How much will the 5d3 cost at the end of 2012?

[unfocused]

This discussion of special deals, grey market, unofficial Canon dealers, etc., while interesting, is pretty much off-topic.

The original question excluded special deals, rebates, etc. The point being that what an individual retailer may be charging for the 5DIII says absolutely nothing about what Canon's pricing policy is. These prices don't reflect a drop in price by Canon, but simply an effort by individual retailers to snap up a few extra sales. (And quite possibly gouge consumers by "upselling" the customer with warranties, worthless accessories, etc.) Some of the links posted here clearly stated that they were selling bodies from kits that they had split into two, for another example.

These kinds of "deals" are always available with almost every body and don't have any bearing on Canon's pricing policies.

BTW, the D800 is #6 on Amazon's list and the 5DIII #10 as of a few minutes ago. (Both selling at their listed prices).  NO, that doesn't mean Nikon is "kicking Canon's butt" or anything of the sort. It means both are continuing to show remarkable sales. Both companies have got to be very happy and there is no reason why either manufacturer should feel any pressure to lower their prices.

Expect some decent deals around Christmas if they need to boost fourth quarter revenues, but don't hold your breath for significant or permanent price cuts.

[DB]

Canon need to add the 5D3 to the discontinued list asap....then it's price will skyrocket to $5,000+

What discontinued camera of Canon's is more than the original price?  The 1Ds III, 1Ds II are both much, much lower.  The 5D Mark II is lower.  The 1D Mark IV is lower.  ??

1D mark IV was €4299 last month (new in main dealer), now you have to pay +25% from Hong Kong??

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Canon-EOS-1D-Mark-IV-BODY-ONLY-16-1-MP-Camera-DSLR-EXPRESS-DHL-SP-LIMITED-OFFER-/290570173096?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item43a754faa8

That HK price is > €5000 and then because it's from outside the EU, another +23% in Sales Tax (Value Added Tax) + possibly Customs Duty too!! That brings the price up to well over €6,000 (US$7,500)

[DB]

SCARCITY => Higher Price

[bdunbar79]

DB,

Wow I didn't realize you were talking NEW.  Yeah that's bad b/c as far as I know you cannot get a new 1Ds III or 1D 4 NEW from a US retailer.  Ouch.

[markd61]

I don't see the "official" price dropping at all until the 5D mark IV comes out (if there even will ever be a 5D4). The 7D is still listed at $1699.00, even though you can buy it through B & H for $1549.00. The lowest I have ever seen the 7D (through B & H) was $1300.00 and that was a couple of months ago. The 5D3 is the "thing" right now, so I don't see the price dropping past $3000.00 through a reputable dealer any time soon.

This isn't to say that the price won't drop through some retailers but the "official" price will remain until it is replaced with another camera body or discontinued.

D

This is the most accurate observation of the way the Manufacturers operate.
A price drop is never publicized but unofficial "incentives" and rebates allow them to maintain the official price while managing inventory levels.
What everyone forgets is MSRP and MAP are guidelines issued by the manufacturer to retailers to (hopefully)add a little order to the marketplace. They cannot dictate price at all. Thus MSRP is "SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE" and MAP is "MINIMUM ADVERTISED PRICE" that is the lowest price the dealers are permitted to advertise.

The actual selling price is determined by the retailer based upon the purchase price, manufacturers incentives and the competitive landscape.
The price that Canon gives to dealers could drop and be reflected in actual selling prices but Canon will never budge on MSRP.

On a different note I bought my mk3 from a local camera shop at MSRP because I want to support the really great local store I have the good fortune to have in my small town. I am also a full time pro and I selected the camera because I needed the improved AF over my mk2s. As a business decision it caused my a bit of trepidation as I had taken advantage of the flood of cheap mk2s on the used market. I am an architectural and commercial photographer so AF is not too important but over the past year I saw a sharp increase in jobs requiring AF in low light conditions so I took the plunge.

As Ellis Vener noted in his review it should be compared to the 1DSmkIII replacement. It is so much more than the mk2 that I am perfectly pleased with the camera. As a former 1Ds owner I can attest to the fact that it adds the features from the 1Dseries without the weight penalty. The addition of the AF makes it well worth the price for me.