Honestly I am so fed up with my old Canon gear it keeps overheating and missing focus at the worst times so I am 100% ready to jump ship to Sony. My logic was that since the A7IV has been out for a while now there would be some decent bundles or at least a price drop below MSRP but man these big retailers like Adorama and B&H are all stuck at the same price and I just cant justify that right now with my $2100 budget.
I was thinking maybe there are some student discounts or specific credit card deals I dont know about? I looked at Greentoe but I am a little nervous about how that works with the Sony warranty and stuff. Then I checked eBay and everything is either a gray market import with no US warranty or it looks like a total scam. I really need this body before a wedding shoot I have in mid-August so I am kinda panicking because I need time to learn the new menus.
Is there a specific day of the week or a refurbished site that actually gets reliable stock? Sony Direct is always sold out of the good units whenever I check. Maybe there is a local shop in the Chicago area that does better deals than the big chains or has some open box stuff that isnt trashed...
I would suggest being careful with gray market sellers. In my experience, utilizing a student discount for my Sony Alpha 7 IV 33MP Mirrorless was the safest route for my budget.
Building on the earlier suggestion, I definitely think authorized open-box is the way to go if you want to stay safe. I was incredibly satisfied when I picked up my Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera Body as an open-box item from a reputable shop. It felt brand new and I still got the full Sony manufacturer warranty which is huge for peace of mind. Since youre in Chicago, honestly stop by Central Camera Company downtown. They are legendary and sometimes have used or open-box gear that doesnt always show up on their website. I always prefer seeing the sensor in person before dropping two grand anyway. Another solid option is checking the Used section at B&H for Grade 9 or 10 stuff... it usually fits your budget and they are super conservative with their ratings. Much safer than gambling on eBay right before a big wedding. It worked well for me and saved a few hundred bucks too.
Exactly what I was thinking
@Reply #4 - good point! Honestly I totally agree with you guys. Switching systems is such a rush, like that feeling when you first unbox a piece of gear and it actually works exactly how you wanted it to. It reminds me of this one time my cousin tried to switch from his old clunky DSLR to a mirrorless setup right before a destination wedding in Italy. He was so stressed out, practicing menus on the plane, and then he accidentally dropped his entire lens bag into a fountain while trying to get a selfie in Rome. The whole thing turned into a massive ordeal with security guards and soggy equipment, he ended up shooting the entire wedding with a disposable camera he bought from a kiosk! It was honestly the most chaotic thing I have ever witnessed, but the photos ended up looking kinda vintage and cool so I guess it worked out in the end? Anyway, good luck with the hunt, the transition is gonna be amazing once you get it all sorted out!
100% agree