Black Friday is an excellent time to upgrade your photo and video toolkit or snag a great gift for that aspiring TikTok star in your life. Right now, you can score some serious bargains on cameras, as well as our favorite gear for creating your own home video studio or mobile recording rig. These are the best Black Friday camera deals we’ve found so far, but we’ll be updating this post throughout the weekend. We updated it at Sunday, November 26, 2023.
We test products year-round and handpicked these deals. The discount amounts we show are based on actual street prices at retailers in the past few months. Products that are sold out or no longer discounted as of publishing will be crossed out.
Camera and Lens Deals
The Nikon Z6 II is our favorite camera for Nikon shooters. The 24-megapixel full-frame sensor has excellent dynamic range, and the phase-detect autofocus system is one of the best I’ve used. Video quality is also excellent, with 10-bit 4:2:2 N-Log output possible over HDMI. The Nikon Z6 II is also the most comfortable camera I’ve tested. But the real star of the show here is the Z-series lens system with its wider base mount, which allows more light to the corners of the sensors. The benefits of this can be seen in the incredibly fast 58-mm f/0.95 lens (manual focus) and the surprisingly small 50-mm f/1.2. If you’ve got a lot of legacy Nikon glass you want to keep using, there’s an F-to-Z mount adapter available for $250. Note that the B&H price includes a shoulder bag.
The Nikon Z7 II bests the Z6 above when it comes to megapixels. Aside from the larger 42-megapixel sensor, these two cameras are very close in features. If you can afford it, though, the extra megapixels are nice to have. As with the deal above, the B&H price includes a shoulder bag, and in this case an SD card as well.
The Canon R5 sports a massive 45-megapixel sensor and is a hefty beast, with a solid feel that reminds me of what I used to love about film cameras. Even the on-off switch is made of metal. The sensor is typically Canon, which is to say sharp, with good contrast and the characteristic Canon color rendering (slightly warmer in tone to my eye). The phase-detect autofocus is fast and accurate. It’s not the cheapest camera by any means, but this is the lowest price we’ve seen.
This is a great deal on our favorite action camera for recording your outdoor adventures. The GoPro Hero 12 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) just launched in September, and the previous model is still selling for $300, which makes this a pretty sweet deal. Not only do you get the latest version, you also get two batteries and a mini tripod. The Hero 12 isn’t a huge change from the Hero 11, but it does have better battery life and can shoot HDR video in 5.3K. I still haven’t been able to overheat it in three months of trying. If none of that matters to you, you can grab the GoPro Hero 11 for $298 ($51 off).
DJI’s Action 3 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is last year’s model, but it’s still a fine camera—and at this price, it’s probably the best-value action cam you can get. The image quality doesn’t match the GoPro Hero 12 (or the new DJI Action 4), but it’s good enough for most people, with 4K video and 12-megapixel stills. It has a great design with a magnetic clip system that puts GoPro to shame. The battery life is also outstanding.
Panasonic’s mirrorless cameras have been the go-to for independent filmmaking for years. The GH6 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) continues that trend with great image stabilization for those handheld shots, Apple ProRes support, and some great extras like a built-in accelerometer to display lean and tilt. Battery life could be better, but otherwise this is a solid choice for anyone wanting to shoot high-quality video on a budget.
Camera Strap and Bag Deals
Wandrd’s Rogue sling (formerly called Roam) is the best everyday sling bag for carrying your camera and gear. It can be carried as a sling, messenger, or waist pack, and because the soft padding conforms to your back, it’s comfy to wear for long periods. The mix of 840-denier and 1680D ballistic nylon and water-resistant YKK zippers make it feel like it’s worth twice its price, too. The 3-liter version is on sale for $87 ($23 off), and the midsize 6L is on sale for $111 ($28 off). Not sure what size you need? We have a handy explainer.
Moment’s Rugged Sling is aimed at street photographers who trek around all day. It has a modular organization system inside, and its weatherproof fabric is made from recycled sails. (Technically it’s recycled polyester fiber and film, made by Northsail.) There’s a large zippered front pocket that makes it easy to get to your gear, and the “winged” rear padding design makes it super comfortable on your back. The larger 100-liter size is also on sale for $90 ($60 off).
