I did some digging on some deal blogs and one person was saying that they always do an extra 30% or 40% off the back wall (the hash wall I think they call it?) on specific Tuesdays every month but then another site said that the real clearance doesnt happen until the end of the season like in July or August. That doesnt help me now though because the kids need them for the spring season right now. Some people also mentioned these Friends and Family pass things but I have no idea how you even get those or if they even stack with the clearance prices anyway.

Is there like a specific cadence for when they mark stuff down? I heard they do big inventory drops on Thursday nights to get ready for the weekend rush but then someone else told me holiday weekends are actually a scam because they raise the base prices before the sale starts. I am just looking for when the absolute rock bottom prices hit because I have got about $600 total to outfit as many kids as possible and right now $80 a pair is just not gonna cut it for us. Does anyone know the actual schedule for the deepest discounts or if there is a specific time of the month when that back wall goes to like 50% off or more?

• Check the clearance between the thumb rest and the exposure compensation dial so it doesnt get stuck.


• Look for grips that allow battery door access without having to unscrew anything.


• Consider how the grip material reacts to humidity since itll be pretty muggy over there. I'm not totally sure if the wood grips hold up as well in the rain, but they definitely look more low-profile. Maybe check out some of the user-submitted photos on Fred Miranda to see how they age?

• Go with anything from JJC


• Or check out the Squarehood gear Honestly, just grab a grip from those guys. They are way lighter and actually feel better in the hand than the bulky first-party stuff.

• JJC HG-XPRO3 Metal Hand Grip with Arca-Swiss Type Quick Release


• This is basically a lighter version of the OEM grip and it keeps the battery door accessible.


• Lensmate Thumb Grip for Fujifilm X-Pro3 Foldable Aluminum


• I would suggest the folding model specifically. Its got a tiny silicone bumper to prevent that hot shoe scratching people talk about.


• Haoge THB-XP3B Thumb Up Rest for Fujifilm X-Pro3 Metal


• A solid one-piece option, but make sure to check if the fixed arm blocks your thumb from the command dial. I would suggest checking your thumb placement first because the Lensmate is usually the best for ergonomics even if it costs a bit more. Dont wait too long to order so you can test them before the trip...

Ive been looking into some options and I saw the official Fujifilm MHG-XPRO3 grip but then I read some forum posts saying it adds too much weight and makes the camera feel bulky which kinda defeats the purpose of the X-Pro series right? I also looked at the Lensmate thumb rest because everyone says its the gold standard but then I saw a couple people complaining that it makes reaching the back dial a huge pain or it might scratch the hot shoe mount over time. I really need to get this sorted before I leave in three weeks because I dont want to be fumbling with my gear in the middle of Shinjuku.

My budget is about 150 bucks for both the grip and the thumb rest if possible. Should I just stick with the official stuff or is there some third party brand like Squarehood or JJC that actually feels better in the hand? I just want it to feel secure without ruining the look of the camera...

• Newegg often drops the biggest price cuts on Tuesday mornings for some reason.


• Keep an eye on the Combo Up pages; you can sometimes shave $50 off just by pairing a PSU with your storage. Btw, I use PriceDropCatch for my Newegg alerts and it's way better than checking manually every day.