With 2017 drawing to a close, let’s countdown the most popular Canon items of 2017! We compiled statistics via our street price program as well as through our posted deals (new and refurbished), and we sorted by number of copies purchased.
You can compare with last year’s list. Surprised by any of the items in our listing? Chime in below in the comments!
All the best to our CPW readers in the new year!
- EOS-1D X Mark II
Sneaking in at #10 on our list is the EOS-1D X Mark II — a recent price drop (street price of $5099) has re-spurred purchases in this high-end performer.
- EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM
In its first full year, the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM has been quite popular with the street price coming down to $1799. It has stiff competition, though, in the form of the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II (still great performance) and the 16-35mm f/4L IS (great value). - EOS 5D Mark III
For certain, 2017 is the last year that we’ll see the 5D Mark III on a top-ten list (we were wrong in our prediction last year that it would not be on the 2017 list). This body is now out of stock at most dealers. B&H is one of the few with remaining stock, they have a great $2099 clearout price with many free items for only one more week.
- EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
The EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM was greatly helped by the $150-per-lens mail-in rebate, in 2017 we saw an uptick in purchases for this lens. No surprise, because the price point in the $500s made it a fantastic deal, and a unique lens to add to your camera bag. - EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM
The EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM is still a perennial best seller, delivering great value, especially with the $150-per-lens mail-in rebate.
- EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II
The third full year for the 100-400mm II since its release in late 2014, and its third year in the top-3 popular Canon lenses at CPW. We expect this lens to continue to be popular through 2018 and beyond. It’s a solid performer.
- EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II
We’re amazed the 70-200 II still sits in the #2 position amongst lenses, it’s been a full seven years since its announcement. One of the best Canon zoom lenses ever made. Most photographers end up owning one of these. Our street price is currently $1659.
- EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
The popularity of the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM tracks very closely with the popularity of full-frame cameras, as this lens is often the first stop after a full-frame purchase. With the great full-frame deals, this lens sneaks ahead of the 70-200 II into the top lens position. A fantastic performer and now tremendous value at $1499. - EOS 6D Mark II
This body started off very slow with its $1999 introductory price point. The popularity spiked with the massive Black Friday discounts — $1349 AR including free grip and printer, or our still live $1499 price including free grip. Canon’s found a sweet spot in price for this camera and it’s been the best seller in the last two months.
- EOS 5D Mark IV
The 5D Mark IV was the number #1 Canon item this year (according to CPW data), more than doubling the next item on the list, in its first full year of sales. This camera was doing extremely well in the first half of the year (even at its then $2999 price point), no surprise that at the current prices of $2849 with lots of freebies or the refurbished sales, many readers took the plunge.
Fun little list. Surprised to see the 100mm macro is on here. Always thought of it as more a specialist lens. It’s great though, super sharp, and takes great portraits too, though you kind of need a full frame to fully take advantage of that aspect. On aps-c though, it’s a top macro lens, making photographing tiny subjects a breeze.
Also surprised no aps-c gear made the top 10. But then, I would guess most people using cpw are more interested in the more expensive gear than the cheap stuff.
The EOS 80D was real close. #11 or #12.
If Canon would have kept that 550 deal stocked up it might have made the top 5! 🙂
Yeah, seriously. I thought the 80D was going to break through with the refurb sale. It was close.
I’m greatly surprised that folks prefer the 24-70 f/2.8 over the new 24-105 f/4. The 4-stop image stabilization more than compensates for the one-stop difference, and it’s got a 50% longer focal length at the long end.
Only if you are shooting at still subjects. Also, since that lens is often bundled with a new camera, it isn’t likely people are buying it on it’s own. Also also, it has a higher degree of distortion at 24mm. Really, trying to replace F2.8 with IS on an F4 just isn’t going to work for everyone, especially in this focal range.
The 24-105 (version II) actually works really well shooting moving subjects: I use it for air-to-air shoots of fast moving jets, both from inside the cabin of a Learjet, and another under the Lear’s wing inside a remotely operated pod. Perfectly sharp at all focal lengths. But hey–if all of us thought alike, it would be a very boring world! And I understand the desire for the nicer bokeh at f/2.8 than f/4 for portraits.
You missed the point. In situations where you would need IS to compensate over top of F2.8 you would have to shoot at shutter speeds too slow to capture moving subjects. F2.8 allows people the ability to shoot in compromised light with a fast enough shutter speed to stop motion, and once the shutter is so fast, IS is not only useless, but it can cause you to miss focus as it takes time to engage. For what you have described, a narrow aperture is more ideal anyway, probably even more narrow than F4, since you want more DOF and I would bet you are shooting in good enough light to not require IS.
The 24-105 is a good lens, it deserves it’s L, it’s jsut for a different purpose than the 24-70, which is kind of the go to lens for indoor events and sports (very common applications). I’d take either with me anywhere, since they are both good at what they do (though to be fair, I personally don’t since I currently lack a full frame camera, and I feel there are better choices for APS-C than those lenses, as the crop factor kind of kills their typical usefulness).
Is the two lens rebate the only way to get the 100mm f/2.8L macro is lens in the $ 500s ?
It was, yes. But the rebate expired on December 30th, and I’ve seen no news from Canon USA about any replacement promotion. Still watching…
I’m not surprised seeing the 6DII at #2 and being the best seller the last two months. The original $1999 price point was a stretch, but in the $1400 range it’s is fantastic value. I picked one up during the black Friday bundle sales and couldn’t be happier. With the exception of DR, everything about it is better than the original 6D – the colors are better, the higher resolution yields more detail, the high ISO noise when normalized to 6D size is an improvement, and of course the AF system and FPS are big improvements. I’ve enjoyed using it so much I sold my 5DII (I sold my 6D a few months before this one was released).
Happy New year to all
The surprise entrants to this list are 5D3 and 6D2. Like CPW I never thought that many copies of 5D3 would sell in 2017. I am not surprised by 6D2 making to this list but the 2nd position from the top. I guess @ $1350 you can’t go wrong with that. If one gets rid of the Printer and battery grip the total cost may be like $1100 – $1150 + an additional battery and SD card
1100 is top end APS-C pricing. Even with the so called flaws, that is hard to pass on. I personally can’t get past the AF system’s tightly clustered 45pts. It cripples it for what I would want it for. Not unusable, just not for me.
Exactly. Try comparing the specs of the 6D Mark II with the 5D Mark III, the 6D Mark II is an equivalent or superior camera. Now, a brand new camera better than the 5D Mark III for $1100-$1300, depending on which deal you bought? That’s a pretty decent deal, which is why it shot up the list.
Looked like this under our Christmas tree.