Oh Canada, Lens Prices Have Gone Crazy in the Great White North

Checked Henry's. The 35mm f2 IS went from ~$650 to around $810----on SALE. I imagine the retailers aren't too happy either. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is saying "Nope---don't need anything right now." Unless someone can write off the lens/camera as a business expense, I imagine this will just hurt sales.
Glad I bought my 7D Mark II in November for $1699 CDN, with the bonus battery grip. Because right now, it's $2199 CDN and the battery grip is another $329!
 
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kevl said:
rrcphoto said:
kevl said:
I've got all great glass now and so all this price increase means that if I want an extra lens to play with I'll look at a 3rd party item without even considering Canon.

Perhaps they are protecting their US market but they've just pushed the Canadian market to 3rd parties and with that the core reason to stay with Canon at all which is their glass. 3K for a 70-200 is beyond what it is worth by a long shot even though it is a fantastic lens.

Not of fan of doomsayers but are things really so bad in the US market that they need to abandon the Canadian market?

You should spend more time thinking that through.

if a lens was selling in canada for 2100 CAD, and for 2000 USD across the border. the one in canada is selling for $500 less in USD.

so americans buying up lenses out of canada causes a huge problem for Canon USA (who owns Canon Canada), as they are basically giving everyone a 25% discount AND upholding the warranty

it's essentially causes a large problem as canon canada becomes a grey market supplier for Canon USA.

and the canadian market is pretty much nothing compared to the american one.

I'm sure the large resellers such as amazon, bh and adorama wanted this problem fixed. as alot of their business started to go to camera canada, vistek, henry's,etc. that would allow US orders.

Why does everything on the internet have to start with a slight or insult? I asked a question and you reply like I made some statement of fact. Feel good about yourself now?

B&H has been selling to Canadians at far below the CAD prices for years. Guess what? Even this small Canadian market hasn't died. I hardly think that the CAD price is a real problem for the US market. I cannot imagine that it is worth loosing the Canadian market, or a very large portion of it. We'll see. They have access to more information and more experience with that information than I could begin to have. I only have access to my own purchasing $ and as an average photographer in an average city in Canada I can tell you that Canon no longer has my presumed first choice for gear. The price differential is no longer outweighed by the quality differential. Perhaps this will change. Perhaps stores like Henrys will try to survive on even smaller margins. I note that today Henrys is selling the 70-200 IS II for $2,829.99 instead of the MSRP of $3070. This is the most I could imagine spending on this lens myself.

I know you are far superior to me but perhaps my reply to you will help someone else.

This compared to $1949 at B&H, $2565CAD at the 76 cents the dollar just closed at.
 
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I believe that the Canon Canada prices have less to do with Canon USA prices than some believe. Canon USA/Canada must pay for their products in Japanese Yen. This means their prices are based on the factory price of the lens in Yen, and not what it sells for in another country. I spent a few years living in Toronto, and I know that the US gets blamed for a lot of things, sometimes they deserve it, other times, not. Politicians, in particular, like to put the blame on someone else rather than face the facts.

When the cost to purchase more stock from Japan increases, a price adjustment is going to be made. So, if Canon USA is selling lenses in Canada at their cost, or even for a loss, that will stop, and prices rise. I wish the reverse was true, but prices seem to be much slower to drop back as currency values swing the other way.

Its a complicated mess, Canon's suppliers also have changes in exchange rates and due to the lower Yen value, the price for components imported into Japan is rising. This is a lose-lose situation for companies like Canon. Then throw in slower sales, and its a triple whammy!

Canada has even worse devaluation of the dollar than Japan, so a Canadian dollar buys less from Japan.

Its been said that this is mostly due to the price of oil dropping so much and so quickly. There seems to be more drops in oil prices ahead. There is too much oil being produced and that means prices will drop to try and sell more. Its not working.
 
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It's simple - Canon just twigged that I am going to Canada soon so they jacked up the prices! :o

Seriously though, I live in Ripoff Britain, and prices do seem to be leveling a bit (all prices in Sterling) for example the 7D2:
B&H (US) £1055
Henry's (Can) £1189
Misfuds (UK) £1147

That makes the UK the cheapest if you consider our 20% VAT.

