What’s going on with the RF 200-800 backorder

[LaneW]

Estimated shipping date was Dec 14.  I ordered through Adorama, and they just say that they are backordered.  Seems to be the same story ordering direct from Canon and other sellers.  What is really going on here?

[shadowsports]

Congrats.  I'm waiting it out stateside.  Our next trip is Nothern Europe.  I won't need a 200-800mm Super Zoom, but I do want a copy of the lens.  I've been on auto-notify for 3 months.  🤣.  I think I'll throw down on my birthday and get in line officially.  I'm sure you'll enjoy it.  Please post some photos in Share your photos.   

[leazesend]

For people with one backordered at B&H I ordered mine on the evening of November 2nd (date it was announced I believe) and received mine on Friday (April 5th), if that helps anyone. Only had time to get out for a handful of shots but pretty impressed with the sharpness at 800mm.

[Waddizzle]

“ I’m in a position to switch to Sony or Nikon, and these delays without explanation or target date are pushing me toward that end. “

This forum is social media.  It is neither Canon Sales nor Canon Support.  

Both Sony and Nikon have had their share of experiences with delays on newly released products.  I believe one reason why the problem seems more acute with Canon is because of significantly higher demand for Canon cameras and lenses.

Nikon mirrorless cameras have inferior AF systems for portrait photographers.  They seem to have finally figured out how to find a human eye last year.  Their AF tracking is the worst of the big three camera manufacturers.  If it finds an eye, FREEZE.  If the subject moves, then the camera will most likely lose it and spend too much time reacquiring the subject.

Sony mirrorless cameras have inferior frame rates for action photographers.  Their latest release, Sony a7R V is one of their fastest ever.  It delivers a maximum of 10 fps in mechanical and electronic shutter modes.  You should expect actual performance to be less than that.

[Tintype_18]

Shipping delays from overseas will have an adverse effect of goods. The bridge collapse isn't going to help, either. 

[flyingron]

It's not the delay, it's the complete lack of communications from Canon.   Clearly they have a clue what the production status is, but other than lip service that "Yes, we are making them," there's no word at all.

Canon USA claimed in February I was I on the list and would probably get shipped in the next drop, but it's nearly two months later and still no word.

[Tronhard]

From a purely personal point of view, I have never, in all my years of photography, either as a professional or in my retirement, ever made an order in anticipation of the arrival of any camera equipment.  Being conservative, I have waited until the gear is not only in the stores, but is established in its performance, and in many cases I have been rewarded for that with a lower price.   Being retired, and careful with my more limited income, I generally prefer to wait for a sale, or for the initial hype to died down and depress the prices from the initial value.
I am not judging anyone else but, for me, no gear has been so critical or game-changing as to be a 'must have' right away.  Consequently, I have no financial commitment with a supplier, and the whole thing is much more relaxed.  As it happened, about 5 weeks ago, my favourite store offered me good deal on the 200-800, which was one of the first in NZ, to compensate for a mistake they made in selling some of my gear with the wrong price, so I took it.  I would not have got the unit so promptly under normal conditions.  It is interesting that I have already seen this unit for sale second-hand on a NZ website - apparently purchased for a project and now that is complete the gear is no longer needed.

[MilwaukeeMax]

All these Canon apologists on here sound as bad as the Apple fanboys who will never fault their consumer electronics daddy. 

The last word on this shouldn’t be excuses about global shipping logistics and how photographers should “just be patient”, the conclusion of this conversation is that Canon has screwed up royally, not by underestimating demand but by completely failing to communicate with their customer base in a clear and direct manner. Far worse than failing to ship enough lenses is Canon’s failure to communicate with their distributors/resellers and their customers. That is is a red flag of some very bad systemic problems on their end which should be a cause for concern to all photographers.

[rswoan]

Canon customer service really sucks in this case. I preordered in November with a credit expiration date of February. When February rolled around, they couldn’t let me update the expiration date and cancelled my preorder resulting me to go back to the line on 2/1. 

Only this morning I finally received the ‘Thank You For Your Patience, We Haven’t Forgotten About You!’ email that it’s still backordered. 

Yes I’m on notify lists for multiple retailers and my local dealer. 

[Tronhard]

I'm sorry that this is frustrating.  Frankly, down at the end of nowhere (or that's how it seem for logistics as we are a bit of a dead end) here in New Zealand, we are usually the last to get releases - I waiting over 5 months for my RF 24-105 f/4 when I ordered it.  So, I ordered the EF 24-105L and also got the RF 24-240, which turned out to be an awesome lens - I use it more than the 24-105, actually. 
This time, oddly enough, we got a very few 200-800 units in nationally, and because I am a very good customer with the local camera store, they let me know, and I was the first to get my hands on it.  I was going to write a comparative article on it vs other options, so I took them up on the offer.   I had a talk with the Canon rep and they suggested that it was likely because there was a ship coming straight down from Asia that had not been delayed, so we lucked out.

[A_Random_Dude]

I've been waiting myself. Put in a notification request with B&H. Like so many other posters, my main gripe is the  lack of any information. It would just be nice to have an idea of WHEN the lens will be available. It's not the end of the world, obviously. I'm really happy with my 100-400 L, and my Sigma 150-600 Sport works well with the 1.4x extender. But I'd just like to have a big lens that will go directly onto my R6 Mk II without need for the adapter.