I test cameras for a living — 12 best Black Friday camera deals

A photo of the Canon EOS R8 with a green bush in the background
(Image credit: Future)

Note: with Black Friday deals now winding down, make sure you check out our Cyber Monday camera deals page for up-to-date sales coverage.


With Black Friday deals slashing prices of tech, now could be the perfect time to invest in a new camera if you're in need of an upgrade. We're currently seeing retailers offer great discounts on some of the best mirrorless cameras from lots of different manufacturers, including Sony, Canon and Panasonic, like the Sony A7 III, currently $635 off at Walmart.

There are also some awesome deals on action cameras from the likes of GoPro, and even deals on instant cameras like the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12, which is currently 14% off at Amazon.

We've rounded up the best Black Friday camera deals here so you can see all the best discounts in one place.

Black Friday camera deals

Sony A7 III: was $1,999 now $1,364 @ WalmartLOWEST PRICE!

Sony A7 III: was $1,999 now $1,364 @ Walmart
LOWEST PRICE! It isn't the newest member of Sony's A7 lineup of full-frame mirrorless cameras, but that doesn't mean the A7 III isn't a phenomenal camera in 2023. Packing a 24.2MP 35mm full frame sensor, this camera produces beautiful images even in low light. It also features Sony's legendary autofocus with detection and tracking capabilities, plus excellent battery life. At $635 off, this is the lowest price this camera has ever been and slashes even more off the discounts we've already seen on this camera leading up to Black Friday, so snap this deal up now! 

Canon R6 Mark II: was $2,499 now $2,179 @ Walmart

Canon R6 Mark II: was $2,499 now $2,179 @ Walmart
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II takes the top position on our best mirrorless cameras guide. This full frame camera is a powerful tool for hybrid shooters wanting professional-grade photos and videos. Aside from only shooting up to 4K video, one of the only other drawbacks to this camera is its steep list price — something this deal helps solve. Our Canon EOS R6 Mark II review awarded 4.5* to this camera.

Panasonic Lumix S5II: was $2,299 now $1,999 @ Best Buy

Panasonic Lumix S5II: was $2,299 now $1,999 @ Best Buy
Successor to the legendary original Lumix S5, the S5II is a mirrorless camera firmly geared towards professional videography, offering a huge array of video resolutions and formats in up to 6K/30p. In our Lumix S5IIX review (the X model features a couple of extra professional video features but is mostly the same), we absolutely loved this camera, and named it an unbeatable video camera for the money, so it's even better value now at $300 off.

Canon EOS R8: was $1,499 now $1,299 @ Amazon

Canon EOS R8: was $1,499 now $1,299 @ Amazon
The Canon EOS R8 is Canon's entry-level full frame mirrorless camera, designed for enthusiasts who want to step up to full frame for the extra creativity and low light performance larger sensors offer. In our Canon EOS R8 review, we loved this camera's incredible autofocus, ultra-fast shooting speeds and beautiful stills and video. At $200 off, now is the time to pick up an EOS R8!

OM System OM-1: was $1,859 now $1,639 @ Walmart

OM System OM-1: was $1,859 now $1,639 @ Walmart
The OM-1 is the flagship OM-System (formerly Olympus) camera, featuring a 20.4MP stacked backside illuminated micro four thirds sensor. It'll shoot 4K/60p video while its battery is rated for 1100 shots in eco mode. Of particular note is the OM-1's electronic viewfinder, which at 5.76M dots is extremely high resolution as EVFs go. This price isn't the lowest price we've seen this camera, so you might want to wait and see whether the price drops further. But this is certainly not a bad price for the specs this camera offers.

Fujifilm X-S10: was $1,012 now $899 @ B&H Photo
So far this Black Friday, we're not seeing many deals on Fuji gear. This could be due to high demand recently for Fuji cameras keeping prices high. However, B&H are currently offering $100 off the Fujifilm X-S10 plus an accessories kit, which includes a SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card and a Lowepro camera bag. The X-S10 has now been replaced by the Fujifilm X-S20, which is the better camera for video and content creation. For photography and casual video, though, the X-S10 is still a fantastic camera for the money, and is pretty much the cheapest way to get a camera with IBIS.
Price check: $899 @ Amazon (no accessories)

Fujifilm X-S10: was $1,012 now $899 @ B&H Photo
So far this Black Friday, we're not seeing many deals on Fuji gear. This could be due to high demand recently for Fuji cameras keeping prices high. However, B&H are currently offering $100 off the Fujifilm X-S10 plus an accessories kit, which includes a SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card and a Lowepro camera bag. The X-S10 has now been replaced by the Fujifilm X-S20, which is the better camera for video and content creation. For photography and casual video, though, the X-S10 is still a fantastic camera for the money, and is pretty much the cheapest way to get a camera with IBIS.
Price check: $899 @ Amazon (no accessories)

