Has anyone here ever used Canon's educational discount program? I'm thinking about getting a 300 f/2.8 to replace my f/4. I shoot sports voluntarily for the local university and I thought I could get them to buy it for me to save a little cash (my money of course ). I'd contact Canon directly, but I was just trying to figure out if it was even worth my time first.
Ah, thanks for the link. It looks like you actually have to email them for price quotes on equipment. They don't have a price listed directly on their site.
the link you posted above specifically says that you need an institution purchase order to make a purchase. that means you have to have a photography professor or someone in charge of purchasing for your college/university order the equipment for you. so, rather than calling canon, you need to talk to someone at your school and go through the proper channels.
your university will have to account for the purchase so you may not even be able to get what you want, regardless of who you know. so, regardless of anyone here having used canon's educational purchase system, you first need to find out if your school is even willing and/or able to help you out. someone who had luck at another college/university may or may not have the same luck at yours.
It's not worth arguing about if I'm qualified for the program or how the money is going to change hands or if the school is going to help me, so let's stop discussing and posting about it. I am not asking about if someone else had luck getting their Uni to comply. I wouldn't ask on an internet forum anyone had experience with the University of Iowa or of Podunk buying equipment on their behalf... When I said I was well connected, I meant I work for them. I've worked for them for six years and I know how the system works. There's no budget for such things, but I would pay the bill... But like I said, it's totally irrelevant to my question.
All I want to know is if anyone has used Canon's educational discount program and how was their experience.
canon's educational discount is not open to the student body so it's going to be difficult finding someone on FM with any experience using this program. if you think you can get a discount then drop an email to canon, request the program details, and go from there. why would anyone's opinion on the internet stop you from trying, especially if you are on your university's payroll as you say? that makes no sense.
Ahh.. forget it. There is no "if" in regards to my being on the university's payroll. In fact someone's opinion on the internet means a great deal, especially if they've had very positive or very negative experience with Canon's educational discount program. Maybe I should ask on another forum where people will answer the actual question.
Thank you for the link, though I searched the forum of course, but I was hoping for some more current experience
daev wrote:
Maybe I should ask on another forum where people will answer the actual question.
Dave, people tried to answer your question -- and the link actually had some pretty good information in it.
1. People didn't answer the question in all likelihood because they aren't affiliated with a university. Some people tried to be helpful.
2. In the link, people who were affiliated with the university (professors, administrators) -- perhaps more affiliated than you are as an apparent student and [something] -- indicated that the program might not help them. One in fact raised the issue of universities buying stuff for private people and then getting reimbursed as an audit issue. Since your link indicates that you attend as a student and work at a major public university, that may or may not be an issue.
3. The prices (which I believe was the point), although dated, looked to be a few $ hundred below list, and people commented they weren't that good (at the time). Maybe they've change, but that right there is some experience as to what you can expect.
The link to the program itself said you could send an email -- and 7-10 days you get a response. Why not just do that. In fact, if these programs are well used (and you attend and work at a major university -- it's likely someone in your university has already done this).
I don't see how hard it is to discuss the merits of Canon's educational discount program while ignoring my employment status (which as I've stated countless times is irrelevant). Yes I am a student, but you people have no idea what my overall status is, so leave it alone. Thanks, though, for keeping this thread near the top.
I inquired about this program to the Canon rep who handled such inquiries. . I am a University Professor. Unlike the educational discounts I have obtained from Hasselblad and Leaf, I did not move forward with Canon. The reason is that you need the University to purchase as already discussed. For me that was the only reason I did not move forward. It would have been very difficult. My experience with the other two companies was fine. It delayed things a bit but eventually got what I needed. I should add that most educational discounts have a clause that the items cannot be resold for at least 2 years.
Thanks for sharing your experience. The two year requirement seems to suggest the prices are low enough that they don't want anyone to get any ideas.
Depending on who you ask, our university has a provision for departmental purchases paid for out of staff/faculty pockets, so I think that should be workable. It's not used often, so few people actually know how it all works. I shoot low/no-revenue sports for the university, so that would be the primary, and probably the only use. The only problem I'm having (well, not really a problem, more like a limitation) is there's no budget for what I'm doing. Since I'm working pro bono, I thought they might be willing to work out a deal. The only thing they'd have to do is broker it.
Before there's too much discussion, this thread is from 2006. Not sure if it's relevant still or not. Maybe. There doesn't seem to be a lot of mark-up for camera gear, so I'm not sure how much you'd save.
But I don't think that this sounds like a good idea, either. Seems like it could go wrong in more than one way.
). I'd contact Canon directly, but I was just trying to figure out if it was even worth my time first.
I searched the forum of course, but I was hoping for some more current experience