This is been my camera strap for going on eight years now, and I still love it. It’s light, comfortable, and perfect for the average mirrorless camera. Now, full disclosure, if I had a 300-mm or larger bazooka wildlife lens, this isn’t what I’d use, but for my Fujifilm and Sony A7 cameras, this thing is perfect. I also love that it easily converts to a wrist strap. Simplr has one sale a year, and this is it.
WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu calls Wandrd’s Prvke the closest a camera bag has ever come to perfection. He likes the 31-liter version, which is what this deal is for. The padding is cushiony, and the exterior waterproof tarpaulin and Robic 1680-denier ballistic nylon materials have held up extremely well over time. It fits everything you need to shoot a video in the field, including a tripod (which secures in place with a buckle). If you’re purchasing it from Wandrd’s site, make sure to click the “Photography Bundle” option before adding it to your cart.
The Jumper is one of our favorite camera bags. It’s stylish and doesn’t look like a camera bag. Yet you get the side pocket common on camera bags for easy access to the camera inside, and you can unzip the front to grab additional lenses. There’s a zippered pocket on the front with some mesh pouches for batteries, cables, or SD cards, and the main compartment is roomy enough to hold a sweater (or lunch).
The Everyday Backpack Zip doesn’t immediately give itself away as a camera bag, which is nice, and we like the fact that you can access your camera by slinging the backpack around your shoulder to the front. We tested the 20-liter model and it had plenty of room for a Nikon Z 6, three lenses, and an external monitor recorder. This deal is for the 15-liter version which is a little smaller but still has room for Peak Design’s Travel Tripod in the side pocket and a 13-inch laptop in the laptop sleeve.
Mobile Photography and Video Deals
Moment redesigned its lenses this year, and the new T-Series lenses will not work with older cases. That doesn’t matter if you’re just getting started, and that’s why we like this deal. You get a new T-Series case with two mobile lenses. (You can pick which lenses—we suggest the fish-eye and anamorphic.) Be aware that the lenses are back-ordered. Moment says they should ship around December 8.
As noted above, Moment has redesigned its lenses. This is the old lens, which we’ve always liked, but we wouldn’t suggest investing unless you already have an M-Series lens mount for your phone. If you do, this is a decent deal on what we’ve always thought was the company’s best lens. Otherwise, you’re better off with the new lens kit above.
Lume Cube’s Creator Kit is a mobile studio in a box. You get a Lume Cube light, a compact tripod that can open up to 55 inches in length, a shotgun mic with a windscreen, and a universal phone mount with clips to attach all of these accessories together. The mic quality is solid, and the windscreen keeps your voice clear and crisp even when recording in the outside world. It’s a great all-in-one solution for mobile video recording.
Lume’s mobile tripod is very stable, but the best part is that the ends of the clamp double as cold shoe mounts, so you can hook up a microphone and a compact video light for a full on-the-go studio. It’s fairly comfortable to grip and carry if you are moving around as you film. Our only gripe is that you can’t adjust the height.
Tripods, Lighting, and Microphone Deals
Good lighting is key to good video. This ring light provides great lighting and is easy to set up; just slot your phone into the universal mount in the middle and you’ll cast light on your face as you film (vertically or horizontally). The light gets bright enough to illuminate your face even in the darkest of rooms, and you can adjust the brightness or color temperature to make the white tones cooler or warmer. You just need to make sure to put it near a power source to keep it plugged in via the provided USB-C cable (you can use it with a power bank in a pinch).
We love Anker’s wireless mic system. It comes in a wonderful case that lets you magnetically recharge the two transmitters as well as the receiver. Even better, you have the option to plug the system into a variety of devices. There’s a Lightning adapter and a USB-C adapter in the case itself, or you can use the Aux cable to plug it into your camera. The audio quality is solid too.
This is one of the most compact tripods on the market—it’ll fit in the water bottle pouch of your backpack. Despite the compact storage size, it doesn’t compromise on height or stability. There’s a slightly lighter carbon-fiber version as well, but it’s expensive even on sale. Unless weight is your primary concern, this aluminum version does the job. You get a built-in phone mount, but we suggest grabbing the universal head adapter so you can pair it with a fluid head like the one below.
We love this tripod head for shooting stationary things, like products. Shooting any object head-on without any movement is very dull. You may as well just show a still photo. Fluid heads let you smoothly pan and tilt your camera around so you can add some motion to your B-roll footage. WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu has been using this for more than three years with no issues.
