Ive been staring at the cart for three days straight now and I am finally ready to buy the Fujifilm X-T5 but man the price is just staying firm at $1699 everywhere. I am so excited to finally upgrade from my old X-T20 because the autofocus looks like a total game changer for the street shots I want to take but I really need to shave a bit off the price if possible. I saw some posts saying that B&H or Adorama sometimes have secret coupons if you sign up for their emails but I havent gotten anything in my inbox yet. Also I checked that StudentBeans site because I still have my uni email active but the discount there seems to only apply to the X-H2 series right now for some reason which is super annoying. Is there like a hidden promo code or a specific retailer that usually has better deals on Fuji gear??
Here is what I am working with:
- Budget: Trying to keep the body around $1500 if possible so I can afford a 35mm f/2 lens.
- Use case: Street photography and travel. I am going to Japan next month and I need this in my hands before then.
- Location: I am in the US but willing to buy from anywhere legit that ships fast.
- Preference: New only, I am too paranoid to buy used for this much money.
Has anyone seen an active coupon or maybe a bundle deal that makes more sense? I feel like I am missing something obvious...
Honestly, i was in your exact shoes last year before a big hiking trip to Iceland. I ended up pulling the trigger on the Fujifilm X-T5 Black Mirrorless Camera Body 40.2MP and havent had a single complaint since. The 40.2 megapixel sensor and that 7-stop in-body image stabilization (IBIS) are absolute game changers for street work, especially when you lose light in the evening and want to keep your ISO low. Directly speaking though, Fuji is super strict about their Minimum Advertised Price (MAP). You wont find many secret coupons because the retailers literally arent allowed to drop the price on the body alone without Fujis permission. I found that the best way to hit that lower price point is through the B&H EDU Advantage program. Even if the site says it only applies to the X-H2 right now, it often cycles back to the X-T5 every few weeks. I managed to shave about $150 off mine that way. Another trick i used was buying the Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR Lens as part of a bundle. During their Save and Select events, they sometimes drop the price of the lens by $100 if you buy it with the body, which helps your total budget math. Just make sure your student status is fully verified before you add to cart or it wont show the discount. TL;DR: Fujifilm controls prices tightly through MAP, so your best bet for a brand new unit is keeping an eye on the B&H EDU program or waiting for a specific seasonal bundle discount.
