So I finally hit my savings goal for the Canon R6 and I am literally shaking with excitement right now lol. I have been shooting on my old Rebel T7 for like four years and it is definitely time to go full-frame especially since I just landed a gig second shooting a wedding next month. I need to get this ordered like... yesterday. I have been refreshing the Canon refurbished page like every hour because I heard they have killer deals but it has been out of stock for weeks now and I am starting to panic a little.
I have been looking at a few different spots online but I am getting mixed signals:
- eBay has a bunch for like $1500 but the sellers have zero feedback and it feels like a total scam
- Some people say to check Digicircle for used gear but I cant tell if they are legit or if I am just gonna get a brick in the mail
My budget is super tight at $1800 max for the body and I really want to find a place that is actually reliable and wont take three weeks to ship since I am in the Northeast and need it for that wedding soon. I checked Adorama and B&H but their prices are still kinda high for a brand new one and I am trying to stretch my dollars. Where are you guys finding the actual steals right now...
I've been using the Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless Camera Body 20.1MP for about a year now and I'm super satisfied with the results. Tbh, skip those sketchy eBay listings. I usually go to MPB or KEH because they actually inspect the gear and provide a real warranty. For your $1800 budget you can easily snag a body in Excellent condition right now. The technical jump from a T7 is massive. You're going from 9 AF points to the Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system with 1,053 zones. It works well in dim reception halls because the sensor handles high ISO like a champ. I've had no complaints with the 5-axis IBIS either... it really helps when you're shooting handheld during a long ceremony. If you buy from a reputable used dealer today, they usually ship to the Northeast in like 3 days. Much safer than waiting on a restock.
Regarding what #1 said about the Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless being solid, I totally agree on avoiding those sketchy eBay listings. Unfortunately, the Canon refurbished site has been a massive letdown lately... they rarely restock the good stuff and when they do, it is gone in seconds. I have had issues with their shipping speeds too, which you definitely dont want with a wedding coming up. If you are stuck at $1800, here is how the options actually stack up:
- Canon EOS R8 Body: It has the better sensor and autofocus from the Mark II, but honestly the build quality is disappointing. No IBIS and the battery life is tiny. Not great for a long wedding day.
- Canon EOS R6 Body: Still the best mid-range workhorse. Getting dual card slots is non-negotiable for weddings imo.
- Canon EOS R7 Body: Its a crop sensor but fits your budget new. Cons are the low-light performance wont match the R6 for receptions. Seriously, just buy used from a reputable dealer now. Waiting for a phantom restock is a gamble you are gonna lose.
Regarding what #2 said about the Canon refurbished site being such a letdown lately... yeah I totally feel that. I remember trying to grab a setup for a trip last summer and I spent hours refreshing just to have it sell out while it was literally in my cart. It was super frustrating and honestly kinda killed my mood for a while. I actually had a pretty bad experience with one of those big rental houses that sells off their old stock too. The gear looked like it had been through a war zone and the shipping took forever. Total bummer when you are on a deadline like you are with that wedding coming up soon. Tbh if you can find a way to make the budget work I would just stick with Canon. You really cant go wrong with anything from them because the way the skin tones look just saves so much time in post. Even when the price is a bit higher than you want it usually pays off because you arent fighting the files later. Just keep checking authorized dealers... sometimes they have specials if you actually call them and ask.
