I bought my DSLR camera today! Read on if you're in the market for a new DSLR. Heck, read on even if you're not! Thanks so much to all of you who offered advice toward the decision. In the end, I went with the Canon EOS Rebel T1i because of its great reviews, video capabilities, and dirt cheap price. How cheap, you ask? Well, Sexy Nerd's uncle isn't posting on Facebook to call me Sweet Talker for nothing.
Wait...that sounds kinda weird. Scratch that last part and take a guess on how much I paid. Go on. $600? $500?
Wait...that sounds kinda weird. Scratch that last part and take a guess on how much I paid. Go on. $600? $500?
$379.99, baby!
I checked Target.com last night (as mentioned in this post) and discovered that only one store in the Albuquerque area was still stocking the T1i. I called and was told that there was one in stock plus the floor model, both priced on clearance for $549.99. I asked if the floor model could be discounted further, but was told no. The girl on the phone did say that it would probably be marked 10% less after selling the last camera, if they had trouble selling it.
So, this morning I went off to work wearing a short, tight skirt (ahem, a short, tight *working in a children's dental office appropriate* skirt)(really!) and hoped that when I arrived at Target after work, there would be a...you know...how can I say this without you judging me too harshly...male employee in the electronics department. Even better, there was a male stoner employee! After years of managing a Pizza Hut, you can bet that I know how to deal with potheads. I told him that I'd called and was told the floor model T1i was an additional 10% off, but that it wasn't discounted enough because the lens was missing (Sexy Nerd pointed out later that it had probably been there originally, but had been stolen.) My stoner friend called the manager. I told him that the lens alone would be another $300 and that I'd read online that most Targets were discounting the T1i displays by 30% (to be fair, I really had read this). Easy peasy.
I'll admit that I am somewhat wary of buying the floor model (also, as I am forever having buyer's remorse with every purchase in my life, I can't help wondering if I could have gotten 40 or 50% off.) However, I have until 6/28/11 to return my camera to Target for a refund. Tomorrow, I will be shipping my T1i off to Canon to be checked out under warranty. I was planning to buy a 35mm lens anyway (per the advice of The Pioneer Woman - a very expensive blog to read!) so the lack of the kit lens isn't much of an issue, but to make things even better, Sexy Nerd's uncle thinks he may have his Canon kit lens from his old camera to give me. Woo hoo hoo!
After getting such a phenomenal deal at Target, I was beaming as I headed toward the exit. Could my shopping trip have gotten any better? Heck yes it could! A teenie red clearance sticker caught my eye:
Caramel Fudge Brownie ice cream marked down to just $1.48! And it's low fat and low calorie! And the boxes don't even have frost on them and the ice cream tastes delicious! Have you ever seen ice cream on clearance before?! OMG, OMG!
Now, bargain sugar-induced hysteria aside, if anyone out there knows where I can score another snazzy deal on a 35mm lens, I'm all ears!