Nikon USA, 2024 Mother's Day Sale

[ShunCheung]

Please keep in mind that the following link will only be good for the duration of this sale: https://www.nikonusa.com/content/mothers-day-sale

• The Z8 is discounted by $500 to $3500, which is a new low. Previous discounts were $200 to $300.
• The Z7ii is discounted by $1000 to $2000. The two ii models are really long on the tooth, as they are only minor updates to the original 2018 Z6 and Z7.
• The Z6ii is discounted by $500 to $1500.
• The 600mm/f6.3 PF is discounted for the first time by $500 to $4300, which is IMO still high for that lens.
• The 800mm/f6.3 PF is again discounted by $500 to $6000.

A lot of F-mount products are deeply discounted also, e.g. the D850 down to $2200.

I assume the low exchange rate for the Japanese yen, recently touching 160 yen for US$1, may have something to do with the discounts.

[Hemant Deshmukh]

Thanks Shun

Too Tempting. Went to site and did trade in value for my current gear 🙂

Z8 may be overkill for my kind of hobby work. my NAS still says go for it.

I hope Nikon comes with new Z6/7 III soon.  Knowing JY going down, Z6III and Z7III may get priced at 2000 and 2700ish. Perfect pricing for me to buy a new body(Z6III) and a 70-200 2.8 🙂  Fingers crossed.

[ShunCheung]

10 minutes ago, hemant_deshmukh1 said:

I hope Nikon comes with new Z6/7 III soon.  Knowing JY going down, Z6III and Z7III may get priced at 2000 and 2700ish. Perfect pricing for me to buy a new body(Z6III) and a 70-200 2.8 🙂  Fingers crossed.

My personal opinion is that the Z8 has already replaced the Z7ii. Keep in mind that back in 2018, Nikon introduced the Z7 @ $3400, but the Z7ii was dropped to $3000 in 2020. With the Z8 @ $3500, there seems to be no room for any Z7 series any more. Concerning the Z6iii, Nikon has already introduced the Zf recently with the same 24MP sensor and Expeed 7 @ $2000. I know retro is not for everybody, but I wonder how Nikon can market a Z6iii with specs so similar to the Zf.

I wouldn't hold my breath on any Z6iii and Z7iii; perhaps there will be some Z6iii with better video specs and a higher price, but IMO Z7iii is very questionable now.

[Dieter Schaefer]

If I had the intention of building up my Nikon Z-system, I'd be very interested in the Z8 at this price point. Alas, I don't want to dispose of my F-mount bodies and lenses at dumping prices just to pay premium for the new Z-mount stuff.

[ShunCheung]

2 hours ago, Dieter Schaefer said:

If I had the intention of building up my Nikon Z-system, I'd be very interested in the Z8 at this price point. Alas, I don't want to dispose of my F-mount bodies and lenses at dumping prices just to pay premium for the new Z-mount stuff.

Essentially all F-mount bodies and lenses, similar to other (D)SLR equipment, worth a lot less today, regardless of whether you dump it or not. I am still holding onto most of that, but I have mostly newer Z-mount lenses now. Life is too short to worry about cost, and I feel that I might as well use top-of-the-line equipment while I still can.

[Dieter Schaefer]

22 minutes ago, ShunCheung said:

I feel that I might as well use top-of-the-line equipment while I still can

That's what I am doing - in my case, it just means that I am using the Z9 with the 800PF almost exclusively nowadays. The only other Z-mount lens I have is the 24-70/4 that I got at a good discount and that I have used maybe a handful of times so far. Even the 500PF lingers in the bag for lack of opportunity to deploy it. The F-mount equipment is pretty much unused as well - I occasionally grab the D850 with the Tamron 35-150/2.8-4 mounted. Sometimes, the SIgma 150/2.8 OS macro or the Tamron 90/2.8 VC macro. Really no need for the Z8 at this stage. I already got rid of a lot of my F-mount equipment, the rest I will continue to share with my wife (who has no intention to get a mirrorless anytime soon).

 

6 hours ago, ShunCheung said:

The 600mm/f6.3 PF is discounted for the first time by $500 to $4300, which is IMO still high for that lens.