I don't know what the "Grey Market" is like over there, but it is doing just fine here - my 7D2 was £769 in December, and I saved nearly 4 times as much on my 1DX back in 2013. Canon, Nikon etc are doing wonderful things for international shipping companies but killing their retailers!
 
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Don Haines said:
A good (or bad if you are purchasing) example is the 100-400 F5.6 II

Canada - $3219.85
B+H - $2731.85 (in Canadian funds with free shipping)

$500 to cross the border...

PS ... as an example of B&H sale prices, I bought my 70-200 f/2.8L IS II from B&H for $1850 (Canadian funds) less than a year after it was first released on a great sale in combination with some other items.
 
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Canon Rumors said:
<a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/canon-canada-price-increases-confirmed/" target="_blank">As promised</a>, Canon Canada has raised MSRP on most lenses in Canada.</p>
<p>Here are some of the new prices to ruin your Friday! (All Prices CAD)</p>
<ul>
<li>EF 16-35 f/4L $1609.99</li>
<li>EF 16-35 f/2.8L II $2339.99</li>
<li>EF 17-40 f/4L $1169.99</li>
<li>EF 24-70 f/4L IS $1469.99</li>
<li>EF 24-70 f/2.8L II $2779.99</li>
<li>EF 70-200 f/4L IS $1759.99</li>
<li>EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS II $3069.99</li>
<li>EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS II $3,219.99</li>
<li>EF 200-400 f/4L EF IS $16,079.99</li>
<li>EF 300 f/2.8L IS II $8,909.99</li>
<li>EF 400 f/2.8L IS II $14,619.99</li>
<li>EF 500 f/4L IS II $13,159.99</li>
<li>EF 600 f/4.0L IS $16,799.99</li>
<li>EF 800 f/5.6 L IS $18,999.99</li>
</ul>
<p>This is not an April Fools joke, you can visit <a href="http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/en/subCategoryHome/msegid/2/catid/17/scatid/72" target="_blank">Canon Canada</a> and see for yourself.</p>
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Check again the prices. Although the above mentioned are the original there is discount.

For example check

http://estore.canon.ca/shop/en-CA/catalog/lenses-flashes/telephoto-zoom-lenses/ef-70-200mm-f-28l-is-ii-usm-2751b002-24#.Vv8zaXrQNPM

The price drops from $3069.99 to $2,829.99.

Similar price drops are offered for other lenses...

Now USD to CAD ratio is about 1.3 so the usd price becomes about 2175. Not the 1949 that B&H offers (after instant savings) the lens but not a terrible difference.
 
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Here are some changes on Aden Camera's site for lenses I've been tracking:
35mm f2 price in January list $670, sale price $620, new list $880, new sale price $809
85mm f1.8 January list price $400, sale price $400, new list price $620, new sale price $570
100 mm f2.0 January list price $530, sale price $499, new list price $730, new sale price $670
135mm f2. January list price $1,260 sale price $,1,150, new list price $1,470, new sale price $1,350
200mm f2.8 Januarylist $930, sale price $860, new list price $1,100, new sale price $!,010
24-70mm F4 IS January list $1,430, sale price $850, new list price $1,470, new sale price $1,350
 
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Prices here in South Africa have also risen massively in the past few months.

One reason for it is definitely our ailing economy but the pricing parity with the US which came into effect about 2 years back has now seemingly been ended.

It's made many of us prospective buyers think twice about buying equipment again. Sad but that's life
 
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Prizes in Germany seems to be constant: 1999.- € for the 100-400 mk II (Premium-retailer in Frankfurt am Main). Amazone-prize is 1909€ in Germany. 1999€ is 2963 CAD. So the difference is about 250 CAD.
 
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Well, one thing positive for me is that for the first time ever it was a smart move to be an early adopter of a new lens. Bought the new 100-400 at it's intro price and always regretted it a little because I didn't use it much the first year, wasn't home during the intended time for use. Turns out I saved $540 after tax buying at full price as compared to being marked down $250 currently.
 
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kphoto99 said:
For people who are comparing prices between Canada and Europe, in Canada VAT is not included in listed price the way it is in Europe. You have to add 13 to 15 % to the Canadian price to have a proper comparison.

Unless you're from Alberta, which only has 5% sales tax. That's where I bought my 16-35 f/4. Viva The Camera Store!

I really wish Canada would just include tax in the price. After living in Australia, it seems crazy that we still do this!
 
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