It’s Black Friday and you’re looking for that ultimate Canon camera deal. So where do you start?  Here is a short list of three area’s to consider before you purchase any camera deal this year.

Photographer’s skill level?

The family of Canon camera ‘s range can be broken down in to 3 basic levels – beginner, prosumer and professional. Generally speaking Black Friday deals on Canon products focus on the first two levels. Rarely do you see big discounts on the professional level equipment. Once you determine the skill level of the user you can begin your selection of equipment. My general advice is first determine how much you want to spend and narrow down the list of options. Also, consider what quality level you expect out of the final product. If you’re looking for sharp images over features you’ll need to start at the prosumer level and work your way up. If you’re just looking for a simple package deal start at the entry level Canon cameras such as the T5 series.

What will the camera be used for?

So why are you buying a Canon camera in the first place? Try to be as specific as possible in this area. Simply saying I want a camera to take descent pictures is not good enough. All cameras can do that, ok most. If you’re a beginner having a camera that can shoot 8fps (frames per second) may be overkill. Let’s face it how often do you find yourself needing to shoot that many? Now if you’re moving in to shooting sports and want to catch every split second then consider something like Canon’s flagship camera the Canon 1D X. To see how fast this camera shoots check out these sample photos.

How much of a deal is it really?

I’ve noticed that many Black Friday deals are really bundles rather than discounts. Camera manufactures or photography stores will typically bundle things like a camera bag, memory card and even a tripod. Now for the beginner this could be the perfect deal. You’re not really getting much of a reduced price on the camera as much as you’re getting lower cost items cheaper. Some of the best Black Friday deals on Canon camera equipment are on the older version. Take the Canon 7D vs. Canon 7D Mark II. The 7D is an amazing camera and well worth a look even for prosumers. With the recent launch of the 7D MK II the older version can be found at a really good price. As a professional photographer I look at how I’ll use the camera rather than is it the latest model. Same thing goes for Canon lenses. So check it out carefully before jumping in.

You can take a look at some of my sports photos to see how Canon’s equipment performs under challenging conditions.