What Is The Best Time To Buy A Camera?

Last Updated on May 3, 2023 by cameraconsumer

The answer to that question is probably Black Friday, or Christmas time, right? Or maybe even Amazon’s Prime Day?

Actually, no, it’s not. Not for everyone.

Like everything else, cameras and their accessories have a yearly cycle, with peaks and valleys, etc. Spring months usher in new camera models, and Summer months receive higher demand because of weddings, vacations, etc.

Photography hobbyists spend more on average for their camera needs, but general consumer spending far outweighs hobbyist spending (hint: vacations and weddings).

Another consideration is the smartphone cycle.

For many people, their smartphone is their main or only “digital camera”. Most pictures these days end up on Instagram or Facebook, so how does that factor into camera pricing?

If you need a camera right now, then now is the time to buy. But if you plan ahead, you can actually get the best deals. It just requires patience, and of course planning ahead.

 

12-Month Buying Schedule

Let’s break it down somewhat quarterly first to get a general idea of what drives camera prices up or down.

 

Start Of The New Year

January and February – New models are generally announced in the first two months of the year. Then they hit the store shelves a few months later in March/April.

Vacation travel is actually higher than you’d think! People like to escape the coldest months of the year, or travel to the Southern Hemisphere to enjoy their Summer months.

 

Spring

March and April –  The new models announced in January and February start to show up in stores.

March ushers in Spring, and climates generally start to get warmer. Vacations and trips are usually at their lowest this time of the year.

The income tax deadline is in April, which means people have some extra money to burn – something retailers love to take advantage of.

Finally, Samsung usually releases their new Galaxy model of smartphones in March. As mentioned earlier, smartphone purchases usually correlate with less demand for digital cameras.

May – The cold season is pretty much over. People are starting to plan their graduations, weddings, and vacations. As you’d expect, camera and photography spending starts to increase during May.

 

Summer

June, July, and August – The peak months of camera spending during the year. People use and buy cameras to record events, concerts, trips, weddings, adventures, beach days, etc.

Warmer months = more camera demand.

 

The Fall Months

September and October – There is usually a second round of announcements during these two months. The new models released earlier in the year get a “mid-cycle” refresh. Customer feedback results in tweaked and added features. These refreshed models are usually released later in the year – generally for the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Also of note, Apple usually releases its new iPhone model during September, which again translates to less demand for consumer digital cameras.

November and December – We’ll discuss Black Friday and Christmas shopping a bit later, but they do play a role in the camera buying cycle.

As mentioned previously, the tweaked models show up during these two months. Also, holiday travel is at an all-time high for the year.

 

Making Sense Of The Calendar

Now that we know what times of the year factor into camera demand, let’s navigate through the calendar and figure out what the best time of the year is to buy a camera, camera lens, or another major accessory.

The best time of year to purchase something like a Nikon D7500 or a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is different from the time to buy a point-and-shoot camera, like a Canon Elph series.

So the optimal time really depends on you.

Are you a hobby photographer, or are you just looking for a regular point-and-shoot camera? Do you want the latest and greatest, or are you open to last year’s model?

 

New Year – New DSLR Camera

January and February – With major brands announcing upcoming releases, retailers will be looking to unload their previous generation inventory. It doesn’t really affect point-and-shoot style cameras. But, photography enthusiasts will find these two months the best time to pick up higher-end DSLR cameras.

If you don’t mind last year’s model, January and February are the prime months to go deal hunting.

 

Point And Shoot Into Spring

March and April – Brand new models mean high prices. If you’re looking for a DSLR or high-end mirrorless camera, try to avoid these two months. You will pay the inflated prices that new products come with.

On the other hand, if you’re a regular consumer, looking for a point-and-shoot camera, March and April bring the best deals, especially Easter and mid April.

There is always an Easter or “Spring break” type of sale to be had.

And with tax return money flowing around, retailers compete heavily for their share of those dollars. Consumer spending is high during this period. So, discounts for consumer products are common for a few weeks after April 15th.

As mentioned earlier, Samsung unveils its new Galaxy smartphone around the middle of March. With a new smartphone/camera in hand, consumer demand for digital cameras, specifically point-and-shoot style cameras decreases. Look for sales around the Galaxy release date.

May – This is the month to pick up this year’s new premium camera gear if you’re in a rush. After the new cameras hit the shelves in March and April, the demand slows down by May, and the inflated prices also decrease.

Plan for early May, as prices will creep up toward the end of the month to meet the Summer demand.

 

Summer – The Worst Time For Cameras

If you can, try to avoid these months to purchase a new digital camera. Consumer demand will be at its peak during these months, as will prices across the board.

 

Fall – Perfect For Outgoing Models

September and October – Brands announce the mid-cycle refresh models in September and October. Again, this means that the higher-end DSLR type of cameras will go down in price to make room for the new models coming later in the year.

Camera and lens bundles are usually the best deals this time of year!

September also means new iPhones. Look for point-and-shoot type of digital cameras to be on sale during the release week.

 

Holiday Sales

November and December – These two months get a bit tricky.

Black Friday and Christmas sales can be a field of landmines to navigate. Yes, some models get discounted, but retailers pick and choose which models to discount (usually the models that don’t sell well).

And related accessories like lenses, tripods, etc. are usually marketed heavily along with the cameras being sold, and you might end up spending more than what your budget says you should.

The new refreshed models of DSLR-type cameras will be sold at a premium. Don’t expect to find something like a Sony Alpha mirrorless digital camera at an attractive price, although they will decrease in price post-Christmas.

 

This period is heavily marketed to regular consumers.

This means that the deals to be had will usually center around inexpensive point-and-shoot style digital cameras. But again, sales will tend to be on models that don’t sell too well.

 

Let’s Sum Up The Camera Calendar

Here is a quick cheat sheet of the calendar explained above:

If you’re a hobby photographer looking for the best deal on new gear: May, and after Christmas.

And, if you’re a hobby photographer open to the previous generation: January, February, September, and October.

But, if you’re looking for an inexpensive digital camera for everyday use: March, April, September, and Thanksgiving through Christmas.