Until recently, I was editor of N-Photo magazine (I lament its passing here), so have lived and breathed all things Nikon, including keeping a close eye on prices for the publication's regularly updated buyers' guide. So I should know a bargain when I see one, and Nikon's latest Winter Instant Savings promotion offers some serious savings off its latest and greatest kit – as well as some older stuff, too…
Highlights include knocking $200 / £180 off the Nikon Z6 III – the first time that this brand-new camera has seen any widespread discount – and $800 / £720 off the Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S telephoto prime (we'd seen discounts of up to $500 before, but this beats it by some margin).
This is an official Nikon Winter Instant Savings promotion, with a discount applied to the recommended retail price (RRP). However, retailers may beat the official discounts further still, and we'll be tracking the very best deals from individual stores on our Nikon Black Friday deals page – after all, it's never too early for a Black Friday deal!
Nikon Z-series camera deals
The $200 / £180 saving on the Z6 III also applies to its various kit-lens bundles. Other mirrorless cameras seeing tasty discounts include a whopping $1,000 off a Nikon Z 7II, which also applies to the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S kit bundle (the savings aren't so generous in the UK, at £450 off the RRP, put still not to be sniffed at).
When it comes to FX full-frame mirrorless Z-system cameras, the Nikon Z8, Nikon Zf, Nikon Z5 and Nikon Z6 II are also seeing steep discounts, that are close to the best prices I've ever seen. In the crop-sensor DX camera camp, only the Nikon Zfc is included in the promotion. So whatever new Nikon mirrorless you're after, now really is the time.
Nikon Z-series lens deals
There are lots of best-ever prices on Z-series lenses – with staggering savings of up to $1,000/£900 on its top-line telephoto primes – and while £15,499/£14,999 reduced to $14,499/£14,099 hardly qualifies the Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S as a 'cheap' lens, it's an incredible saving if you're in the market for top-notch glass.
More affordable picks are $400/£360 off the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S and $200/£270 off the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S. In truth, there are discounts that are worth having across almost all the Z-series lens range, but I've listed my top 10 picks of the most eye-catching savings here.
Nikon DSLR deals
And if you're still a DSLR stalwart, don't worry, you haven't been forgotten about: there are some not-to-be-missed bargains on the Nikon D850, Nikon D780 and Nikon D7500 too!
Nikon has been running its Instant Savings promotions for several years now, replacing the traditional 'cashback' scheme where a rebate would need to be claimed from the manufacturer, requiring convoluted form filling, providing proof-of-purchase receipts from participating retailers, and often taking many months for the cash to arrive in the buyer's bank account.
The current Nikon Winter Instant Savings promotion runs until January 13, 2025, so you'd better get your skates on…