Any predictions for Canon RF lens sales this Cyber Monday 2026?

Question

honestly im just so fed up with how expensive canon glass is still like i bought this R6 Mark II a year ago and im still stuck with the kit lens for my wildlife stuff which is just terrible for birds tbh. my logic was that by 2026 the prices would finally drop or wed see some actual deals but everything is still so pricey and i cant keep carrying this heavy adapter for my old EF glass. so i was thinking maybe cyber monday is actually gonna have something good this year or am i just dreaming? i really need that 100-500mm but my budget is maxed out and im kinda ready to just sell it all and go sony if these sales suck again... anyone got any predictions?

gremlinstation · Accepted Answer

Honestly, I wouldn’t hold my breath for some massive Cyber Monday miracle from Canon—they’ve basically got us over a barrel with that proprietary mount and they know it. Everyone keeps hyping up the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM like it’s the holy grail of birding glass, but when you look at the actual price-to-performance ratio, it’s kind of a joke compared to what’s happening in the E-mount world. I mean, sure, it’s sharp—wait, no, it’s incredibly sharp—but is it 'second mortgage' sharp? I really don't think so. Most of those glowing reviews are just echoing the same marketing points, while actual owners are still complaining about the slow aperture at the long end. If you want to actually save some money instead of waiting for a tiny $150 discount that won't even cover your insurance, here are my two cents:

Skip the main retailers and stalk the Canon Refurbished site about a week before the actual holiday—that's where the genuine 25% off deals hide, far away from the 'official' sales.

Look into the Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM—it’s not an L-series lens, which everyone says you must have, but it’s more reach for less money if you can handle the size. If Canon doesn't blink on pricing by late 2026, jumping ship to a Sony A7 IV with some third-party glass is starting to look like the only sane move left.

lostinramen · Answer

^ This. Also, so funny you ask this — last year I was in your exact position with my R6. I spent months waiting for a massive Cyber Monday drop on the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM that never came. I eventually grabbed the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM for under $600 during a flash sale. It is not L-series glass, but for the price difference, it performs well for hobbyist birding in good light. If you need reach, the Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM usually hits deep discount levels in November. Before you jump ship to Sony, what specific birds are you shooting? If you are mostly doing low-light forest photography, these slower budget lenses might not solve your frustration regardless of the price.

mildlylegendary · Answer

@Reply #1 - good point! The refurbished store is the only place where prices are grounded in reality. Everyone hypes the L-series zooms, but real owners know the slow apertures at the long end are a major compromise for the price. What is your actual dollar limit? "Maxed out" is too vague for a specific recommendation. Consider these alternatives:

Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM - it is significantly cheaper than the L-series and very light for hiking.

Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary - now that third-party RF glass exists, this is the best value for wildlife shooters.

Used Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM - it is an older prime, but the image quality beats many modern budget zooms. Sony isn't a magic fix; their native long glass is also expensive once you leave the entry-level brackets.