Quick take: My original 2023 take on Black Friday: don't buy camera gear. Camera prices aren't better than during other sales, the real discounts come in March at the end of the Japanese fiscal year, you probably don't need anything new, used gear goes much further, and new gear won't make you better.
I reposted this video for Black Friday 2024. The full write-up is here: Don't Buy Camera Gear on Black Friday.
The Five Reasons, in Short
Black Friday is a scam for cameras. Nothing in the camera space is priced differently than during other sales. Camera companies cut prices hardest in March, to close out the Japanese fiscal year on March 31st with strong numbers.
Nothing is really on sale. Memory cards are almost always discounted. On Black Friday they're just marketed with countdown timers, inflated "regular" prices or old stock from a previous generation. Real discounts come when a product is about to be replaced.
You don't actually need it. Never buy gear in anticipation of work. It's an easy way into debt, and debt makes you lower your rates and take jobs you don't want.
Buy used. I recently shot with my first camera, a 10-year-old Canon 70D, and the Canon 85mm F1.4L IS, and realized I could still do all of my photo work and most of my video work on it. The body goes for about $150 to $250 used. For photography, almost anything from the last decade is enough. Video work with crews has more specific needs, like codecs and active cooling.
New gear won't make you better. During lockdown I shot everything on my X-T3 with the 18-55mm kit lens, and nobody noticed but me. Wireless lav mics are about the only gear that truly elevated my work.
What to Do Instead
Shoot more with what you have. Invest in software tutorials or a course from someone whose work you like, replicate work you admire and add your own spin. If you don't absolutely need something for work this Black Friday, don't buy it. Better prices are coming, and if you're just getting started, go used.
