The 5Dmk3 thing? or second hand 5Dmk2?

[Steve U]

We missed out on a 5D3 at this stage. People who claim they are in the know state the a 1DsMK4 is more likely to come before the 5D3 anyway. But even if it did, the earliest announcement now would be August and then there will be a production lag time and then the little wrinkles that have to be ironed out in the first six months with firmware fixes and so on. So we could be looking at least until this timeor later next year for a 5D3, conservatively. Perhaps.


With all that in mind I would like opinions on the purchasing of a 5DMK2 please. I know a lot of members of this site have bought lenses second hand on ebay and so on. What are your thoughts on buying a 5D second hand? In Australia at the moment most second hand 5D's are going for about $200 or $300 less than a "grey" import. That means about the $2000 point. Is it worth the risk to buy a camera that retails in a bricks and mortar store for about $2700 here second hand for that kind of saving?


I am a very inexperienced at the whole ebay thing and have doubts about my bargain hunting ability. Over here they did not pass on the Canon incentives of a month ago because our market is just so small. I am feeling I would be happy to pick up a good 5D2 second hand but am reluctant because of the potential 5D3 upgrade to buy a brand spanking new5DMK2 at the moment. My local camera store guy wants me to buy a 5D2 off him and says the 5D3 over here will come in at least $3750 and more like mid next year.


So any thoughts of new versus second hand camera bodies would be appreciated.


Steve

[PaulM]

I by most gear second hand since I haven

[Steve U]

Thanks Paul, I

[neuroanatomist]

I can't speak for your local market, but in general I personally am uncomfortable buying used gear sight-unseen. I have bought used lenses from Craigslist, face-to-face where I could test out the lens before handing over my money. Locally, used 5DIIs seem to list for ~US$2K (which is about 20% off online retail pricing).


I would certainly suggest not waiting for the 5DIII. The 5DII does have a couple of shortcomings, but overall it's an excellent camera, especially for landscape/portrait use.


If you do decide to buy, new or used, you can always re-sell when the 5DIII eventually comes out. I don't know that I'd believe what your local dealer said about timing or price (which is anybody's guess at this point), but regardless, the 5DII will likely retain a fair bit of value. If the 5DIII does come in significantly more expensive, that might make a sale of a 5DII easier (but would obviously require more cash on hand for the upgrade difference!).


Either way, good luck!

[ddt0725]

Hi Steve -


I have been debating the same question myself for a few weeks now & have decided ALL of my gear will be purchased used from now on! After I have seen what people have gotten from me used and what I have lost on the sales after you figure in paypal fees and mailing charges, most have walked away with items better then what I hear some people get brand new!


I am currently negotiating on a used lens from two different people right now & even if I end up having to send the lens in for any type of work ...I

[HDNitehawk]

Steve


A 20% savings on $2700 is a lot of savings if the 5D you get has no problems.


But its nothing if the thing breaks and you have to send it in for service.


Of the 2 5D

[Chris White]

Steve,


I tend to be a buy new kind of guy; like Rick, I like the peace of mind of the warranty. Having said that, if I were to buy used, it would be a face-to-face transaction as opposed to an online sale, with the exception of a TDP member, any of the long time members I would feel comfortable with. I think the grey market is a good alternative. Another suggestion I have not seen mentioned yet -- factory refurbished. The Adorama stock is currently low, but that means they are getting closer to a restock. You need to watch the pricing sometimes, especially when rebates are in effect. I have purchased refurbished from them and I have been happy with it. I had one problem at ten or eleven months, and they stood behind it no problem.


On the <span style="text-decoration: line-through;"]UNICORN 5DIII, all I can say is I am happy I got my 5DII last year instead of waiting. []


Chris

[MattG]

I have to agree with the uneasy feeleing of buying somehting like that without seeing and testing it frst. I have bought many things from ebay and been very happy (grips, batteries, lighting equip, ets) but nothign as serious as a camera body. Used is a great option but only if you can test it first IMO.