# Is there a better time to buy a 5D mkIII?



## SecundumArtemRx (Jun 17, 2013)

Hello Canonistas,

I've tracked the 5D mkIII price for a little while and am wondering when I should pull the trigger.

I know Canon's MAP pricing complicates matters, but wonder if the price is going to drop a little bit after the June 22nd rebate period expires. My thought process is: if Canon has $200 off the body and enforces the strict $3299 pricing - is there a chance B&H or the other big companies will be able to push this price lower, after the Canon rebates end? Just trying to snag a good deal, wondering if history has been any indicator in the past.

I'll be upgrading from a 60D, photography is my hobby, and wondered what some of the seasoned forum posters thought about buying now, after 22nd, or buying in the fall?

Happy Monday and thanks for your thoughts!


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## awinphoto (Jun 17, 2013)

Yes there is, a matter of fact... about 2-3 months BEFORE canon releases the 5d mark 4, you should see a big sell off.. THAT is the better time ;D ;D ;D


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## PhotographAdventure (Jun 17, 2013)

There were some better deals this past November thru January. If you want to save, buy it sometime in November/December. You may only save a few hundred though.


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## neuroanatomist (Jun 17, 2013)

They'll be _really_ cheap after the 5D Mark V is released. Wait until then...


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## awinphoto (Jun 17, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> They'll be _really_ cheap after the 5D Mark V is released. Wait until then...



Why didn't I think of that... Listen to neuro...


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## mycanonphotos (Jun 17, 2013)

Dude...I thought I would never be able to buy it.. Then Adorama had a fire sale just before the 6D was announced... I paid 2649 for it ...new body...lots of happy people I think the sale stopped at 800 or 900?
There will be another sale somewhere....


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## mwh1964 (Jun 17, 2013)

Just buy it and be happy.


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## Wildfire (Jun 17, 2013)

You can buy it with the 24-105L kit lens and sell the lens for ~$800 to get a slightly better deal.


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## neuroanatomist (Jun 17, 2013)

Wildfire said:


> You can buy it with the 24-105L kit lens and sell the lens for ~$800 to get a slightly better deal.



That is good advice. If this was last year. But buying the 24-105L as part of the 6D kit today adds only $500 to the price of the body...so it's pretty darn hard to sell one for $800 these days...


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## Wildfire (Jun 17, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> Wildfire said:
> 
> 
> > You can buy it with the 24-105L kit lens and sell the lens for ~$800 to get a slightly better deal.
> ...



Depends on where you live.

In my city (Las Cruces, NM) there are no stores that sell L lenses or full frame bodies. When one goes up on craigslist, it gets snatched up pretty quickly even if the ebay prices are cheaper.


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## jdramirez (Jun 17, 2013)

I have an opinion, but I'm not sure what it is yet. I think one thing and then immediately have a counter point. weird.


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## bseitz234 (Jun 17, 2013)

Wait for the refurb store to have a 20% off sale. This last round excluded the 5d3, but they sometimes include it. Then the body is only 2200something...


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## jdramirez (Jun 18, 2013)

bseitz234 said:


> Wait for the refurb store to have a 20% off sale. This last round excluded the 5d3, but they sometimes include it. Then the body is only 2200something...



they do charge tax... so that could be a deal breaker. but the condition is usually like new and very few people complain about the condition.


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## RLPhoto (Jun 18, 2013)

I paid 2499$ for one of my MK3's. Brand new in box, USA warranty.. All via BigValueInc on evil bay. Just wait until December for the deals.


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## SPG (Jun 18, 2013)

Now. 

I waited and debated when the best time would be and held off and made do with my other camera and in the end when I finally pulled the trigger I kicked myself for not buying it sooner. Not because of the price, but because it's such a wonderful camera that I would have been happier having it sooner. 
These aren't stocks we're buying, but tools (or toys) that we can put to good use right now.


