Black Friday and Cyber Monday can throw up some amazing deals for modern camera lenses. Don’t miss out on some great prices!
When it comes to lenses you should always stick to the old adage of, ‘you get what you pay for’. Your ‘glass’ is arguably more important and lasts for far longer than the camera body you are using it with.
There is a new camera body out every month these days or so it seems but a camera body is only as good as the glass you put in front of it.
The fact that you can use vintage lenses with pretty much any camera body, using adapters, now makes the lens so much more valuable and important to take care of.
Now, because the lens is so important there is often a heavy price tag attached to modern camera lenses.
Which is why Black Friday deals can be a treasure trove for lens buying.
Choosing the Right Lens to go For
I’ve compiled a list of lenses that I deem to be quality lenses for cameras that will give great results for years to come.
However, because there are so many brands and categories of lenses I’ve broken it down by Brand and then there are subsections within those.
I would highly recommend getting the same brand lens as the make of your camera body but if you find a great lens at a great price then don’t worry, there is usually a metabones adapter to go with that.
The only brands that this doesn’t really apply to are the third party brands below, such as Sigma and Tamron. These brands make lenses for many different camera bodies. Check the lens mount type for compatibility.
Pricing
As with all sale seasons, prices change daily and almost hourly, so do check back and back again for the best prices on these lenses.
With that in mind, I will not be able to give up-to-date prices but instead will give the usual RRP for each lens so you know if you are getting a deal or not.
Ok, let’s take a look at these lenses and see what deals you can find this Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
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Canon
The first thing you are going to notice about the list of Canon lenses I have here are that they are all RF lenses.
While I have and love my EF lenses it is inescapable that Canon are moving everything over to the new RF bodies and lenses. So to futureproof yourself for the next 5-10 years RF is a solid choice of lens with Canon.
RF 28-70mm f/2L USM
The first of the Canon lenses I’m going to feature this year is the 28-70mm L series.
This lens is in a focal range that pretty much any and all photographers and videographers will use. Which makes it a very useful lens and one that you should definitely think about having in your kitbag.
It can go to f/2 for some lovely boceh, which lenses in this range that aren’t in the L series won’t be able to achieve.
Now, it may not look it but this lens has some weight behind it. At 104x140mm and 1430g, this lens packs a punch for the focal range it supplies. However, don’t forget that it does give you that beautiful f/2 aperture.
This lens is also not on the cheap end of the scale either (the RF lenses do seem to command a higher price bracket than the older EF lenses), it usually retails for around $3,100/£2800. So if you can find it for less than that this Black Friday then you are doing well!
Click the button below to see which outlets have it on offer.
Combining the versatility of a zoom with the speed typically reserved for a prime, the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM is a wide-angle to portrait-length lens distinguished by its impressively unique f/2 constant maximum aperture.
Also worth a mention is the 24-70mm (which is much more of a standard lens in this range) which is about $700/£500 less.
RF 50mm f/1.8mm STM
A lens that should never be understated is the 50mm A.K.A the ‘nifty fifty’.
This lens sits right at the sweet spot for most setups and can get photographers and videographers out of situations where their telephoto doesn’t have the desired aperture at that length to get the buttery depth of field that we all like so much.
At f/1.8 you’ll have no trouble with that that is for sure!
It’s also tiny! It With’s just 160g and is only 69x40mm in size.
Not only this but the price for this lens is completely affordable. It usually retails for around $/£200, so if you can get even lower than that then you’re on to winner!
Click the button below to see retailers offers this Black Friday.
The RF 50mm F1.8 STM is a small, light and affordable lens with a fast f/1.8 aperture, ideal in low light and great for creative depth-of-field.
The L series of this lens will get you an even better aperture of f/1.2, however, you will be looking to pay around $1,400 for this version of the lens.
RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
Lastly, I have the 70-200mm (L series) in here as the telephoto lens of choice.
