Canon pricing

[devon_mccarroll]

<p>Has anyone seen anything on the web about why Canon's pricing has shot up so much? I was getting ready to get a 5d Mkiii, which had a good deal going that I missed by just a few days, but now even with a $200 instant rebate, the price is up to nearly $3900 with the 24-105. So I thought again about the 5d2, but that's gone from $1700 up to $2100. Wasn't that discontinued? Why would the price increase by $400?<br>

I'm really wanting the 5D3, since I do a lot of studio stuff but also want to get outside more (and tend to keep my cameras for five or six years), even though it means I'll only have the one lens for awhile until I can afford more. But I don't get the big price increases, especially when Nikon seems to be staying steady.</p>

[jamie_robertson2]

<p>If the majority of your work is in the studio, the Mk III has no real world advantages over the Mk II in my opinion. I know you said you want to get outside more, but unless you need blazing AF performance for sports or fast moving subjects then I really cannot see the point in paying the extra for the Mk III. Better to put that money into an additional lens.</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

<p>I want to try birds when we RV in the summers, so I'll be renting the occasional long lens for that. Since I keep my cameras a very long time--I'm still shooting with a nearly seven year old Nikon D80 and two ten year old lenses--I'd prefer to have the much better AF in the 5D3 for that. And the things I like to photograph have changed over the years, so I feel that the 5D3 would be the better all around camera for me to have for the long run.<br>

I'm stumped as to why a discontinued model, the 5D2, has gone up in price so much. </p>

[a._t._burke]

<p>Mr. McCarroll…</p>

<p>Has the value of the camera gone up that much or has the value of the currency we want to exchange for the camera gone down that much. I suspect the latter. </p>

<p>A. T. Burle </p>

<p> </p>

[devon_mccarroll]

I'm actually a "Ms.", not a "Mr." Common mistake with my name :-)

I can't imagine it's a currency issue, since Nikon's prices haven't changed. Aren't they both made in Japan?

[sarah_fox]

<p>If I recall correctly (and I might not), the original 5D went up in price briefly once it was discontinued. It's all because of supply and demand. When the demand is still there and the supply is disrupted, price rises. The best time to buy is always at the end of the product cycle, when Canon is pushing rebates to clear out supply. If you want the 5DII, consider looking for a refurb unit. I've found refurbs to be every bit as good as new, if not somewhat better, having benefitted from the personal attention of a skilled technician.</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

Good point about refurbs! I'd still like to go for the 5D3, especially with the 24-105 being such a great deal as a package

with it, but I just looked at some refurb lens prices today. I also plan to keep my eye on KEH for lenses once I have a new

camera. Having shot film when I first started out, I'm really looking forward to going full frame.

[bobatkins]

<p>It's all supply and demand I guess. If there's demand for the MkII because it's cheaper then the MkIII then retailers can proportionately charge more (i.e. discount it less) because there is a limited supply. As far as I know it has been discontinued and it no longer appears on Canon's website.</p>

<p>Canon and dealers also play games with MAP (minimum advertised price) and instant rebates. The price you see isn't always the price you pay once you've added an item to your shopping cart.</p>

<p>I'm seeing prices from reputable dealers around $2700 for the 5D MkII with 24-105, which isn't a bad price.</p>

<p>Prices typically don't fluctuate with exchange rates on a short term basis. Canon's MSRP on cameras tends to be fairly constant over their lifetime. Though there have ocassionally been "across the board" price changes, the usual mechanism to adjust a price is to bring out a MkII or MkIII version of something and jack the price up by 30% or more! It would be very unusual to see an increase in the MSRP of a camera. It can happen on lenses because some lenses stay in production for 15-20 years. Cameras typically are only in production for 1-4 years.</p>

