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

[Pinballgov]

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

Bill

[Spoony]

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.

[carlman3]

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.

[pintolace]

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!!!

[carlman3]

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! 

[RP45]

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.

[carlman3]

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.  

[March411]

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.