With a beautiful f/2.8 aperture and image stabilisation you are pretty much guaranteed to get exceptional photos and video with this lens.
Unlike previous Canon 70-200mm models the RF version is much smaller in physical size, taking up less room in your kitbag. It’s 90x146mm and weighs 1,070g, which is probably the only downside to this lens, however, you’ll struggle to find a telephoto lens in the 70-200mm range that weighs considerably less.
I should also mention that the lens can use Dual Nano Autofocus which is great for talking head shots where your interviewee has a habit of moving around in their seat!
Usually this lens goes for around $2,800/£2,790. If you can get it for less than this then you’ve got a deal!
Click the below to see a range of outlets prices this Black Friday.
An essential workhorse lens, with a constant F2.8 aperture right across its 70-200mm focal length range, this zoom is perfect for travel, wildlife, news and sport.
It’s worth mentioning that the 70-200mm f/4 L is $/£1K cheaper but it does have that limitation of the f/4 aperture.
Sigma
Next up is Sigma, which I know some of you will already know of and may have lenses from.
They do incredible lenses for many different camera body types and usually for significantly less money than the own brand lens it compares to.
The downside to Sigma lenses, in my experience, is that they tend to be bigger and heavier than the own brand counterparts.
If you are ok with this, which I highly suggest you consider, then you can get some really quality lenses and save yourself a bunch of cash.
14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM
First yo we have the 14-24mm which Sigma create a version of for Sony E mount, Canon EF mount, Leica L mount and Nikon F mount cameras.
It has a fantastic f/2.8 max aperture when wide open and can get you as far away as 14mm which is a great range for a lens!
Now the lens doesn’t have image stabilisation and it weighs 1,150g, which is slightly hefty but when you factor in the price you’ll understand why.
Usually outside of Black Friday this lens goes for $1,300/£1,200. If you can find it lower than this then I highly recommend considering this lens as a purchase option.
Click below to see which retailers are offering it.
The Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens provides a versatile range of wide-angle focal lengths with excellent image quality while optimizing size and weight.
24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM
The second lens from Sigma is that very useful range of 24-70mm again.
Like the 14-24mm Sigma provide this lens with mounts for Sony E, Canon EF, Leica L and Nikon F cameras.
The initials at the end of the lens’ name differ with the slight alterations for each camera type but they are in essence the same lens. There is a slight difference in price for the HSM versions by around $100.
As I mentioned before, 24-70mm is a very practical and popular focal length range and it’s one that I include in the top three lenses for your kitbag.
So, why might you choose the Sigma version over say the Canon RF above? Well, yet again it comes down to price.
The Sigma 24-70mm has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 whereas the Canon RF 28-70mm has an f/2 aperture. If you look at the RF 24-70mm that has the same aperture but it costs twice as much as the Sigma lens.
Retailing for around $1,150/£1,080, for the HSM version of the lens, you are saving a considerable amount over the own branded lenses.
And to add to this, the Sigma version of this lens isn’t considerably bigger either. In fact at 88×107.6mm and 1,020g it’s only around 100g heavier than the Canon RF 24-70mm.
See if your can grab a bargain this Black Friday on this fantastic Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG lens by using the button below.
A versatile zoom for everyday shooting, the 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens from Sigma covers a useful wide-angle to portrait-length range of focal lengths to suit shooting in a variety of environments.
Nikon
An incredibly popular brand of camera and usually one of the three highly contested between Canon, Sony & Nikon.
I’ve got four lenses that I have cherry picked for Nikon this year, hopefully you can grab a deal on one or two of them.
Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S
First up is the 14-24mm f/2.8 S from Nikon, it’s one of two in the 14mm zoom range and this one is the commanding variant for Nikon Z mount cameras (the 14-30mm is for Nikon Z6 & Z7 mount cameras).
You may instantly wonder why you would look at the own brand over the Sigma for price but bear in mind the Sigma version is for Nikon F mount cameras, not Z mount. Though you could of course find an adapter to suit.
