topic Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time in EF & RF Lenses

RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

Pinballgov — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 14:21:47 GMT

What would be the wait time if I order this lens thru canon, Thanks

Bill

Re: 200 - 800 lens

flyingron — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:16:37 GMT

I ordered in mid-November and don't know when I'll ever get the lens.

Re: 200 - 800 lens

shadowsports — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 20:20:29 GMT

Greetings,

At this point, given the demand and supply chain issues the entire world is experiencing, I'd expect to wait anywhere from 30-120 days. I have a stock alert set on it myself.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

Spoony — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 13:23:14 GMT

No one knows the wait time -- even Canon USA, but it will feel like forever and a day. At this point it's pointless pre-ordering because by the time a lens is available for your preorder it probably will be generally available anyway. So why clog up your credit card with the frequent "pending" charge going on then falling off your account. Also you loose flexibility if you see the lens ready to ship somewhere else (it can be a chore to cancel a preorder -- stuck on hold, etc).

But if you are wondering if ordering from Canon will get you the lens quicker than somewhere else, the answer is probably not. The better option at this point is to call a few local dealers and get on their waitlist. Most keep them and do not require a deposit or CC. They'll call, text, or email you when the lens is available and if you don't respond within a day will just go on to the next person.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

flyingron — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:12:56 GMT

No chore to cancel on the USA.CANON site. There's a cancel button right on the order status and the customer service agent (once I got one) offered to do so as well.

THere are no local dealers near me and the ones that will ship all appear to be backordered as well.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

shadowsports — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:59:38 GMT

@flyingron wrote:
No chore to cancel on the USA.CANON site. There's a cancel button right on the order status and the customer service agent (once I got one) offered to do so as well.
THere are no local dealers near me and the ones that will ship all appear to be backordered as well.

This is the best answer. Its easy to cancel with a few clicks if you are lucky and find one in stock to buy outright.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

carlman3 — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:16:40 GMT

OK, so I know no one (including Canon) knows (or is able to state) when any lenses will be available from Canon. (such as the 24-105/2.8 or the 200-800). However, I would think Canon could state whether they're making them. And if they made them, did they ship them? Are they on the water and dealing with the canal issues, etc.?

It seems to me they likely shipped a container late last year that ran into issues while in transit/on the water. A lot of people got lenses in Jan/Feb. So, my question is, did they make more and ship another container? Or not? That tells me all I need to know. Carriers send updates with the exact location and estimated ship dates all day every day, electronically. They can't predict the future but they can say where your shipment is. This technology has been around for 30+ years. Canon knows what's going on and I guarantee they know exactly where their lenses are. They wouldn't be in business if not.

I understand a lot of the reasons for delays in overseas manufacturing and shipping (including customs). What I don't understand is the complete "we don't know anything" response from Canon when I called. I wondered if they were going to continue producing the lens. The lack of info (or maybe Hiroki) eroded my trust in them a bit, as an American. There is a cultural difference and I'm wondering if that is at play.

I've invested a lot in Canon after leaving Nikon for years... I've just never experienced this before from a large company. Why did they put this lens on 'sale' then make it unavailable with no estimate of delivery and no information? This does not provide for a smooth experience for customers. We're begging you take thousands of dollars per customer.

If anyone at Canon is reading this, please at least state whether you're making the lenses and if so, whether they're in transit.. and sure, re-state that there are a lot of factors in transit that you can't control.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

Stephen — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:28:34 GMT

Of course we're producing the lenses. They're brand new.

And, unfortunately, we haven't been kept in the loop as far as what might be causing the delays. I can promise as soon as we know anything, we'll share it.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

carlman3 — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:55:36 GMT

I understand there are many links in this chain. I just don't know what they are. It's nice to know the manufacturing process is still ongoing. Hopefully they're getting put into containers. I'm on all the 'stock notification' alerts I can be.. so I'll probably get a few emails when the lenses are in stock. I just wish there was a way to know something between manufacturing/production to being in retail inventory.. that's a big gap with lots of links in the chain!

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

Spoony — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 19:00:32 GMT

Former Nikon user here -- Nikon has had major supply issues before too -- D850 comes to mind as one that took over a year to satisfy demand. More recently the Z9 took the better part of a year and before that the Z7 II took several months, though the kit version was readily available at launch. My point here is, since you compared Nikon with Canon, is that satisfying supply of popular products is just part of industry norms going back many many years (it's not a Covid-era supply thing).

Back to the 200-800, Canon never stopped making them, but demand does seem high plus we have no idea how many they can make per day, or how many units = a shipping container or how many units Canon USA is allocated per month. I don't expect Canon to disclose this kind of information but it would be nice if, when pre-ordering, they could give you an estimated shipping date like Apple does when you pre-order one if its products.

