I feel so sad

Economy goes down, prices go up.

And the economists always tell us that deflation is worst.

Wow, that's almost $1k up. You should've pressed buy at the time you added it.

All aboard HMS Hindsight.

jacuff wrote in post #7419203
idk... Maybe it could have to do with lots of unsecured credit companies like Canon and Nikon gave to Ritz Cameras which filled for bankruptcy. They've got to make it up some way.

Good point..

IslandCrow wrote in post #7419449
... I guess that's a perfect example of Carpe Diem. . .I tend to put off buying equipment I don't really "need" in hopes that prices will go down

yes, but if you would have bought it then, the price would have gone down. Murphy's law.

...and it's going to get a lot tougher yet

gjl711 wrote in post #7419061
So why are the prices going up so much? I though that the Yen was very low compared to the $$ right now. That should drive the price down.

hmmm...I'm stationed in Japan and 2 weeks ago the dollar was only worth 87 yen...

This is why I always buy used or refurbished. I just keep checking the different sites of what I want (Amazon, Adoraba, B&H) until a good deal comes along.

You may have to wait a while, but you'll find a good deal on all of these things eventually.

Oh, and I just checked and it looks like the cost of the 580 EX II is back down to $369.

Part of the price increase is probably because Canon's instant rebates expired mid-January. I got my 17-55 just before they did. If I'd waited I'd have had to pay $180 more, it seems they dropped the rebates and raised prices the same day.

-js

gjl711 wrote in post #7419061
So why are the prices going up so much? I though that the Yen was very low compared to the $$ right now. That should drive the price down.

Other way round. The Yen is too strong. It's hurting Japan as much as everyone else since they export a lot.

perryge wrote in post #7420222
Other way round. The Yen is too strong. It's hurting Japan as much as everyone else since they export a lot.

Ahh.. Just sat down with a excel. Now I understand. I was backwards.

number six wrote in post #7420172
Part of the price increase is probably because Canon's instant rebates expired mid-January. I got my 17-55 just before they did. If I'd waited I'd have had to pay $180 more, it seems they dropped the rebates and raised prices the same day.

-js

Did they? IIRC a few months back it was always at $1030, dropped to $960 with the rebates and then was as low as $850 before the rebates apparently expired.

hbdragon88 wrote in post #7420324
Did they? IIRC a few months back it was always at $1030, dropped to $960 with the rebates and then was as low as $850 before the rebates apparently expired.

Yeah, I was watching during that period with great interest.

I was planning to buy just before the rebates ended, when B&H had the 17-55 for $850. The very day I was going to buy, B&H raised their price to $930 or something like that, even with the $70 rebate still in place.

Fortunately, Adorama still had it for $850 so I jumped on it.

Very shortly after that the rebates expired and everyone was selling it for $1030.

Whew! That was close!

-js

Glad my 2 grand was spent 2 months ago.

gjl711 wrote in post #7419061
So why are the prices going up so much? I though that the Yen was very low compared to the $$ right now. That should drive the price down.

Maybe, it's because Canon just got clipped for $13.7 million when Ritz filed for Chapter 11. Of course, things could be worse. You could be Nikon and out $26.6 million.

http://uk.reuters.com …sUS/idUKN233243​4320090223

For most of 2008 the exchange rate was about 107 Japanese Yen per US dollar. In the past few months it's been averaging around 91.

For a Japanese based manufacturer to maintain the same revenue they'd need to increase prices in the US by about 18%.

Bob_A wrote in post #7421215
For a Japanese based manufacturer to maintain the same revenue they'd need to increase prices in the US by about 18%.

Hmmm. Ignoring the rebate, the price of my 17-55 two months ago would have been $920 US. Now it's $1030. That's 12%. I guess we're better off than we might be.

-js