Black Friday isn’t just a day any more; it’s usually at least a week, sometimes a whole month! Over the years, it has become a major commercial event and key date in the retail calendar. Traditionally, it’s the day after Thanksgiving in the USA, and it makes the unofficial beginning of the festive shopping season.
Black Friday discounts usually bring retailers a substantial increase in sales, and they’re an excellent opportunity to clear out old stock. They also allow customers to save on products they’ve wanted for a while. Therein lies the key to getting the best from a Black Friday sale.
During the run-up to Black Friday, there’s a massive increase in the number of marketing emails and adverts, and it’s easy to get sucked into buying something because it’s available at a great price rather than because it’s something you really want or need. Of course, there’s always a chance that you might find a saving on a shiny new camera, but for many manufacturers and retailers, Black Friday is about selling older stock. You might get lucky and save a little cash on the Nikon Z8 or Fujifilm GFX100 II, for instance, but you’re far more likely to see discounts on products that have been around a bit longer.
For the savvy photographer or videographer, Black Friday is an excellent opportunity to pick up something you need at a reduced price. Throughout the past year, you might have promised yourself many products, but you can get by until the price is right. With that in mind, the Camera Jabber team has thought about the best products for photographers to buy this Black Friday.
Tripods
A tripod is one of those essential items that every photographer or videographer should have but that they don’t like to have to carry or shell out for. There are lots of great tripods available these days, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get something decent. However, it’s well worth investing in a tripod that will last and is capable of holding your camera still in a breeze.
Naturally, the best tripod for you isn’t necessarily the best model for someone else. The Manfrotto Pixi, for instance, is a great mini tripod for slipping in your bag for the odd low-level or table-top shot, but the Peak Design Travel Tripod is much more versatile and lovely item to own. It can hold a heavy camera and lens still but it only weighs 1.27Kg (carbon fibre version) with its integrated head. It’s a tripod you don’t mind carrying ‘just in case,’ and it’s made to last.
Storage
Photographers and videographers always need more storage. Your current hard drive may have some space available, but it will save lots of stress and heartache if you buy another before you need it. I’ve always opted for Western Digital drives, notably the My Cloud Pro series or the SanDisk Professional G-Drive range.
If you’re looking for somewhere to store your images permanently as an archive, then capacity will likely be more important to you than speed. It’s also worth looking at units with two or more drives because you can create a RAID so your files are backed up.
While hard drives are great for archiving, if you’re looking for data transfer speed, then an SSD (solid-state drive) is the way to go. The best portable SSDs combine decent capacity with blistering data transfer rates. Samsung’s T-series SSD’s, including the latest model (the Samsung T9) have proved very reliable for storing images while you’re away from home. They’re also excellent working drives to keep your computer uncluttered while you edit images and videos before moving them to permanent storage. We’ve also been impressed with the SanDisk Professional Pro-Blade Transport and Pro-Blade Station, which are modular and both accept the Pro-Blade Mag SSDs. However, if you want something more traditional, look at the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2.
Memory Cards
Another memory card always comes in handy, and a Black Friday sale is a good opportunity to upgrade to UHS-II media to get the best burst depths and recording times from many modern cameras. If your camera has dual memory card slots, it’s also a great time to invest in a card to put in the second slot, especially if it’s the more expensive CFexpress type.
As a rule of thumb, go for brands such as Lexar, Delkin, Kingston, Samsung and SanDisk, but pay close attention to the speed ratings on the packaging to ensure you’re getting one that will deliver the transfer rates your camera needs to excel.
UHS-I or UHS-II: Which Memory Card is Best for You?
Filters
Filters enable a range of creative opportunities. Neutral density (ND) filters, for instance, can allow long exposures in daylight or keep the shutter speed within the right range for shooting video. Graduated filters help balance exposure across a scene, while polarisers are handy for reducing reflections and boosting saturation.
Black Friday is a great time to think about upgrading to a new filter system, and the introduction of magnets to filter systems, both round and rectangular, makes more difference than you might think. Sure, it doesn’t take long to screw a round filter onto a lens, but snapping one on magnetically takes a fraction of a second. And magnetic rectangular filters are easy to mount and adjust.
If you’re looking for a rectangular filter system, the Kase Wolverine Armour system gets a big thumbs up from us. And those wanting circular filters should check out the Kase Wolverine Magnetic Circular Filters.
Read our buyer’s guide to the Best Filter Systems
Straps
The straps supplied with most cameras are OK, but they’re not usually the most versatile or comfortable. If we had to plump for one strap right now, it would be the Peak Design Slide Lite. If you want something broader, there’s the Peak Design Slide, while those searching for a slim strap should look at the Peak Design Leash.
I’ve also recently taken delivery of the Qimera Feast Strap, and although I’ve only been using it for a few days, I’m pretty sure it will feature in our guide to the best camera straps very soon.
Lenses
Lenses tend to have a much longer shelf life than cameras, and provided you stick with the same mount, you can use any lenses you buy on future cameras. Black Friday is a good time to expand the focal length range of your lenses or upgrade to more sophisticated optics. If your favourite zoom lens, for example, has a variable maximum aperture, now could be the time to invest in a lens with a constant maximum aperture. That means you don’t have to adjust the exposure settings when you zoom.
It’s also nice to upgrade to lenses with a larger maximum aperture. It means more light will get into the camera so the shutter speed can go up or the ISO down. And, of course, using a lens with a larger aperture allows you to isolate your subject more effectively from its surroundings.
Read: Camera lenses explained: compatibility, focal length, stabilisation, aperture and more
Adobe Photography Plan
This is a big one. A lot of people are uncomfortable with Adobe’s monthly subscription model, but if you wait for Black Friday, or an Amazon Prime day, you can get a serious discount on the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan (and other Adobe apps) via Adobe’s Amazon page. This Black Friday, for instance, there’s a 43% discount on a year’s subscription. This means you get the Adobe Photography Plan for 12 months for a one-off payment of £68.99.
There are also serious (50%) discounts on the monthly subscription model, but it’s the annual payment option that interests most people. The good news is that if you renew your plan early, say on Amazon Prime day before the plan you took out on Black Friday expires, the extra 12 months is added to your current subscription. Essentially, you’re creating an annual subscription for less than the monthly one over 12 months, but in the UK, you must remember to re-subscribe. US-based photographers will find there’s an auto-renewal option, but what’s not clear is if that is at the standard rate or the discounted rate. If it turns out to be the standard rate, it’s likely possible to turn off the resubscription and then buy it again at a later date at a reduced rate.
Follow the links to check out the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan Amazon UK and Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan Amazon US offer.
Black Friday in a Nutshell
Black Friday presents an exciting opportunity for photographers and videographers. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a keen hobbyist, it’s a great time to invest in those much-needed upgrades or finally purchase that gear you’ve been eyeing all year.
From sturdy tripods and reliable storage solutions to high-quality lenses and innovative filter systems, the discounts available can significantly ease the financial burden of these often costly investments. Remember, the key is to shop smartly and focus on what you truly need or have been planning to buy, avoiding impulse purchases.
Above all, enjoy the thrill of the hunt for deals and the satisfaction of adding valuable tools to your photography arsenal. Happy shopping this Black Friday, and may you find the perfect deals to enhance your photographic journey!