I’ve been a photographer for 9 years — my 7 best Prime Day camera deals to buy right now

A photo of the Canon EOS R8 against a green background
(Image credit: Future / Matthew Richards)

Prime Day deals are here, and we're now into day 2 of the sales event. But don't worry, there's still plenty of time to scoop up a deal on one of the best cameras.

If you're a beginner, right now you can get $200 off the Canon EOS R100 + kit lens at B&H, which is a really solid deal for a great little first camera. If you're looking to upgrade from a beginner camera to one of the best mirrorless cameras, the best deal for you is $501 off the Sony A7 III @ Amazon — that's the lowest we've ever seen this camera drop.

There are also great deals to be had on Lumix, Nikon and OM-System cameras, although we aren't seeing many deals from Fujifilm yet. Many of the best action cameras are on sale, too. I'm the cameras editor here at Tom's Guide, and I've been shooting for nearly a decade. Here are my 7 favorite Prime Day camera deals to buy right now.

Quick links

Best Prime Day camera deals: Canon

Canon EOS R100 + RF 18-45mm lens: was $599 now $399 @ B&H
Price check: $399 @ Amazon [RF 24-50mm lens | LOW STOCK]

Canon EOS R100 + RF 18-45mm lens: was $599 now $399 @ B&H
In our Canon EOS R100 review, we really liked this camera's budget-friendly price tag (a whole lot better now with thie deal), great images and its compact size. It isn't a pro body, and is lacking a few features like a touch screen, but this camera is designed to give you everything a beginner really needs. This bundle comes with the RF 18-45mm lens so all you need is a memory card and you'll be ready to start shooting straight away.
Price check: $399 @ Amazon [RF 24-50mm lens | LOW STOCK]

Canon EOS R8 + RF 24-50mm lens: was $1,699 now $1,349 @ B&H
[LOWEST PRICE] 
Price check: $1,349 @ Amazon [LOW STOCK]

Canon EOS R8 + RF 24-50mm lens: was $1,699 now $1,349 @ B&H
[LOWEST PRICE]
The R8 is the perfect upgrade from a beginner mirrorless or DSLR camera like the EOS R100. In our Canon EOS R8 review, we loved the stunning images from the 24MP full frame sensor and Canon's incredible Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocusing system, with its myriad detection modes. This camera doesn't have IBIS, which may be a reason to plump for the Sony A7 III, although that camera is older than the R8, and its AF is not quite as sharp.
Price check:
$1,349 @ Amazon [LOW STOCK]

Canon EOS R6 Mark II: was $2,499 now $1,999 @ B&H
[LOWEST PRICE] Price check: $1,999 @ Amazon [LOW STOCK]

Canon EOS R6 Mark II: was $2,499 now $1,999 @ B&H
[LOWEST PRICE]
If I had to put my finger on my favorite Prime Day camera deal, it would be this one. We tested this camera for our Canon EOS R6 Mark II review and let me tell you, it's a beast. This thing is designed for pros, so a sub-$2,000 price is an absolute steal. It features a 24MP full frame sensor, Canon's class-leading AF, plus IBIS. This thing is a true hybrid video weapon, though, and can shoot 4K/60p 10-bit, packs C-Log 3 and will shoot 6K ProRes RAW to an external recorder. Yeah. Grab this deal while you can.
Price check: $1,999 @ Amazon [LOW STOCK]

Best Prime Day camera deals: Sony

Sony A7 III: was $1,799 now $1,298 @ Amazon
[LOWEST PRICE] Price check: $1,298 @ B&H

Sony A7 III: was $1,799 now $1,298 @ Amazon
[LOWEST PRICE]
This is an awesome deal on a professional mirrorless camera. I owned the Sony A7 III for around 18 months and, honestly, it did everything I ever needed it to. Its 24MP full frame sensor produces beautiful images and is great in low light and challenging dynamic range conditions. It also features Sony's incredible AF system, with human and animal detection, plus IBIS for handheld shooting. This is the perfect upgrade from a beginner or even intermediate camera.
Price check: $1,298 @ B&H

Sony A7 IV: was $2,499 now $2,298 @ AmazonPrice check: $2,298 @ B&H

Sony A7 IV: was $2,499 now $2,298 @ Amazon
What's one better than III? Well IV of course. The A7 IV succeeded the legendary A7 III above, and provides many of the same benefits, albeit with an even more professional slant. In our Sony A7 IV review, we loved the upgraded 33MP full frame sensor and the CFExpress slot for fast write speeds when shooting at high speeds, or for high data video capture. Obviously, there's the fantastic Sony AF and IBIS, too. This really is an advanced pro tool.
Price check: $2,298 @ B&H

