Helpful thread 👍

Hey! I totally get looking ahead, good on ya for planning! Honestly, from my experience, waiting for Black Friday for those *super high-end* Sony GMs like the 50mm f/1.2... it's often not as big a splash as you'd hope, unfortunately. I've been burned a couple of times holding out, only to find the discount on those premium lenses was pretty minimal, maybe a couple hundred bucks off a $2K+ lens. Not exactly a game-changer, y'know?

I think you're better off keeping an eye out throughout the year. Sometimes these bigger lenses get sporadic, limited-time sales that are actually better than the Black Friday 'hype' deals. Or, honestly, consider certified used or even previous gen G Master lenses; the value proposition there can be way better for long-term cost. Don't get me wrong, mid-range stuff definitely sees better drops, but those flagship primes? Meh. Hope this helps temper expectations a bit!

Oh, totally get wanting those GMs! But honestly, in my experience over the years, the *really* top-tier GMs like the 50mm f/1.2 often see minimal drops, if any, even on Black Friday. What I've learned is that the sweet spot for deals is usually the G-series lenses or fantastic third-party options from Sigma and Tamron. You can often snag those for 20-30% off, which is way more impactful for your budget and still delivers incredible quality. Don't overlook the value there!

Hey there! Yeah, I totally get why you're planning this far ahead, especially for those dream lenses like the 50mm f/1.2 GM. It's smart!

In my experience over the years, I've kinda seen different brands approach these big sale events pretty differently. I remember back when I was heavily invested in [another brand, no need to name, just imply], their big primes would *eventually* see decent drops during Black Friday, sometimes even before or after, like a flash sale. They'd often have these aggressive 'instant savings' that felt genuinely significant.

However, what I've noticed since I switched to Sony and started tracking FE lens prices more closely is that Sony, especially for those *flagship* GM primes, tends to hold their value pretty tight. It feels like they're less likely to slash prices on something like the 50mm f/1.2 GM, even during Black Friday, compared to how other brands might handle their top-tier glass. It's almost like a different market strategy, you know? They know these lenses are in demand and perform incredibly, so the discounts are often, well, less dramatic. You might see a small percentage off, or maybe a bundle deal, but rarely a massive price cut that screams 'buy now!'

That said, I have seen better deals on the *versatile zooms* or some of the slightly older GMs, like maybe the original 24-70mm GM when the Mark II came out. So, if a versatile zoom is on your radar, you might have better luck. But for the newer, super-fast primes, it's really more of a patient game. Keep an eye out year-round too, as sometimes smaller retailers might surprise you outside of the big holiday sales. It's not just Black Friday anymore, honestly.

Hope this kinda helps give you another angle to think about it!