<p>Besides that, the Yen is rising against the dollar, so if prices followed exchange rates, they should be going down since Japan is getting more Yen per Dollar.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>I don't think it has anything to do with supply or demand. I think that has remained relatively stable in the past few years. I'm not sure maybe the cost of doing business has also gone up. Despite stiff competition from Nikon, Sony, and smaller mirrorless cameras, the pricing for Canon professional and semi-pro equipment has shot up like a rocket in the last 2 years. It's very niticeable .</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

A couple of weeks ago, I was watching BH prices while waiting for a refund on a Nikon I didn't like. For about a week, the

5D3 price was changing sometimes two or three times a day (I was putting it in the cart to see their actual price). I asked

if they do dynamic pricing, like Amazon, where the price changes constantly on some items based on demand, but the

CS rep said he didn't know. After the last promo ended, it was $36xx for camera and lens, and then this new promo

started and now it's $38xx. A local brick and mortar store in my area that's been around for decades is offering it for $400

less, but every place else I've checked online and otherwise that I consider reputable has it for the same as BH, so I'm

wary of that. Besides, we have nearly 10% sales tax here, so it makes it almost as expensive anyway. I may wait it out a

month or two and see what happens. I'd sure like to see the $34xx price it was at a few weeks ago while I was waiting on

the refund.

[bobatkins]

<p>It can be supply and demand on gear that is (or soon will be) in limited supply like the 5D MkII.</p>

<p>Actually if you look up the prices of old, discontinued models of some digicams on places like Amazon and eBay you can find people trying to sell them for prices higher than they ever sold for when they were in production. I suppose the market is small but if you want a particular camera that's hard to find, you may be prepared to pay an inflated price for it. Not me, but some people...</p>

<p>Of late Canon have been following the "MkII and boost the price" route. That and switching from the 24/2.8 and similar lenses to IS versions with a USM motor and tripling the price. Yes, they're better, but you pay dearly for the improvement whether you want it or not. I suspect not only the price but the profit margin is higher.</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

Sometimes it makes me miss the film days when cameras lasted for decades, but on the other hand, I don't miss the cost

of film, developing, waiting to see prints...we're slaves to this expensive hobby, but I do love it! There are certainly worse

things to spend money on.

[paddler4]

<blockquote>

<p>Besides that, the Yen is rising against the dollar, so if prices followed exchange rates, they should be going down since Japan is getting more Yen per Dollar.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I see your point that prices should be falling if Canon tracked exchange rates, that is, because they get more Yen per dollar. However, that means that the Yen is <em>falling</em> in value relative to the dollar. A year ago, the rate was about 81 Yen/dollar. Now it is about 99 Yen/dollar. Invert that: it took .012 dollars to buy a Yen a year ago, but the value of the Yen has now fallen to .010 dollars.</p>

[rick_m.]

<p>This is going to be popular on the Canon forum....</p>

<p>Why are you leaving Nikon. You already have one Nikon and two additional lenses which will not work on your Canon. The D800 is $500.00 cheaper and arguably every bit as good as the Canon. It is not as fast but has vastly better dynamic range somewhat better color depth for example. (DXOmark scores its sensor as much better.) So what is it about the 5D that is turning you on? It is a fine camera but you are making some serious sacrifices for it. (My wife is a Canon person by the way so we have a mixed marriage.) You don't seem to need the additional FPS so what is it that has you changing and losing the advantages of your lenses and spare bodies?</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

Rick, I have a seven year old D80, a 50mm and a ten year old 28-105. So I'm barely invested in Nikon. I don't like the

company anymore, and I really dislike the ergonomics of their cameras these days. The D800 frame rate is too slow, and

the files way too big for my needs. As I mentioned previously in this and another post, the Canon feels great in my hands,

and has everything I want for both studio and outdoor shooting, and I feel that I could be happy with it for many years,

since I rarely switch bodies--obviously, since I still have a D80!

[rick_m.]

If you like the feel better and believe you need the frame by all means get what you want. Nikon service is not good

these days either.

