Active L-Lens Deals, and Double Dips Explained



Here is a summary of all active L-lens deals, after mail-in rebates. Many readers have found these “double dip discounts” confusing, so we try to answer some of the most commonly asked questions in this post.

What’s a double-dip deal? A double-dip deal is one where the store gives an instant discount equal to the amount of the mail-in rebate. So you get one discount from the store, and then another discount from the mail-in rebate, which effectively doubles it. For example, the 70-200 II has a normal price of $2199 ($2499 less a $300 mail-in rebate), but B&H currently has provides an extra $300 savings, so your final price is $1899 ($2199 less a $300 mail-in rebate).

I don’t see the discount! You need to add to cart and proceed to checkout to see the discount. Stores hide these discounts to not run afoul of Canon’s Minimum Advertised Price rules. Canon doesn’t want pricing wars (like the one that recently erupted on the EOS 6D).

Are you sure it’s still eligible for a mail-in rebate? Yes, as long as you purchase from an authorized dealer (such as B&H, Amazon, or Adorama) you will get your mail-in rebate. Double-dip deals have been running sporadically since the end of September, and many of our readers have already successfully purchased, submitted rebate claims, and gotten reimbursed.

Are Canon mail-in rebates reliable? Yes, very. Canon switched its rebate processor a few years ago and recently we’ve heard very few complaints about the rebate process. Many readers report receiving rebates in 3 weeks or less and you can even request your rebate balance be transferred to your bank account rather than deal with the AMEX rebate card.

How long will these deals last? The mail-in rebate period ends on January 4th, 2014, but these extra double-dip discounts are provided by the stores and we don’t know when they’ll end. Our suggestion is that if you see the lens you want on sale, go for it: it’s doubtful we’ll see discounts beyond what we’ve seen, and the extended holiday return policies make it easy to get price adjustments in the unlikely event prices drop.



See deal archive for:
If you purchase something through a link on our site, we may get a small share of the sale (at no cost to you). Please read our disclosure for more info.

24 comments on “Active L-Lens Deals, and Double Dips Explained

  1. December 8, 2013 at 10:34 am EDT

    Nice post. These deals have given some of the best prices that these lenses have gone for, period.

  2. Virgil
    December 8, 2013 at 1:57 pm EDT

    I am waiting for 70-300L IS USM deals. Is there a chance before Christmas?

    1. CanonPriceWatch
      December 8, 2013 at 2:04 pm EDT

      I can look into it. Is anyone else interested? 🙂

      1. J
        December 8, 2013 at 3:26 pm EDT

        Yes! 🙂

      2. virgil
        December 8, 2013 at 6:28 pm EDT

        yes please.

    2. CanonPriceWatch
      December 10, 2013 at 4:52 pm EDT
  3. December 8, 2013 at 5:47 pm EDT

    what about 70-200? Deal isn’t active anymore?

  4. December 8, 2013 at 6:49 pm EDT

    Is 70-200 not an active deal anymore? At adorama, B&H and amazon it is back to $2499….

    1. December 8, 2013 at 6:55 pm EDT

      It’s still an active deal. You need to proceed to checkout to see the discounted price of $2199, then get a $300 mail-in rebate to net $1899.

    2. December 8, 2013 at 6:57 pm EDT

      YEs thank you, just commented on the post earlier. I Just bought both flash and 70-200. Didn’t see it was a double dip

  5. December 8, 2013 at 5:54 pm EDT

    never mind, just purchased 70-200 yay

  6. Matthew
    December 9, 2013 at 2:05 pm EDT

    CPW,
    Is this the first time for a double dip on Canon Lens?

    1. CanonPriceWatch
      December 10, 2013 at 9:19 am EDT

      Hi Matthew, this is the first time in a long time that Canon has had a mail-in rebate. They used to have double-rebates when you purchased two or more lenses at the same time, a few years ago.

  7. virgil
    December 10, 2013 at 8:27 am EDT

    Should we expect anymore price markdown on or before Christmas day?

    1. CanonPriceWatch
      December 10, 2013 at 9:29 am EDT

      I can’t predict the future, it’s up to the stores. Except for a few items like the 70-300L I think almost everything that can be marked down has already been marked down!

  8. dreamcacther
    December 10, 2013 at 6:54 pm EDT

    Is the rebate for new or also used lenses sold by the authorized retailers? I don’t see anywhere in the rebate form this specified which lead me to believe that used lenses sold are also eligible for rebates.

    Can someone confirm that?

    Thanks

    1. CanonPriceWatch
      December 10, 2013 at 7:10 pm EDT

      Only new lenses are eligible for the rebate.

  9. dragana
    December 11, 2013 at 9:46 am EDT

    I followed your instructions and tried it out, but it seems like double dip is not active any more 🙁 only Mail-in Rebate.
    Can you please try and check it out again, in case I am doing something wrong.
    Thanks!

    1. dragana
      December 11, 2013 at 9:46 am EDT

      I was looking for 70-200 2.8 is

      1. CanonPriceWatch
        December 11, 2013 at 11:35 am EDT

        I just checked and it still works. Make sure you proceed to checkout to be able to see the discount.

        1. Gruff and Manly Bob
          December 17, 2013 at 1:23 am EDT

          on B&H you don’t even need to proceed to checkout, just click on more details.

  10. December 27, 2013 at 3:00 pm EDT

    Where can I find the information about the mail in rebate? I see it ends Jan 4 does that mean my mail in has to be there by then or just post marked? I might have missed a link or reading something

    1. CanonPriceWatch
      December 27, 2013 at 6:41 pm EDT

      Hi Jennifer, the item has to be purchased by January 4th but you have until February 4th to mail the rebate.

  11. December 27, 2013 at 3:42 pm EDT

    opps found it – now just have to make a decision 😉

Leave a Reply to Anastasiia Ostapovich Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *