Good Deal for Used Canon 7D?

[Glennard]

A friend of mine knows that I've been looking for a new camera and his friend is selling his for $700 for body only with 3K shutter count with 1 battery and charger. $820 for the body, battery grip, 4 batteries, 2 chargers, and memory card. The Owner had it for 2 years.

I'm thinking of purchasing it although I really want the Canon 6D coz of low light performance.

What do you guys think or what would you do?

 

[Random Orbits]

Sounds like a very good deal. Use it while you save up funds for the 6D. You won't lose much selling it in the future and you might even make a slight profit even you end up keeping most of the batteries for your next camera.

The missing piece of information is what you currently have/use. If the 7D is a step up in the way you would use it, then it looks like a no brainer. A camera upgrade for minimal cost if you decide to upgrade to the 6D in the next year or so. Really the risk is that you like the 7D's AF and then decide to upgrade to the 5DIII. ;D

 

[sunnyVan]

A friend of mine knows that I've been looking for a new camera and his friend is selling his for $700 for body only with 3K shutter count with 1 battery and charger. $820 for the body, battery grip, 4 batteries, 2 chargers, and memory card. The Owner had it for 2 years.

I'm thinking of purchasing it although I really want the Canon 6D coz of low light performance.

What do you guys think or what would you do?

What do you shoot with now?

It depends on what you like to shoot also. If you like to shoot action, the 7D is wonderful. I think your friend's deal is reasonable. Actually not bad at all. Let me know if you pass on this deal.

I have the 6D. It's perfect for me because I don't shoot sports at all. It has incredible low light capability. I upgraded to full frame in order to fully appreciate my 24-105L and 17-40L. I also love the fact that my 50 1.4 is finally behaving like a normal lens and not a telephoto lens.

 

[sunnyVan]

Sounds like a very good deal. Use it while you save up funds for the 6D. You won't lose much selling it in the future and you might even make a slight profit even you end up keeping most of the batteries for your next camera.

The missing piece of information is what you currently have/use. If the 7D is a step up in the way you would use it, then it looks like a no brainer. A camera upgrade for minimal cost if you decide to upgrade to the 6D in the next year or so. Really the risk is that you like the 7D's AF and then decide to upgrade to the 5DIII. ;D

It's true. I have 6D and I sometimes wish I had the AF capabilities of mk iii. But the 6D is half price of its brother so I'm happy. I got mine for less than $1600 after rebate.

 

[Random Orbits]

It's true. I have 6D and I sometimes wish I had the AF capabilities of mk iii. But the 6D is half price of its brother so I'm happy. I got mine for less than $1600 after rebate.

When the 5DIII came out, prices for the 5DII dropped, and I picked up a refurbished 5DII for 1500. Then the Christmas sales started coming out and I snagged a 5DIII for 2500. I lost about 300 on buying/selling the 5DII with taxes/fees factored in, but I essentially rented the the 5DII for 9 months and 12000 clicks for free and bought the 5DIII for 2800. Patience is a virtue -- especially for hobbyists!

 

[Glennard]

sorry, i was given a used Nikon D80 (pretty old) but still usable, I recently rented teh Sigma 35mm to go with and it was fantastic. Although, I'm currently saving up for Canon 6D and then my friend informed just yesterday about this deal. I know its a great deal but thats the dilemma I'm in now, keep saving up for the 6D or hop on this deal now.

 

[Random Orbits]

sorry, i was given a used Nikon D80 (pretty old) but still usable, I recently rented teh Sigma 35mm to go with and it was fantastic. Although, I'm currently saving up for Canon 6D and then my friend informed just yesterday about this deal. I know its a great deal but thats the dilemma I'm in now, keep saving up for the 6D or hop on this deal now.

I guess it comes down to how soon you'll be able to afford the 6D. If it's a few months, then continue saving for the 6D. If it's at the end of this year or longer, then get the 7D and start building your lens kit. I'd take a look at used lenses for the best value. Use the camera as much as you can so that you'll know what features you really value more than others. And if you decide to switch to the 6D in the future then you won't lose much money (if any at all) for "renting" the 7D for a year. Also, with Japan weakening the yen, Canon has more leeway to offer more rebates. The 6D just came out and it's price has been falling and will fall more, especially near Christmas time. The 7D is nearing the end of its lifecycle, so buying it at 820 is pretty safe.

 

[bereninga]

How much longer would it take to save up for the 6D?

Sounds like a very good deal. Use it while you save up funds for the 6D. You won't lose much selling it in the future and you might even make a slight profit even you end up keeping most of the batteries for your next camera.

The missing piece of information is what you currently have/use. If the 7D is a step up in the way you would use it, then it looks like a no brainer. A camera upgrade for minimal cost if you decide to upgrade to the 6D in the next year or so. Really the risk is that you like the 7D's AF and then decide to upgrade to the 5DIII. ;D

That last paragraph is quite hilarious, but true. I went to the store last week to check out the AF system for the 7D. It's very advanced and would take some time to adjust. I feel like it would be pretty difficult to give it up once you get used to it.

