To me, Canon's RF L lens prices are all just different shades of outrageous.
garyvot wrote:
I can be sympathetic to this from those based outside of the US (where local taxes, exchange rates, or VAT may impact pricing), but from where I sit in the States, I honestly don't see the supposed "outrageous" markup that Canon is charging for RF lenses (compared to its direct competitors).
On B&H for example, here are the current prices for the f/2.8 standard zooms:
- Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM $2,399
- Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II $2,298
- Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S $2,396
The RF is the only one of these lenses that has IS, by the way, which directly adds to its value.
Sure, these prices are all hundreds of dollars more expensive than the same DSLR lenses, but this cost delta is not unique to Canon. All manufacturers are raising prices to maintain profitability in a shrinking market.
A quick check of other high-end lenses reveals that the top full frame brands seem to be within $100 of each other on most items.
Another consideration is inflation. Has Canon priced RF lenses in-line with inflation compared to previous EF versions?
The EF 70-200/2.8II was released in 2010 at $2500 and at the time there was outrage about that price. The EF24-70/2.8II was released in 2012 at $2200. Based on online inflation calculators, $2500 in 2010 is equivalent to $3400 today ($2800 equivalent when released in 2019). And $2200 in 2012 is about $2800 today ($2450 equivalent when released in 2019). So is Canon over-charging? Perhaps not based on inflation, but until the last couple years, I'd argue wages were mostly stagnant and not generally keeping pace even with the very low inflation prior to the pandemic, so it would certainly be a situation for many to feel like their earnings aren't keeping up with inflation/price increases.
The Finland price for the 70-200 - did you mis-type? Checking that lens at a German camera shop and it's 2849 Euro with VAT (about 2400 Euro pre-VAT).
Oct 07, 2022 at 01:17 PM
Previous versions of rscheffler's message #16062511 « Canon instant savings on select R/RF products (May 31 2023 update) »
