The best Black Friday weekend deals on cameras and lenses

Cameras and lenses can be a tricky thing to shop for around Black Friday. They are no small investment, though if you’re shopping for that lucky someone — or for yourself — there are some deals to be had that can save you a lot of money.

We have vetted and rounded up the most notable deals from the major camera manufacturers, focusing on the latest mirrorless systems. It’s hard to justify spending big money on a new DSLR in 2021, as it may be better to look to the secondhand market for those older systems. Another hard truth is that some camera manufacturers have been plagued by the chip shortages on the latest models, and the deals on tap show that — many of the deeper discounts are on slightly older cameras, and some newer releases have no discounts at all.

Canon

Canon’s latest full-frame EOS R5 is hard to get, and its new R3 has still not hit the market yet. The best Black Friday deals from the market leader are on its older full-frame EOS R and RP cameras. They are still fine options in 2021, especially with a $200 discount across multiple models and configurations, though the R3, R5, and R6 have stolen all the buzz in the Canon world since they cater to more advanced enthusiasts and pros.

• The EOS R was the first full-frame mirrorless camera from Canon. It has a 30-megapixel sensor and has received big improvements to its eye-tracking autofocus through firmware, as Canon has released more native RF-mount lenses over the last three years since its release. You can get the body only for $1,599 ($200 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, or Best Buy. It’s also available as a kit with the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM lens for $1,899 ($200 off) at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy or with the RF 24-105mm f/4L lens for $2,699 ($200 off) at Amazon, Adorama, and Best Buy. Read our review.

• Canon’s EOS RP is the lower-cost sibling to the EOS R. For the body only, it currently costs $899 (a savings of $100) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, Best Buy. It’s also available as a kit with the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM lens for $1,199 ($100 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, and Best Buy.
• The smaller APS-C sensor-equipped EOS M50 Mark II Content Creator Kit comes with the camera, EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens, tripod grip, and external mic for just $799 ($100 off) at Adorama, B&H Photo and Best Buy.
• Canon’s ultra-portable EOS M200 Content Creator Kit comes with the same 15-45mm lens and tripod grip for just $499 ($150 off) at B&H Photo.
• Only some Canon RF and EF-M lenses are on discount, though some notables include $100 off the RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM and $50 off the EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens.

Sony

Sony has been taking the mirrorless world by storm thanks to its relentless pace of technological improvements and frequent model revisions. Though its big-league A1 camera has also seen more than its fair share of shipment delays, and it’s possible the hotly anticipated A7IV might share a similar fate. For now, there are some solid Black Friday deals to peruse on items that are readily available.

• The Sony A7R IVA has enough resolution to be a dedicated landscape and studio camera, but its fast autofocus and burst shooting allow it to work in just about any demanding scenarios. Normally $3,498 for the body only, you can now pick it up on a Black Friday deal for $2,998 ($500 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, or Best Buy. Adorama is even including one of its house-brand hot shoe flashes (equivalent to Godox) at the same price.

• The longstanding jack-of-all-trades Sony A7 III body is $1,798 ($200 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, and Best Buy. For a kit option, you can get the A7 III with a Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens for $1,998 ($200 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, and Best Buy. The Sony A7 IV is due out before the end of the year, but it will be coming in at a much higher price point. Read our review of the A7 III.
• Sony E-mount and full-frame FE lenses are discounted as much as 22 percent off, including some top-flight optics like the FE 24mm f/1.4 GM ($100 off).
• The vlogging-focused ZV-1 compact camera is $100 off at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, and Best Buy for an affordable price of $648. You can opt for it in a vlogger kit, complete with a tripod Bluetooth grip and 64GB SD card for about $746 ($150 off) at Amazon, Adorama, and Best Buy. Read our review.
• The latest model of the popular Sony RX100 line — the RX100VII, complete with its excellent image quality and one-inch sensor — is on sale for $1,198 (a savings of $100) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, and Best Buy. Sony RX100 cameras are beloved for their balance of image quality and compact form factor. Read our review.

• The older Sony RX100VA is still sought-after for its f/1.8 maximum-aperture lens, though its 24-70mm equivalent zoom does not reach as far as the newer models. You can pick up the oldie-but-still-goodie for $848 ($150 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, or Best Buy.
• There’s a discount on Samyang’s 85mm f/1.4 lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras. It’s $529 at Amazon, and that’s a good deal for a dedicated portrait lens. It may not stack up to Sony’s G Master 85mm prime, which is a great optic, but by comparison that lens costs $1,698.

