Canon announces the RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM and the RF 1200mm F8L IS USM

[AlanF]

Only AUD28,000 and AUD35,100 in Australia

AUD28,000 is only £14,700. The £4,400 price difference would pay for a great trip to Australia - I'll look you up in Sydney. Canon UK are Pommie b*st*rds.

 

[Treyarnon]

Just seen the UK Prices of these lenses !!!
That 1200mm is only £22,449...... Or in USD, that would be $30,000 please.

What? 50% more than the US?
Justification please, or does Canon just hate UK shops?

 

[scyrene]

As someone who photographs wildlife for a living, I truly don’t understand the purpose of a 1200 f/8. We need light. I can’t remember the last time I shot over 5.6 for a wildlife shot. Dramatic light equals a dramatic photograph and f8 won’t be able to do this. Also, I don’t care how big your lens is, your subject has to be fairly close. The further away they are the more atmospheric conditions you are looking through, in other words, your photo turns to mush.

If you want 1200 f/5.6 you pay 5-10x more (and lose IS).

PS I shot bird mostly at f/10 for several years. No doubt you'd claim those pics were no good, but I was satisfied with many of them. Try not to generalise your experience.

 

[Deleted member 381342]

The price over here has just been announced as £19,099: it should be £15,000 based on the US price and adding 20% import duties/vat. We could fly to the US, buy it there and have a couple of weeks holiday shooting with it, and come back with change from the £4,099 difference in price. Canon UK are b*st*rds.

I would rather pay the full price to a Scottish business than a English or American business. Supporting your local businesses or end up with supermarkets and Amazon. The price really isn't a big decider here, ether I pay £450 a month or £500 a month to some 0% - 12% loan regardless.

 

[Deleted member 381342]

Just seen the UK Prices of these lenses !!!
That 1200mm is only £22,449...... Or in USD, that would be $30,000 please.

What? 50% more than the US?
Justification please, or does Canon just hate UK shops?

England left the EU so it costs a lot more to do business. Everything in the UK has been getting more expensive due to that daft decision so now you have to live with it and the rest of the UK has to suffer for it.

 

[john1970]

What hasn't been commented on so far is the minimum focus distance of the RF 800mm of only 2.6m compared with 4.2m of the RF 600mm and the 6m of the EF 800mm and RF 800mm f/11. That wouldn't be of much to me as I couldn't carry that lens on a nature hike, but that could be of real use to someone who wants to do macro photography without getting too close or photograph a small bird that suddenly appears close up.

This is a very good point and exactly why I purchased a 400 mm f2.8 and 2x TC. I typically use the combo for bird portraits when I can get close enough, which is quite frequently if one know where to go and is patient with the wildlife.

 

[Joules]

England left the EU so it costs a lot more to do business. Everything in the UK has been getting more expensive due to that daft decision so now you have to live with it and the rest of the UK has to suffer for it.

I believe Alan had in the past demonstrated quite convincingly that Canon in particular is leaning in hard on that excuse to raise prices. If Sony and Nikon acted the same way, the rationale would be much more valid. As it stands, Canon is acting like a proper business and extracting the most money they can from their markets, likely not just compensating for increased cost, but actively increasing profits.

The recent RF price increase comes to mind as another example of this.

Just as Canon is justified in maximizing their profits, as the party on the other side of that market, we can be upset at this behavior. And vote against it verbally or with our wallets.

 

[Fischer]

Not surprised at the price of these two. But have to worry about what the RF 300mm f/2.8 will be.

 

[AlanF]

England left the EU so it costs a lot more to do business. Everything in the UK has been getting more expensive due to that daft decision so now you have to live with it and the rest of the UK has to suffer for it.

As I have pointed out in other posts, Nikon and Sony don't have these huge price differentials - it's Canon Europe's price gouging policy. So, my recent purchases have been on the gray market or when there are huge discounts.

 

[Deleted member 381342]

And vote against it verbally or with our wallets.

