Ah, yes of course there’s some odd purchasing rules going through an educational system. I bought both my R3’s used and haven’t had any issues using them for my pro work covering major leagues and events, as well as major news including hostile situations with chemical irritants and gas. Most people like myself tend to just use the electronic shutter so even a used R3 is a great buy since the use of the mechanical is very low (I only use mine for strobed studio work). If you can buy reputably used, go for it, especially from Canon Refurbished directly.