I've had my for about a month now -- did not preorder as I wasn't sure I wanted it since I already have the 100-500 and 1.4x extender. I usually don't preorder because I want to know what I'm spending all that money on first and wait for professional reviews. I've gotten lucky many times (and this time too) just emailing and calling up local dealers and ones in smaller markets and even Canada (US warranty included; it's not considered gray market).

I'll also add, as a 100-500 owners, the 200-800 is best on full frame cameras in my experience (I have R3, R5, R7). If you have an R7 you might look at a refurb 100-500 instead. It's only a few hundred more than the 200-800 and is much sharper on the R7 than the 200-800.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

carlman3 — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 19:24:14 GMT

That is interesting about the 200-800 on a crop sensor. I have been deliberating between the 100-500 + 1.4 tc since before the 200-800 came out. I have an R10 and R6mkii. I planned to use the R10 for wildlife and the R6 for portraits/street work. However, with the 200-800, I could easily use the R6 too/instead.

For the R10/wildlife setup, I sold my 600/f11 because I was going to buy the 200-800. But then it evaporated. The 200-800 plus a 100-400 covered a lot of wildlife scenarios. I wanted the improved autofocus over the 600/f11. I might try an 800/f11 on the R10. There are plenty used now. I wish I hadn't sold my 600. It came in handy, especially for back yard birding.

As to Nikon's delivery delays, I never had to deal with them personally. I tried the Z mount stuff long after it came out. I had a D750, D5500, and a lot of lenses but decided Canon was just better for me/my style. I'm not usually an early adopter. However, I've found myself in that situation I guess.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

pintolace — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 20:34:35 GMT

Hey Canon, I think you need to step up and respond into the USA backorder. The pandemic supply chain issue is over. It might be a specific constraint, but all potential customers deserve a response. Japanese have a code of honor and in this case, the customer service transparency is a failure. A good sign is that a company like Amazon doesn't even list the lens, since there's no operational capacity to serve customers in quality. Why is Canon in 20th century supply chain mode? Kanban and Kaizen needed!!!

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

RP45 — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 20:32:01 GMT

My husband ordered the Canon rf 200-800 lens for me in November. We still have not received the lens and when we inquire about the lens, the Canon support community seems curt. I don't blame them as I am sure many people have inquired about the whereabouts of the lens that they ordered. It also seems annoying that I read on another blog that a user ordered the lens in December from Canon and received it in January. It is frustrating for everyone. I would think that Canon should have been able to anticipate the excitement around the release of such a lens. I am disappointed in Canon for their response and relative lack of accountibility related to their products.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

carlman3 — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:45:46 GMT

It's April 2024. I have come to learn that Canon Japan does not communicate any plans or activities with regards to new lens production. So, I will just wait. That is all anyone can do. That is Canon Japan's choice on how to operate. I accept it.

Who knows, maybe something even better will come along while I wait. Or I'll just learn to use what I have and not need these lenses. Good luck everyone, especially Canon USA.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

March411 — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 13:17:18 GMT

Like others I sit and wait.

I spoke to a representative @ Canon USA and they were nice with their response but offered that Japan offers them the same level of transparency as they do to them US consumer, nothing, no information.

I also talked to a couple suppliers which conveyed they get no information, they are told to take orders and will be shipped product as it becomes available. Sometimes they receive a few, other times they receive several but never enough to completely cover open orders.

Japan has chosen an an extremely strange way to roll out new products. I understand that you can only project potential sales but once the sales exceed inventory you would think that they would drastically increase production to fulfill open orders. Their chosen path only puts them at odds with their consumer. Maybe they believe their base is so loyal that they can do what they want regardless of consumer impact.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

carlman3 — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:38:35 GMT

So, if you've been producing the lenses, where are they now? It's been over 4 months since I asked this question. To be clear... when I asked 'are you producing' them, I meant, actual manufacturing, putting them in boxes, onto containers, and shipping them... It as not a marketing decision question or about discontinuing. Manufactures pause production of certain models all the time for a wide variety of reasons... like lack of raw materials, labor shortages, other priorities.

In any case, was hoping to have seen it by now. But I guess it wasn't meant to be for me. I would not have guessed these lenses would be out of stock for 6 months solid. Wow.

Re: RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM order wait time

March411 — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:53:13 GMT

The lack of transparency and communication is insane. When the R1 and R5 MkII launched our local retailer had a Canon representative on site with both of the new bodies. He also had the 200-800mm with him promoting it along side the two new bodies. It was early, not many people there so I threw the 200-800 on the R5 II and gave it a spin. I decided my current R5 fulfilled my needs but inquired deeply about the 200-800mm. The rep knew nothing, he was Sgt. Schultz (for those to young, google it and watch the video). Completely void of ANY information.

I inquired to the strategy of promoting an item that was on backorder, not available and not shipping. He conveyed that it was a Canon requirement, if they were in the field with the R5 and R1 the lens was to be in tow.

Like you I am waiting and Canon's silence is deafening. They are shouting loudly that they have little regard for consumer care.