Only works if you buy another brand. Buying a Canon lens from outside the UK tells them nothing as they only know about it when you try to service it or try to add it to your CPS or insurance.

 

[AlanF]

Only works if you buy another brand. Buying a Canon lens from outside the UK tells them nothing as they only know about it when you try to service it or try to add it to your CPS or insurance.

It works for me saving the cash, and that's what counts. In addition, Canon does know its sales figures and do know when people don't buy. They'll get the message.

 

[wsmith96]

Definitely out of my price range, but so is most of the RF system for me. It is nice to see canon continuing to add to the RF system. One day, after both kids are out of college, I’ll make the switch. I still couldn’t afford these lenses though - and remain married.

 

[eosbob]

I can easily see the 800 becoming the new 600 for many EF 600 owners.

Not at those prices!

 

[Treyarnon]

England left the EU so it costs a lot more to do business. Everything in the UK has been getting more expensive due to that daft decision so now you have to live with it and the rest of the UK has to suffer for it.

Well, firstly I fully agree that Brexit was a terrible decission that we (in the UK) will all have to live with - even those of us who voted against it.

But - Brexit itself cannot explain a 50 %/ £1000 markup on a lens.
There is something more going on, espically as people will be able to purchase the lens from places such as Hong Kong, pay the shipping, pay all the relivent taxes and still save hundreds of pounds.

 

[Deleted member 381342]

But - Brexit itself cannot explain a 50 %/ £1000 markup on a lens.
There is something more going on, espically as people will be able to purchase the lens from places such as Hong Kong, pay the shipping, pay all the relivent taxes and still save hundreds of pounds.

You only save hundreds of pounds until you need that lens serviced or it is stolen and your insurance won't cover grey imports.

 

[ERHP]

After seeing this last night, I believe I'll continue to use the RF600 f/4 w/extenders. Where I shoot, 800(840 to be exact) can be too much with the larger birds. While I have a RF 2X, it was mounted once just to verify it worked. I have not had a reason to actually use it. The 1200 is a very niche lens, but could be used for some unique shots. Would be interesting to seeing a deep pocket side by side comparison using the same camera body(probably R3 since the AF will be faster with the LP-E19 battery) showing the RF600 w/2x vs the RF1200 with subjects that require that focal length(eagle nest, etc).

 

[AlanF]

You only save hundreds of pounds until you need that lens serviced or it is stolen and your insurance won't cover grey imports.

Canon will service without question Canon lenses that are bought abroad or imported. And you don't even have to go to Canon, there are very good service companies, some of which are official Canon Authorised. And why won't an insurance company cover the cost of a legally acquired and receipted lens that's on your policy? My insurance company doesn't have a get-out clause against grey imports.

 

[privatebydesign]

Not at those prices!

The mainly retired with high disposable income users I see with big whites taking pictures of birds in Florida won't give a damn about the price. To them there is no difference between $12,000 and $20,000.

 

[RunAndGun]

I'm not sure how even professionals afford these lenses. It must be a crazy tax write off. If $17k is the actual price for the RF 800mm f5.6, that's a $4k increase over the EF version.

If you are charging accordingly…. And for certain things, you have to have lenses with certain capabilities. And renting isn’t always a good option.

I work in ”TV” and production. You should see the prices on our lenses. My three B4 mount 2/3” HD zooms are worth (when brand new) ~$30K each. My 17-120 and 25-250 s35 Canon cine zooms about the same. Then my Canon cine primes are about $5K a piece.

I mean, just because you’re a professional doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt buying expensive stuff, but it’s the cost of doing business. They’re tools to help you do your job that makes you money.

 

[RunAndGun]

You only save hundreds of pounds until you need that lens serviced or it is stolen and your insurance won't cover grey imports.

Who is your insurance through? I’ve been shooting professionally (TV & production) for just shy of 25 years and I’ve never heard any nonsense like that. Please provide some documentation.