The Z 14-24mm is an ultra wide zoom lens from Nikon with advanced optical design and a fast constant maximum aperture of f/2.8. It works great in low-light conditions and has in-built elements to suppress and alleviate distortion, aberrations, ghosting, flares and surface reflections. However, the lens does not have image stabilisation built in.
Its form factor is lightweight and not super bulky, coming in at 88.5×124.5mm and 650g.
The lens usually retails for around $/£2,400.
Ultra-wide with a flexible-yet-exacting design, the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S from Nikon is a wide-angle zoom distinguished by its advanced optical design and bright f/2.8 constant maximum aperture.
Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Use the button below to see if there are retailers with Black Friday deals on this lens this year.
Now then, on to the second 14mm zoom lens. Built for Nikon’s FX-format Z-series mirrorless system cameras this lens has an impressive focal length range for a wide zoom.
It also features the same elements to stop artefacts as the 14-24mm but the main difference in this lens is the max aperture. At f/4 the 14-30mm will not produce the same depth of field or have quite the same effectiveness under low-light conditions.
There is an upside to this though, it is considerably cheaper than the 14-24mm.
It’s also a very nimble and small lens at 89x85mm and weighs 485g. Easily fitting into any kitbag.
This lens usually retails for around $/£1,300. So if you can save money on this lens this Black Friday then happy days.
Use the link below to see where you can buy it.
A compact 14 to 30mm zoom range with a fixed f/4 aperture and outstanding image quality. Experience edge-to-edge sharpness even when shooting wide open. Shoot stills or video in near-silence. This is an essential lens for travel, adventure, events, video and everything in between.
Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
The third in the lineup and another zoom lens, the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is right up there with Canon’s and Sigma’s (I told you it was a popular focal length range).
Now let’s get it out there, the Sigma is $1,000/£900 cheaper but it is also 200g heavier and doesn’t have all of the Nikon elements to help abberations and fringing.
Apart from that it is quite hard to pick them apart, I grant you.
But bear in mind you would also need a mount adapter with the Sigma so that narrows the cost by about $200/£150.
See what deals you can find on the link below.
Bright and versatile, the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S from Nikon is a workhorse standard zoom, covering wide-angle to portrait-length fields of view. Characterized by its bright f/2.8 constant maximum aperture, this lens is suitable for working in a variety of lighting conditions.
Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S
The last of the Nikon lenses is the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S.
Yet again you could opt for the cheaper Sigma version of this lens and there is good reason to. However, if you are a fan of Nikon own brand lenses then this is a fine lens to choose.
The lens is adept in low-light with a max aperture of f/2.8. It has all the ED, fluorite and SR elements to help alleviate color fringing and aberrations. It also has a multi-focus system comprised of two stepping motors for fast, accurate and quiet focussing.
Now, as with most 70-200mm lenses it is a bit of beast and comes in at 89x220mm and 1,360g. Which isn’t too dissimilar to the Sigma lens but having used both, the handling of the Nikon does just beat the Sigma to the line.
Is it enough of a difference to warrant $2,600/£2,100 when buying outside of Black Friday? Well, I think that’s down to you and your preference for own branded or third party non-branded lenses.
Click below to find the best price.
A popular zoom among sports, event, and portrait photographers, the NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S from Nikon is an impressively versatile telephoto lens characterized by its bright f/2.8 design.
Tamron
For those of you who have not of Tamron before, they are a third party non-brand lens manufacturer like Sigma. However, their lens focal length ranges tend to be non-standard and can result in some unique images.
They are a decent intermediate level lens range and anyone who wants to beef out their kitbag would do well a few in there.
They manufacture lenses for a range of camera body makes like Sigma do. I won’t go in too much detail about each lens but will give the usual price to see if you can find any deals this Black Friday.
