As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the country and world, a lot of us are probably wondering when things can return to normal, and when we can take portraits, wedding photos and more without having to worry about wearing a mask.

While many photographers I know have filled their time partaking in virtual conferences or other educational opportunities, now’s also the perfect time, oddly enough, to buy that new camera you’ve had your eyes on.

Why would I suggest that, especially when income is down across the board for photographers?

Learn your new camera before things get back to normal

Simply put, you probably have a lot of time on your hands. So it’ll be much easier to learn that new camera now, than it will be when you’re back to working all the time. You can get out and practice with close friends and family, or just go exploring yourself. Learn how your new camera focuses, what your ideal setup is and more.

Need to setup back button focusing? You’ve got time to do that.

Need to check out what those eye and face autofocus modes are like? It’s easy to go downtown and photograph people walking the streets (with masks on, of course).

Need to setup your custom menus and test your tethering setup? Now’s the perfect time.

Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

Take advantage of deals

While camera companies regularly discount their products, I’ve seen it happen more and more often because of COVID-19. It’s no surprise that camera companies — just like others — are hurting in today’s economy. So some of them are offering some pretty hefty discounts.

Here’s just a few quick discounts I saw on B&H Photo:

While it’s certainly not great to have to deal with COVID-19, with a little creativity, you can stay a step ahead and be ready with your new gear when things return to normal!

Lead photo by Reynaldo Rivera on Unsplash