topic Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

MadanBhai — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 09:34:47 GMT

Hi, everyone. My girlfriend loves photography, she used to have a DSLr camera but had to sell it a few years back for some extra money. Shes not professional by any means, but loves to shoot nature, couple photos. Im wanting to get her a camera for her birthday. My budget is $1000 max, I know nothing about cameras and im wondering what is the best bang for your buck.

Best Buy currently has the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens Kit on sale for $800 is this a good deal for this camera? does it perform well?

Thanks

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

Waddizzle — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 10:17:55 GMT

I have had bad experiences with the Best Buy stores in my area. Poor inventory control. Order direct from Canon.

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/eos-rebel-t7i-ef-s-18-55-is-stm-kit-refurbished

The item will not remain in stock for very long at that price.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 13:24:59 GMT

"Best Buy currently has the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens Kit on sale for $800 ..."

Excellent choice for a woman especially if she is on the smallish size. If you like your local Best Buy, I like mine they are great, I say take her there and see if she likes the SL3. That's the cool thing about buying local, you can touch and feel the camera before you lay down a grand. A big plus worth paying a bit more for. Spend the left over on a nice camera bag. That's all, at this point do not buy any additional gadgets besides perhaps additional SD card. Wait until she gets the hang and or bug before you accessorize!

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 13:26:08 GMT

"The item will not remain in stock for very long at that price."

The price is important but not the most important thing.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

RobertTheFat — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:00:58 GMT

@MadanBhai wrote:
Hi, everyone. My girlfriend loves photography, she used to have a DSLr camera but had to sell it a few years back for some extra money. Shes not professional by any means, but loves to shoot nature, couple photos. Im wanting to get her a camera for her birthday. My budget is $1000 max, I know nothing about cameras and im wondering what is the best bang for your buck.
Best Buy currently has the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens Kit on sale for $800 is this a good deal for this camera? does it perform well?
Thanks

If you're a photographer too, be sure to get her a camera that's compatible with your own equipment, Even if it costs you a little more, you'll probably save money in the long run.

Shortly after I got married, my wife's old Sears-Roebuck film camera bit the dust, so I asked her what she wanted to replace it. Her immediate (and very sensible) answer: "One that can use your lenses."

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:18:15 GMT

"...I asked her what she wanted to replace it. Her immediate (and very sensible) answer: "One that can use your lenses." "

I have fallen for that trap. Only it was with the kids and grandkids not Miss Elizabeth. It can be good and it can be not so good!

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

RobertTheFat — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:30:01 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"...I asked her what she wanted to replace it. Her immediate (and very sensible) answer: "One that can use your lenses." "

I have fallen for that trap. Only it was with the kids and grandkids not Miss Elizabeth. It can be good and it can be not so good!

You're overlooking an important point here, Ernie. If one's wife becomes a serious photographer, she's unlikely to question expenditures one makes for new equipment.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

shadowsports — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:34:54 GMT

I purchased my T6s with 3 lenses at BB years back. Was fine.

There was no doubt the camera (and lenses) were new, and never opened.

Now however, I only purchased directly from Canon or B&H.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:44:25 GMT

"...she's unlikely to question expenditures one makes for new equipment."

Perhaps Robert, however, knowing Miss Elizabeth for over 53 years now I am going to doubt it. My strategy was always buy something that looked like something I already had. Not that I ever did such a thing!

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:51:34 GMT

"... I only purchased directly from Canon or B&H."

I love B&H and Adorama. Good relationship with Henry at B&H and Helen at Adorama. Both top notch people and stores.

But buying local has its benefits and rewards too. People go the the big NYC stores for one of two reasons. First price and second they have everything. Local outlets can't compete in those two areas usually. Hopefully your local outlet offers service and hands on which is hard to put a price on but well worth something.

A lens, for instance, at my local camera shop or even BB may be $50 bucks more tha NYC but I get to feel it. I get it instantly, right now. Sometimes that is worth it to me.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

Waddizzle — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 15:59:09 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"... I only purchased directly from Canon or B&H."

I love B&H and Adorama. Good relationship with Henry at B&H and Helen at Adorama. Both top notch people and stores.

But buying local has its benefits and rewards too. People go the the big NYC stores for one of two reasons. First price and second they have everything. Local outlets can't compete in those two areas usually. Hopefully your local outlet offers service and hands on which is hard to put a price on but well worth something.

A lens, for instance, at my local camera shop or even BB may be $50 bucks more tha NYC but I get to feel it. I get it instantly, right now. Sometimes that is worth it to me.

Buying locally can also have its' downside, too. After dropping several hundred on a new lens, I could not register it online with Canon because the local shop was not a factory authorized dealer. Canon told me as much.

BTW, if a local shop is selling stuff at a higher price than the NYC superstores, then that should be a red flag that they might not be a factory authorized dealer. All dealers are supposed to all Canon gear at the same price.

