EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x Production to Begin in Q2

[Lee Jay]

This lens should be under $4k.  I guess there are people willing to buy it anyway, and so Canon will charge what the market will bear.

I don't know. It is a considerably more complex lens to manufacture than a 500mm f/4 or 600mm f/4, offers 200-400mm zoom at a constant f/4, and up to 560mm @ f/5.6 with the 1.4x switched in.

Besides, at $4k, there'd be no room for the 100-400 II! 

This lens has 100mm of aperture (400mm/f4).  The 500/4 has 125mm and the 600/4 has 150mm.  Aperture is a big deal for these lenses as costs go up in a roughly cubic fashion with aperture.  This lens is less complicated than the 70-200/2.8 except for the larger aperture and the integrated teleconverter.

A 100-400L II should be the same price or a little less than the 70-200/2.8L IS II.

[Michael_pfh]

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<p><strong>From Singapore<br />

</strong>A member on the clubsnap forum was at an event in Singapore this week and was told by a Canon guy at the event, that the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x wouldn’t start production until Q2 of 2013. Pricing was estimated at $16,000 (Singapore dollars), that converts out to about $13,000 USD and goes along with the $11,000 pricetag we’ve heard for a while now.</p>
<p>We don’t even have an official announcement yet, so this could be possible. I am hoping once they do announce it, that stock will be available immediately.</p>
<p><strong>Source: [<a href=\"http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/canon/1207372-canonsg-launch-ef-200-400-f-4l-1-4x-2.html#post8294287\" target=\"_blank\">CS</a>]</strong></p>
<p><em>thanks dolina</em></p>
<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">c</span>r</strong></p>

That's interesting! The Canon rep that I asked during the very event wasn't able to comment on price but did tell ma about a commercial go live in S'pore in Q2...

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=12127.0

[hemidesign]

I don't know.. too much money for a zoom lens in F4 style... not good at all!
I might get the new Sigma 120-300 2.8 OS HSM.. $3600 it a great price for this kind of lens..

[etg9]

I'd be interested in this lens at 4-5k tops but at over 10k it's looking to be for highly paid sports pros only. I wish 3rd party would step up their game on the longer focal lengths as I feel it's where canon is ridiculous with pricing.

400-600mm stuff is more expensive to make and I understand that. 400mm f4 @ $3500-4500ish would be great. Get me a 600mm f5.6 for 5-6k and that seems fair and good too. Maybe something cheap and long that's not an L lens would be great too.

[Stone]

I'd love to see what kind of margins Canon makes on those great whites.

[ddashti]

How come Canon Singapore has been "exclusively" getting all the updates for this first?

[Snaxalig]

I'm curious to know if the 200-400/4 shown in Singapore recently was from the same pre-production batch as those test lenses that the London Olympic 2012 photogs was able to try out last August. What I mean is that the Olympic photographers apparently was very impressed with the lens' performance and capabilities already. Yet Canon chose to do the construction. Canon in Singapore is said to have shown up on the Canon EF 200-400 Experience days in January 2013, but it was when the "old" design?

[preppyak]

I'd be interested in this lens at 4-5k tops but at over 10k it's looking to be for highly paid sports pros only. I wish 3rd party would step up their game on the longer focal lengths as I feel it's where canon is ridiculous with pricing.

But it's because the market is so small that the prices are so high. Sure, there are hobbyists with the big L tele's, but most are pro's who make their money with it. In which case, they can pay the premium (just like wedding pro's were willing to pay $3500 for the 5d3 that now costs 20% less).

I mean, the tech in the lens is pretty great; you are getting a 200mm-560mm f/4-5.6 zoom basically. And while 200mm f/4 isn't very impressive, the trade-off (variable aperture) isn't worth it, since most aren't going to be using this at 200mm anyway.