As the end of November approaches, it’s a great time for photography lovers to pick up some Black Friday camera deals. Whether you’re looking to expand your own kit or get started on some Christmas shopping for a loved one, the eagle-eyed can pick up some great kit with fantastic discounts. But it helps to be prepared, so we’ve put together this guide, which we’ll be updating with the best deals, tips and rumours as we hear them.
When is Black Friday?
Traditionally the Friday following Thanksgiving in the US, this year Black Friday is on Friday, 29 November 2019. While that’s the official date, deals start creeping in a little earlier. The deals on offer are usually dominated by consumer electronics, so there are always bargain camera offers to be had. Cyber Monday follows on Monday 2nd December, so if you don’t manage to grab a bargain on Black Friday it’s worth having another go on Cyber Monday.
Black Friday camera deals
A mirrorless camera with outstanding resolution and a 24.2MP back-illuminated image sensor with increased sensitivity.
Canon EOS 7D II Body Only – Was £1,349, now £999, save £350
A camera designed to meet a wide range of photographic and video needs, the Canon EOS 7D II is a great all-rounder with a refined APS-C sized 20.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor.
Canon EOS RP – was £1,399, now £1149 after double cashback, save £200
A 26.2MP full-frame, mirrorless camera with a maximum ISO of 40,000.
Fujifilm X-Pro 2 – Was £1,349, now £799 after double cashback (£360), save £550
A mirrorless camera with improved noise reduction, updated image engine and an advanced hybrid multi viewfinder.
Sony Alpha A7R Mark II – Was £1,799, now £1,299, save £500
The Sony Alpha A7R Mark II has great resolution, fast auto-focus and high sensitivity ISO with low noise. It also comes complete with 4k video and WiFi capabilities.
Nikon D3500 + AF-P DX 18–55 VR Kit – Was £499, now £329, save £170
A good entry-level DSLR with great battery-life and excellent image quality. The D3500 is good value at full-price so with £170 it’s an even better bargain.
The Olympus E-M10 II twin lens kit is a lightweight system that allows photographers to cover a wide range of distances and subjects.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Mirrorless Camera Body – Was £1,299, now £1,199, save £100
A compact mirrorless camera featuring a 20MP sensor with 4K video, image stabilisation and a fully articulating screen.
Fujifilm X-Pro2 Digital Camera Body – Was £1,159, now £799 using £360 cashback
A high-performance camera from Fuji, with ISO up to 12800, 24.3-megapixel X-Trans III sensor and dual SD card slots.
Black Friday lens deals
Sigma 50mm f1.4 DG HSM ART Lens (Canon EF Fit) used – RRP £849, now £499 (with code), save £350
Sigma’s Art lenses are known for beautiful background blur and high-quality rendering, even towards the edges of the image.
Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD Lens (Sony Fit) – Was £749, now £629, save £120
Tamron’s very first Sony FE mount lens is a lightweight, reliable, fast standard zoom lens with a minimum focusing distance of just 19cm.
Canon L lenses – 15% off selected EF lenses
Including the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Telephoto Lens.
Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS III USM – Was £1,999, now £1,699.15 with discount code
A professional telephoto zoom lens with a fast aperture and 3.5-stop Image Stabilizer to help reduce blur from camera shake.
Black Friday camera and lens discounts
10% off best-selling second-hand cameras and lenses
We’ve spotted a Canon EOS 1DX at £966 and a Sony Alpha A7 at £395.
Black Friday photography software and accessories deals
Datacolor SpyderX Elite- Was £249, now £169. save £80
Amazon’s Black Friday deals always start early and currently they’re offering great savings on the well-known and highly rated Spyder monitor calibration systems. The SpyderX Elite is the fastest and most accurate Spyder to date and it offers extensive selection of calibration options.
Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan – Was £49.94 a month, now £30.34 a month, save £19.60 a month
Adobe is offering their entire Creative Cloud suite of apps – including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe XD – for £30.34 a month. If you’re a regular user of multiple Adobe apps, this saving can quickly add up.
What Black Friday camera deals do we expect?
With big-name brands like Canon and Nikon launching a selection of new DSLRs this year, we’d expect discounts on their slightly older models. For example, now that the Nikon D3400 has been somewhat usurped by the Nikon D3500, we’d expect some Black Friday deals on the older model.
Canon has also indicated recently that it’s willing to discount its older EOS 5D, 6D and 7D models, such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EOS 6D Mark II and Canon EOS 7D Mark II, so if you’ve been eyeing up these cameras you could grab a great deal on Black Friday.
It’s unlikely that you’ll find discounts on brand new models, but stranger things have happened.
What Black Friday camera deals were available last year?
Anyone looking for a good mirrorless buy under £250 was in luck last year. Currys PC World had a great deal on the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX800 with 12-32mm lens for just £219. Amazon.co.uk had lots of discounts too, one of the best was the Sony RX100 IV for £470, saving over £500. Amazon was also knocking £350 off the pro-spec Nikon D850 and £200 off the lower-spec but still excellent D750.
Unsurprisingly, Wex Photo and Video had a whole host of Black Friday deals on offer last year, including 15% off selected Canon L series lenses, cashback on Sigma lenses, double cashback on selected Canon and Panasonic products, 40% off selected Calumet filters and 15% off selected Lee filters, plus discounts on SanDisk, LowePro and much more.
Black Friday is not just about cameras and lenses. Tripod maker Sirui was offering 25% off all its equipment, while top British maker Billingham was also hosting a bargain-packed Black Friday clearout.
How to find the best Black Friday camera deals
You might have read in the media about stampedes in certain shops as customers desperate to bag a bargain launched all-out feuds to pick up hot products. Fortunately, you really don’t have to get in a scrap to get your hands on a great Black Friday camera deal, especially if you know where to look. Here are a few tips to make sure you have a pleasant (and successful) Black Friday shopping experience.
1. Shop around
It’s true any time of year, but especially true on Black Friday. Some retailers will have better offers than others. Double-check that the offer you’ve seen isn’t being beaten by another retailer.
2. Have a price and product in mind
Sometimes a discount just isn’t enough. If you’re in the market for something new but have a strict budget, don’t be tempted to go above it just because you’ve seen a deal on Black Friday. Sometimes the deals will be even better once the Christmas period has passed – if you can wait until then, save your pennies (especially if it’s not a gift). Better yet, decide on a product you want before Black Friday and don’t just panic buy the first camera related product you see in a bid to grab the best price.
3. Think to yourself: Do I really need this?
With page upon page of Black Friday camera deals to peruse through, it can be tempting to end up buying something to feel like you’ve made the most of your time. While it’s a great day to pick up bargains on things you actually need, don’t be tempted to buy something just because it’s on offer unless you think you’re actually going to get some use out of it. Do you need another set of new memory cards, or do you already have enough? Do you need the latest camera, or is the one you’re using serving you just fine? Again, waiting until the January sales can also be beneficial if you’re buying for yourself.
4. Check back often
Some sites, like Amazon, are releasing new deals throughout the week leading up to Black Friday, while other sites will be updating their deals throughout the day. Don’t assume that the deals you see today (or at the beginning of Black Friday) are all that are available. If you’re really keen to bag a bargain, check back every couple of hours (or more…) to get the latest.
5. Combine with cashback offers
At this time of year, several camera manufacturers are offering cameras and accessories with added cashback incentives. So long as you purchase your camera from a recognised retailer (see individual manufacturer websites for more details) you should be able to claim cashback. That could sway you from one model to another depending on the amount of cashback on offer, or the Black Friday deal, or the best combination thereof. If we spot any good deals that combine well with cashback offers, we’ll include them in our roundup.