Im finally biting the bullet and trying to upgrade my ancient DSLR before I head to Iceland in late September. The landscapes there are just way too good to miss out on and my current kit is honestly just not cutting it for low light stuff. My budget is around 1500 bucks, maybe a little more if I can find a really solid bundle, but everything feels so overpriced right now.
I have been spending way too much time obsessing over listings on eBay and B&H. I saw that some people swear by the Canon Refurbished site when they have those extra sales, but then other people on a different sub were saying that the stock is super unreliable and you might be waiting months for the model you actually want. That really worries me since I need this thing ready to go by mid-September. I also checked out some of those big box electronics stores but the prices are just MSRP and I really need to save a bit of cash for extra batteries and lenses.
Is there some secret site everyone is gatekeeping or are the refurbished sales really the only way to get a deal without risking a total scam? Ive seen some crazy low prices on sketchy looking sites that dont even have a real address listed, and obviously I am not touching those with a ten foot pole, but it is super confusing trying to figure out what is legit and what is just a grey market trap. Like, is it actually worth waiting for a specific holiday sale or should I just give up on finding a deal and pay full price now so I dont get stressed out right before the flight? If anyone has had a good experience getting a decent price on a body recently I am all ears because I am seriously losing my mind looking at these price trackers.
Check out the used department at MPB or KEH. They rate everything honestly and provide a warranty. For low light, the Canon EOS R8 24.2MP Full-Frame Mirrorless is basically unbeatable.
> check out the used department at MPB or KEH. To add to the point above: totally agree with them. I grabbed a Canon EOS R6 20.1MP Full-Frame Mirrorless from those guys and it works perfectly for aurora shots. Since you need it for Iceland, definitely pick up a few extra Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery packs. Cold weather kills them fast, so having those spares keeps me super happy while hiking.
Honestly, skip the sketchy sites. If you see a deal that looks too good to be true, it is. Definitely stay away from grey market stuff because Canon might refuse to service it if something breaks, which would be a disaster for your Iceland trip. I have used the official Canon refurbished store plenty of times and the gear always comes looking brand new with a full factory warranty. If you are worried about stock levels, just check daily. Here is what I would suggest for your budget:
- Keep an eye out for the Canon EOS R7 32.5MP APS-C Mirrorless because the autofocus and low-light performance are leagues ahead of older DSLRs.
- Check B&H regularly for their open-box deals. They are super reliable and you can save a decent chunk of change compared to MSRP. Whatever you do, make sure to grab an extra Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery 2130mAh before you leave. Iceland cold kills batteries fast and you dont want to be caught without power when the aurora hits. If you do not see what you want on the refurb site by early August, just pull the trigger on a new kit from a reputable retailer. You do not want to be stuck waiting for a delivery while your flight is boarding. Better to have the gear in hand and practice with it for a few weeks than to stress over saving fifty bucks.