04/06/2026 9:29 am
Topic starter
Notifications
Clear all
Deals Forum
2
Posts
3
Users
0
Reactions
6
Views
0
Been shooting with a D850 forever but finally switching to mirrorless for an Alaska trip this August. My budget is capped at $3,200 for the body. Do you guys think Amazon will actually drop the Z8 price for Prime Day or should I just go refurbished now? Im worried about stock levels...
2 Answers
11
04/06/2026 9:50 am
TL;DR: Amazon deals on the Z8 are usually pretty meh. Look at the Nikon Z7 II 45.7MP Mirrorless Camera if the budget is firm. I gotta disagree with holding out for Prime Day tho. Nikon usually controls those prices pretty tightly across all retailers, so you wont see some magical 30 percent off deal just on Amazon. Honestly, you're better off grabbing a Nikon FTZ II Mount Adapter now and keeping your D850 glass. Quick tip: Make sure you factor in the cost of a Delkin Devices 128GB BLACK CFexpress Type B card. The Z8 files are massive and your old SD cards from the D850 will feel like molasses when you're trying to burst wildlife. Alaska is a once in a lifetime thing... dont risk the gear being out of stock in July. Just my two cents.
10
04/06/2026 9:29 am
Honestly, waiting for Prime Day is a massive gamble especially with an Alaska trip in August. I made the jump from the Nikon D850 DSLR Camera to the Z series recently and the learning curve for the autofocus is real... you definitely want more than two weeks to get it down before you're staring at a grizzly bear. Heres how I see the options for your $3,200 budget:
- New Nikon Z 8 Mirrorless Camera Body: Amazon deals usually drop it to maybe $3,499 if we are lucky. Prime Day is great for SD cards and accessories, but flagship bodies rarely hit deep discounts like that. Youll likely be over budget even with a sale.
- Refurbished Nikon Z 8 Mirrorless Camera Body: This is the sweet spot. I have grabbed gear from the Nikon USA refurb site before and it usually looks brand new. It often hits around $3,100 which fits your cap perfectly. Plus, you get that extra cash for a fast card like the ProGrade Digital 512GB CFexpress Type B Gold because the Z8 eats data fast.
- Nikon Z 7II Mirrorless Camera Body: If the Z8 stays too high, this is the budget backup. Its way slower for wildlife than the Z8 tho, so I wouldnt recommend it if you can swing the Z8. The D850 to Z8 jump is much more satisfying. I would just pull the trigger on a refurb now. Stock for the Z8 gets weirdly low right before summer travel season starts. Getting it now means you can practice and wont be stressed about shipping delays in July. Trust me, the Z8 is a beast but the menus are different from the D850 so you need the lead time. Just reach out if you need help with the initial setup or settings for birds!