Appears to be in line now with the original price of the 500PF: 1.2x longer, 1.2x more expensive. Of course, with the discount on the 500PF now, the 600PF should cost just shy of 4k. Given the current cost for the 800PF, the discounted price for the 600PF should be around $4500 (without discount, the 600PF cost 0.75x of the 800PF, exactly in line with the ratio of their focal lengths).

Of course, nowadys used 500PF lenses can be had for around $2k - which is a real bargain in my book.

[Sandy Vongries]

I bought myself a Zf, and FTZ II,  my oldest friend gave me the 40 F2.  the Zf is a good camera, compact and handy, but I find myself reaching for old F mount friends more often.  However it turns out, Nikons, old and new have delivered fine photos for me since film days when the Viet Nam war wound down. I bought my first Nikon from the same friend who gave me the forty. I can't imagine I will be buying anything more unless it gives me some special capability that I currently lack.  A stick in the mud.

 

[bgelfand]

Between the drop in the Yen and the need to clear the F-mount inventory, resulted in some good prices, at least in the States. Also the Bank of Japan finally raised the equivalent of the Fed Funds rate from a negative interest rate back into positive territory for the first time in several years which makes it more expensive to carry inventory. 

[Dieter Schaefer]

Just got an email from Nikon; there is a $500 trade-in bonus when you upgrade to a Z9 (offer apparently valid for other purchases as well:  https://www.nikonusa.com/trade-in-request-form?pid=1669%3Futm_source%3DEC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Z+9+Trade+Up-5-2-2024&utm_content=btn&utm_term=Z9Body&ET_CID=5198428&ET_RID=904664720

B&H has the same deal: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/a/trade-in/58360 but only for the Z9 it appears.

Strangely enough Nikon offers $645 for a D500 but only $535 for a D500 with 16-80VR.

 

[ShunCheung]

Somehow Nikon USA no longer discounts the flagship model, e.g. Z9, and they are using these trade-ins to discount it. I recall that the D5 and D6 have never been discounted either, but they used to do that for the D3 back in the days, e.g. around 2008/2009.

[mike_halliwell]

12 hours ago, ShunCheung said:

Somehow Nikon USA no longer discounts the flagship model, e.g. Z9

I wonder if they're focusing (!) on areas where they have xs inventory and don't want used bodies.?

.... before the Z10 comes out! 😂

[ilkka_nissila]

On 5/1/2024 at 7:53 PM, ShunCheung said:

My personal opinion is that the Z8 has already replaced the Z7ii. Keep in mind that back in 2018, Nikon introduced the Z7 @ $3400, but the Z7ii was dropped to $3000 in 2020. With the Z8 @ $3500, there seems to be no room for any Z7 series any more. Concerning the Z6iii, Nikon has already introduced the Zf recently with the same 24MP sensor and Expeed 7 @ $2000. I know retro is not for everybody, but I wonder how Nikon can market a Z6iii with specs so similar to the Zf.

I wouldn't hold my breath on any Z6iii and Z7iii; perhaps there will be some Z6iii with better video specs and a higher price, but IMO Z7iii is very questionable now.

It depends on the region, in my country the Z7 II is between 2479€ and 3499€ and the Z8 is 4799€, so there is a 1300€-2320€ difference. For those who mostly shoot static or slowly moving subjects, the Z8 may not give significant benefits, and being forced to abandon old third-party flashes because of banding issues with the electronic shutter also adds to the cost of the Z8 for some users. 

[ShunCheung]

1 hour ago, ilkka_nissila said:

It depends on the region, in my country the Z7 II is between 2479€ and 3499€ and the Z8 is 4799€, so there is a 1300€-2320€ difference. For those who mostly shoot static or slowly moving subjects, the Z8 may not give significant benefits, and being forced to abandon old third-party flashes because of banding issues with the electronic shutter also adds to the cost of the Z8 for some users. 

Those prices in Finland are pretty crazy, although I assume VAT is included. With this current discount, in the US, a new Z7ii is $2000 and Z8 $3500, and sales tax is also included if you use B&H PayBoo. I am sure a lot of people would go for gray market in Europe.

[ilkka_nissila]

12 hours ago, ShunCheung said:

Those prices in Finland are pretty crazy, although I assume VAT is included. With this current discount, in the US, a new Z7ii is $2000 and Z8 $3500, and sales tax is also included if you use B&H PayBoo. I am sure a lot of people would go for gray market in Europe.

