As October turns into November, many readers start asking when they can expect to see Canon deals.
In a normal year, the pattern is: Fall “instant rebates” usually run, starting in September, on a broad range of items. Unfortunately, this year is far from normal, with many dealers reporting not enough supply to keep up with the robust demand, due in-part to manufacturing shortages as well as shipping delays.
Rather than the usual Fall rebates, Canon photographers were greeted by a price increase in September, and supply of many cameras and lenses is bursty and sporadic. The pricing in the used market is trending very close to the new market, another sign of tight supply. The Halloween sale, once a staple of the Canon refurbished calendar, has gone missing for the second year running.
At this point, barring a sudden influx of new inventory, all signs are pointing to no significant discounts on the new RF-mount cameras and lenses. We may see deals later in the year on previous-generation bodies (such as the EOS R and EOS RP), and possibly EF mount bodies. Canon never ceases to surprise, though, so we will have to wait to see what tricks they have in-store for us this year!