Suggestions please....

[CLKunst]

I am teaching a digital photography class for my third summer now. I have 12 7th graders all from D.C.'s inner city, it's a community outreach kind of class. I currently have 7 older Sony Mavica MVC CD-350 and I have just been given permission to buy the balance of what I need so no one will have to share anymore. Of course we have a very tight budget. Does anyone have any suggestions for educational discounts on cameras, ideally more of the same model? Does Used Camera Buyer.com do resale or only buyback/recycling? Thanks for any suggestions!!!:thumbsup:

[WesternGuy]

CL, have you tried approaching a camera store directly and asking them if they will give you a deal if you buy all that you need at their place? Alternatively, contact a marketing rep of one of the manufacturers and see what kind of a deal they might give you, given the circumstances. HTH

WesternGuy

[Greg McCary]

I agree, you have to find an online merchant that will give you the discount. My boss got LightRoom for $99.00. The savings can be huge. Call Canon CS. They can probably point you in the right direction. Check the link

http://www.campustech.com/

[freygr]

At work we purchased 5 Pentax Optio WPi to augment the three working Sony Mavica's floppy disk cameras (1.3 mega pixel). I picked that model because of, no lens motor out, it is weather proof, and if dropped into a mud puddle it would not die.

[CLKunst]

Thanks!!!:thumbsup: I appreciate it!
Those are all really great suggestions!
I'm new to educational procurement. Of course I would love to get something better in their hands than what we are currently using. I'll start knocking on some doors. Thanks again!!

[Frog]

If Nikon can give D40s to an entire town they should be able to supply you.
Just think of the PR!

[MJS]

Most major suppliers will have an educational division. The trick is trying to get past the salesman and get to the PR guys for donations. Are you teaching the class through a community based outreach program or non-profit entity? Do you guys have a PR director or advancement person that might have some corporate contacts? How about friends who have family members who work in banks, etc? Ask them to check with their PR departments to see if they donate to worthy causes.

You could always contact places like B&H with a letter on official stationary detailing your plight and asking for a corporate donation, just run it through your people first to make sure they can furnish a letter thanking the donors, so they can use it as a tax write off.

Good luck with it.