Canon has delayed the next EOS R5 Mark II shipments by potentially 6 months.

[Billybob]

I've just switched from Nikon Z8 to R5MKII. Maybe Canon has some delays, but at least they deliver outstanding products. Nikon Z8: There was a huge hype initially, and then: Eye AF which worked only in 70% of cases. The lack of a mechanical curtain means banding when using HSS and two service repairs

Sorry you were disappointed with your Z8. I've thoroughly enjoyed my Z9 (essentially the same camera in a gripped body), and my friends who have shot the Z8 have been happy with theirs. I opted to skip the Z8 because it was too large to fit my desires for a second camera. I wanted a body that had the same capabilities but in a Z7-sized body. When it became clear that the Z8 was likely the Z7 replacement--or that the Z7III was not going to be released anytime soon--I decided that the R5MII was the best fit for my "travel" camera. I've always preferred Canon ergonomics and have delighted in shooting the R5 since the release date. So far it looks like the R5MII has addressed my complaints with the first generation--improved AF and AF tracking, reduced rolling shutter, and most importantly, audio feedback in ES mode . In addition, all this in a compact body. The mark II along with my 100-500L will be my primary travel kit on non-photography-centric trips. I'll miss the excellent Nikon primes when I travel (and their low-light prowess), but when weight is critical, the Canon kit provides the best balance between flexibility (a zoom with reach), IQ, and weight.

 

[Gendra]

On what timeline were they late to develop it and announce it? Did someone at Canon tell you their internal timeline, and then Canon missed it?

Didn't they told their shareholders they wanted to increase their camera sales in 2024 with the release of the R5II and the R1. Well that's quite difficult, if they aren't able to deliver.

Canon developed and announced it when they were ready to, and started shipping it when they said they would in the announcement (many people apparently received theirs, even before the stated date).

However it doesn't matter when Canon thinks they are ready. The important thing is whether they can meet the expectations of their owners (= shareholders).

 

[PinholeR5]

These delays are unfortunate. It will be particularly annoying for those who sold their previous camera (e.g., R5) in anticipation of receiving their new R5 II, but didn't make the cut for the first shipment. Always a trade-off there. If you wait until the R5 II arrives, then the used market is flooded with R5s and the price will be lower and sell time long. If you sell early, you can get a better price / quicker sell, but can end up waiting for a long time...

As a CR reader, I was aware of launch date and probability of shortages, which by now should be expected for those who follow gear release, and woke up in the early hours to order mine. Got it on the 21st from B & H. Still have the R5, though, and only now will be putting it up for sale.

Six months is a long time. Some of the lenses can make you wait for even longer.. I wonder who many just decide to give up and skip the upgrade or switch to something else? Having the latest gear has some appeal. Having the same gear at the same price, but long after the initial launch has less of an appeal.

 

[alFR]

Hey, long time lurker first time poster. My reading of the announcement is similar to Mark McG's: existing orders shipped ASAP but if you place a new order now it might be 6mo before you see a camera. One thing I wonder is how many of the existing pre-orders are duplicates created by people ordering from several retailers intending to buy from the one who gets stock first then cancel the others. This definitely happens with other products (e.g. computers, phones) and makes it very hard to predict what the real demand is and how long the real wait times might be.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Didn't they told their shareholders they wanted to increase their camera sales in 2024 with the release of the R5II and the R1. Well that's quite difficult, if they aren't able to deliver.

That’s a great point, and may end up being a problem for them. Time will tell.

 

[PinholeR5]

Hey, long time lurker first time poster. My reading of the announcement is similar to Mark McG's: existing orders shipped ASAP but if you place a new order now it might be 6mo before you see a camera. One thing I wonder is how many of the existing pre-orders are duplicates created by people ordering from several retailers intending to buy from the one who gets stock first then cancel the others. This definitely happens with other products (e.g. computers, phones) and makes it very hard to predict what the real demand is and how long the real wait times might be.

That is very true!

 

[Gendra]

One thing I wonder is how many of the existing pre-orders are duplicates created by people ordering from several retailers intending to buy from the one who gets stock first then cancel the others

Do the retailers even send the exact numbers of all their pre-orders to Canon or do they just apply for a certain amount they expect to sell?
Wasn't it the case with the big US sellers that they received so much in the first batch, that they even had some cameras in stock for new orders, while smaller vendors coundn't even meet their pre-order list.
So if there is another batch in the next month it may be that some sellers will be lucky while others might even be unable the satisfy their first-day pre-orders.

 

[alFR]

Do the retailers even send the exact numbers of all their pre-orders to Canon or do they just apply for a certain amount they expect to sell?
Wasn't it the case with the big US sellers that they received so much in the first batch, that they even had some cameras in stock for new orders, while smaller vendors coundn't even meet their pre-order list.
So if there is another batch in the next month it may be that some sellers will be lucky while others might even be unable the satisfy their first-day pre-orders.

