gives that peace of mind for client work... no complaints on my end. Since the big sites are overpriced for your budget, I found a few ways to save:
- Look at UsedPhotoPro Nikon Z6 II Mirrorless Body which is the used arm of Roberts Camera. They sometimes have better prices than the big three and their rating system is very fair.
- Check out the Fred Miranda buy and sell forums. The community there is super solid and you can usually find a deal closer to 1200 if you're quick.
- Factor in the media costs... maybe start with a Lexar Professional 128GB CFexpress Type B Card since those can get pricey and eat your remaining budget. Getting one for 1200 is a bit of a hunt but it'll definitely be worth it for the stability.
that freezing issue sounds brutal. i switched to nikon last year because i needed reliable data throughput and dual slots for my wedding work. i think i saw some used units on the b and h site recently for close to your price, but stock moves fast. not sure if they are still there though. iirc nikon does big sales occasionally that might drop prices soon.