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## Rienzphotoz (Jun 18, 2013)

SecundumArtemRx said:


> Just trying to snag a good deal, wondering if history has been any indicator in the past.
> 
> what some of the forum posters thought about buying now, after 22nd, or buying in the fall?


Going by recent history and if I recollect correctly, the next set of "deals" are usually due in Christmas ... oh, almost forgot, don't the Americans have something called the Black Friday after the Thanks Giving Day? I've seen some awesome deals during that time ... maybe you can snag a really good deal ... either way you'll have to keep on eye on those sales constantly ... CR is a good place to keep checking for deals, just yesterday one member posted an Adorama deal for EF 28mm f/2.8 IS for US$399 (via eBay) ... but I find it annoying to wait for something I like/want, so I usually buy it the moment I can spare some money and sometimes regret later and sell it off ... since we don't have the concept of renting camera gear in this country, I look at all my camera gear regrets as rentals ;D


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## brad-man (Jun 18, 2013)

RLPhoto said:


> I paid 2499$ for one of my MK3's. Brand new in box, USA warranty.. All via BigValueInc on evil bay. Just wait until December for the deals.





Rienzphotoz said:


> SecundumArtemRx said:
> 
> 
> > Just trying to snag a good deal, wondering if history has been any indicator in the past.
> ...



+1 

December/January (for the last couple of years) has proven to be the time of Great Savings. In the shops that _usually_ have the best deals, rebates don't seem to have an effect on pricing. Even now, _GetItDigital_ on ebay are selling the mklll for $2950 (USA warranty). With the end of "wedding season" coming, prices will likely only go down till the end of the year. And who knows, by the end of the year, perhaps people will be pre-ordering their 7D mklls and stealing some of the mklll's thunder


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## Harry Muff (Jun 18, 2013)

About a week ago for me… ;D


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## M.ST (Jun 18, 2013)

Hint: Better wait what is coming in 2013 or the first half of 2014.


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## SecundumArtemRx (Jun 18, 2013)

brad-man said:


> RLPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > I paid 2499$ for one of my MK3's. Brand new in box, USA warranty.. All via BigValueInc on evil bay. Just wait until December for the deals.
> ...


Ha. Knew it wasn't all that simple. I guess you're right and ill keep waiting for a couple months longer. My 60D is still decent enough for the amateurish stuff I take... But who knows when that 7D MkII or 3D will get announced, based on today's rumors! (Please say soon! *evil laugh*)

Thanks for all the tips everyone!


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## Enthusiast (Jun 18, 2013)

There was a better time: Last Year as I did. this camera is worth the money you spend. That´s the important thing in my opinion.
Ok it´s cheaper now and it may will get a bit cheaper in future or not but what about the decent photo you are not making in between? 
I was coming from 40D and many people liked my pics but to work with fullframe is a different level and you will see it in your pics. 
To be honest, it´s so much fun that my trigger count doubled last year after switching to the 5DM3... And it was even high before.


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## Hobby Shooter (Jun 18, 2013)

SPG said:


> Now.
> 
> I waited and debated when the best time would be and held off and made do with my other camera and in the end when I finally pulled the trigger I kicked myself for not buying it sooner. Not because of the price, but because it's such a wonderful camera that I would have been happier having it sooner.
> These aren't stocks we're buying, but tools (or toys) that we can put to good use right now.


I agree, just go buy it. What's the point of getting it a couple of hundred dollars cheaper if you have to wait for it for several months? I got mine a couple of months after launch at a very high price compared to today and I am very happy now around 8000 pictures later.


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## Harry Muff (Jun 18, 2013)

You can wait and save money, but the reason you've saved that money is that you're ever closer to the next model coming out and devaluing your pride and joy.


At which point it all starts again... 8)


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## jdramirez (Jun 18, 2013)

RLPhoto said:


> I paid 2499$ for one of my MK3's. Brand new in box, USA warranty.. All via BigValueInc on evil bay. Just wait until December for the deals.



have you tried to use your warranty.. that is the question.


