Canon EOS 5D and 40D Deals
Besides the Canon "instant" rebate of $300 on the EOS 5D and $200 on the EOS 40D, there are a few extra offers that you should be aware of if you're thinking of buying either camera.
First there are the "kits" that Canon is offering combining the camera with a lens.
Canon EOS 40D + EF 28-135/3.5-5.6IS USM
The EOS 40D is available in a kit with the EF 28-135/3.5-5.6IS USM lens. The 28-135IS sells for around $410 and the EOS 40D is available for around $960 (after the $200 instant rebate), making a total of $1370. However, the kit is available for around $1145, an additional saving of around $225 or you can look at it as getting the $410 lens for only $185!
Canon EOS 5D + EF 24-105/4L IS USM
Similarly the EOS 5D is available in a kit with the EF 24-105/4L IS USM (a very good lens). The 24-105/4L IS USM sells for around $1050 and the EOS 5D is available for around $1920, making a total of about $2970. However the kit is available for around $2600, an additional saving of around $370 or you can look at it as getting the $1050 lens for only $680!
The 5D + 24-105/4L is a great combination. In fact on more than one web survey, when asked what single lens they would pick if they could only have one lens, the EF 24-105/4L USM was the first choice of many photographers. It's truly wide at the short end, 24mm (with an APS-C body you'd need a 15mm lens to get the same angle of view) and at the long end, 105mm, it's great for portrait work. In between it's good for just about anything except sports and wildlife, where a telephoto is needed.
The PIXMA Pro9000 and Pro9500 Printer deals
But, as they say in the TV infomertials, "That's not all"! If you buy an EOS 5D or 40D (or kit) and a PIXMA Pro9000 printer at the same time, you get $300 back on the $440 printer. So you get an 8 color, 13" x 19" capacity printer for $140. If you buy the 5D + 24-105/4L IS USM + PIXMA Pro9000, you save a total of $300 + $370 + 300 = $970. If you buy the 40D + 28-135IS + Pro9000 you save $200 + $225 + $300 = $725. Not bad! If you buy the PIXMA Pro9500 instead of the Pro9000, you get $350 back on the $730 cost of the printer, so you end up paying only $380 for it.
Both printers are very good, professional grade items capable of making archival prints up to 13" x 19", which is large enough for just about any user. The Pro9000 uses 8-color chromalife dye based inks for archival images, the Pro9500 takes it one step further and used 10-color pigment based inks and includes matte black, photo black, and gray inks for B&W work.
Bottom Line
Of course if you don't really want the lens or the printer, both should be fairly easy to sell and since you've saved so much on them, you should easily be able to sell them for a profit, further reducing the cost of the camera. It's quite possible to end up getting EOS 5D for under $1500 or an EOS 5D for under $700 if you don't mind doing a little trading!
The 5D, 40D, kits and printers are also available from Adorama and J&R, both reputable on-line and "brick and mortar" stores in New York:
•
EOS 5D at Adorama
• EOS 40D at Adorama
• Link to J&R's web page
BTW, in case you think I'm just trying to get you to buy a 5D, lens and printer, I should say that I placed an order for them myself. If I didn't think it was a great deal, I wouldn't have done that!
