Say, cheese! And by cheese, we mean money, which you’ll be saving on these top-rated cameras from GoPro, Canon, Sony, and more before the holiday sale season officially starts.
If there’s one thing that unites us all during the holiday season, it’s taking pictures—so many, many pictures. But waiting for Black Friday to pick up a new camera means you won’t be able to use it when everybody’s gathered around the Thanksgiving table or putting up holiday decorations. Good news, pilgrim: many top retailers are serving up early Black Friday deals on well-reviewed cameras in multiple price brackets, from entry-level to pro. Here are five of the best early camera discounts we’ve found, with more to come as the month goes on.
We gave an Editors’ Choice award to the Panasonic Lumix S5 in our review, with camera expert Jim Fisher saying that the unit was “a great entry point for full-frame imaging” thanks to its ergonomic design, pro-grade controls and high-quality 24MP BSI sensor mounted on a five-axis stabilizer. Dual native ISO support lets you capture high sensitivity video up to ISO51200, and the high-speed, high-precision autofocus uses separate algorithms to detect heads, facial features and bodies for the clearest captures. This is a remarkable camera for the price.
The very idea of buying a camera just for taking pictures of yourself seemed absurd just a decade or two ago, but now many manufacturers produce specialized vlogging units. In our review of the Sony ZV-E1, we gave an Editors’ Choice to the camera, with writer Jim Fisher saying that it “squeezes a stabilized full-frame sensor into a stunningly small body with a clear-sounding mic and plenty of AI features that expand what creators can do without the benefit of a crew.” Solo content creators will love the simplicity and robust controls of the ZV-E1, and the camera’s small size makes it great for shooting on the go. This is a robust and video-focused camera that looks even better with a $300 price drop.
In our review of the Canon EOS R100, Jim Fisher broke down the pros and cons of this affordable and lightweight camera. He called it “an appealingly priced camera from a familiar brand” and had good things to say about its lightweight build and clear viewfinder. The 24.1 megapixel APS-C size CMOS Image sensor and DIGIC 8 processor perform well, with wide focus coverage. It also has decent autofocus and intuitive physical controls. This bundle comes with a 45mm and a 210mm lens, and at this discount it’s an unbeatable purchase.
This is the best deal we’ve ever seen on the very solid GoPro Hero9 Black, at 41% off retail. In our review, lead analyst Jim Fisher praised the changes that the company pushed through for their flagship camera, lauding the extra battery life, full-color front display and support for add-on lenses. This is one of the smallest 4K cameras on the market, with the sturdy construction you expect from GoPro. It can be submerged to 33 feet without a protective case, and even supports voice control. Throw in all of the usual GoPro video modes like timelapse and Hindsight, which lets you capture video from 30 seconds before you hit the record button, and this one will handle every adventure.
DJI’s Osmo Action 4 is a reliable and sturdy action camera that does a great job with low-light shooting, making it ideal for nighttime adventures.