Fujifilm Instax and Instant Camera Deals
Fujifilm’s Link Wide is my favorite Instax printer, if only for its size: Those gloriously big Instax Wide prints just look better. They are pricier, though, at around $1.20 per print (print price varies by quantity). The Instax Wide has its own dedicated app that works well and has plenty of fun layouts and premade templates. The only thing I don’t like here is that it charges off a USB-A cable. This deal has been running since early October, so it’s not really a Black Friday sale, but it is the lowest price we’ve seen and a great deal. Note that this does not include film; you’ll want to grab a pack of Instax Wide Film ($14) as well.
Our favorite for parties, Fujifilm’s Mini Link 2 prints images from your phone. Fujifilm’s new mobile app is much better than its past efforts and includes some extras like Party Print, which creates collages from multiple phones, while Match Test takes images of two people (or two images of one person) and prints a combined image. It’ll also tell you how “compatible” it thinks the pair is, which is gimmicky, but what party doesn’t lighten up with a little gimmickry?
The Instax Mini 40 isn’t a camera I’ve used much, but it’s roughly the same as other Instax models in that it features automatic exposure, a plastic lens that’s passable but not great, and a built-in selfie mirror. It shoots the roughly credit-card-sized Instax Mini prints. This deal includes a pack of film and is the same price as the deal that doesn’t include a pack of film, so avoid that one.
Polaroid’s Now+ Instant Camera has the standard features you’d expect from a Polaroid including roll-out film, vintage aesthetics, and a chunky body with buttons that are easy to find. But what sets it apart is the smartphone companion app. It wasn’t the best experience when we tested it a couple of years ago, but it does come with features like Manual Mode, Tripod mode, and the ability to set a custom f-stop in Aperture Priority mode. It lets you take intentional double exposures too.
This is our favorite budget instant camera. The plastic housing is easy to grip, the built-in selfie mirror helps to set up good shots, and the camera automatically adjusts its exposure to suit the lighting around you. It comes with cute shutter button accessories too, but you’ll need to use your own adhesive because the built-in sticky backing isn’t very durable. This discount only applies to the Sky Blue color.
Memory Cards, Storage, and Accessory Deals
This SD card is more expensive than most, but it’s also faster. I’ve been shooting with various versions of this card for five years now and I’ve never had an issue with them. They’re speedy enough for 5K video recording and they hold up well to life in a camera bag. This card is never full price, but this is the lowest we’ve seen it get this year.
If you’re primarily shooting still images on a mirrorless camera, this card is plenty fast enough for most people and saves you considerable money over the faster version above. This one is also never full price, but again this is the lowest price we’ve seen this year.
These Crucial drives are my favorite portable drives. They’re reasonably priced (for a portable SSD) and speedy. These are lightweight, which means they’re ideal for when you’re working away from home. I use one to store video clips, and it’s fast enough to edit them right off the disk. The only downside is the plastic construction. Don’t expect it to survive many drops.
Striking the perfect balance between speed, reliability, and price, the SanDisk Extreme Pro is our top pick for USB thumb drives. It has a sleek and durable aluminum case with a loop for attaching it to a key ring. Push the plastic slider to reveal or hide the USB-A plug, and it’s completely operable with one hand. In our tests, the speeds matched what SanDisk advertises (420 megabytes per second read, 380 MB/s write), making it ideal for copying images between devices.
We like the Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor (8/10, WIRED Recommends) for how dead simple it makes video editing. It has dedicated editing keys, and a jog wheel for easily scrubbing through the timeline. One of our favorite aspects of this device is that it comes with a free copy of DaVinci Resolve Studio, which is normally $295. With this deal, you’re basically buying the board and getting the upgrade for free, which is pretty nice.
Book Deals
Want to get better at photography? Learn how to use the gear you have and start studying the work of those who came before you.
I have not used this particular guide, but DK publishes dozens of kids books in a similar vein through its Eyewitness series and they have all been excellent. This one is a 20-week course, complete with a quiz at the end of each “week.” It’s best suited for beginners, though at 360 pages I imagine everyone will learn something.
This is a great book bundle for aspiring young photographers. Aperture says it’s for 8-12 year olds, but older kids would get something out of these three books. Joel Meyerowitz’s Seeing Things, gives kids an introduction to photography as a thing that captures meaningful moments. Eyes Open: 23 Photography Projects for Curious Kids, is an assignment book for kids by Magnum photographer Susan Meiselas, and Go Photo! is another activity book with different projects to get kids engaged with the world around them.
