Canon Sales drop Profits Rise

[Photon Phil]

(Disclaimer: I know they are a business and are out to make money, no reminders needed rendering this and unfounded rant)

So here's a quote from a DPReview interview, "owing to the increased sales ratio of high-value-added products and the positive effects of cuts in operating expenses.'

Translaton: Canon is so happy because they are selling more higher priced bodies (now we pay $1600 for what we should have gotten in a $1200 60D) for higher amounts and are cutting costs (apparently not trying to catch more errors before they go out the door)

Significance: Buy your stuff now, prices will continue to go up, don't expect any major quality increases and expect the prices on minor upgrades to stay high.

[5Dmaniac]

Quote: "now we pay $1600 for what we should have gotten in a $1200 60D"

If you are referring to the 7D then you are wrong. The $1600 price tag on that camera is a bargain IMHO. The 7D could have easily sold for north of 2K - I certainly would have bought it at that price. You cannot compare a 40D or 50D to the 7D's massive improvements in functionality.

I do agree with you on lenses though - we are certainly getting hosed on L-Lenses.

[dipps]

The $1600 price tag on that camera is a bargain IMHO. The 7D could have easily sold for north of 2K - I certainly would have bought it at that price.

stop saying things like that, or the 7D WILL be $2000+ by the time i can finally afford to upgrade my xsi. lol

[Jon Foster]

My first thought after reading the post title was the rising prices of lenses like the 70-200 f2.8 IS USM...

Jon.

[Wazza]

Originally Posted by 5Dmaniac

If you are referring to the 7D then you are wrong. The $1600 price tag on that camera is a bargain IMHO. The 7D could have easily sold for north of 2K - I certainly would have bought it at that price. You cannot compare a 40D or 50D to the 7D's massive improvements in functionality.

I do agree with you on lenses though - we are certainly getting hosed on L-Lenses.

A bargain compared to who? Other camera manufacturers who also have the prices stitched up high?

Ok, so they're not quite so bad as the fuel giants like BP and Shell.

What I dislike most is how the prices vary so much between countries. If it was purely exchange rate, plus a small allowance for freight costs (more volume, cheaper to ship, which is what we're told to believe why prices in USA are so cheap compared to rest of the world)

Considering the recession we've faced recently, we should be supporting our own local businesses, and paying taxes locally, but like myself and many of my friends, we often shop direct to USA or Hong Kong where the prices are 20-50% cheaper.

Either way, Canon have done well to create greater profits in such a time. And should be applauded for their business sense.

[HYBEagle]

Originally Posted by 5Dmaniac

I do agree with you on lenses though - we are certainly getting hosed on L-Lenses.

why is that ? Were you refering to a particurally model ?

[Croasdail]

L prices have gone nuts. The Nikon 70-200 used to be more expensive than the Canon, but now the Canon is more expensive. The old argument to not go Nikon was lens cost - toss that argument in the bin now. Since Canon is loosing market share, they have decided to just get more from the customers they are keeping rather than get new customers....

[Karl Johnston]

I dunno what all the complaint is about, if you guys are in the bracket to be affording new cameras everytime they come out (cause really, who cares...a 20D's functionality is all you essentially need as any kind of photographer) then I wouldn't give a damn about a couple of hundred.

Canon's profits go up they are able to afford better R&D and have more flexibility to update their equipment..if they lose market share they'll just sell out like Minolta did with Sony and get taken over by some mega giant like...walmart, god forbid.

Imagine the 9D; NOW featuring....75 stop bracketing !...HDR picture mode....IR picture mode...100 million autofocus nanoofocus points!

yeah that'll be great...the price increase is good IMO; cameras are again an investment and the lenses hold value for longer for all of the previous buyers that means the thousands we dished out in previous years can all be regained again for the same price we bought them for

[nphsbuckeye]

Originally Posted by Karl Johnston

Imagine the 9D; NOW featuring....75 stop bracketing !...HDR picture mode....IR picture mode...100 million autofocus nanoofocus points!

I'll take that camera!

Remember, just because something isn't functional for you, doesn't mean it's not functional for someone else. Afterall, consumerism keeps the economy going!

[canonReaper]

honestly, whats the cost to manufacture vs msrp for us consumers?
they should keep the prices as is to be competitive with Nikon. Increasing prices will only hurt them in the long run.

[Karl Johnston]

Originally Posted by nphsbuckeye

I'll take that camera!

Remember, just because something isn't functional for you, doesn't mean it's not functional for someone else. Afterall, consumerism keeps the economy going!

of course, though my point is all these new cameras are just toys, thats it.they make the job easier and funner but are they really necessity? Photographers created mindblowing images 30 years ago with inferior technology..all these new "updates" to cameras are getting to be a bit gimmicky IMO

A real update to the 60D? Make it the 50D with usable noise at 15 mpxs to 12800 ISO, forget about MPXs, maybe some of that black silicon stuff if they can get it in there otherwise dont bother with 100k ISO and.....FIX THE CAMERA STRAP (the viewfinder cover is just silly, at least, in its operation as it is now)

though those who can afford to buy a new camera every year...well what's there to complain about? a couple of hundred doesn't make a difference with a "want" commodity than it does with a 'need' commodity.

[wrussi]

canon bodies and L lenses are still cheaper than nikon's counterparts

[nphsbuckeye]

Originally Posted by Karl Johnston

of course, though my point is all these new cameras are just toys, thats it.they make the job easier and funner but are they really necessity? Photographers created mindblowing images 30 years ago with inferior technology..all these new "updates" to cameras are getting to be a bit gimmicky IMO

How are they gimmicky? Because you say so? Plenty of people like them and Canon isn't making anyone; video is seen as gimmicky by many luddites here, but stores can't keep them on the selves.

For whatever reason, as much "cool" technology is in digital cameras, many of its users talk about the old days with little to no electronic technology.

[Karl Johnston]

Gimmicky as in they put the features in the camera to sell the camera, not make photographers lives any easier or improve the image quality...and yes, because I say so it was my opinion remember

[Croasdail]

Originally Posted by wrussi

canon bodies and L lenses are still cheaper than nikon's counterparts

Actually, not really. Several canon L's have become more expensive than their Nikon counterparts. And what Nikon bodies are you comparing as being peer to Canons. There is no nice 1:1 comparisons.

Last year, maybe true. But this year... not really true anymore.