Im finally jumping from my trusty A7III because I need that better eye AF and 10-bit for a huge wedding in Seattle next month but man the prices are stubborn. I was sure there'd be a sale by now but I'm only seeing MSRP everywhere... anyone know where the real deals are hiding?
I'm really happy with the Sony Alpha 7 IV Mirrorless Camera 33MP deal I got through Greentoe.
- Bid below MSRP
- Tax-free often It works well since they bypass MAP pricing restrictions.
Over the years, I've tried many ways to skirt MSRP, but I learned my lesson the hard way. Years ago I bought a cheap import body right before a huge event to save a few hundred bucks, and the autofocus kept failing during key moments. Never again. For paid gigs, you need reliability. My quick tip is to skip the sketchy discount sites and check out KEH or MPB for "Like New" rated stock. I grabbed my backup Sony Alpha 7 IV Body from KEH recently. Got a solid warranty, saved around 400 dollars, and the performance has been flawless. It's the only safe way to get a discount when your reputation is on the line.
In my experience, the most reliable way to find a deal on the Sony Alpha 7 IV Body Only is to monitor the open-box listings at authorized retailers like B&H or Adorama. I have used this method many times over the years and their inspection process is usually very thorough. For a wedding, you really need that official warranty, so avoiding grey market sellers is the right call. To add to the point above: if you can access an EDU discount through a student or teacher, that is often the best way to bypass the stubborn MSRP. Sony is quite generous with their educational pricing and it can save you around $200-300 depending on the current promotion. Its basically the only way to get a brand new unit below list price without a headache. I would also look into the Sony Alpha 7 IV with 28-70mm Zoom Lens kit rather than just the body. Retailers sometimes have more flexibility on kit pricing, and you might find the total cost is nearly the same as the body alone. Since you are jumping into 10-bit video, just make sure you pick up a high-speed card like the Sony SF-G Series TOUGH UHS-II 64GB SDXC so you dont have any issues with the data rates during the ceremony... it would be a nightmare to have the buffer hang in the middle of the vows.
> the prices are stubborn. I was sure there'd be a sale by now In my experience, if you see a price thats way lower than MSRP on some random site, just run. I've tried many retailers over the years and those deals usually end up being grey market imports with no warranty. Theyll often try to upsell you on basic accessories. Stick to authorized dealers or open-box gear if you wanna save cash without a huge headache before that wedding.
Did this last week, worked perfectly
Honestly I'm in the exact same boat and its driving me crazy... I've been scouring the web for weeks and the prices are just stuck. I totally agree with Annotationsjvk about those sketchy sites tho. In my experience over the years, if a deal looks fake, it basically always is.
- I once tried a too good to be true deal on a random site and it was a total nightmare getting a refund.
- Tbh I'm just looking for a slightly beat up used one I can fix up myself since I do my own sensor cleaning and custom rig builds anyway and dont mind a few scratches.
Building on the earlier suggestion, have you considered checking for a bundle deal that includes a high-speed card? Since you are shooting a huge wedding, you definitely need reliable storage. I highly recommend picking up the Sony TOUGH-G series 128GB SDXC UHS-II Memory Card to pair with your new body. It makes clearing the buffer during rapid fire shots absolutely seamless!
- It is incredibly durable so you wont worry about losing those precious wedding files.
- The write speeds are fantastic for 10-bit video.
- Honestly, the peace of mind is worth every penny. Speaking of weddings, I just spent the entire morning researching the best ergonomic strap systems because my neck is killing me lately. I ended up ordering a leather harness from a local maker that looks like it belongs in a period drama, but it is actually super supportive. It is way better than the stock straps that dig into your shoulders after five minutes. Anyway, back to the gear hunt, hope you find that body soon!
Interested in this too
Bookmarked, thanks!
This ^