BB should always be offering Canon products at the same price as Canon does online. If not, then someone is not doing their job to check prices, and such.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:33:18 GMT

" I could not register it online with Canon because the local shop was not a factory authorized dealer."

Perhaps you should become a more informed shopper if you didn't know whether the store was a real dealer or not. Local stores rarely have the best prices on camera gear, since most of what they sell is “MSRP". You probably do not shop locally very often. What a shame, too, as some local dealers do offer good service. You might want to know Best Buy is not the only local camera store. And, Canon is not the only photography gear that local stores sell. Local shops often have used gear for sale, too.

"... if a local shop is selling stuff at a higher price than the NYC superstores, then that should be a red flag ..."

Authorized Canon dealers cannot (under most circumstances) advertise a price below the minimum advertised price. This doesn’t stop dealers from having their pricing or deals and specials, it just prevents them from advertizing about it.

"...then someone is not doing their job ..."

This you are correct, sir. Get out more locally, you might like it and your community will love it.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

Waddizzle — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:32:48 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
" I could not register it online with Canon because the local shop was not a factory authorized dealer."

Perhaps you should become a more informed shopper if you didn't know whether the store was a real dealer or not. Local stores rarely have the best prices on camera gear, since most of what they sell is “MSRP". You probably do not shop locally very often. What a shame, too, as some local dealers do offer good service. You might want to know Best Buy is not the only local camera store. And, Canon is not the only photography gear that local stores sell. Local shops often have used gear for sale, too.

"... if a local shop is selling stuff at a higher price than the NYC superstores, then that should be a red flag ..."

Authorized Canon dealers cannot (under most circumstances) advertise a price below the minimum advertised price. This doesn’t stop dealers from having their pricing or deals and specials, it just prevents them from advertizing about it.

"...then someone is not doing their job ..."

This you are correct, sir. Get out more locally, you might like it and your community will love it.

They had Canon and Nikon window decals. I was just getting back into photography. So yeah, I didn't know what I was looking at. The decal did not say authorized dealer. All they said were Canon, Nikon, and a couple of others. They have since gone out of business.

They earned a bad reputation. I suspect that they may have been formerly authorized dealers. I think Canon told me that on the phone.

I am not talking about advertising prices. You walk into a store, and the item has a pricing sign next it. As far as special bundles go, I think Canon may have some say in that, too. You're not going to see any bundles with bags and memory cards at B&H on the R5 and R6 until Canon gives a green light.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 00:59:20 GMT

Because you had a bad experience at one local shop doesn’t indict all of them. B&H does offer packages just not on the scale of Amazon and all it’s junk.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

Waddizzle — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 02:38:00 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
Because you had a bad experience at one local shop doesn’t indict all of them. B&H does offer packages just not on the scale of Amazon and all it’s junk.

I did not condemn all local shops, nor did I say B&H does not create bundles. I actually said the opposite.

I simply warned about checking to make sure your local store is factory authorized before you buy big ticket items. A Canon sign in the window does not mean anything, except that they have a Canon sign in the front window.

And, you will not see the R5 or R6 offered af B&H in a special bundle they put together for a few months. Any bundles you might see at B&H for the R5 or R6 will be identical to what Canon USA is offering on their web site for a few months.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 15:18:19 GMT

"I did not condemn all local shops, nor did I say B&H does not create bundles. "

You implied as much.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

Waddizzle — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 15:34:41 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"I did not condemn all local shops, nor did I say B&H does not create bundles. "

You implied as much.

"Buying locally can also have its' downside, too."

That is a pretty weak statement to be considered a condemnation of local photo shops. It is clearly a warning.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 17:04:32 GMT

Along with, "... I only purchased directly from Canon or B&H."

The implication is clear. You are saying the only place you trust is Canon web store or B&H which is fine. There isn't anything wrong with that. However, there are other fine retailers. Not at all like the single local one you experienced. It is also good, if that store is still in business, you warn others of the fact.

My main most thing was to offer the advantage of buying local not just because of any convenience but because it is local. You are supporting your local economy. I try to use small shops a much as I can.

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

Waddizzle — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 17:42:56 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
Along with, "... I only purchased directly from Canon or B&H."

The implication is clear. You are saying the only place you trust is Canon web store or B&H which is fine. .

Where did you find that quote? It is totally out of context. This is what I actually wrote.

"Buying locally can also have its' downside, too. After dropping several hundred on a new lens, I could not register it online with Canon because the local shop was not a factory authorized dealer. Canon told me as much.

BB should always be offering Canon products at the same price as Canon does online. If not, then someone is not doing their job to check prices, and such."

Re: Looking for some advice on a Canon camera?

ebiggs1 — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 17:52:40 GMT

The posts are where people can see them. They can decide.