[Solved] Venus Optics Laowa Lens Black Friday Cyber Monday deals?

Venus Laowa lenses are currently onsale through stores below:

• Up to 10% off at Amazon
• Up to 10% off at B&H Photo Video
• Up to 10% off at Adorama

You can take a look at used Laowa lenses at below stores:

1. KEH

2. MPB

3. B&H Photo Video Used Store

4. Adorama Used Store 

5. Amazon Warehouse Deals

6. eBay

Been using this for years, no complaints

Hey, so coming at this from a more nerdy/price-performance angle:

**Option A – Buy now at regular price**
Pros: you lock in stock, no stress, you can use the lens for the whole season. On the Laowa 15mm f/4 and 9mm f/2.8, optical performance isn’t gonna change next year, so you’re basically paying for more shooting time.
Cons: you probably leave ~10–15% on the table if they *do* run a decent promo.

**Option B – Wait for Laowa’s official BF/CM sale**
Typical pattern (last 3–4 years from what I’ve tracked):
- Global promo in the **10–15% off** range on most current lenses, sometimes 20% on slower sellers / older versions.
- Popular stuff like the **9mm f/2.8** does usually get *some* discount, but rarely huge. Think ~10% instead of 20%.
- The 15mm f/4 macro has been in the “core lineup” long enough that it often gets included, but again, don’t expect half-off.
Pros: widest coverage of the lineup, sometimes bundles (filter, adapter, free shipping).
Cons: stock for popular mounts (Sony E, RF, Z, Fuji X) can vanish mid-sale and then you’re waiting weeks.

**Option C – Watch 3rd-party retailers (B&H, Adorama, Amazon, local dealers)**
Technically, this is where you sometimes see the *weird* better deals:
- Stacked savings: retailer discount + instant rebate + card promos (e.g. B&H PayBoo or tax savings) can beat Laowa direct by a few %.
- Open-box / returned units: I’ve seen Laowa 9mm and 15mm go ~15–20% off as “open box” during the BF window when people panic-buy and then return.
- Region-specific promos: EU/UK dealers sometimes undercut official pricing a bit more aggressively.
Cons: selection is random, popular mounts disappear fast, and you have to keep checking.

**Realistic expectation for those two lenses:**
- 9mm f/2.8 APS‑C: **10% off is realistic**, 15% is optimistic, anything more is rare unless it’s open-box or older stock.
- 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro: usually **10–15% off** during big sales, occasionally 20% if they’re pushing it or replacing it with a new version.

**How I’d play it (practical angle):**
- If you *need* one lens more than the other (say 9mm for astro season), buy that one now and gamble on the second for Black Friday. That caps your “regret cost” if discounts end up tiny.
- Set price alerts (CamelCamelCamel for Amazon, etc.) and check B&H/Adorama’s BF previews a week early. Laowa tends to leak via retailer listings before their own site banner gets updated.
- If the discount is **≤10%** when BF hits, IMO just treat it as “nice but not worth stressing” — these lenses hold value decently on the used market, so you can often recover the difference later anyway.

So, I’d definitely **watch all three: Laowa direct + B&H/Adorama + open-box listings**, but mentally plan for ~10–15% max on those specific lenses, not some crazy 30–40% fire sale.

Hope this helps! Let me know what mount you’re on, there are a few mount-specific quirks that can affect stock and pricing too.

Hey,

So, quick story: a couple years ago I “waited for the Black Friday magic” on a Laowa 15mm (the shift one, but same idea) and a 9mm. I tracked prices for like 6–8 weeks… and the big sale ended up being a pretty mild 10–15% off, and only at certain stores. By the time I did the math (shipping, tax, cashback), I’d basically saved the cost of a cheap filter. Not nothing, but not life‑changing either.

