The best video camera of the year is already seeing…

Panasonic Lumix S5 II on lilac background with price cut graphic.

We've only just awarded the Panasonic Lumix S5 II best video camera of the year in the TechRadar Choice Awards 2023, and now the full-frame hybrid mirrorless camera, which shoots incredible 6K video has received a massive price drop, and is definitely one of our picks as the best Black Friday camera deals.

The tastiest discount is available in the UK thanks largely to a Panasonic cashback scheme available through most of the leading photo retailers, but there's still healthy price cuts in the US at B&H Photo and others. In this Black Friday deal, the S5 II body only is available for just £1,299 at WEX – that's quite the drop since its launch price of £1,999 less than a year ago. And in the US, $300 has been slashed off the price (no cash back involved), to a new low price of $1,697.99 at B&H Photo.

There's also deals on lens kits for the same camera, while the pricier S5 IIX has reasonable discounts, too. If you don't need the latest video prowess of these second-gen models, the S5 is also at record low prices. Check out the deals in full below.

Grab the best Black Friday Panasonic S5 series deal from B&H Photo in the US

Grab the best Black Friday Panasonic S5 series deal from WEX in the UK

Panasonic has always offered great bang for buck, especially if video is your primary focus. However, there was one area holding its Lumix cameras back; autofocus. Cameras like the S5 and micro four thirds models like the excellent GH6 use contrast detection based autofocus which is snappy for photos, but less suitable for video. That all changed with the S5 II.

The S5 II was the first Panasonic camera to use phase detection autofocus, and it really works for video. We were seriously impressed with the S5 II during review, with its 6K open gate video, incredible image stablization, excellent handling and now fast and smooth autofocus. Add a growing range of L-mount lenses, and the S5 II is one of our top picks for video.

If you're in the market for a new camera and would like to shop around for Panasonic Lumix S5 II alternatives, you can also check out our Black Friday camera deals page.