Sony ZV-1F vlogging camera: was $499 now $398 @ Amazon

Sony ZV-1F vlogging camera: was $499 now $398 @ Amazon
The Sony ZV-1F is an ideal starter camera for anyone who wants to get into vlogging and online content creation. This camera has been designed for that very purpose, with features like its flip out screen so you can view yourself in frame, and a product showcase mode to help product demo or unboxing vloggers master their focus. The ZV-1F also shoots in full 4K video, ensuring your content is sharp and professional-looking.

Nikon Z6 II: was $1,996 now $1,596 @ B&H Photo

Nikon Z6 II: was $1,996 now $1,596 @ B&H Photo
The Nikon Z 6 II is a 24.5MP full frame mirrorless camera designed for hybrid shooters. It shoots in 4K/60p and features dual card slots — including a CFExpress port for high speed data transfer. This is a serious photography and video tool for enthusiasts, semi-pro and even professional creators.

Canon EOS R50: was $799 now $699 @ B&H Photo

Canon EOS R50: was $799 now $699 @ B&H Photo
In our Canon EOS R50 review, we absolutely loved how much this camera offers for the money. Canon has packed their incredible AF system into this camera — a stripped down version of the AF system in pro cameras like the EOS R6 Mark II. It produces lovely images and video, has an intuitive menu system making it easy to use, and a flip out screen for vlogging or live streaming. It's our pick of the best camera for beginners and was already great value for money even before the $100 discount.

Canon EOS R100: was $429 now $344 @ Walmart

Canon EOS R100: was $429 now $344 @ Walmart
The Canon EOS R100 is Canon's entry-level mirrorless camera. In our Canon EOS R100 review, we concluded that if you're just after the basics, this is a decent camera offering good image quality in a lightweight and affordable package. It has no flip out screen, so is more geared towards photography than video or vlogging. Normally we'd suggest spending a little more on the EOS R50, but at $100 off, the EOS R100 is still a compelling package.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12: was $79 now $69 @ Amazon

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12: was $79 now $69 @ Amazon
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 is the ideal camera for documenting life and printing memories. It's a properly simple instant camera: there's no smartphone app — you point, shoot and print! Its Fujifilm print papers are relatively affordable and give a vivid and contrasty look. At over $10 off, this is the cheapest we've seen this camera.

GoPro Hero12 Black Accessories Bundle: was $449 now $349 @ Amazon

GoPro Hero12 Black Accessories Bundle: was $449 now $349 @ Amazon
Amazon is offering the Hero12 Black Accessories Bundle for $100 off its usual price. In this bundle, you'll get the GoPro Hero12 Black, which is our favorite action camera, plus two enduro batteries (although no charger), a sturdy hand grip, a head mount and a carrying case. It's a useful starter kit for anyone beginning their adventures!

How to choose the right camera for you

Essentially, this just involves working backwards from what you want to do with your camera and search for specs that match your intentions. Are you shooting video, vlogging or will you just be taking photos (perhaps all three)? Will you be shooting outdoors and need something waterproof? Do you want to be able to change lenses?

If you just want to take photos, you won't need a video-oriented camera like the Lumix S5IIX. If you're only taking photos casually, there's no need to spend over $2,000 on a professional camera like the Canon EOS R6 Mark II. 

That said, if you want to take your photography seriously (even as an enthusiast), it does help to give yourself a little bit of room to grow, at least when it comes to conventional cameras rather than those with specific use cases (like action cameras). An interchangeable lens camera will allow you to choose your lenses to match your creative needs. You may also want to look for a camera that's got features you might use later down the line as you hone your skills — things like specific autofocusing modes for animals or vehicles, in case you decide to dabble in sports or wildlife photography.

There are also cameras for specific use cases. If you just want to take some casual snaps of friends and family, buying one of the best instant cameras could be the way to go. While if you want to your extreme sports endeavours, you'll want one of the best action cameras.

Peter Wolinski
Reviews Editor

Peter is Reviews Editor at Tom's Guide. As a writer, he covers topics including tech, photography, gaming, hardware, motoring and food & drink. Outside of work, he's an avid photographer, specialising in architectural and portrait photography. When he's not snapping away on his beloved Fujifilm camera, he can usually be found telling everyone about his greyhounds, riding his motorcycle, squeezing as many FPS as possible out of PC games, and perfecting his espresso shots.