Camera Deals

Strategery: The Canon Digital Rebels

We are monitoring both the Canon Instant Rebates (ends tonight) and the Amazon-created D-Rebel bundles for discounts.

With the Canon D-Rebel Instant Rebates ending tonight, and the Black Friday madness taking it to the next level tomorrow (online) and Friday (brick and mortar and online), we can perhaps expect new D-Rebel specials after the Instant Rebates. Whether these will be in the form of Instant Rebates or discounted on the created bundles, I do not know, that is why we are monitoring both.

Of the existing options that expire tonight, the D-Rebel T3i w/18-135 kit with the 55-250 and 75-300 lenses goes for around $1045 with the instant rebates. That's the technical discount. On the strategic front however, there is a lot of overlap on those three lenses, so perhaps it might be more of interest if you are planning to sell/trade/repurpose some of the extra lenses.

Strategery: Wait on these cameras: Sony NEX-5 w/18-55, Canon SX150, Nikon L, etc

As you can see at our Best of Brick & Mortar round-up, some of the published Black Friday brick and mortar ads have some good prices that decidedly beat the current internet prices. However, in previous years, the internet retailers usually price-match or sometimes beat (if it gets competitive) the brick and mortar specials. Based on that, here are some cameras you may want to wait until Black Friday before pulling the trigger:

+ Sony NEX-5 w/18-55 (Best Buy Black Friday ad shows it for $500)
+ Canon SX150 IS (multiple brick and mortar stores show it for $150)
+ Nikon Coolpix LXX AA-zooms (Target has $100 doorbuster on model L105)
+ Nikon Coolpix S8100 ($150 at Best Buy)
+ Casio Tryx (B&M shows it for $100 - assuming they carry it)
+ Panasonic FH25 ($80 at membership club, $100 at regional chain)
+ Canon A2200 ($80 w/free $10 gift card at Radio Shack)
+ lots of alkaline AA batteries after rebates and/or rewards
+ check all the Brick & Mortar Black Friday items