By a Photographer Who’s Actually Used Them
If you’ve ever cracked a screen on your Canon camera or wanted to test-drive a big white lens without dropping thousands of dollars, you might’ve considered signing up for Canon Canon Professional Services. But is it worth it?
I’ve been a Canon CPS Gold and Platinum member since 2020, and this isn’t some sponsored post or marketing pitch. It’s just one photographer’s experience with the service: good, bad, and everything in between.
What You Get with CPS Gold
Let’s start with the basics. If you’re in the U.S. or Canada, Gold membership costs $100 per year. You need to own at least two Canon APS-C or full-frame bodies and two L-series lenses to qualify.
What does Gold give you?
- 20% off repairs (up to 10 items per year)
- Free maintenance on up to 5 items annually
- Fast turnaround: 3 business days in the U.S., 5 in Canada
- Free return shipping on repairs
I kept Gold for four years. I didn’t use it much at first. Nice to have, but I didn’t want to send in my only full-frame camera for even a routine cleaning. Everything was working fine so I never gave it a consideration.
What You Get with CPS Platinum (And Why It Changed Everything)
Then I upgraded to Platinum and that’s where the value proposition kicked in.
- 30% off repairs
- Free loaner gear while yours is in service
- Complimentary maintenance
- Access to Canon’s Test Drive program for L-series and pro cameras
Earlier this year, I had an accident. My Canon R5 Mark II took a hit while rigged with a Ninja V. The top LCD cracked. At first, I thought it was a smudge. Nope. I’d buggered it up.
I reached out to Canon. They shipped out a free loaner right away. When it arrived, I boxed up my camera in the same packaging, uploaded my config file to the loaner, and didn’t miss a beat.
The repair?
Just C$90 including parts, labor, and tax. That’s around US$60 for a top LCD replacement. These days, it feels like everything is designed to be unfixable. Break something? Toss the whole unit. But Canon still builds gear you can repairability, which keeps the cost reasonable.
What About the Test Drive Program?
This one’s a hidden gem. With CPS Platinum, you can test drive L-series lenses and pro cameras. Want to try the 24–105mm f/2.8 before buying? Just request it. Canon ships it to your door—for free. You ship it back—for free.
You get two 3-day test drives per product or one 6-day trial. I usually request delivery on a Thursday, so I’ve got the whole weekend to try it out.
This year alone, I’ve test-driven the:
- RF 24–105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z
- RF 35mm f/1.4L VCM
- RF 24–70mm f/2.8L f/2.8L IS USM
Renting those would’ve cost me over C$200. That right there covered the C$250 Platinum fee.
Should You Get It?
If you’re a working pro or even a serious hobbyist with expensive gear, Platinum pays for itself quickly. You’re getting peace of mind, fast repairs, free shipping, and access to pro lenses for real-world testing.
Of all the business expenses I must deal with, this one is a no brainer and the staff at Canon Canada are terrific. They have that small town charm despite being in the largest and rushed city in the country.
If you’re not shooting every day, Gold might be enough. Even one repair a year could justify the $100 fee.
A Few Things to Know
Canon may ask for proof you’re a business to get Platinum. They didn’t ask me, but they did ask someone I know. If you’re a sole proprietorship, you are a business. Just explain that clearly. And register your gear, it makes the process way smoother.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t plan on using CPS this much. But when I needed it, it worked exactly like I hoped. I didn’t waste time. I didn’t lose money. And I didn’t lose sleep wondering if I’d be out of commission for weeks. Check out my video on the topic if you want to know more.
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A 'serious hobbyist' who is 'employed creating images for 3rd parties on a full time basis' is an oxymoron in almost all cases. I suppose it could have made that argument many years ago, when I spent a fair amount of my time doing photomicroscopy for a pharma company, even though I was using microscopes from Zeiss to do that.
Would Canon actually check? I highly doubt it – what they most likely care about is gear ownership and paying the membership fees. But still, I prefer to follow the rules (driving a bit over the speed limit notwithstanding).
Otherwise, you cannot sign in/stay in.
That's why I am no longer part of that CPS game... :(
For us 'serious hobbyist' they left that "Canon Club data kraken" for just a few giveaways.
Thanks, but "NO!". :mad:
I recently received an extensive survey from Canon, but through some third party, and it asked some questions along the lines of what improvements you expect in the future." It said it was for people who purchased a camera body after January 1st, 2024.
“CPS covers the cost of shipping the Equipment Evaluation Loans to you via expedited carrier service and can only be shipped to the 50 United States & the District of Columbia. Gold members require at least a 2 week lead time for requests. All loans are subject to availability and are at Canon’s discretion. Newer items that are listed may not be immediately available for loan, but may be available soon. The CPS Member is responsible for all return shipping costs. A return address label is included with all loans.”
I let my platinum go this year.
You get free test drives and then you want to spend thousands on gear you test drove for free, because you don’t have the cash to own it… just saying.
If you’re a pro and meet the requirements, you likely have backups.
It’s not as clear cut as it seems. I had platinum for ten years. $2k in membership. I saved $89 on one repair. Look up what it costs to ship a $3-5k piece of gear with insurance.
I've always recommended CPS saying the annual maintenance allotment alone is worth the membership fee. I do miss when they used to send us a freebie item with the annual enrollment; a camera strap, memory card holder, small camera bag... always with CPS emblazed upon it. Rarely used them item but appreciated the thought.
Note that a 5D (mark i) counts. How to prove that you make the majority of your income is from imaging is a good question! I believe you would need to provide your company’s Australian business number as part of the application for membership