Canon 5D only $2050? Who woulda thought...

Hmmm... I read somewhere that Canon has another double rebate going on
between Oct 15 to Jan 15. Rebate is doubled if two items are purchased
from their list of cameras and lenses. The 5d is listed at $300 off,
therefore double that amount is $600. Reputable dealers have the 5d
retailing at $2650 USD right now --- before the rebate.

So a brand new Canon 5d could be had for as low as $2050 for the next
three months. That's really, really close to the $1999 milestone for
semi-affordable cameras... who woulda thunk? Last year, the lowest
priced full frame body was $3200. Barely 12 months later Canon has it
retailing for $2050. In another 12 months --- Fall 2007 --- who
doesn't want to bet the price will be closer to $1700 than $2050?
Incidentally, Fall 2007 is also the end of the 30d's 18-month upgrade
cycle. If a 1.6x crop 40d isn't prematurely released in Spring 2007,
it'll almost definitely mean a full frame $1700 40d is coming in the
Fall.

Anyway, back to the present: I'd imagine a *lot* of people who've been
itching to grab a Full Frame sensor body will give in to temptation
during the rebate period. Hypothetically, if someone were to finance
an upgrade by selling his old 20d any extraneous EF-S lens in his lens
collection, he could buy the 5d for well under a thousand bucks... very
tempting.

Now I gotta go collect loose change from under my sofa cushions.