honestly im so over my old dslr its literally failing me every time I try to take a photo of my dog running around and the autofocus is just garbage honestly. I was at the park in Seattle last weekend and missed the perfect sunset shot because it kept hunting for focus and im just done with it. ready to jump ship to sony since everyone says the eye tracking is basically magic but man the prices are actually insane right now. I have about 1500 saved up and I really want to get my hands on an a7c ii or even just a decent a7 iv bundle before my trip to japan next month but every site I check is basically full msrp. i looked at b&h and adorama but the deals are just like a free sd card which is kinda insulting lol.
im trying to find if there are secret edu discounts or maybe a specific refurbished site that isnt sketchy? I checked second-hand marketplaces but people are selling used gear for like 50 bucks less than new which makes no sense to me.
- b&h (too expensive)
- adorama (meh)
- ebay (scary)
where are you guys actually finding the real discounts for sony mirrorless stuff lately?
Like someone mentioned, Sony Direct is okay, but check Greentoe. In my experience, I've used it to dodge MSRP for years by bidding. I've tested both of these:
- Sony Alpha 7C 24.2MP Digital Camera: I found the Bionz X processor struggled with erratic dog movement.
- Sony Alpha 6700 26.0MP Digital Camera: The dedicated AI processing unit was a total game changer for tracking accuracy. The 6700 sensor is smaller, but the AF logic is on another level.
If you want a real discount without getting scammed, check out the official Sony Direct refurbished store. It is basically their outlet for certified gear and the quality is usually top-notch. I grabbed a lens there last year and it looked brand new. For your 1500 budget tho, an Sony Alpha 7C II with 33MP Sensor might still be a stretch even refurbished, but they occasionally drop deals that get close. Also, dont sleep on Greentoe. You basically name your price and authorized dealers can accept it. It is how I got my Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera way below MSRP. Since they are authorized dealers, you still get the full warranty, which is huge for a trip to Japan. Since you mentioned EDU discounts, B&H actually has a legit student program called B&H EDU Advantage. You just need a .edu email or to verify through SheerID. The prices on the Sony Alpha 7 IV Body Only can sometimes drop by a few hundred bucks once you log in to the EDU portal. It is way better than the free SD card crap they show on the main site. Honestly, used prices are high right now because the demand is wild. If you are going to Japan, you could check out Map Camera in Shinjuku. Their used stock is insane, but keep in mind the menus on domestic Sony cameras in Japan are often locked to Japanese only. Probably safer to buy here before you go so you can practice tracking your dog first... that eye AF is definitely gonna feel like magic compared to an old DSLR.
Following this thread
Regarding what #1 said about "If you want a real discount without getting scammed," honestly the stock levels lately have been pretty disappointing. Every time I check for a deal, its sold out. It kinda reminds me of trying to find a table at that one ramen place in Seattle during peak hours. I waited two hours in the cold and they ran out of food tbh... sorry kinda went off topic there.
