Top 10 Last Minute Xmas Deals for Filmmakers – Ronin-S, Crane 2, iPad Pro, DJI Spark and More

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by Jakub HanDecember 18^th, 2018

There are quite a lot of new interesting deals for filmmakers available in this pre-Xmas time. We selected the best “last minute” offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week. This time there are some really interesting deals.  For instance DJI Ronin-S, Zhiyun-Tech Crane 2, Apple iPad Pro, DJI Spark, Sony a6300 and more.

Watch out – There are two deals in this article which expire tonight, December 18th, at 11:59 PM ET!

I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the top offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in North and South America (though they also ship worldwide!) and then a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our affiliate partners’ stores you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed.

Now, let’s take a look at the best last minute Christmas deals for filmmakers:

B&H and CVP: DJI Ronin-S – $200/€158 Discount

I had to start with this awesome global deal – the DJI Ronin-S is still quite new and yet it already got a massive discount. It is most likely a time limited offer, so make sure to act quick if you want to get it with this discount.

The Ronin-S is 3-axis onehanded gimbal that can also accomodate heavier payloads up to roughly 8lbs (3.6kg). It offers lots of useful features. Make sure to take a look at Nino’s comprehensive DJI Ronin-S review if you haven’t already.

B&H Buy link: DJI Ronin-S Was: $749.00  Now: $549.00 (Savings: $200.00)

CVP Buy link: DJI Ronin-S Was: €620.02  Now: €462.46 (Savings: €157.56)

B&H: Zhiyun-Tech Crane 2 with Follow Focus – $200 Discount

The Crane 2 gimbal from Zhiyun-Tech has similar specs like the Ronin-S. It can take up loads till 7lbs, has an electronic follow focus control and OLED display for quick status check. It features 12-18 hours runtime with included batteries.

What makes this deal even more interesting is the free included follow focus motor from Zhiyun-Tech. With this discounted package you will therefore be able to pull focus with the gimbal’s focus wheel on basically every lens and every camera.

Buy link: Zhiyun-Tech Crane 2 with Follow Focus Was: $749.00  Now: $549.00 (Savings: $200.00)

B&H: Zhiyun-Tech Smooth-Q Smartphone Gimbal – $60 Discount

The gimbal section of my deals post will be closed with the smartphone gimbal Smooth Q from Zhiyun-Tech. It can accomodate smartphones (or action cameras with a separate adapter) up to 7.8oz. The runtime is up to 12 hours and it can even charge your phone while in use. There is a 4-way joystick and zoom control switch to operate the phone and 1/4″-20 mounting thread on bottom. The price is very interesting. Zhiyun-Tech now has a newer model Smooth 4, but (having owned both of them) the older Smooth Q still has some advantages – smaller size and longer pan, tilt and roll axis rotation (320°).

Buy link: Zhiyun-Tech Smooth-Q Smartphone Gimbal Was: $139.00  Now: $79.00 (Savings: $60.00)

B&H: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017) – $330 Discount

The iPad Pro from Apple features 12.9″ multi-touch retina display with 2732 x 2048 screen resolution (264 ppi). There are two cameras – front 7MP FaceTime HD camera and the main rear 12MP iSight camera. This version has 64GB memory, but the offer is also valid on bigger versions. The iPad Pro can be used as a basic editing device too thanks to the bigger screen (as opposed to regular iPad or iPhones) and quite a powerful CPU.

Watch out – This deal expires tonight, December 18th, at 11:59 PM ET!

Buy link: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017) Was: $929.00  Now: $599.00 (Savings: $330.00)

B&H: Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 25mm f/0.95 MFT Lens – $100 Discount

The ultra-fast prime lens for micro four thirds (MFT) system offers 50mm (35mm equivalent) focal length and aperture range: f/0.95 to f/16. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the popular Voigtlander prime lens, the Mitakon might be the right lens for you. Although some reviews claim the fastest aperture isn’t exactly an f/0.95 (Voigtlander is still a bit brighter wide open), this lens still offers good value for money. It also features click-less, silent manual aperture ring for seamless IRIS changes during filming and rounded 11-blade diaphragm for round bokeh.

Watch out – This deal expires tonight, December 18th, at 11:59 PM ET!

Buy link: Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 25mm f/0.95 MFT Lens Was: $399.00  Now: $299.00 (Savings: $100.00)

B&H: Canon EOS M100 with 15-45mm Lens and Accessories Kit – $204 Discount

The Canon EOS M100 mirrorless camera can record 1080p video at up to 60fps and features 24.2MP APS-C sensor. On the back there is a tilting touchscreen LCD which can go 180° upwards and can therefore make the M100 be a good camera for vloggers. The awesome dual-pixel autofocus will also significantly help when vlogging.

The featured set includes the camera itself, EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens, Ruggard – Lyra 60 camera pouch and SanDisk 32GB extreme PRO SDHC UHS-I memory card.

Buy link: Canon EOS M100 with 15-45mm Lens and Accessories Kit Was: $603.00  Now: $399.00 (Savings: $204.00)

B&H: Sony 64GB M Series UHS-II SDXC Memory Card Kit (2-Pack) – $28 Discount

When it comes to reliable fast SD cards, every deal is useful. B&H now has a discounted sets available with Sony M series UHS-II SDXC cards. In my opinion the best value is this set with two 64GB cards. The cards are really fast for the money – maximum write speed is 100MBps, minimum write speed is 30MBps. The cards are water/dust/temp/UV/X-ray/magnet proof.

Buy link: Sony 64GB M Series UHS-II SDXC Memory Card Kit (2-Pack) Was: $111.99  Now: $83.99 (Savings: $28.00)

CVP: DJI Spark Fly More Combo – over €83 Discount

DJI Spark is a very compact drone capable of recording 1080p video at up to 30fps and capturing 12MP photos via its 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor. It features 2-axis gimbal and can be also controlled with gestures. To see our review of the tiny drone, follow this link. In the fly more combo apart from the DJI Spark itself you will get propeller guards, 8x propellers, 2x intelligent flight batteries, shoulder bag, remote controller and battery charging hub. There is also an interesting deal on the DJI Spark with the remote controller only.

Buy link: DJI Spark Fly More Combo Was: €536.54  Now: €453.14 (Savings: €83.40)

Buy link: DJI Spark with remote controller Was: €416.08  Now: €369.74 (Savings: €46.34)

CVP: Panasonic GX80 with 12-32mm Lens – over €129 Discount

Panasonic Lumix GX80 is a mirroless camera with micro four thirds (MFT) image sensor. It can shoot UHD 4K video at up to 30fps and features tilting LCD screeen as well as capable viewfinder. It also features a stabilised sensor (IBIS). The discounted set comes with a Lumix G VARIO 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens. The price is very interesting in my opinion – suitable body for ligthweight traveling or as a B or C camera.

Buy link: Panasonic GX80 with 12-32mm Lens Was: €480.94  Now: €351.20 (Savings: €129.74)

CVP: Sony a6300 with 16-50mm Lens – over €185 Discount

The Sony a6300 is a popular mirrorless camera with APS-C sensor. Even despite some issues with heat distribution, it still offers great image quality and it is widely used by filmmakers. You can take a look at our review by following this link. It records UHD 4K in up to 30fps or 1080p in up to 120fps. The discounted package includes the Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens as well. This deal is actually a cashback offer from Sony.

Buy link: Sony a6300 with 16-50mm Lens Was: €814.54  Now: €629.21 (Savings: €185.33)

What do you think of this last minute xmas deals selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.