Buying 5D Mark III from Amazon???

[cayenne]

Never bought camera gear through Amazon, but everthing else I've bought through them has been problem free.  I would suggest Crutchfield.  The cost is $3,499, but you get Crutchfield rewards which would be 5% of the toal ($174.95) to spend there later. The credit never expires and it is free to sign up for the rewards program. Additionally, if you know anything about Ebates, you can access Crutchfield through Ebates and get another 2.5% cash back ($87.48) for which they will mail you a check for that amount. I just bought a 5d Mk III kit from them and used this process with no problem. Crutchfield is also a highly reputable dealer.

I would second this.
I'm an amazon prime member too and buy about 99% of all my purchases through them....no tax to me where I live (yet)...
However, I bought my 5D3 with kit lens through crutchfield, plus the 85mm 1.8 lens...I signed up and got my sign up rewards points, plus at the time I found a code for the month of May, that crutchfield gave DOUBLE rewards points...so, in essence from that purchase, I have nearly $500 credit to spend on a new lens, which will likely be the 70-200 2.8L.

Also, I'd found that through amazon, that you might NOT get the current rebate on a lens with the special going on...amazon sold the 85mm lens I got from a 3rd party that was not honoring the double percentage off if you buy lens with camera...crutchfield did.

So by using the crutchfield rewards, plus a credit card (I paid that in full at EOM, so no financing charges)...I got $97 from credit care rewards and nearly $500 in crutchfield rewards.

I feel I got quit a bargain.

oh, and like amazon...on crutchfield, they have options for 12mo no interest financing....

Hope this helps,

cayenne

[tphillips63]

tphillips - can you tell me how you got the deal at 3299 ? was it a bundled deal with lenses ? also do they charge you taxes at Dell ? B&H doesn't...

I called in and asked about it and asked for their best price and they told me 3299 so I said ok lets get it on order.
This was the body only, it took about two weeks to arrive and showed not stock when I ordered it.  Dell charges tax in Texas for sure but I do not know of other locations.  B&H does not charge tax in Texas as of today.

[nonac]

Never bought camera gear through Amazon, but everthing else I've bought through them has been problem free.  I would suggest Crutchfield.  The cost is $3,499, but you get Crutchfield rewards which would be 5% of the toal ($174.95) to spend there later. The credit never expires and it is free to sign up for the rewards program. Additionally, if you know anything about Ebates, you can access Crutchfield through Ebates and get another 2.5% cash back ($87.48) for which they will mail you a check for that amount. I just bought a 5d Mk III kit from them and used this process with no problem. Crutchfield is also a highly reputable dealer.

I would second this.
I'm an amazon prime member too and buy about 99% of all my purchases through them....no tax to me where I live (yet)...
However, I bought my 5D3 with kit lens through crutchfield, plus the 85mm 1.8 lens...I signed up and got my sign up rewards points, plus at the time I found a code for the month of May, that crutchfield gave DOUBLE rewards points...so, in essence from that purchase, I have nearly $500 credit to spend on a new lens, which will likely be the 70-200 2.8L.

Also, I'd found that through amazon, that you might NOT get the current rebate on a lens with the special going on...amazon sold the 85mm lens I got from a 3rd party that was not honoring the double percentage off if you buy lens with camera...crutchfield did.

So by using the crutchfield rewards, plus a credit card (I paid that in full at EOM, so no financing charges)...I got $97 from credit care rewards and nearly $500 in crutchfield rewards.

I feel I got quit a bargain.

oh, and like amazon...on crutchfield, they have options for 12mo no interest financing....

Hope this helps,

cayenne

I forgot to mention that I also used my AMEX card, and like cayenne, paid it at EOM, which also gave me another 1% in rewards, plus it doubled the manufacturers waranty from 1 to 2 years.  Great deal Cayenne by finding the double Crutchfield rewards.  I wish I had found one of those!!

[gbchriste]

Go for it.  Bought several high value items there, including my 5D3. Just make sure it is being sold directly by Amazon and not by one of their associate retailers.  My only point of piss point is I paid Amazon $3499 for my 5D3 about a month ago

[canonian]

Looks like the $3399 price is gone and it's back up to the same price B&H is selling it for.  At least it gives me hope that the price will come down at least a little and maybe sooner than I thought.

Whether or not a retailer charges out-of-state taxes or not doesn't matter to me since in California we still have to pay a Sales/Use Tax for business expenses and since this would be for my business, well...

[infared]

Amazon is just fine to purchase from...especially if you are buying directly from Amazon and not a 3rd party thru Amazon. 
The 3rd party sellers are usually ok,too. The funny thing is the price of the 5D MARK III is currently $3539.99...which is ABOVE list price.

[thelebaron]

honestly you shouldnt worry too much about buying from 3rd parties through amazon(unless its used, then Id look at be more cautious), amazon handles the payment for these things so if you have a problem, you are dealing with amazon on your side

[infared]

honestly you shouldnt worry too much about buying from 3rd parties through amazon(unless its used, then Id look at be more cautious), amazon handles the payment for these things so if you have a problem, you are dealing with amazon on your side

I did have a problem buying from a third party there...and it was from an individual with a used item.

[lrf]

I bought the last "in stock" 5D3 $3399 Sat night.  I was curious if they would keep the discounted price so I watched it.  The discounted price stayed for a couple of days but the shipping times increased from immediate to 1-2 days to 2-3 weeks.  Perhaps once they get more in stock they will offer it for $3399 again.

My 5D3 should arrive tomorrow - can't wait