There is basically no gray market here as far as I know. Gray market in the US exists as Nikon can avoid warranty responsibilities via supplying to the gray market and somehow they feel this is worthwhile. In the EU the warranty is the same irrespective of import path (official vs. gray), so Nikon would not be able to avoid warranty responsibilties by supplying products to other importers for a lower price, and so there is basically no gray market supply.

 

Yes, VAT of 24% is included in advertised consumer prices. To be increased to 25.5% later this year, due to current economic difficulties in Finland.

Edited May 4 by ilkka_nissila

[raczoliver]

What a wonderful opportunity to pick up an entry-level Z8 with a basic telephoto lens and finally get my mom started in photography! ;-)

[mike_halliwell]

Errr, entry level Z8, ?

Nah.... !

[ShunCheung]

Entry-level Z8 is an oxymoron. Maybe we are talking about a Z5 or Z6ii? The Z7ii is relatively cheap @ $2000, but I would imagine that the Z7ii will soon be discontinued.

[raczoliver]

I did not find a better way than the smiley face to indicate irony, but I was trying to make a joke on the fact that all the items on mother's day sale (when people are likely to buy gifts for their mom) were relatively high end gear, or at least not something most of us would think of buying for our mom, unless she is a professional photographer.

[ShunCheung]

I think this particular Nikon USA sale is, at least partially, driven by the low exchange rate for the Japanese yen. I mentioned Mother's Day sale because that is in the URL Nikon USA is using. By no means these are products intended for mothers, at least not all of them. But I can see some mothers using a Z8 for children sports.

BTW, using some punctuation such as : -) for the smiley is out of date. Nowadays we use emojis 🙂😃 as they are more obvious. Photo.net provides them in the menu above the reply box. I am sure they are also available on all sorts of phones and tablets.

[mike_halliwell]

Is there a Mother's Day Sale every year?

[BeBu Lamar]

How long Nikon has been selling the D850 for $2200? Someone told me that it's on sales but I think Nikon has been selling it for the same price for a long time.  I think Nikon doesn't put camera they don't make any more on sales. 

Edited May 6 by BeBu Lamar

[ilkka_nissila]

57 minutes ago, BeBu Lamar said:

How long Nikon has been selling the D850 for $2200? Someone told me that it's on sales but I think Nikon has been selling it for the same price for a long time.  I think Nikon doesn't put camera they don't make any more on sales. 

You can see a US and Canada price history here:

 

https://www.photoprice.ca/product/06403/Nikon-D850-price.html

 

I don't know how these prices reflect overall prices in the market since they're from specific stores, but you can see that the price is sometimes higher, sometimes lower, over the course of several years.

[BeBu Lamar]

1 hour ago, ilkka_nissila said:

You can see a US and Canada price history here:

 

https://www.photoprice.ca/product/06403/Nikon-D850-price.html

 

I don't know how these prices reflect overall prices in the market since they're from specific stores, but you can see that the price is sometimes higher, sometimes lower, over the course of several years.

The chart doesn't seem to be right. 

[mike_halliwell]

[ShunCheung]

6 minutes ago, mike_halliwell said:

Their information is completely wrong, at least for Nikon USA D850. (Gray market is a different story.) Nikon announced the D850 in August 2017 for US$3300. For whatever reason, there was unusual shortage for the D850 in the US and was still in somewhat short supply after a year, while it was easily available in e.g. Europe. There was no discount for the D850 throughout 2018, including the holiday season.

Since I had a trip to Antarctica in February 2019, I bought a Z6 as soon as it was available in Thanksgiving 2018, and I had a hard time searching for a then new 500mm/f5.6 PF. Eventually, in January 2019, I finally bought a D850 from B&H and paid the full $3300, but shortly after, Nikon USA had the very first discount for the D850, for a modest drop to $3100, and I got the refund for the $200 difference from B&H.

I still have various advertisement e-mail from Nikon USA. For example, in December 2022, during the holiday season, they discounted the D850 to $2500. In December 2023, it was still $2500. I think the current $2200 is a new low. I doubt that Nikon is still manufacturing any new F-mount products. They may be dumping all remaining F-mount stock.