Do you guys think the Sony a7 IV will actually go on sale for Prime Day this year?
I am so excited to finally upgrade from my phone, I want to start shooting travel vlogs for my trip to Japan in October! But honestly I have no idea how camera pricing works and this is my first time buying something this expensive. I have saved up about $2000 but the body alone is usually more than that. Sorry if this is a super basic question but do newer Sony cameras usually get good discounts on Amazon? Or should I look somewhere else?
Honestly, dont count on a massive Prime Day discount for a brand new Sony Alpha 7 IV Mirrorless Camera Body. Sony keeps their pricing pretty tight on their main bodies. Even if it does go on sale, it might only drop by $100 or $200, which still pushes your $2000 budget once you add taxes. Plus, you need to remember the body alone is useless, and you cant shoot vlogs without a lens. I would suggest taking a more cautious approach instead of waiting for Amazon:
- Check out reputable used gear sites like MPB or KEH. You can often find a clean, used Sony Alpha 7 IV Mirrorless Camera Body for around $1800, which gives you a bit of wiggle room.
- Make sure to budget for lenses. If you buy the A7 IV, you will still need something like the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G Lens for vlogging, or at least a versatile zoom like the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 for Sony E.
- You might want to consider the older Sony Alpha 7 III Mirrorless Camera Body instead. It is still a fantastic camera, and you can get it cheap enough to actually afford a great lens and some extra batteries.
- Be careful with Amazon third-party sellers on Prime Day. If you buy there, make sure it is sold by Amazon directly, otherwise you might get a grey market import with zero warranty support. Go used and save your money for the actual trip to Japan.
- Be careful buying new; look for a used Sony Alpha 7C Mirrorless Camera instead.
- Make sure to budget at least $600 for a lens, otherwise the body is useless.
Regarding what #1 said about "Honestly, dont count on a massive Prime Day..." - they are spot on. I went through this exact scenario last year before my trip. I ended up looking at the used market and grabbed a refurbished Sony Alpha 7 III Mirrorless Camera instead of buying the IV new. I have been incredibly satisfied with it, no complaints at all. The autofocus works well for travel videos and going this route saved me enough cash to actually buy a lens. If you want to stay under that $2000 budget including a lens, maybe look at the Sony Alpha 6700 Mirrorless Camera. It has amazing autofocus and the body is cheap enough that you can still afford a good zoom like the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Contemporary for Sony E and stay within budget.