From what I’ve seen over the years:
- **Official Laowa site**: usually does a straight % off, often 10–15%. Sometimes only certain mounts.
- **Retailers (B&H, Adorama, Amazon)**: match or are *slightly* better, sometimes via instant savings or coupons. Refurb/open-box can quietly be the real deal.
- **Popular lenses** like the 15mm WA macro and 9mm APS‑C: they *do* get included, but usually at the lower end of discounts, not blowout prices.

If you want to be cost‑smart, I’d:
1. Set a price alert now (CamelCamelCamel / Keepa for Amazon, or use B&H wishlists).
2. Check if your card or PayPal has extra cashback promos around BF/CM.
3. Decide your “happy price” in advance (e.g. “I’ll pull the trigger if it hits 10% off + cashback”).

If stock is stable for your mount, I’d wait and see; if it’s a niche mount or you need it for a job/trip soon, I’d personally buy now and not stress, because the savings are usually modest rather than massive.

Hope this helps!

Hey,

So quick story from the "safety-first" angle: a couple years back I waited for a Black Friday deal on a Laowa (was eyeing the 100mm macro). I ended up grabbing a “too good to be true” discount from a lesser-known online shop instead of the usual suspects… lens showed up with decentered optics and a dinged filter thread. Returning it was a nightmare, and by the time I got my refund, all the legit BF deals were gone. I basically lost 6–8 weeks of shooting for saving like $40.

From then on, with Laowa specifically, I always:

- Stick to **official site or big retailers** (B&H, Adorama, Amazon *sold by* Venus Optics) during sales. Better QC, legit warranty, and way easier returns if you get a bad copy.
- Avoid sketchy “extra 5–10% off” stores on BF/CM. Those are where I’ve seen grey imports, missing warranty cards, or weird “open box but really used” surprises.
- Watch stock on the popular lenses (like your 15mm and 9mm). They do go low/out of stock around sales, and restocks can be slow. If your trip or project is time-sensitive, that risk is bigger than a small discount IMO.

Safety-wise, I’d say:
- If Laowa does an **official 10–15% off** and it’s on B&H/Adorama/Amazon with clear return policy – totally safe to wait and pounce.
- If you start seeing random sites with 20–30% off and no clear warranty/return info – I’d run, not walk.

Lesson I learned: with manual, niche lenses that can be hit-or-miss copy-wise, the **reliability of the seller and return policy** matters more than squeezing out the last bit of discount. I’d personally rather get 5–10% off from a trusted place than chase a bigger “deal” and risk no support if something’s wrong.

FWIW, if you’re already seeing regular prices, I’d bookmark the official Venus page + B&H/Adorama product pages and wait until BF week. If nothing legit shows up or stock starts dropping, I’d just buy at regular price from a reliable retailer and sleep easy.

Hope this helps!

Hey,

Coming at this from a bit of a DIY / self‑service angle rather than pure “wait for the magic sale” logic:

**Tip 1 – Track the “real” street price yourself now**
Don’t just watch BF banners. I’d suggest you:
- Add the 15mm f/4 and 9mm f/2.8 to a price tracker (CamelCamelCamel for Amazon, keepa, or even a manual Google Sheet).
- Log today’s prices at: Laowa site, B&H, Adorama, Amazon, plus any local dealers.

Why: Laowa discounts are usually modest, and some stores quietly tweak prices before/after BF. If you track yourself, you’ll see if the “sale” is actually better than a random Tuesday.

**Tip 2 – DIY your own bundle savings**
You might want to consider making your *own* “kit discount” instead of waiting for theirs:
- Watch for stacked deals: store-wide 10% coupon + cashback portal (Rakuten, credit card offers, etc.).
- Sometimes you can get effectively 12–18% off between small promos + cashback + points, which in my experience has beaten Laowa’s official BF % more than once.

**Tip 3 – Set a strict target price now**
I’d set a number on paper (e.g. “I’ll buy the 9mm if I see ~10–15% off *effective* price”).
Be careful not to over-wait for unicorn 30% deals; Laowa just doesn’t usually go that deep on popular lenses.