[df]

<h4>If you qualify for the Canon Loyalty program you may be able to get a refurb 5DMarkIII for about $2,500. You can also get lenses for a reduced price. Usually to replace lost or non repairable under warranty. All equipment is subject to availability and there was one 5DMarkIII available last week. 90 warranty comes on the refurb.</h4>

<p>All my stuff went underwater and was certified "non repairable" by Canon Warranty Repair. Most of what I lost was not available in refurb, so my insurance company purchase all new from Canon Direct. </p>

[devon_mccarroll]

<p>I don't have any Canon equipment to trade, and I'd definitely want more than a 90 day warranty on a camera as expensive as the 5D3, but it's good to know that they do that.</p>

[phule]

<p>[[photo.net time-out error]]</p>

[phule]

<p>[[photo.net time out error]]</p>

[phule]

<p>For what its worth, a lot of people buy a broken point and shoot off of ebay and trade that in. You still get the loyalty program discount. (I completely understand the warranty issue.) </p>

[daniel_sandlin1]

<p>Its funny Devon, I'm on the opposite side of the coin right now. I have shot with Canon since I was 12. I am now 43 and been without a camera for about 6 years. I have been wanting a 7D for years, and anow that I am looking to buy another camera I couldn't find one for the money I have to spend used. So I went looking at Nikon, and found that dollar for dollar they seem to have more of the features I want and they feel better in my hands. And now I am looking at having even less to spend on it so for $500 I can get more camera in a Nikon body than I can from Canon. In about a year I should be able to afford to lok at new cameras again and still dollar for dollar Nikon seems to be offering more.</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

Well, after much internal debate, since I need lenses as well, I'm thinking that I may wait to see if the 7d Mk II materializes in the fall. It

means not moving to full frame, which I really wanted to do, especially since I only keep one body at a time for five or six years, but this is

only a hobby after all. That 5d Mark III is a beauty though. If the 7d was newer I'd get that, but I'd rather have a newer model if it's going

to be with me for five or six years.

[dcstep]

<p>The yen has fallen 17% vs. the dollar since the beginning of this year. Prices should be going down, but Canon is under pressure to retain as much of that FX profit as possible because their P&S camera sales volume have fallen like a stone, lost to camera-phones. It's dropping 15% to 20% per year.<br>

I wouldn't be surprised to see them dropping prices on the P&S cameras to try to somewhat offset the lost demand there. DSLRs are turning into a higher margin segment for them and they may resist lowering DSLR related equipment because DSLR buyers are seeking something more than current camera-phones can offer. Still, if Nikon or Canon decides that they can gain substantial market share by lowering DSLR prices, then we'll see it and a pricing war might follow. I'm not counting on that.</p>

<p>I've about convinced myself that I will not see price decrease later this year when I plan to buy a 600mm f/4L IS-II. It'd sure be nice, but demand still seems to be high and production capacity is still somewhat limited for the Canon super-telephoto lenses, thanks to the tsunami two-years ago now.</p>

 

[Mark Keefer]

<p>It does seem frustrating seeing the prices of bodies and good lenses moving up, like a carrot on a stick, every time I move a few dollars closer to the goal the price moves a little farther away. The 5DMKIII has been priced out of my comfort zone and short of me hitting the lottery, it's just not worth getting a divorce over. lol. I'll just have to be content with my 7D and 40D and my Minolta 35mm film camera. I'm OK with that. I'm having fun with what I have. Canon prices on lenses just made me choose the Sigma 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and a couple nice used Canon L Glass lenses.</p>

<p>I'm sure Canon will be fine without me buying anything new from them in the foreseeable future. It's a free market and Canon has every right to price their gear as they see fit. They are in business to make money, not to supply guys like me with high end gear for what I wish it sold for. If it were up to me the price would be 5 cents. lol. Lucy and Charlie Brown might agree.</p>

<p>Prices won't change until Canon prices themselves out of the market, and I don't think they have. Their high end stuff is good pro gear and the pros will continue buying it. That's life.</p>