I think you should also consider what you plan to shoot w/ your camera. I'm sort of in the same boat right now (but not such a great deal in reach), so I feel your dilemma! ;D

 

[CROSSfirePhoto]

I picked my 7D up from a local studio with 30K on it for $900 in January... the week after B&H had NEW ones for $1200... anyway, love the camera, i shoot mostly sports, action stuff... few weddings and senior grads...
also have a 40D "backup" and a xti that i put 150,000 shots through before the shutter failed (anyone know if i can get that replaced? canon says they dont work on them anymore... i kinow its not worth the $$$ but as my first SLR i want to keep it around...)

all that to say, GREAT deal your buddy is giving you... cant wait to see your first shots...

Blessings,
Paul

 

[babiesphotos.ca]

A friend of mine knows that I've been looking for a new camera and his friend is selling his for $700 for body only with 3K shutter count with 1 battery and charger. $820 for the body, battery grip, 4 batteries, 2 chargers, and memory card. The Owner had it for 2 years.

I'm thinking of purchasing it although I really want the Canon 6D coz of low light performance.

What do you guys think or what would you do?

Agreed with other posters that you won't lose much money on buying used 7D at that price. You'll lose some, just not much. But 3K shutter, after 2 years. Seriously? I've done that in a weekend.
I'd check the shutter count, there are programs that do that.

Also, 6D will blow your socks off, so if you're close, keep saving...

 

[bereninga]

I agree. 3K shutter count is nothing. I have 5K on my camera in the same amount of time, which is still not much.

 

[rifz]

what do you shoot? how long until you can afford a 6D?
I sold the 7d because I don't shoot sports or birds and got sick of the noise in portraits. the 6D is much better, the noise looks nice like film grain and isn't ugly the 7D, I do miss the faster AF but that's it.

 

[jdramirez]

it is a good deal, but you should get what suits your needs better... the low light performance of the 7d is relatively on par with the t2i and everything in between. the 7d really shines for outdoor photography of quick moving targets.

 

[sunnyVan]

A friend of mine knows that I've been looking for a new camera and his friend is selling his for $700 for body only with 3K shutter count with 1 battery and charger. $820 for the body, battery grip, 4 batteries, 2 chargers, and memory card. The Owner had it for 2 years.

I'm thinking of purchasing it although I really want the Canon 6D coz of low light performance.

What do you guys think or what would you do?

Agreed with other posters that you won't lose much money on buying used 7D at that price. You'll lose some, just not much. But 3K shutter, after 2 years. Seriously? I've done that in a weekend.
I'd check the shutter count, there are programs that do that.

Also, 6D will blow your socks off, so if you're close, keep saving...

On that note, what programs can check for shutter count? I'd like to know too.

 

[CarlTN]

Hi Glennard.

I vastly prefer the 6D to the 7D. However, what counts is which lenses you have now. If they are all crop lenses, then you are better off getting something like a 7D for a while, and perhaps begin to sell off your crop lenses until you're ready to get a full frame body, and begin investing in EF lenses.

The only other reason to get a 7D instead, is if you mostly shoot in very bright light, and you already have a terrific but perhaps pricey EF telephoto lens in the ~300mm range (that you are emotionally attached to and prefer to keep a while longer), and prefer the "reach" of that combination. And, you would rather not pay up for a longer lens...and also have to carry it around (which can be a very big deal).

For low light, I would forget the 7D. In a pinch it can work, of course...but it is a big compromise with its noise. Even the noise floor at ISO 800 is not very good...mostly luminance, with quite a bold grain. Chrominance sets in above that, and resolution begins to deteriorate fast. This is a debated topic, but an 18mp 7D, is not 18mp above ISO 1000. So there goes whatever "reach" advantage it had.

A friend of mine seems to think he is happy with his 70-200 f/2.8 ii, and his 7D. Franky I think that combo makes no sense, because the 7D is ideal for brighter light...and in bright light you certainly don't need the larger f/2.8 lens to carry around all day. For instance, he went to a car race and mostly used the 70-200 f/2.8. A waste of energy, it seems to me. The resulting shots all show very bright daylight...all could have been done with an f/4 lens, and sharpness would have been identical when closed to f/8 or smaller. His shots were great, though.

Obviously not everyone has the ideal combo of lenses and bodies, myself included.

 

[CarlTN]

Glennard...Also, if it's a matter of saving for a 6D...have you not considered buying from the various retailers that offer 6 months, or 12 months and no interest? I bought mine with 6 months no interest...but wish it was 12. I'm managing it. Usually Amazon has the 12 month offer (if you get their credit card...which I have found to be very handy), while the Bronx and other NY area camera retailers are more miserly, and keep you at 6. At the time I bought mine, Amazon's price was ~$150 higher...and the deal I got, also came with a memory card and a decent medium-sized Canon camera bag...which didn't show until you "add to cart".

(As most of you guys already know...) The best deals, begin to happen about a week before Thanksgiving, and get even better through Christmas. However, you are better off not waiting that long to buy a 6D, in my opinion. It's worth the $50 to $100 extra you pay now, to have the camera for the summer and fall.