Samyang has been around for years as a third-party manufacturer of nice bang-for-the-buck manual focus lenses, but this fast-aperture lens has autofocus and is even weather-sealed.

Nikon

Nikon has been hit hard by the chip shortage, with scarce availability of its latest Z6 II, Z7 II, and vintage-inspired Z fc cameras in the market. However, its lower-cost Z5 camera is arguably one of the best values throughout all cameras during this Black Friday season. The Z5 and older Z6 are discounted by $400, and each offers a lot of camera for the money, even if the Z6 is a bit long in the tooth.

• The Nikon Z5 is a compact body that ticks most boxes for enthusiasts. It has a nice EVF and even squeezes in dual-SD card slots. You can get the body for just $997 ($400 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, or Best Buy.

• For Z5 kit options, you can get it with the Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 lens for $1,297 ($400 off) at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy or with the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens for $1,594 (a huge $800 off) at Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy.
• The slightly older Nikon Z6, with its 24-megapixel full-frame sensor and lone SD card slot, is $400 off both body only and kit configurations. You can get the body for $1,597 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, or Best Buy and the kit with Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens for $2,197 at Amazon, Adorama, or B&H Photo. or Best Buy Read our review.
• The high-resolution counterpart to the Z6, the original Nikon Z7, is $300 off in body and kit form. The body only currently costs $2,497 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy, while the kit with the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens is $3,097 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy. Read our review.
• The newer Nikon Z6 II is hard to come by, but you can get it in kit form with the Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 for $2,297 ($100 off) at B&H Photo or with the Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR super-zoom for $2,797 ($100 off) at B&H Photo.
• Nikon’s latest high-megapixel Z7 II camera is also limited to kit form with the 24-50mm at $3,297 ($100 off) from B&H Photo or with the 24-200mm for $3,797 ($100 off).
• The more modest APS-C sensor of the Nikon Z50 is a smaller, more cost-effective option. Though for Black Friday, the only configuration currently on sale is a two-lens kit with the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR and Nikkor Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR lens for $1,197 ($150 off) at Amazon and Adorama.
• Nikkor Z lenses are up to 18 percent off, including the latest Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S pro zoom ($300 off) and the excellent Nikkor f/1.8 S prime lenses, like the Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S ($100 off).

Fujifilm

Black Friday deals are not the most numerous for Fujifilm, as fan favorites like the X100V are not just full price but backordered just about everywhere. The latest version of the X-T line gets a nice discount, however, and an older medium format holdout hits a new low.

• The Fujifilm X-T4 premiered in early 2020 with one of its most significant changes, in-body image stabilization. That addition, plus a fold-out screen, made the X-T4 a prominent quality-of-life upgrade over its predecessor. For Black Friday, you can get the X-T4 body for $1,499 ($200 off) at Adorama, Amazon, and Best Buy.

• The prior Fujifilm X-T3 still offers a lot for a lower price. It’s available body-only for $1,099 ($400 off) at Amazon and B&H Photo or as a kit with the XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS for $1,499 ($400 off) at Amazon and B&H Photo, and Best Buy. Read our review.
• The more basic sibling to the X-T3, the Fujifilm X-T30 drops to an even lower price with a $100 discount. Now you can get the body for $799 at Amazon, Adorama, or B&H Photo, or Best Buy. Read our review.
• Over on the medium format front, the Fujifilm GFX 50R has been around for a few years, but it is now down to a new low for medium format mirrorless cameras. The camera body is now $2,999 ($1,500 off) at Amazon, Adorama, and B&H Photo. It’s likely that stock is being cleared out thanks to the release of the newer, faster GFX 50S II — though the older 50R shares a similar 51-megapixel sensor and is now $1,000 cheaper than the new model. Read our review.

Panasonic

The Panasonic Lumix offerings for Black Friday have nice discounts on micro four-thirds cameras like the video-centric GH5 II and the entry-level G95 hitting a new all-time low. On the full-frame front, the Netflix-approved S1H is $500 off, and the S5 offers the best bang for your buck if you want to go full-frame with Panasonic and L-Mount Alliance lenses.

• Panasonic refreshed the Lumix GH5 II recently while it prepares a more robust GH6 for a future release. The GH5 II is a formidable video camera that’s lightweight and small thanks to its micro four-thirds sensor and lenses. The camera body is $1,498 ($200 off) for Black Friday at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, and Best Buy. You can get it kitted with the 12-60mm f/2.8-4 O.I.S. lens for $2,098 ($200 off) at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, or Best Buy.
• The Lumix G95 is a more basic micro four-thirds offering, released in 2019, for general picture-taking and a little video. It’s now at an all-time low as a kit with 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 O.I.S. lens for $698 ($500 off) at Adorama.
• The Lumix S5 is Panasonic’s smaller, jack-of-all-trades full-frame camera that is versatile enough for most enthusiasts. The body is currently $1,698 ($300 off) at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy. It is also $300 off when bundled with the S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, making it $1,998 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy. You can also save an additional $200 when you buy any Lumix S-series lens along with the body or base kit.