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## RLPhoto (Jun 18, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> RLPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > I paid 2499$ for one of my MK3's. Brand new in box, USA warranty.. All via BigValueInc on evil bay. Just wait until December for the deals.
> ...



Yep. CPS checked out everything and said there was no reason a canon patron would not receive the warranty service. Plus I got it at such a good price, the possibility of damage would only bring the total cost to retail anyway.


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## sdsr (Jun 18, 2013)

No matter when you buy it, and at what price, it will at some point be cheaper later. If you're considering waiting six months to save $400 (say), ask yourself whether being able to use the camera for the next six months is worth $400. If it isn't, how much do you really want it? Oh, and are you really sure that the 6D, at half the price, isn't good enough for your purposes?


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## tiger82 (Jun 18, 2013)

When the 5D Mark IV comes out?


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## emag (Jun 18, 2013)

FWIW - I stopped into my local Best Buy for some other items and was looking at the cameras. The young lady in that department didn't even try to make a sale, she simply told me to wait for some expected sale pricing around the July 4th holiday. I guess we'll see.


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## tiger82 (Jun 18, 2013)

She just wants to see you again


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## RGF (Jun 18, 2013)

how much it is worth to you have the camera the lowest price versus have the camera now? Best time to buy is when you want it


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## tiger82 (Jun 18, 2013)

Actually, the best time is when you need it.


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## Niki (Jun 18, 2013)

can you wait till December?...I would buy now...and if something comes out later..you can sell the camera easy
I have this camera..I think it's great!


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## Dylan777 (Jun 18, 2013)

If you can wait, X-mas seems to be the best time to buy through authourized dealers(BH or Adorama etc). 

I'm not a big fan of waiting, so I buy it when I need it.


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## serendipidy (Jun 18, 2013)

tiger82 said:


> She just wants to see you again



LOL.. ;D ;D ;D


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## AudioGlenn (Jun 19, 2013)

tiger82 said:


> When the 5D Mark IV comes out?



+1


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## tron (Jun 19, 2013)

Short answer: NO
Long answer: NO! You can search ebay for offers. But do not delay the ... inevitable.
As many forum members said: You will miss many pictures!

I was sorry I delayed buying a digital SLR (I was thinking in 2006 and finally bought it in 2008!)


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## jdramirez (Jun 19, 2013)

emag said:


> FWIW - I stopped into my local Best Buy for some other items and was looking at the cameras. The young lady in that department didn't even try to make a sale, she simply told me to wait for some expected sale pricing around the July 4th holiday. I guess we'll see.



I worked retail for a while and cameras didn't really benefit from seasonal sales. where I worked, we didn't have much margin in the cameras... which was annoying.


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## Powder Portraits (Jun 19, 2013)

Seems like this is a good deal EOS 5D Mark III Body Refurbished 
You Pay: $2,799.21


In Stock now http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras/eos-5d-mark-iii-body-refurbished
I pay the bills with refurbished canon products.


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## pedro (Jun 19, 2013)

awinphoto said:


> Yes there is, a matter of fact... about 2-3 months BEFORE canon releases the 5d mark 4, you should see a big sell off.. THAT is the better time ;D ;D ;D



+1 Bought it last August, brick and mortar store, 3.5k, no regrets


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## bseitz234 (Jun 19, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> bseitz234 said:
> 
> 
> > Wait for the refurb store to have a 20% off sale. This last round excluded the 5d3, but they sometimes include it. Then the body is only 2200something...
> ...



I love living in NH... no sales tax. ;D


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## iaind (Jun 21, 2013)

tiger82 said:


> Actually, the best time is when you need it.



and can afford it


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## jdramirez (Jun 21, 2013)

there was a deal at Rakuten a month or two back where you could get the mkiii and a lens, 24-105, for 3700 and then you get 600 back in points that you could use for nearly anything. 

well i decided against it and I'm glad i did. taken has since been riddled with credit card fraud of their customers. so the moral of the story is make sure you trust where you buy from.

I got mine from Amazon and they were freaking great.


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