Update #2: More Prime Day camera deals added to end of this article. Scroll down to see the sales.
Update: Amazon Prime Day is now live. Tracking camera deals, see list below.
Once again Stark Insider will be tracking the best mirrorless and DSLR camera days for Prime Day.
Amazon has announced its dates for the annual Prime Day event for 2021:
- June 21
- June 22
If you’re looking to buy Amazon branded devices such as Alexa-enabled Echo smart speakers and smart displays, Prime Day is almost always your best bet for heavily discounted prices.
However, there’s more. Much more.
Amazon’s flagship event is heavily marketed and is a mission critical part of its strategy to attract new Prime subscribers. It does that of course by attracting as many people as possible onto its site. And then by attempting to convert those would-be shoppers to buyers at minimum, subscribers at best.
To achieve this goal Amazon discounts all sorts of products, including mirrorless and DSLR cameras — one of my favorite subjects to write about here on Stark Insider.
But Prime Day is a bit of a scatter brain game when it comes to searching for and discovering the best deals.
Often there’s timers, and some products aren’t available until certain parts of the day. Navigating the site also sometimes isn’t as intuitive as it should be. “Deals” are often hit and miss in my experience.
Nevertheless, I scan the camera section and list below my favorite camera deals. To be frank, I’ve been disappointed in the past with Prime Day. Yes, Echo devices get big price cuts. But things like cameras less so — maybe 10-15%. Further, the best stuff, the marquee stuff, like the GH5 or Sony a7 III, a7S III, or Canon EOS bodies don’t get discounts, or at least they haven’t in the past. Mostly I’ve found that a lot of crappy camera accessories get marked down, but where’s the joy in that? We all want to score a deal on that camera body or lens we’ve coveted for years.
The cynical side of me might at this point mention something about crass American consumerism. However, shopping is shopping. Sales are sales. They’ve been here before Amazon. And they’ll be so in the future. For now I’ll stick to the joys of the world of camera videography. We’re spoilt in that regard with so many choices. If there’s a deal or two to be had I’ll add them here.
Happy shooting!
Best Prime Day Deals: Mirrorless and DSLR Cameras and Lenses
Note: emphasis here is on shooting video (not so much for pure photography).
While Prime Day hasn’t yet started here’s some of the key camera bodies I’ll be monitoring for sales. Keep in mind though the official sale doesn’t start until June 21, 2021 Amazon does tease early deals, often with limited quantities. We’ll see if they’re any good this year.
Here are some of my favorite camera bodies to track, starting of course with the seminal all-star that is the Panasonic Lumix GH5.
Panasonic Lumix GH5
Type: Micro Four Thirds
Resolution: 20.3 MP
Retail Price: $1,298 USD
Amazon Prime Day: ?
RED Dragon DSMC2 aside, the GH5 remains my favorite camera of all-time. Compact with everything a video shooter would want including outstanding in-body image stabilization and flexible V-Log picture profile. I paid almost $2,000 USD for mine back in 2017. You can already snag the body with a hefty 40% discount which an absolute steal for a stellar 4K camera. Because its already had a price cut he likelihood of a Prime Day deal on the GH5 remains low. But it’s worth watching.
Sony Alpha a7S III
Type: Full-Frame, e-Mount
Resolution: 12.1 MP
Retail Price: $3,498 USD
Amazon Prime Day: ?
Another outstanding mirrorless body, but with a full-frame sensor, the Sony a7S III is a favorite among video hobbyists and professionals alike. Wedding and music videos. Live events. Short films. YouTubers and Vloggers and content creators. The a7S III should be a short list candidate.
Canon EOS R
Type: Full-Frame, RF Mount
Resolution: 30.3 MP
Retail Price: $1,799 USD
Amazon Prime Day: ?
Canon kicked off its mirrorless full-frame range with the EOS R. The first body to feature the new Canon RF lens mount, this one continues to be a phenomenal performer model and offers a relatively inexpensive way to get the full-frame look. As you’d come to expect from Canon auto-focus is best-in-class. Also consider: Canon EOS RP.
Fujifilm X-T4
Type: APS-C, Fujifilm X
Resolution: 26.1 MP
Retail Price: $1,699 USD
Amazon Prime Day: ?
A seductive little beauty, the Fujifilm X-T4 (and the X-T range in general) has a loyal fan base. For good reason. Fuji’s X-Mount lenses are superbly engineered and fairly priced. The body is compact, yet you’ve still got killer video specs here, including in-body image stabilization (6.5 stops) and F-Log with 10-bit color. Highly recommended.
Sony Alpha a7C
Type: Full-Frame, e-Mount
Resolution: 24.2 MP
Retail Price: $1,798 USD
Amazon Prime Day: ?
Another standout mirrorless camera by Sony the a7C is compact, but doesn’t skimp on features. Most notable is that gorgeous full-frame sensor, now available for a somewhat palatable price (compared to the more expensive Alpha bodies). There’s also some solid kit lens deals so you may want to consider a bundle when speccing your kit.
Amazon Prime Day: Live Camera Deals
Will be updated through the Prime Day event, tracking mirrorless and DSLR camera body deals.
Panasonic Lumix G9 body
List: $1,299
Sale: $998 (17% discount)
- The Panasonic G9 is a stellar buy, lots of value here for those looking for a videocentric 4K camera, but can’t quite swing for a GH5.
Sony ZV-1
List: $798
Sale: $698 (13% discount)
- Compact mirrorless with built-in Zeiss lens and flip screen makes the ZV-1 a good choice for YouTube Vloggers and social media content creators.
Canon EOS M50 Mark II Content Creator Kit
List: $899
Sale: $735 (18% discount)
- Well priced Vlogging kit. Includes mic. Pretty much everything needed to unpack and go.
Sony a7 III
List: $1,998
Sale: $1,698 (15% discount)
- The Sony a7 III is an outstanding full-frame camera with superb video specs. Highly recommended for wedding and music video shooters, live events, and filmmakers of all stripes.
Fujifilm X-E3 w/XF18-55mm Lens Kit
List: $999
Sale: $799 (20% discount)
- If you’ve been lusting for a Fuji the X-E3 is an excellent choice, especially if you aren’t quite ready to splurge for something like the pricey X-T4.
Panasonic Lumix G95
List: $998
Sale: $699 (30% discount)
- The Panasonic GH5 remains one of my all-time favorite mirrorless cameras for shooting video (we’ve been using for Stark Insider projects since 2017). However, the Panasonic Lumix G95 gives you, say, 90% of the capability for far less money. And at 30% off this is a great deal.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III
List: $1,799
Sale: $1,049 (42% discount)
- This is the most heavily discounted Prime Day mirrorless camera deal I’ve yet seen.
MORE: Amazon Prime Day deals page (refresh for updated sales)