10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD
Usual price of $500/£500
A convenient wide-angle zoom, this 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD Lens from Tamron is designed for DX-format Nikon F-mount DSLRs, where it provides a 15-36mm equivalent focal length range.
17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
Usual price of $900/£850
Comprising a flexible wide-angle range, the 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD from Tamron is a versatile zoom covering ultra-wide to wide focal lengths, this lens is particularly suitable for landscape, astrophotography, and architectural shooting.
20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M
Usual price of $250/£240
Sleek and ultra-wide describe the 20mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 Lens from Tamron; a flexible wide-angle prime lens. This lens uses a modestly bright maximum aperture to achieve a svelte and lightweight profile that is ideal for everyday, walkaround shooting.
28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
Usual price of $880/£830
The 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD from Tamron is a full-frame-compatible lens for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras. Spanning wide-angle to portrait-length, a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture complements this range and affords increased control over depth of field along with enhanced low-light performance.
Sony
For all of those Sony A camera users out there I’ve got some great lenses to try and find a deal for this year.
The apertures available for these lenses are some of the best I’ve mentioned. It’s just about finding the right price!
FE 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master
Looking at the ultra-wide zoom lens range again the FE 12-24mm has an incredibly wide minimal focal length of 12mm!
And at f/2.8 you can use this lens in the low-light conditions to get some incredible shots!
It’s not exactly small for an ultra-wide but is a great looking lens! It’s 98x137mm in size and 847g in weight.
The usual price for this lens is around $3,000/£2,760.
It’s worth noting that the hood on this lens is non-removable and it also has no image stabilisation either.
The 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD from Tamron is a full-frame-compatible lens for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras. Spanning wide-angle to portrait-length, a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture complements this range and affords increased control over depth of field along with enhanced low-light performance.
FE 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master
The slightly less wide 16-35mm G Master lens might be more applicable for photographers and videographers in more situations than the 12-24mm and at around $/£1,000 cheaper it’s much more affordable too.
This lens also has no image stabilisation but it doesn’t have a non-removable hood.
With a maximum constant aperture of f/2.8 at 16mm you’ll be sure to get great quality shots and footage in low-light conditions.
This lens is also smaller than the 12-24mm at 89x122mm and 680g in weight.
This lens usually retails for $2,000/£1,850.
Click below to find a deal this Black Friday.
G Master performance in a wide-angle F2.8 16-35mm zoom offers a wealth of opportunities to capture subjects in creative new ways. No matter what zoom setting or focus distance you shoot at, this lens delivers consistently superb resolution from corner-to-corner, with stunning background bokeh when required.
FE 20mm f/1.8 G
Next up are two fixed focal length lenses, the first being the 20mm f/1.8.
This is a fantastic lens that will give you a beautifully proportioned wide shot with amazing amounts of exposure due to the f/1.8 aperture.
This is a Sony prime lens so it’s not cheap for a fixed lens but the glass is some of the best.
It’s compact at 74x85mm and weighing 373g.
Something to note is that even at the price point of $1,000/£945 it does not have image stabilisation (but then again most fixed lenses don’t).
Click below to try and find yourself a deal.
Sony’s latest optical technology achieves impressive corner-to-corner resolution from maximum F1.8 aperture in a large-aperture wide-angle prime lens. It is also remarkably compact, and matched with an E-mount body makes up a versatile, mobile system with outstanding AF performance, control, and reliability for a wide variety of shooting needs.
FE 35mm f/1.4 G Master
The fixed 35mm Sony FE G Master lens is, in my opinion, a lens that you would get more use out of than the 20mm.
It’s not an ultra wide focal length but it’s also not creeping into the realms of telephoto zoom lengths either. For me, it sits right in a sweet spot between the lower ultra-wides and a nifty fifty length.
Now this lens does have an even better max aperture of f/1.4 and it also has twin XD autofocussing motors. These put the price point a little higher than the 20mm at $1,400/£1,320.