I was told by retail staff at one UK retailer (LCE) that "Stock of the canon R5 II will be in very short supply for the foreseeable future and will only be supplied by Canon for paid orders or orders that have deposits against them" which implies retailers are requesting specific numbers of cameras from Canon. Might not be true, of course.

Appears that UK retailers have been short-changed vs the US, at least for the first batch.

 

[john1970]

It will be particularly annoying for those who sold their previous camera (e.g., R5) in anticipation of receiving their new R5 II, but didn't make the cut for the first shipment. Always a trade-off there. If you wait until the R5 II arrives, then the used market is flooded with R5s and the price will be lower and sell time long. If you sell early, you can get a better price / quicker sell, but can end up waiting for a long time...

Just some practical advice: Never sell something you use in anticipation of receiving the replacement. Once you have the replacement in hand and it works then sell the previously used device.

 

[sanj]

This may be a strategy to create a buying frenzy.

 

[frankchn]

Just some practical advice: Never sell something you use in anticipation of receiving the replacement. Once you have the replacement in hand and it works then sell the previously used device.

Though at least in the US, B&H cleared their entire pre-order list with the initial shipment and the camera was briefly in stock on the website, so anyone who pre-ordered with them at any time before release was fine.

 

[Gendra]

This may be a strategy to create a buying frenzy.

This would work if you can create a fast spike in demand after release and then deliver those orders in the next time.

However in this case, the demand is already there, especially since this is the only new high-MP camera from Canon and the expected delivery times are so long, that people who need a camera would rather be thinking about buying something else, which can be delivered in an foreseeable future.

Also, when taking into consideration the "enthusiast hobbyist" class, I would underestimate the spontaneus sells especially for christmas, which Canon will miss completely this time.

 

[koenkooi]

Just some practical advice: Never sell something you use in anticipation of receiving the replacement. Once you have the replacement in hand and it works then sell the previously used device.

I sold my R5 last fall, knowing full well it could take a while. I did get an R7 in March to bridge the gap, which I sold last week when my pre-order was confirmed.

But I agree with your point that you shouldn’t sell something that you actually need if the replacement isn’t available yet.

 

[thiagoguedes]

This whole move from Canon makes zero sense - to the point where I believe sheer incompetence is more likely than anything else.

They knew they could not fulfil all the pre-orders, so they choose the more likely spots - namely Adorama and BH. But why not wait until you have more units before lunching? Possibly because people have been waiting for long and Canon didn't want to be even more late to a party where the Z8 has been around for a year.

I had sold my cameras last year, so I don't currently have anything to use. I sent a note to Henry's earlier today and I need to know if I'm on this 6 month waiting list or not. If that's the case, I'll probably move to Z8.

 

[Canon Rumors]

This may be a strategy to create a buying frenzy.

I don't think so, they're not Nintendo. Just like the outcome of the Fuji, retailers are going to have to constantly deal with unhappy potential customers.

Hopefully the September thing comes to pass, but the allocation probably won't be great.

We'll probably see some insane sales on eBay, and that's not good for a brand.

 

[stochasticmotions]

I was going to wait a couple months to make sure there aren't any major issues with this one, looks like that wait will be a bit longer. Gives Sony some more time to come out with something competitive although they don't seem to be wanting to compete at a similar price point to the Z8 or R5 II. At least after selling my R5 I still have the A7RV so it is only my Canon lenses that are sitting waiting for something to do. I tried going back to using the 5DS for nature photos but it felt like ancient technology now....still a great camera for landscapes but now that I know what good autofocus tracking is like it is difficult to go back to what used to be good enough.

 

[frankchn]

It seems like Canon decided to send the initial shipments to places with higher MSRP so they can earn more per camera.

The Japanese MSRP for the R5II is 535,500 JPY pre-tax or 3681 USD, compared to 4299 USD pre-tax in the US. If I were in charge of inventory allocations for Canon, I would ship more to the US as well.

 

[ShowMeTheEagles]

I have mine in-hand so no sour grapes on my part. But I don’t get why lens kit models exist on pro-level bodies. They are harder to sell at this level and artificially constrain supply of “body only.” It seems Canon would be better off just to offer $100 off the lens when purchased with new body and if someone wants the kit lens they can get it, or a more expensive L lens even, that way.

 

[Billybob]

Though at least in the US, B&H cleared their entire pre-order list with the initial shipment and the camera was briefly in stock on the website, so anyone who pre-ordered with them at any time before release was fine.

So true. I cancelled my initial pre-order, thinking that I could wait, but with excellent pre-release reviews and an Africa trip approaching, I re-ordered the Saturday before release (Aug 17). My B&H order shipped with the initial batch with delivery scheduled for Aug 21. Unlike previous purchases, I did not place multiple orders. I ended up with two R5 (first generation) bodies, and didn't want to deal with the hassle of returning or reselling one.

 

[MOBelue]

Delays might be a production halt resulting from quality issues being reported from initial distribution to customers.