**Tip 4 – Safety net: buy now, watch for price protection**
If your card or retailer has price protection / holiday return windows, you can:
- Buy now at full price (secure stock).
- Keep tracking BF week. If it genuinely drops, claim the difference or return/rebuy.

That’s basically the conservative DIY route: you control the data, set your own threshold, and don’t rely on vague promo promises.

Hope this helps! If you post the prices you’re seeing now, people can sanity‑check if a BF deal is even likely to beat them.

In my experience owning Laowa for years, Option A: wait for BF/CM usually means small 5–10% cuts on popular stuff like the 15mm; Option B: buy now gets you shooting and you’re not saving much extra later; Option C: watch used prices post‑BF is where the *real* deals can appear as people flip gear. Long‑term, those lenses hold value well, so I’d only wait if your budget’s tight—not for huge discounts.

If you look at past years, Laowa usually does smaller % cuts than, say, Samyang/Rokinon or TTArtisan on BF/CM, but the *absolute* price floor over 12 months is often during these sales. Option A: Laowa direct – typically 10–15% off across a chunk of the lineup, sometimes site‑wide, but less aggressive than third‑party Chinese brands and shipping/warranty is more “official”. Option B: big US retailers (B&H/Adorama) – similar % (often mirroring Laowa’s official promo) but they sometimes stack it with instant savings, tax perks in some states, or free shipping, so real‑world cost can be slightly lower. Option C: Amazon/gray‑ish sellers – occasionally the biggest raw discount, but more random lenses, weird stock, and warranty risk. Compared to competitors: Samyang/Rokinon often hit 20–30% off on ultra‑wides and astro‑friendly primes, but they’re AF (different use case) and not 1:1 macro or ultra‑niche like the Laowa 15mm WA macro. The 9mm f/2.8 in particular almost always sees *some* BF discount (it’s one of their volume sellers, they push it hard), while the 15mm WA macro pops in and out of promos but usually more like that 10–15% band, not a crazy 30% fire sale. So if you want a pure numbers play: for Laowa I’d personally wait for BF/CM and watch Laowa direct + B&H/Adorama in parallel; but if you’re OK jumping brands, Samyang 12mm f/2 or similar often gets a bigger % cut for astro, just not the same specialty macro/close‑focus character.

Hey,

Coming at this from a slightly different angle: if you care about environmental impact, *when* and *how* you buy the Laowa can matter almost as much as the discount.

In my experience (I buy/sell a lot of lenses for work), two eco‑friendly angles:

1. **Used or “open box” instead of new**
Black Friday is when a ton of people upgrade and dump old gear. KEH, MPB, local classifieds, even B&H “used” often have Laowa 9mm/15mm popping up right after the sales. That’s basically “recycling” an existing lens instead of creating demand for a new one. Much lower footprint than another fresh unit being manufactured + shipped from China.

2. **Minimize shipments**
If you *do* buy new, I’d personally wait for a BF/CM promo and batch the order: body + lens + accessories from a single retailer, one shipment, ideally ground. Venus direct sometimes ships from overseas; a domestic retailer (B&H/Adorama) usually means shorter transport routes and less fuel burned per package.

So IMO: watch for modest discounts (5–10%) but also watch the used market right after BF. From a sustainability + wallet perspective, a clean used 9mm you grab once, locally, often beats chasing an extra 5% off new.

Hope that gives you another way to look at it!

Hey, chiming in from the “location actually matters” angle.

Option A – Wait for Laowa direct
- Pros: If you’re in the US/EU, you usually get the headline BF % (5–15%), sometimes free shipping.
- Cons: I’m in a humid, non‑US region and unfortunately I’ve had issues with slow shipping, customs delays, and paying VAT/duties that wiped out most of the “deal”. Stock on popular stuff (like the 9mm) vanished fast, then restock took weeks.

