The right gear is essential to capturing beautiful photos and can make photography more enjoyable.
Cameras and other gear can be expensive, so I often look for a deal to stretch my money further.
When is the best time of the year to buy a camera?
The best time to buy a camera is around the Easter holidays (April), the Thanksgiving Black Friday sales (November) and Post-Christmas sales (January) when retail stores reduce prices to push sales. It’s also an excellent time to look for bargains when camera manufacturers announce new models.
Not all cameras go on sale simultaneously all of the time, and there’s more than one way to find a deal that’s right for you.
3 Best Times to Get a Great Deal on a New Camera
Manufacturers and retailers discount camera prices for different reasons.
So let’s look at the three best opportunities throughout the year to pick up a bargain on your next new camera.
Get a Great Deal During the Holiday Sales
During the holidays, people are out and about. They have more time and are more likely to spend money.
Camera stores recognize this, so they discount their cameras, lenses and other photography products in the lead-up to and during the holiday breaks.
You can take advantage of these opportunities and wait for your next camera to drop in price.
The Easter holiday is the first main break in the year. With warmer weather just around the corner, some people plan family trips and events.
In the lead-up to the Easter Sales in April, some stores have March Madness events where decent discounts on cameras and other gear can be found.
Some companies leverage the warmer months of June and July to run sales, including photography gear. One example of this is Amazon Prime Day.
Thanksgiving at the end of November is associated with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Even though much of the marketing targets the long weekend, reduced prices can be found across a range of camera gear throughout November in the lead-up to the weekend holiday.
Post-Christmas sales start on Boxing Day at the end of December and run through into the first few weeks of January.
In addition to reducing the price, another strategy retailers use to encourage sales is to bundle a camera and lens together.
The Nikon Z50 is often found as a body and lens package with the DX 16-50mm lens for a lower price than the two are sold separately.
Some holiday sales can coincide with retail stores looking to clear out their stock to make way for new products.
This is where big saves can be made!
Find a Bargain When New Models are Announced
Manufacturers market various models using different strategies.
For some models, companies decide to carry out a development announcement to tell the market they are working on a particular model or technology. Specific details aren’t shared. It’s more of a teaser to let consumers know that a model is in the works. Any release dates mentioned are typically vague timelines, as they can shift.
Closer to when a model is released, manufacturers will conduct an announcement event that informs the market of the new product. More specific details are shared, along with release dates.
Nikon did this for the Z8 announcement.
Finally, there are release events, where a comprehensive set of specifications are shared with media outlets and mainstream websites.
Retailers and manufacturers reduce the price of existing camera models when new camera models are announced or released.
If you know when a new model is coming to market, you can look for camera stores to reduce existing models’ prices and take snap up a bargain.
One way to inform yourself of when new models are announced or released is to visit the websites or follow the social media accounts of the manufacturers.
| Nikon Website – https://www.nikon.com Twitter – https://twitter.com/NikonUSA |
| Fujifilm Website – https://fujifilm-x.com Twitter – https://twitter.com/FujifilmX_US |
| Sony Website – https://www.sony.com Twitter – https://twitter.com/SonyAlpha |
| Canon Website – https://www.usa.canon.com/cameras Twitter – https://twitter.com/CanonUSA |
| Panasonic Website – https://www.panasonic.com Twitter – https://twitter.com/Panasonic |
While this is great, you still rely on information from the camera manufacturers, who understandably want to maximize their profits.
It would be ideal if there was a way to discover this information even earlier and you could make more informed decisions about our purchasing options.
Well, there is!
Rumor websites are a fantastic source of information about new technologies being considered for future products, along with details about when new models are likely to become available before the manufacturers want the general public to be aware.
Using a combination of uncovered patients, supply chain detail and information from anonymous sources close to these manufacturers, rumor sites can carefully put together a general picture of what cameras are likely in the pipeline.
Many of these sites verify their information with multiple sources and build trust with their informants to provide surprising, accurate details about when the camera will be released before any formal announcements.
Remember, when these sites share a rumor, you should treat the information as such. For example, release dates and product plans can always change.
However, you can use the information provided by these sites to understand better when new models may be just around the corner and be better prepared for when prices may be reduced on existing camera models.
In the table below, you can find some of the main rumor sites and their Twitter accounts.
| Nikon Rumors Website – https://nikonrumors.com Twitter – http://twitter.com/nikonrumors |
| FujiRumors Website – https://www.fujirumors.com Twitter – http://twitter.com/fujirumors |
| Sony Rumors Website – https://www.sonyalpharumors.com Twitter – https://twitter.com/sonyalpharumors |
| Canon Rumors Website – https://www.canonrumors.com Twitter – https://twitter.com/canonrumorsguy |
| Panasonic Rumors Website – https://www.mirrorlessrumors.com Twitter – https://twitter.com/mirrorlessrumor |
Are Cash-back Promotions Worth It?
From time to time, the camera manufacturers have promotions to move some of their products.
This can be because a new product or model is about to be unveiled or because the financial year or quarter is ending, and the companies are trying to increase sales.
Regardless, this is an excellent opportunity to get a fantastic deal if the camera you want is included in the cash-back promotion.
When are Cash-back promotions likely to happen?
Manufacturers run cash-back events when they want significantly increased sales for specific products, either to increase sales leading up to the end of the financial year or for a particular quarter that traditionally has lower sales than other quarters.
Another reason a cash-back event is conducted is to promote cameras and lenses that have been available on the market for a year or more. When the initial excitement around a product, when it was new, has subsided, sales figures usually flatten, so manufacturers want to pick up the purchase rate of these items.
While cash-back promotions can happen throughout the year, look for them around the end of the financial year or in fiscal quarters with lower sales.
