Saving Money

Once you’ve decided on a model, buy it from an authorized dealer. If you’re in the US, confirm on the manufacturer’s website that the dealer is authorized (here are the dealer search pages for each manufacturer: Canon, Nikon, Panasonic). Digital cameras in particular are notorious for being sold through unauthorized channels, and while you’ll see a number of seemingly great deals, many of these are gray market — they are new, sealed, genuine products, but they’re being imported directly from Taiwan or Hong Kong and are therefore bypassing the US division of the camera manufacturer. This is a sizable investment on your part and though the listing for “HUGE KIT!!! Camera, 7 lenses, 3 tripods, 48 batteries, and maid service” may be appealing — it’s probably cheaper than the camera alone from an authorized dealer — buying a gray market camera means you’re ineligible for warranty coverage in the US, which is not something to skip, especially if you plan on putting your camera to professional use.

However, if you want to search eBay for deals on DSLRs, I’ve got a great way of doing so for USA-based shooters. To ensure we find reputable sellers, I’ve set up advanced eBay searches using Boolean logic in an attempt to eliminate gray market sellers. These links should only display USA-based authorized dealers (see below for a way to double-check). I’ve also eliminated used cameras and bid-only auctions, since authorized dealers generally sell new cameras as “Buy it Now.” Here are the DSLRs for which I’ve set up customized searches, use whichever link corresponds to the camera you’re interested in:

• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• Canon Rebel T2i
• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon EOS 1D Mark IV
• Nikon D3s
• Panasonic GH1

I’ve arranged the search results by price (lowest to highest), but you’ll want to scan the different listings to find the best deal (some will come with lenses, some will be body-only, and others will come in larger packages with multiple bundled items). Also make sure to note the shipping fee — some are non-existent and some are exorbitant. Once you’ve found your item, be sure to search the item’s listing page for “USA Warranty,” “Authorized Dealer,” or something similar that affirms the seller is authorized to sell the particular brand of DSLR you’re buying. I tried to customize the search as much as possible, but it’s by no means infallible, so make sure they state somewhere in their listing that they’re authorized.

Finally, by buying used accessories on eBay, you can save hundreds; the end result is either significant money saved or more equipment purchased. A final tip: if you think you might freelance and charge an equipment fee, keep in mind your producer won’t know if you bought your equipment used; good used equipment is always better than cheap new equipment.