Have you ever waited outside a retailer to purchase a newly released product?

I want a 5D MkII the first day of release. The due date of our baby has been pushed up 3 weeks to mid December, and I want to have this camera in my hands before then. Meaning that I want this camera on release date.

I live in NY and have access to B&H and Adorama, and have no problem getting there early to wait in line.. BUT, how does this work? Who announces that the product is officially for sale? Is that the retailer or the manufacturer? How does one find out these details? Are sales like video games (eg - The Wii, GTA, etc), where they announce that it'll be for sale and people line up at their local retailer to get a chance at being able to purchase one?

To those who purchased their 1D mkIII on release date, howd you go about doing it?

Thanks!

why don't you pre-order?

I think the trouble will be figuring out which day they'll have them. For instance, many vendors were shipping the 50D's before B&H and Adorama did. You might be better off getting on a list at a smaller shop.

It's too late to preorder. I've called Ritz and Calumet (the only two who still are accepting preorders) and theyve both stated that delivery times if ordered today would be January/February.

As for a smaller shop - If Canon USA is like Canon Canada, then only the major stores will be receiving the 5D mk2. I stopped by a smaller camera shop this morning on Lex and they stated that they had no plans on carrying the mk2 until next year.

No- I've never waited to get a new product. When the original Star Wars came out, I waited 7 months to see it, to avoid lines.

I waited for hours outside a record store to get the latest Britney Spears album.

It was worth it dammit!

timnosenzo wrote in post #6672369
I think the trouble will be figuring out which day they'll have them. For instance, many vendors were shipping the 50D's before B&H and Adorama did. You might be better off getting on a list at a smaller shop.

Yeah, it's not's going to be like the iphone, PS3 or GTA4. With the 5D2, there's a preorder set, at the local Penn Camera some have already outright paid for it, just wait for it to come in.

nicksan wrote in post #6673958
I waited for hours outside a record store to get the latest Britney Spears album.

It was worth it dammit!

Why don't I believe you?

I have never waited for a product to come on sale. I didn't even see Star Wars until it came around together with The Empire Strikes Back!

nontetheredbrain wrote in post #6673978
Yeah, it's not's going to be like the iphone, PS3 or GTA4. With the 5D2, there's a preorder set, at the local Penn Camera some have already outright paid for it, just wait for it to come in.

To reiterate what NTB has said above, they are not doing a big retail launch celebration where people can wait in line for the chance to be the first to get one.

The preorders have been open at retailers for months, though Canon has only been taking orders for a week or so. When I got in line for the kit at my local shop, I was 5th for the kit, and there were over 120 in line for body only. I checked back last night and they now have 20 kit preorders and over 280 body only.

Sorry to be part of the bad-news convoy, but if you don't have a preorder in right now, you're not very likely to get one out of the initial shipment.

I'd say you've got a few options:

1) Wait for someone who buys in the initial shipment to put one up on Ebay for 2x the retail price.

2) Get a new or used 5D Classic or 1D variant.

3) Consider other offerings from other manufacturers.


If your big interest in the 5DII is video+pictures, then you'd have to add a video camera to 2) or 3) unless you are looking at the D90.

aaaaaa bbbbbb ccccc dddddd

So the question becomes is why would B&H or Adorama even think about putting some 5D MKII's on the shelf, or listing it on their site, until their preorder queue is depleted? I mean, isn't it a disservice to those that put up their money months in advance to NOT be the first ones to get the camera?

I suspect that it will be some time before it becomes "generally available" to the general public (meaning it will be listed in stock on B&H page, or sitting on the shelf of your local camera store if you walk in on a Saturday afternoon). Pre orders SHOULD get priority over the general people in my opinion.

I'm think a "camera shop" may not be the best place because everyone will be there?

Maybe Best Buy, CostCo, Frys? Not sure if these stores are @ your location. I know Best Buy prices always a little higher so they will probably have stock.

BUT the 5DMkII is close to $3K. In current economy, there may not be many who will cough up that much $$ - I'm waiting.

Mystwalker wrote in post #6675146
I know Best Buy prices always a little higher so they will probably have stock.

A product release is a great equalizer, because EVERYONE will sell it at MSRP, in this case $2699. So B&H will have the same price as your local Best Buy when it's released. Now a couple of months after release, B&H will start lowering the price, but Best Buy will still be selling at MSRP. But in the beginning, everyone starts off at the same price.

The people who are the first to buy newly released stuff, are generally the ones who care the least about the cost. They've done their research, and decided it's the camera they want and are ready to pay the price regardless of what the economy is doing. The people who are worried about the cost and the economy, will buy it after it's been out for 1-2 years and Canon begins offering some very attractive rebates on it.

Never.

Does the iphone 3G counts???