• Panasonic’s answer to the Sony RX100VII, the one-inch sensor-equipped Lumix ZS200, is just $598 ($200 off) at B&H Photo and Adorama.
• The vlog-focused Lumix G100 with in-body image stabilization and kitted with a 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 lens is just $598 off ($150 off) at Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy.
• The co-star of Bo Burnham’s Inside special on Netflix, the Lumix S1H full-frame cinema camera, is $3,498 ($500 off) at Amazon, Adorama, and B&H Photo, and Best Buy.

GoPro

Black Friday deals on GoPro cameras include the latest Hero10 model that just came out in September, as well as worthwhile discounts and bundles on the older Hero9 and Hero8. If you live an action-packed life, you can save some money on the GoPro that’s right for you.

Olympus

Olympus is in a bit of a state of flux. The imaging division was sold and is continuing on as OM System. If you like the idea of lightweight micro four-thirds cameras with some vintage-infused looks, there are discounts for Black Friday you may find worthwhile, but the future is not yet certain for what’s to come from this system.

• The step down from the E-M1X, the OM-D E-M1 Mark III, $1,499 ($300 off) for the body at Amazon, Adorama, and B&H Photo. It can also be bought as a kit with 14-150mm f/4-5.6 lens for $1,998 ($400 off) at Adorama.
• Olympus’ midrange OM-D E-M5 Mark III body is just $899 ($300 off) at Amazon, Adorama, and B&H Photo or kitted with 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 II lens for $1,100 ($700 off) at Adorama and B&H Photo.
• On the entry-level end of things, the OM-D E-M10 Mark IV kit with a compact 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ lens is $699 ($100 off) at Adorama and B&H Photo.
• Olympus M. Zuiko lenses are up to $200 off, including the 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro mid-range zoom ($200 off) and 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro wide-angle zoom ($100 off).

DJI

DJI is by far the market leader in drones and gimbals. Though because of that we do not often see massive discounts on DJI products. However, we have so far seen a couple of Black Friday drone deals from B&H.

• The DJI Mavic Mini in its Fly More accessory combo pack is $100 off at B&H Photo, dropping the price from $400 down to $299. The little drone, first launched in 2019, is small enough to fit in your palm, and it was the first drone to not require FAA registration.
• DJI’s FPV combo racing drone, for first-person flying at up to 87 mph, is discounted $300 — dropping the price to $999 at B&H Photo.

Leica

Leica Camera is offering a 10 percent rebate on the Leica SL2 ($6,895 body only) and Leica SL2-S ($4,995 body only) full-frame mirrorless cameras when you trade in a qualifying full-frame camera from another brand at a Leica Store or dealer until January 31st. You must fill out a form on Leica’s website — consequently opting into Leica’s marketing communications — and receive an email voucher for the discount on the SL2 and SL2-S.

It may sound a little confusing, but you essentially get whatever Leica deems your trade-in camera is worth, plus the 10 percent discount on the SL2 or SL2-S — knocking $690 and $500 off each, respectively. See Leica’s terms and list of qualifying trade-in cameras here.

Additionally, Leica Camera USA is giving away a Peak Design accessory package when you buy a new Leica SL2 or SL2-S camera from a participating dealer until December 1st. The Peak Design package consists of a Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip 20L, Peak Design Slide, and Peak Design Clutch.

Extras

• Lensrentals has 20 percent off rentals with code LRBF2021 and 10 percent off its keeper items with code KPRBF2021.
• LensProToGo has 25 percent off rentals with code 21BFLPTG.
• Adobe is offering 40 percent off its full Creative Cloud suite through November 26th for new subscribers, bringing the price down to $30 per month for one year (normally $52 per month). If you’re a student or a teacher, the discount is bigger, down to $16 per month for one year.
• B&H has the Zoom H6 handheld recorder, capable of being a field recorder or mobile podcast mixer, for just $320. That’s $30 off a staple of video/audio gear you don’t always see discounts on.
• The Godox AD200Pro portable flash is a favorite of event photographers thanks to its convenient rechargeable battery, and B&H has it for just $269 ($80 off).

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