High-End 1D/1Ds Deals/CPS followup.

The crew over on dpreview.com are talking about how Dell is now offering the Canon 1D for $2700 USD and free shipping. I haven't checked it. Is this true? They seem to be leading the field in hot deals lately. Better call quick though as they probably have fewer of these than of the 70-200 zooms.

I do know that B&H is offering the 1Ds for $7100 USD now which is the largest discount I've seen even though I can't afford it even at that price. Those of you who can afford it might take a look. You have to ask for their special email quote to get the price.

I just got my application back from Canon for Canon Professional Services (CPS). They don't care what you shoot with although they do have an equipment survey form they included with my application. What they really care about is if you're certifiably a professional. The requirements are fairly simple if you're truly a professional. One of the benefits is that they don't just expedite your repair services, they also will loan equipment to members with the hopes that you'll buy it. Now that's what I call a benefit. I'm working on getting my documentation together because this is a really great service.

I haven't dealt with these people but Electric Sam at: is offering the 300D Digital Rebel body only for $797. The full kit w/lens is still $999 and the 10D is $1499.

They also are listing the 1Ds for $6888.18 and the 1D for $2878. Has anyone ordered from these people. Their rating on Pricegrabber is excellent. They seem to carry only a limited range of L lenses as well.

Resellerratings.com rates them at 7.92 lifetime but the number of reviews is small. All the recent reviews I read gave them good marks.

Electric Sam's rating: 7.92. Not too shabby!

http://www.resellerrat​ings.com/seller5678.ht​ml

How do they define "professional"? I know what "commercial" means, but the word professional is pretty corrupt at this point. Lots of people make some money with photography, and lots of commercial photographers make some money doing other things. Where do they draw the line?

Rick "who does occasional commercial work but whose main gig is something else" Denney

The introduction sheet carries five different sets of criteria: Working Press; Freelance; Commercial/Studio;Gove​rnment/Education; and Miscellaneous. I will quote the two shortest.

Working Press requires:
Three tearsheets of work published within the past year.
A copy of current press credentials.
A letter on letterhead from your editor or bureau chief stating your staff or contract position.

Miscellaneous requires:
Please send as many credentials as possible to verify your professional standing and a letter stating the kind of photography done.

There is a "member information form" where you must list your professional affiliations such as APA, APNY (advertising); NPPA, ASMP, PPA (more general orgs). It asks what you shoot, such as animals, annual reports, etc. It has a checklist of equipment used which includes the D30/60/10D/1D/1Ds and equivalent film bodies and flash units. The lenses are all special purpose, IS, and L series lenses but no mention is made of requiring any of them. It also has a checklist of events you might cover ranging from the Indy 500 to equestrian events.

The actual application has a number of requirements for borrowing and insuring the loaner equipment.

My take on it is that they may take you or they may not if your case is a little bit iffy. A true pro will have most of the documents they require. The miscellaneous category is where most who've asked about it will fall into and the requirements are fairly open. I would say make your best case on your first attempt or don't waste your time. Professional organization membership is a strong argument that you're serious as are tearsheets and business documents such as letterhead, brochures, etc. Clients can write letters that they have hired you. You can send invoice copies and the like if you wish.

I'm working on my clients and samples of my work right now. I also joined the ASMP and NANPA because I want to do nature and wildlife. I want to convince them that I'm serious because I am. How about you?

Hi Fred,

Do you have an address to write to in order to get the CPS application from Canon?

Bob

Phone: 516-328-4283 or 516-328-4833

Fax: 516-328-4809

email: cpsloan@cusa.canon.com

Address: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
One Canon Plaza
Lake Success, NY 11042-1198
Attn: Canon Professional Services
Camera Division

Good luck,
Fred Lord

Many thanks for the information.

Bob

Thanks for the information--that was helpful.

I'm serious alright. I shoot regularly in all formats from digital to large format. And I've published my work. But I'm not commercial, and it sounds to me as though they are interested in serving commercial photographers more than anything. This is fair--I have no complaint. Frankly, I'm too serious to be commercial.

I'll give it a pass and not try to flout their intentions.

Rick "appreciative" Denney

Rick: The feeling I get is that they want to cater to "serious" professionals because those are the people who will buy and use the Canon line of equipment resulting in more visibility of the Canon line of equipment. It really is an obvious marketing scheme.

I was a true, practicing professional for over ten years throughout the eighties and the standing joke was that the only people who had the really nice professional equipment were those "photographers" that had a "real" job to support their habit. We were speaking, of course, of "true professional" people like medical and legal practitioners who often had equipment lists that rivaled major studios for their personal use. We photo pros bought what we could afford or what we needed to make a living. The "true professionals" bought what they wanted. And, of course, some of them were and are damned good photographers. They just didn't and don't have to make a living at it.

Guess who Canon is selling to here. If all the so-called photo pros (a very small number, actually) are using Canon equipment and are visibly making wonderful images with that equipment then the real volume sales are made to those aspiring and prosperous amateurs who can really afford it. It's an image thing.

CPS provides an incentive to photo pros to use Canon equipment through two avenues. Expedited repair service and equipment loans. Hopefully the equipment loaned will engender purchases by the photo pros but the real aim to sell the sizzle AND the steak to those with money. If the photo pros can't use the best equipment to make the best images what has Canon left to sell? It's really a cheap marketing tool for them. As far as I'm concerned, it has value for me so I'm going to go for it. It's all up to the individual photographer.

Good luck and I wish you ultimate success in your photography. It sounds like you have no need of CPS.