Prediction is one this, but to ensure you are across when cash-back promotions are announced, regularly visit the manufacturer’s website, subscribe to the email list of your favorite camera retailer, and follow the rumor sites that were mentioned above.
How do I know when a Cash-back promotion is happening?
The manufacturers instigate cash-back events. So you can be informed when they occur by following any social accounts or visiting their website.
Camera retail stores also promote these cash-back events, so if you visit any of their online stores or social media accounts, you’ll know when these events are running.
How Do Cash-back claims work?
To utilize a cash-back deal, you purchase an item from an authorized retail store included in the promotion. To make a cash-back claim, you visit the manufacturer’s cash-back claim page and enter your detail along with a scan of the receipt and serial number of the product.
It can take a couple of weeks, but eventually, the claim is processed, you’re notified by email, and the claimed amount is deposited in your nominated account.
What Do You Need for Cash-back Claims?
Cash-back events can last several months. You must ensure you have purchased the product within the period of the cash-back promotion, verified by the date on the receipt you upload.
The Claim period extends beyond the period in which you need to have purchased the item but does run out within a few weeks.
You must ensure you have purchased the item within the cash-back promotion period. You must have bought it from an authorized retail store participating in the cash-back promotion.
Finally, you need the serial number, which will often be confirmed once you have the item in your hand, so be careful to purchase items in stock. If the product is on back order, get confirmation from the store when it will be available to ensure you can claim the cashback before the claim period expires.
Extra Savings Opportunities?
You can find even better deals when cash-back promotions from the manufacturer coincide with camera retail store discounts.
The cash-back claim comes out of the manufacturer’s profit margin, while the store discount comes out of the margin the retailer makes.
As the cash-back promotions apply to purchases made at all participating authorized dealers, the camera stores are fighting for your purchase. Some retailers advertise store discounts to entice you to purchase that camera at their outlet.
So you save on the retailer’s reduced price and still claim the same amount through the cash-back claim process from the manufacturer.
Tips on Getting a Better Deal on a New Camera
When you’ve found the camera you want, here are a few things you can do to help you get the best price.
- Be patient – know when prices are likely to drop using the information from this article and patiently wait for the best time and place to make your purchase.
- Be aware – Follow the manufacturer’s and rumor websites and social media accounts to know when models are being updated or replaced, so you can take advantage of deals on the models being superseded.
- Ask for a better price – Even with discounts, and cash-backs, retail stores still make a profit and want you to purchase from them. So ask for their best price to see how far they are willing to reduce the sale price further to lock in a deal. They have margins they can play around with.
- Add in accessories – If not a discount, ask if other accessories can be added to your purchase, or better yet, add them yourself. With a new camera, you’ll likely want an extra battery, a lens you have your eye on, or some filters. Camera retailers are willing to shave off a few dollars when you’re buying a few items, as each has a margin profit making it easier for stores to sweeten the deal.
Should I Buy a Camera Overseas?
When researching cameras, you may have come across some lower prices on photography products from overseas sellers than what your local camera retailer is offering.
While this is tempting, there are some things you should consider.
Manufacturers vary the price of cameras from country to country. It may seem you can get a better deal purchasing a camera outside of the country from where you live. However, consider exchange rates, VAT or GST consumption taxes that may apply, and import taxes you may need to pay when shipping the camera into your country.
Another issue with purchasing a camera from another country is you are likely not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty or your local consumer laws that you are otherwise protected by if something needs to be fixed with the camera.
When you find a price on a camera that seems unbelievably low, ensure you do your research on the store. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Some stores source their camera and other gear from outside the country to which they sell these products. This is referred to as the grey market.
If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
When you purchase Cameras and lenses through the grey market, you run the same risk as buying overseas regarding the manufacturer’s warranty and protection from consumer laws.
Some online stores that sell grey market products offer their warranty. However, please read the fine print about the limits of the contract, including the length of the warranted period and who has to cover the cost of shipping the product back to where it’s assessed and fixed.
Save Some Money and Buy Used
If you want to save money on upgrading your gear instead of looking for the best deal on a new camera, consider buying from the used market.
Buying a used camera can give you access to the latest gear and save you some dollars.
There are peer-to-peer options like eBay and Craigslist, where you can pick up great bargains. Ensure you engage the seller to ascertain the condition of the item you are purchasing.
If you are hunting for a great deal on a used camera from a platform you can trust, look at websites like MPB, KEH and Used Photo Pro, who provide peace of mind through their online shopping experience backed with a limited warranty on most purchases.
Best Time for YOU to Buy a Camera
Regardless of the available camera deals, it might not be the right time for you to upgrade your camera.
The best time for you to buy a camera is when you find the one you currently use is frustrating to operate, limits your creativity, or stops you from capturing the photos you want to take.
First, ask yourself, how well do you know your camera?
One of the critical steps in consistently capturing incredible photos is to know everything about the camera you use.
Knowing your camera includes knowing how to operate it confidently in different scenarios, being aware of its limitations, and understanding how you are limited.
We can be tempted to blame the tools we use, like the camera, for the quality of our photography and the photos we create. But often, this is because we don’t want to blame ourselves.
However, if we are honest with ourselves
If you were to give your camera to the hands of a photographer who you admired, would they be able to capture fantastic images?
If the answer is yes, then the camera is not to blame for the photos you’re capturing with it.
QUICK RECAP
Retail stores often discount their prices on cameras and other gear around holiday periods when consumers have more time to spend money.
Camera stores will clear out stock near the end of the financial year or in the lead-up to the announcement of a new model by reducing the price tag of the previous model.
Camera manufacturers will promote the sale of some of their products through cash-back events.
Occasionally you can take advantage of a retail sale and cash-back and save more when purchasing a camera.