Oh, it also weighs slightly more than the 20mm at 526g. The size is relatively similar at 76x96mm.
See if you can grab a deal below.
Sony’s most advanced technology is packed into this high-performance E-mount lens, delivering eye-opening G Master resolution and bokeh with extraordinary AF speed and precision. For a large aperture 35mm lens it is remarkably compact, and a great choice for applications where an ideal blend of mobility and superb image quality is essential.
Micro Four Thirds for Olympus & Panasonic
Now we enter the extensive world of Micro Four Thirds lenses.
There were so many to choose from here that I’ve only opted for Olympus and Panasonic lenses as they are the front runners in terms of quality in this field.
It’s worth beating in mind that most Micro Four Thirds lenses fit cameras that are not full frame and have a crop factor to take into account. With that in mind you can pretty much double the stated focal lengths to get the realistic focal length on a cropped sensor.
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f2.8 II Asph Power OIS
This 24-70mm effective focal length lens sits comfortably in the standard zoom lens category and being a LUMIX G you can rest assured you will have a quality piece of glass in front of your sensor.
It’s got a great maximum aperture of f/2.8 for great depth of field and it also has image stabilisation too.
It’s slim and lightweight at 68x74mm and 305g and it costs just $800/£750 too.
If you can find a deal through the button below then it’s a win-win all round.
Get high F2.8 brightness over the entire zoom range with this high-speed zoom lens. Its focal length of 12 - 35mm (35mm camera equivalent: 24 - 70mm) covers wide-angle to standard to medium telephoto shooting.
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm f2.8 II
Working into the effective focal length range of 70-200mm this LUMIX G Vario 35-100mm is also a quality piece of glass like it’s sibling above.
Unlike usual 70-200mm lenses with other mount types, this LUMIX G lens is only 67x100mm in size and weighs just 357g! It really is that small! And this is actually quite large for an MFT lens.
It has a great constant max aperture of f/2.8 and image stabilisation as well.
It also costs about the same as the 12-35mm above. See if you can find it any cheaper below.
With an ultra-long range of 35–100mm (35mm camera equivalent: 70–200mm) at a high-speed F2.8, this lens lets you softly blur the background for portraits and close-ups.
Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm 1:1.8
The first of the Olympus lenses in this list, the 25mm f/1.8 is the equivalent nifty fifty of the micro four thirds world.
Again, no image stabilisation like most fixed/standard lenses. This lens is, however, mighty compact and lightweight at 58x42mm and 137g.
A maximum constant aperture of f/1.8 in the 50mm range will result in some absolutely stunning talking head shots or nature shots with exceptional ‘bokeh’/depth of field.
At $400/£350 this is the cheapest 50mm lens out there but you do get decent quality from an Olympus M.ZUIKO lens.
With a 25mm focal length (50mm*) and 47° angle of view, this standard focal length prime lens is ideal for a wide range of photography. It offers the best optical performance, with beautiful bokeh at open apertures and impressive close-focusing capabilities.
Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm 1:2.8 MACRO
The only macro lens in the list the 60mm (120mm full frame equivalent) is a great macro lens for MFT cameras.
The auto and manual focussing on this lens is a great to use. The focal length is a little short for a macro lens but you’ll still get some great results from it. Especially with that f/2.8 aperture.
At 56x82mm and 185g it’s not going to hold you back in any way.
It usually retails for $500/£400.
This macro lens excels in image quality, versatility and resilience. Easily get shots at a close range in true (1:1) life size with razor-sharp details and circular bokeh.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday
Remember, there are deals to be found all across the weekend so check back each day to see if the lens you want has got a cheaper deal than the standard retail price.
Hopefully you can add some impressive glass to your kitbag this year for considerably less money.
Also take a look at my article on the Best Lenses for Videographers to see if there are any deals there too.
If you think there are any decent lenses missing from this list or if you find a bargain yourself then let others know in the comments below.
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