Canon Macro Question

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I'm interested in buying a Canon 100mm Macro lens - and I have a unique talent that I'm trying to by-pass. I can almost always pay too much and buy items that later have little or no resale value. We all know that Canon has come out with their new USM 100mm macro. Last time I checked at B&H they were selling for $700?? or so, and the older version was selling for $500 (Grey market). My first thought was that right now could be a good time to get a used older version lens - and there have been quite a few out there. Most seem to sell for $425 or more. )On ebay, often for more than $500!!) Doesn't seem like much of a savings to take the risk on a used lens so I'm hesitant to buy used at that price when I can still get new at $500. My questions: 1) Do you all collectively feel that the price will fall dramatically on the older version lenses in the near future? In other words if I pay $500 for a lens today, will I be stuck with something that will resale really low in a year or so? 2) What has been the pattern for Canon lens prices in the past when they come out with a new lens in terms of how quickly we might expect to see the lens available on grey market? What are the odds that the new lens will get down close in price to the older version in the next year? I'm not too excited about the faster focus capability of the newer lens, but the tripod mount capability seems neat. Adds more to the cost though! I realize all of this is speculation, but thought some of you who have been involved in photography for many years might have some opinions.

Thanks

-- James Lee (jimandkarla@hotmail.com), July 12, 2000

Answers

Well, I like to speculate... as long as it's not my money. :-)

I've been watching the used market for a while, trying to keep from loosing money while swapping photo gear. Mostly I've been following Ebay's prices (which go up & down seasonally BTW). It looks to me that when Canon announces a new produce that essentially replaces an old one, (Rebel 2000 replacing the Rebel G is the latest example that I recall) the old version drops 10-20% right away and stays there. This would depend on the heat of the used market for the lens in question (pretty hot for used EOS macros). And the degree of the upgrade. (You may not think that USM is important for a macro lens but anyone planning on using it for portraits probably would.) ANd the price differential between the new and the old. Also camera bodies probably drop more than lenses when new ones are announced.

My guess is the demand for the old one will drop 10% real soon. This is an east guess for me to make since I'm not putting my money down for one any time soon. I'm not sure I'd trust my advice if it was my $500.

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), July 13, 2000.


The best correlation I can make is the difference in cost of the EOS- 3 when it was first released vs now. I remember the body first sold for $1400 (mail order). Now you can buy it for under $1000 (USA warranty even). I think it took a year or more for the cost to drop this dramatically. Will this apply to the new USM lens - who knows!

If you want/need a macro lens now, then buy the older style lens. I have it and it's great. Yes, I'd like to have USM, but I'm not going to pay an extra $200 for it. Anyway, for macro work, you're going to MF most of the time. I wouldn't worry too much about resale value unless you buy and sell lenses frequently.

My guess is that Canon wants the older style lens to be completely out of the distribution chain before announcing any price drops. I suspect demand for the new USM lens is high, so until demands slows, don't expect any price reductions, even if the older style lens is no longer being sold retail.

-- James Hicks (jhicks992@aol.com), July 15, 2000.


"for macro work, you're going to MF most of the time" If you try the new USM, you will probably feel the above statement was part of the history.

-- Eric Ung (eung@hongkong.com), July 16, 2000.

I have ordered the new USM lens from Netmarket.com for $638.00 You have to buy a memebership, but I have more than saved my initial investment. I bought my EOS 1V HS for $1,920. Well below any other price I was able to find. I will caution you that they seem high on many established items, but appear to drop their prices for newish equipment sooner than any other retailers.

-- Robert DiTommaso (rsd@dcx.com), August 07, 2000.

The lens I ordered from Netmarket turned out to be the old non-USM version. It went back the same day. $638 is highway robbery for the old lens. However, they are still the best buy in town for the 1V.

-- Robert DiTommaso (rsd@dcx.com), September 01, 2000.


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