Lens Pricing Question

Grissom

I have been considering getting the Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS lens and have found that Adorama has is it for 1584.95 with Canons current rebate plus no sales tax. So my question is do lens prices come down like other technological items or do they stay pretty much the same. I am on the fence whether to splurge now versus waiting 6 months to a year. :dunno

ziggy53

Grissom wrote:

I have been considering getting the Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS lens and have found that Adorama has is it for 1584.95 with Canons current rebate plus no sales tax. So my question is do lens prices come down like other technological items or do they stay pretty much the same. I am on the fence whether to splurge now versus waiting 6 months to a year.

Cameras, and that includes both digital and analog, do tend to decrease in selling price as the product line ages. Lenses tend to have much longer life lines and only diminish significantly in purchase price when when they are replaced by a newer model with newer and improved features.

There is also a supply and demand effect that keeps new versions selling at relatively high prices until the supply pipeline is filled and demand is satisfied. (The new Canon 16-35mm, f2.8L II appears to be affected by this rule.)

The Canon "L" series lenses, like the one you inquire about, tend to hold their values very well, both the new purchase price and the resale/used price. I suggest that if you need the lens, you should get the lens as soon as you can afford it.

Grissom

ziggy53 wrote:

Cameras, and that includes both digital and analog, do tend to decrease in selling price as the product line ages. Lenses tend to have much longer life lines and only diminish significantly in purchase price when when they are replaced by a newer model with newer and improved features.

There is also a supply and demand effect that keeps new versions selling at relatively high prices until the supply pipeline is filled and demand is satisfied. (The new Canon 16-35mm, f2.8L II appears to be affected by this rule.)

The Canon "L" series lenses, like the one you inquire about, tend to hold their values very well, both the new purchase price and the resale/used price. I suggest that if you need the lens, you should get the lens as soon as you can afford it.

Ziggy53,
Well, I did it
Thanks

Hussain-Arts

Canon 70-200 IS is my next choice too ... it's a really nice lense to add for the collection .

Peace

claudermilk

I have not seen any of the current L lenses drop in price that have not been replaced with a new model; IIRC that is basically the 85L and 16-35L recently. The 70-200 lenses have not budged since I started paying attention 4 years ago; new 70-200/2.8L IS is about $1500-1600, used saves about $200.

bham

Just recently got my 70-200 2.8L IS and love it. As claudermilk says, the price has remained stable for a number of years. I have some old (2004, 2005) Popular Photography Mags I was looking thru and it was interesting to see what certain things cost then and now. This lens was the same price in the B&H and Adorama ads as it is now (give or take a few $).