Option B – Big local retailers (B&H/Adorama/Amazon *via* your local country site or reliable importer)
- Pros: In my experience this ends up cheaper *overall* once you factor in taxes, import fees, and returns. Also easier warranty if you get a decentered copy (I’ve had that once with Laowa…). Sometimes the % discount is smaller, but final price after currency + customs is actually better.
- Cons: Discounts on the 15mm macro / 9mm are usually modest where I am (like 5–10%), and sometimes only one mount gets discounted.

Option C – Local brick‑and‑mortar / regional webshops
- Pros: This is weirdly where I’ve seen the best real‑world price in high‑humidity, hot climates like mine. Shops here know Laowa moves slowly, so they quietly undercut MSRP year‑round and then stack a small BF sale on top. Plus, if you’re in a fungus‑prone climate, buying local makes returns and checks for haze/fungus way less painful.
- Cons: Selection is limited, and the 9mm often never goes on “official” sale, just a tiny local rebate.

IMO, if you’re in the US/EU with dry/cool climate → A or B. If you’re in Asia/Latin America/Africa with high humidity + annoying customs → seriously look at C and don’t over‑value the headline BF % on Laowa’s site. The “real” savings end up being shipping, import, and easier returns more than an extra 5% off.

If you drop your country/region, people can probably point to specific stores to watch.

Hey, coming at this from a pure performance-for-$$ angle rather than “sale hunting”:

**Option A – Wait for BF/CM**
Pros: Maybe 5–10% off on the 9mm/15mm, which is like saving a filter or a tripod head.
Cons: You’re not shooting with it during prime clear nights or fall/winter macro.

**Option B – Buy now at full price**
Pros: You get *immediate* performance gains:
- 9mm f/2.8 = massive FOV jump + fast enough for APS‑C astro and tight interiors.
- 15mm WA macro = unique look for landscape/macro hybrids you basically can’t replicate with other glass.
Cons: You probably “overpay” by maybe $40–80 vs a small sale.

**Option C – Compromise: set a trigger price**
Pros: Decide your max (e.g. “If it hits 10% off, I buy, otherwise I grab it first clear weekend”), track B&H/Adorama/Laowa direct, and don’t overthink it.
Cons: Still some FOMO either way.

Performance-wise, these lenses are specialty tools more than commodities. If they’ll actually change what you can shoot *this* season (astro nights, winter landscapes, indoor wide stuff), I’d say don’t let a maybe-10% discount delay real use. If it’s more of a “nice to have,” then yeah, wait, set alerts, and pounce only if you see a legit cut.

So IMO: heavy astro/landscape plans soon = Option B. Casual interest / no rush = Option C + watch Laowa direct and B&H. The raw shooting value you get in the next few months is usually worth more than the tiny BF savings on Laowa.

Hope this helps!

One thing I’d factor into the BF/CM decision with Laowa isn’t just price, it’s service/maintenance… which, unfortunately, isn’t as smooth as with the big brands. I’ve had issues with decentering and a sticky aperture ring on my 9mm and later some dust/oil spots creeping into my 15mm (not the macro, but similar build style). Support was polite but slow, shipping the lens back wasn’t cheap, and turn‑around took weeks. So, what I’d realistically expect on BF/CM: small-ish discounts (5–10%, maybe 15% if we’re lucky) BUT the more important “deal” IMO is buying from a retailer with really solid return/inspection options. B&H/Adorama usually beat Laowa direct here in terms of hassle if you get a dud copy. My personal routine now: buy when there’s *either* a modest discount *or* a good return window, test immediately (check corners, infinity focus, aperture smoothness, no weird rattles), keep a cheap UV filter on the 9mm, and store them dry because they’re fully mechanical and not as sealed as OEM glass. So yeah, wait for BF/CM if you want a bit off, but I’d prioritize where you buy over how big the discount is, just in case you need service or a swap.

One thing I’d watch with Laowa on BF/CM is warranty/returns: in my experience, buying from big retailers (B&H/Adorama) gets you easier returns and sometimes extended protection, while flash sale/grey-market deals can mean weaker warranty support if you get a decentered copy.