Mirrorless lens Early Black Friday deals 2025?

TIL! Thanks for sharing

Hey, I’m in a very similar boat – shot an a6400/a6600 combo for a while, then moved to Sony full-frame, and I’ve been tracking Black Friday lens deals the last 3–4 years pretty obsessively.

Short version: I would suggest planning around specific lenses now, then waiting to pull the trigger until you see a *real* discount (10–20%+), not the token $50.

What’s worked for me:
- **Fast prime (24–35mm):** I’d seriously look at the **Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN** (APS-C only) *if* you decide to stay crop for a while – this one regularly drops close to ~$250–280 on Black Friday. For a FF‑safe option, the **Tamron 24mm f/2.8** or **Sony FE 35mm f/1.8**. The Sony 35/1.8 usually gets ~$100 off around BF, and that’s the one that survived my upgrade to full‑frame.

- **Travel zoom (24–105 equiv):** On APS‑C I used the **Sony 18–135mm**. It’s not fast, but optically it’s solid and I’ve seen it go down into the low $500s on BF. If you’re thinking FF soon, you might want to consider the **Tamron 28–75mm f/2.8 G2** – it’s not 24–105, but it’s light, sharp, and almost always gets a real discount (like $100–150) during BF.

As for patterns: in my experience **third‑party (Sigma/Tamron/Viltrox)** absolutely sees better percentages off than Sony. Sony’s official rebates are usually predictable and not huge. Sigma/Tamron often run promos via B&H/Adorama where the price dips for 1–2 weeks, then goes right back up.

Timing-wise, I’ve had better luck with **early BF / mid‑November** than waiting for actual Black Friday. The good bundles and the best Sigma/Tamron drops tend to show up early and sometimes sell out in popular focal lengths.

If it were me with your setup and budget, I’d:
1. Shortlist: Sony 35/1.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Tamron 28–75, Sony 18–135.
2. Track prices *now* (camelcamelcamel, keepa, etc.) so you know what’s a real deal.
3. Be careful with APS‑C‑only lenses if you’re truly serious about FF in 1–2 years – I regretted buying too many crop‑only lenses.

Hope this helps! I totally get wanting to avoid panic‑buying; BF lens deals look good on paper but a lot of them are just recycled rebates from earlier in the year.

Honestly, I’d treat Early BF as “set a hard max price” time rather than “must buy now” time. Third‑party stuff (Sigma/Tamron/Viltrox) usually drop more %, but Sony FF lenses hold value better long‑term, so I’d price‑track both: decide your walk‑away price for, say, a Sigma 24–70 or Tamron travel zoom and only pull the trigger if it actually hits that number, otherwise wait for BF/Cyber and don’t get baited by the fake $50 “sale” they run all year.

Well, if you’re thinking long-term FF, I’d personally track the *full-frame* E-mount stuff first and only grab APS‑C lenses if the discount is genuinely crazy. Historically (last few years anyway), Sigma and Tamron FE primes (24/35 1.4/1.8) have been discounted more aggressively than Sony GM/G – like 15–20% vs Sony’s usual $50–$100 off. Same for travel zooms: Tamron 28–75 and 28–200 often see better Black Friday cuts than Sony’s 24–105 G. I’d watch price history on something like camelcamelcamel so you don’t fall for “fake” BF sales, and if a lens hits an all‑time low in early deals, I’d honestly jump on it – in my experience the actual BF/Cyber weekend rarely beats the best early price on popular Sony-mount glass, it just sells out. Hope that helps you plan without panic buying later!

Hey, I’d look at this a bit from the “safety / reliability” angle rather than just pure discount hunting.

If you’re planning big purchases around Black Friday, I’d *definitely* prioritize:

1. **Authorized dealers only** – B&H, Adorama, Amazon *sold by Amazon* are usually safe. I’ve seen people burned by sketchy marketplace sellers: “new” lenses with dust, decentered elements, or no valid warranty. Black Friday is prime time for that nonsense.

2. **Return policy + restocking fees** – Before you hit buy, check you’ve got at least 14–30 days, no ridiculous restocking fee, and free/cheap return shipping. Lenses can have copy variation, and you really want the option to swap if AF is off or corners are mushy.

3. **Warranty + region** – Make sure it’s not gray market. Sony/Sigma/Tamron warranties can be fantastic, but only if the lens is from the correct region. Early BF deals sometimes quietly mix gray stock in.

4. **Shipping safety** – I know it sounds boring, but BF rush = rough handling. I always unbox *immediately*, check for rattles, loose elements, weird sounds in IBIS, and do a quick sharpness/AF test that same day.

On the brands: third‑party (Sigma/Tamron/Viltrox) do usually get bigger % cuts, but imo that makes it even more important to buy from a solid retailer so you don’t end up with a bad copy and no easy exchange.

For timing: I think it’s safer (from a QC standpoint) to jump on **early** deals from the big names. Less shipping chaos, more time to test and return before the holiday mess.

Hope this helps! If you want, I can jot down a quick “lens arrival checklist” you can run through in 10 mins to make sure your copy’s good.