> with like a 1500 dollar budget to try and start filming my dogs and some local skate stuff Are you including lenses in that fifteen hundred? What kind of glass are you planning to grab?

Honestly camera prices on bodies like the Sony FX30 rarely drop by huge amounts directly. You might see a small bundle discount pop up, but dont expect a massive standalone price slash. Since you want to shoot skate stuff and fast moving pups, you need good autofocus more than anything else. If you cant stretch past that fifteen hundred budget once tax hits, look at the Sony A6700 APS-C instead since it shares the same sensor and AF system minus the cooling fan. Skateboarding gets hot so keep that in mind, but you'll be stoked with either setup.

Same boat, watching this

Camera pricing these days drives me absolutely crazy. Companies just keep hiking up body costs while quality control on basic service parts goes downhill fast. Honestly its ridiculous how hard it is to get simple repairs done now without paying a fortune.

• overpriced bundled accessories nobody asked for
• repair turnaround times taking months
• customer service loops going nowhere Really makes you question where all the money actually goes.

This thread is gold. Bookmarking for future reference 🔖

Ok adding this to my list of things to try. Thanks for the tip!

Not a dumb question at all, camera pricing can definitely stress you out. Honestly, sensor tech and processor margins rarely see massive direct price cuts on major holiday events for newer bodies, but retailers bundle junk to clear inventory. When I bought my current setup during a similar sale last year, I skipped the bloated accessory kits and just grabbed the body solo because third-party glass and media cards are way cheaper elsewhere anyway. Here is what I learned from watching those holiday drops:

• Base body discounts are usually tiny, maybe fifty bucks off max if you are lucky.
• Bundles often pad the price with useless cheap filters and off-brand batteries you wont use.
• Check authorized dealers for open-box items since thats where the real savings hide. Skate filming and pets need fast autofocus, which my unit handles like a absolute champ. Grab it whenever you see a fair price and dont stress too much over waiting for Monday.

Just catching up on this thread. Skate stuff and fast dogs are super fun to shoot, but gear choice matters a ton here. If your budget is firmly around fifteen hundred, buying brand new might stretch you too thin once you add lenses. Here is how two solid paths compare:

• Sony FX30 Body Only: Amazing 4K 120p slow-mo for skate clips, built-in fan so it never overheats. Con: bare body leaves no cash for glass right now.
• Sony ZV-E10 II 16-50mm Kit: Much cheaper, same incredible autofocus tracking for running pups. Con: no active cooling or dual card slots, but way easier on the wallet. Honestly, grab the ZV-E10 setup if you need everything out of the box today. Otherwise, look for a used FX30 body on Fred Miranda or MPB instead of waiting on meager Cyber Monday bundle discounts.

100% agree

No way, I literally just dealt with this yesterday. Small world.

Same boat, watching this

Seconded!