Best Prime Day camera deals: Nikon

Nikon Z 6II Accessories bundle: was $1,996 now $1,596 @ B&H

Price check: $1,596 @ Amazon [LOW STOCK + NO BUNDLE]

Nikon Z 6II Accessories bundle: was $1,996 now $1,596 @ B&H
The Z 6 II is a powerful full frame camera, packing a 24.5MP sensor and 4K/60P video capabilities. It also boasts a CFExpress slot as well as its UHS-II SD slot, marking this camera out as a professional tool. My favorite thing about Nikon full frame cameras is the sheer sharpness of the images with Nikon full frame lenses — there's a reason we use Nikons to shoot a lot of our product photography here at Tom's Guide.
Price check:
$1,596 @ Amazon [LOW STOCK + NO BUNDLE]

Best Prime Day camera deals: Lumix + OM-System

Panasonic Lumix S5II: was $1,999 now $1,697 @ Amazon

Price check: $1,697 @ B&H

Panasonic Lumix S5II: was $1,999 now $1,697 @ Amazon
The successor to the incredibly popular Lumix S5, the S5II is an even more formidable video weapon, with upgraded autofocus and new detection algorithms. In my Lumix S5II/X review, I loved this camera's epic and exhaustive video features, its up-to-date AF, supreme build quality and excellent handling. We listed this as our top mirrorless camera for video, and we stand by it. If you need a camera for serious video work, this should be the one you buy.
Price check:
$1,697 @ B&H

OM-System OM-5: was $1,199 now $999 @ B&H

Price check: $999 @ Amazon [LOW STOCK]

OM-System OM-5: was $1,199 now $999 @ B&H
The OM-5 is a compact Micro Four Thirds camera with a 20.4 megapixel sensor that's perfect for casual and street photography, or as a travel companion. It sports a classic retro look which is pretty eye-catching if you ask me. This camera will also shoot 4K in cinematic 24p, which is ideal for short clips for socials or YouTube.
Price check:
$999 @ Amazon [LOW STOCK]

Best Prime Day camera deals: GoPros and action cameras

GoPro Hero12 Black + 12M subscription: was $449 now $299 @ GoPro
[LOWEST EVER PRICE] Price check: $299 @ Amazon (w/o sub) | $299 @ Walmart (w/o sub)

GoPro Hero12 Black + 12M subscription: was $449 now $299 @ GoPro
[LOWEST EVER PRICE]
In our GoPro Hero12 Black review, we loved that GoPro gave the Hero12 Black some minor (but appreciated) upgrades for no extra cost over the Hero11 Black. This camera is our favorite action camera thanks to its 5.3K/60p and awesome Hypersmooth 6.0 stabilization. This deal bundles a free 12M GoPro subscription which will give you access to discounted accessories, damage cover and extra app features.
Price check: $299 @ Amazon (w/o sub) | $299 @ Walmart (w/o sub)

GoPro Hero12 Black Accessories Bundle (+12M subscription): was $449 now $349 @ GoPro

GoPro Hero12 Black Accessories Bundle (+12M subscription): was $449 now $349 @ GoPro
Right now, the Hero12 Black Accessories Bundle is $100 off. This deal includes a carry case, head strap, grip and spare batteries, the perfect gear to get you started documenting your adventures if you're new to action cameras. With the price of the base GoPro Hero12 Black above, you're getting all those accessories for only an extra $50, which makes a lot of sense. This bundle also includes a 12M GoPro subscription!

Insta360 Ace: was $379 now $249 @ Amazon
[LOWEST PRICE]

Insta360 Ace: was $379 now $249 @ Amazon
[LOWEST PRICE]
The Insta360 Ace is currently $130 off at Amazon, and an absolute steal if you want a powerful 6K action camera with great stabilization and which gives you access to the free, class-leading Insta360 editing app. Personally, I would choose this camera over the more expensive 8K Ace Pro — who really needs 8K when YouTube's max resolution is 4K anyway?

Peter Wolinski
Reviews Editor

Peter is Reviews Editor at Tom's Guide. As a writer, he covers topics including tech, photography, gaming, hardware, motoring and food & drink. Outside of work, he's an avid photographer, specialising in architectural and portrait photography. When he's not snapping away on his beloved Fujifilm camera, he can usually be found telling everyone about his greyhounds, riding his motorcycle, squeezing as many FPS as possible out of PC games, and perfecting his espresso shots.